Meaning in the landscape is a concept that is receiving attention from many landscape architects asking the questions: how is meaning found in the landscape, or what makes a landscape meaningful? While there are many design processes that incorporate meaning into the design, it is the art of storytelling that the thesis investigates. The research for the thesis and a comparison analysis is performed on three texts, which explore meaning in the landscape. The three texts are Marc Treib's "Must Landscapes Mean?"; Matthew Potteiger and Jamie Purinton's Landscape Narratives, and Mark Francis and Randolph T. Hester, Jr.'s The Meaning of Gardens: Idea, Place, and Action. Applying these approaches to case studies has resulted in the finding of common ideas between the three texts. The commonalities led to my position that storytelling can be used as an approach to design, and that landscapes designed as a story narrative can be meaningful. The design project investigated the strength of the position on a site in the West Potomac Park in Washington DC. The story for the project is a Japanese folktale that communicates the culture of Japan. The project is a case study that explores if the set of design principles within the storytelling approach can invest meaning into a landscape. / Master of Landscape Architecture

The concept of piezohydraulic actuation is to transfer the reciprocal small stroke displacement of piezoceramics into unidirectional motion by frequency rectification through a hydraulic fluid. It takes advantage of the high force capabilities that piezoelectric materials have and couples it with very stiff media such as hydraulic fluid to amplify and create this unidirectional motion. Inlet and outlet valves are connected to a pumping chamber where pressure is built by the displacement of the piezoelectric material and released by the opening of the outlet valve, thus achieving a variable flow rate that is used to push a hydraulic cylinder. Loads may be connected to this hydraulic cylinder for measuring/achieving mechanical power. As part of this research, a benchtop piezohydraulic actuator with active piezohydraulic valves has been developed and the concept of piezohydraulic actuation has been demonstrated. Displacement of a hydraulic cylinder by driving a piezoelectric stack has been achieved while the cylinder was loaded or unloaded. Lumped-parameter state-space models have been developed in order to simulate the dynamics of the active valves and entire actuator system. The model simulates the chamber pressure, displacement of the hydraulic cylinder, and power of the piezohydraulic unit. A four-stage cycle simulation was used to model the pumping operation and dynamic response of the system. Experimental results demonstrate the importance of fluid compressibility, valve timing, and fluid circuit components in the optimization of the output power of the actuation system. An array of different timing tests run on the inlet and outlet valves shows that their timing is crucial to the performance of the system. Also shown is that the optimal timing conditions change slightly while under different loads. When operating at higher frequencies (above 140 Hz), it is shown that the hydraulic fluid circuit does not respond quickly enough for the piston to fully extend against the fluid and loaded cylinder. There is not sufficient time when operating at higher frequencies to push all the fluid from the chamber into the hydraulic cylinder, operation is too fast for the dynamics of the fluid circuit. The four stage lumped-parameter model achieves good approximations of the experimental results when the load inertia was neglected while operating at frequencies below 120 Hz and under loads at or below 12.825 kg. Memory limitations caused the number of elements included in the lumped-parameter model to be limited, and are believed to be the source of the errors for the higher operation frequencies and loads. The model never converged due to the lack of elements, and the simulated system did not respond quickly enough to accurately model the fluid exiting the chamber. When operating at frequencies above the 120 Hz value, this error in modeling the fluid exiting the valves becomes very important. The simulation predicts higher values than the experiment and fails to correlate to the actual results at the higher frequencies and while under the higher loads. The errors at higher loads may also be attributed to the neglected inertia. The most recent tests on the benchtop set-up were all run with a pre-pressure value of 190 psi, a piston duty cycle of 50%, valve duty cycles of 40% for each, and a 5% outlet valve offset. Slightly better operation performance might be achieved at frequencies higher than 140 Hz by increasing the piston duty cycle and varying the valve parameters. Also, increaing the pre-pressure of the fluid may help by stiffening the system to create a faster response, however this will have an adverse effect also by creating more force against piston motion. Lastly, the hydraulic cylinder was built for high pressures and had considerable friction associated with it. Obtaining a different cylinder with less friction may also help the response time of the fluid circuit. / Master of Science

In Sweden, buildings are not designed to withstand earthquakes due to the rarity of an earthquake event and its consequential damage. However, the aim of this thesis was to study the seismic performance of some of the highest buildings in Stockholm, called Innovationen and Helix. The purpose of the study was to get an understanding of earthquake engineering for high rise buildings and to compare the behavior of the two towers during seismic action. In order to compare the two buildings and get an understanding of what will affect the seismic performance, Eurocode 8 was used. The Eurocode standard lists several properties that impacts the seismic resistance of buildings. One of the goals was to study how those factors influence the behavior of Innovationen and Helix and finally compare the results to each other in order to draw valid conclusions. The method to perform the analysis was a modal analysis using a finite element analysis program. The program used contains predefined response spectra’s based on Eurocode 8 which is used to define the seismic load acting on the structures. The extracted results are listed below: - Frequencies and mode shapes - Modal masses - Level and total masses - Accelerations - Displacements The conclusion of the study was that Innovationen and Helix have similar properties and some points from Eurocode 8 were better fulfilled by Helix and others by Innovationen: - Uniformity, symmetry and redundancy (Innovationen fulfills the requirements better than Helix) - Bi-directional resistance and stiffness (Innovationen fulfills the requirements better than Helix) - Torsional resistance and stiffness (Helix fulfills the requirements better than Innovationen) - Adequate foundation (Helix fulfills the requirements better than Innovationen) Of the two parameters studied, the height was the one with the most influence on seismic resistance.

This thesis explores the relationship between culture and human-centred design in Botswana, a topic on which there is little previous research. The pinnacle of good product innovation is when it is grounded on sensitive cultural analysis of users' culture; however, it has been observed that designers have not yet been able to encode cultural phenomena to the same extent as cognitive and physical human factors. The study develops a theoretical framework of cultural analysis, comparing traditional with contemporary socio-cultural factors that can be applied to designing products. The content analysis method was used to extract and synthesise traditional and contemporary socio-cultural factors from Botswana's cultural sources. An experimental study was undertaken in Botswana to investigate how socio-cultural factors can be integrated in product design, and the participants' challenge was to transfer and apply these into product features that reflect Botswana's culture. This data was analysed using the qualitative method of textual and visual content analysis. A culture-orientated design model has been proposed to assist designers to consciously integrate culture in their design practice. The framework demonstrates how to specify, analyse and integrate socio-cultural factors in the early stages of the design process by advancing local thought, content and solutions. It advances a new approach to design education, theory, research and practice. It emerged that culture can be used as a resource of information and a source of inspiration for product innovation that connects with users' traditions. The research findings show that culture-orientated products have meaningful content that reflects users' lifestyles as well as providing them with symbolic personal, social and cultural values, and that these aspects facilitate product acceptance.

In view that the relations of ecologic effects overflow the limits of the traditional academic training on planning, the methodological models used are not longer adequate to solve problems; then there is a need to significant changes in the professional training of future architects and planners.Systemic urban planning is called to play a more important role not only in city management but in its hinterland connection. Universities play an important role in providing an adequate training to this end. Thus, at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, National University of San Agustin, Arequipa, Perú, there is the course Urban Planning 1, where the students are being introduced to the systemic thought within the urban planning.The main objectives are to provide a conceptual basis towards a systemic planning and a sustainable urban design; to introduce the students in urban planning within a general concept of «Preventive Urban-environmental Planning», that is, urban planning with vision to the long run, based on landscaping plans, able to prevent and reduce the environmental impacts, that were able to articulate all results in a land use plan and have enough flexibility to undergo a permanent spatial analysis and allow planning oriented to sustainable development projects. / Debido a que las relaciones de los efectos de carácter ecológico sobrepasan los límites de las especialidades tradicionales de la planificación, los modelos metodológicos actuales ya no son adecuados para solucionar problemas, requiriéndose cambios sustanciales en la formación profesional del futuro arquitecto y planificador.La planificación urbana sistémica tomará un papel cada vez más activo no solo en el ordenamiento de las ciudades sino sobre todo en la articulación adecuada de estas a su entorno. Las universidades juegan un rol importante en la capacitación adecuada para tal fin. En la Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo de la Universidad Nacional de San Agustín de Arequipa - Perú en el curso Planeamiento Urbano 1 se viene introduciendo a los estudiantes en el pensamiento sistémico dentro de la planificación urbana.Los objetivos principales son dotar de una base conceptual orientada hacia una planificación sistémica y un diseño urbano sostenibles; introducir a los estudiantes en una planificación urbana enmarcada en un concepto general de «Planificación Urbana Ambiental Preventiva»; es decir, una planificación urbana con visión a largo plazo, basada en un plan paisajista, que prevea y minimice los impactos ambientales, que sea capaz de articular todos estos resultados en un plan de usos de suelo y tenga la suficiente flexibilidad de someterse a un análisis espacial de carácter continuo así como permita una planificación orientada a proyectos concertados de desarrollo sostenible.

The development of renewable energies and the desired independence from fossil energy sources are essential for security of supply. Wind energy turbines already account for the largest share of electricity generation in Germany. As part of modular precast concepts for wind turbine towers, vertical joints now divide the segments into even smaller components. This significantly reduces transport costs and installation time. The load-bearing behaviour of these segmented concrete towers is very complex due to the horizontal and vertical joints and the resulting restrained cross-sectional deformations. In the case of thin-walled half-shell segments now used in modern wind turbine towers, cross-sectional distortion and warping can significantly reduce the load-bearing capacity. Even under pure torsional loading, there is a decrease in the horizontal joint load capacity compared to conventional thin-walled circular rings. However, there are currently no design approaches for this new construction, as the structural behaviour is neither fully understood nor reliably modeled. This cumulative dissertation deals with the modeling of the torsional behaviour of segmented concrete towers for wind turbines based on the warping theory of thin-walled bars. Transferring the complex mechanical relationships into an understandable and comprehensible bar model allows differentiated evaluation approaches. In the case of segmented concrete towers, this leads to the long-term realization of even more innovative, higher and safer tower concepts. With this calculation approach, the practical engineer always remains in control of his or her own actions. Accordingly, the results can be used as a basis for evaluation without much need for interpretation, e.g. to assess the effect of restrained sectional warping on the distribution of normal stresses. The successive derivation of an engineering approach is presented using mechanical modeling concepts and non-linear numerical investigations as well as further (experimental) investigations. This provides the basis for future validation with carefully conducted tests on actual concrete segments. The core of the dissertation consists of four peer-reviewed papers that have already been published in scientifically proven journals (Structural Concrete and Engineering Structures). The framework story begins by explaining the scientific classification and relevance of the topic. The current state of the art is the basis for deriving research gaps and objectives, as well as a framework of hypotheses to be evaluated. Subsequently, the four papers are placed in the overall context of modeling the torsional behaviour of segmented concrete towers. Paper [A] deals with experimental investigations, analysis and evaluation of the joint behaviour of modular towers in large-scale tests. The gain of knowledge about the uneven distribution of forces in the horizontal joints also has a significant influence on the design models of the half-shell structure. Papers [B] and [C] present an engineering approach to determine the torsional behaviour of segmented concrete towers based on the warping theory of thin-walled bars. This calculation approach includes two methods for evaluating the internal forces of a half-shell pair and the associated stress calculation. A practical analysis method using an analogy to higher order beam theory is introduced to overcome the difficulties of numerical calculation by the finite element method. In this way, the load-bearing behaviour can be described as accurately as possible and the decisive influencing parameters can be isolated. Paper [D] presents the further development and the numerical and analytical validation of the engineering model for the entire tower structure. The influence of the adjacent segments on the torsional behaviour of the assembled half-shell tower is implemented in the model approach. This is based on analytical modeling using spring systems and extensive numerical investigations. Additional studies relate to the surface condition of ground concrete segments, the preliminary investigations on aluminium segments, the initial preliminary considerations on a coherent test design and the effects of multiple vertically divided segments. Finally, the findings are summarized and the overall result of the research is described by evaluating the hypotheses. In addition, the most important perspectives for future research and transfer achievements are pointed out. The presentation of the overall results of this dissertation impressively shows that the successive extension of the model approach leads to a more precise and differentiated isolation of the influencing variables. This improves the realistic representation of the torsional behaviour of assembled half-shells based on the warping theory of thin-walled bars, taking the application limits into account. However, the simplicity and applicability of the engineering model are not compromised by the continuous development. The analytically proven and numerically validated dependence on the slenderness ratio of the segments results in a better understanding of the load transfer in the modular precast structure. A much simplified internal force calculation can be used as the basis for the reinforced concrete design by applying the analogy to the tension rod under bending stress. The division of the load components provides a better understanding of the force flow of the modular structure. Accordingly, the combination of the tension rod analogy, the load redistribution principle and the modified deformation approach, taking the adjacent segments into account, allow the user to isolate and evaluate the influencing parameters of the torsional behaviour with little effort. Finally, in addition to model approaches and detailed numerical simulations, accompanying experimental investigations are required, and this dissertation provides the basis for a coherent and well-conceived experimental program. / Der Ausbau der erneuerbaren Energien und die angestrebte Unabhängigkeit von fossilen Energieträgern sind für die Versorgungssicherheit unerlässlich. Den größten Anteil an der Stromerzeugung haben in Deutschland schon heute die Windenergieanlagen. Im Rahmen modularer Fertigteilkonzepte für Türme von Windenergieanlagen teilen mittlerweile Vertikalfugen die Segmente in immer kleinere Komponenten. Auf diese Weise können die Transportkosten und der Montageaufwand erheblich reduziert werden. Das Tragverhalten dieser segmentierten Betontürme ist aufgrund der horizontalen und vertikalen Fugen sowie der daraus resultierenden behinderten Querschnittsverformungen sehr komplex. Bei dünnwandigen Halbschalensegmenten, die inzwischen im modernen Turmbau für Windenergieanlagen eingesetzt werden, können Querschnittsverzerrungen und -verwölbungen die Tragfähigkeit erheblich beeinträchtigen. Bereits bei einer reinen Torsionsbelastung ist im Vergleich zu konventionellen dünnwandigen Kreisringen eine Abnahme der horizontalen Fugentragfähigkeit zu erkennen. Es existieren zurzeit jedoch noch keine Bemessungsansätze für die neuartige Konstruktion, da weder das Strukturverhalten vollständig verstanden ist, noch verlässlich modelliert werden kann. Diese kumulative Dissertation befasst sich daher mit der Modellierung des Torsionstragverhaltens von segmentierten Betontürmen für Windenergieanlagen auf Basis der Wölbtheorie dünnwandiger Stäbe. Ziel ist die realitätsnahe Abbildung des Torsionstragverhaltens der hybriden Turmkonstruktion durch die sukzessive Entwicklung eines Ingenieurmodells. Die Übertragung der komplexen mechanischen Zusammenhänge in ein verständliches Stabmodell ermöglicht differenzierte Bewertungsansätze. Dies führt im Anwendungsfall der segmentierten Betontürme langfristig zur Realisierung noch innovativerer, höherer und sicherer Turmkonzepte. Mit diesem Berechnungsansatz behalten die in der Praxis tätigen Ingenieur:innen stets die Kontrolle über das eigene Handeln. Die Ergebnisse können ohne besonderen Interpretationsbedarf als Bewertungsgrundlage verwendet werden, um z. B. die Auswirkungen des Phänomens der behinderten Querschnittsverwölbung auf die Verteilung der Normalspannungen zu beurteilen. Ausgehend von mechanischen Modellvorstellungen und nichtlinearen numerischen Untersuchungen sowie weiteren (experimentellen) Untersuchungen wird daher die sukzessive Herleitung eines ingenieurmäßigen Ansatzes vorgestellt. Dieser dient als Grundlage für die zukünftige Validierung im Zuge sorgfältig durchzuführender Versuche an Betonsegmenten. Den Kern der Dissertation bilden vier begutachtete Fachartikel, die bereits in wissenschaftlich anerkannten Fachzeitschriften (Structural Concrete und Engineering Structures) veröffentlicht wurden. Die Rahmenhandlung erläutert zu Beginn die wissenschaftliche Einordnung und Relevanz der Thematik. Der aktuelle Stand der Technik ist die Grundlage für die Ableitung von Forschungslücken und Zielsetzungen sowie eines zu evaluierenden Hypothesengerüsts. Darauf aufbauend erfolgt die Einordnung der vier Fachbeiträge in den Gesamtkontext der Modellierung des Torsionsverhaltens segmentierter Betontürme. Der Artikel [A] befasst sich mit experimentellen Untersuchungen und der Analyse und Bewertung des Fugentragverhaltens modularer Türme in Großversuchen. Die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse über die ungleichmäßige Kraftverteilung in den Horizontalfugen haben auch einen erheblichen Einfluss auf die Bemessungsmodelle der Halbschalenkonstruktion. In den Artikeln [B] und [C] wird ein ingenieurmäßiger Ansatz zur Ermittlung des Torsionsverhaltens von segmentierten Betontürmen vorgestellt, der auf der Wölbtheorie dünnwandiger Stäbe basiert. Dieser Berechnungsansatz beinhaltet zwei Methoden zur Ermittlung der inneren Schnittgrößen eines Halbschalenpaares und der zugehörigen Spannungsberechnung. Es wird eine praktikable Analysemethode in Analogie zur Balkentheorie höherer Ordnung eingeführt, um die Schwierigkeiten bei der numerischen Berechnung mit der Finiten Elemente Methode zu bewältigen. Damit kann das Tragverhalten möglichst genau beschrieben und die maßgeblichen Einflussparameter isoliert werden. In Artikel [D] wird die Weiterentwicklung sowie die numerische und analytische Validierung des Ingenieurmodells für die gesamte Turmstruktur vorgestellt. Der Einfluss der Nachbarsegmente auf das Torsionsverhalten des zusammengesetzten Halbschalenturms wird in den Modellansatz implementiert. Dies erfolgt auf der Grundlage analytischer Modellvorstellungen unter der Verwendung von Federsystemen und umfangreicher numerischer Untersuchungen. Ergänzende Betrachtungen umfassen die Oberflächenbeschaffenheit der geschliffenen Betonsegmente, die Voruntersuchungen an Aluminiumsegmenten, die ersten Vorüberlegungen zu einem kohärenten Versuchskonzept und die Auswirkungen von mehrfach vertikal geteilten Segmenten. Abschließend werden die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse zusammengefasst und das übergreifende Gesamtergebnis der Forschung wird über die Bewertung der Hypothesen beschrieben. Darüber hinaus werden die wichtigsten Perspektiven für zukünftige Forschungs- und Transferleistungen aufgezeigt. Die Darstellung des Gesamtergebnisses dieser Dissertation zeigt eindrucksvoll, dass die sukzessive Erweiterung des Modellansatzes zu einer genaueren und differenzierteren Isolierung der Einflussgrößen führt. Dies verbessert unter Berücksichtigung der Anwendungsgrenzen die realitätsnahe Abbildung des Torsionsverhaltens zusammengesetzter Halbschalen auf Basis der Wölbtheorie dünnwandiger Stäbe. Die kontinuierliche Weiterentwicklung geht nicht zulasten der Einfachheit und Anwendbarkeit des Ingenieurmodells. Dementsprechend führt die analytisch nachgewiesene und numerisch validierte Abhängigkeit vom Schlankheitsgrad der Segmente zu einem besseren Verständnis der Lastabtragung in der modularen Fertigteilstruktur. Die Anwendung der Analogie zum biegebeanspruchten Zugstab ermöglicht eine wesentlich vereinfachte Schnittgrößenermittlung als Grundlage für die Stahlbetonbemessung. Ein besseres Verständnis des Kraftflusses in der modularen Konstruktion wird durch die Aufteilung der Lastkomponenten erreicht. Die Zusammenführung der Ansätze aus Zugstabanalogie, Lastumverteilungsprinzip und modifiziertem Verformungsansatz unter Berücksichtigung der Nachbarsegmente ermöglichen es den Anwender:innen, die Einflussparameter des Torsionsverhaltens ohne großen Aufwand zu isolieren und zu bewerten. Schließlich sind neben den Modellansätzen und detaillierten numerischen Betrachtungen auch begleitende experimentelle Untersuchungen erforderlich, wobei diese Dissertation die Grundlage für ein schlüssiges und durchdachtes Versuchsprogramm darstellt.