This thesis explores the relationship between architecture and the blind people. For better clarity and understanding of the topic, The work has been divided into five distinctive parts. In the first, introduction part, I approach space sensation of a blind person from the physiological and psychological angle. This analysis is very important for the understanding of imagination, which the blind person has. Another important fact to understand is the way in which the blind person gets the information about the space and what is his ability to process it. Further, I explain the basic principles of the blind person’s movement through space and describe instructions of how to help blind people in the concrete spatial situations. In the next part, I give a short information about the historical progress of the relation between the society and the blind people. An important fact is that, as late as 200 years ago, the blind people were considered as “sub men” and did not have the full freedom privilege. This relation has been modified over time and nowadays, the blind people have the freedom of movement and all the rights to enjoy their lives. To meet the needs of the blind people, many associations have been created that act on their behalf. The associations have different modes of functioning, but their common goal is to help blind people with their social rehabilitation, looking for employment and removing architectural barriers. The core of my work is divided into two parts. In the first one, I focus on the problematic of the blind people and architecture from the functional aspect. The functional aspect is vital for the blind people. It corresponds to their safety in the environment. In this chapter, I treat in detail basic elements for designing buildings, for specifying barriers and principles of design for blind people. Furthermore, I describe the help tools the blind people need in order to move in the space. I evaluate the future of these tools and indicate the rapid technological progression which makes the life of blind people more comfortable. In the next part, I focus on the problematic of the blind people and architecture from the aesthetic aspect. This question has not been much explored yet, but is, nonetheless, very important. In this part of my work, I use more my personal experience and the knowledge coming from the exploration of space. Aesthetical values are subjective for all the people, with or without a handicap. Therefore, in this final chapter, I try to note the facts that can be used in the process of the aesthetical perception and to reflect on them. In the domain of aesthetical research, there also exist tools and institutions that help blind people in their comprehension of architecture. The division of my work emerged from the compilation of diverse facts in the process of writing. This thesis has an informative and practical character. It is intended for people who want to understand and to be informed about how to design architecture for the blind people. It will be directed towards people who build this kind of architecture and need an overview of how to make it. It is also intended for people interested in learning more about architecture.

The thesis deals with a technological project of Polymer System Centre in Zlín. It focuses on financial documentation and a time schedule of the construction. The technological project in detail focuses on implementation of a fabric of the Polymer System Centre. The thesis includes a technical report which suggests procedure of the construction. The technological documentation includes a plan of the construction site arrangement, a time schedule, a financial plan for the construction, a budget, a technological report suggesting partitions made of magnesium slabs, a control plan, a test plan and health and safety plan.

Orientador: Orivaldo Arf / Banca: João Antonio da Costa Andrade / Banca: Gustavo Pavan Mateus / Resumo: O objetivo do trabalho foi determinar o efeito do manejo do solo, do nitrogênio e do espaçamento entrelinhas na cultura do milho. O mesmo foi desenvolvido na Fazenda experimental da UNESP - Campus de Ilha Solteira, em Latossolo Vermelho Distrófico. O delineamento experimental foi em parcelas subdividas. Os tratamentos foram constituídos pela combinação de 3 manejos do solo (grade pesada + grade niveladora, escarificador + grade niveladora e plantio direto), 5 épocas de aplicação do nitrogênio : testemunha (sem N); 120 kg ha-1 na semeadura (S); 120 kg ha-1 em V6 ; 30 kg ha-1 (S) e 90 kg ha-1 em V6; 30 kg ha-1 (S) + 45 kg ha-1 em V4 + 45 kg ha-1 em V8) e 2 espaçamentos entrelinhas (0,45 e 0,90 m) com população fixa. Concluiu-se que o sistema plantio direto promoveu maior produtividade de grãos e maior lucratividade; a aplicação precoce de todo o N promoveu produtividade de grãos semelhante aos manejos com parcelamento; o espaçamento entrelinhas não influenciou a produtividade de grãos / Abstract: Agronomic practices that help the farmer to raise the yield and reduce costs must be studied to ensure the sustainability of agriculture. Thinking about it, an experiment was conducted to study the effect of soil management, nitrogen fertilization and of the row spacing in maize crop. It was developed in Distrophic Red Latossol. The experimental design was randomized in split plot. The treatments were constituted by the combination of 3 soil management (plow harrow + "floating harrows", chisel +" floating harrows" and no tillage), 5 times of nitrogen management (control without N, 120 kg ha-1 at sowing (S), 120 kg ha-1 in the V6 stage, 30 kg ha-1 (S) + 90 kg ha-1 in V6, 30 kg ha-1 (S) + 45 kg ha-1 in the V4 + 45 kg ha-1 in V8 and 2 row spacing (0,45 and 0,90 m) with the same plants population. It was concluded that the no tillage system promotes higher grain yield and greater profitability; the nitrogen management (all at sowing) promoted grain yield similar the treatments that the N was divided; and the row spacing didn't influenced the grain yield / Mestre

Die zunehmende Praxisorientierung des Musikunterrichts, welche im Laufe der letzten Jahrzehnte mit dem allmählichen Paradigmenwechsel didaktischer Konzeptionen einherging, führte u.a. dazu, dass Improvisation als ein wesentlicher Teil der Musizierpraxis in den Lehrplan aufgenommen wurde. Was sich diesbezüglich in der Realität hinter den geschlossenen Türen der Musikräume abspielt, beabsichtigt diese Arbeit zu enthüllen. Unter der Forschungsfrage: "Welche Möglichkeiten der Realisierung und effizienten Vermittlung von Improvisation bietet der gymnasiale Musikunterricht und wie werden diese derzeit in der Praxis umgesetzt?" wird dabei zugleich die Bedeutung von Improvisation im Kontext des Musiklernens und –lehrens einbezogen. Um das Bild von einer Improvisationspraxis, wie sie an heutigen Gymnasien tatsächlich stattfindet, zu fundieren und auszubauen, werden die Erfahrungen und Meinungen von Lehrkräften auf Grundlage einer durchgeführten Befragung zusammengefasst und diskutiert.

This research focuses on the emergence of 'digital walls' that can project images onto almost all or even the entirety of interior (and perhaps exterior) walls, and what implications this might have for how we arrange our rooms. It demonstrates the arrangement, i.e., the way that domestic products are arranged physically, of rooms changes in the domestic environment in a complex scenario when using large screens. Due to the fast-growing demand for large screens, this product could potentially be available to be used by people in their home environments; however, it does not yet exist in reality at this scale. Constructing large screens can be carried out using different production methods. Here, this concept is called the digital wall, a very thin wall-sized interactive screen. The characteristics of the digital wall will vary to be able to create different scenarios. One such scenario is a space in the home where the surface of the wall is covered with screens, which allows multiple possibilities to experience and interact with digital content.  In this research, the social gathering space of homes, nowadays called the living room, is considered as a highly relevant space for installing the digital wall. In this space, the conceptual framework outlines the basic elements of the research and demonstrates the relationships between people’s interactions with the digital wall and domestic products in the domestic environment. I show two examples from design history to understand how arrangement changes impact the home environment: the transformation of the parlor to the living room, and entry of the television into the living room. These two examples are focused on the place in the home where people gather for socializing. The discussion of these examples led to the elaboration of the relationships between the elements in the conceptual framework. I explored relevant design research methodologies to bring this future scenario into the present to understand the relationships between people and the digital wall. I applied research through design and the constructive design research approaches to frame the design research methodology. In this thesis, I set up seven series of design studies in two cluster groups: Supportive studies and Main studies. All of the design studies were conducted in the Design Research Lab, the actual space for carrying out the design experiments, prototyping the digital wall, and the setting of the experiments for user participation. The Lab was fully equipped with relevant technology and allowed me to use multiple methods to collect data while people were experiencing the design study sessions. The Lab was useful as a platform to understand user experiences, barriers for interactions as well as people's experiences in a simulated space of a domestic environment.  The main contribution of this research is to understand the forms of arrangement changes when people use the digital wall in homes. The research demonstrates two significant implications that are seen in two forms of arrangements: tangible arrangement and imperceptible arrangement. These findings are useful for both designers and users of the elements of domestic contexts and the relations that can be shaped by the presence of a digital wall in home environments. This understanding may provide design guidelines in future scenarios in which the digital wall is used in homes. The findings are also beneficial for designing the domestic environment, improving the arrangement of space, and raising the requirements for designing domestic products.

Gegenstand der vorliegenden Arbeit ist die Entwicklung einer optimalen Tragstruktur für Netzwerkbogenbrücken. Dabei wird die systematische Nutzung der Optimierungspotenziale dieses Brückentragwerkes an ausgewählten Tragwerkselementen erarbeitet. Es werden Lösungsvorschläge für die System- und Detailausbildung sowie Berechnungs- und Entwurfsgrundlagen entwickelt. Die Schwerpunkte der Arbeit bilden die Entwicklung von ermüdungssicheren Hängeranschlusskonstruktionen, statisch effizienten Hängernetzen sowie Bögen, die sich durch eine hohe Tragfähigkeit bei gleichzeitig geringem Materialverbrauch auszeichnen. Um eine ausreichende Ermüdungssicherheit der in dieser Hinsicht maßgebenden Hängeranschlusskonstruktionen zu gewährleisten, ist es notwendig, die risserzeugenden Spannungsspitzen zu minimieren und möglichst einen homogenen Spannungsverlauf über das gesamte Bauteil zu erzeugen. Mit Hilfe einer parametergestützten Gestaltoptimierung und anschließender Topologieanpassung wird zunächst eine optimale Lösung für die Hängeranschlusskonstruktion entworfen. Anschließend erfolgt die Entwicklung einer Bestimmungsgleichung für die Kerbwirkungszahl dieser Anschlusskonstruktion, welche die Anwendung des Kerbspannungskonzeptes für Hängeranschlüsse ermöglicht. Zur effizienten Nutzung der statischen Vorteile von Netzwerkbogenbrücken ist die Anordnung der Hänger von großer Bedeutung. Um die vorteilhafteste Hängeranordnung zu ermitteln, werden fünf mögliche Hängernetze mit variierenden Hängerneigungsparametern, Hängeranzahlen und Stützweiten hinsichtlich gezielt ausgewählter statischer Kriterien untersucht und bewertet. Daraus resultierend werden Empfehlungen formuliert, die dem Ingenieur die Wahl eines für entsprechende Rahmenbedingungen geeigneten Hängernetzes erleichtern. Auch die konstruktive Ausführung des Bogens sowie des oberen Windverbandes und das damit verbundene Tragverhalten sind beim Entwurf einer effizienten Netzwerkbogenbrücke von großer Bedeutung. Deswegen wird der Einfluss von Form, Geometrie und Steifigkeit des Bogens sowie von Ausführung und Konstruktion anderer Tragwerksteile auf die Bogenstabilität analysiert. Darauf aufbauend erfolgt die Optimierung dieser Konstruktionsparameter, um die Stahlmasse des Bogens ohne maßgebliche Reduzierung der Tragfähigkeit zu minimieren. Zusätzlich werden verschiedene Ersatzimperfektionen bezüglich ihrer Auswirkung auf die rechnerische Bogenstabilität untersucht und die maßgebenden Vorverformungen hinsichtlich ihrer Form und ihrer Größe herausgestellt. In ausgewählten Beispielen werden abschließend die entwickelten Lösungen mit Bauwerken aus der Praxis verglichen, um die Effizienz des optimierten Tragwerkes zu demonstrieren. / This work of research will tackle the development of an optimal structure for network arch bridges. The systematic employment of potentials to optimize these bridge structures will be examined for selected structural members. Suggestions for the construction of the bridge system and of selected details as well as basics for calculation and design will be developed. This paper will focuses mainly on the design of fatigue-proof hanger connections, statically efficient hanger networks as well as arches, which have a high load carrying capacity along with low material consumption. In order to provide sufficient security against fatigue failure for the decisive connections of the hanger bars, stress peaks that cause cracks have to be minimized and homogeneous stress distribution within the whole element has to be ensured. Initially, this paper will delineate an optimal solution for hanger connections by means of parameter-based shape optimization and subsequent topology adaptation. In the following, an analytic formula for the stress concentration factor of this connection will be developed in order to enable the application of the notch stress concept for hanger connections. To apply the static advantages of network arch bridges efficiently, the arrangement of the hangers is essential. In order to determine the most efficient hanger arrangement, five possible hanger arrangements with varying parameters (slope of the hangers, number of the hangers and span of the bridge) will be analyzed and evaluated with respect to systematically selected static criteria. On the basis of these investigations, recommendations for engineers how to choose an optimized hanger arrangement according to different geometrical bridge parameters will be made. Additionally, the constructive design of the arches and the upper wind bracing as well as the associated structural behavior are significant when an efficient network arch bridge is to be designed. For this reason, this paper will analyze the influence of the arch-shape, the arch-geometry and the arch-stiffness as well as the design and construction of other structural members on the stability of the arch. Based on these results, the constructive parameters will be optimized in order to reduce the steel weight of the arch without significantly reducing the load carrying capacity. Furthermore, the influence of different imperfections on the arch stability will be analyzed and the form and size of the decisive initial deflections emphasized. Finally, systematically selected examples will provide a comparison between the developed solutions and existing bridge structures in order to demonstrate the efficiency of the optimized structure.

Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji (1892-1988) was an English composer-pianist of Parsi descent. Although he composed many works for piano, these compositions remain largely unknown to the public due to the composer's self-imposed 40-year ban on public performances of all his works and the immense technical difficulty of his music. This research proposes a comparative study of Sorabji's two versions of Rapsodie espagnole de Maurice Ravel-Transcription de concert pour piano (1923, 1945). These transcriptions are based on Ravel's orchestral work and are different in terms of the style of their arrangements: the 1923 version is more of a literal transcription, whereas the 1945 version has been expanded upon the former. This dissertation compares the differences between the two versions, as well as identifying how Sorabji infused his own style into the 1945 transcription. This study relies on primary sources including writings and manuscripts of Sorabji, and secondary sources such as articles on interpreting Sorabji's piano works and biographies about Sorabji.

Widely regarded as one of the most significant composers of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Carl Nielsen and his music have come to define the early twentieth-century musical traditions of Denmark. His original songs for voice and piano are often revered as popular folk tunes and contributed to his status as a national icon. My dissertation explores Nielsen's vocal repertoire through a multipart project that includes transcribing and editing eleven of Nielsen's early songs from Op. 4 (1891) and Op. 10 (1894), originally for voice and piano, for flute and piano. I discuss the reception history and context of Nielsen's Songs, the important role of transcription in flute literature, and provide full score transcription of the original works for flute and piano. Many vocal works have been transcribed for flute from the original vocal score, providing variety in programming and attracting diverse audiences to performances. Transcription offers scholars a new view into a work, by determining what elements of the piece are integral to maintain the composer's intentions.

Artie Shaw's Interlude in B-flat is unknown to many in the classical clarinet world and remains unperformed by clarinetists, despite its historical importance as one of the earliest Third Stream compositions, the earliest composition of its type in the clarinet repertoire. This prompts the question, why? This document explores four possible reasons for the marginalization of Interlude in B-flat. First, Shaw's historical narrative typically places him within the jazz world and not the classical world. Classical clarinetists may assume a Shaw composition will require a jazz background and experience beyond their abilities, namely improvisation. Second, the instrumentation, string quartet plus jazz combo, is atypical, making it difficult to program. Third, jazz and classical educational worlds do not necessarily overlap or interact, and neither has taken ownership of this Third Stream composition. Lastly, manuscripts, recordings, and other materials for Interlude in B-flat are limited and not readily available. Because Artie Shaw is not only a significant American clarinetist but also an important composer within the Third Stream narrative, Interlude in B-flat should be known and performed. This project aimed to promote the understanding and accessibility of this important and unknown composition to the classical clarinet world by providing an accessible arrangement of the work for clarinet and piano.

My thesis is mostly concerned with algebraic and combinatorial aspects of the theory of hyperplane arrangements. More specifically, I study the Orlik-Terao algebra of a hyperplane arrangement and the broken circuit complex of a matroid. The Orlik-Terao algebra is a useful tool for studying hyperplane arrangements, especially for characterizing some non-combinatorial properties. The broken circuit complex, on the one hand, is closely related to the Orlik-Terao algebra, and on the other hand, plays a crucial role in the study of many combinatorial problem: the coefficients of the characteristic polynomial of a matroid are encoded in the f-vector of the broken circuit complex of the matroid. Among main results of the thesis are characterizations of the complete intersection and Gorenstein properties of the broken circuit complex and the Orlik-Terao algebra. I also study the h-vector of the broken circuit complex of a series-parallel network and relate certain entries of that vector to ear decompositions of the network. An application of the Orlik-Terao algebra in studying the relation space of a hyperplane arrangement is also included in the thesis.