Transit line passenger transmission and productiveness under high load conditions

Deterministic transit capacity analysis applies to planning, design and operational management of urban transit systems. The Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual (1) and Vuchic (2, 3) enable transit performance to be quantified and assessed using transit capacity and productive capacity. This paper further defines important productive performance measures of an individual transit service and transit line. Transit work (p-km) captures the transit task performed over distance. Passenger transmission (p-km/h) captures the passenger task delivered by service at speed. Transit productiveness (p-km/h) captures transit work performed over time. These measures are useful to operators in understanding their services’ or systems’ capabilities and passenger quality of service. This paper accounts for variability in utilized demand by passengers along a line and high passenger load conditions where passenger pass-up delay occurs. A hypothetical case study of an individual bus service’s operation demonstrates the usefulness of passenger transmission in comparing existing and growth scenarios. A hypothetical case study of a bus line’s operation during a peak hour window demonstrates the theory’s usefulness in examining the contribution of individual services to line productive performance. Scenarios may be assessed using this theory to benchmark or compare lines and segments, conditions, or consider improvements.

Transit line passenger transmission and productiveness under high load conditions : presentation

Transit Capacity Analysis critical to urban system Planning Design, Operation Productive Performance Analysis not so well detailed This study extends TRB’s & Vuchic’s work in this area

Numerical modelling of non-load bearing light gauge cold-formed steel frame walls under fire conditions

Recently an innovative composite panel system was developed, where a thin insulation layer was used externally between two plasterboards to improve the fire performance of light gauge cold-formed steel frame walls. In this research, finite-element thermal models of both the traditional light gauge cold-formed steel frame wall panels with cavity insulation and the new light gauge cold-formed steel frame composite wall panels were developed to simulate their thermal behaviour under standard and realistic fire conditions. Suitable apparent thermal properties of gypsum plasterboard, insulation materials and steel were proposed and used. The developed models were then validated by comparing their results with available fire test results. This article presents the details of the developed finite-element models of small-scale non-load-bearing light gauge cold-formed steel frame wall panels and the results of the thermal analysis. It has been shown that accurate finite-element models can be used to simulate the thermal behaviour of small-scale light gauge cold-formed steel frame walls with varying configurations of insulations and plasterboards. The numerical results show that the use of cavity insulation was detrimental to the fire rating of light gauge cold-formed steel frame walls, while the use of external insulation offered superior thermal protection to them. The effects of real fire conditions are also presented.

New perspectives on context-based chemistry education : using a dialectical sociocultural approach to view teaching and learning

Context-based chemistry education aims to improve student interest and motivation in chemistry by connecting canonical chemistry concepts with real-world contexts. Implementation of context-based chemistry programmes began 20 years ago in an attempt to make the learning of chemistry meaningful for students. This paper reviews such programmes through empirical studies on six international courses, ChemCom (USA), Salters (UK), Industrial Science (Israel), Chemie im Kontext (Germany), Chemistry in Practice (The Netherlands) and PLON (The Netherlands). These studies are categorised through emergent characteristics of: relevance, interest/attitudes motivation and deeper understanding. These characteristics can be found to an extent in a number of other curricular initiatives, such as science-technology-society approaches and problem-based learning or project based science, the latter of which often incorporates an inquiry-based approach to science education. These initiatives in science education are also considered with a focus on the characteristics of these approaches that are emphasised in context-based education. While such curricular studies provide a starting point for discussing context-based approaches in chemistry, to advance our understanding of how students connect canonical science concepts with the real-world context, a new theoretical framework is required. A dialectical sociocultural framework originating in the work of Vygotsky is used as a referent for analysing the complex human interactions that occur in context-based classrooms, providing teachers with recent information about the pedagogical structures and resources that afford students the agency to learn.

A comprehensive literature review of the pelvis and the lower extremity digital human models under quasi-static conditions

Finite Element Modeling (FEM) has become a vital tool in the automotive design and development processes. FEM of the human body is a technique capable of estimating parameters that are difficult to measure in experimental studies with the human body segments being modeled as complex and dynamic entities. Several studies have been dedicated to attain close-to-real FEMs of the human body (Pankoke and Siefert 2007; Amann, Huschenbeth et al. 2009; ESI 2010). The aim of this paper is to identify and appraise the state of-the art models of the human body which incorporate detailed pelvis and/or lower extremity models. Six databases and search engines were used to obtain literature, and the search was limited to studies published in English since 2000. The initial search results identified 636 pelvis-related papers, 834 buttocks-related papers, 505 thigh-related papers, 927 femur-related papers, 2039 knee-related papers, 655 shank-related papers, 292 tibia-related papers, 110 fibula-related papers, 644 ankle related papers, and 5660 foot-related papers. A refined search returned 100 pelvis-related papers, 45 buttocks related papers, 65 thigh-related papers, 162 femur-related papers, 195 kneerelated papers, 37 shank-related papers, 80 tibia-related papers, 30 fibula-related papers and 102 ankle-related papers and 246 foot-related papers. The refined literature list was further restricted by appraisal against a modified LOW appraisal criteria. Studies with unclear methodologies, with a focus on populations with pathology or with sport related dynamic motion modeling were excluded. The final literature list included fifteen models and each was assessed against the percentile the model represents, the gender the model was based on, the human body segment/segments included in the model, the sample size used to develop the model, the source of geometric/anthropometric values used to develop the model, the posture the model represents and the finite element solver used for the model. The results of this literature review provide indication of bias in the available models towards 50th percentile male modeling with a notable concentration on the pelvis, femur and buttocks segments.

Contextualising the teaching and learning of measurement in Torres Strait Islander schools

This paper reports on a mathematics project conducted with six Torres Strait Islander schools and communities by the research team at the YuMi Deadly Centre at QUT. Data collected is from a small focus group of six teachers and two teacher aides. We investigated how measurement is taught and learned by students, their teachers and teacher aides in the community schools. A key focus of the project was that the teaching and learning of measurement be contextualised to the students’ culture, community and home languages. A significant finding from the project was that the teachers had differing levels of knowledge and understanding about how to contextualise measurement to support student learning. For example, an Indigenous teacher identified that mathematics and the environment are relational, that is, they are not discrete and in isolation from one another, rather they mesh together, thus affording the articulation and interchange among and between mathematics and Torres Strait Islander culture.

Teaching to disrupt preconceptions : education for social justice in the imperial aftermath

In this paper I discuss some of the approaches that I take in challenging student teachers to understand education in global context, rather than in a decontextualized or instrumental way. These approaches draw on my experience of being an educator from the ‘global South’ (the Caribbean) now working in the ‘global North’ (Australia). As the first black teacher that most Australian student teachers have encountered in their entire education, I find that I can offer them provocative educational narratives and questions stemming from a lifetime career in education, studying and working in various roles in schools, colleges, universities and ministries of education in Jamaica, Grenada, Hong Kong, the UK, the USA and Australia. I set out to disrupt the preconceptions of my students as a starting point in a collective journey of thinking differently about education.

The introduction of an interactive teaching and learning activity (TLA) in class and its relationship to students’ learning-outcomes

In the university education arena, it is becoming apparent that traditional methods of conducting classes are not the most effective ways to achieve desired learning outcomes. The traditional class/method involves the instructor verbalizing information for passive, note-taking students who are assumed to be empty receptacles waiting to be filled with knowledge. This method is limited in its effectiveness, as the flow of information is usually only in one direction. Furthermore, “It has been demonstrated that students in many cases can recite and apply formulas in numerical problems, but the actual meaning and understanding of the concept behind the formula is not acquired (Crouch & Mazur)”. It is apparent that memorization is the main technique present in this approach. A more effective method of teaching involves increasing the students’ level of activity during, and hence their involvement in the learning process. This technique stimulates self- learning and assists in keeping these students’ levels of concentration more uniform. In this work, I am therefore interested in studying the influence of a particular TLA on students’ learning-outcomes. I want to foster high-level understanding and critical thinking skills using active learning (Silberman, 1996) techniques. The TLA in question aims to promote self-study by students and to expose them to a situation where their learning-outcomes can be tested. The motivation behind this activity is based on studies which suggest that some sensory modalities are more effective than others. Using various instruments for data collection and by means of a thorough analysis I present evidence of the effectiveness of this action research project which aims to improve my own teaching practices, with the ultimate goal of enhancing student’s learning.

Reflections around artefacts : using a deliberative approach to teaching reflective practices in fashion studies

While requiring students to think reflectively is a desirable teaching goal, it is often fraught with complexity and is sometimes poorly implemented in higher education. In this paper, we describe an approach to academic reflective practices that fitted a design subject in fashion education and was perceived as effective in enhancing student learning outcomes. In many design-based disciplines, it is essential to evaluate, through a reflective lens, the quality of tangible design outcomes - referred to here as artefacts. Fashion studio based practice (unlike many other theory based disciplines)requires an artefact to be viewed in order to initiate the reflective process. This reflection is not solely limited to reflective writing; the reflection happens through sight, touch and other non-traditional approaches. Fashion students were asked to reflect before, during and after the development of an artefact. Through a variety of media, a review of the first garment prototype - called a Sample Review - occurred. The reflective practices of students during the Sample Review provided a valuable insight into their own learning, as well as a valid assessment indicator for the lecturer. It also mirrored industry practices for design evaluation. We believe that this deliberative approach, characterised by artefact-prompted reflection, has wide applicability across undergraduate courses in a variety of discipline areas.

Structural behaviour and design of cold-formed steel wall systems under fire conditions

In recent times, light gauge steel framed (LSF) structures, such as cold-formed steel wall systems, are increasingly used, but without a full understanding of their fire performance. Traditionally the fire resistance rating of these load-bearing LSF wall systems is based on approximate prescriptive methods developed based on limited fire tests. Very often they are limited to standard wall configurations used by the industry. Increased fire rating is provided simply by adding more plasterboards to these walls. This is not an acceptable situation as it not only inhibits innovation and structural and cost efficiencies but also casts doubt over the fire safety of these wall systems. Hence a detailed fire research study into the performance of LSF wall systems was undertaken using full scale fire tests and extensive numerical studies. A new composite wall panel developed at QUT was also considered in this study, where the insulation was used externally between the plasterboards on both sides of the steel wall frame instead of locating it in the cavity. Three full scale fire tests of LSF wall systems built using the new composite panel system were undertaken at a higher load ratio using a gas furnace designed to deliver heat in accordance with the standard time temperature curve in AS 1530.4 (SA, 2005). Fire tests included the measurements of load-deformation characteristics of LSF walls until failure as well as associated time-temperature measurements across the thickness and along the length of all the specimens. Tests of LSF walls under axial compression load have shown the improvement to their fire performance and fire resistance rating when the new composite panel was used. Hence this research recommends the use of the new composite panel system for cold-formed LSF walls. The numerical study was undertaken using a finite element program ABAQUS. The finite element analyses were conducted under both steady state and transient state conditions using the measured hot and cold flange temperature distributions from the fire tests. The elevated temperature reduction factors for mechanical properties were based on the equations proposed by Dolamune Kankanamge and Mahendran (2011). These finite element models were first validated by comparing their results with experimental test results from this study and Kolarkar (2010). The developed finite element models were able to predict the failure times within 5 minutes. The validated model was then used in a detailed numerical study into the strength of cold-formed thin-walled steel channels used in both the conventional and the new composite panel systems to increase the understanding of their behaviour under nonuniform elevated temperature conditions and to develop fire design rules. The measured time-temperature distributions obtained from the fire tests were used. Since the fire tests showed that the plasterboards provided sufficient lateral restraint until the failure of LSF wall panels, this assumption was also used in the analyses and was further validated by comparison with experimental results. Hence in this study of LSF wall studs, only the flexural buckling about the major axis and local buckling were considered. A new fire design method was proposed using AS/NZS 4600 (SA, 2005), NAS (AISI, 2007) and Eurocode 3 Part 1.3 (ECS, 2006). The importance of considering thermal bowing, magnified thermal bowing and neutral axis shift in the fire design was also investigated. A spread sheet based design tool was developed based on the above design codes to predict the failure load ratio versus time and temperature for varying LSF wall configurations including insulations. Idealised time-temperature profiles were developed based on the measured temperature values of the studs. This was used in a detailed numerical study to fully understand the structural behaviour of LSF wall panels. Appropriate equations were proposed to find the critical temperatures for different composite panels, varying in steel thickness, steel grade and screw spacing for any load ratio. Hence useful and simple design rules were proposed based on the current cold-formed steel structures and fire design standards, and their accuracy and advantages were discussed. The results were also used to validate the fire design rules developed based on AS/NZS 4600 (SA, 2005) and Eurocode Part 1.3 (ECS, 2006). This demonstrated the significant improvements to the design method when compared to the currently used prescriptive design methods for LSF wall systems under fire conditions. In summary, this research has developed comprehensive experimental and numerical thermal and structural performance data for both the conventional and the proposed new load bearing LSF wall systems under standard fire conditions. Finite element models were developed to predict the failure times of LSF walls accurately. Idealized hot flange temperature profiles were developed for non-insulated, cavity and externally insulated load bearing wall systems. Suitable fire design rules and spread sheet based design tools were developed based on the existing standards to predict the ultimate failure load, failure times and failure temperatures of LSF wall studs. Simplified equations were proposed to find the critical temperatures for varying wall panel configurations and load ratios. The results from this research are useful to both structural and fire engineers and researchers. Most importantly, this research has significantly improved the knowledge and understanding of cold-formed LSF loadbearing walls under standard fire conditions.

Measurable progress? Teaching artsworkers to assess and articulate the impact of their work

The National Cultural Policy Discussion Paper—drafted to assist the Australian Government in developing the first national Cultural Policy since Creative Nation nearly two decades ago—envisages a future in which arts, cultural and creative activities directly support the development of an inclusive, innovative and productive Australia. "The policy," it says, "will be based on an understanding that a creative nation produces a more inclusive society and a more expressive and confident citizenry by encouraging our ability to express, describe and share our diverse experiences—with each other and with the world" (Australian Government 3). Even a cursory reading of this Discussion Paper makes it clear that the question of impact—in aesthetic, cultural and economic terms—is central to the Government's agenda in developing a new Cultural Policy. Hand-in-hand with the notion of impact comes the process of measurement of progress. The Discussion Paper notes that progress "must be measurable, and the Government will invest in ways to assess the impact that the National Cultural Policy has on society and the economy" (11). If progress must be measurable, this raises questions about what arts, cultural and creative workers do, whether it is worth it, and whether they could be doing it better. In effect, the Discussion Paper pushes artsworkers ever closer to a climate in which they have to be skilled not just at making work, but at making the impact of this work clear to stakeholders. The Government in its plans for Australia's cultural future, is clearly most supportive of artsworkers who can do this, and the scholars, educators and employers who can best train the artsworkers of the future to do this.

Teaching undergraduate students community nursing : using action research to increase engagement and learning

Nurses play a pivotal role in responding to the changing needs of community health care. Therefore, nursing education must be relevant, responsive, and evidence based. We report a case study of curriculum development in a community nursing unit embedded within an undergraduate nursing degree. We used action research to develop, deliver, evaluate, and redesign the curriculum. Feedback was obtained through self-reflection, expert opinion from community stakeholders, formal student evaluation, and critical review. Changes made, especially in curriculum delivery, led to improved learner focus and more clearly linked theory and practice. The redesigned unit improved performance, measured with the university's student evaluation of feedback instrument (increased from 0.3 to 0.5 points below to 0.1 to 0.5 points above faculty mean in all domains), and was well received by teaching staff. The process confirmed that improved pedagogy can increase student engagement with content and perception of a unit as relevant to future practice.

Toward non-invasive detection of concealed energetic materials in-field under ambient-light conditions

Spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS) is demonstrated for the non-contact detection of energetic materials concealed within non-transparent, diffusely scattering containers. A modified design of an inverse SORS probe has been developed and tested. The SORS probe has been successfully used for the detection of various energetic substances inside different types of plastic containers. The tests have been successfully conducted under incandescent and fluorescent background lights as well as under daylight conditions, using a non-contact working distance of 6 cm. The interrogation times for the detection of the substances were less than 1 minute in each case, highlighting the suitability of the device for near real-time detection of concealed hazards in the field. The device has potential applications in forensic analysis and homeland security investigations.

Improving access to quality clinical nurse teaching : a partnership between Australia and Vietnam

Until recently, standards to guide nursing education and practice in Vietnam were nonexistent. This paper describes the development and implementation of a clinical teaching capacity building project piloted in Hanoi, Vietnam. The project was part of a multi-component capacity building program designed to improve nurse education in Vietnam. Objectives of the project were to develop a collaborative clinically-based teaching model that encourages evidence-based, student-centred clinical learning. The model incorporated strategies to promote development of nursing practice to meet national competency standards. Thirty nurse teachers from two organisations in Hanoi participated in the program. These participants attended three workshops, and completed applied assessments, where participants implemented concepts from each workshop. The assessment tasks were planning, implementing and evaluating clinical teaching. On completion of the workshops, twenty participants undertook a study tour in Australia to refine the teaching model and develop an action plan for model implementation in both organisations, with an aim to disseminate the model across Vietnam. Significant changes accredited to this project have been noted on an individual and organisational level. Dissemination of this clinical teaching model has commenced in Ho Chi Minh, with further plans for more in-depth dissemination to occur throughout the country.

‘Personal Response’ and English Teaching

A case study relating to secondary education, examining the teacher student relationship as it operates within the English classroom is the topic of this paper. It describes how a certain conception of 'personal response' to literature provided a means for the teacher/counsellor to form the ethical capacities of children. 'Personal response' is usually associated with the moment in which the child is freed to be most natural. But for all the emphasis upon the irreducibly individual nature of the 'genuinely felt response', this pedagogic exercise finds its place within a series of strategies designed both to cherish and correct the child, to nurture and to scrutinise, to guide and to reconstruct.