A caracterização do tráfego rodoviário é de grande importância para o dimensionamento de pavimentos, bem como para a garantia de sua vida útil, sendo a carga aplicada pelo tráfego uma das maiores responsáveis pelos danos na estrutura. Com o objetivo de garantir a durabilidade dos pavimentos, sistemas Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) podem ser utilizados para coleta de informações sobre os veículos que trafegam em uma rodovia. Propôs-se neste estudo caracterizar o tráfego a partir da avaliação contínua das solicitações de carga na BR-381, sentido Sul, por meio da coleta de dados de Sistema WIM. A partir da análise dos dados coletados entre setembro de 2015 e fevereiro de 2017, observou-se que aproximadamente 85% dos veículos comerciais trafegam na faixa de rolamento mais solicitada (faixa 2). Com relação ao volume de veículos comerciais, pôde-se constatar a presença de uma maior quantidade de veículos durante os dias úteis quando comparados aos finais de semana. Além das variações com relação ao dia da semana, o volume de tráfego também apresenta particularidades com relação às distribuições horárias. Foram obtidas e analisadas as distribuições de carga para cada tipo de eixo das 15 categorias de veículos comerciais mais frequentes (representando 97,3% do tráfego comercial registrado). Com base na Legislação Brasileira vigente, quantificou-se o excesso de carga praticado na rodovia, onde foram identificados 23,7% dos veículos com excesso. Notou-se que a maioria dos excessos se encontram na faixa de até 10% dos respetivos limites legais, indicando que muitos transportadores carregam seus veículos considerando a tolerância como um ganho real de sobrecarga. Um método para identificação de padrões de viagem dos veículos com excesso foi proposto, que se baseia nas árvores de classificação e regressão (Classification and Regression Tree Analysis - CART), uma ferramenta analítica. Por fim, os dados de tráfego foram correlacionados com os defeitos observados no trecho experimental construído logo após o sistema WIM, onde se simulou a redução da vida útil de estruturas de pavimentos considerando diferentes cenários de carga, sendo eles: (i) tráfego real; (ii) tráfego na tolerância (considerando a tolerância de 10%); e (iii) tráfego legal, concluindo-se que a prática do excesso de carga nas rodovias penaliza o transporte rodoviário ao acelerar a degradação das rodovias. / The traffic characterization is of great importance for pavement design, as well as for prediction of its remaining service life. In fact, traffic loading is one of the major contributors for the pavement deterioration. In order to ensure pavement durability, Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) systems can be used to collect traffic data. Therefore, this study was conducted to analyze the effect on the pavements of characterizing the traffic through a Weigh-in-Motion system installed between km 948 and 949 at the Brazilian Federal Highway BR-381. The analysis of the data collected from September 2015 to February 2017 shows that approximately 85% of commercial vehicles travel on the outside slow lane (lane 2). Regarding the volume of commercial vehicles, traffic volume was lower in weekends. In addition to the daily variations, traffic patterns also presented hourly variations. The axle load distributions were obtained and analyzed for the 15 more frequent commercial vehicle categories (representing 97.3% of all the commercial traffic registered). Based on the current Brazilian laws, the results from this study have indicated a significant percentage of violation involving overloaded heavy good vehicles in the highway (23.7%). In general, most axles exceed the legal limits up to 10%, indicating that many vehicles are loaded considering the tolerance as a real gain. A method to identify overloaded truck travel patterns and loading characteristics from available HS-WIM data was proposed. The method is based on Classification and Regression Tree Analysis (CART), an analytical tool. Finally, the traffic data were correlated with the distresses observed in the experimental section constructed closer to the WIM system, where it was simulated the reduction of the useful life of pavement structures considering different load scenarios: (i) real traffic; (ii) traffic in the tolerance (considering the tolerance of 10%); and (iii) legal traffic. it was concluded that the practice of overloading on highways penalizes road transport by accelerating road degradation.

Thesis (M.Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 2003. / Also available in print.

The Wim Hof Method (WHM) is a contemporary combination of techniques including a breathing exercise, mindset and cold exposure. Interest in the method has blossomed in recent years as scientific studies has presented promising results on the methods impact on the autonomic nervous system (ANS) as well as the immune system. However, although biological factors have been demonstrated as a result of the method, psychological measures are lacking. In this study Subjective Well Being (SWB) was measured which refers to psychological attributes such as happiness, fulfilment and enrichment. As a biological marker Heart Rate Variability (HRV) was measured as it is theorised to be an indirect measure of the ANS which in turn often have been associated to reflect mental health. Measures of SWB and HRV were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Thirty-two participants met the inclusion criteria and were randomised into an intervention group and a control group. The intervention group was asked to do 10 days of WHM home practice after an initial introductory training. Meanwhile the control group were asked to live life as usual. Twenty-six participants completed the post assessments, and the collected data were analysed across time. It was found that participants in the intervention group reported a significant decrease in negative affect from pre-intervention to post-intervention in comparison to those in the control group. The present study adds to the existing research on the WHM by assessing new measures that reflect psychological well-being, namely SWB and HRV.

Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) systems have improved the process of collecting data from heavy vehicles on the U.S. highway system and enforcing the laws that govern vehicle weights. The benefits of WIM are reaped by everyone from highway designers and voernments officials, to truck drivers and transportation industry owners. The data collected by WIM devices is essential for proper pavement design, developing pavement management systems, weight enforcement strategies, modeling traffic improvement projects, and predicting load-related distresses and performance. While WIM offers many advantages over its alternative, static weighing, the technology is limited by problems associated with the accuracy of its measurements. Weigh-in-Motion systems that lack accuracy require vehicles to travel slower and can result in higher queues, longer delays, and potential hazards. For these reasons, WIM system performance must be improved in order to adequately serve its purpose. In order to evaluate WIM system performance and determine what vehicle characteristics have the most affect on it, two systems in the Commonwealth of Virginia were evaluated. The first system was an in-service WIM system at the Troutsville weigh station on I-81. The Troutsville station had bending plate WIM scales located in both the northbound and southbound directions. The second system in a newly developed WIM system manufactured by Omni Weight Corporation (OWC) and was installed at the Virginia Smart Road for evaluation. The OWC scale is a completely sealed and buried system that has ten strain gauge sensors in its interior. Evaluation of both scales was performed by conducting a number of test runs under varying load conditions. Testing at Troutsville was performed using four different test vehicles with multiple loads on each. Variation in load was achieved by loading the test vehicles with various numbers of concrete Jersey Walls. Testing on the OWC scale was performed using only two test vehicles while varying the speed, load, tire pressure, and direction of travel over the scale. The study showed that the scales at the Troutsville weigh station yielded 10% error or less on only 77% of the tests, not complying with the required 95% set forth by ASTM E-1318. In comparison, using the manufacturer's processed data for the OWC scale yielded only 18% of its tests with 10% error or less, far below the ASTM standard. A model was developed to re-calculate the axle weights using the raw sensor data from the OWC scale; and an evaluation of the accuracy of this data showed that the OWC scale performed much better. While compliance with the ASTM standards was still not achieved, it rose from 18% to 71% of the tests having 10% error or less. Repeatability of the Troutsville scales and OWC scales was found to be comparable. / Master of Science

Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) systems improve the capacity of weigh station operations significantly by screening trucks while traveling at high speeds and only requiring trucks within a threshold of a maximum permissible gross of axle weight to be weighed on more accurate static scales. Consequently, the operation of a weigh station is highly dependent on the accuracy of the screening WIM system. This thesis develops a procedure for relating axle accuracy to gross vehicle accuracy and develops a field and modeling framework for evaluating weigh station operations. The WIM scale operation at the Stephens City weigh station in Virginia is examined to demonstrate how the field and modeling framework can be applied to evaluate the operation of a weigh station. Specifically, the field evaluation evaluated the accuracy of the WIM technology in addition to the operations of the weigh station in terms of service time, system time, and delay incurred at the static scales. During the field evaluation of the Stephens City WIM load cell system, the WIM technology was found to estimate truck weights to within 6 and 7 percent of the static weights 95 percent of the time. The modeling framework provides a methodology that can be used to determine the effects of the truck demand, the WIM accuracy, the system threshold, and the WIM calibration on system performance. The number of vehicles sent to the static scale and bypass lanes as well as the amount of delay experienced were analyzed for various system characteristics. The proposed framework can be utilized to estimate vehicle delay at a weigh station. / Master of Science

The Virginia Tech Spectral-Line Survey (VTSS) is a high sensitivity, high resolution survey of Hydrogen-$\alpha$ and Sulfur-II emission in the full northern hemisphere. The instrument used for the survey is the Spectral Line Imaging Camera (SLIC). SLIC uses a fast(f/1.2) lens attached to a cryogenically cooled, TK 512x512 CCD with 27 micron pixels. The focal length of the lens is 58mm which gives a pixel size of 1.6 arcminutes. The diameter of each field is 10degrees. A filter wheel ahead of the lens allows for imaging at different wavelengths. Automating the imaging system is desirable and advantageous due to the large scope of the survey. A variety of devices have been developed in order to implement automation of the SLIC observatory. They include an automated focusing mechanism, filter wheel, liquid nitrogen auto fill system, motorized roll-off roof, cloud monitor, and an equatorial mount. A PERL script, called SLICAR (Spectral Line Imaging Camera Automation Routine), was written to control and communicate with the various hardware and software components. The program also implements a user prepared Observing File, and makes decisions based on observing conditions. / Master of Science

Thesis (MA (VA)(Visual Arts))--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / This investigation draws on theories of sacrifice to explore Wim Botha’s sculpture Premonition of War: Scapegoat in relation to nationalist and patriarchal thought. Since the artist deals with myth, his approach is discussed in terms of Barthes’ formulation of myth as a meta-language. It is maintained that Botha is using a meta-mythical language to deconstruct the narratives he deals with. Sacrifice is seen as an act that binds communities together but that also separates them from threats (Nancy Jay 1992:17). It is argued that the crucifix has been used as symbol of sacrifice to denote immortality, and that this over-emphasis of continuity has been to the detriment of those that do not fall within the boundaries of the “same” as defined by white men. The incorporation and exclusion of the feminine into male structures are discussed, as well as the role that institutionalised religious thought has played in South African Nationalism. An interpretation of Scapegoat using Freud and Žižek seems to point to the necessary compromise made by the Church with the dualisms it has created between its definitions of good and evil. Nietzsche’s conception of sacrifice as a system of debt when applied to the Scapegoat also seems to point to a contradiction inherent within it, since Botha’s inversion puts into question the idea of a gift given outside of a creditor/debtor system. The burnt appearance of the Scapegoat appears to indicate that the attempt to sacrifice the act of sacrifice is futile, since sacrifice eternally returns. However, the “pure gift”, or don pur that Derrida writes of, seems to point to a way beyond dialectics, towards a morality freed from duty.

The purpose of this study is to create a deeper understanding on how brands today arepart of culture, creating meaning and effects, persuading customers through hidden messages and cultural communication codes. The starting point for my studies has been a European approach, with a German brand as empirical material. As a visual communicator it is especially important to critically understand how each element in an advertising campaigncreates meaning and therewith influences consumers unconsciously. My study has the ambition to research how luxury products are portrayed by examining visual markers for taste and exclusivity that indicate that the Jil Sander advertising campaign (2018) is directed towards members of a higher social strata. This has been done by using a qualitative visual image analysis based on social semiotics. Representation, taste, status and social milieus are the theoretical key terms in this study which are linked to my image analysis which shows that the characters are members of the same scene belonging tothe same social milieu, were they share social norms, dress codes, linguistic codes such assigns and symbols. All of them are visual markers of a higher social class, taste and capital.

This master's thesis deals with systems and technology of high speed weigh in motion stations. The main task is to evaluation of accuracy different sensor installations of weight in motion stations. A part of this thesis is an analysis of different sensor types, which are used for stations equipped with technology for enforcement, and evaluation of accuracy of axle distance measurement.

In this qualitative, interpretive study a new and promising imagery technique, called Wertimagination (WIM®) [Value-Oriented Imagery] was researched. It was developed by the logotherapist Uwe Boeschemeyer in Germany. At the main focus of this study are the psychotherapeutic work experiences of logotherapists applying WIM®. Their perceptions with regard to Wertimagination’s potencies, limitations and its overall contribution to Logotherapy are explored. Eight semi-structured expert interviews were conducted with German logotherapists offering WIM® at their practice. The interview contents are analysed and compared with supplementing perspectives: with Wertimagination experiences reported by other (logo)therapists, by clients and by the developer of the method (Boeschemeyer), extracted from the existing body of literature. The results show that Value-Oriented Imagery by all three researched parties – (logo)therapists, clients and its developer – is experienced to be a high potential logotherapeutic, salutogenetic (resources-oriented) approach contributing inter alia towards a person’s inner meaning finding, selfacceptance and trust in life. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)