The use of remote sensing imagery for monitoring recovery in the aftermath of a natural disaster: the Hurricane Katrina Case

Although Recovery is often defined as the less studied and documented phase of the Emergency Management Cycle, a wide literature is available for describing characteristics and sub-phases of this process. Previous works do not allow to gain an overall perspective because of a lack of systematic consistent monitoring of recovery utilizing advanced technologies such as remote sensing and GIS technologies. Taking into consideration the key role of Remote Sensing in Response and Damage Assessment, this thesis is aimed to verify the appropriateness of such advanced monitoring techniques to detect recovery advancements over time, with close attention to the main characteristics of the study event: Hurricane Katrina storm surge. Based on multi-source, multi-sensor and multi-temporal data, the post-Katrina recovery was analysed using both a qualitative and a quantitative approach. The first phase was dedicated to the investigation of the relation between urban types, damage and recovery state, referring to geographical and technological parameters. Damage and recovery scales were proposed to review critical observations on remarkable surge- induced effects on various typologies of structures, analyzed at a per-building level. This wide-ranging investigation allowed a new understanding of the distinctive features of the recovery process. A quantitative analysis was employed to develop methodological procedures suited to recognize and monitor distribution, timing and characteristics of recovery activities in the study area. Promising results, gained by applying supervised classification algorithms to detect localization and distribution of blue tarp, have proved that this methodology may help the analyst in the detection and monitoring of recovery activities in areas that have been affected by medium damage. The study found that Mahalanobis Distance was the classifier which provided the most accurate results, in localising blue roofs with 93.7% of blue roof classified correctly and a producer accuracy of 70%. It was seen to be the classifier least sensitive to spectral signature alteration. The application of the dissimilarity textural classification to satellite imagery has demonstrated the suitability of this technique for the detection of debris distribution and for the monitoring of demolition and reconstruction activities in the study area. Linking these geographically extensive techniques with expert per-building interpretation of advanced-technology ground surveys provides a multi-faceted view of the physical recovery process. Remote sensing and GIS technologies combined to advanced ground survey approach provides extremely valuable capability in Recovery activities monitoring and may constitute a technical basis to lead aid organization and local government in the Recovery management.

Content and English Language Integrated Learning: The use of Moodle in Aircraft Maintenance Training Programs

The aim of this work is to develop a prototype of an e-learning environment that can foster Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) for students enrolled in an aircraft maintenance training program, which allows them to obtain a license valid in all EU member states. Background research is conducted to retrace the evolution of the field of educational technology, analyzing different learning theories – behaviorism, cognitivism, and (socio-)constructivism – and reflecting on how technology and its use in educational contexts has changed over time. Particular attention is given to technologies that have been used and proved effective in Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL). Based on the background research and on students’ learning objectives, i.e. learning highly specialized contents and aeronautical technical English, a bilingual approach is chosen, three main tools are identified – a hypertextbook, an exercise creation activity, and a discussion forum – and the learning management system Moodle is chosen as delivery medium. The hypertextbook is based on the technical textbook written in English students already use. In order to foster text comprehension, the hypertextbook is enriched by hyperlinks and tooltips. Hyperlinks redirect students to webpages containing additional information both in English and in Italian, while tooltips show Italian equivalents of English technical terms. The exercise creation activity and the discussion forum foster interaction and collaboration among students, according to socio-constructivist principles. In the exercise creation activity, students collaboratively create a workbook, which allow them to deeply analyze and master the contents of the hypertextbook and at the same time create a learning tool that can help them, as well as future students, to enhance learning. In the discussion forum students can discuss their individual issues, content-related, English-related or e-learning environment-related, helping one other and offering instructors suggestions on how to improve both the hypertextbook and the workbook based on their needs.

Synthesis, characterization, and application of PHB-based gels for cultural heritage conservation

The aim of my master thesis is developing novel, greener approaches for the cleaning of artworks: such treatment consists in the removal of old varnish layers which tend to discolor or darken with time, thus allowing replacement with a new protecting coat. While protocols presently applied can be effective in the cleaning of the artworks, none of them take into account conservators’ health safety and environmental issues. Thus, using biomass-derived components, which are non-toxic and reusable and/or compostable might bring into the heritage conservation an additional awareness about safety and environmental claiming. The laboratory work for the thesis is a collaborative work between different groups. The biggest part of the work was at the Polymer group where gels were synthesized using Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) from sustainable resources and green solvents. The use of the gels might help to reduce the volatilization of solvents and contributes to the localization of the cleaning action. After the preparation of the gels, different characterization methods were used in order to estimate their properties and shelf-life. Finally, the work was completed on the application of the gels on sculpture, coated with undesired layers to be removed. Here, pre-mapping of the areas of interest was realized with different optical techniques, followed by the application of the gels for the cleaning and analyzing the effectiveness of cleaning.

Development and scale-up studies of bio-based poly(ester-amide)s

Plastics are polymers of conventional and extensive use in our day-to-day life. This is due to their light weight, adaptability to different uses and low prices. A downside of such extensive use is the environmental pollution arising from plastic production and disposal. Indeed, many commodity polymers are produced from non-renewable resources while other do not bio-degrade after their end-of-life disposal. Consequently, the ideal polymer comes from renewable raw materials and bio-degrades after its disposal, meaning that it would do little or no harm to the environment from the beginning to the end of its life cycle. In this thesis project a class of bio-based and bio-degradable co-polymers, namely poly(ester-amide)s, was investigated because of their tunable mechanical and bio-degradation properties as well as their renewable origin. Such polymers were synthetized and characterized thermically and mechanically. Furthermore, a scale-up procedure was developed and applied to one polymer and processing trials were made with the material obtained after scale-up.