Post-exercise recovery techniques are being used increasingly in elite sport, but scientific study in this area is only emerging. The aim of this study was to collect information on the use and perceived effectiveness of the different recovery techniques used with athletes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 Queensland Academy of Sport coaches and other high-performance coaches from seven sports (three team sports and four individual sports). The interview questions sought to examine the coaches’ understanding of recovery, personal experiences, and the modalities and techniques used with their athletes. Interviews lasted an average of 45 minutes and were transcribed for qualitative content analysis and checked for accuracy by the coaches. Triangular consensus was used throughout the coding process to constantly revisit and redefine the open and axial codes that emerged. Three themes emerged: understanding of recovery, recovery modalities used, and monitoring of recovery. Understanding of recovery relates to the coaches’ overall view and general understanding of recovery. Coaches reported that recovery consisted of physical, mental and neural components, and is important to the overall performance, repeated performance, and training of athletes. Coaches gained their recovery knowledge from a variety of sources across their own athlete and coaching pathways. Transferring this knowledge to athletes was perceived as important for enabling athletes to implement and adhere to recovery within their training plans. The recovery modalities used most often were low-intensity activity, stretching, nutrition, massage, contrast water immersion, cryotherapy, sleep and rest. Practicality and accessibility (e.g., time and cost) for the athletes’ daily training environment were key factors influencing use of different recovery modalities. Coaches reported that they applied recovery modalities according to their own past coaching experiences or experiences of other coaches and sport science professionals. It appeared that coaches learn recovery information best by watching and speaking with others, especially other coaches and sports personnel. Factors contributing to use of recovery modalities include convenience and accessibility of a modality. Time restraint was an evident factor. Other factors that seem to contribute to the use of recovery modalities include the awareness of a modality’s existence, perceived modality strength of effect (or negative effect), and the compliance with and attitude of athletes to the modality. The personal experience of a coach using specific recovery modalities also impacted on whether the coach prescribed the modality and encouraged athletes to use the modality. However, it was clear from the study that athletes need to take responsibility for applying the recovery modalities themselves mainly because of logistical reasons. Recovery was monitored most often through informal observation rather than formal investigation. The most common monitoring approaches were coach observation and athlete reporting (diaries and discussions). Some coaches indicated that using a combination of approaches is useful and effective for gaining maximal benefits. Further investigation of monitoring approaches and prioritising them in terms of ease of implementation are needed. In summary, this study provided insight into the use of recovery modalities in elite sport and implications for use by professionals assisting coaches and athletes. In light of the limited research in some areas of recovery, a network could be established to capture the coaches’ learned experiences and information on recovery to share with each other across different sports.

<p>The aim of this thesis was to estimate and possibly quantify ocean flow by utilizing conventional and novel observational methods as well as model results. Motionally induced voltages, from a cable-based observational system in the Baltic Sea, were analysed to determine their utility for ocean monitoring. The data set was examined as regards the influence of single- and multi-layer flow. Correlation analyses undertaken in the first study showed that the geoelectric installation is capable of providing good estimates of the net flow across the Visby-Västervik transect. The second study focused on possible effects of multi-layer flow on the signal. Comparisons were made with tidal-gauge geostrophic flow estimates, and a good agreement was found, except for a few brief winter periods characterized by significant discrepancies. The velocity fields from a three-dimensional model showed that these events coincided with strong surface and bottom currents, and hence the attenuated voltage signal was suggested as being caused by the non-uniform velocity distribution.</p><p>The third study dealt with the deep-water flow through the Understen-Märket trench. Observational data indicated that this flow could be described by applying hydraulic theory. Since the passage is narrow compared to the internal Rossby radius of deformation, rotational effects could be neglected to lowest order. The theoretical predictions proved to agree well with the observational results.</p><p>The final study examined the effects of the heat flux and the wind forcing on the circulation in Bahía de Concepción, Chile, where three field surveys were undertaken during the extended austral summer 2002. Hydrographic and current measurements were compared to local tidal-gauge records. Rough estimates of the barotropic and the baroclinic flow across the transect indicated an unusual vortex circulation during periods of weak wind forcing and strong surface heating; results which were corroborated by numerical simulations.</p>

The aim of this thesis was to estimate and possibly quantify ocean flow by utilizing conventional and novel observational methods as well as model results. Motionally induced voltages, from a cable-based observational system in the Baltic Sea, were analysed to determine their utility for ocean monitoring. The data set was examined as regards the influence of single- and multi-layer flow. Correlation analyses undertaken in the first study showed that the geoelectric installation is capable of providing good estimates of the net flow across the Visby-Västervik transect. The second study focused on possible effects of multi-layer flow on the signal. Comparisons were made with tidal-gauge geostrophic flow estimates, and a good agreement was found, except for a few brief winter periods characterized by significant discrepancies. The velocity fields from a three-dimensional model showed that these events coincided with strong surface and bottom currents, and hence the attenuated voltage signal was suggested as being caused by the non-uniform velocity distribution. The third study dealt with the deep-water flow through the Understen-Märket trench. Observational data indicated that this flow could be described by applying hydraulic theory. Since the passage is narrow compared to the internal Rossby radius of deformation, rotational effects could be neglected to lowest order. The theoretical predictions proved to agree well with the observational results. The final study examined the effects of the heat flux and the wind forcing on the circulation in Bahía de Concepción, Chile, where three field surveys were undertaken during the extended austral summer 2002. Hydrographic and current measurements were compared to local tidal-gauge records. Rough estimates of the barotropic and the baroclinic flow across the transect indicated an unusual vortex circulation during periods of weak wind forcing and strong surface heating; results which were corroborated by numerical simulations.

Le travail présenté dans ce mémoire a porté sur l’auscultation d’un versant rocheux potentiellement instable, les Rochers de Valabres, soumis aux variations naturelles de température de surface. En effet, les variations thermiques sont supposées agir comme facteur préparatoire aux éboulements. Leur action est continu, lente et quasi-imperceptible mais le phénomène est peu exploré et rarement quantifié. Préalablement à l’auscultation, une phase de caractérisation du versant, basée sur des relevés topographiques par scannérisation laser, des mesures de contraintes et des essais en laboratoire, a été menée. Ces investigations ont permis d’appréhender les paramètres intrinsèques du versant et de mettre en évidence, dans la zone superficielle, un état de contraintes élevées, marqué par une forte rotation des axes principaux et influencé par la topographie et la présence d’hétérogénéités. L’auscultation des phénomènes thermomécaniques a été réalisée par un réseau de mesures de déformations et de températures en forage. Les mesures de température ont permis d'évaluer les apports de chaleur, en fonction du temps et de l’espace. Les mesures de déformations, bien qu’affectées par de nombreux artefacts instrumentaux, ont permis de quantifier le phénomène, à l’échelle quotidienne et annuelle, en terme de déformations, de contraintes équivalentes et de profondeurs d’influence. Afin d’explorer l’hypothèse de propagation de fissures sous contraintes d’origine thermique, une approche analytique, basée sur la mécanique de la rupture, a été mise en œuvre. Cette démarche a permis de révéler que les niveaux de contraintes / déformations mesurés sur le site étaient suffisants, sous certaines conditions et hypothèses, pour induire la propagation de fissures préexistantes. Par conséquent, les travaux menés dans cette thèse permettent de confirmer que les phénomènes thermomécaniques constituent un facteur préparatoire non négligeable aux éboulements et peuvent contribuer à la dégradation de la matrice rocheuse et/ou des ponts rocheux par propagation de fissures préexistantes / The present work focuses on the monitoring of a rockslope, prone to instability, named “Rochers de Valabres”, subjected to natural thermal fluctuation at the rock surface. Thermal variations are supposed to be a preparatory factor for rockfalls. Their action is continuous, slow and imperceptible. This phenomenum is not widly studied and seldom quantified. As a first step, investigations, based on topographic survey using Lidar, stress measurements and laboratory testing, have been performed. They reveals parameters of the rockslope, as well as the stress field at shallow depths, characterized by high magnitudes, high turnover of the principal orientations and affected by topography and geological heterogeneities. Thermomechanical monitoring was performed by a network composed of strain cells and thermal sensors, deployed in boreholes. Thermal data give us information about thermal transfer, as a function of time or space. Strain variation data, although affected by thermal artefacts, give quantitative information on strains, equivalent stresses and depth of influence, on daily and seasonal basis. In order to evaluate the assumption of fracture propagation on thermal loading, an analytical model, based on fracture mechanic, is suggested. Using specific conditions and assumptions, this model reveals that measured stress and strains are sufficient to lead to propagation of pre-existing discontinuities. Consequently, this study confirms that thermomechanical variations can be considered as a non negligible preparatory factor for rockfall and can contribute to mechanical degradation of the rock masse and discontinuities

Background: Risky security behaviour displayed by end-users has the potential to leave devices vulnerable to compromise, despite the availability of security tools designed to aid users in defending themselves against potential online threats. This indicates a need to modify the behaviour of end-users, allowing them to consider the security implications of their actions online. Previous research has indicated affective feedback may serve as a successful method of educating users about risky security behaviours. Thus, by influencing end-users via affective feedback it may be possible to engage users, improving their security awareness. Aims: Develop and apply knowledge of monitoring techniques and affective feedback, establishing if this changes users’ awareness of risky security behaviour in the context of a browser-based environment. Methodology: The methodology employs the use of log files derived from the monitoring solution, and information provided by users during the experiments. Questionnaire data was compared against log files and information provided during experiments, providing an overall quantitative approach. Results: In the case of the log files and questionnaires, participants were found to have engaged in instances of risky security behaviours, which they were unaware of, and this indicated a low-level of awareness of risky security behaviour. Whilst the results indicate the affective feedback did not make a difference to behaviour during the course of the experiments, participants felt that the affective feedback delivered had an impact, raising their security awareness, encouraging them to learn about online security. Conclusions: This body of research has made a novel contribution to the field of affective feedback and usable security. Whilst the results indicate the affective feedback made no difference to behaviour, users felt it had an impact on them, persuading them to consider their security behaviours online, and encouraging them to increase their knowledge of risky security behaviours. The research highlights the potential application of affective feedback in the field of usable security. Future work seeks to explore different ways in which affective feedback can be positioned on-screen, and how feedback can be tailored to target specific groups, such as children, or elderly people, with the aim of raising security awareness.

A utilização de materiais piezoelétricos, na função de sensores e atuadores distribuídos, para o controle e monitoramento de vibrações estruturais tem um enorme potencial de aplicação nas indústrias aeronáutica, aeroespacial, automobilística e eletroeletrônica. O uso de sensores piezoelétricos integrados para monitoramento de integridade estrutural (ou detecção de falhas), em particular, tem evoluído bastante na última década. Por conseguinte, o número de técnicas utilizadas para esse fim são as mais variadas possíveis. Dentre elas estão às técnicas que avaliam o efeito dos danos em baixa freqüência usando parâmetros modais, em especial freqüências naturais e modos, ou em média-alta freqüência medindo-se a impedância/admitância eletromecânica. O objetivo dessa dissertação é desenvolver, com auxílio de um modelo 2D ANSYS em elementos finitos, uma análise de diferentes técnicas para detecção da posição e tamanho da delaminação em estruturas compósitas utilizando pastilhas piezoelétricas. Várias métricas e técnicas são avaliadas em termos de sua capacidade de identificar, com relativa acurácia, a presença, localização e severidade do dano. Os resultados mostram que ambas as técnicas modal e baseada na impedância são capazes de identificar a presença de danos do tipo delaminação, desde que as pastilhas piezoelétricas estejam próximas do dano. Também é mostrado que as técnicas baseadas na impedância parecem ser mais eficientes do que as modais para detecção da posição e tamanho da delaminação. / The use of piezoelectric materials in the function of distributed sensors and actuators for the control and monitoring of structural vibrations has enormous potential for application in the aeronautical, aerospace, automotive and electronics. The use of integrated piezoelectric sensors for structural health monitoring (or damage detection), in particular, has evolved greatly over the last decade. Consequently, the numbers of techniques used for this purpose are highly diverse. Among them are techniques that evaluate the effect of damages on low frequency modal parameters, especially natural frequencies and mode shapes, or on medium-high frequency measurements of electromechanical impedance/admittance. The objective of this dissertation is to perform, with the aid of a 2D ANSYS finite element model, an analysis of different techniques for the detection of position and size of a delamination in a composite structure using piezoelectric patches. Several metrics and techniques are evaluated in terms of their capability of identifying, with relative accuracy, the presence, location and severity of the damage. Results show that both modal and impedance-based techniques are able to identify the presence of the delamination-type damages, provided the piezoelectric patches are close enough to the damage. It is also shown that impedance-based techniques seem more effective than modal ones for the detection of delamination position and size.

Plant safety is the most important concern of chemical industries. Process faults can cause economic loses as well as human and environmental damages. Most of the operational faults are normally considered in the process design phase by applying methodologies such as Hazard and Operability Analysis (HAZOP). However, it should be expected that failures may occur in an operating plant. For this reason, it is of paramount importance that plant operators can promptly detect and diagnose such faults in order to take the appropriate corrective actions. In addition, preventive maintenance needs to be considered in order to increase plant safety. Fault diagnosis has been faced with both analytic and data-based models and using several techniques and algorithms. However, there is not yet a general fault diagnosis framework that joins detection and diagnosis of faults, either registered or non-registered in records. Even more, less efforts have been focused to automate and implement the reported approaches in real practice. According to this background, this thesis proposes a general framework for data-driven Fault Detection and Diagnosis (FDD), applicable and susceptible to be automated in any industrial scenario in order to hold the plant safety. Thus, the main requirement for constructing this system is the existence of historical process data. In this sense, promising methods imported from the Machine Learning field are introduced as fault diagnosis methods. The learning algorithms, used as diagnosis methods, have proved to be capable to diagnose not only the modeled faults, but also novel faults. Furthermore, Risk-Based Maintenance (RBM) techniques, widely used in petrochemical industry, are proposed to be applied as part of the preventive maintenance in all industry sectors. The proposed FDD system together with an appropriate preventive maintenance program would represent a potential plant safety program to be implemented. Thus, chapter one presents a general introduction to the thesis topic, as well as the motivation and scope. Then, chapter two reviews the state of the art of the related fields. Fault detection and diagnosis methods found in literature are reviewed. In this sense a taxonomy that joins both Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Process Systems Engineering (PSE) classifications is proposed. The fault diagnosis assessment with performance indices is also reviewed. Moreover, it is exposed the state of the art corresponding to Risk Analysis (RA) as a tool for taking corrective actions to faults and the Maintenance Management for the preventive actions. Finally, the benchmark case studies against which FDD research is commonly validated are examined in this chapter. The second part of the thesis, integrated by chapters three to six, addresses the methods applied during the research work. Chapter three deals with the data pre-processing, chapter four with the feature processing stage and chapter five with the diagnosis algorithms. On the other hand, chapter six introduces the Risk-Based Maintenance techniques for addressing the plant preventive maintenance. The third part includes chapter seven, which constitutes the core of the thesis. In this chapter the proposed general FD system is outlined, divided in three steps: diagnosis model construction, model validation and on-line application. This scheme includes a fault detection module and an Anomaly Detection (AD) methodology for the detection of novel faults. Furthermore, several approaches are derived from this general scheme for continuous and batch processes. The fourth part of the thesis presents the validation of the approaches. Specifically, chapter eight presents the validation of the proposed approaches in continuous processes and chapter nine the validation of batch process approaches. Chapter ten raises the AD methodology in real scaled batch processes. First, the methodology is applied to a lab heat exchanger and then it is applied to a Photo-Fenton pilot plant, which corroborates its potential and success in real practice. Finally, the fifth part, including chapter eleven, is dedicated to stress the final conclusions and the main contributions of the thesis. Also, the scientific production achieved during the research period is listed and prospects on further work are envisaged. / La seguridad de planta es el problema más inquietante para las industrias químicas. Un fallo en planta puede causar pérdidas económicas y daños humanos y al medio ambiente. La mayoría de los fallos operacionales son previstos en la etapa de diseño de un proceso mediante la aplicación de técnicas de Análisis de Riesgos y de Operabilidad (HAZOP). Sin embargo, existe la probabilidad de que pueda originarse un fallo en una planta en operación. Por esta razón, es de suma importancia que una planta pueda detectar y diagnosticar fallos en el proceso y tomar las medidas correctoras adecuadas para mitigar los efectos del fallo y evitar lamentables consecuencias. Es entonces también importante el mantenimiento preventivo para aumentar la seguridad y prevenir la ocurrencia de fallos. La diagnosis de fallos ha sido abordada tanto con modelos analíticos como con modelos basados en datos y usando varios tipos de técnicas y algoritmos. Sin embargo, hasta ahora no existe la propuesta de un sistema general de seguridad en planta que combine detección y diagnosis de fallos ya sea registrados o no registrados anteriormente. Menos aún se han reportado metodologías que puedan ser automatizadas e implementadas en la práctica real. Con la finalidad de abordar el problema de la seguridad en plantas químicas, esta tesis propone un sistema general para la detección y diagnosis de fallos capaz de implementarse de forma automatizada en cualquier industria. El principal requerimiento para la construcción de este sistema es la existencia de datos históricos de planta sin previo filtrado. En este sentido, diferentes métodos basados en datos son aplicados como métodos de diagnosis de fallos, principalmente aquellos importados del campo de “Aprendizaje Automático”. Estas técnicas de aprendizaje han resultado ser capaces de detectar y diagnosticar no sólo los fallos modelados o “aprendidos”, sino también nuevos fallos no incluidos en los modelos de diagnosis. Aunado a esto, algunas técnicas de mantenimiento basadas en riesgo (RBM) que son ampliamente usadas en la industria petroquímica, son también propuestas para su aplicación en el resto de sectores industriales como parte del mantenimiento preventivo. En conclusión, se propone implementar en un futuro no lejano un programa general de seguridad de planta que incluya el sistema de detección y diagnosis de fallos propuesto junto con un adecuado programa de mantenimiento preventivo. Desglosando el contenido de la tesis, el capítulo uno presenta una introducción general al tema de esta tesis, así como también la motivación generada para su desarrollo y el alcance delimitado. El capítulo dos expone el estado del arte de las áreas relacionadas al tema de tesis. De esta forma, los métodos de detección y diagnosis de fallos encontrados en la literatura son examinados en este capítulo. Asimismo, se propone una taxonomía de los métodos de diagnosis que unifica las clasificaciones propuestas en el área de Inteligencia Artificial y de Ingeniería de procesos. En consecuencia, se examina también la evaluación del performance de los métodos de diagnosis en la literatura. Además, en este capítulo se revisa y reporta el estado del arte correspondiente al “Análisis de Riesgos” y a la “Gestión del Mantenimiento” como técnicas complementarias para la toma de medidas correctoras y preventivas. Por último se abordan los casos de estudio considerados como puntos de referencia en el campo de investigación para la aplicación del sistema propuesto. La tercera parte incluye el capítulo siete, el cual constituye el corazón de la tesis. En este capítulo se presenta el esquema o sistema general de diagnosis de fallos propuesto. El sistema es dividido en tres partes: construcción de los modelos de diagnosis, validación de los modelos y aplicación on-line. Además incluye un modulo de detección de fallos previo a la diagnosis y una metodología de detección de anomalías para la detección de nuevos fallos. Por último, de este sistema se desglosan varias metodologías para procesos continuos y por lote. La cuarta parte de esta tesis presenta la validación de las metodologías propuestas. Específicamente, el capítulo ocho presenta la validación de las metodologías propuestas para su aplicación en procesos continuos y el capítulo nueve presenta la validación de las metodologías correspondientes a los procesos por lote. El capítulo diez valida la metodología de detección de anomalías en procesos por lote reales. Primero es aplicada a un intercambiador de calor escala laboratorio y después su aplicación es escalada a un proceso Foto-Fenton de planta piloto, lo cual corrobora el potencial y éxito de la metodología en la práctica real. Finalmente, la quinta parte de esta tesis, compuesta por el capítulo once, es dedicada a presentar y reafirmar las conclusiones finales y las principales contribuciones de la tesis. Además, se plantean las líneas de investigación futuras y se lista el trabajo desarrollado y presentado durante el periodo de investigación.

A utilização de materiais piezoelétricos, na função de sensores e atuadores distribuídos, para o controle e monitoramento de vibrações estruturais tem um enorme potencial de aplicação nas indústrias aeronáutica, aeroespacial, automobilística e eletroeletrônica. O uso de sensores piezoelétricos integrados para monitoramento de integridade estrutural (ou detecção de falhas), em particular, tem evoluído bastante na última década. Por conseguinte, o número de técnicas utilizadas para esse fim são as mais variadas possíveis. Dentre elas estão às técnicas que avaliam o efeito dos danos em baixa freqüência usando parâmetros modais, em especial freqüências naturais e modos, ou em média-alta freqüência medindo-se a impedância/admitância eletromecânica. O objetivo dessa dissertação é desenvolver, com auxílio de um modelo 2D ANSYS em elementos finitos, uma análise de diferentes técnicas para detecção da posição e tamanho da delaminação em estruturas compósitas utilizando pastilhas piezoelétricas. Várias métricas e técnicas são avaliadas em termos de sua capacidade de identificar, com relativa acurácia, a presença, localização e severidade do dano. Os resultados mostram que ambas as técnicas modal e baseada na impedância são capazes de identificar a presença de danos do tipo delaminação, desde que as pastilhas piezoelétricas estejam próximas do dano. Também é mostrado que as técnicas baseadas na impedância parecem ser mais eficientes do que as modais para detecção da posição e tamanho da delaminação. / The use of piezoelectric materials in the function of distributed sensors and actuators for the control and monitoring of structural vibrations has enormous potential for application in the aeronautical, aerospace, automotive and electronics. The use of integrated piezoelectric sensors for structural health monitoring (or damage detection), in particular, has evolved greatly over the last decade. Consequently, the numbers of techniques used for this purpose are highly diverse. Among them are techniques that evaluate the effect of damages on low frequency modal parameters, especially natural frequencies and mode shapes, or on medium-high frequency measurements of electromechanical impedance/admittance. The objective of this dissertation is to perform, with the aid of a 2D ANSYS finite element model, an analysis of different techniques for the detection of position and size of a delamination in a composite structure using piezoelectric patches. Several metrics and techniques are evaluated in terms of their capability of identifying, with relative accuracy, the presence, location and severity of the damage. Results show that both modal and impedance-based techniques are able to identify the presence of the delamination-type damages, provided the piezoelectric patches are close enough to the damage. It is also shown that impedance-based techniques seem more effective than modal ones for the detection of delamination position and size.

O peixe-boi marinho, Trichechus manatus manatus, à um mamÃfero com dieta herbÃvora, e distribuiÃÃo costeira em rios, estuÃrios e Ãguas litorÃneas da Zona Tropical brasileira. No Estado do Cearà ocorre em duas Ãreas distintas, no extremo dos seus setores leste e oeste. No litoral leste nÃo existe nenhuma Unidade de ConservaÃÃo com abrangÃncia marinha que restrinja os impactos causados ao meio ambiente e à populaÃÃo do peixe-boi, tais como urbanizaÃÃo, turismo e ocupaÃÃo de praias, dunas, falÃsias e manguezais. Sendo considerado pela UniÃo Internacional para ConservaÃÃo da Natureza como âespÃcie vulnerÃvelâ e estando inserido na Lista Oficial de EspÃcies da Fauna Brasileira AmeaÃadas de ExtinÃÃo de acordo com o IBAMA, corre risco de extinÃÃo extremamente alto num futuro prÃximo. Os objetivos desta DissertaÃÃo foram determinar a distribuiÃÃo espacial e padrÃes de uso da Ãrea, escolha da metodologia mais adequada ao monitoramento da populaÃÃo, e realizar levantamento das Ãreas de alimentaÃÃo e fontes e Ãgua doce provavelmente utilizadas pelos animais. A base de dados foi obtida atravÃs de prospecÃÃes aÃrea, realizada de junho/2003 a outubro/2004, totalizando 11 sobrevÃs e 24 horas de esforÃo de monitoramento, e nÃutica, realizada de agosto/2003 a novembro/2004, num total de 10 embarques e 157 horas de esforÃo de monitoramento. Dentre os mÃtodos de prospecÃÃo aÃrea e nÃutica, o primeiro gera erros devido à turbidez da Ãgua, e dificuldades de identificaÃÃo e contagem dos indivÃduos, enquanto o segundo, por sua maior proximidade em relaÃÃo aos animais, mostrou-se mais eficiente. O status da populaÃÃo do peixe-boi marinho foi avaliado atravÃs dos seguintes parÃmetros: (a) conservaÃÃo do habitat, com Ãnfase para a manutenÃÃo do territÃrio; (b) acesso a fontes de Ãgua doce e a Ãreas preferenciais de alimentaÃÃo e reproduÃÃo; (c) geraÃÃo de condiÃÃes ambientais Ãtimas para os cuidados parentais. Os fatores de ameaÃa de extinÃÃo nessa Ãrea estariam relacionados com reduÃÃo das fontes de alimento e Ãgua doce, assoreamento do Rio Jaguaribe, alÃm de captura acidental por aparelhos de pesca. Estes se traduzem nas seguintes conseqÃÃncias: reduÃÃo do habitat; aumento da frequÃncia de encalhes de recÃm-nascidos; aumento da mortalidade de adultos. A regiÃo de Picos, com destaque para o Banco dos Cajuais, foi definida como Zona de Alta Densidade, com padrÃo de distribuiÃÃo âaltamente agregadaâ por causa da abundÃncia de macroalgas e do menor fluxo de barcos motorizados. Dentre as recomendaÃÃes para se minimizar os riscos de extinÃÃo do peixe-boi, destacam-se: (a) desenvolvimento de campanhas educacionais que ressaltem aspectos importantes da conservaÃÃo do ambiente marinho; (b) reintroduÃÃo de espÃcimes em locais onde o declÃnio populacional à evidente; (c) criaÃÃo de unidades de conservaÃÃo com abrangÃncia marinha e aplicaÃÃo e fiscalizaÃÃo da legislaÃÃo pertinente ao habitat do peixe-boi e (d) monitoramento sistemÃtico da populaÃÃo no litoral leste para determinaÃÃo dos padrÃes ambientais que influenciam na ocorrÃncia do peixe-boi no municÃpio de IcapuÃ, litoral leste do CearÃ. / The Antillean manatee, Trichechus manatus manatus, is a mammal with an herbivorous diet and costal distribution in rivers, estuaries and inshore waters of the Brazilian Tropical Zone. In Cearà State, the species may found in the outermost ends of its western and eastern sectors. In the eastern sector there are no Marine Conservation Units to ward off impacts to the environment and the manatee population, such as urban development, tourism and occupation of beaches and mangrove forests. Manatees have been classified by the International Union for Nature Conservation as a âvulnerable speciesâ and included on the Official List of Endangered Species of the Brazilian Fauna. According to the Brazilian Institute for the Environment, it runs an extremely high risk of extinction in the near future. The objectives of this Thesis have been to determine the spatial distribution and patterns of usage of the living area, choice of the most appropriate methodology for population monitoring and mapping of feeding grounds and freshwater sources likely to used by the animals. The database was obtained by means of aerial surveys from June, 2003 to October, 2004, making up a 24-hour monitoring effort during 11 overhead flights, as well as nautical surveys performed from August, 2003 to November, 2004, making up a 157-hour monitoring effort during 10 voyages. Of the two prospecting techniques, the aerial one was less practical because of water turbidity, which made it difficult to identify and count manatee specimens, whereas the nautical one, because of its nearness to the targets, proved to the most efficient. The status of the Antillean manatee population was evaluated through the following parameters: (a) habitat conservation, with emphasis on territory maintenance; (b) access to freshwater sources and areas suitable for feeding and reproduction; (c) yielding of optimum environmental conditions for parental care. The threatened extinction in the studied area is related to factors such as decreasing of food and freshwater sources, silting-up of the Jaguaribe River, by-catch by trawl and gillnet fishing. The worrying outcome of such a scenario is likely to result in a reduction of the habitat size; increase in the straying of newborns plus an increase in adult mortality rates. The Picos region, specially the Cajuais sandbank, was defined as a High Density Zone, which displays a highly aggregate distribution because of seaweed abundance and smaller deployment of fishing boats. Among the suggestions for lowering the extinction risks of the Antillean manatee in Eastern Cearà State, the following ones stand out; (a) development of education campaigns which deal with the main aspects of environment preservation; (b) reintroduction of specimens in zones where population decline is evident; (c) installation of Marine Conservation Units and enforcement of the pertinent management measures and (d) constant monitoring of the population in the known habitat to determine environmental patterns which influence manatees in Icapuà county, eastern Cearà State.

[ES] La técnica de "Soil Nailing" es un procedimiento de refuerzo del terreno utilizado continuamente en la estabilización de taludes y cortes del terreno en proyectos de ingeniería geotécnica. Esta técnica se aplica con frecuencia en la ciudad de Quito (Ecuador) para el refuerzo del terreno, mejorando la estabilidad de los taludes, durante el proceso de excavación de varios niveles de sótanos. Estas excavaciones de gran profundidad son habituales en proyectos inmobiliarios importantes de la ciudad, en los que el "Soil Nailing" se emplea con algunas variantes que la ajusten a los recursos constructivos disponibles en el medio. Pese a lo extendido de su uso, esta técnica, que ha resultado ser efectiva para estabilizar las excavaciones durante los procesos constructivos de estructuras de sótano en los suelos de la ciudad de Quito, actualmente dispone de pocas investigaciones locales, ya sean teóricas, numéricas o experimentales, basadas en las propiedades geotécnicas de los suelos volcánicos característicos de la ciudad. Esta Tesis Doctoral que contó con el soporte del Laboratorio de Ingeniería Geotécnica y el Laboratorio de Estructuras del Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología del Hormigón (ICITECH) de la Universitat Politècnica de València presenta un estudio experimental y numérico del comportamiento de dos excavaciones reforzadas con la técnica de "Soil Nailing" para la construcción de las estructuras de sótano de dos importantes edificios ubicados en la zona centro-norte de la ciudad de Quito. Tanto el estudio experimental como el numérico se enfocan principalmente en la evolución de las fuerzas de tensión en las barras de acero de los "Soil Nails", el análisis de desplazamientos horizontales de las pantallas y el análisis de asentamientos en el terreno que se encuentra detrás de las pantallas y que fueron inferidos por la construcción de cada nivel de sótano. Como parte del análisis numérico a través de elementos finitos se han considerado diferentes modelos constitutivos de suelo, cuyos parámetros se determinaron detalladamente de acuerdo a los ensayos de laboratorio del estudio de caracterización geotécnica de esta investigación. Por tanto, esta Tesis Doctoral constituye una de las primeras investigaciones completas de la región encaminada a explicar el comportamiento experimental y numérico de excavaciones mediante la técnica de "Soil Nailing" y respaldada con un completo trabajo de caracterización geotécnica, llevado a cabo a propósito como parte de este estudio. / [CA] La tècnica de "Soil Nailing" és un procediment de reforç del terreny utilitzat contínuament en l'estabilització de talussos i talls del terreny en projectes d'enginyeria geotècnica. Esta tècnica s'aplica ben sovint en la ciutat de Quito (Equador) per al reforç del terreny, millorant l'estabilitat dels talussos, durant el procés d'excavació de diversos nivells de soterranis. Estes excavacions de gran profunditat són habituals en projectes immobiliaris importants de la ciutat, en els que el "Soil Nailing" s'empra amb algunes variants que l'ajusten als recursos constructius disponibles en el mig. A pesar d'allò que s'ha estés del seu ús, esta tècnica que ha resultat ser efectiva per a estabilitzar les excavacions durant els processos constructius d'estructures de soterrani en els sòls de la ciutat de Quito, actualment disposa de poques investigacions locals, ja siguen teòriques, numèriques o experimentals basades en les propietats geotècniques dels sòls volcànics característics de la ciutat. Esta Tesi Doctoral que va comptar amb el suport del Laboratori d'Enginyeria Geotècnica i el Laboratori d'Estructures de l'Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia del Formigó (ICITECH) de la Universitat Politècnica de València presenta un estudi experimental i numèric del comportament de dos excavacions reforçades amb la tècnica del "Soil Nailing" per a la construcció de les estructures de soterrani de dos importants edificis ubicats en la zona centre-nord de la ciutat de Quito. Tant l'estudi experimental com el numèric s'enfoquen principalment en l'evolució de les forces de tensió en les barres d'acer dels "Soil Nailing", l'anàlisi de desplaçaments horitzontals de les pantalles i l'anàlisi d'assentaments en el terreny que es troba darrere de les pantalles i que van ser inferits per la construcció de cada nivell de soterrani. Com a part de l'anàlisi numèrica a través d'elements finits s'han considerat diferents models constitutius de sòl, els paràmetres de la qual es van determinar detalladament d'acord amb els assajos de laboratori de l'estudi de caracterització geotècnica d'esta investigació. Per tant, esta Tesi Doctoral constituïx una de les primeres investigacions completes de la regió encaminada a explicar el comportament experimental i numèric d'excavacions per mitjà de la tècnica del "Soil Nailing" i protegida amb un complet treball de caracterització geotècnica, dut a terme a propòsit com a part d'este estudi. / [EN] The "Soil Nailing" technique is a ground reinforcement procedure used consistently to stabilize slopes and land sections in geotechnical engineering projects. This technique is frequently used in the city of Quito (Ecuador) to reinforce the ground and improve slope stability during the excavation process for various underground parking levels. Such deep excavations are common in the city's most important real estate projects, in which "Soil Nailing" is used with different variations that are adjusted in accordance with the construction resources available in the particular environment. Despite its widespread use, this technique which has proven to be so effective in stabilizing excavations during the construction of underground structures in the soils of the city of Quito, currently suffers from a lack of local theoretical, numerical or experimental research based on the geotechnical properties of the city's characteristic soils. This Doctoral Thesis was supported by the Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory and the Structures Laboratory of the Concrete Science and Technology Institute (ICITECH) of the Universitat Politècnica de València. It presents an experimental and numerical study of the behavior of two excavations reinforced with the Soil Nailing technique for the construction of the basement structures of two important buildings located in the north-central area of the city of Quito. Both the experimental and the numerical study focus mainly on the stress of tension forces exerted on the steel bars of the "Soil Nails", analysis of horizontal wall displacements and analysis of settlements of the ground behind the walls, which were induced by the construction of each underground level. As part of the numerical analysis through finite elements, different constitutive soil models were considered, the parameters of which were determined in detail in accordance with laboratory testing from the geotechnical characterization study for this research. This Doctoral Thesis, therefore, constitutes one of the first complete studies in the region aimed at explaining the experimental and numerical behavior of excavations through the Soil Nailing technique, supported by complete geotechnical characterization work which was carried out for the purpose of forming part of this study. / Capa Guachón, VE. (2021). Estudio experimental y numérico del comportamiento de excavaciones ejecutadas mediante la técnica de suelo claveteado (soil nailing) en suelos de la ciudad de Quito (Ecuador) [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/164174 / TESIS