Rock Joint Surfaces Measurement and Analysis of Aperture Distribution under Different Normal and Shear Loading Using GIS

Geometry of the rock joint is a governing factor for joint mechanical and hydraulic behavior. A new method of evaluating aperture distribution based on measurement of joint surfaces and three dimensional characteristics of each surface is developed. Artificial joint of granite surfaces are measured,processed, analyzed and three dimensional approaches are carried out for surface characterization. Parameters such as asperity's heights, slope angles, and aspects distribution at micro scale,local concentration of elements and their spatial localization at local scale are determined by Geographic Information System (GIS). Changes of aperture distribution at different normal stresses and various shear displacements are visualized and interpreted. Increasing normal load causes negative changes in aperture frequency distribution which indicates high joint matching. However, increasing shear displacement causes a rapid increase in the aperture and positive changes in the aperture frequency distribution which could be due to unmatching, surface anisotropy and spatial localization of contact points with proceeding shear

Does gender matter for demand revelation in threshold public goods experiments?

We examine the effect of gender on real and hypothetical contributions in a threshold public goods experiment using heterogeneous induced-values approach. Our analysis of the experimental data leads to several findings. First, gender differences in contributions are found for hypothetical payments, but not for real payments. This result is obtained while controlling for subjects' true values (induced-values) as well as socio-economic variables. Second, females are more likely to truthfully reveal their true value than males for hypothetical payments, but this effect is not significant for real payments. One could interpret these results as suggesting that females are more likely to state their value through hypothetical payments.Contingent valuation

Providing quality recreation experiences in Japan

This paper uses a choice experiment to evaluate the benefits to trekkers of the natural environment and the provision of appropriate recreation experiences in the Uryu-numa Mire, northern Japan. The result, applying a conditional logit model, shows that restoration of the natural environment are positively valued by trekkers, and their respective willingness to pay for one percentage point improvement are JPY 32.6 and 59.6. Likewise, provision of appropriate recreation experiences, setting a limit on the number of trekkers a day, is also positively valued. The results indicate that the optimal number of trekkers is 458, and the willingness to pay for controlling the number of trekkers from 800 to 458 is JPY 1,457. In Japan, importance of the quality of recreation experiences is not well recognized by park managers. However, our results indicate that both restoring the environment and providing excellent recreation experiences are significant challenges for recreation areas.