Portugal’s position on resettlement: a view from the periphery of the EU

The evolution of European policy in recent years has shown how policy can be used to actively restrict the movement of people and as a mechanism for choosing what kind of refugee a particular country receives, with the interests of states prevailing over humanitarian needs.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

La postura de Portugal hacia el reasentamiento: una mirada desde la periferia de la UE

En los últimos años, la evolución de la política europea ha demostrado cómo puede restringirse activamente la circulación de personas y utilizarse para escoger el tipo de refugiado que un país determinado va a recibir de manera que el interés de los Estados prevalezca sobre las necesidades humanitarias

40 years of independence: forced migration and asylum regimes in the PALOP (1975-2013)

Este estudo pretende ser um contributo exploratório sobre os fluxos de refugiados e os regimes de asilo estabelecidos nos Países Africanos de Língua Oficial Portuguesa (PALOP) entre os anos de 1975 e 2013. O objetivo é analisar os fluxos de refugiados nestes países, procurando examinar o contexto histórico em que os mesmos ocorreram e a sua influência nos regimes de asilo implementados no contexto das políticas africanas de refugiados, nomeadamente a passagem de um modelo de "porta aberta", liberal, solidário e recetivo, para um mais restritivo que vigora na atualidade.This study aims to be an exploratory contribution about the refugee flows and the asylum regimes established in the Lusophone African Countries between 1975 and 2013. The goal is to assess the refugee laws in those countries, studying the historical context in which they occurred and its influence in the asylum regimes implemented in the context of the African policy towards refugees, namely the shit from an "open door" model, liberal, solidary and welcoming, to another more restrictive which is in place nowadays.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

"You are welcome in Portugal”: conviction and convenience in framing today’s portuguese politics on european burden sharing of refugees

Historically-speaking, Portugal is a country that has received a very small number of applications from asylum seekers and resettled refugees. However, within the context of the current influx of refugees into Europe and the creation of a relocation system within the European Union, Portugal is ready to take 10,000 relocated refugees. As such, it is legitimate to ask whether we are witnessing a change in the country’s policy regarding asylum and refugees. Although this is an ongoing process, the conviction prompting this humanitarian position regarding the taking of relocated refugees also includes a convenient political strategy that serves the national interest in two ways: by promoting the image of a supportive country in the current European refugee crisis, despite its internal socio-economic crisis, as well as a way of obtaining human resources to boost economic activity and combat the country’s demographic deficit.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Development of the Asylum Law and Refugee Protection Regimes in Portugal, 1975–2017

This article examines the development of the legislation on asylum law and refugee policies in Portugal. The assessment begins in 1975, the year when democracy was re-established in the country, following the 1974 Carnation Revolution, and ends in 2015, the year the European asylum crisis started. We want to discuss whether, during this period, the policies established indicate an open regime, with an integrationist perspective, or whether they proclaim a closed regime with an exclusivist position; in other words, whether the asylum system promoted an active policy of receiving and integrating refugees, or whether the policies pursued intended to limit the access of refugees to the borders of the state. In order to understand these developments, we analyze asylum application figures and asylum laws, trying to understand the main circumstantial contexts that influence them, namely Portugal’s integration in the European Union.Cet article examine l’élaboration, au Portugal, de la législation concernant les politiques relatives au droit d’asile et aux réfugiés. Cet examen débute en 1975, année du rétablissement de la démocratie dans le pays à la suite de la Révolution des Œillets en 1974, et s’arrête en 2015, année où débute la crise européenne de l’asile. Il s’agit pour nous de discuter si, au cours de cette période, les politiques établies signent un régime d’ouverture, dans une perspective intégrationniste, ou si elles déclarent un régime fermé, signant une position exclusiviste ; en d’autres termes, si le système d’asile promeut une politique active d’accueil et d’intégration des réfugiés, ou si les politiques poursuivies ont pour objectif de limiter l’accès des réfugiés aux frontières de l’État. Pour comprendre l’élaboration de ces politiques, nous analysons les chiffres de demandes d’asile et les lois sur l’asile en essayant de comprendre les principales circonstances contextuelles qui les infuencent, en l’occurrence l’intégration du Portugal à l’Union européenne.&nbsp

Portugal’s openness to refugees makes demographic and economic sense

While some E.U. members have erected fences, Portugal has made a stand for solidarity on refugees. It’s been driven by political as well as economic strategy.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

INTERPRETAÇÃO GEOMORFOLÓGICA DA RIBEIRA DAS MERCÊS E AFLORAMENTOS DE TUFO CALCÁRIO ASSOCIADOS (ALGARVE CENTRAL)

A área da flexura de Algibre apresenta-se carsificada, sendo uma área de recarga para os aquíferos formados no seu interior que, em alguns casos estão conectados com os da área envolvente. Aqui, as superfícies aplanadas e o carso nu e subcutâneo das formas de relevo mais salientes são importantes para a recarga de um aquífero cujas águas têm tendência incrustante. Uma recarga eficaz é importante para a manutenção das exsurgências com capacidade para a formação destes afloramentos de tufo calcário, como é o caso do Olho de Paris. A informação recolhida é sintetizada através de um esboço geomorfológico

Geomorphological settings and tufa models in Algibre flexure (Algarve, Portugal)

INTRODUCTION Percolating water through organically enriched soil, raises the water pCO2 promoting an increase in carbonates dissolution. Following subaerial exposure, the water-atmosphere interaction, leads to an oversaturation of water CaCO3 and precipitation (PENTECOST, 2005; CHAFTEZ & FOLK, 1984). This precipitation can be inorganic, biologic or both (PEDLEY, 2009). The tufa facies presented in this work, follow GUERREIRO et alii (2010) and PEDLEY (1990) and the accumulation models follow PEDLEY (2009). In Central and Western Algarve over de Mesozoic limestone substrate, there are many tufa outcrops, with main outcrops occurring along the streams of Alte, Mercês, Cadouço, Rio Seco and Asseca. Algarve is the southernmost Portuguese region in the Iberian range, developed in three main geomorphological settings (FEIO, 1952). In the north, the mountainous area is mainly composed by Carboniferous schist and greywacke, and a Late Cretaceous intrusive massif in the west. In the south, develops the meridional Meso-Cenozoic Algarve basin, composed by the Triassic and Jurassic lithologies known as Barrocal with Cretaceous and Cenozoic sediments and the Littoral with Cenozoic topographically lower and eroded by the shore realm. HYDROLOGICAL SYSTEM The Algibre flexure is the main geomorphological feature in the area, where the karst is well developed as aquifer’s recharge area (ALMEIDA, 1985). The highest hills (350 to 380 m) are bare and soddy karst plain areas, where surface runoff is very low (e.g. Cabeça Gorda and Rocha). Lower colluvial areas have also low runoff conditions, because most are also low gradients (< 3°) and some have dolines and sinks (e.g. Campina dos Galegos or Rossinas). Discharge areas are located on the North and the South, but in different settings. Discharge to Mercês basin (North) is controlled by impermeable Triassic lithologies along high gradient slopes. All springs are intermittent and discharge is linked to the Mediterranean climate wet season. In the South, the discharge occurs along low gradient streams like Cadouço or São Lourenço. Different discharge settings result in different deposition systems as suggested in PEDLEY (2009). Fig. 1 PERCHED SPRINGLINE TUFA Springs in the Mercês basin are commonly perched and in low runoff karst, enhancing the development of perched springline model, where Pedley (1990) suggested proximal and distal deposits. Mature proximal deposits have wedge morphology with fan-shape, shaping low gradient terrace with a slow braided flow, sometimes with some ponds. In this area only the Olho de Paris can be classified as mature, with a 300 m long and wide, one small pond next to spring and many channels that spread from the old anthropic bank. High gradient at downstream edge enhance the sedimentation on cascades, producing moss curtains (subvertical moss laminar bioherm) intercalated by other bioherms and phytoclastic tufa on small pools and short low gradient channels where the upper macrophytes detritus (stems, fruits and leaves) accumulate leading to the development of tufa microdams and decimeter pools. Due to the high permeability in these systems, sometimes dissolution structures are present (ORDOÑEZ & GARCÍA DEL CURA, 1983). Decimeter scale holes in Penedos A. are covered by syngenetic speleothems and flowstones, however, there could have been a former hollow in the waterfall deposits now partially destroyed. Distal deposits in the above mentioned model are mainly composed by phytoclastic tufa and locally bioherm tufa developed on channels. However, in this model low gradient alluvial deposits exist downstream. Not only Olho de Paris but also Penedos Altos outcrops are followed by important stream sediments fed by the turbidite formations in the surrounding mountainous areas, with the high energy flow destroying the most recently deposited tufa. There are few situations where gravel and cobble is strongly cemented on modern stream, as in the case of the downstream of Olho de Paris or some strata from ancient accumulations. There are other incrusting springs in the area, but the low discharge related to the geomorphological or hydrogeological settings prevent the outcrops maintenance. FLUVIAL TUFA In the southern low-gradient streams, fluvial models develop. The main modern features in the area are the waterfalls up to 5 m and channels, where the main facies are macrophytes, moss and other lamellar bioherm tufa and oncoids. This is an intermediate model for braided fluvial model and barrage model, where valleys are incised but incipient discharge associated to the Mediterranean climate and small aquifer produce a cascade model. In the studied case lakes are absent and few small pools exist due to the low sedimentation. The São Lourenço stream outcrop is developed in a valley floor struggle, where ancient pebble conglomerates with massive carbonate cement are horizontally followed by curtain moss and algae laminar tufas and some low energy pool deposits. Despite the modern deposition, both valleys are currently incised in older tufa deposits which are present on river banks and terraces. The ancient structures show the same facies associations as the modern ones, with some tufa clasts and unconformities interlayered in some sequences of sedimentation. CONCLUSION Algibre flexure is the main geomorphological structure in the area, which include the recharge area feeding the springs on the northern and southern slopes. Geomorphological conditions result in distinct tufa structures, especially when considering slopes gradient. In the northern high gradient slopes, perched springline models are predominant. In low gradient streams like Cadouço and São Lourenço, deposits along the streams can occur. However, in this situation we don’t know lacustrine deposits like other Mediterranean outcrops despite the presence of modern and ancient waterfalls or just stream deposits. Spring regime with long discharges allows the development of bigger and more suitable structures to model the systems, especially when discharge extends to the warmer months like May or June. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Work financed by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia Ph.D. grant SFRH/BD/62323/2009. REFERENCES ALMEIDA, C. (1985) – Hidrogeologia do Algarve Central. Ph.D. thesis in Geol. Faculdade de Ciências da U. de Lisboa. CHAFTEZ, H., FOLK, R. (1984) – Travertines: depositional morphology and the bacterially constructed constituents. J. Sed. Petr., 54 (1), 289-316. FEIO, M. (1952) – A Evolução do Relevo do Baixo Alentejo e Algarve. Ph.D Thesis in Geogr. F. de Letras da U. de Lisboa. GUERREIRO, P.; CUNHA, L.; RIBEIRO, C.; CANDEIAS, A. (2010) – Os tufos calcários das áreas de Estoi, Loulé e ribeira das Mercês (Algarve, Portugal): caracterização e significado paleoambiental. In: e-Terra, 21 (7). [http://e-terra.geopor.pt]. 4 pp. ORDOÑEZ, S.; GARCÍA DEL CURA, M. (1983) – Recent and terciary fluvial carbonates in Central Spain. Spec. Publs. Int. Ass. Sed., 6, 485-497. PEDLEY, H.M. (1990) – Classification and environmental models of cool freshwater tufas. Sed. Geol., 68, 143-154. PEDLEY, H.M. (2009) – Tufas and travertines of the Mediterranean region: a testing ground for freshwater carbonate concepts and developments. Sedimentology, 56, 221-246. PENTECOST, A. (2005) – Travertine. Springer. 445 pp

Simulação numérica do comportamento de vidro reforçado com elementos metálicos embebidos

Trabalho financiado por Fundos FEDER, através do Programa Operacional Fatores de Competitividade – COMPETE, e por Fundos Nacionais, através da FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, no âmbito do projeto PTDC/ECM/116609/2010 – S-GLASS: Desempenho Estrutural e Regras de Projeto de Vigas de Vidro Reforçadas Externamente.O presente artigo descreve a simulação numérica de vigas de vidro laminado reforçadas com chapa de aço inoxidável perfurada, onde o Polivinil Butiral (PVB) e o SentryGlas (SG) são utilizados como materiais de película intercalar. Numa fase anterior, essas vigas foram analisadas experimentalmente em ensaios realizados por Marinho [1] no Laboratório de Construção e Tecnologia da Escola de Arquitetura da Universidade do Minho. Os resultados obtidos com os modelos numéricos são calibrados com os resultados obtidos nos ensaios experimentais. Os modelos numéricos são desenvolvidos com o programa de elementos finitos ATENA.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Strength of corroded tapered plate girders under pure shear

Corrosion is one of the most important causes of deterioration of steel girder bridges. The lack of information concerning the behaviour of corroded web panels makes difficult the civil engineer’s task of evaluating the deteriorated member. An in-depth study in front of serviceability and ultimate limit states is necessary to develop efficient techniques to evaluate the structural integrity and safety. By combining information on the rate and location of an eventual corrosion in web and flange panels, it is possible to predict elastic critical shear buckling stress and ultimate shear stress. Nonlinear analyses have been conducted in a three-dimensional finite element model of transversely stiffened corroded tapered plate girders, simulated by thickness reduction, subjected to pure shear. In this paper is presented a finite element model of corroded girder panels (web and flanges), and an application of Data Mining techniques (e.g., Neural Networks) to analyze the data generated in the analytical study to find new and novel knowledge for condition assessment.Community’s Sixth Framework Programme -Sustainable Bridges - FP6-PLT-0165