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Computer modelling of acoustics in enclosures has developed into various forms, none of which have yet demonstrated 100% accuracy. This thesis therefore details a study of room acoustic computer modelling. It highlights weaknesses with existing modelling techniques and describes the development and subsequent verification of an improved modelling technique. The study discovers that for accurate prediction of many common room acoustic parameters diffuse reflections should be accounted for in the modelling of all reflection orders. However, many of the problems encountered in existing techniques are found to be caused by the way these diffuse reflections are modelled. An improved modelling technique, referred to as a 'Hybrid-Markov' method, is proposed and developed that combines a conventional hybrid method with a radiantexchange process to model diffuse reflections. Initial verification of the new modelling technique results in similar overall accuracies to existing modelling techniques but solves many of the specific problems discovered. It therefore provides a flexible and robust framework for the future development of computer prediction of sound in enclosed spaces.

This thesis is an analysis and a comparative study of current trends in Waste Management in the UK and Malaysia. The focus is on identifying the policy and strategy framework of Sustainable Waste Management as adopted in the UK and its application for future waste planning and management in Malaysia. The research on the UK waste management practices was done through analyses of official waste policy documents from 35 English counties. Analyses of the 615 policy statements revealed 52 issues and repetitions of terms or terminologies which were labelled in the analyses as 'variables'. These variables were grouped into five categories which were further analysed by; category, county and source of documents. It was discovered that solid waste management in the UK is well institutional ised and legislated. The UK legislative framework provides policy makers with accessible information so as to identify the objectives and to construct necessary measures for sustainable waste management policies. It also established, that the waste management industry needs active participation both from the public and private sectors A case study on Malaysian waste management indicated a total contrast with those discovered in the UK studies. The present Malaysian waste management systems have to be improved with the introduction of specific legislation on waste and the formation of the correct institutions to overlook the Country's waste activities. The research enabled the author to produce a concise set of recommendations for the improved handling of waste in Malaysia.

One of the main challenges facing the electronics manufacturing industry in solder paste printing for ultra-fine pitch surface mount and flip-chip assembly is the difficulty in achieving consistent paste deposit volumes from pad-to-pad. At the very small aperture geometries required for ultra-fine pitch and flip chip assembly, flow properties of the paste becomes one of the dominant factors in the printing process. It is widely accepted that over 60% of assembly defects originate from the solder paste printing stage, and hence the urgent need for a better understanding of solder paste rheology, its behaviour during printing, and its impact on defect generation. This understanding is essential for achieving proper control of the printing process. This thesis presents the result of work on the modelling and computer simulation of solder paste behaviour during printing, and consists of three main parts. The first part concerns the modelling of paste behaviour in stencil printing using a vibrating squeegee. The performance of the vibrating squeegee is analysed and process models developed for predicting the ideal printing conditions. In the second part, the random packing of solder powder and the microstructure of solder paste are numerically simulated by applying Monte Carlo method. The effect particle size distributions on the paste microstructure is studied in this part. Based on the simulation results of the second part, the third part concerns the study of the effect of particle size distribution on the paste viscosity and the hydrodynamic interaction between adjacent particles during paste flow. A theoretical enhanced model for predicting the viscosity of dense suspensions such as solder pastes has been developed. This correlates relative viscosity with particle size distribution and with solid volume fraction of dense suspensions. The results of the work have wide applicability: firstly for solder paste manufacturers in optimising paste printing performance at the development stage and for stencil printing equipment manufacturers in specifying the ideal conditions for defect free printing. The simulation algorithm and the viscosity model are also applicable for a wide range of industrial processing applications; in particular metal or ceramic powder compaction, material surface coating, chemical or food material transportation.

This thesis develops a methodology for situated requirements determination in information systems analysis. The thesis challenges convention and adds to the body of knowledge in this area since the methods of the methodology are more usually associated with the social sciences. The role of the systems analyst and the nature of information systems as a distinct discipline form a major part of the thesis and the scope of this investigation includes an exposition of information systems methodologies in general and 'soft' methodologies in particular. A major element of the thesis is the empirical work carried out in which the researcher has undertaken two 'live' systems analysis studies using the methodology which has been developed in action supported by computer software for qualitative data analysis The results from the study are presented in terms of learning and are analysed to help answer the questions relating to the appropriateness of the methodology and the usefulness of the methodology for practising systems analysts. The research methodology used is action case and the appropriateness of this is examined in depth since studies of this type raise a number of questions relating to the validity of this type of research and the role of the researcher. The thesis draws together the different problems and questions that arise in order to produce a coherent, consistent and academically worthy account based upon the literature and empirical findings. In short the thesis addresses the basic issue that motivated its production, namely, how systems analysts faced with organisational complexity really find out what is going on. The outcomes of the research argue for a new role for the systems analyst as postmodern 'bricoleue and tentatively propose the usefulness of social science methods in information systems practice.

This thesis explores stand-up comedy as live performance focusing on the manner in which audience, performer, jokes and venue combine to make a unique interactive experience. It outlines the failure of previous literature in humour research to move beyond simple stimulus models of joking and laughter. It argues for a shift in the study of humour towards in situ observation which draws on both conversation analysis and audience research. Through the observation of stand-up interaction the thesis demonstrates that audience laughter is organised in a consistent fashion and that the transition between comedian's talk and audience laughter is socially organised. In turn the thesis examines the openings, middles and closings of standup routines. It demonstrates that despite a considerable variety of performance style, comperes' introductions, the commencement of the comedians' routines themselves and the closing of acts, are organised around a set of common features each with a preferred order. Further, it demonstrates the active role played by the audience as well as the performer in maintaining this ordering. It shows how a feeling of "liveness" is built up out of these sequences as they are constructed specifically for,and respond to, individual audiences. Looking at the central section of stand-up routines this work demonstrates how jokes told by comedians incorporate a series of rhetorical and performance specific techniques which work towards announcing to an audience that a point of completion is approaching and that laughter is the preferred response. It is argued that this serves to minimise the audience's risk in laughing in a group situation and so is beneficial for both performer and audience. A new system for understanding stand-up is presented which pivots on notions of performance, interaction and liveness.

Jurisprudence is one of the most important subjects of Islamic Studies because it is the means of deducing religious categorisation of human acts and of deducing the rules which regulate human affairs in a just manner. This study attempts to define the nature of Islamic jurisprudence and its historical development as a discipline through the first seven centuries of the Islamic era and somewhat beyond; to produce a critical edition and to study one of the fundamental texts of Islamic jurisprudence: Bad' al-Nim al-Jmi' Bayna Kitbay al Bazdaw wa al-Ikm. This work is of great importance on account of its unifying influence but its text has never received a critical edition or publication. This thesis consists of two volumes, Volume One is written in English and is divided into three parts. Part One is confined to the history of Islamic jurisprudence from the inception of Islam, through the various stages of development and until the end of the seventh century al-Hijra (1300 AD). Part Two concerns itself with the development of Islamic jurisprudence where the main focus is to present a reasonably clear picture of the various processes that practitioners in the field of Islamic jurisprudence have followed in order to derive (new) rules. Finally Part Three deals, through a critical study, with the manuscript entitled Bad' al-Nim al-Jmi' Bayna Kitbay al Bazdaw wa al-Ikm.

The quatrefoil is a pan-Mesoamerican symbol with considerable time-depth. For the Maya, use of the symbol peaked during the Classic Period, reaching its highest frequency and largest geographical spread. Consequently, understanding its meaning has the potential to illuminate information about Precolumbian Maya worldview. While there have been several studies that focus on Preclassic Period quatrefoils, a similar study is lacking for Classic Period. Furthermore, the evaluations of the quatrefoil that do exist for the Classic Period are limited, often focusing on a select few examples. This thesis attempts to rectify the gap in extant research through an examination of the quatrefoil motif utilized by the Classic Period Maya. Specifically, the goal of the thesis was to determine whether the current interpretation of the quatrefoil as a cave is and also to investigate how the symbol communicated broader ideas about worldview and ideology. The approach that was utilized focuses on both archaeological and iconographic contexts. As an iconographic symbol, I attempt to understand the quatrefoil through the use of semiotics with particular emphasis on contextualization and analogy. The results of this study suggest that, while there were some patterns related to spatial distribution, the meaning of the quatrefoil motif was dependent on context and had considerable variations. I conclude that the analysis of the symbol, when based on specific usages and contexts, reveals that there is not enough evidence to support the current interpretation of quatrefoil as cave. Rather, the quatrefoil can be more accurately interpreted as a cosmogram that delineated information about how the Maya conceptualized, ordered, and iii accessed space that was appropriated by elites to reinforce and even legitimize political authority

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The Edge of Things is what I like to call a love song to the dispossessed. Each of the eight stories in the collection is an examination of the lives of women who are exiled from modern American consumer culture, whether by circumstance or by choice. This separation brings them heartache, risk, and sometimes even hope. The collection is fueled by the landscape of Florida, observed at its most beautiful and most corrupted, from highways, landfills, and trailer parks to housing developments, gardens, and secret forests. Setting is a constant source of revelation, the external landscape offering insight into the internal struggles of the characters. Regardless of age, race, or sexual orientation, the women of The Edge of Things find themselves moving toward, or just past, incredible changes in their lives. In "Seed of the Golden Mango", "Raising the Dead", and "The Girl Who Loved Bugs", young women deal with the loss of loved ones. The women of "Zyczenie", "It Cannot Hold", and "Wasp Honey" must deal with old losses in order to survive the realities of the outside world that they have long ignored. "The Edge of Things" and "The Secret Letters" both deal with love, and the consequences of an inability to communicate. In each of these tales I hope to present unforgettable characters, women whose journeys will haunt, reminding readers that on some level, the love song of the dispossessed calls to us all.