Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'ICOLD'

Safety of dams can be evaluated based on the risk analysis methodologies that accounts for estimation of the risks associated to the dam-reservoir system. For this purpose it is important to estimate the probability of load events and probability of failure for several failure modes. The following thesis emphasises on estimation of the probability of one specific failure mode, i.e. “sliding failure” for a concrete gravity dam. The main idea behind this thesis was to analyse the estimation of the probability of sliding failure of an existing dam by obtaining the relationships among the different load events, factors of safety associated to those events and the probability of failure estimated using numerical simulation techniques together with different reliability methods. The analysed dam is taken from theme C of the eleventh ICOLD Benchmark workshop on numerical analysis of dams. The thesis covers the methodology for estimating the probability of failure of a given concrete gravity dam with five water levels, considering the sliding failure mode along the dam-foundation interface along with the estimation of factors of safety for each water level and with two different drainage conditions. First order second moment Taylor’s Series Approximation is being used as Level 2 reliability method and Monte Carlo simulation as Level 3 reliability method to estimate the probability of failure against sliding of the dam. Conclusions are drawn in the end by comparing the results obtained from factor of safety estimation and probability of failure for each water level and drainage condition, followed by suggestions for further research in the context of sliding stability of concrete dams.

Traffic efficiency applications over road networks have been investigated recently using VANETs. This area of research is primarily concerned with increasing the traffic fluency over road networks. In this thesis, we first propose an efficient and accurate protocol to detect congested road segments in a downtown area using VANETs. We refer to this protocol as the Efficient COngestion DEtection (ECODE) protocol. ECODE evaluates three different traffic characteristics of each road segment including traffic speed, traffic density, and the time required to travel the segment. Moreover, ECODE evaluates traffic characteristics and detects the congestion level in each direction of the road segment. In addition, we propose an intelligent, dynamic, distributed, and real-time path recommendations protocol. We refer to this protocol as Intelligent path reCOmenDation (ICOD) protocol. ICOD is the first path recommendation protocol that does not rely on a central database of gathered traffic data for each area of interest. Eliminating centralized behavior resolves bottleneck as well as single point of failure problems, which in turn minimizes congestion and collision problems in VANETs. Furthermore, ICOD selects the path towards each destination in a hop-by-hop manner, which makes the turn decision at each road intersection more accurate and real-time. Different variants of ICOD are introduced that consider travel time, travel distance, fuel consumption, gas emissions, and context-awareness of each road segment parameters. Moreover, two traffic balancing mechanisms are proposed in this thesis to distribute traffic over the road network evenly, namely Bal-Traf and Abs-Bal. These mechanisms eliminate the highly congested road segment scenarios that are caused by the path recommendation protocol. Bal-Traf detects and eliminates the highly congested output road segment at each road intersection. However, Abs-Bal aims to keep the traffic density balanced among all output road segments at each road intersection. Finally, we propose an Intelligent Traffic Light Controlling (ITLC) algorithm to schedule the phases of each traffic light at isolated road intersections. This algorithm aims to decrease the queuing delay time of competing traffic flows and to increase the throughput of each signalized road intersection. ITLC has also been adapted in this thesis to the Arterial Traffic Lights (ATLs) algorithm for arterial road network scenarios. In ATLs the expected platoons on the arterial street are considered in the scheduling algorithm of each traffic light located on the arterial street coordinates. Transmitting packets among these traffic lights report the main characteristics of each predicted platoon.

Intermittently Closed and Open Lake Lagoons (ICOLLs) are very common along the southern NSW coastline. Expanding urban populations are expanding and these systems are under increasing pressure from anthropogenic activities that change landscape processes and significantly alter the amounts of organic and inorganic constituents entering their waters. Once efficient cycling of nutrients in ICOLLs is overcome, the symptoms of eutrophication establish and the entire ecosystem suffers. These systems have great ecological, social, and economic values that require insightful, well balanced, and educated management to promote sustainable use of these often-sensitive areas. Corunna and Nangudga Lake are ICOLLs in the Eurobodalla Shire on the south coast of NSW. These two ICOLLs receive discharges from catchments covered by native vegetation and grassland. The primary objective of this research component was to quantify catchment exports of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), suspended solids (SS), particulate organic matter (POM) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from three small coastal sub catchments that deliver constituents into Corunna and Nangudga Lakes. As part of this investigation the fates of catchment loads in the ICOLLs were established focusing on the lakes water column response to catchment loads and the biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen and phosphorus in sediments.

A tecnologia da biodigestão anaeróbia tem sido comprovada como uma das mais eficientes no tratamento dos dejetos de suínos, esta tecnologia, encontra-se num crescimento tímido em Angola facilitando assim uma poluição maior dos Rios, solos e o ar atmosférico, por falta de tratamento adequado da biomassa produzida por milhares de suínos existentes neste País. O emprego do biogás como fonte de energia para o funcionamento dos equipamentos ainda encontra limitações de ordem tecnológica e por falta de informação, organização e em muitos casos apoios tecnológicos e de instituições governamentais ou Não Governamentais. Este trabalho avaliou a viabilidade técnica, na implantação de Biodigestores na Região de Icolo Bengo em Angola. Foi estudada a implantação de Biodigestores, Modelo Indiano, na fazenda Menga assim como o potencial de geração de energia elétrica existente na produção de Biogás. O tratamento anaeróbio dos resíduos de Suínos como fonte renovável de energia, dentro de um conceito de desenvolvimento sustentável e de racionalização da produção sem agressão ao Meio-Ambiente também são referenciados mostrando que esta tecnologia pode ser apropriada como estratégia de conservação e uso eficiente da energia elétrica que é muito escasso em Angola. O emprego da biodigestão anaeróbia neste caso é possível e desejável, uma vez que contribui para preservação do Meio Ambiente, viabiliza os modernos sistemas de confinamento e reduz o custo da produção assim como ajuda na produção de energia elétrica e de fertilizantes. Um sistema integrado foi proposto e será aplicado na Fazenda Menga, como um dos projetos pioneiros em Angola.
The technology of anaerobic digestion has been proven as one of the most effective in the treatment of pig slurry, In Angola this technology is growing in a shy, so faculties a greater pollution of rivers, soil and atmospheric air for lack of adequate treatment of biomass produced by thousands of pigs in this country. The uses of biogas as an energy source for the operation of the equipment still meets the technological, and for lack of information, organization and often support technological and governmental institutions or NGOs. This study evaluated the technical feasibility, for implementation of the Biodigestors in Icolo-Bengo in Angola. We studied the implementation of Biodigestors, Indian Model, at Menga farm as well as potentially generating power existing in the production of biogas. The anaerobic treatment of swine waste as a renewable source of energy, within the concept of sustainable development and rationalization of production without aggression to the Environment are also referred to showing that this technology may be appropriate as conservation and energy efficiency electricity that is not much in this country. The use of anaerobic digestion in this case is possible and desirable, as it contributes to preservation of the environment, makes possible the modern systems of containment and reduces the cost of production as well as help in the production of electricity and fertilizers. An integrated system was proposed and will be implemented at the Menga farm, as one of the pioneer projects in Angola.

La popolazione e la domanda di cibo ed energia sono destinate a raddoppiare entro il 2050 con conseguente crescita competitiva tra le risorse. Inoltre, dove viene praticata la rotazione agronomica i suoli permangono improduttivi in determinati periodi causando lisciviazione dei nutrienti, erosione ed accelerazione del consumo di materia organica. I dati telerilevati sono cruciali per l'agricoltura di precisione (droni) e per la caratterizzazione e il monitoraggio del suolo (satelliti) al fine di aumentarne la resa, la sostenibilità e limitarne il degrado. Sebbene sia nota la presenza temporanea di "suolo nudo" (SN) entro la superficie agricola utilizzata (SAU), non esistono studi atti a fornire un quadro regionale dedicato da sollevare la problematica. Questa tesi mira a mappare i SN in determinati periodi dell'anno tramite immagini satellitari definendone l'estensione areale e temporale. Inoltre, è stato proposto uno scenario per l’ottimizzazione della produzione di biomassa energetica, con colture no food. La metodologia applicata prevede l’elaborazione di immagini Sentinel-2 con risoluzione spaziale al suolo di 20 m acquisite nel 2017. Le immagini, pre-processate con SIAM™, sono state elaborate su QGIS e convalidate tramite ground truth fornite da Agrea. I risultati mostrano che circa il 15% della SAU è in condizioni di SN in marzo-giugno e luglio-ottobre. A livello dimensionale, il 30% dei SN ha dimensioni superficiali superiori a 3 ha sufficienti da giustificarne lo sfruttamento agronomico. Nello scenario in cui il sorgo da biomassa è coltivato da marzo a giugno e da luglio a ottobre, potrebbe essere prodotta una quantità totale di energia pari al 20% dei consumi regionali del settore trasporti attuali. Questo studio ha proposto una procedura per mappare i SN, ha suggerito e quantificato i benefici di un potenziale sfruttamento e ha posto le basi per nuove politiche agricole in grado di avviare percorsi a breve termine per la riduzione delle emissioni di CO2

The term 'Intermittently Closed and Open Lake or Lagoon (ICOLL)' has been adopted in NSW to described wave dominated barrier estuaries with an intermittent connection to the ocean. ICOLLs can also be found in south east Queensland, south-west Western Australia, and some parts of Victoria and Tasmania, although they are not the dominant estuary type as in NSW. From an international perspective, ICOLLs are also found in South Africa, New Zealand, Mexico and the Atlantic coast of Brazil and Uruguay. Within NSW, ICOLLs are mostly located south of Sydney, due to the high wave activity and close proximity of the Great Dividing Range to the coast, which results in small coastal catchments and thus small fluvial and sediment runoff. The distinguishing difference between ICOLLs and other estuary types is the variable condition of their entrances, which also makes them the most sensitive type of estuary to human interference (HRC, 2002; Boyd et al., 1992). The sensitivity of ICOLLs to external inputs has been described in this thesis based on their morphometric characteristics, which includes their size, shape and predominant entrance condition. NSW ICOLLs exhibit a wide range of physical conditions. Some ICOLLs are rarely open to the ocean, while others are rarely closed. Also, some ICOLLs have experienced extensive development within their catchments, while some are located mostly or wholly within National Parks and other protected reserves. When closed, ICOLLs behave like terminal lakes, retaining and assimilating 100% of the external inputs delivered to the system. When open, tidal flushing assists with advection and dispersion of inputs, however, significant tidal attenuation across the entrance still limits opportunities for effective removal of pollutants. The majority of NSW ICOLLs are considered to be mostly closed (i.e., have a closed entrance for more than 60% of the time), while remaining ICOLLs tend to be mostly open (i.e., have a closed entrance for less than 20% of the time). Few ICOLLs have entrances that are open and closed for roughly equal proportions of time, thus resulting in a distinctive bimodal behaviour of entrance condition (i.e., mostly open or mostly closed). NSW ICOLLs tend to be mostly closed unless (i) the catchment is larger than 100km2, and/or (ii) the exposure of the entrance to ocean swell waves is less than 60 degrees and/or (iii) the entrance channel contains geomorphic controls (e.g. shallow bedrock outcrops). Unless opened artificially, ICOLLs will generally remain closed until a sufficient volume of catchment runoff accumulates within the waterway to increase water levels to a level that overtops (breaches) the entrance sand berm. Once breached, high velocity flows over the berm cause scour and the development of a formalised entrance channel, which increases exponentially until an optimum width and depth has been reached (determined by the hydrostatic head, geomorphic controls and tidal conditions at the time). Following entrance breakout and lowering of the lagoon level, sand is reworked back into the entrance under the influence of flood tides and wave processes. The environmental condition of ICOLLs has generally been assumed as being dependent on the state of the catchment and the associated input of nutrients (form and magnitude) to the system. Biogeochemical processes also are reported to influence the condition of ICOLLs, particularly denitrification, which is controlled by the organic load on the bed and the extent of benthic algae and macrophytic productivity. In addition to this, however, it is demonstrated that the predominant and prevailing entrance conditions (i.e. open or closed) also influence the physical, chemical and biological environments. ICOLLs are particularly susceptible to the impacts of future climate change. This thesis provides a description of expected impacts on NSW ICOLLs environments associated in response to future climate changes, based on a detailed appreciation of physical processes and their follow-on consequences. Impacts on ICOLLs are expected as a result of increasing sea level, altered rainfall patterns, and modified offshore wave climate. A survey of relevant government officials has revealed that more than 50% of NSW ICOLLs are artificially opened before water levels reach the height of the natural entrance sand berm. Artificial entrance opening is mostly carried out to mitigate inundation of public and/or private assets around ICOLL foreshores, such as roads, backyards, farming lands and on-site sewage (septic) systems. Truncation of the hydraulic regime of ICOLLs can modify other physical, chemical and biological processes, and can result in deleterious impacts such as the terrestrialisation of estuarine wetlands and foreshores. Few statutory environmental planning mechanisms protect ICOLLs from future degradation. This thesis has identified the key issues that potentially compromise ICOLL integrity and sustainability, which include the expected future population growth in coastal NSW (thus increasing pressure for intensification of development within ICOLL catchments), future climate change (particularly increases in sea level), and the increased demand for amenity, particularly during summer holiday periods (i.e. 'summer impacts'). A series of management models have been developed to address key issues. The models comprise a suite of strategies that target future development and existing management practices, through a range of new or modified planning instruments. Models for the future management of ICOLL entrances aim to prevent artificial openings in the long-term. This requires, however, the systematic relocation, raising or flood-proofing of public and private assets that have been established on land that is potentially subject to inundation. Increasing sea levels in the future will compound the need for improved entrance management. Pro-active, integrated and adaptive management strategies need to be implemented today to minimise the on-going conflict and potential for continued environmental degradation in the future.

The term 'Intermittently Closed and Open Lake or Lagoon (ICOLL)' has been adopted in NSW to described wave dominated barrier estuaries with an intermittent connection to the ocean. ICOLLs can also be found in south east Queensland, south-west Western Australia, and some parts of Victoria and Tasmania, although they are not the dominant estuary type as in NSW. From an international perspective, ICOLLs are also found in South Africa, New Zealand, Mexico and the Atlantic coast of Brazil and Uruguay. Within NSW, ICOLLs are mostly located south of Sydney, due to the high wave activity and close proximity of the Great Dividing Range to the coast, which results in small coastal catchments and thus small fluvial and sediment runoff. The distinguishing difference between ICOLLs and other estuary types is the variable condition of their entrances, which also makes them the most sensitive type of estuary to human interference (HRC, 2002; Boyd et al., 1992). The sensitivity of ICOLLs to external inputs has been described in this thesis based on their morphometric characteristics, which includes their size, shape and predominant entrance condition. NSW ICOLLs exhibit a wide range of physical conditions. Some ICOLLs are rarely open to the ocean, while others are rarely closed. Also, some ICOLLs have experienced extensive development within their catchments, while some are located mostly or wholly within National Parks and other protected reserves. When closed, ICOLLs behave like terminal lakes, retaining and assimilating 100% of the external inputs delivered to the system. When open, tidal flushing assists with advection and dispersion of inputs, however, significant tidal attenuation across the entrance still limits opportunities for effective removal of pollutants. The majority of NSW ICOLLs are considered to be mostly closed (i.e., have a closed entrance for more than 60% of the time), while remaining ICOLLs tend to be mostly open (i.e., have a closed entrance for less than 20% of the time). Few ICOLLs have entrances that are open and closed for roughly equal proportions of time, thus resulting in a distinctive bimodal behaviour of entrance condition (i.e., mostly open or mostly closed). NSW ICOLLs tend to be mostly closed unless (i) the catchment is larger than 100km2, and/or (ii) the exposure of the entrance to ocean swell waves is less than 60 degrees and/or (iii) the entrance channel contains geomorphic controls (e.g. shallow bedrock outcrops). Unless opened artificially, ICOLLs will generally remain closed until a sufficient volume of catchment runoff accumulates within the waterway to increase water levels to a level that overtops (breaches) the entrance sand berm. Once breached, high velocity flows over the berm cause scour and the development of a formalised entrance channel, which increases exponentially until an optimum width and depth has been reached (determined by the hydrostatic head, geomorphic controls and tidal conditions at the time). Following entrance breakout and lowering of the lagoon level, sand is reworked back into the entrance under the influence of flood tides and wave processes. The environmental condition of ICOLLs has generally been assumed as being dependent on the state of the catchment and the associated input of nutrients (form and magnitude) to the system. Biogeochemical processes also are reported to influence the condition of ICOLLs, particularly denitrification, which is controlled by the organic load on the bed and the extent of benthic algae and macrophytic productivity. In addition to this, however, it is demonstrated that the predominant and prevailing entrance conditions (i.e. open or closed) also influence the physical, chemical and biological environments. ICOLLs are particularly susceptible to the impacts of future climate change. This thesis provides a description of expected impacts on NSW ICOLLs environments associated in response to future climate changes, based on a detailed appreciation of physical processes and their follow-on consequences. Impacts on ICOLLs are expected as a result of increasing sea level, altered rainfall patterns, and modified offshore wave climate. A survey of relevant government officials has revealed that more than 50% of NSW ICOLLs are artificially opened before water levels reach the height of the natural entrance sand berm. Artificial entrance opening is mostly carried out to mitigate inundation of public and/or private assets around ICOLL foreshores, such as roads, backyards, farming lands and on-site sewage (septic) systems. Truncation of the hydraulic regime of ICOLLs can modify other physical, chemical and biological processes, and can result in deleterious impacts such as the terrestrialisation of estuarine wetlands and foreshores. Few statutory environmental planning mechanisms protect ICOLLs from future degradation. This thesis has identified the key issues that potentially compromise ICOLL integrity and sustainability, which include the expected future population growth in coastal NSW (thus increasing pressure for intensification of development within ICOLL catchments), future climate change (particularly increases in sea level), and the increased demand for amenity, particularly during summer holiday periods (i.e. 'summer impacts'). A series of management models have been developed to address key issues. The models comprise a suite of strategies that target future development and existing management practices, through a range of new or modified planning instruments. Models for the future management of ICOLL entrances aim to prevent artificial openings in the long-term. This requires, however, the systematic relocation, raising or flood-proofing of public and private assets that have been established on land that is potentially subject to inundation. Increasing sea levels in the future will compound the need for improved entrance management. Pro-active, integrated and adaptive management strategies need to be implemented today to minimise the on-going conflict and potential for continued environmental degradation in the future.
Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School of Environmental and Applied Science
Full Text

Il recupero e l’utilizzo delle biomasse residuali agricole rappresenta una valida alternativa all’impiego dei combustibili fossili. Questo elaborato stima, mappa ed analizza la disponibilità di potenziale biomassa residuale fresca derivante da questo settore nel Nord-Italia, in Emilia-Romagna ed in Provincia di Ravenna, nell’ottica di una possibile valorizzazione utilizzando tre banche dati esistenti: Land Use, IColt ed AGREA. Il risultato è stato stimato utilizzando la superficie coltivata (ettari), le rese produttive (t/ha) e calcolando il quantitativo di residuo prodotto dalla coltura principale. Le mappature sono state create ed elaborate in ambiente GIS mediante griglie 10*10km (Nord-Italia), 5*5km (Emilia-Romagna) e fogli catastali (Provincia di Ravenna). L’elaborazione dei dati evidenzia che le quantità di potenziale biomassa residuale fresca ammontano a: i) 1700000 ± 850000 t/anno per tutto il Nord-Italia utilizzando la banca dati Land Use; ii) 500000 ± 230000 t/anno per l’Emilia-Romagna utilizzando la medesima banca dati; iii) 1300000 ± 340000 t/anno nella medesima Regione avvalendosi della banca dati Icolt; iv) 750000 ± 80000 t/anno nella Provincia di Ravenna calcolati dalla banca dati AGREA. Nel complesso si evidenzia che l’intero territorio del Nord-Italia, comprensivo dei risultati ottenuti in Regione e Provincia, possiede un grande potenziale residuale derivante dall’agricoltura e che la valutazione di tale biomassa stabilisce le condizioni per l'avvio di possibili studi futuri, a macro o micro-scala territoriale, per una possibile valorizzazione energetica o per la produzione di biogas e/o biometano in funzione della biomassa residuale analizzata.

The original contribution of this study resides in its exploration of the way in which various traditional and modern tangible and intangible factors have contributed to Iran’s intellectual and political transformations from past to present. The focal question of this thesis is: “which factors have played the dominant role in Iran's intellectual orientations and political transformations, in general, and democratisation in particular? And can these factors be explained methodically and theoretically?” This thesis claims that Iranians, in order to proceed with a genuine home-grown democratisation1, need to enhance their intellectual capital of democratisation (ICOD)2. To this end, Iran's intellectuals need to overcome their shortcomings in the three key areas of historical consciousness3, understanding of modernity, and undertaking democratic orientation. This study employs a qualitative approach and a textual analysis method to provide a multi-principled (history, philosophy, and socio-political science), multi-causal (tangible and intangible) explanation of the multidimensional state of Iran’s tradition, modernity and prospect of democratisation. While taking into account a multi-task of modern, secular and democratic orientation; it is conducted from both insiders and outsiders' perspectives. The proposed method of explanation employs the algebraic term of factorisation to classify the dominant contributing factors to Iran’s intellectual and political transformations from both phenomenological (into tangible and intangible factors) and chronological (into traditional and modern) orders. The traditional tangible factors include geography, climate and invention of Qanats4 that have played vital roles in the success of Persian civilisation in the past. The critical modern tangible factors in Iran’s modern history include discovery of oil, colonial powers interventions, modernisation programs and communication technology. While ancient Persians benefited from the traditional intangible factors effectively and successfully (by establishing the first multicultural (tribal, ethnic, and religious) empire, these achievements were forsaken as soon as the rulers inclined toward tribal, ethnic and religious preferences. The subsequent ethnic/religious systems then have imposed various types of discrimination, which have led to internal conflicts and made the society susceptible to external influence, intervention or occupation (Saleh, 2013, pp. 111-113). It is discussed throughout this thesis that colonial powers, conservative Shiite Ulama and local tyrant rulers have almost cooperatively prevented the prospect of democratisation. To challenge these powerful forces and in the absence of democracy, Iranian intellectuals have found radical ideological orientations. They have inclined toward various ideological paradigms including Westernisation, constitutionalism, nationalism, modernism, socialism and Islamism. Only during the last two decades, have a great majority of Iranian intellectuals found a democratic orientation (Azimi, 2008, p. iX). This phenomenon has played a crucial role in accelerating the pace and scope of a non-violent civil resistance movement for democratic change. The extent of popular and intellectual support for this paradigm, such as the Green Movement in 2009, reflects the promising achievement of the society in the road of democratisation (Khosrokhavar, 2011, pp. 48-58). It can be argued that despite the presence of a considerable number of internal and external obstacles, the society has gained a promising level of intellectual capacity and popular support to proceed with a genuinely inborn democratisation. It is, however, anticipated that for succeeding with democratisation in Iran, in addition to intellectual capabilities, other socio-economic, cultural and political parameters are necessary, which their detailed explanation requires further studies.
Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Griffith Law School
Arts, Education and Law
Full Text

Coastal waterbodies and their catchments have been highly modified, leading to altered flushing and eutrophication. Strategies to manage water flow to either maintain water levels or reduce salt-water intrusion and mitigate impacts to coastal waterbodies include engineering approaches such as the construction of surge barriers and river diversions and manipulation of sandbars. Climate change is increasingly impacting coastal waterbodies with predictions of increased drying and significant changes to rainfall patterns. Consequently, engineering management strategies are likely to increase, but it is unclear how biogeochemistry and benthic cycling in coastal waterbodies will be affected, and how to manage the likely eutrophication issues that ensue. Therefore, the aim of this project was to determine how organic matter and nutrients are transported and cycled within a heavily modified intermittently closed/open lakes and lagoons (ICOLL). The Vasse Wonnerup Wetland System (VWWS) is a modified eutrophic ICOLL in southwestern Australia. It has been managed for over 100 years and has multiple surge barriers, river diversions, an oxygenation plant, and an artificially managed sandbar. In addition, significant portions of the VWWS seasonally dry out, making it an ideal system to study the effects of climate change to coastal systems which are likely to experience similar modifications as the VWWS. Stable isotope analyses and mixing models showed that the particulate organic matter (POM) in the system is derived mainly from autochthonous sources (fringing vegetation and aquatic macrophytes). Similarly, compound-specific stable isotopes showed that the sources of dissolved organic matter (DOM) are mainly autochthonous and dominated by dissolved organic nitrogen (DON). The extremely low ( < detection limit) concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN; nitrate and ammonium) in the basin water column suggests that DON is crucial to sustaining a DIN supply in the VWWS through decomposition and tight cycling between DON and DIN. Currently, national and international management guidelines focus on inorganic nutrient concentrations as indicators of unacceptable concentrations (trigger values) and management strategies are generally focused upon reducing allochthonous (external) dissolved inorganic nutrients (i.e., nitrate, ammonium, and phosphate). This study shows that the focus of management on inorganic nutrients may not be well placed in this type of system. Benthic flux experiments demonstrated that water column DO and seasonal drying of the sediment did not affect dissolved organic C, N or P fluxes significantly but did influence benthic metabolism with higher rates occurring in high water column DO conditions. Despite this, benthic metabolism remained anaerobic. Surprisingly, decreasing water column DO did not influence net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions indicating increasing water column DO will not decrease GHG emissions. Oxygenation of the water column did increase N removal, with higher net N2 effluxes with increasing water column DO. Bioavailable nitrogen pools the water column were supplemented in low DO conditions by N2O, with consumption of N2O occurring during dark hours. The lack of significant effects from DO manipulation treatments on many of the measured nutrient species indicate that maintenance of water column oxic conditions, regardless of the concentrations are unlikely to be effective in promoting removal or storage of nutrients in eutrophic systems. Increasing drying out of coastal waterbodies will have impacts on benthic metabolism, however this issue may become system specific depending on sandbar and surge barrier management strategies influencing water levels. Overall, this study confirmed the importance of autochthonous OM contributions and cycling in an ICOLL, whilst highlighting the impacts of engineered modifications in this type of coastal waterbody and its catchment.

UBC's research community recently received a significant boost in financial support for five research hubs that will join the Centre for Brain Health as newly appointed national Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR). Two UBC economics professors were recognized with separate Bank of Canada awards: the Research Fellowship 2008 and the Governor's Award. UBC's Brain Research Centre has recevied $25 million from the Province of BC to establish a new facility focused on translational brain research.

As per the report of International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD) demonstrate that over 20% of dam mishaps happened because of poor arrangement of energy dissipation. At present, energy dissipators are intended for ‘design discharge' of spillway. In this manner there is a need to build up a proper plan to perform expected function of energy dispersal even at lower discharge. Present work concentrated on hydraulic jump type energy dissipators. It is found that in majority of failure of dam, the jump position is not specified – i.e. jump is either swept up or drowned. So it is required to manage the position of hydraulic jump so that the front of jump is positioned near toe of spillway or sluice gate to get clear jump. A clear hydraulic jump occur inside stilling basic , once the ideal post jump depth as per Belanger momentum equation is available on apron. To restrain the formation of clear hydraulic jump within basin, a stepped weir at the end of apron is suggested. A mathematical method is developed to design the weir geometry which will form desired post jump depth corresponding to any discharge between design discharge and 20% of the design discharge and the given range of tail water submergence. Experiments in ansys fluent demonstrate that, for horizontal aprons, a designed weir section, designed for a specific range of tail water submergence, restricted the hydraulic jump to its desired location for different discharges. The correlation coefficients for ansys fluent studies with experimental value for horizontal apron ranged between 0.989 to 0.99. This technique is applicable for ‘inflow Froude number ≥ 4.5’. The methodology would provide promising results in real life projects.

Esta Dissertação pretende ser uma contribuição para o estudo da problemática da construção de uma identidade nacional/territorial integrada em Angola. Tem como objecto o modo como certas crenças e práticas religiosas, no Icolo e Bengo, estiveram relacionadas com determinadas “estratégias de sobrevivência” face ao projecto político de produção de identidades sociais integradas. Analisam-se as percepções dos prosélitos tokoístas sobre os discursos e práticas resultantes das políticas religiosas do MPLA/Estado, assim como os “expedientes de sobrevivência” de prosélitos tokoístas locais, certas dinâmicas de capital social sustentadas pelas tribos e classes da mesma igreja. O estudo sugere que, os prosélitos tokoístas no Icolo e Bengo mantiveram uma significativa capacidade de auto-regulação, não obstante os constrangimentos derivados de determinadas políticas religiosas adoptadas pelo MPLA/Estado. O trabalho de campo foi feito entre Abril e Julho de 2008, e envolveu prosélitos tokoístas que residem em Icolo e Bengo, alguns anciãos e conselheiros da Igreja central de Luanda, e algumas pessoas que não sendo prosélitos, são no entanto conhecedoras da problemática em análise.
This dissertation seeks to be a contribution for the study of the construction of an integrated national/territorial identity in Angola problematic. The object of the study is to analyze the way some religious beliefs and practice, in Icolo e Bengo, was connected to the setting up of “survival strategies” due to the production of integrated social identities. The field work was carried out between April and July 2008, and targeted tokoístas followers who live in Icolo e Bengo, some anciãos e conselheiros (counselors) of Luanda Central Church, and some people – though not being followers of tokoism, are acquainted to the issues of the study. The paper will discuss issues such as: 1) the perception of tokoism followers about the discourse and practices that have resulted from MPLA /State religious policies; 2) the nurturing of “survival practices” in some tokoistas followers’deeds in Icolo e Bengo; 3) the search for elements in “tribos and classes”that may generate some dynamics of social capital. In this perspective, it shall be suggested that through religion, the tokoism followers in Icolo e Bengo kept a significant capacity of self – regulation in spite of the hindrances resulted from some religious policies adopted by MPLA / State.

O presente trabalho tem como tema o género da fábula na literatura de tradição oral angolana e portuguesa: o caso de Icolo e Bengo e Bragança. Os corpora para a elaboração desta pesquisa dissertativa foram recolhidos a partir de dois ensaios, primeiro sendo o Estudo da fábula Ambundu (para a fábula de tradição oral de Icolo e Bengo) e o segundo, Património imaterial do Douro – narrações orais (para a fábula de tradição oral de Bragança). No entanto, para que houvesse um maior aprofundamento na análise dissertativa do corpus, achou-se conveniente restringir este a doze fábulas de tradição oral para cada literatura, o que totalizou vinte e quatro fábulas. O propósito fulcral deste estudo dissertativo foi cotejar as fábulas da literatura oral de Icolo e Bengo e de Bragança. Para que isso ocorresse, utilizou-se o método comparativo, limitando-se as teorias estrutural e semiótico-contextual, que facultou a realização do cotejo a nível estrutural e semiótico destas narrativas, destacando-se os aspetos semelhantes e dissemelhantes entre as fábulas de tradição oral de ambas as literaturas e contextualizando-as nas culturas de Icolo e Bengo e de Bragança. A dissertação está estruturada em quatro capítulos. O primeiro e o segundo tratam dos aspetos teóricos. Nesta parte, tecem-se considerações sobre o conceito de literatura, a noção de literatura oral, a questão dos géneros desta literatura bem como a morfologia da fábula de tradição oral. O terceiro e o quarto capítulos tratam dos aspetos analíticos propriamente dito, aquele a nível estrutural, e este a nível semiótico, sempre numa base comparativista. Do ponto de vista estrutural, analisa-se a forma como as fábulas de tradição oral de Icolo e Bengo e de Bragança são ordenadas segundo a lógica das ações, as particularidades das personagens, as coordenadas cronotópicas e a sintaxe categorial, segundo esquemas sequenciais e actanciais de Greimas. Já no domínio da semiótica da narrativa presta-se atenção à relação entre o texto e o contexto, analisando-se de forma criteriosa a macroestrutura, a referencialização e a intencionalidade, a fim de que se compreenda a estrutura significativa, mais ampla, subjacente à fábula de tradição oral das duas literaturas. Acredita-se que os dados aqui analisados podem ser úteis para o desenvolvimento de mais estudos sobre as narrativas de tradição oral em Angola e em Portugal, e para uma maior valorização dessas fábulas.
The present work has as theme the genre of the fable in Angolan and Portuguese oral tradition literature: the case of Icolo and Bengo and Bragança. The corpora for the elaboration of this dissertative research were collected from two essays, first the study of the fable Ambundu (for the Icolo and Bengo oral tradition fable) and the second, Douro immaterial Heritage - oral narratives (for the Bragança oral tradition fable). However, in order to deepen the analysis of the corpus, it was convenient to restrict the dissertation into twelve oral tradition fables for each literature, which totaled twenty-four fables. The main purpose of this dissertation was to compare the Icolo and Bengo and Bragança oral literature fables. For that, it was used the comparative method, limiting itself to the structural and semiotic-contextual theory, which allowed the accomplishment of the structural and semiotic comparison of these narratives, highlighting the similar and dissimilar aspects between the oral tradition fables presentation of both literatures and contextualizing them in the cultures of Icolo and Bengo and Bragança. The dissertation is structured in four chapters. The first and second deal with the theoretical aspects. In this part, we consider the concept of literature, the notion of oral literature, the question of the genders of this literature as well as the morphology of the oral tradition fable. The third and fourth chapters deal with the analytical aspects proper, that at the structural level, and this at the semiotic level, always on a comparative basis. From a structural point of view, we analyze the way as the oral tradition fables of Icolo and Bengo and Bragança are ordered according to the logic of the actions, the particularities of the characters, the chronotopic coordinates and the categorical syntax, according to sequential and actantial schemes by Greimas. While in the field of narrative semiotics, it is paid attention in the relationship between the text and the context, with a careful analysis of macroplanning, referencing and intentionality, in order to understand the meaningful structure, broader, underlying the oral tradition fable of the two literatures. It is believed that the data analyzed here may be useful for the development of further studies on narratives of oral tradition in Angola and Portugal, and for a greater appreciation of these fables.