Book Notice: Taylor, Paul - Text-to-Speech Synthesis

published or submitted for publicationis peer reviewe

Walkability in Dubai: Improving Thermal Comfort

In Dubai, the absurd dependence on air-conditioning in buildings and vehicles has led to sedentary lifestyles and a poor public realm in many outdoor spaces. The microclimatic conditions that have been impaired by the morphology of the built environment, reduced pedestrian comfort between buildings. Urban spaces depreciate for many months due to lack of pedestrians. The present thesis aimed to encourage what it calls walkability – the ability of a place to welcome people to walk– for longer periods every year. It focused on improving pedestrians’ overall thermal comfort and extending the distances that they could travel along their daily utilitarian journeys. Three main methods of fieldwork were applied to investigate the physical urban environment in two districts, namely Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) and The Greens. First, interviews were conducted with random passers-by along their everyday routes to the mosque, metro, office and school. These were conducted at different periods of the year and times of the day and were meant to identify the thermal comfort limits at such periods. Second, subjective assessments, consisting of thermal sensations and thermal comfort votes, were collected from six subjects over several days in the form of short walks at different times of the year. These helped to assess the influence of the successive changes endured on the thermal sensations and overall comfort. Third, data loggers were installed in four different spaces over a period of one year to identify the influence of urban morphology on the microclimatic parameters (air and globe temperatures and relative humidity). Finally, ENVI-met microclimatic simulations were run to analyse the urban district JLT and identify the hot spots likely to inhibit comfort. The findings of the fieldwork and simulation studies revealed the prospect for extending the distances that pedestrians tolerate walking outdoors, through improving their thermal sensation and comfort at certain areas along the journey described as the recovery conditions. The thesis proposes that allocating adequate shade and wind at frequent areas along the journey provides a psychological satisfaction and physical heat stress relief, which improves the overall comfort and encourages walkability. Proposed scenarios for such areas were modelled and tested using ENVI-met to show the improvements of the microclimate and comfort conditions that can be achieved at different times of the day and year

Syrian norms of McNamara cephalometric analysis

McNamara’s cephalometric analysis is one of the most suitable analyses for diagnosis, treatment planning and treatment evaluation. Yet, no study has, till now, detected the norms of this analysis in a Syrian population. The current study aims to establish cephalometric norms of McNamara’s analysis for Syrians with normal occlusion and to compare these norms between males and females.The study was conducted using lateral cephalometric radiographs of a sample comprised of 100 adolescents with normal, permanent occlusion. The results showed that there were statistically significant gender differences among Syrians for 11 out of 15 cephalometric variables. The comparison revealed statistically significant differences in most variables between Syrian males and females. Therefore, It would be preferable to use the specific Syrian norms

TRADITIONAL SPATIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETERSINFLUENCING INNOVATIVEARCHITECTURAL INTERVENTIONS: CASE STUDY OFDARIYAH GOVERNORATE

Traditional and vernacular architecture have always been responsive and sensitive to spatially and functionally socio-cultural and environmental conditions. Spatial configuration of architectural elements served a purpose such as alleviate harsh environmental conditions, respect concept of privacy, and accommodates e sociocommunal activities. The evolving contemporary architecture has grown far from the traditional architecture leaving behind sensitive design solutions that enhanced the spatial and environmental experience. The aim of this paper is to learn from traditional vernacular spatial production, notably the Saudi Najd architecture, in order to enhance contemporary architectural practices and experience. The paper aims to discuss the use of innovative technologies inspired from traditional and vernacular spatial and functional practices in contemporary architecture interventions. The research will investigate: (1) Elements of the Najdi traditional vernacular architecture that improves the spatial and environmental conditions of the architectural space; (2) The use of SMART technologies and innovative design method such as parametric design, smart façade, and innovative construction materials to reinterpret vernacular architecture heritage elements and environmental approaches to provide a spatial environmental heritage rooted design solutions

Model tests on single batter piles subjected to lateral soil movement

A series of laboratory tests have been carried out to investigate the lateral response of battered piles under lateral soil movement. Model tests were carried out using instrumented rigid aluminium piles. The piles were embedded in homogeneous sand soil at batter angles &beta = 0°, ±10° and ±20° were subjected to two types of lateral soil movement profile. The results obtained from the study are presented in terms of the bending moment, shear force, soil reaction, pile rotation and lateral deflections along the length of the batter pile. The results of model tests on single vertical and batter piles under horizontal loads showed that the batter angle (&beta) significantly influenced the response of the batter piles. Regardless of the value of sand density, bending moment and deflection with batter angles &beta = +10° or positive batter piles were higher compared then vertical piles and negative batter piles

Asymmetric price transmission in EU petroleum markets

This research investigates the determinants of asymmetric price transmission (APT) in European petroleum markets. APT is the faster response of retail prices to cost increases than to cost decreases; resulting in a welfare transfer from consumers to fuel retailers. I investigate APT at 3 different levels: the EU, the UK and at the Birmingham level. First, I examine the incidence of asymmetries in the retail markets of six major EU countries; significant asymmetries are found in all countries except from the UK. The market share data suggest that asymmetries are more important in more concentrated markets; this finding supports the collusion theory. I extend the investigation to 12 EU countries and note that APT is greater in diesel markets. The cross-country analysis suggests that vertical and horizontal concentration at least partly explains the degree of asymmetry. I provide evidence justifying scrutiny over retail markets’ pricing and structure. Second daily data unveil the presence of APT in the UK fuel markets. I use break tests to identify segments with different pricing regimes. Two main types of periods are identified: periods of rising oil price exhibit significant asymmetries whilst periods of recession do not. Our results suggest that oligopolistic coordination between retailers generate excess rents during periods of rising oil price whilst the coordination fails due to price wars when oil prices are going downwards. Finally I investigate the pricing behaviour of petroleum retailers in the Birmingham (UK) area for 2008. Whilst the market structure data reveals that the horizontal concentration is higher than the national UK average, I find no evidence of APT. In contrast, I find that retail prices are sticky upwards and downwards and that firms with market power (majors and supermarkets) adjust their prices slower than other firms