Flexural–torsional behavior of thin-walled composite space frames

A general analytical model based on the first-order shear deformable beam theory applicable to thin-walled composite space frames with arbitrary lay-ups under external loads is presented. This model accounts for all the structural coupling coming from the material anisotropy. The seven governing equations are derived from the principle of the stationary value of total potential energy. A displacement-based one-dimensional 14 degree-of-freedom space beam model which includes the effects of shear deformation, warping is developed to solve the problem. Numerical results are obtained to investigate the effects of fiber orientation on flexural–torsional responses of thin-walled composite space frame under vertical load

TOWARDS THE INTEGRATION OF AUTHORITATIVE AND OPENSTREETMAP GEOSPATIAL DATASETS IN SUPPORT OF THE EUROPEAN STRATEGY FOR DATA

Abstract. Digital transformation is at core of Europe's future and the importance of data is well highlighted by the recently published European strategy for data, which envisions the establishment of so-called European data spaces enabling seamless data flows across actors and sectors to ultimately boost the economy and generate innovation. Integrating datasets produced by multiple actors, including citizen-generated data, is a key objective of the strategy. This study focuses on OpenStreetMap (OSM), the most popular crowdsourced geographic information project, and is the first step towards an exploration of pros and cons of integrating its open-licensed data with authoritative geospatial datasets from European National Mapping Agencies. In contrast to previous work, which has only tested data integration at the local or regional level, an experiment was presented to integrate the national address dataset published by the National Land Survey (NLS) of Finland with the corresponding dataset from OSM. The process included the analysis of the two datasets, a mapping between their data models and a set of processing steps – performed using the open source QGIS software – to transform and finally combine their content. The resulting dataset confirms that, while addresses from the NLS are in general more complete across Finland, in some areas OSM addresses provide a higher detail and more up-to-date information to usefully complement the authoritative one. Whilst the analysis confirms that an integration between OSM and authoritative geospatial datasets is technically and semantically feasible, future work is needed to evaluate enablers and barriers that also exist at the legal and organisational level

Georeferencing old maps: a polynomial-based approach for Como historical cadastres

Recent developments in digital technologies have opened new and previously unimagined possibilities for the exploitation of cartographic heritage. In particular, georeferencing converts them from pure archival documents to real geographic data. This study investigates the issue of georeferencing the historical maps which are currently preserved at the State Archive of Como. These maps, about 15000 at the scale of 1:2000, belong to different cadastral series: the Theresian Cadastre (XVIII century), the Lombardo-Veneto Cadastre (mid-XIX century) and the New Lands Cadastre (1905). Georeferenced maps should then be inserted in the Internet GIS system, developed within the Web C.A.R.T.E. project, for an interactive 2D- and 3D consultation. Due to the peculiar nature of maps, which are divided in several adjacent cadastral sheets for each municipality, a preliminary mosaicking of these sheets was performed. Using the digital cartography of current municipalities, Ground Control Points and Check Points were collimated on the historical maps. A polynomial transformation was chosen to georeference the maps. An ad hoc-built procedure based on statistical evaluation of GCPs and CPs residuals was implemented, in order to determine the optimal polynomial order to be used. Evaluation of georeferencing results was performed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The obtained accuracy is much higher, as the territories covered by the maps are smaller and more densely-built. The methodology is automated and can be proposed as a reference for georeferencing maps of comparable characteristics. Historical maps can thus be continuously navigated into a georeferenced framework and compared with current cartography. This clears the way for the usage of historical maps in a wide range of applications, such as territorial planning, urban and landscape changes analysis and archaeological research

Web–based Participatory GIS with data collection on the field – A prototype architecture

The rise of Web 2.0 and the current, unprecedented diffusion of mobile devices have laid new foundations for the development of PGIS (Participatory GIS). This study evaluates the possibility of exploiting FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) tools to build up a PGIS prototype providing Web publication of user field-collected data. Besides increasing public awareness and collaboration, user-generated content should also enlarge the knowledge of specific phenomena up to the local level. A prototype architecture was designed and tested in relation to a simple, planning-related case study, i.e., the report of road pavement damages. Open Data Kit suite was used to gather georeferenced multimedia data using mobile device sensors (e.g., the GPS) and to store them into a PostgreSQL database with PostGIS spatial extension. Data was then Web-published using GeoServer. Web access was finally enabled from both traditional desktop-computers and mobile platforms through ad hoc OpenLayers and Leaflet clientside solutions. The architecture provided support for FOSS applicability within the typical PGIS-related tasks, from field survey to data storage, management and dissemination on the Internet. This bottom-up communication paradigm, which exploits real-time, freely available user contributions, can become a potentially precious tool for making decision-processes more democratic, faster and ultimately better

O desenvolvimento da gestão estratégica em novos empreendimentos tecnológicos

Orientador : Prof. Dr.Fernando Antonio Prado GimenezTese (Doutorado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências Sociais Aplicadas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Administração. Defesa: Curitiba, 31/03/2015Inclui referências : f.165-176Resumo: Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo apresentar o estudo do desenvolvimento da gestão estratégica em novos empreendimentos tecnológicos incubados a partir da perspectiva da Teoria da Atividade de Vigotsky (2009). Foi conduzido um estudo etnográfico com uma abordagem intervencionista e sócio-histórica, durante 14 meses, acompanhando quatro gestores de uma empresa incubada na Universidade Federal do Paraná, observando as rotinas dos gestores para identificar o objeto das atividades consideradas por eles como estratégicas. Neste período, foram realizadas entrevistas, observação participante, análise de documentos e atividades interventivas para identificar quais são os resultados e objetivos considerados pelos gestores como estratégicos para a organização, as contradições enfrentadas na busca por estes objetivos, como os gestores atuam para resolver estas contradições, como buscam novos conhecimentos sobre gestão estratégica e criam novos vínculos com estes objetivos pela atividade. Ao final do trabalho de pesquisa foi possível, de um lado, verificar que alguns gestores tomaram consciência dos seus conceitos de gestão estratégica, aprenderam novos conceitos a partir das interações sociais e intervenções de pesquisa, desenvolveram vínculos novos e mais complexos com o objeto considerado estratégico e desenvolveram novas atividades de gestão estratégica. Por outro lado, alguns gestores apresentaram subsídios que apontam para o desenvolvimento da relação com a gestão da empresa, mas não forneceram informações suficientes que subsidiassem conclusões sobre o desenvolvimento do indivíduo e das práticas em direção aos objetivos considerados por eles como estratégicos. Ao final o estudo realizado permitiu verificar empiricamente a tese de que o desenvolvimento da Gestão Estratégica de novos empreendimentos tecnológicos incubados é um processo cíclico e evolutivo de resolução das contradições na relação dos gestores com o objeto definido por eles como estratégico, por meio da consciência sobre conceitos espontâneos e a introdução de conceitos científicos em atividades colaborativas que promovem a aprendizagem conceitual de gestão estratégica, o desenvolvimento dos gestores e da relação deles com o objeto. Palavras-chave: desenvolvimento da gestão estratégica, teoria da atividade, estudos baseados na prática, atividade histórico-cultural.Abstract: This research aims to present the study of the development of Strategic Management on incubated technological new ventures from Vygotsky (2009) perspective of The Activity Theory. During 14 months it was conducted an ethnographic study with an interventional and socio-historical approach during 14 months, following four managers of a new venture incubated at the Federal University of Parana, watching their routines to identify the object of activities considered by them as strategic. During this period, interviews, participant observation, document analysis and interventional activities were conducted to identify what are the results and objectives considered by these managers as strategic to the organization; what are the contradictions faced by them in the pursuit of these goals; how these managers worked to resolve these contradictions - as seek new knowledge of strategic management - and create new links with these objectives in the activity. At the end of the research work, I could verify that, on one hand, some managers have become aware of the concepts of strategic management, learned new concepts from social interactions and research interventions, developed new and more complex relationships with the object considered strategic and developed new activities of Strategic Management. On the other hand, some managers had subsidies related to the development of the company's management, but did not provide sufficient information to subsidize conclusions on their development towards the goals considered by them as strategic. At the end of the study it was possible to empirically verify the thesis that the development of the Strategic Management of incubated technological new ventures is a cyclical and evolutionary process to reconcile the contradictions in the relationship of managers with the object defined by them as strategic, through awareness of managers spontaneous concepts and the introduction of scientific concepts in collaborative activities that promote conceptual learning of strategic management, development of managers and their relationship with the object. Keywords: development of strategic management, activity theory, studies based on practical, historical and cultural activity

A European Approach to the Establishment of Data Spaces

Within a context defined by the rapid increase in the availability of data, combined with the complexity of data sources, infrastructures, technologies and actors involved in data sharing flows, the European Union (EU) is devising approaches that can reap the benefits of data-driven innovation. The policy vision defined in the European strategy for data [1] back in 2020 aims to make the EU a leader in today’s data-driven society through an improved use of data across actors and sectors with the ultimate goal of making better decisions in business and the public sector. This is to be achieved in practice by using a set of interdependent legal instruments (see Figure 1), most notably the following: (i) the Data Governance Act [2], creating processes and structures to facilitate voluntary data sharing by companies, individuals and the public sector; (ii) the Data Act [3], establishing rules and conditions for a fairer access to and reuse of data from industry, including Internet of Things (IoT); and (iii) the upcoming Act on high-value datasets, complementing the Open Data Directive [4] with a list of technical requirements and datasets that public sector bodies are required to publish in machine-readable format, for free, and under open licenses. In addition, the European strategy for data foresees the establishment of a common European data space by combining sector-specific data spaces in domains such as agriculture, mobility, finance and environment. This data space will act as a European single market for data and create value by incentivising digital innovation at scale

Web services and historical cadastral maps: the first step in the implementation of the Web C.A.R.T.E. system

In the State Archive of Como, Northern Italy, about 15000 historical cadastral maps corresponding to 246 current municipalities of Como and Lecco districts are preserved. These maps belong to different cadastral productions: the Theresian cadastre, promoted in 1718 by Emperor Carl VI and come into force in 1760 during the reign of Maria Teresa; the Lombardo- Veneto cadastre, started in 1854 and completed, with continuous updates during the time, at the end of the century; and finally some maps of 1905 belonging to the New Lands Cadastre, the first national geometric cadastre after Italian unification of 1861. Maps have not only a considerable artistic value but mostly a cultural and historical one, since they constitute a great source to derive an accurate representation of the territory and its evolutions. For these reasons, the old maps represent nowadays a valuable instrument for historians, scholars and professionals working both in the historical research field and in the urban and territorial planning. The project Web C.A.R.T.E. (Web Catalogo e Archivio delle Rappresentazioni del Territorio e delle sue Evoluzioni), sponsored by the Fondazione Provinciale della Comunità Comasca Onlus, has been started to enhance the immense cartographic heritage of the State Archive of Como using the most recent technologies of map processing and web services. After the maps digitization step, performed by the State Archive in agreement with the interested municipalities, a georeferencing and warping procedure is needed to place the cadastral maps in the actual Italian reference system, thus making it possible to overlap them to the current cartography. Being the most of the maps divided in sheets, that have been surveyed and drawn independently from each other, the preliminary step has been to combine the sheets in a single map by applying to them a roto- translation with a scale variation. The georeferencing of unified maps has then been performed and tested in different software and GIS packages to determine the optimal solution. Finally PCI Geomatica OrthoEngine has been chosen, thanks to its variety of implemented mathematical models and to the possibility of inserting not only Ground Control Points (points of known coordinates, both in the actual cartography and in the historical map, that are used to compute the mathematical model) but also Check Points, points with known coordinates that are not included in the transformation and can therefore be used to check the model accuracy. The residuals of the transformation have then been used to determine the best georeferencing model for each cadastral map, confirming the choice with statistical techniques. The following step has been the documentation of georeference d maps in terms of metadata, a series of information needed to precisely identify the data and get information about their content, accuracy, accessibility and usage constrains. Metadata schema are currently defined by national and international standards: at the Italian level, the CNIPA (Centro Nazionale per l’Informatica nella Pubblica Amministrazione) proposed in 2006 a standard which is in agreement with the European Directive INSPIRE and defines a common set of metadata related to all kinds of geographic information used by national Public Administrations. Metadata for the historical georeferenced maps have therefore been compiled according to the Italian standard; last step has been their publication on the Internet through GeoNetwork, an open source web geo-catalogue that allows users to immediately identify a data and derive (from its metadata) information about language, spatial extent, reference system, responsible person or agency, accessibility, possible limitations on the usage, data origin and production process, and other features. Digitized and georeferenced maps, accompanied by their metadata, can finally be visualized and navigated online through the implementation of a dedicated webGIS. The realization of this viewing service implies the usage of software and tools both from the server and the client-side. Applying FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) solutions, a system with interactive functionalities and able to manage large raster maps has been developed. The entire service is currently in a test phase to verify its fulfilment of specific requests and needs expressed by experts from the State Archive; for this reason it may be possible that new and improved solutions will be introduced in the future