This thesis recognises that quantitative research distances the researcher from the people who form part and parcel of squatter settlements. Therefore, in the course of analysing whether upgrading is a realistic option for the Ntchaweni squatter settlement, this qualitative study has not concerned itself with the activities of the inhabitants alone, or only with the buildings which house squatters, but investigates those units of experience within which physical form, activities and the degree of attachment that squatters have for the settlement of Ntchaweni are amalgamated to form place. A contention of this thesis if we are to plan successfully for squatter areas, it is necessary to understand that squatters have the potential to think and plan ahead for themselves. Squatter settlements are not necessarily the domain of criminals and unemployed people. The Ntchaweni squatter settlement is a complex place in which the inhabitants exhibit a strong attachment to the place.This validates the methodological emphasis on a people-place study of the squatter settlement, as does the acknowledged importance of community participation in upgrading schemes. In contrast, the "top-down" re-organising of squatter settlements into idealistic settlements conforming rigidly to some grand theory developed by technocrats cannot possibly help to alleviate the severe physical and social problems experienced in squatter areas. It is therefore necessary to arrive at a realistic option for the improvement of the Ntchaweni squatter settlement by analysing what the squatters perceive to be a suitable living environment. Any upgrading option for the Ntchaweni squatter settlement must also take into account the system which perpetrated the poor conditions evident in the study area. Within this context, the areal expansion of the Ntchaweni squatter settlement into its present size qualifies the notion that this place has an important function from a social, cultural and economic perspective. The historical development and the present political situation in the study area are both important considerations in a study which aims at investigating the betterment options for the area, be it site and service schemes or in situ upgrading. In order to gain a better understanding of squatter settlements, we must record both objective and subjective aspects of place. Together, these investigations put us into a position to discuss the possibilities for generating realistic options for designing and producing places suitable for human habitation in Ntchaweni. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1992.

Service delivery and livelihood strategies in informal settlements‟ have been below par as communities find it hard to maintain a suitable standard of living. The provision of basic services, also social and economic upliftment initiatives to the community are very important in transforming Duncan Village: C-Section into a sustainable human settlement. The study analyses the level of service delivery and livelihoods, in-order to meet the required level of service delivery needed to meet the needs of the people in C-Section. Municipal plan(s) such as the Duncan Village Redevelopment Initiative have been adopted by the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality with the relevant government, private and public stakeholders onboard. The study involved qualitative and qualitative research methods with interviews, plans and policies being used to investigate the key aims and objectives. The lack of funding and the right number of staff (officials) has had implication on the efficient delivery of services, with the density and the terrain of the study also adding on the challenges facing the delivery of infrastructural service. Inward migration has also had a negative impact on service deliver efforts and this problem needs to be addressed by implementing better regional planning. Data collected also highlights a low literacy level within the community which limits peoples‟ participation and access economic activities which adversely affects their livelihoods. The study suggests that for better service delivery there needs to be better constructed business plans to sort out funding for projects for the area and the municipality has to also invest in the number of official needed to improve or better service delivery. An all round strategy needs to be adopted to improve all facets of life for the people in the study and the settlement as a whole with an aim of livelihood improvements.

Shallow foundations rested on Leda clay that are widely distributed in Eastern Canada exhibit shrinkage characteristics and are prone to differential settlements. Due to this reason, significant repairs are necessary to the foundations and basements of residential structures constructed in Leda clay deposits. Differential settlements are commonly attributed to the changes in the natural water content of soils associated with water infiltration, evaporation or plant transpiration (i.e., tree-roots-suction). Various research studies have been undertaken to estimate the possible settlements of shallow foundations associated with the water infiltration or evaporation. Several thumb rules have been proposed through research studies, providing recommendations with respect to the distance at which trees must be planted as a function of their heights at maturity such that differential settlements can be avoided. However, limited studies have been carried out to estimate or model the settlements of shallow foundations taking into account the influence of tree-roots-suction. In the present research program, a comprehensive experimental study regarding the deformation characteristics of a sandy loam soil from Ottawa due to tree-root-suction is undertaken, using specially designed equipment. The study has been undertaken using a sandy loam soil so that the testing program can be conducted in a shorter period of time. An artificial rooting system (ARS) was designed and placed in a specially designed tank at the University of Ottawa to simulate tree-roots-suction and measure soil surface settlements associated with a decrease in natural water content (or increase in soil suction) using particle image velocimetry (PIV) technique. The ARS consists of an artificial root, suction generator, matric suction and volumetric water content monitoring devices. The variation of matric suction and volumetric water content are monitored at various depths using the instrumentation of the ARS. Based on the results of the experimental studies, a methodology is proposed to model the settlement behaviour of sandy loam soils due to suction from ARS, using commercial finite element software, SEEP/W and SIGMA/W (i.e. software package of GeoStudio 2007). The study offers a reasonably good comparison between the measured surface settlements and those estimated using the finite element modelling analysis. The modelling methodology presented in this thesis is promising and may be extended for estimating the settlement behaviour associated with the tree roots suction of Leda clay deposits and to other soils.

Meroitic settlements had long remained on the periphery of scholarly interests, although there was still only a limited degree of our understanding of Meroitic society, economy and daily life. During past few decades, archaeological research carried out at many sites in the modern Republic of the Sudan brought to light new information on the form, function and dynamics of Meroitic urban centers. We have become better acquainted with principles involved in their planning and with architecture of civic buildings, and perhaps most importantly, with architecture of ordinary houses. There were obvious differences between settlements in different regions of the Meroitic kingdom, that seemingly stemmed from local ways of land exploitation and state control of local population. Yet these were only few of many influential factors. The data obtained by study of Meroitic settlements can be further used to estimate Meroitic population or evaluate the form and degree of social stratification.

Thi s study aims to assess the implementation of the National Development P lan (NDP) and the impact it has had on the provision of human settlements in Gauteng. Th is dissertation has used qualitative research methodology. This nuanced approach has enabled an e laborate exploration and understanding of the NDP as a policy strategy and provided the tools to measure its impact on the provision of human settlements in Gauteng. For this research, the participants were selected purposively based on their expertise in the field of human settlements. The researcher conducted in depth interviews with 15 senior policymakers in the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements and South Africa’s National Department of Human Settlements and collect ed data on human settlements, wh ich fed, into the findings and recommendations of the dissertation This study has argued that housing policies in South Africa have evolved since 1994, moving away from redress and distribution to an approach of creating sustainable integrated human settl ements. It has also assessed how the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements set out to generate inclusive and integrated settlements through the creation of “new towns”. The building of these “new towns” is in line with the provincial government’s mandate of delivering integrated human settlements in the province. South Africa’s Department of Human Settlements and the Gauteng provincial government introduced the Megaprojects in 2014 as a R100billion economic corridor investment, which aims to provide 800 0 00 housing opportunities across five corridors in Gauteng. Despite these initiatives, the provincial Department continues to face several constraints such as population growth, migration, unavailability of land, housing backlogs, a high rate of informal settlements, corruption, poor implementation of policies, and a lack of economic growth and budgetary constraints. The dissertation’s findings suggest that t hese challenges need to be tackled at the policy level the Department of Human Settlements must pr ioritise implementation, good governance and promote greater professionalism within the housing sector in order to achieve these targets . The study further found that p olicymakers must also view housing as a specialised field that requires extensive consul tation and implementation plans that are carefully tailored to address any challenge s that the Department of Human Settlements could potentially encounter during the implementation phase . Only with these changes, can these targets be met. / Public Administration and Management / M. Admin. (Public Administration)

Urbanisation in South African cities is a worrying phenomenon. Cities such as the City of Johannesburg are faced with a severe housing backlog. This situation could be attributed to many issues such as lack of suitable land for housing, and the existence of informal settlements. This study has been undertaken to investigate whether the interventions implemented by City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality to eradicate informal settlements are effective in addressing challenges faced by informal settlement dwellers. In South Africa, informal settlement upgrading process is acknowledged as an effective means of eradicating informal settlements. In this regard, interventions to eradicate informal settlements require extensive research in order to have proposals for future policy interventions. This study has been also undertaken to make some recommendations that might resolve the challenges of informal settlements in the City of Johannesburg. / Public Administration & Management / M.P.A.

Urbanisation in South African cities is a worrying phenomenon. Cities such as the City of Johannesburg are faced with a severe housing backlog. This situation could be attributed to many issues such as lack of suitable land for housing, and the existence of informal settlements. This study has been undertaken to investigate whether the interventions implemented by City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality to eradicate informal settlements are effective in addressing challenges faced by informal settlement dwellers. In South Africa, informal settlement upgrading process is acknowledged as an effective means of eradicating informal settlements. In this regard, interventions to eradicate informal settlements require extensive research in order to have proposals for future policy interventions. This study has been also undertaken to make some recommendations that might resolve the challenges of informal settlements in the City of Johannesburg. / Public Administration and Management / M.A. (Public Administration)

Thesis (DPhil (Psychology))—University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / This study is located in the Joe Slovo informal settlement, Langa, Cape Town. This is a settlement much like many other townships in South Africa in that it is a disaster-prone, marginalised community. On the 15 January 2005 a fire ravaged the area, destroying 2 590 dwellings and leaving 12 950 people homeless. This qualitative study attempted to explore the personal perspectives of the survivors of this shack fire within the wider context of communal and socio-political variables. A number of interviews were conducted, some with the fire survivors, and others with service providers in the field of disaster management. Conservation of Resources (COR) theory was found to be a useful lens through which to analyse the data. The fire event itself is shown to have been a precipitant of a far longer and more complex chain of events and ongoing struggles for survival. Reactions to the fire and subsequent events, furthermore, must be understood at a number of levels – including at inter-personal and inter-group levels. The principles and corollaries of COR theory enable a deeper exploration of the disaster especially in terms of resource loss and the implications of survivors having been disadvantaged prior to the fire taking place. A number of pre-event issues are presented in order for this context to be fully understood. Two obstacles to community intervention are emphasised as key. First, the reality of what COR theory terms ‘communities within communities’ has implications for survivor behaviour. Second, the focus on the acute aftermath of the fire, and what COR theory terms the ‘avoidance of long-term needs’ is also crucial. COR theory facilitated the visibility of a link between the data and the use of space at an intergroup level. Despite the abolition of apartheid, segregation between groups in South Africa remains high. The current study made use of the social psychology of segregation to explore the inter-group conflict that emerged as the most salient and ongoing feature of this disaster. Although the current study is exploratory, it is hoped that it will encourage future research into the interface between space, inter-group relations and disaster.

Submitted by JOSIANE SANTOS DE OLIVEIRA (josianeso) on 2019-03-13T12:04:09Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Léa Beatriz Dai-Prá_.pdf: 4210748 bytes, checksum: fbb91b300aa495b3e46ee2c0c609252d (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2019-03-13T12:04:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Léa Beatriz Dai-Prá_.pdf: 4210748 bytes, checksum: fbb91b300aa495b3e46ee2c0c609252d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-12-20 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Este trabalho objetivou desenvolver um modelo matemático para predição de recalques, aplicado ao aterro sanitário de São Leopoldo, gerenciado pela Companhia Riograndense de Valorização de Resíduos (CRVR). Primeiramente foram desenvolvidos ensaios de adensamento em uma amostra de Resíduos Sólidos Urbanos (RSU) coletada no aterro da CRVR/SL, obtendo os parâmetros: índice de compressão primária (Cc = 0,17), índice de compressão secundária (Cα = 0,14), índice de vazios (e = 0,224 – 0,241), que foram aplicados aos modelos clássicos de adensamento (Sowers, 1973 e Bjarngard e Edgers, 1990). Os modelos mostraram baixa aderência aos dados reais, medidos em campo, com erros de 67,6% a 99,9%. Após, foram analisados os dados de monitoramento de lixiviado e recalques da CRVR/SL, e estes foram aplicados ao modelo de Gomes e Caetano (2010). Este modelo apresentou boa aderência aos dados reais, com erro médio de 27,9%. Por fim, foi gerado o modelo matemático de predição de recalques, através de análise estatística de regressão linear múltipla, incluindo análise fatorial pelo método das componentes principais, via rotação ortogonal do tipo Varimax. O modelo utilizou os parâmetros de monitoramento de lixiviado da CRVR/SL e apresentou erro médio de 20% aos dados reais de recalque. Foi constatado que a utilização de modelos de predição de recalques, através da análise de regressão, é adequada para a estimativa da vida útil dos aterros, desde que considerados alguns ajustes no monitoramento dos dados (frequência de monitoramento e monitoramento contínuo), e que cada aterro tem suas particularidades, sendo necessário analisar cada caso a fim de certificar-se de que um modelo atende a um determinado aterro sanitário. / The objective of this work was to develop a mathematical model for the prediction of settlements, applied to the sanitary landfill of São Leopoldo, managed by Companhia Riograndense de Valorização de Residuos (CRVR). Firstly, confined compression tests were performed on a sample of MSW collected at the CRVR landfill, obtaining the parameters: primary compression index (Cc = 0.17), secondary compression index (Cα = 0.14), void index (e = 0.224 to 0.241) which were applied to the classical settlement models (Sowers, 1973; and Bjarngard & Edgers, 1990). The models showed low adherence to real data, measured in the field, with errors from 67.6% to 99.9%. After, were analyzed the CRVR leachate and settlement monitoring data, these were applied to the Gomes & Caetano (2010) model. This model showed good adherence to real data, with a mean error of 27.9%. Finally, the mathematical model of settlement prediction was generated, through statistical analysis of multiple linear regression, including factorial analysis by principal component method, via orthogonal rotation of Varimax. The model used the CRVR leachate monitoring parameters and presented an average error of 20% to the actual settlement data. It was found that the use of regression prediction models, through regression analysis, is adequate to estimate the useful life of landfills, considering some adjustments in data monitoring (frequency of monitoring and continuous monitoring), and that each landfill has its particularities, and it is necessary to analyze each case to make sure that a model meets a given landfill.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 1980. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH. / Bibliography: leaves 216-245. / by Tim E. J. Campbell. / Ph.D.