Evaluation of the mechanical properties of self compacting concrete using current estimating models. Estimating the modulus of elasticity, tensile strength, and modulus of rupture of self compacting concrete

This study includes an analysis of the applicability of current models used for estimating the mechanical properties of conventional concrete to self-compacting concrete. The mechanical properties evaluated are: modulus of elasticity, tensile strength, and modulus of rupture. An extensive database which included the dosifications and the mechanical properties of 627 mixtures from 138 different references, was used. The models considered are: ACI, EC-2, NZS 3101:2006 (New Zealand code) and the CSA A23.3-04 (Canadian code). The precision in estimating the modulus of elasticity and tensile strength is acceptable for all models; however, all models are less precise in estimating the modulus of rupture

Does sports performance influence revenues and economic results in Spanish football?

English football began taking steps towards becoming a business earlier than Spanish football did, and academic studies on the football industry to date also focus primarily on football in the UK. The evidence for the relationship between sports performance and revenues appear clear in English football. There is even research about the effects of a club’s wealth on its sports performance, or the effects of a club’s sporting situations on its finances. In this paper, we ana-lyse the relationship between sports performance and the revenues of football clubs as well as the effect of sports performance on the financial results in Spanish professional football. In order to carry out this research we have had to select which variables to analyse and choose the most appropriate methods of measurement. We have designed a system which obtains a variable of sports performance that includes information from every competition in which the foot-ball club participates.sports performance; economic results; football (soccer); football club finances

Estudio en modelo físico a escala reducida de la viabilidad del empleo de buques fondeados como diques flotantes para abrigo portuario y defensa de costas

Los diques flotantes son estructuras que atenúan la energía del oleaje fundamentalmente por reflexión y turbulencia. Aunque presentan importantes ventajas en términos constructivos y medioambientales, su efectividad es limitada y en la práctica sólo se emplean en condiciones climáticas propias de zonas con oleajes poco energéticos. Por otro lado, el buque es la estructura flotante por excelencia y su empleo para el abrigo portuario y costero en determinadas situaciones puede aportar las ventajas propias de los diques flotantes, al tiempo que ampliar el rango de oleajes frente a los que estas estructuras son efectivas. El propósito de esta Tesis Doctoral es evaluar la viabilidad del empleo de buques fondeados como diques flotantes para el abrigo portuario y costero. Para ello, se han realizado ensayos en modelo físico a escala reducida en un canal de oleaje del Centro de Estudios de Puertos y Costas (CEPYC), con el objeto de determinar los coeficientes de transmisión (Ct), reflexión (Cr) y disipación (Cd) de barcos de diversas tipologías y dimensiones, sometidos a diferentes oleajes en distintas situaciones de carga, fondeo y profundidad del emplazamiento. La efectividad de los buques empleados en los ensayos se ha determinado mediante el análisis de dichos coeficientes y su variación con la altura de ola y el periodo de los oleajes incidentes. Además, se han registrado las fuerzas existentes en las cadenas de fondeo con objeto de comprobar la viabilidad del mismo y facilitar una estimación del diámetro de las cadenas que serían necesarias en cada situación. Posteriormente, se han aplicado los resultados obtenidos en los ensayos en modelo físico reducido a dos situaciones de abrigo portuario y costero. La primera aplicación consiste en el empleo de buques como defensa temporal en fases constructivas por medios marítimos, partiendo de la hipótesis de que, actuando como diques flotantes, puede proteger la zona de la obra y ampliar las ventanas temporales de periodos de actividad en obra marítima. Las actividades que se han analizado son las de dragado de fondos, vertidos de material granular y transporte y fondeo de cajones flotantes para diques y muelles. La segunda aplicación estudiada es el empleo de buques para la protección costera y la formación de salientes y tómbolos. Los coeficientes de transmisión obtenidos se han introducido en formulaciones analíticas que permiten prever la evolución de la costa frente a la protección procurada por el buque actuando como dique flotante exento. Finalmente se han redactado las conclusiones de la investigación y se han propuesto nuevas líneas de investigación relacionadas con esta Tesis Doctoral. Floating breakwaters are structures which attenuate wave energy mainly by reflection and turbulence. They display advantages in terms of construction and ecology, amongst others. However, their use is restricted in practice to certain areas with good climatic conditions and low energy waves. Moreover, ships are the most common floating structures and their use for port and coastal shelter in certain situations could widen the range of applicability in addition to the rest of advantages of floating breakwaters. The purpose of this research is to assess the feasibility of ships anchored as floating breakwaters for port and coastal protection. To that end, tests in a scaled down physical model have been conducted in a wave flume in the Centre of Port and Coastal Studies (CEPYC), in order to determine the transmission (Ct), reflection (Cr) and dissipation (Cd) coefficients of ships of diverse types and dimensions, under different wave, load, anchoring and depth conditions. The effectiveness of the several ships used in the tests has been determined by analyzing these coefficients and their variation with the wave height and period of the incident waves. In addition, the existing forces in the anchor chains have been registered to verify the feasibility of the anchoring systems, as well as to provide an estimation of the diameter of the chains that would be needed in each situation. Subsequently, the results of the tests have been applied to two situations of port and coastal protection. The first one is the use of ships as a temporary defense for maritime works with construction phases by maritime means, on the assumption that, acting as floating breakwaters, they can protect the work area and increase the time windows of periods of activity in maritime works. Dredging, dumping of granular material and transport and positioning of big concrete caissons for docks and breakwaters were the activities analyzed. The second situation is the use of ships for coastal protection and forming salients of sand or tombolos. Some analytical formulations which take into account the transmission coefficients from the tests have been used to predict the evolution of the coastline under the protection given by the ships acting as detached floating breakwaters. Finally, the conclusions of the research have been addressed and the proposal of new lines of work related to the topic has been made

Objeto del principio de publicidad, a propósito del artículo 5to de la Ley no. 20.285

Aprovechando esta nueva convocatoria de la Revista de Derecho Público, me parece interesante examinar, en relación con el principio constitucional de publicidad que rige al Estado, previsto en el artículo 8° inciso 2° de la Constitución, el objeto preciso sobre el cual recae

[Trends in the risk of late fetal mortality, prematurity and low birth weight associated with advanced maternal age in Spain [1996-2005]].

OBJECTIVES: To describe trends in fertility, fetal death rate, prematurity and low birth weight, as well as their association with advanced maternal age, in Spain from 1996 to 2005. METHODS: We performed an ecological study. The association between low birth weight and prematurity with maternal age was analyzed through contingency tables. The pattern of fetal mortality rate was analyzed through direct standardization. To study the risk of late fetal mortality, adjusted by age and prematurity, a Poisson regression model was used. RESULTS: The rates of fertility and late fetal mortality increased in women aged more than 35 years, especially in women aged more than 45 years. The risk of late fetal mortality was 2.7 times higher in women aged 45 years and above (rate ratio, 2.7; 95%CI: 1.8-3), with an etiological fraction of exposure of 69% (95%CI: 55.2-78.6). The prevalence rate of prematurity and low birth weight was three times higher in this age group, with a prevalence rate of prematurity of 2.9 (95%CI: 2.7-3.1) and of low birth weight of 3.1 (95%CI: 2.9-3.3). CONCLUSIONS: The high risk found in women aged more than 45 years is explained by the increase in the proportion of pregnancies within this age group during the period analyzed. Further studies in perinatal epidemiology that analyze the impact of assisted reproduction techniques in pregnancies in older women are required, as well as a national registry of assisted reproduction techniques