Investigation of Feasible Pavement Design Alternatives for WisDOT

The current pavement design and selection process of WisDOT for all new pavements or reconstructions of existing pavement structures provides for the design of one asphaltic concrete (AC) and one portland cement concrete (PCC) pavement alternative. Life-cycle costs analyses are then used to determine the preferred alternative for construction. Previous restrictions in the WisDOT pavement selection process have essentially excluded the construction of thick AC (AC thickness \u3e 150 mm) and thin PCC (PCC thickness \u3c 225 mm) pavements and thus the validity of current life-cycle cost inputs for these pavement types is under question. This report presents a performance analysis of existing thick AC and thin PCC pavements constructed in and around Wisconsin. The performance trends developed indicate current design assumptions utilized by WisDOT, related to the expected service life to first rehabilitation of AC and PCC pavements, may also be used for thick AC and thin PCC pavements

Performance Evaluation of Open Graded Base Course with Doweled and Non-Doweled Transverse Joints

The objectives of this study were to investigate the performance of 20-year old doweled/non-doweled and dense-graded/permeable base test sections on three concrete pavement segments in Wisconsin: USH 18/151 in Iowa and Dane counties, STH 29 in Brown County, and USH 151 in Columbia and Dane Counties. Five pavement bases were placed including: dense graded, asphalt-stabilized permeable, cement-stabilized permeable, and untreated permeable having two gradation sizes. USH 18/151 test sections had similar performance (PDI) for doweled unsealed pavement on dense and permeable base. Distresses common to all segments included slight to moderate distressed joints/cracks and slight transverse faulting. Asphalt-stabilized permeable base had no slab breakup or surface distresses, however it measured a greater severity of distressed joints and cracks. Non-doweled sections having asphalt-stabilized permeable base and Transverse Inter Channel drains had better performance and ride than the other non-doweled sections. IRI was generally higher on non-doweled pavements, but many doweled sections had an equal roughness to non-doweled sections. Sealed non-doweled joints produced a better performing pavement, however, sealant did not appear to improve ride. STH 29 unsealed sections performed better than the median PDI for the sealed sections. The sealed doweled pavement did perform a little better than the non-doweled section, but the opposite occurred on the non-doweled sections. Sealed doweled joints had a smoother ride than the other combinations. USH 151 test sections found the finer-graded New Jersey permeable base had the smoothest ride when compared to other permeable sections. Asphalt-stabilized permeable base had the roughest ride, and unstabilized and cement-stabilized permeable bases had intermediate values. The average hydraulic conductivity for the unstabilized permeable base was 17,481 feet per day and there appears little variation due to doweling or joint sealant. Deflection load transfer results indicate expected high average values for the doweled sections and fair to poor values for the non-doweled sections. Slab support ratios indicate variable results based on base type and joint reinforcement/sealant. Life-cycle cost analysis found dense-graded base was the least cost among all base alternatives, with a total estimated present-worth life-cycle cost of $665,133 per roadway mile. Untreated and asphalt-stabilized permeable bases were more expensive by 13% and 27%, respectively. Other factors in selecting dense-graded base over permeable base include project drainage conditions set forth in the FDM guidelines an anticipated increase in pavement surface roughness

Forest cover monitoring in Southwestern Ghana with remote sensing and GIS

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Geospatial TechnologiesObuasi is one of the major municipalities in southwestern Ghana, Forest resources play a major significant role in the day-to-day activities of the locals due to their high dependency on it. Despite this contribution, the annual rate of current deforestation in Obuasi is about 50 hectares. At this rate the municipality may lose its substantial forest cover completely in the next 25 years. GIS and remote sensing techniques have proven to be efficient ways to monitor forest cover, especially on a large-scale using satellite imagery. In this study, a post-classification comparison change detection algorithm was used to determine the change in forest cover in the 1991-2021 period. The methodology includes a statistical analysis of rainfall and temperature variability for a period of 30years as well as the analysis of perceptions and knowledge of locals on forest modifications. MOLUSCE plugin in QGIS was used to model and generate maps of forest cover and predict future changes in land use/land cover. The land-use/landcover maps showed that between 1991 to 2000 forest areas decline at the rate of 17.1% while another class such as agricultural, built-up, and mining sites has a significant increase of 14%, 4%, and 2% respectively. Between 2000 to 2021, forest areas and agricultural lands decrease from 67% to 60% and 26% to 20% respectively while built-up and mining areas increase from 4% to 12% and 3% to 7% through forest areas remain the dominant landcover class in the area. During the same study period, there was a fluctuation in climatic conditions. Rainfall between 1991 to 2021 has reduced by an amount of 24 mm while temperature has increased to 0.037°C per annum. The majority of the locals believe that cultivated land expansion and mining are the driving forces of forest cover change in the area and the only solutions to these issues are through enrichment planting, and strengthening forest protection laws and mining regulations. Future prediction on forest cover in the area for 2030 map shows that forest areas will be the major contributor of land to other land use/landcover class, henceforth causing it to decline if no intervention is made. These findings can be used to inform conservation and management strategies to mitigate the impact of forest cover change and protect the ecological integrity of forests in the municipality

An assessment of the effects of the church’s empowerment of female head porters: Insight from Suhudoo Baptist Church, Aboabo, Kumasi – Ghana

The debate on the contribution of diaconal practices among churches in the empowerment discourse remains unresolved in the conventional literature. This study seeks to address the question “What characterizes the empowerment of young female head porters by the Suhudoo Baptist Church in Aboabo, Kumasi, Ghana?”. Using the case of the aforementioned church, the study sought to explore whether or not diaconal practices contribute to the empowerment of the vulnerable in society. And if it does, the form it takes and how the empowerment is achieved. Empowerment and gender perspectives, the see-reflect-act as a diaconal model renewed diaconal action, and inclusiveness as diaconal perspectives was used to explore how the church brings about liberation to the poor and marginalized, protect and speak against injustices in the society, and defend the voice of the voiceless and the disempowered. The study used interview guides and observational skills, narratives from eight head porters were gathered for the study. An intersectionality approach was adopted for the analysis and discussion of the findings. The findings of the study point to the fact that not much has been done by the government of Ghana in protecting or empowering the head porters. The study revealed that diaconal practices of the church have lessened the financial burden of the head porters. Besides, the church through its interaction among members created a friendly environment that enables the head porters to socialize with other members of the church. This creates inclusive, just, equal, and mutual societies. Also, the diaconal practices have contributed to the empowerment of the head porters

Beyond poverty and criminalization: Splintering youth groups and ‘conflict of governmentalities’ in urban Ghana

Youth violence is a universal phenomenon and can take many shapes and forms. In Ghana the upsurge, scale and scope of such violence in major cities are becoming worrying, making it imperative to examine the nexus between poverty, splintering youth groups, and crime. Typically, youth criminal and antisocial behaviour raise questions as to whether city authorities lack effective structures to cope with increasing urbanization or are being overly accommodating to varying crime responses, some of which are above and beyond legal policing measures. Using content analysis of media reports, archival records, scholarly literature, 50 key informant interviews (KIIs), and 15 focus group discussions (FGDs), we examine the multiple fields of youth ‘governmentalities’ and their preoccupation with security issues—issues that are of great significance to formal state institutions. Borrowing from the philosophy of methodological individualism embedded in rational choice theory, our study reveals the emergence of a number of local youth groups whose activities, predicated mainly on the quest for better livelihood, incorporate varied rationalities, techniques, and practices, some of which are negatively impacting on the urban fabric. We contend that some of these activities not only challenge the legitimacy of the state but also call into question the ability of the official institutions responsible for maintaining law and order to guarantee protection and secure justice for all.Keywords: urbanization; youth groups; organized crime; governmentalities; Ghan

Policy Implications of News Media Coverage of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) garnered global news media attention in Summer 2014 when it seized a significant section of land in Iraq and Syria. The group then mishandled and executed its captives. There is a lack of consensus among the international community, led by Russia and the United States, on how best to address the threat posed by ISIS. An understanding of the function of Russian and U.S. news media coverage of the ISIS threat is an appropriate research topic. The purpose of this qualitative content analysis study was to explore how the U.S, Russian, and Qatari news media represented ISIS between May 1, 2014, and May 1, 2015. The theoretical framework for this study was the agenda-setting theory. The research questions centered on how 3 news media outlets from the 3 countries represented ISIS within this time frame. The study design was a qualitative deductive content analysis with purposeful sampling. Data were coded in a binary manner and analyzed using the data software program Dedoose. Themes identified in the analysis were mitigation, insecurity, foreign fighters, responsibility, and propaganda. The results of this study suggest that there are similarities and differences in Russian, Qatari, and U.S. media outlets\u27 depiction of ISIS between May 1, 2014, and May 1, 2015, which can be explained by agenda-setting theory. The significance of this study is twofold. First, the information arising from the study may influence social change by assisting counterterrorism officials and policy makers in making informed decisions about how to mitigate the ISIS threat. Second, this study contributes to the existing literature on ISIS and its global media representation for future researchers

A case study of the development of science, technology and innovation policy at the higher education level in Ghana

It has been nearly fifty-four years since Ghana nursed the dream of rapid social and economic development through science, technology and innovation. Ghana is yet to experience technological transformation to the level of other countries with which she was at par at the time of her independence. Gaps in understanding still remain in the Ghanaian experience in the development of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) policy. As such, a radical reform of the systems to help in the restructuring and transforming the economy is still lacking. In 2010 the government of Ghana developed an STI policy. The aim of this policy is to address all sectors of the economy in order to achieve growth and economic transformation. Analytically, the thesis takes a critical perspective to situate Ghana’s socio-economic and political history in the discourses of the dependency theory framework and to examine how the STI policy at the higher education level in Ghana was formulated and how this had privileged different interests and what the implications are for the country. Mindful of the gaps and historic policy flows, the study took advantage of the researcher’s insider position as an education expert and experience as the government policy developer. With this position and experience, the researcher orientation from the perspectives of policy-makers in Ghana was qualitative research methodology that focused on a case study approach, documentary analysis linked to a critical discourse analysis, observations, semi-structured and informal interviews and the use of a research diary to collect field data. The field data collected for the empirical analysis were documentary data, interview transcripts, interview notes, observation data and field notes. In a constructivist analysis, the interpretive paradigm approach, the notion of triangulation and reflexivity helped not only to privilege the multiple perspectives but to also illuminate the complexity and differences among the participants and other data sources to improve the quality of the data analysis. The research found that in Ghana’s trajectory to modernity through education, the country was marginalised in technology by the advanced capitalist nations to produce low-skilled personnel to be exploited by corporations. Further, the government subcontracted the World Bank and UNCTAD to produce the 2010 STI policy to the neglect of its established institutions. This makes it difficult for the country to pursue an independent reflationary STI policy. Moreover, the documentary analysis of the policy revealed that the government of Ghana had focused mostly on basic education to the detriment of higher education and STI policy to further marginalise the country in technology to produce a low-skilled Ghana to be exploited by corporations. The implication is Ghana to restructure the content of education to build a solid foundation for the development of the STI policy in the country. The study, therefore, provides a solid critique of the country’s economic policy and international commitments that perpetuate a dependent model of development to the neglect of STI policy in Ghana. In the wake of the new STI policy development paradigms, the study suggests the need for a shift in paradigm from poor interactive learning space to rich interactive learning space, an interactionist model approach underpinned by a rich interactive learning space as an analytical tool and a guide for STI policy formation in Ghana

Transitioning from green to circular procurement in developing countries: a conceptual framework for Ghana’s construction sector

Circular procurement (CP) systems are fast evolving and recently, regarded as a ‘golden-ring’ to be leveraged in promoting the circular economy. However, it appears that the construction sector of developing countries is yet to make any significant adaptions and improvements to its existing procurement practice. In this paper, we examine the state of procurement practice in such countries for opportunities to develop and implement CP. Using case analysis from the Ghanaian context, evidence on the status quo of existing green procurement system is sought to ascertain gaps and similarities between practice, policy and targets needed for CP implementation. Qualitative methods comprising the use of secondary data and interviews with stakeholders from three public tendered projects were adopted, and results analysed to develop a conceptual framework for CP. The findings of the study reveal that government policy, circular strategy, circular sourcing and platforms are essential components that need to be developed for CP implementation. Hence, the developed framework proposes an integration of these aspects through the four-lenses of people, process, policy and technology. The output of this research provides a collective roadmap for policymakers, practitioners and academicians towards the attainment of more circular consumption patterns in emerging construction markets

Conflict management in an organization: A case study of the Korle Bu Teaching hospital.

Conflict is considered an inevitable part of organizational life, particularly in hospitals in the health sector. However, there has been limited attention to conflict management and transformation in hospital within the Ghanaian setting, despite evidence of conflicts among employees in health institutions. The study provided answers to the following research objectives: (i) the nature of conflict among employees; (ii) the factors influencing the occurrence of conflicts among employees; and (iii) how conflict among employees at the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital. The study adopted a descriptive qualitative case study design with a sample of 8 participants who were selected using a purposive sampling technique. Primary data was collected using a semi-structured interview guide. Data analysis was done thematically. The study found that though conflict was seen as positive, a general negative perception was found. The nature of the conflict was shown to be multidimensionally characterized by relational, task, vertical, and horizontal conflicts. Themes identified in terms of the factors causing conflict included: individual (differences in employee values and negative employee behaviors); organizational factors (differences in organizational and individual values, perceived organizational support, unsafe working environments, task interdependence, and disregard for subordinates); and societal factors (tribalism and gender role expectations and conformity). Furthermore, conflict management and transformation reflected two major themes: actor-related strategy; relational strategy and rule modification