As an alternative to existing research which states that the phenomenon of displacement resists theorisation because of its complex nature, this study conducts a Phenomenological examination of the nature of displacement in which the interlinked losses in the key concepts of the consciousness of the displaced, namely Memory, Land and home and Identity, are navigated. It is shown that the current consciousness of society mimics these losses with the effect of displacement being experienced as a state of mind by contemporary society. By comparing selected artworks of artists Rachel Whiteread and Cornelia Parker, it is established that although manifested in diverse ways, contemporary artworks reflect displacement according to a set of broadly defined visual signifiers. The visual documentation of a site of displacement in the North West Province of South Africa and subsequently produced artworks underline these findings and highlight the elusive attributes of loss inherent in the displacement phenomenon. / Art History, Visual Arts & Musicology / M.A. (Visual Arts)

As an alternative to existing research which states that the phenomenon of displacement resists theorisation because of its complex nature, this study conducts a Phenomenological examination of the nature of displacement in which the interlinked losses in the key concepts of the consciousness of the displaced, namely Memory, Land and home and Identity, are navigated. It is shown that the current consciousness of society mimics these losses with the effect of displacement being experienced as a state of mind by contemporary society. By comparing selected artworks of artists Rachel Whiteread and Cornelia Parker, it is established that although manifested in diverse ways, contemporary artworks reflect displacement according to a set of broadly defined visual signifiers. The visual documentation of a site of displacement in the North West Province of South Africa and subsequently produced artworks underline these findings and highlight the elusive attributes of loss inherent in the displacement phenomenon. / Art History, Visual Arts and Musicology / M.A. (Visual Arts)

The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which existing law could provide a legal basis for the protection of cross-border, climate change displaced persons, with a particular focus on Southern Africa. Before such an analysis can be made, however, it is important first to determine what climate change displacement exactly implies. By means of integrating and refining existing legal terminology and ideas the study attempts to disentangle the international contention on the subject and proposes that individuals who are forced from their countries of habitual residence as a reaction primarily to climatic push factors which pose an existential threat to their right to life are most in need of protection and may be referred to as cross-border climate change displaced persons. As climate change displacement is expected to occur primarily on the sub-regional geopolitical level of governance, the inclusion of regional, AU, and sub-regional, SADC, elements is important for the practical feasibility of this study. Southern Africa's particular vulnerability to the effects of climate change, making the advent of large numbers of climate change displaced persons in the area a reasonable prediction for the future, further justifies this study's chosen scope. After analysing the different legal branches of refugee law, human rights law and environmental law for each geopolitical level of governance referred to, this study concludes that: While there are several potential provisions in law that could provide protection to persons displaced by climate change, a sufficient protection framework can be derived only from the composite characteristics of different branches of law. Therefore, it is recommended that a matrix approach is followed when providing legal protection to climate change displaced persons. Because different fields of law provide more prominent protection in different spheres of governance, it is also recommended that the configuration of a legal protection matrix be adjustable to particular circumstances. It is therefore suggested that a legal protection mechanism is developed for each geopolitical sphere, and that different mechanisms are coordinated internationally. / LLM (Environmental Law and Governance), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which existing law could provide a legal basis for the protection of cross-border, climate change displaced persons, with a particular focus on Southern Africa. Before such an analysis can be made, however, it is important first to determine what climate change displacement exactly implies. By means of integrating and refining existing legal terminology and ideas the study attempts to disentangle the international contention on the subject and proposes that individuals who are forced from their countries of habitual residence as a reaction primarily to climatic push factors which pose an existential threat to their right to life are most in need of protection and may be referred to as cross-border climate change displaced persons. As climate change displacement is expected to occur primarily on the sub-regional geopolitical level of governance, the inclusion of regional, AU, and sub-regional, SADC, elements is important for the practical feasibility of this study. Southern Africa's particular vulnerability to the effects of climate change, making the advent of large numbers of climate change displaced persons in the area a reasonable prediction for the future, further justifies this study's chosen scope. After analysing the different legal branches of refugee law, human rights law and environmental law for each geopolitical level of governance referred to, this study concludes that: While there are several potential provisions in law that could provide protection to persons displaced by climate change, a sufficient protection framework can be derived only from the composite characteristics of different branches of law. Therefore, it is recommended that a matrix approach is followed when providing legal protection to climate change displaced persons. Because different fields of law provide more prominent protection in different spheres of governance, it is also recommended that the configuration of a legal protection matrix be adjustable to particular circumstances. It is therefore suggested that a legal protection mechanism is developed for each geopolitical sphere, and that different mechanisms are coordinated internationally. / LLM (Environmental Law and Governance), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The original Yukpa are an indigenous community who have inhabited the lands of the Sierra de Perij a (mountain range of Perij a) in Venezuela since prehistoric times. The sovereignty of the Yukpa on their ancestral territories was protected from non-indigenous people until the arrival of Spanish Capuchin missionaries during the seventeenth century. The presence of the Capuchin missionaries furthered the entrance of non-indigenous people, who explored the area and discovered the fertility of the soil and a rich variety of natural resources. In the 1930s, ranch owners started the progressive occupation of Yukpas' ancestral lands, taking advantage of the Venezuelan government's indi erence to indigenous communities. The Yukpa started to resist the ranch owners. In retaliation, ranch owners responded with violence to intimidate and expel the Yukpa from what they claimed to be their property. The Yukpa have also been harassed by insurgent Colombian groups and drug dealers, who nd the Sierra de Perij a an ideal place to cultivate marijuana and opium poppy owers. To avoid the violence in the Sierra de Perij a, a signi cant number of Yukpa moved during the eighties to the city of Maracaibo in northwestern Venezuela. These displaced Yukpa have settled in lots located in the vicinities of the Hospital General del Sur, in Maracaibo, where they continue to live. For many indigenous communities, land and culture are interdependent. Land represents for many indigenous people their origin and continuity. Some authors claim that the forced displacement to areas distinct from their place of origin may disrupt the continuity of traditions which are the essence of their culture (Maybury-Lewis 2001:31; UNESCO 2009:207). This study examines ethnographically the Yukpa settled in Maracaibo in order to identify the extent to which the involuntary displacement from their ancestral territories has a ected their autochthonous land-based culture. Furthermore, this study provides a biographic pro le of the Yukpa settled in Maracaibo along with a discussion of their current needs, and some recommendations for further studies / Anthropology and Archaeology / M.A. (Anthropology)

Two-dimensional (2-D) models of electrical resistivity are improved by jointly inverting radiomagnetotelluric (RMT) and direct-current resistivity (DCR) data or by allowing for displacement currents in the inversion of RMT data collected on highly resistive bedrock. Uniqueness and stability of the 2-D models are assessed with a model variance and resolution analysis that allows for the non-linearity of the inverse problem. Model variance and resolution are estimated with a truncated singular value decomposition (TSVD) of the sensitivity matrix. In the computation of model errors, inverse singular values are replaced by non-linear semi-axes and the number of included eigenvectors is increased until a given error threshold is reached. Non-linear error estimates are verified with most-squares inversions. For the obtained truncation levels, model resolution matrices are computed. For RMT data, non-linear error appraisals are smaller than linearized ones. Hence, the consideration of the non-linearity in RMT data leads to reduced model errors or enhanced model resolution. The dielectric effect on RMT data is investigated with a new 2-D forward and inverse code that allows for displacement currents. As compared to the quasi-static approximation, apparent resistivities and phases of the impedance tensor elements are found to be significantly smaller and the vertical magnetic transfer function exhibits more distinct sign reversals. More reliable models of electrical resistivity are obtained from areas with highly resistive bedrock, if displacement currents are allowed for. In contrast, inversions with a quasi-static scheme introduce artefactual structures with extremely low or high resistivities. A smoothness-constrained 2-D joint inversion of RMT and DCR data is presented. The non-linear model variance and resolution analysis is applied to single and joint inverse models. For DCR data, the errors estimated by most-squares inversions are consistently larger than those estimated by the non-linear semi-axes, indicating that DCR models are poorly resolved. Certain areas of the joint inverse models are better resolved than in the single inverse models.

Population displacement has long been a controversial companion of development. The central tension has been between the position challenging the kind of development that removes people from their homes, livelihoods and communities, and a managerial position that the impoverishment risks of displacement can be mitigated through an effective intervention. Whereas recent research has been devoted to unpacking a rather unsuccessful performance of involuntary resettlement as a mitigation measure, this study aims to question the assumption of mitigation itself by expanding the concept of development impacts beyond the realm of displacement. Through an empirical study of a railway project in Metro Manila, the Philippines, I examine how urban residents are affected by a large-scale demolition and displacement that took place in their locality. Semi-structured interviews were conducted along the railway tracks after the land was cleared of informal settlements since the study placed particular focus on residents who were not physically displaced. They are identified in my research as non-displaced people. Few studies have addressed the possibility that other people might have been adversely affected in situ and this is particularly so in urban areas. Empirical findings reveal that the physical environment and socio-economic relationships in the locality were significantly transformed through the clearance; impacting the tenure status, livelihoods and social milieu of non-displaced people. Tenure security was important for avoiding displacement but was not a definitive factor as a number of people are still informal settlers who continue to be faced with other eviction threats. For the non-displaced, the physical change of the locality became relevant when their productive capital, notably, a second house or business space, was affected. The loss or erosion of physical capital had a secondary impact on livelihoods, which was compounded by the rupture in the local livelihood network following a mass population outflow. Whereas the income of locally-based businesses decreased substantially, livelihoods that operate beyond the locality remain relatively resilient. Differentiated experiences of a local change are also reflected in a range of evaluations that describe local social ambiance before and after the event. Diverse ways in which non-displaced people were affected underline that the current conceptualisation of impacts is limited to one dimension of displacement. This raises the need to adopt a more holistic and disaggregated approach to understanding the complexities of development impacts. A discussion on whether and how they can be mitigated would benefit further from such a comprehensive study.

Thesis (PhD)-- Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Control of beta-type free-piston Stirling engines has been the topic of research and development for many years. In this dissertation, an alternative approach to free-piston Stirling engine control, namely direct piston displacement control, is proposed. Direct piston displacement control entails the instantaneous and direct control of the piston displacement to control the engine according to preferred criteria, e.g. maximum power conversion or efficiency. To control free-piston engines in this manner, it is necessary to independently control both the displacement of the displacer and the power piston in real time. The primary arrangement by which to achieve this is through external control of the instantaneous forces exerted by the linear electrical machines fixed to the pistons. The challenge of displacement control is whether suitable linear machine technology exists or whether technology could be established that would adhere to the requirements of real time direct control. To answer the question whether direct piston displacement control is at all possible, a process was followed to set specifications that linear machines should adhere to and to set design guidelines for linear machines and free-piston Stirling engines. The first step was to establish the ability to simulate free-piston Stirling engine dynamics accurately. This was done by adapting a second order formulation and to verify and improve the accuracy thereof by comparing simulated results with experimental results of one of the best documented Stirling engines, namely the GPU-3 engine. It was found that this second order formulation could simulate the GPU-3 engine to a fair degree of accuracy. Key indicators were defined and later refined with the view of setting specifications. A case study of the influence of a range of variations, including operational, dimensional and other variations, on the dynamics of the GPU-3 was then undertaken. From the findings of this case study, specifications of the key indicators and design guidelines were established. A design optimisation approach was proposed to evaluate linear machine topologies. This approach makes specific provision for the specifications that linear machines need to adhere to, as well as for representative dynamic responses of the forces exerted on the linear machine by the displacer or the power piston. These representative responses and the associated piston displacement were determined for the displacer, the power piston and the combination of the two from the study conducted to set specifications. An air-core, longitudinal flux linear machine with surface mounted permanent magnets (LFPM) was then evaluated to determine its suitability for direct piston displacement control. This linear machine topology was optimised for the traditional approach to establish a benchmark with which to compare subsequent optimisations. The LFPM linear machine not only compared well with other topologies for the traditional application in resonant free-piston Stirling engines, but it was found also to be able to perform displacement control for both the displacer and the power piston. For both pistons, displacement should however be limited to sinusoidal displacement, and in the case of the displacer, an important qualification is that the linear machine should be assisted by spring forces to reach practical design optimisations. Direct piston displacement control is shown to be possible. Future work should concentrate on the practical implementation thereof in free-piston Stirling engines. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die beheer van beta-tipe vrysuier Stirling enjins is al vir baie jare die onderwerp van navorsing en ontwikkeling. In hierdie proefskrif word ’n alternatiewe benadering tot vrysuier Stirlingenjins voorgestel, naamlik direkte suierverplasingsbeheer. Direkte suierverplasingsbeheer behels die oombliklike en direkte beheer van die suierverplasing om die enjin volgens voorkeur kriteria, soos maksimum drywingsomsetting of benuttingsgraad, te beheer. Om vrysuier enjins op hierdie wyse te beheer, is dit noodsaaklik om intyds die verplasing van beide die verplaser en die werksuier onafhanklik te beheer. Die primêre wyse om dit te bereik is deur eksterne beheer van die oomblikskragte wat uitgevoer word deur die lineêre masjiene wat vas is aan die suiers. Die uitdaging van verplasingsbeheer is of toepaslike lineêre masjien tegnologie bestaan en of tegnologie gevestig kan word wat sal voldoen aan die vereistes van intydse direkte beheer. Om die vraag te beantwoord of direkte suierverplasingsbeheer hoegenaamd moontlik is, is ’n proses gevolg om spesifikasies daar te stel waaraan lineêre masjiene moet voldoen en om ontwerpsriglyne vir lineêre masjiene en vrysuier Stirling enjins te stel. Die eerste stap was om die vermoë daar te stel om vrysuier Stirling enjin dinamika akkuraat te simuleer. Dit is gedoen deur ’n tweede orde formulering aan te pas en om die akkuraatheid daarvan te kontroleer en te verbeter deur gesimuleerde resultate met eksperimentele resultate van een van die bes gedokumenteerde Stirling enjins, naamlik die GPU-3 enjin, te vergelyk. Daar is bevind dat die tweede orde formulering die GPU-3 tot ’n redelike mate akkuraat kon simuleer. Sleutel aanwysers is gedefinieer en later verfyn met die oog op die daarstelling van spesifikasies. ’n Gevallestudie van die invloed van ’n reeks variasies, insluitende operasionele, dimensionele en ander variasies, op die dinamika van die GPU-3 is onderneem. Gegrond op die bevindinge van hierdie gevallestudie kon spesifikasies en ontwerpsriglyne vasgestel word. ’n Ontwerpsoptimeringsbenadering is voorgestel om lineêre masjiene te evalueer. Hierdie benadering maak spesifiek voorsiening vir die spesifikasies waaraan lineêre masjiene moet voldoen, sowel as verteenwoordigende dinamiese response van die kragte wat op die lineêre masjien van die verplaser en die werksuier uitgeoefen word. Vanaf die bevindinge van die studie wat uitgevoer is om spesifikasies daar te stel, is verteenwoordigende response en gepaardgaande suierverplasing bepaal vir die verplaser, die werksuier en die kombinasie van die twee. ’n Lugkern, longitudinale vloed lineêre masjien met oppervlak-gemonteerde permanente magnete (LVPM) is toe geëvalueer om die geskiktheid daarvan te bepaal vir direkte suierverplasingsbeheer. Hierdie lineêre masjien topologie is geoptimeer vir die tradisionele benadering om ’n maatstaf te vestig waarteen daaropvolgende optimerings vergelyk kan word. Die LVPM lineêre masjien vergelyk nie net goed met ander topologieë vir die tradisionele toepassing in resonante vrysuier Stirling enjins nie, maar daar is ook bevind dat dit in staat is om verplasingsbeheer te doen vir beide die verplaser en die werksuier. Vir beide suiers moet die verplasing egter tot sinusvormige verplasing beperk word en in die geval van die verplaser, is ’n belangrike kwalifikasie dat die lineêre masjien ondersteun moet word deur veerkragte om praktiese ontwerpsoptimerings te bereik. Daar is aangetoon dat direkte suierverplasingsbeheer moontlik is. Toekomstige werk moet konsentreer op die praktiese implementering daarvan in vrysuier Stirling enjins.

The laterally-loaded pile has long been a topic of research interest. Several models of the soil surrounding a pile have been developed for simulation of lateral pile behavior, ranging from simple spring and dashpot models to sophisticated three-dimensional finite-element models. However, results from the available pile-soil models are not accurate due to inherent approximations or constraints. For the springs and dashpots representation, the real and imaginary stiffness are calculated by idealizing the soil domain as a series of plane-strain slices leading to unrealistic pile behavior at low frequencies while the three-dimensional finite-element analysis is very computationally demanding. Therefore, this dissertation research seeks to contribute toward procedures that are computationally cost-effective while accuracy of the computed response is maintained identical or close to that of the three-dimensional finite-element solution. Based on the fact that purely-elastic soil displacement variations in azimuthal direction are known, the surrounding soil can be formulated in terms of an equivalent one-dimensional model leading to a significant reduction of computational cost. The pile with conventional soil-slice model will be explored first. Next, models with shear stresses between soil slices, including and neglecting the soil vertical displacement, are investigated. Excellent agreement of results from the proposed models with three-dimensional finite-element solutions can be achieved with only small additional computational cost. / text

Liquefaction-induced deformations associated with lateral spreading represent a significant hazard that can cause substantial damage during earthquakes. The ability to accurately predict lateral-spreading displacement is hampered by a lack of field data from previous earthquakes. Remote sensing via optical image correlation can fill this gap and provide data regarding liquefaction-induced lateral spreading displacements. In this thesis, deformations from three earthquakes (2010 Darfield, February 2011 Christchurch, and 2011 Tohoku Earthquakes) are measured using optical image correlation applied to 0.5-m resolution satellite imagery. The resulting deformations from optical image correlation are compared to the geologic conditions, as well as field observations and measurements of liquefaction. Measurements from optical image correlation are found to have a precision within 0.40 m in all three cases, and results agree well with field measurements. / text