Parental Perceptions of Water Safety among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are twice as likely to die from unintentional drowning compared to same-age children without ASD emphasizing the importance of water-safety skills and knowledge. Yet little research has been published on perceptions of water safety for this population. The objective of the study was to investigate parental perceptions of water safety amongst children with ASD. An online questionnaire focusing on parental perceptions of water safety was distributed to parents of children with ASD associated with autism support groups across Canada. Forty-nine parents completed the self-report questionnaire with items related to demographics, swimming proficiency and lessons, adult supervision, and emergency safety procedures. Most parents (70%) believed that swimming ability was more important than supervision in ensuring water safety amongst children with ASD. Results highlighted discrepancies between reported and actual knowledge of emergency resuscitation procedures amongst parents of children with ASD. Parents of children with ASD may underestimate the importance of supervision and overestimate the role of swimming proficiency in ensuring the safety of children with ASD in aquatic environments. Future studies may benefit from exploring ways to promote effective strategies for encouraging water safety in this population

34th IABSE Symposium: Large Structures and Infrastructures for Environmentally Constrained and Urbanised Areas

This paper presents a methodology to assess the extent of damage to a multi-storey structure following localised collapse. This is accomplished through the design of an algorithm to track progressive collapse in a structure and its implementation as a computer program. The algorithm is based on the alternative path method of analysis. Individual elements are systematically removed from the structure, and these altered structures are analysed to determine the extent of the resulting collapse. By considering the effects of damage to all members in a structure the algorithm can identify whether a structure is unduly sensitive to the effects of localised damage. In order to accurately model the progression of collapse through a structure, it is necessary to consider dynamic effects. The algorithm is extended to include dynamic effects and calculate the corresponding increased bending moments and shear forces

11th International Conference on Applications of Statistics and Probability in Civil Engineering

Following the collapse of the Ronan Point apartment tower, provisions to minimise the potential for progressive collapse were introduced in design codes for the first time. In recent years, the increased threat of terrorism has highlighted the importance of such robustness requirements. This paper presents a methodology to assess the extent of damage to a multi-storey structure following localised collapse. This is accomplished through the design of an algorithm, based on the notional element removal method. By systematically considering the effects of damage to all members in a structure, this algorithm can be used as both a design and an analysis tool to identify whether a structure is unduly sensitive to the effects of localised damage. This paper describes the key features of this analysis program. Additionally, the results of a study to determine the effect of column spacing on the response of a damaged structure are presented

Joint Symposium on Bridge and Infrastructure Research in Ireland (BRI 10) and Concrete Research in Ireland (CRI 10)

The failure of the Ronan Point apartment tower focused interest in disproportionate collapse, and prompted the ?Fifth Amendment? to the UK Building Regulations which was introduced in 1970. From this point on structures were required to exhibit a minimum level of robustness to resist progressive collapse. These rules have remained relatively unchanged for over 40 years. This paper presents a review of the concepts relating to structural collapse, and the robustness of structures. In general, there are three alternative approaches to disproportionate collapse resistant design: improved interconnection or continuity, notional element removal, and key element design. These techniques are outlined and their shortcomings are described. The treatment of robustness in the Structural Eurocodes is also summarised. The concepts outlined in this paper are not material specific, and therefore can be applied to all materials and types of structures

Quantum confined intense red luminescence from large area monolithic arrays of mesoporous and nanocrystal-decorated silicon nanowires for luminescent devices

We report intense red luminescence from mesoporous n+-Si(100) nanowires (NWs) and nanocrystal-decorated p-Si NWs fabricated using electroless metal assisted chemical (MAC) etching. n+-Si NWs are composed of a labyrinthine network of silicon nanocrystals in a random mesoporous structure. p-type Si(100) NWs exhibit solid core structure, with a surface roughness that contains surface-bound nanocrystals. Both mesoporous n+-Si NWs and rough, solid p-Si NWs exhibit red luminescence at ∼1.7 and ∼1.8 eV, respectively. Time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) measurements indicated long (tens of μs) radiative recombination lifetimes. The red luminescence is visible with the naked eye and the red light is most intense from mesoporous n+-Si NWs, which exhibit a red-shift in the emission maximum to 1.76 eV at 100 K. The red PL from monolithic arrays of p-type NWs with nanocrystal-decorated rough surfaces is comparatively weak, but originates from the surface bound nanocrystals. Significant PL intensity increase is found during excitation for mesoporous NWs. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy identifies a stoichiometric SiO2 on the rough p-Si NWs with a SiOx species at the NW surface. No distinct oxide is found on the mesoporous NWs. The analysis confirms that long life-time PL emission arises from quantum confinement from internal nanoscale crystallites, and oxidized surface-bound crystallites, on n+- and p-Si NWs respectively

Assessing the Consequences of Building Failures

The consequences of structural failures, as a result of a hazard, can take several forms: from material/structural damage and human injuries/fatalities to functional downtime and environmental impact. Within a risk-based robustness framework, consequence modelling is an important step in estimating risk, both in determining the robustness of a building and in assessing the benefit of possible robustness-improving measures. This paper highlights the principles to be adopted in estimating consequences arising from potential building failures. The multi-dimensional and variable aspects of the "cost of failure" are discussed, and the various types of consequences arising from building failure are examined. In this respect, a categorisation of failure consequences is presented, together with associated models for quantifying their magnitude

Fabrication and characterization of single-crystal metal-assisted chemically etched rough Si nanowires for lithium-ion battery anodes

Silicon nanowires were fabricated by a metal assisted chemical (MAC) etching process and routes toward ohmic contacting of substrates for Li-ion battery anode application were developed. Si nanowire layers are comprised of wires that are single crystal with rough outer surfaces. The nanowires are epitaxial with the underlying Si(100) substrate, maintain equivalent doping density and crystal orientation, and are coated with a stoichiometric SiO2. Electrical backside contacting using an In-Ga eutectic allows low-resistance ohmic contacts to low-doped nanowire electrodes for electrochemical testing

Pseudocapacitive charge storage at nanoscale silicon electrodes

Pseudocapacitive behaviour can be accessed when Si nanowire (NW) electrodes are scanned at relatively fast potential scan rates in Li-ion battery electrolytes. Measurements using cyclic voltammetry supported by electron microscopy confirm that Si NWs formed on silicon substrates, as opposed to metallic current collectors, do not solely undergo alloying reactions. The influence of doping type, carrier concentration and bias condition during voltammetric polarization significantly alters the mechanism of electrochemical energy storage. The formation of a carrier depleted (electrically dead) layer of n-type NWs on silicon current collector electrodes limits insertion or alloying processes and rates that ordinarily form Li-Si phases, and charge is also stored within the electric double layer via pseudocapacitive processes. P-type NWs with solid crystalline cores also exhibit pseudocapacitive charge storage without structural modification of the NWs