Activity Modifications For Growing Up Wild™: Supporting Young Learners With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Studies have showed that young children spending time outdoors have many positive impacts on their overall physical, social/emotional, and cognitive health. The benefits of nature contact have also been demonstrated for children with developmental disorders, but current mainstream nature-based curriculum provides no activity modifications for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In 2018 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated one in 59 children is diagnosed with ASD. ASD is a developmental disability characterized by significant communication, social, and behavioral difficulties. Research has demonstrated that the more nature children are exposed to, there are positive gains in cognitive functioning, mental wellbeing, and socialization. The author’s intended project outcome was to offer modifications to the “Take Me Outside!” activity sections found in the early childhood nature-based curriculum Growing Up WILD TM : Exploring Nature with Young Children to support young children with ASD. This capstone project supported the research question “what are the best ways to modify the Growing Up WILD TM curriculum to best support young learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)? Currently, there are no standalone nature-based curriculums available that offer activities and lessons geared toward children with ASD, nor are there suggested modifications available in current curriculum. If an overall educational goal is to create inclusive learning environments, then curriculum to support children and learning should reflect the same practice. The goal of this project is to offer activity modification examples and support to non-formal educators in educating children with ASD in outdoor environments

Modello dinamico di un sistema edificio-impianti ed ottimizzazione energetica della gestione dell'impianto

LAUREA MAGISTRALEGli aspetti energetici e le problematiche ad essi collegati hanno un’importanza sempre maggiore nella progettazione degli edifici. Gli enti preposti, a causa della complessità di una reale simulazione dinamica del comportamento energetico dell’edificio, definiscono delle procedure semplificate che non sono valutazioni su base oraria, ma su base mensile. Con queste procedure viene meno la considerazione della capacità termica delle strutture e l’accumulo di energia, con conseguente mancanza di smorzamento delle oscillazioni oppure di risposte in tempi brevi che non rispondo ai casi reali. La modellazione dinamica è la riproduzione del comportamento di un edificio attraverso un modello di calcolo che ne simuli il comportamento nel tempo, in modo dinamico appunto. Attraverso questa simulazione è possibile valutare il comportamento di un edificio e i suoi consumi nel tempo, al variare di molteplici fattori quali ad esempio le condizioni di utilizzo e le condizioni climatiche. Il lavoro di modellazione è stato composto da varie fasi, la prima è una descrizione e conseguente modellazione dell’edificio, dove vengono indicate le dimensioni degli ambienti, le unità tecnologiche che li delimitano e le rispettive dimensioni e gli utilizzi che gli utenti fanno di questo edificio, comportamenti che possono generare guadagni o perdite dal punto di vista termico. La seconda fase è stata la descrizione e modellazione dell’impianto: si sono individuati i componenti, come essi interagiscono tra di loro e vengono dichiarate alcune ipotesi che possono modificare il comportamento di sistema. Infine per completare il modello è stata fatta la descrizione e modellazione del sistema di monitoraggio, dove sono state indicate le strumentazioni utilizzate per lo scopo e come queste interagiscono con il sistema, per il loro funzionamento o posizionamento. L’aver eseguito il modello dinamico ha permesso di valutare dal punto di vista edilizio: - l’adeguatezza delle stratigrafie costituenti le chiusure, con un’eccezione per una chiusura verticale, attraverso la quale si verificano il 23% delle perdite per trasmissione di tutte le perdite attraverso le chiusure verticali, pur essendo presenti per il solo 9% della superfice; - le criticità riguardanti la geometria, i nodi ed il sistema costruttivo. In particolare le criticità maggiori sono state individuate nel collegamento del nodo tra copertura e partizione in presenza di scossalina, infatti il valore di resistenza termica risulta nell’ordine del 10% inferiore rispetto agli altri; - le condizioni di salubrità e comfort interni, riscontrando valori di temperatura media dei locali, per circa l’80% all’interno dei limiti delle fasce ci comfort durante l’utilizzo dell’edificio. Inoltre dal punto di vista energetico ha permesso di: - Identificare le modalità per una migliore gestione dell’impianto: una diversa strategia di controllo ha permesso di ottenere una riduzione di energia per il riscaldamento di circa il 20%; - Indicare una modalità di utilizzo più efficace in funzione del comfort e dei consumi, individuando una retta climatica che permette di far rientrare nei limiti delle fasce di comfort la maggior parte dei valori di temperatura media dei locali; - Prevedere i consumi dell’edificio, riscontrando sostanziali differenze tra i bilanci delle varie zone termiche caratterizzate da profonde differenze di carichi termici. L’affidabilità dei dati che vengono prodotti è funzione della disponibilità e del corretto monitoraggio dei dati di input, e dalla possibilità di prevedere correttamente il comportamento dell’utenza all’interno del sistema edificio-impianto. Ultima fase dell’elaborato descrive un ulteriore possibile l’utilizzo del modello, nel campo della identificazione parametrica. Nell’ambito del progetto nel quale questo lavoro si inserisce, si è sperimentata la possibilità di utilizzare i dati di monitoraggio per creare un modello semplificato dell’edificio che fosse utile in fase di sintesi di un controllore di tipo avanzato. Si è quindi scelto di esplorare la possibilità di utilizzare la procedura denominata “identificazione parametrica” per definire il valore dei parametri del modello semplificato a partire dai dati di monitoraggio. La teoria dell’identificazione, come verrà spiegato in seguito, prevede che l’input al sistema debba avere determinate caratteristiche che non è sempre facile riscontrare nei dati monitorati. Si è pensato quindi di utilizzare il modello in Trnsys per simulare il reale comportamento del sistema ed utilizzare le serie temporali derivanti dalle simulazioni al posto dei dati misurati come input per il processo di identificazione parametrica del modello semplificato

Observational Method of Evaluating Secondary Compression Settlement in Artificial Fills

Secondary compression can be an important source of settlement in artificial fills, even when these fills are well constructed. In some cases, especially when the fill thickness is greater than about 15 m, the resulting long-term settlements can adversely impact the performance of structures and infrastructure, and thus may necessitate special preventive design provisions. Yet, this source of settlement is often mistakenly overlooked. Secondary compression can be even more problematic when the fill is poorly constructed. Backfills of former open-pit mines are examples of practical projects where assessments of long-term secondary compression settlement are necessary, especially when these backfills are deep and/or not properly engineered. Laboratory assessments of secondary compression in these materials are inherently problematic and become impossible when the fill contains large particles or has other complicating characteristics. However, this problem is an excellent opportunity to apply the observational method where the coefficient of secondary compression, Cαε, is assessed in-situ using settlement monument data. This Cαε value is then used to forecast future settlements, which typically continue for decades, and thus provides essential information for the site-specific design of structures and infrastructure. However, the experimental and analytical processes for conducting these evaluations are more difficult than might be expected, and missteps can lead to significant errors in the computed future settlements. Some of these difficulties are due to limitations in our knowledge of the underlying physical processes and in the analytical models used to describe them. Methods of collecting the required field data and conducting these settlement evaluations are discussed based on experience with deep fills in California as well as published data from elsewhere

Modeling and Characterizing Locally Subsiding Ground for the Analysis and Design of Mat Foundations

Mat foundations are often used as a means of protecting buildings and other structures from excessive distortion due to differential settlements in the underlying ground. Once soil bearing capacity concerns have been addressed, the analysis of these foundations becomes a soil-structure interaction problem where the bearing pressure from the mat induces settlement in the underlying ground while localized settlement distorts the mat and redistributes the bearing pressure. An accurate representation of this soil-structure interaction is necessary to facilitate computations of the shear and flexural stresses in the mat and to develop an appropriate structural design. However, modeling and characterizing this system has long been a source of confusion and contention among both geotechnical and structural engineers. The soil response is typically characterized using the modulus of subgrade reaction, ks (also known as the coefficient of subgrade reaction) which describes a certain mechanical soil-structure interaction model known as a Winkler foundation. However, ks is arguably one of the most misunderstood and misapplied parameters in geotechnical practice, and proper assessment of this parameter is more complex and nuanced than might be expected. Further complexities are introduced when locally subsiding ground is present. This is because the Winkler model assumes settlement occurs in the soil only in response to an applied bearing pressure, whereas local subsidence introduces additional settlement (with associated shear and flexural stresses in the mat) which is independent of that caused by the applied structural loads. Methods of modeling and characterizing the subsurface conditions for the purpose of developing design values of ks to be used in mat foundation analysis and design are proposed, then these methods are extended to accommodate sites with locally subsiding ground. These methods are compatible with standard geotechnical assessment techniques as well as standard structural analysis and design software packages

"Delete it and move on": digital management of shared sexual content after a breakup

Sexting is a common and healthy behavior in romantic and sexual relationships. However, not every relationship lasts. When a relationship ends, the fate of sexual content that was previously shared can be a source of discomfort, anxiety, or fear for individuals who may no longer trust their former partners. In extreme cases, intimate content may be leaked or misused by its recipient. To investigate opportunities for building safer sexting tools with breakups in mind, we conducted a survey with 310 U.S. adults who have sexted in the last year. We asked about their sexting practices, communication practices within their relationship about sexting, and preferences for their own sexting content after a breakup. We find that most people save sexts in some form, either actively (e.g., via screenshots) or passively (e.g., in chat history). There is no consensus around what one should do with an ex’s content: although most (55%) want their content to be deleted at the end of a relationship, many others don’t care (25%) or even hope their ex keeps the material (11%). However, most have never spoken to their partner about this preference. We end with design recommendations that support sexting while keeping the entire relationship lifecycle in mind

Coupled Numerical Analysis of Variations in the Capacity of Driven Energy Piles in Clay

Energy piles are an emerging alternative for the reduction of energy consumption to heat and cool buildings. Most of the research to date has focused on thermodynamic properties or axial and radial stress and strain of piles. This paper focuses on the effects of temperature fluctuation on the capacity of driven energy piles in clayey soils. Consolidation of clay surrounding driven piles affects the pile capacity (i.e., set up in clay). The heating and cooling periods of energy piles can create the excess pore-water pressure (EPWP, ue) or relax the existing one (e.g., due to pile driving or previous thermal loads) in clayey soils (due to the contraction and expansion of water) affecting the pile capacity. In the meantime, the thermal expansion and contraction of the pile also generate or relax the EPWP in the soil, which can be computed using the cavity-expansion theory. This paper studies the resulting changes in the pile capacity due to the daily and seasonal thermal cycles. The results show that thermal cycles in an energy pile can cause a decrease in the pile capacity leading to a delay in reaching the capacity after a complete clay set up

Perceptions in Initial Text-Based Interactions

Includes final items for Idealization measure and correlation matrix of key variables

QAnon Imagined Interactions

Supplemental materials for QAnon project focusing on imagined interactions