Bird strikes ( collisions between birds and aircraft) pose a significant threat to aviation safety. For example , Naval Air Facility El Centro, California, lost an F-18 jet to a bird strike in October 1995. To help combat the bird-strike threat at Naval Air Facility El Centro, I developed a bird-avoidance model as a risk-management tool for the installation. It can be used to schedule flights at NAF El Centro and its two associated practice-bombing ranges during times of low-bird activity. I calculated bird-strike risks and published them in web-page format on both the installation's server and the USGS/Utah State University, College of Natural Resources' server for easy access by flight crews, flight-safety officers, airfield managers, natural resource managers, and other Navy personnel. Bird hazards during daylight hours were quantified using daily bird counts through the year 2000. These were combined with a bird-hazard index for various species, developed using U.S. Air Force bird-strike records. Nocturnal bird hazards were quantified in the fall of 2000 using a bird-radar system to count birds in three relative size classes. Large- and medium-sized birds were scaled to represent a higher risk to aircraft than small birds. Nocturnal bird hazards beyond the fall study were estimated using U.S. Air Force bird-strike records. The main section of the web page allows the user to select the area and time of year, which links to the appropriate color-coded bird-strike-risk graph. The graphs describe the bird-strike risk by time of day and altitude with red for high risk, yellow for moderate risk, and green for low risk. The web page also identifies and describes the most hazardous bird species in the area, recommends methods of hazard management, and provides links to bird-strike-information sources on the web.

Adolescent parolee revocations.

Indonesia is a developing country that suffers from earthquakes and windstorms and where at least 60% of houses are non-engineered structures, built by unskilled workers using masonry and timber. The non-engineered housing units developed in urban region are also vulnerable to seismic hazard due to the use of low quality of material and constructions method. Those structures are not resistant to extreme lateral loads or ground movement and their failure during an earthquake or storm can lead to significant loss of life. This thesis is concerned with the structural performance of Indonesian low-rise buildings made of masonry and timber under lateral seismic load. The research presented includes a survey of forms of building structure and experimental, analytical and numerical work to predict the behaviour of masonry wall and traditional timber frame buildings. Experimental testing of both masonry and timber have been carried out in Indonesia to establish the quality of materials and to provide material properties for numerical simulations. The experimental study found that the strength of Indonesia-Bali clay brick masonry are below the minimum standard required for masonry structures built in seismic regions, being at least 50% lower than the requirement specified in British Standard and Eurocode-6 (BS EN 1996-1-1:2005). In contrast, Indonesian timber materials meet the strength classes specified in British Standard/Eurocode- 5 (BS EN 338:2009) in the range of strength grade D35-40 and C35).Structural tests under monotonic and cyclic loading have been conducted on building components in Indonesia, to determine the load-displacement capacity of local hand-made masonry wall panels and timber frames in order to: (1) evaluate the performance of masonry and timber frame structure, (2) investigate the dynamic behaviour of both structures, (3) observe the effect of in-plane stiffness and ductility level, and (4) examine the anchoring joint at the base of timber frame that resists the overturning moment. From these tests, the structural ductility was found to be less than two which is below the requirement of the relevant guidelines from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, USA (FEMA-306). It was also observed that the lateral stiffness of masonry wall is much higher than the equivalent timber frame of the same height and length. The experimental value of stiffness of the masonry wall panel was found to be one-twelfth of the recommended values given in FEMA-356 and the Canadian Building code. The masonry wall provides relatively low displacement compared to the large displacement of the timber frame at the full capacity level of lateral load, with structural framing members of the latter remaining intact. The weak point of the timber frame is the mechanical joint and the capacity of slip joint governs the lateral load capacity of the whole frame. Detailed numerical models of the experimental specimens were setup in Abaqus using three-dimensional solid elements. Cohesive elements were used to simulate the mortar behaviour, exhibiting cracking and the associated physical separation of the elements. Appropriate contact definitions were used where relevant, especially for the timber frame joints. A range of available material plasticity models were reviewed: Drucker-Prager, Crystalline Plasticity, and Cohesive Damage model. It was found that the combination of Crystalline Plasticity model for the brick unit and timber, and the Cohesive Damage model for the mortar is capable of simulating the experimental load-displacement behaviour fairly accurately. The validated numerical models have been used to (1) predict the lateral load capacity, (2) determine the cracking load and patterns, (3) carry out a detailed parametric study by changing the geometric and material properties different to the experimental specimens. The numerical models were used to assess different strengthening measures such as using bamboo as reinforcement in the masonry walls for a complete single storey, and a two-storey houses including openings for doors and windows. The traditional footing of the timber structures was analysed using Abaqus and was found to be an excellent base isolation system which partly explains the survival of those structures in the past earthquakes. The experimental and numerical results have finally been used to develop a design guideline for new construction as well as recommendations for retrofitting of existing structures for improved performance under seismic lateral load.