This study was carried out to evaluate the use of heated reclaimed asphalt pavement materials with emulsion and the use of hot mix asphalt with wax (Sasobit) as base course materials. Mixes with lower than optimum and optimum emulsion, as well as with heated reclaimed asphalt pavement material and optimum emulsion were made; also, mixes with conventional asphalt binder and those with asphalt binder and Sasobit were produced at relatively lower temperatures. These mixes were tested for workability, and all but one of the mixes were used for preparation of approximately 0.9 m (35 inches) by 0.9 m (35 inches) 0.125 m (5 inches) slabs. The rates of densification during the compaction of these slabs were compared. Samples cored from the slabs were tested for stiffness, and dry retained tensile strengths. The results showed that heating of reclaimed asphalt pavement material can improve the dispersion as well as densification significantly. The use of asphalt binder was found to be beneficial in improving strength and stiffness, and the use of Sasobit helped to achieve almost similar workabilities and compactabilities at lower temperatures, as compared to those of hot mix asphalt with neat asphalt binder. No significant difference was found between the modulus of the Sasobit and hot mix asphalt samples. The dispersion of asphalt binder seemed to improve with the use of Sasobit at lower mixing temperature. A field project is recommended for evaluating performance of emulsion mixes with heated reclaimed asphalt pavements and asphalt binder mixes with Sasobit.

<p>The market of portable digital audio players (DAPs) have literally exploded the last couple of years. Other markets has grown as well. PDAs, GPS receivers, mobile phones, and so on. This resulted in more advanced ICs and SoCs becoming publically available, eliminating the need for in-house ASICs, thus enableing smaller actors to enter the markets.</p><p>This thesis explores the possibilities of developing a low power, hand-held device on a very limited budget and strict time scale.</p><p>This thesis report also covers all the steps taken in the development procedure.</p>

Over the past three decades, there has been a global paradigm shift in biodiversity conservation approaches from exclusive protected areas (PAs) towards people-centred conservation. This has encouraged the development of community-based conservation across the world, promoting reconciliation between livelihood improvement and biodiversity conservation. However, there is a growing body of literature that demonstrates mixed outcomes of community-based conservation approaches in contributing to improved conservation and local livelihoods, especially to the communities neighbouring PAs in Africa. This dissertation examines the experience of implementing one community wildlife management area (WMA) in Tanzania, with a particular focus on the effectiveness of Ikona WMA in contributing to improved conservation and local livelihoods in Western Serengeti. Specifically, the study investigates livelihood benefits and conservation impacts attributed to Ikona WMA in the study area. It also explores the success and challenges of implementing Ikona WMA and suggests areas for improvement. Qualitative and quantitative data were gathered through field-based research in Nyichoka and Robanda villages, which participate in Ikona WMA, and Rwamchanga village, which does not. Research methods employed in this study include interviews, focus group discussions, and household surveys. With regard to livelihood benefits attributed to Ikona WMA, results show benefits to the communities participating in WMA at the community level, especially improvement of social infrastructure, while few or no benefits were realized at the household level. In addition, findings show variation in perceptions between and among the communities participating in Ikona WMA and the community not participating, and among conservation experts about community access to natural resources and benefits experienced at the household level in the study area. Findings show that the communities participating in the WMA had more positive perceptions of Ikona WMA, and perceived more conservation impact than did the community not participating in the WMA. Both community members and WMA administrators perceived a decline of illegal activities, improvement of habitat, increase of wild animals, and increase of wildlife protection as the major conservation impacts attributable to Ikona WMA. Ikona WMA demonstrates some success in contributing to improved conservation and local livelihoods at the community level. However, the study reveals a number of challenges hindering effective implementation of Ikona WMA, including insufficient power over crucial decision making and ownership of wildlife resources, insufficient involvement of community members, unequal distribution of benefits at the village level, and insufficient transparency, accountability, and monitoring of village development projects. In addition, respondents identified low levels of education among community members and WMA staff members, weak collaboration with other conservation actors, and increases in both livestock and human populations as challenges to the WMA in the study area. The study suggests that broad level participation of community members in decision making about wildlife conservation, empowerment of the local community, particularly with regard to financial resources, skills training, and true devolution of power over wildlife to the community, as well as fostering equity in benefit sharing at the village level, could help to cultivate community interest in wildlife conservation. / Graduate / 0768 / 0478 / 0368

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), enabled by the Kyoto Protocol, set enforced responsibilities on industrialised countries to reduce the amount of emissions (greenhouse gases) produced. This global call for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions ensured that the manufacturing sector commit to emission reduction. The asphalt industry has embarked on a quest to find alternative methods of producing and constructing asphalt mixes which will release less greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. These new methods include the reduction in production and construction temperatures which in turn will reduce the amount of greenhouse emissions produced. These new methods introduced the concept of warm mix asphalt (WMA) to the alternative hot mix asphalt (HMA). To produce a WMA mix at lower temperatures the binder needs to be in a workable state so to effectively coat the aggregate and produce a good quality mix. WMA technologies have been developed to enable production of mixes at lower temperatures (effectively reducing emissions) whilst retaining the required binder viscosity and properties needed to produce a quality mix. The question which needs to be answered is whether the performance of these WMA mixes can compare with that of HMA mixes. In this study several WMA mixes (with different WMA technologies) are evaluated against their equivalent HMA mixes in terms of fatigue life and flexural stiffness. Phase angle results were also considered. Flexural stiffness is a mix property which is dependent on loading time and temperature. It is used to measure the load spread ability of a mix and also influences fatigue behaviour. Fatigue cracking occurs in the material as a result of repeated cyclic loading. The evaluation and analysis conducted in this study show that WMA mixes can compare favourably and even exceed that of HMA mixes in certain cases, although some WMA mixes resulted in lower fatigue life or flexural stiffness than its corresponding HMA mixes, which could be attributed to differences in mix components and variables. In this study a literature study, methodology, laboratory test results, a comparison of mix results and conclusions and recommendations are made. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) was in staat gestel deur die Kyoto Protocol om verantwoordelikhede op geïndustrialiseerde lande te forseer om die hoeveelheid van nadelige kweekhuisgasse wat geproduseer word te verminder. Hierdie globale oproep tot die vermindering van kweekhuisgasse verseker dat die vervaardigingsektor hulself verbind tot emissie vermindering. Die asfalt industrie het begin met 'n soektog na alternatiewe metodes van vervaardiging en die bou van asfaltmengsels wat minder kweekhuisgasse sal vrystel in die atmosfeer. Hierdie nuwe metodes sluit die vermindering in produksie en konstruksie temperature in wat op sy beurt die hoeveelheid kweekhuisgasse geproduseer verminder. Hierdie nuwe metodes het die konsep van warm mengsel asfalt (WMA) bekendgestel teenoor die alternatiewe ‘hot’ mengsel asfalt (HMA). Om ‘n WMA mengsel te produseer by laer temperature, moet die bindmiddel in 'n werkbare toestand wees om die aggregaat heeltemal te bedek en 'n goeie gehalte mengsel te produseer. WMA tegnologie is ontwikkel om die produksie van mengsels teen laer temperature te realiseer (vermindering die uitlaatgasse), terwyl die vereiste bindmiddel viskositeit en eienskappe wat nodig is om 'n kwaliteit mengsel te produseer behou word. Die vraag wat beantwoord moet word, is of die prestasie van hierdie WMA mengsel kan vergelyk word met dié van HMA mengsel. In hierdie studie is 'n paar WMA mengsels (met verskillende WMA tegnologie) geëvalueer teen hul ekwivalent HMA mengsels in terme van vermoeiing en buig styfheid. Fase hoek resultate is ook in ag geneem. Buig styfheid is 'n mengsel eienskap wat afhanklik is van die laai tyd en temperatuur. Dit word gebruik om die las verspreiding vermoë van 'n mengsel te meet en beïnvloed ook vermoeiing gedrag. Vermoeidheid krake kom voor in die materiaal as gevolg van herhaalde sikliese laai. Die evaluering en ontleding in hierdie studie toon dat WMA mengsels goed vergelyk en selfs in sekere gevalle meer as dié van HMA mengsels, hoewel sommige WMA mengsels laer vermoeidheid lewe of buig styfheid as die ooreenstemmende HMA mengsels gewys het, wat toegeskryf kan word tot verskille in mengsel komponente en veranderlikes. In hierdie studie word 'n literatuurstudie, metodiek, laboratorium toets resultate, 'n vergelyking van die mengsel resultate en gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings gemaak.

The market of portable digital audio players (DAPs) have literally exploded the last couple of years. Other markets has grown as well. PDAs, GPS receivers, mobile phones, and so on. This resulted in more advanced ICs and SoCs becoming publically available, eliminating the need for in-house ASICs, thus enableing smaller actors to enter the markets. This thesis explores the possibilities of developing a low power, hand-held device on a very limited budget and strict time scale. This thesis report also covers all the steps taken in the development procedure.

This study took place in northern Tanzania in Babati district. Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) are establishments that endorse conservation of the wildlife and the environment, development and sustainable land-use in the rural areas. The aim of the organization is to provide local communities with economic benefits and including them in the projects of wildlife and habitat conservation (Kicheleri et al., 2018). However, it is unclear if the aim of the organizations has worked that well in the field. The aim of this study is to analyze some of the local attitudes, of the villages Minjingu, Vilima Vitatu and Kakoi, towards Burunge Wildlife Management Area. This study will also analyze how the membership with WMA has changed the living conditions for the inhabitants in the three villages, by conducting semi-structured interviews on villagers, a WMA secretary and the district council officer. Results indicate that the most common perception villagers have about WMA is that the household income has decreased, and the destruction on land and crops by wildlife has increased. The villagers are unhappy about how WMA handles different situations. Due to this, the majority of the respondents from all three studied villages stated they would like to end the membership with WMA.