A regional environmental accounting matrix and integrated environmental economic analyses to support regional planning

This research deals with the deepening and use of an environmental accounting matrix in Emilia-Romagna, RAMEA air emissions (regional NAMEA), carried out by the Regional Environment Agency (Arpa) in an European project. After a depiction of the international context regarding the widespread needing to integrate economic indicators and go beyond conventional reporting system, this study explains the structure, update and development of the tool. The overall aim is to outline the matrix for environmental assessments of regional plans, draw up sustainable reports and monitor effects of regional policies in a sustainable development perspective. The work focused on an application of a Shift-Share model, on the integration with eco-taxes, industrial waste production, energy consumptions, on applications of the extended RAMEA as a policy tool, following Eurostat guidelines. The common thread is the eco-efficiency (economic-environmental efficiency) index. The first part, in English, treats the methodology used to build a more complete tool; in the second part RAMEA has been applied on two regional case studies, in Italian, to support decision makers regarding Strategic Environmental Assessments’ processes (2001/42/EC). The aim is to support an evidence-based policy making by integrating sustainable development concerns at all levels. The first case study regards integrated environmental-economic analyses in support to the SEA of the Regional Waste management plan. For the industrial waste production an extended and updated RAMEA has been developed as a useful policy tool, to help in analysing and monitoring the state of environmental-economic performances. The second case study deals with the environmental report for the SEA of the Regional Program concerning productive activities. RAMEA has been applied aiming to an integrated environmental-economic analysis of the context, to investigate the performances of the regional production chains and to depict and monitor the area where the program should be carried out, from an integrated environmental-economic perspective.

Analisi dell’influenza dei moti rigidi di una trattrice agricola sulle vibrazioni a corpo intero trasmesse all’operatore

L’esposizione degli operatori in campo agricolo alle vibrazioni trasmesse al corpo intero, produce effetti dannosi alla salute nel breve e nel lungo termine. Le vibrazioni che si generano sulle trattrici agricole hanno una elevata intensità e una bassa frequenza. Le componenti orizzontali, amplificate dalla posizione elevata della postazione di guida dall’asse di rollio, presentano maggiori criticità per quanto riguarda i sistemi di smorzamento rispetto alle componenti verticali. Queste caratteristiche rendono difficoltosa la progettazione dei sistemi dedicati alla riduzione del livello vibrazionale per questa categoria di macchine agricole. Nonostante l’installazione di diversi sistemi di smorzamento, il livello di vibrazioni a cui è sottoposto l’operatore può superare, in diverse condizioni di impiego, i livelli massimi imposti dalla legge per la salvaguardia della salute. L’obiettivo di questo lavoro è quello di valutare l’influenza dei moti rigidi di una trattrice (beccheggio, rollio e saltellamento) dotata di sospensione assale anteriore, sospensione cabina e sospensione sedile, sul livello vibrazionale trasmesso all’operatore.E’ stata pertanto strumenta una trattrice con accelerometri e inclinometri installati su telaio, cabina e sedile e utilizzata in diverse condizioni di lavoro in campo e di trasporto su strada. Dall’analisi delle prove effettuate emerge che durante il trasporto su strada è predominante l’accelerazione longitudinale, a causa dell’elevata influenza del beccheggio. La sospensione riduce notevolmente il moto rigido di beccheggio mentre l’effetto della sospensione della cabina è quello di incrementare, in ogni condizione di lavoro, il livello di accelerazione trasmesso dal telaio della macchina.

Sintesi e caratterizzazione di prepolimeri per resine epossidiche derivanti da fonti rinnovabili e naturali attraverso un processo a basso impatto ambientale

La sostituzione di materie prime provenienti da risorse fossili con biomasse rinnovabili, utilizzando un processo a basso impatto ambientale, è una delle più importanti sfide della "Green Chemistry". Allo stesso tempo, la sintesi di resine epossidiche fornisce la chiave per la realizzazione di materiali ad alto valore aggiunto. Tuttavia, ad oggi, il 90% della produzione di resine epossidiche è basato sull'uso di bisfenolo A, che ha effetti di xenoestrogeno, ed epicloridrina, tossica e cancerogena. Su queste basi, è stata individuata una strategia sintetica per la sintesi di prepolimeri innovativi per resine epossidiche, che utilizza come substrato di reazione diidrossibenzeni di origine naturale ed evita l'uso di epicloridrina e altri reagenti tossici o pericolosi. La suddetta strategia sintetica è basata sulla sequenza: allilazione dei diidrossibenzeni - epossidazione dei doppi legami ottenuti. In questa procedura non vengono utilizzati drastiche condizioni di reazione e il solvente è acqua, con una catalisi di trasferimento di fase o, in aggiunte di acetonitrile, in un sistema bifasico. La resa complessiva dei due “step” dipende dalla posizione dei due ossidrili nei diidrossibenzeni. Il reagente che porta la resa massima è l’idrochinone (1,4 diidrossibenzene), che, come riportato in letteratura, permette la formazione di resine epossidiche con proprietà simili alle resine di epicloridrina e bisfenolo A. The substitution of raw materials from fossil fuels with renewable biomass using a low environmental impact process is one of the greatest challenges of the "Green Chemistry". At the same time, the synthesis of epoxy resins provides the key to the realization of high added value materials. However, 90% of the production of epoxy resins is based on the use of bisphenol A, a xenoestrogen, and epichlorohydrin, that is toxic and carcinogenic. On these bases, a synthetic strategy for the synthesis of innovative prepolymers of epoxy resins, that uses dihydroxybenzenes of natural origin as reaction substrates and avoids the use of epichlorohydrin and other toxic or dangerous reagents has been identified. The above synthetic strategy is based on the sequence: allylation of dihydroxybenzenes - epoxidation of the double bonds obtained. In this procedure, drastic reaction conditions are dismissed and the solvent used is water with a phase transfer catalysis or, in addition, acetonitrile in a biphasic system. The overall yield of the two steps depends on the position of the two hydroxyls of the dihydroxybenzenes. The reagent that leads to the highest yield is hydroquinone (1,4 dihydroxybenzene), which, as reported in literature, allows the formation of epoxy resins with similar properties to the resins from bisphenol A and epichlorohydrin.

Industrial accidents triggered by lightning: causes and consequences

Natural hazards affecting industrial installations could directly or indirectly cause an accident or series of accidents with serious consequences for the environment and for human health. Accidents initiated by a natural hazard or disaster which result in the release of hazardous materials are commonly referred to as Natech (Natural Hazard Triggering a Technological Disaster) accidents. The conditions brought about by these kinds of events are particularly problematic, the presence of the natural event increases the probability of exposition and causes consequences more serious than standard technological accidents. Despite a growing body of research and more stringent regulations for the design and operation of industrial activities, Natech accidents remain a threat. This is partly due to the absence of data and dedicated risk-assessment methodologies and tools. Even the Seveso Directives for the control of risks due to major accident hazards do not include any specific impositions regarding the management of Natech risks in the process industries. Among the few available tools there is the European Standard EN 62305, which addresses generic industrial sites, requiring to take into account the possibility of lightning and to select the appropriate protection measures. Since it is intended for generic industrial installations, this tool set the requirements for the design, the construction and the modification of structures, and is thus mainly oriented towards conventional civil building. A first purpose of this project is to study the effects and the consequences on industrial sites of lightning, which is the most common adverse natural phenomenon in Europe. Lightning is the cause of several industrial accidents initiated by natural causes. The industrial sectors most susceptible to accidents triggered by lightning is the petrochemical one, due to the presence of atmospheric tanks (especially floating roof tanks) containing flammable vapors which could be easily ignited by a lightning strike or by lightning secondary effects (as electrostatic and electromagnetic pulses or ground currents). A second purpose of this work is to implement the procedure proposed by the European Standard on a specific kind of industrial plant, i.e. on a chemical factory, in order to highlight the critical aspects of this implementation. A case-study plant handling flammable liquids was selected. The application of the European Standard allowed to estimate the incidence of lightning activity on the total value of the default release frequency suggested by guidelines for atmospheric storage tanks. Though it has become evident that the European Standard does not introduce any parameters explicitly pointing out the amount of dangerous substances which could be ignited or released. Furthermore the parameters that are proposed to describe the characteristics of the structures potentially subjected to lightning strikes are insufficient to take into account the specific features of different chemical equipment commonly present in chemical plants.

Photochemie der Troposphäre in niedrigen und mittleren Breiten: Die Rolle von Konvektion

Ozon (O3) ist in der Atmosphäre ein wichtiges Oxidanz und Treibhausgas. Während die höchsten Konzentrationen in der Stratosphäre beobachtet werden und die vor der gefährlichen UV-Strahlung schützende Ozonschicht bilden, können sich signifikante Änderungen der Ozon-Konzentration in der Region der Tropopause auf das Klima der Erde auswirken. Des Weiteren ist Ozon eine der Hauptquellen für das Hydroxylradikal (OH) und nimmt damit entscheidend Einfluss auf die Oxidationskraft der Atmosphäre. Der konvektive Transport von Ozon und seinen Vorläufergasen aus Regionen nahe der Erdoberfläche in die freie Troposphäre beeinflusst das Budget dieser Spezies in der Tropopausenregion.rnDie Datengrundlage der Studie in der vorliegenden Arbeit basiert auf den flugzeuggetragenen Messkampagnen GABRIEL 2005 (Suriname, Südamerika) sowie HOOVER I 2006 und HOOVER II 2007 (beide in Europa). Mit dem zur Verfügung stehenden Datensatz wird das Ozonbudget in der freien, unbelasteten Hintergrundatmosphäre und in der durch hochreichende Konvektion gestörten, oberen Troposphäre untersucht. Anhand der auf in-situ Messungen von O3, NO, OH, HO2 und dem aktinischen Strahlungsfluss basierten Berechnung der Netto-Ozonproduktionsrate (NOPR) werden für das Messgebiet Ozontendenzen in der unbelasteten Troposphäre abgeleitet und mit Simulationen des globalen Chemie-Transport-Modells MATCH-MPIC verglichen. Mit Hilfe zweier Fallstudien in den Tropen in Südamerika und den mittleren Breiten in Europa werden die Auswirkungen von hochreichender Konvektion auf die obere Troposphäre quantifiziert.rnDie Ergebnisse zeigen für die Grenzschicht in niedrigen und mittleren Breiten eine eindeutige Tendenz zur Produktion von Ozon, was für den tropischen Regenwald in der Messregion nicht der allgemeinen Erwartung entsprach, nach der diese Region durch die Zerstörung von Ozon charakterisiert sein sollte. In der oberen Troposphäre ab etwa 7 km wird für die beiden Regionen eine leichte Tendenz zur Ozonproduktion beobachtet. Signifikante Unterschiede zeigen die Ergebnisse für die mittlere Troposphäre. Während die Tropen in dieser Region durch eine eindeutige Tendenz zur Zerstörung von Ozon charakterisiert sind, lässt sich über den mittleren Breiten zwar eine hohe photochemische Aktivität aber keine derart klare Tendenz feststellen. Die hohen Breiten zeichnen sich durch eine neutrale Troposphäre in Bezug auf die Ozontendenz aus und weisen kaum photochemische Aktivität auf. Der Vergleich dieser Ergebnisse mit dem MATCH-MPIC Modell zeigt in weiten Teilen der Messregionen eine grundlegende Übereinstimmung in der Tendenz zur Produktion oder Zerstörung von Ozon. Die absoluten Werte werden vom Modell aber generell unterschätzt. Signifikante Unterschiede zwischen in-situ Daten und Modellsimulationen werden in der Grenzschicht über dem tropischen Regenwald identifiziert.rnDer Einfluss der Konvektion ist durch eine signifikant erhöhte NOPR gekennzeichnet. In dieser Arbeit wird in den Tropen mit einem Median-Wert von 0.20 ppbv h−1 eine um den Faktor 3.6 erhöhte NOPR im Vergleich zur ungestörten oberen Troposphäre abgeschätzt. In den mittleren Breiten führt die um eine Größenordnung höhere NO-Konzentration zu einem Wert von 1.89 ppbv h−1, was einer Überhöhung um einen Faktor 6.5 im Vergleich zum ungestörten Zustand entspricht. Diese Ergebnisse zeigen für beide Regionen in der oberen Troposphäre eine erhöhte Ozonproduktion als Folge konvektiver Aktivität. rnrnHochreichende Konvektion ist zudem ein sehr effektiver Mechanismus für den Vertikaltransport aus der Grenzschicht in die obere Troposphäre. Die schnelle Hebung in konvektiven Wolken führt bei Spurengasen mit Quellen an der Erdoberfläche zu einer Erhöhung ihrer Konzentration in der oberen Troposphäre. Die hochgradig löslichen Spurenstoffe Formaldehyd (HCHO) und Wasserstoffperoxid (H2O2) sind wichtige Vorläufergase der HOx-Radikale. Es wird angenommen, dass sie aufgrund ihrer Löslichkeit in Gewitterwolken effektiv ausgewaschen werden.rnIn der vorliegenden Arbeit wird eine Fallstudie von hochreichender Konvektion im Rahmen des HOOVER II Projekts im Sommer 2007 analysiert. Am 19.07.2007 entwickelten sich am Nachmittag am Südostrand eines in nordöstlicher Richtung ziehenden mesoskaligen konvektiven Systems drei zunächst isolierte konvektive Zellen. Flugzeuggetragene Messungen in der Aus- und der Einströmregion einer dieser Gewitterzellen stellen einen exzellenten Datensatz bereit, um die Auswirkungen von hochreichender Konvektion auf die Verteilung verschiedener Spurengase in der oberen Troposphäre zu untersuchen. Der Vergleich der Konzentrationen von Kohlenstoffmonoxid (CO) und Methan (CH4) zwischen der oberen Troposphäre und der Grenzschicht deutet auf einen nahezu unverdünnten Transport dieser langlebigen Spezies in der konvektiven Zelle hin. Die Verhältnisse betragen (0.94±0.04) für CO und (0.99±0.01) für CH4. Für die löslichen Spezies HCHO und H2O2 beträgt dieses Verhältnis in der Ausströmregion (0.55±0.09) bzw. (0.61±0.08). Dies ist ein Indiz dafür, dass diese Spezies nicht so effektiv ausgewaschen werden wie angenommen. Zum besseren Verständnis des Einflusses der Konvektion auf die Budgets dieser Spezies in der oberen Troposphäre wurden im Rahmen dieser Arbeit Boxmodell-Studien für den Beitrag der photochemischen Produktion in der Ausströmregion durchgeführt, wobei die gemessenen Spezies und Photolysefrequenzen als Randbedingungen dienten. Aus den Budgetbetrachtungen für HCHO und H2O2 wird eine Auswascheffizienz von (67±24) % für HCHO und (41±18) % für H2O2 abgeschätzt. Das für H2O2 überraschende Ergebnis lässt darauf schließen, dass dieses Molekül in einer Gewitterwolke deutlich effektiver transportiert werden kann, als aufgrund seiner hohen Löslichkeit aus der Henry-Konstanten zu erwarten wäre. Das Ausgasen von gelöstem H2O2 beim Gefrieren eines Wolkentropfens, d.h. ein Retentionskoeffizient kleiner 1, ist ein möglicher Mechanismus, der zum beobachteten Mischungsverhältnis dieser löslichen Spezies in der Ausströmregion beitragen kann.

La lucha del Derecho contra el negacionismo: una peligrosa frontera. Particular estudio de los ordenamientos italiano y español

En la sociedad europea crece la preocupación por el retorno de tendencias fascistas y neonazis y por la extensión de ideologías xenófobas y antisemitas, algunas de ellas alimentadas a partir de tesis de negacionistas de aquellos trágicos eventos de nuestra historia reciente. La lucha frente a los discursos negacionistas se ha llevado más allá del ámbito social y académico, y se ha propuesto la incorporación en los ordenamientos jurídicos europeos de tipos penales específicos que incriminan este tipo de discurso: negar, banalizar, o justificar el Holocausto u otros genocidios o graves crímenes contra la humanidad. Esta legislación, que encuentra su mayor expresión en la Decisión marco 2008/913/JAI, aunque castiga un discurso socialmente repugnante, sin embargo presenta dudas en cuanto a su legitimidad con un sistema de libertades erigido sobre el pilar del pluralismo propio de los Estados democráticos. Surge así la cuestión de si pueden estar surgiendo «nuevos» delitos de opinión y a ello se dedica entonces la presente tesis. El objetivo concreto de este trabajo será analizar esta política-criminal para proponer una configuración del delito de negacionismo compatible con la libertad de expresión, aunque se cuestionará la conveniencia de castigar penalmente a través de un específico delito este tipo de conductas. En particular se pretende responder a tres preguntas: en primer lugar, ¿el discurso negacionista debe ampararse prima facie por la libertad de expresión en un ordenamiento abierto y personalista y cuáles podrían ser las «reglas» que podrían servir como criterio para limitar este género de manifestaciones? La segunda pregunta sería entonces: ¿Cómo podría construirse un tipo penal respetuoso con los principios constitucionales y penales que específicamente incriminara este género de conductas? Y, como última pregunta: ¿Es conveniente o adecuada una política criminal que lleve a crear un específico delito de negacionismo?

Evaluation of energy level to be absorbed by tractor ROPS: Actual Tests, Simulation and Computation

A highly dangerous situations for tractor driver is the lateral rollover in operating conditions. Several accidents, involving tractor rollover, have indeed been encountered, requiring the design of a robust Roll-Over Protective Structure (ROPS). The aim of the thesis was to evaluate tractor behaviour in the rollover phase so as to calculate the energy absorbed by the ROPS to ensure driver safety. A Mathematical Model representing the behaviour of a generic tractor during a lateral rollover, with the possibility of modifying the geometry, the inertia of the tractor and the environmental boundary conditions, is proposed. The purpose is to define a method allowing the prediction of the elasto-plastic behaviour of the subsequent impacts occurring in the rollover phase. A tyre impact model capable of analysing the influence of the wheels on the energy to be absorbed by the ROPS has been also developed. Different tractor design parameters affecting the rollover behaviour, such as mass and dimensions, have been considered. This permitted the evaluation of their influence on the amount of energy to be absorbed by the ROPS. The mathematical model was designed and calibrated with respect to the results of actual lateral upset tests carried out on a narrow-track tractor. The dynamic behaviour of the tractor and the energy absorbed by the ROPS, obtained from the actual tests, showed to match the results of the model developed. The proposed approach represents a valuable tool in understanding the dynamics (kinetic energy) and kinematics (position, velocity, angular velocity, etc.) of the tractor in the phases of lateral rollover and the factors mainly affecting the event. The prediction of the amount of energy to be absorbed in some cases of accident is possible with good accuracy. It can then help in designing protective structures or active security devices.

Feasibility studies of the pp pi 0 e + e - electromagnetic channel at PANDA

Among all possible realizations of quark and antiquark assembly, the nucleon (the proton and the neutron) is the most stable of all hadrons and consequently has been the subject of intensive studies. Mass, shape, radius and more complex representations of its internal structure are measured since several decades using different probes. The proton (spin 1/2) is described by the electric GE and magnetic GM form factors which characterise its internal structure. The simplest way to measure the proton form factors consists in measuring the angular distribution of the electron-proton elastic scattering accessing the so-called Space-Like region where q2 < 0. Using the crossed channel antiproton proton <--> e+e-, one accesses another kinematical region, the so-called Time-Like region where q2 > 0. However, due to the antiproton proton <--> e+e- threshold q2th, only the kinematical domain q2 > q2th > 0 is available. To access the unphysical region, one may use the antiproton proton --> pi0 e+ e- reaction where the pi0 takes away a part of the system energy allowing q2 to be varied between q2th and almost 0. This thesis aims to show the feasibility of such measurements with the PANDA detector which will be installed on the new high intensity antiproton ring at the FAIR facility at Darmstadt. To describe the antiproton proton --> pi0 e+ e- reaction, a Lagrangian based approach is developed. The 5-fold differential cross section is determined and related to linear combinations of hadronic tensors. Under the assumption of one nucleon exchange, the hadronic tensors are expressed in terms of the 2 complex proton electromagnetic form factors. An extraction method which provides an access to the proton electromagnetic form factor ratio R = |GE|/|GM| and for the first time in an unpolarized experiment to the cosine of the phase difference is developed. Such measurements have never been performed in the unphysical region up to now. Extended simulations were performed to show how the ratio R and the cosine can be extracted from the positron angular distribution. Furthermore, a model is developed for the antiproton proton --> pi0 pi+ pi- background reaction considered as the most dangerous one. The background to signal cross section ratio was estimated under different cut combinations of the particle identification information from the different detectors and of the kinematic fits. The background contribution can be reduced to the percent level or even less. The corresponding signal efficiency ranges from a few % to 30%. The precision on the determination of the ratio R and of the cosine is determined using the expected counting rates via Monte Carlo method. A part of this thesis is also dedicated to more technical work with the study of the prototype of the electromagnetic calorimeter and the determination of its resolution.

Controllo dei parassiti nel rettilario del Bioparco di Roma

Poiché le infestazioni parassitarie dei rettili in cattività possono incidere sulla loro salute, è stato condotto uno studio sui parassiti intestinali e gli ectoparassiti su 213 rettili del Bioparco di Roma. In cattività, dove gli animali sono confinati in piccoli spazi, la concentrazione di parassiti può essere più alta. Alcuni di essi sono innocui, ma altri, specialmente in associazione allo stress, possono essere pericolosi, causare malattie e portare anche alla morte se non trattati. Inoltre, i rettili parassitati hanno una vita più breve, sono più suscettibili ad altre malattie, hanno scarsa fertilità, ridotta crescita ed alta mortalità. Tra Gennaio 2012 e Dicembre 2014 sono stati raccolti campioni da 213 rettili che non mostravano alcun segno clinico e che includevano 23 specie di sauri, 20 specie di cheloni, 20 specie di ofidi e 4 specie di alligatori. I campioni sono stati esaminati per la presenza di parassiti intestinali mediante copromicroscopia di tipo qualitativo previa sedimentazione e successiva flottazione, mentre la tecnica di Zihel-Neelsen è stata usata per la ricerca di oocisti di Cryptosporidium . I campioni di feci sottoposti ad esame copromicroscopico qualitativo sono risultati positivi per almeno una tipologia di endoparassiti nel 49% dei casi. Il 35% dei campioni è risultato positivo per ossiuri, il 22% per coccidi, l’1% per strongili ed il 5% per ascaridi. Degli strisci fecali colorati con la tecnica di Zihel-Neelsen, il 25% sono risultati positivi per Cryptosporidium spp. Ossiuri e coccidi sono stati più prevalenti nei sauri rispetto ai cheloni, agli ofidi e agli alligatori e nel 14% è stata osservata la presenza di entrambi. Inoltre, per quanto riguarda gli ectoparassiti, sono state rilevate uova di Myocoptes musculinus nel 24% dei rettili esaminati. Tutti gli strisci risultati positivi per Cryptosporidium spp. sono stati inviati all’Università di Santiago de Compostela per essere sottoposti alla tecnica PCR.

GNSS interference management techniques against malicious attacks

This thesis collects the outcomes of a Ph.D. course in Telecommunications Engineering and it is focused on the study and design of possible techniques able to counteract interference signal in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) systems. The subject is the jamming threat in navigation systems, that has become a very increasingly important topic in recent years, due to the wide diffusion of GNSS-based civil applications. Detection and mitigation techniques are developed in order to fight out jamming signals, tested in different scenarios and including sophisticated signals. The thesis is organized in two main parts, which deal with management of GNSS intentional counterfeit signals. The first part deals with the interference management, focusing on the intentional interfering signal. In particular, a technique for the detection and localization of the interfering signal level in the GNSS bands in frequency domain has been proposed. In addition, an effective mitigation technique which exploits the periodic characteristics of the common jamming signals reducing interfering effects at the receiver side has been introduced. Moreover, this technique has been also tested in a different and more complicated scenario resulting still effective in mitigation and cancellation of the interfering signal, without high complexity. The second part still deals with the problem of interference management, but regarding with more sophisticated signal. The attention is focused on the detection of spoofing signal, which is the most complex among the jamming signal types. Due to this highly difficulty in detect and mitigate this kind of signal, spoofing threat is considered the most dangerous. In this work, a possible techniques able to detect this sophisticated signal has been proposed, observing and exploiting jointly the outputs of several operational block measurements of the GNSS receiver operating chain.

Edilizia sociale e prestazioni energetiche in un caso di studio a queimados all'interno del programa minha casa, minha vida: Analisi e proposte di miglioramento

Social Housing and energy performance in a study case in Queimados within the Programa Minha Casa Minha Vida: analysis and proposals for improvement. The thesis in based on a personal experience lived in Brazil, working with a firm that deals with the construction of housing, for the population with incomes between 1.600 R$ and 3.100 R$ per month, in the Programa Minha Casa Minha Vida. Thanks to the construction site and contact with the local people, it was possible to attend to the construction phases and to understand the pros and cons of this Program. Working with the company made also possible to know the costs of the construction and to see that they reached the limit budget imposed by the Program (160.000 R$). Between the critical aspects of the program there is the fact that it doesn’t deal with the energy consumptions of buildings. For that reason it was interesting to calculate the energy requirements for cooling- using the software EnergyPlus and Legacy Opens Studio plug-in for Google Sketchup- and, later, to try to propose ideas for improving performances and reduce energy consumption introducing: increase in the wall mass, frame windows and patio doors, exterior blinds, wall shading on the west side. From the analysis of these simulations, considering the decrease of energy requirements for cooling, the decrease of operative and mean radiant temperatures and costs, the most convenient proposal was the exterior curtain. As all these assumptions were too expensive for the program it was analyzed how the behavior of the inhabitants influence energy consumption. Thinking of an intelligent ventilation –opening windows while the outside temperature is lower than the inside one- the reduction of energy requirements is about 27%. These result is really important, if you consider that it is obtained without spending more money.

Frost heave testing of norwegian materials for road infrastructure

In areas of seasonal frost, frost susceptibility composed by frost heaving during the winter and thaw softening during the spring is one of the most dangerous phenomenon for transportation, road and railway infrastructure. Therefore, the need for frost protection layer becomes imperative. The purpose of frost protection layer is to prevent frost from penetrating down through the pavement and into the sub-soils. Frost susceptible soils under the road can be cause damages on the roads or other structures due to frost heave or reduced capacity characteristics thaw period. "Frost heave" is the term given to the upwards displacement of the ground surface caused by the formation of ice within soils or aggregates (Rempel et al., 2004). Nowadays in Scandinavia the most common material used in frost protection layer in the pavement structure of roads and in the ballast of the railway tracks are coarse-grain crushed rocks aggregates. Based on the capillary rise, the mechanics of frost heave phenomenon is based on the interaction between aggregates and water, as suggested by Konrad and Lemieux in 2005 that said that the fraction of material below the 0.063 mm sieve for coarse-grained soils must be controlled so as to reduce the sensitivity to frost heave. The study conducted in this thesis project is divided in two parts: - the analysis of the coarse grained aggregates used in frost protection layer in Norway; - the analysis of the frost heave phenomenon in the laboratory under known boundary conditions, through the use of the most widely used method, the frost heave test, in” closed system” (without access of water).

Preparazione di una resina epossidica bio-based e studio delle relative proprietà

Epoxy resins are very diffused materials due to their high added value deriving from high mechanical proprieties and thermal resistance; for this reason they are widely used both as metallic coatings in aerospace and in food packaging. However, their preparation uses dangerous reagents like bisphenol A and epichlorohydrin respectively classified as suspected of causing damage to fertility and to be carcinogen. Therefore, to satisfy the ever-growing attention to environmental problems and human safeness, we are considering alternative “green” processes through the use of reagents obtained as by-products from other processes and mild experimental conditions, and also economically sustainable and attractive for industries. Following previous results, we carried out the reaction leading to the formation of diphenolic acid (DPA), its allylation and the following epoxidation of the double bonds, all in aqueous solvent. In a second step the obtained product were cross-linked at high temperature with and without the use of hardeners. Then, on the obtained resin, some tests were performed like release in aqueous solution, scratch test and DSC analysis.

De Hiel y de Miel di Patxi Zubizarreta. Proposta di traduzione dallo spagnolo all'italiano

Selim, a 15 year-old boy, lives with the desire to leave Morocco in order to get to Europe, and more precisely to Paris, land of dreams and opportunities. However, unfortunately, Selim will face himself with a hostile and dangerous world and the future awaiting for him will be very different from the one he had always imagined for himself. During his journey, he will go through both positive and negative experiences: he will fall in love with Esther, a Spanish girl from Vitoria, but he will also discover the harshness of the Western world. This paper provides a translation of the Spanish novel De hiel y de miel, written by the Basque author Patxi Zubizarreta and first published in Spain in 1995. In the first chapter, we find the presentation of the author and his book, including a detailed analysis of the main features of the novel. The second chapter is the focal point of the paper as it presents a translation of the novel. Finally, the third and last chapter focuses on the problems that arose during the translation process and how these were solved by the translator.

Comparative study of the different models for the calculation of BLEVEs overpressure effects

The BLEVE, acronym for Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Explosion, is one of the most dangerous accidents that can occur in pressure vessels. It can be defined as an explosion resulting from the failure of a vessel containing a pressure liquefied gas stored at a temperature significantly above its boiling point at atmospheric pressure. This phenomenon frequently appears when a vessel is engulfed by a fire: the heat causes the internal pressure to raise and the mechanical proprieties of the wall to decrease, with the consequent rupture of the tank and the instantaneous release of its whole content. After the breakage, the vapour outflows and expands and the liquid phase starts boiling due to the pressure drop. The formation and propagation of a distructive schock wave may occur, together with the ejection of fragments, the generation of a fireball if the stored fluid is flammable and immediately ignited or the atmospheric dispersion of a toxic cloud if the fluid contained inside the vessel is toxic. Despite the presence of many studies on the BLEVE mechanism, the exact causes and conditions of its occurrence are still elusive. In order to better understand this phenomenon, in the present study first of all the concept and definition of BLEVE are investigated. A historical analysis of the major events that have occurred over the past 60 years is described. A research of the principal causes of this event, including the analysis of the substances most frequently involved, is presented too. Afterwards a description of the main effects of BLEVEs is reported, focusing especially on the overpressure. Though the major aim of the present thesis is to contribute, with a comparative analysis, to the validation of the main models present in the literature for the calculation and prediction of the overpressure caused by BLEVEs. In line with this purpose, after a short overview of the available approaches, their ability to reproduce the trend of the overpressure is investigated. The overpressure calculated with the different models is compared with values deriving from events happened in the past and ad-hoc experiments, focusing the attention especially on medium and large scale phenomena. The ability of the models to consider different filling levels of the reservoir and different substances is analyzed too. The results of these calculations are extensively discussed. Finally some conclusive remarks are reported.