This thesis is a study of a community in physical isolation. The first chapter describes the methodology used. Short form questionnaires and in-depth interviews were gathered. Three sets of historical maps were drawn from documented sources. A film describing the life style and beliefs of some community residents was made. The second chapter is an evaluation of some of the literature on the neighborhood. This chapter details the hypothesis that external pressures and externally created needs tended in the case of the Lair Hill area to produce a Gemeinschaft-like situation which proves stronger than the many factors making for heterogeneity in this ethnically and culturally and generationally mixed community. Chapter three details the history of the neighborhood: first, from the turn of the century to the beginning of urban renewal in 1958; second, from 1958 to the present day. Chapter four details both the heterogeneous and homogeneous factors in interaction in the community and further explores the conflict between exterior society and the common interest of the people in the Lair Hill community.

The hypothesis for studying the hiring practices at the Port of Portland was simply that hiring practices have historically discriminated against non-whites through negative racial attitudes that are destructive and inappropriate if equal employment is to be practiced. The objective of this study was to provide the Port with information which could lead to the adjustment of hiring procedures which would be geared toward effective recruitment and hiring of minority individuals.

Sustainability and reduction of environmental impacts have continued to increase in importance in the concrete marketplace. Portland-limestone cement (PLC) has been shown to reduce total energy consumed and CO2 produced during the cement manufacturing process. This material may also have the ability to benefit concrete properties, such as compressive strength and time of set. Other concrete performance measures of potential interest evaluated in this study include durability and modulus of elasticity. In this dissertation PLC was evaluated for its ability to further increase concrete sustainability, while at the same time providing advantageous properties. This study’s focus was to show that PLC can improve concrete mixtures that are similar to commonly used ordinary portland cement (OPC) mixtures. PLC was also evaluated for its ability to increase the amount of total cement replacement (further increasing sustainability). Additionally PLC properties and concrete mixture combinations were evaluated in an attempt to clarify which PLC properties are crucial in performance benefits. Approximately 2000 concrete specimens were tested along with approximately 1000 cement paste specimens. This dissertation also includes an evaluation of PLC being used in a large scale construction and renovation project on a college football stadium. The scope of the dissertation included 12 cements from four manufacturing facilities that represent a large portion of the cement industry in the southeast US. Supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), Class C fly ash, Class F fly ash, and slag cement, were also evaluated in single and dual SCM concrete mixtures at replacement rates up to 70%. Replacement rates of this magnitude are not being used in common practice but may become preferred in some conditions with PLC. Results indicated that PLC outperformed OPC in areas tested, in almost all cases at up to 50% replacement with single and dual SCMs. PLC also showed considerable advantages at 60% replacement but was often outperformed by OPC at 70% replacement. Aggregate type played a large role at 70% replacement. Elastic modulus, durability, and variability were all similar with PLC and OPC. Combinations of certain SCMs were more advantageous than others, and optimal SCM combinations changed depending on cement source.

This dissertation covers concrete and cement paste (CP) containing portland-limetsone cement (PLC) for the purpose of understanding mainly mechanical property behaviors. PLC has been consistently investigated by researchers over the past decade who have found equal and often superior performance with PLC, but few researchers have found reasons why. Throughout this dissertation CP cylinders are used to help understand concrete. By understanding the CP (cementitious materials, water, admix, and no fine or coarse aggregates) portion of concrete, it is believed further understanding can be achieved. The interaction of CP and aggregates, or paste aggregate bond (PAB), is exceptionally important. Literature review suggests PAB can be affected by chemical and physical properties of aggregates as well as cement which dictates the mechanical property performance of concrete. CP measurements used herein are mainly compressive strength, however there were other measurements, such as thermal setting, collected as well. CP properties whether thermal or mechanical, generally agreed with concrete results. Additionally, CP compressive strengths were found to have value beyond what was previously known. Mainly that CP compressive strengths can help diagnose concrete behavior. CP used with concrete measurements can give some indication, not previously available, concerning PAB and bonding efficiency. However, the CP measurements had high variability. As such, a new CP production method was developed alongside different analysis techniques to reduce the variability. CP was further used with concrete to recommend a factor for balancing fineness and limestone percentage in PLC. Next, CP measurements were used with 74 concrete mixtures for investigating the Mississippi Department of Transportation fly ash replacement level limits for ordinary portland cement (OPC) and PLC for implementation into the Mississippi market. Lastly, this dissertation delved into non-production concrete mixtures with few ingredients (washed aggregates, cementitious materials, and water) to discover mechanisms behind PLC and OPC behaviors. From CP and concrete measurement perspectives, it is recommended that PLC in the MS marketplace be implemented without hesitation. From the conclusions herein, there does not appear to be many cases where OPC considerably outperforms PLC. In almost every case, PLC performs equivalent or better than OPC when numerous properties are considered.

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This study addresses a major theoretical issue posed in the literature: can alienation in modern urban society be conceptualized in terms of the communicative competence of speakers taking part in social interaction. Specifically, this study explores the relationship between communicative competence and two observable indications of success in land use hearings: 1) ability to influence the final decision of the Variance Committee and 2) expression of feelings of dissatisfaction with the hearings process, as expressed by the participants. On a broader scale, the study tests Jurgen Habermas's classification of speech acts and the notion that public hearings are a free and open process for integrating public opinion into land use decisions. Twenty-five hearings before the Variance Committee of the City of Portland were observed in order to record the types of speech acts used by four different groups in the hearings - the protestors, the applicants, the planning staff and the committee members. Following the hearings the applicant and a protestor were interviewed to ask information about their perceptions of the hearings process. In addition, all the Variance Committee members (15) and twenty-five professional planning staff were interviewed. Altogether 98 interviews were conducted. Analysis of Variance demonstrates that there is a significant difference in the use of the four types of speech acts by the four groups. Tabular analysis shows that the applicants are more comfortable with the hearings process than the protestors. However, both groups are relatively well satisfied with the hearings process, even after controlling for the final decision. Multiple linear regression demonstrates that the decision of the hearing is strongly associated with the speech acts received by the applicants and protestors. Furthermore, a large portion of those acts and their direction can be attributed to the committee Chairman. Based on these two findings (direction of the committee's attention and the Chairman's influence), a case analysis of 14 (out of twenty-five) crucial cases were examined to determine the interactive process used in reaching the final decision. Crucial case analysis revealed that the committee follows an identical ritual review process, led by the Chairman, in all those cases where the final decision corresponds to the staff recommendation. In those cases where the staff recommendation is reversed, the ritual review process is interrupted by one of three types of unexpected errors, committed by the testifiers, which shift the communicative attention of the committee to the opposing testifiers. These findings suggest the hearing process does not provide free and open access to opportunities to influence the decision in Variance hearings. Although some feelings of placation occur on the part of applicants and protestors, the final decisions are heavily predisposed by the professional staff recommendation. This predisposition is not overcome by compelling rational discourse, but only if a "fatal error" is committee by one group of testifiers.

In practice, the design of bus routes and stop placement involves calculated trade-offs between service frequency, quality, and access. Increased stop density improves access but contributes to slow operating speeds and increased operating costs. In this thesis, a optimized bus stop spacing model is applied using the high resolution archived stop-level bus performance data from the Bus Dispatch System (BDS) provided by TriMet, the regional transit provider for the Portland metropolitan area. Two cost components are considered in the stop spacing model including passenger access cost and in-vehicle passenger stopping cost, and are combined and optimized to minimize total cost. A case-study is presented using one year's stop-level data from one bus route 19 in Portland, Oregon. The analysis considered both inbound and outbound stop spacing and determined the optimal average stop spacing based on an all-day, peak and off-peak time periods. Based on the analysis considering inbound trips over the entire day, the theoretical optimized bus stop spacing was about 1,200 feet, as compared to the current value of 890 feet. This paper also builds on the all day analysis and focuses on inbound and outbound trips during peak periods, resulting in optimized spacing of about 1,300 feet. The peak hour demand has a significant impact on the transit operation. A bus stop consolidation scheme is proposed for the analyzed bus route considering the peak hour transit demand. Finally, the thesis discusses trade-offs and presents an estimate of transit operating cost savings based on the optimized spacing. Given the growing availability of high-resolution archived data, the thesis illustrates that this modeling tool can be applied in a routine way across multiple routes as part of an ongoing service planning and performance measurement process.

This thesis recounts the history of the Portland Learning Community, an experimental institution of higher education founded in 1970 by a group consisting mostly of former faculty and students at Reed College. The Learning Community was funded by the Carnegie Corporation and affiliated with Antioch College.

The St. Johns neighborhood of North Portland is known for its strong regional identity, working class character, and diversity. Portland as a whole has experienced a major socioeconomic shift in the last ten years, and these changes are hitting St. Johns particularly hard. My research seeks to identify the place meanings that underpin sense of place, place attachment, and processes of attachment formation, among residents of the neighborhood. My research questions are: What are the objects of attachment? Why (the place meanings that underpin attachment)? And how (through what processes are attachments formed)? In what ways are the "why" and "how" intertwined? What are the commonalities across different variables, and how do those gesture at a holistic St. Johns essence, or sense of place? My primary method was Resident-Employed Photography, supported by participant observation and archival research. This 'photo voice' method entailed giving single-use cameras to 43 place-attached St. Johns residents and asking them to photograph and write about twelve things that explain their connection. The results offer a rich, multifaceted understanding of place meanings and processes of attachment in St. Johns, and insight into what individual facets are most intrinsic to sense of place. The intention of this research is to inform planning efforts, contribute to community dialogues about the future of St. Johns, empower residents to become civically engaged, and articulate a sense of place that can be leveraged by the community in spatial struggles.

This study is intended to provide information about the situation of first-generation Vietnamese women to the IRCO Parent and Child Program Department in Portland, Oregon. Nutrition intervention and food assistance currently offered to Vietnamese women enrolled in this program is the focus of the study. The women interviewed characterize themselves and their eating patterns as Vietnamese, though many changes in practice and concept reflect those of American culture. The study reveals several categories of food acculturation that act both separately and influence the development of each other. These categories are diet, taste, solutions, and concepts. Recommendations are made according to the categories and process of acculturation demonstrated by the participating women and the effects of this process on the health of the women and their families. / Graduation date: 2004