Environmental Response of Composite Pavements

A composite pavement is a pavement structure with at least two dissimilar layers. These pavements are typically constructed using hot-mix asphalt (HMA), Portland cement concrete, or both. Typically, composite pavements are created when a new pavement layer is placed atop an older pavement layer. This research however focuses on the relatively less common composite pavements built as new construction and includes new concrete pavements with an HMA overlay and composite concrete pavements placed “wet on wet.” While these types of composite pavements have been constructed in Europe for years, the American experience has been limited. Significant barriers to the common adoption of new construction composite pavement exist. These barriers include the lack of a formal design procedure, construction experience, and performance and cost data supporting the benefits of composite pavements constructed in this manner. As a means to overcome these limitations, the Second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP2) undertook project R21 entitled “Composite Pavement Systems” to investigate the implementation of composite pavements as new construction in the United States. Part of R21 involved the construction of three heavily instrumented composite pavements sections at the MnROAD National Research and Technology Center (MnROAD). Two major assessments were performed in this thesis as part of meeting some of the goals of the R21 project. One assessment consisted of evaluating the environmental data obtained from the instrumented composite pavement slabs at MnROAD. The second assessment consisted of a stress sensitivity analysis performed using the pavement finite element software ISLAB. Together the results of these analyses were used to comment on the factors influencing the environmental conditions and stresses that develop in composite pavements. Suggestions were then made for the design and construction of long lived composite pavements

T. S. Eliot and the mother: ambivalence, allegory and form

This thesis is the first full-length study on T. S. Eliot and the mother in thirty years. Responding to a shortfall in Eliot studies in understanding the true importance of Eliot’s poet-mother, Charlotte, to his life and works, it rethinks Eliot’s ambivalence towards women in the context of mother-son ambivalence, and shows his search for belief and love as converging with a developing maternal poetics. Utilising the work of feminist and psychoanalytic thinkers seeking to reinstate the mother against Oedipal models of masculinity, it looks at Eliot’s changing representations and articulations of the mother/mother-child relationship—from his earliest writings to the later plays. Particular focus is given to mid-career works: ‘Ash-Wednesday’, ‘Marina’, ‘Coriolan’ and The Family Reunion. Drawing on newly available materials, this thesis emphasises Charlotte’s death as the decisive juncture marking both Eliot’s New Life and the apotheosis of the feminine symbolised in ‘Ash-Wednesday’. Central to this proposition is a new concept of maternal allegory as a modern mode of literary epiphany. This thesis breaks new ground revealing the role of the mother and the dynamics of mother-son ambivalence to be far more complicated, enduring, changeable and essential to Eliot’s personal, religious and poetic development than was previously acknowledged

Interpreting predictive maps of disease, highlighting the pitfalls of species distribution models in epidemiology

This is the authors' PDF version of an article published in Geospatial Health© 2014. The definitive version is available at http://geospatialhealth.netThe application of spatial modelling to epidemiology has increased significantly over the past decade, delivering enhanced understanding of the environmental and climatic factors affecting disease distributions and providing spatially continuous representations of disease risk (predictive maps). These outputs provide significant information for disease control programmes, allowing spatial targeting and tailored interventions. However, several factors (e.g. sampling protocols or temporal disease spread) can influence predictive mapping outputs. This paper proposes a conceptual framework which defines several scenarios and their potential impact on resulting predictive outputs, using simulated data to provide an exemplar. It is vital that researchers recognise these scenarios and their influence on predictive models and their outputs, as a failure to do so may lead to inaccurate interpretation of predictive maps. As long as these considerations are kept in mind, predictive mapping will continue to contribute significantly to epidemiological research and disease control planning.This work was supported by the Medical Research Council (PMA, NAW - projects G0902445 and MR/J012343/1). The funders had no role in the decision to publish or in preparation of the manuscript

A review of tropical dry forest ecosystem service research in the Caribbean – gaps and policy-implications

Tropical dry forests (TDFs) are globally threatened, yet remain poorly studied. In the Caribbean, the most biodiverse of island biodiversity hotspots, TDFs have structural properties distinct from the Neotropical mainland and are important to local communities for ecosystem services. We undertook a systematic review (n = 186) of ecosystem services literature of Caribbean TDF. Only 19.89% qualified for inclusion, with the majority (56.76%) from primary literature. Research on supporting services (31.14%), particularly primary production was predominant. Most studies (70.97%) took a biophysical perspective and quantification focused on the supply of ecosystem services (43.00%), while measurement of wellbeing benefits were uncommon. Geographic coverage of all studies was patchy originating from only nine of 28 independent countries and dependent territories. Our findings highlight a lack of research, while accentuating the value of grey literature in quantifying cultural services. Of concern, are gaps in air- and water-related services and the importance of TDF to human health. To move from biophysical assessments to a broader portfolio of ecosystem services studies, research on Caribbean TDF should be collaborative and strategic. Such gaps and research biases suggest opportunities for evidence-led policy-making. These lessons are relevant for mainstreaming ecosystem services into decision-making in Small Island Developing States

Scenario-Led Habitat Modelling of Land Use Change Impacts on Key Species

Accurate predictions of the impacts of future land use change on species of conservation concern can help to inform policy-makers and improve conservation measures. If predictions are spatially explicit, predicted consequences of likely land use changes could be accessible to land managers at a scale relevant to their working landscape. We introduce a method, based on open source software, which integrates habitat suitability modelling with scenario-building, and illustrate its use by investigating the effects of alternative land use change scenarios on landscape suitability for black grouse Tetrao tetrix. Expert opinion was used to construct five near-future (twenty years) scenarios for the 800 km2 study site in upland Scotland. For each scenario, the cover of different land use types was altered by 5–30% from 20 random starting locations and changes in habitat suitability assessed by projecting a MaxEnt suitability model onto each simulated landscape. A scenario converting grazed land to moorland and open forestry was the most beneficial for black grouse, and ‘increased grazing’ (the opposite conversion) the most detrimental. Positioning of new landscape blocks was shown to be important in some situations. Increasing the area of open-canopy forestry caused a proportional decrease in suitability, but suitability gains for the ‘reduced grazing’ scenario were nonlinear. ‘Scenario-led’ landscape simulation models can be applied in assessments of the impacts of land use change both on individual species and also on diversity and community measures, or ecosystem services. A next step would be to include landscape configuration more explicitly in the simulation models, both to make them more realistic, and to examine the effects of habitat placement more thoroughly. In this example, the recommended policy would be incentives on grazing reduction to benefit black grouse.This study was part of a PhD studentship funded through the World Pheasant Association (from the Henry Angest Foundation, Howman Charitable Foundation, Mactaggart Third Charitable Trust, PF Charitable Trust and AF Wallace Charity Trust) and the Dalton Research Institute

Gone With the Wind: The Proximate and Ultimate Causes of the Decline and Extinction of the Bahama Nuthatch Sitta insularis

© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of BirdLife InternationalNewly elevated to species rank, the Bahama Nuthatch Sitta insularis is or was a bark- and twig-gleaning insectivore only known in life from the pine forests of Grand Bahama in the Bahamas archipelago. It became increasingly difficult to find in the past 50 years, seemingly in part in response to multiple hurricanes in this century. In spring (June–April) 2018, when it was still known to be extant, we divided the island into seven sections and carried out point count transects with playback and measured habitat variables at 464 locations in pine forest across Grand Bahama. We made only six observations at six locations, all in the region of Lucayan North and each involving a single nuthatch (possibly all the same individual). Fourteen count points were within 500 m of the six locations, and tree size at these sites was greater in height and girth than at sites with no observations and indeed than at other sites within Lucayan North. Count points within 500 m of nuthatch records in 2004–2018 had larger trees and more snags than survey points over 500 m away from previous detections, while count points within 500 m of our 2018 nuthatch records tallied more snags than did those within 500 m of the 2004–2007 records. Declines in habitat quality, habitat extent, nesting substrate, and food availability (driven by logging, attritional island development, and the direct and indirect effects of hurricanes), plus speculated increases in populations of invasive predators/competitors and in major mortality events (hurricanes, increasing in force and frequency with climate change), are suspected to be the ultimate causes of the decline of the nuthatch, with Hurricanes Matthew and Dorian the proximate causes of its evident extinction in 2019.unfunde

A review of the 'smart technology' currently being explored globally and its potential impact upon the construction industry on a micro level

The following paper will review literature that covers the use of ‘Smart Technology’ and ‘Big Data’ in the context of Smart Cities currently being explored globally. By investigating into the perceived benefits of implementing the digital economy in to essential infrastructure the paper will look at how the construction industry can benefit. The literature covered found that through the adoption of Smart Technology within a Smart City framework there are benefits available for all industries; such as greater efficiencies and forecasting ability, resulting in savings. However the integration of real time data on-site could possess great potential for construction managers as they look to make more informed and accurate decisions. However the extents of the benefits are unclear as many pieces of literature state that the potential use of Big Data is almost unimaginable currently. Urbanisation is forcing city authorities to adopt more strategic approaches to their decision making processes which has resulted in the emergence of ‘Smart Cities’. Case studies around the globe have shown promising and innovative potential for a range of stakeholders. These are promising signs for the industry as it still seeks considerable investment and testing before it can be scaled up. However further work should look to investigate first-hand how construction managers could benefit from open source ‘Big Data’ collected by city authorities. This would add evidence to the many theoretical benefits that are possible

Death Penalty in America: Perceptions, Reflection, and Reform

The “Death Penalty Reform” Panel was presented by Thomas Sullivan, Erik Lillquist, and John Cunningham. Thomas Sullivan was a senior partner at Jenner Block LLP, former United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, co-chair of the Illinois Governor George H. Ryan\u27s Commission on Capital Punishment, and served as chairman of the Illinois Capital Punishment Reform Study Committee. Erik Lillquist was Professor of Law at Seton Hall School of Law where he was Director of the Institute of Law, Science and Technology. John Cunningham was a Senior Trial Attorney with the Employment Litigation Section of the Civil Rights Division at the United States Department of Justice. This panel was moderated by Corinna Lain, Professor of Law at the University of Richmond School of Law. The “Current Issues in Capital Cases” Panel was presented by Michael Herring, the Commonwealth Attorney for the City of Richmond; Matthew Geary, the Chief Deputy of the Commonwealth\u27s Attorney Office in the City of Richmond; and Craig Cooley, one of the region’s most respected trial attorneys. This panel was moderated by John Douglass, Professor of Law at the University of Richmond School of Law