Thesis and Research Data Repository Leeds Beckett University
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Sustainable Highway Pavements The Evaluation of Pavement Quality Concrete Produced with Rice Husk Ash Binder
No full textThis thesis investigates the use of rice husk ash (RHA) as a sustainable alternative to traditional portland cement in rigid highway pavements. The literature review highlights the significant environmental impact of cement production, the historical development and properties of concrete, and the potential benefits of using RHA, a by-product of rice milling, due to its high pozzolanic activity and availability.The methodology involved preparing various concrete mixes, including control mixes and those with RHA replacements. Detailed tests were conducted to evaluate workability, compressive strength, tensile strength, curing time, and durability. The research adhered to the specifications set out in the Manual of Contract Documents for Highway Works (MCHW) and relevant British Standards. The preparation of materials included ensuring the quality and consistency of aggregates, cement, water, admixtures, and RHA. The concrete samples were tested for workability using slump tests, and mechanical properties were assessed through uniaxial compression and indirect tension tests.Key results indicate that RHA concrete mixes exhibit comparable or superior compressive strength to traditional mixes, with improved tensile strength and enhanced durability against environmental stressors such as freeze-thaw cycles and chloride penetration. The workability and curing times of RHA mixes were also found to be favourable, with RHA improving the mix's overall performance. The study also noted that RHA concrete had a lower heat evolution peak during curing, reducing the risk of thermal cracking.A field trial on the M180 motorway demonstrated the practical applicability of RHA concrete, showing satisfactory performance in real-world conditions. The concrete mix used in the field trial met the target strength requirements and exhibited good workability and durability. The findings suggest that RHA concrete not only meets structural and durability requirements but also significantly reduces the carbon footprint of pavement construction. This research concludes that RHA is a viable and sustainable alternative for use in pavement quality concrete. Recommendations for future work include long-term performance monitoring, economic feasibility studies, optimisation of mix designs, and the development of standards and guidelines to facilitate the adoption of RHA in the construction industry.</p
The Art of Skating Institutions: Incidental Positionality as an Artistic Strategy in Reappropriating Civic Space
No full textThis thesis accompanies the project Civic Skateboarding developed for Leeds 2023 Year of Culture that culminated in a mini-festival seeking to support the growing female and marginalised gender skateboard community in Leeds, UK. Starting from John Latham and Barbara Steveni’s conceptions of the ‘Incidental Person’ for the Artist Placement Group (1966–1979), this thesis considers what we might deem the incidental positionality of the contemporary artist working within socially engaged art practice and how this offers opportunity for increased inclusion and participation in the use of civic space.
Intentionally adopting an incidental position between the local skateboard community, arts organisations, universities, and the local authority, the key question of this research is how the role of the artist can be utilised to establish mutually beneficial relationships in support of actively excluded groups, such as female and marginalised gender skateboarders, who are disproportionality affected by a lack of safety in public space. Seeking to be what Natalie Loveless might term ‘polydisciplinamorous’, there is an intention in both the production, dissemination and analysis of this practice-based research to simultaneously court the fields of socially engaged art practice and skateboard academia. This research attempts to align the prefigurative power of socially engaged skateboarding with artistic concepts such as Jeanne Van Heeswijk’s notion of the ‘not-yet’ and the practices of ‘gotong royong’ (mutual assistance) and ‘nongkrong’ (hanging out) employed by Indonesian artist collectives such as ruangrupa. In doing so, a range of concerns emerge: addressing gender exclusions within skateboard culture and skate urbanism; the leveraging of evolving arts funding policies; the adoption of agonistic or affable artistic approaches; strategic entitlement and the disambiguation of grey space; the moral right of the artist and what protections this may afford; as well as the resolution of deep disagreements, or what Jean-François Lyotard describes as ‘the differend’.</p
Unlearning Structural Racism in a School Context
No full textThis thesis explores how teachers and school leaders in England unlearn structural racism through participation in the Anti-Racist School Award. With little existing literature on contemporary experiences of leading anti-racism in schools, the study follows twelve participants at various stages of the Award process during a pivotal global shift towards anti-racism. Addressing three key research questions, the study examines motivations for engaging with the Award, schools' experiences throughout the process, and the expected and unexpected outcomes. Using Critical Race Theory and Critical Whiteness Studies, it analyses data from surveys, interviews, reflections, and a focus group.
Findings reveal that while participants recognise racism as socially constructed and deeply embedded, it remains a persistent force in schools. Despite post-George-Floyd commitments to anti-racism, teachers' limited racial literacy leaves them vulnerable to entanglement in interest convergence, using the tools of whiteness, and questions of culpability. The study calls for robust racial literacy, awareness of white supremacy culture, and critical self-examination as essential markers of anti-racist professionalism. Sustainable anti-racism work requires continuous racial literacy, which is capable of identifying and disrupting the ways racism iterates to remain an available tool for ordering society
Individual Empowerment or Collective Feminist Progress? Examining OnlyFans Content Creator Bonnie Blue
No full textIn an age dominated by individual entrepreneurship, Bonnie Blue, the 24-year-old OnlyFans content creator, has recently been a subject of major controversy across media platforms. Blue’s marketing strategy involves targeting young, or in her own words, ‘barely legal’ (Hubble, 2024, n. p) males across social media platforms and encouraging them to engage in sexual relations with her for OnlyFans content. Blue has been criticised for the use of exploitative engagement strategies and has been perceived as instrumental in the reinforcement of misogynistic discourse regarding the objectification of women (Selo, 2024, n. p). This critical reflection explores how Bonnie Blue capitalises upon neoliberal and post-feminist ideals in today’s social media-driven consumer society. She sits within a discourse of choice, agency, and empowerment – utilising sexuality as a commodity to drive her successful business model. Her engagement with this has implications for a wider social, cultural, and political discourse. This critical reflection considers the impact on feminism on a broader scale.</p
From the east end to the mall: issues in curation, class and DIY cultures, 1991-2000
No full textThis thesis examines the curatorial strategies found within the independent art projects and curatorial practices in East London during the 1990s. Specifically, it evaluates the initiatives which encouraged collaborative dialogue and artistic cultures which proposed an alternative model for art practice. Drawing on data from original interviews with contemporary artists, curators and writers, autoethnographic accounts from my time in the East London milieu and my own curatorial practices at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), this research is curated by its author. This study critically examines the cultural democratisation and the rebirth of modernist-inspired forms of self-institutionalisation, which have all too often been sidelined in popular accounts in the art press and wider publications. It examines the role and function of the social event, such as the private view and club night, as a significant popular cultural agent that connected previously siloed strata within the art world and blurred the lines between art and entertainment. It demonstrates that DIY art and curatorial practices were forms of social and cultural experimentation, resolving in a brief yet vital independence from the institutionalised establishment of the art world. These neglected, more critically engaged practices stood in opposition to the ‘art headlines’ around the Young British Artists (yBa) of the period. It further addresses the liberation of curatorial practice, which was a catalyst for an expanded audience and narrative. Together, these areas of DIY practice proposed an alternative model for the presentation and mediation of art. This thesis concludes that the institutionalisation of DIY curatorial practice during the 1990s impacted a democratised participation in and consumption of contemporary culture, directly influencing art and culture today.</p
The Interconnection of SDGs: through the lens of Circular Economy in Built Environment
No full textThe United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) tackle global challenges, including that of climate change. As calls for action on climate change intensify, the efficient use of current resources has gained renewed focus. In the built environment, this has predominantly taken the form of the Circular Economy (CE) movement, with CE viewed as crucial to SDGs achievement. Whilst previous research has explored the connection between CE and SDGs within the built environment, many of the SDGs are reviewed in isolation. There remains a gap in understanding the broader relationship between CE principles and the interconnection of all SDGs. This study aims to address the gap by investigating the relationship between CE in the built environment and the realisation of all SDGs. A systematic review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology. This involved extracting fifty-one (51) articles for analysis. The articles were extensively reviewed, and co-occurrence analysis was performed using VOS viewer. The identified clusters were categorised and used to explore the relationship of CE in achieving SDGs. The results revealed that although the SDGs are discussed in relation to CE, they are often treated in isolation. However, due to this interconnected nature of SDGs, the success of one SDG often supports the success of another. This study finds that a broad awareness of all SDGs is therefore essential, and that a gap in research around the interconnection of CE and all SDGs exists. This research calls for a focused research agenda to address this now formalised gap. This study contributes to the current understanding of relationship of CE and SDGs by offering valuable insights into how CE can be better applied within the built environment to accelerate progress toward SDG success.</p
Meaningful by Name? Public Engagement in Canada’s SMR Licensing
No full textAs the world seeks a net-zero transition, Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) have gained political traction and momentum in policy discussions as a low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels, supporting the transition to clean energy. Public engagement is a crucial component for the adoption of energy infrastructure projects. This paper argues that while public engagement has been widely cited as ‘meaningful’ in Canada’s SMR rollout, the term lacks definitional clarity. Without a clear understanding of what constitutes meaningful engagement, the legitimacy of licensing processes may be compromised, particularly in projects that rely on broad societal trust, which can lead to public distrust and potentially cause project delays or even cancellation. The paper draws on document analysis of the Darlington SMR licensing process, including regulatory reports and stakeholder communications, to demonstrate how engagement was carried out. Even though public and Indigenous engagement is often described as ‘meaningful’ in Canada’s SMR process, that claim is undermined by the fact that no clear definition or measurement exists for what 'meaningful engagement' is. This paper contributes to current debates on sustainability policy, innovation adoption, and democratic accountability in infrastructure governance through public engagement.</p
Designing for Dementia; Insights from Experiential Learning in Undergraduate Education
No full textDementia-friendly design is an increasingly urgent concern as populations age and care needs become more complex. This study explored how architectural engineering education can support inclusive and sustainable responses to dementia through experiential learning. It examines the work of undergraduate students enrolled in a core design module (ArcD) within a BEng/MEng Architectural Engineering program at a UK university. Students were tasked with designing dementia-friendly bungalows that address cognitive, sensory, and physical needs, while integrating sustainability and assistive technologies. A qualitative thematic analysis of 35 anonymous student submissions collected over three academic years (2022–2025) identified six key design strategies: user-centred planning, sensory and cognitive support, inclusive outdoor spaces, community-oriented layouts, sustainability, and technological integration. The findings confirm alignment with the established dementia-care design literature, such as prioritizing accessibility, reducing agitation, and promoting social engagement. However, the study also revealed how students extended the design brief by incorporating emerging technologies (e.g., smart sensors and adaptive lighting) and culturally specific features that foster psychological safety and identity. These socially and environmentally responsive innovations reflect how future practitioners can interpret and evolve inclusive designs in response to shifting global concerns. This analysis further highlights the pedagogical value of project-based and design-thinking approaches in fostering critical, empathetic, and technically competent graduates. Despite variations in cultural awareness and real-world feasibility, student work demonstrates how inclusive design principles can be embedded meaningfully within technically rigorous curricula. This study contributes to emerging conversations about inclusive design pedagogy by showing how dementia care principles can be taught using studio-based methods. It also offers recommendations for enhancing cultural sensitivity, industry collaboration, and scalability of future curricula. Architectural engineering education, when designed with intention, can play a transformative role in preparing students to meet the social and environmental challenges in contemporary care environments.</p
Enhancing Career Development for Engineering Postdocs: Engagement Factors and Programme Design Insights
No full textPostdoctoral researchers are essential to the advancement of research and innovation, yet their career development is often hindered by fragmented institutional support, narrowly defined academic pathways, and limited access to relevant training. Although several UK-wide initiatives seek to address these challenges, many institutional programmes still fall short of supporting the increasingly diverse trajectories of postdoctoral researchers. This paper investigates the factors influencing engagement with Career Development Training Programmes (CDTPs), addressing the critical gap between programme design and researcher needs. Drawing on pre- and post-programme survey data from 50 civil engineering postdoctoral researchers across five UK universities, the study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining thematic analysis with descriptive statistics. Findings highlight the importance of aligning CDTP content with individual career aspirations, offering structured mentorship, and providing meaningful follow-up support. Additionally, the perceived attitudes of supervisors toward professional development were found to significantly shape researchers’ motivation and engagement. Based on these insights, the study informed the redesign of participating institutions’ CDTPs to incorporate learner-centred content, interactive learning strategies, and targeted mentoring. Post-programme evaluations indicated increased participant satisfaction, perceived relevance, and skill alignment, although confidence in achieving long-term career goals varied. This research offers empirically grounded recommendations for enhancing postdoctoral career development, advocating for programme customisation, supervisor engagement, and institutional strategies that reflect the complex realities of contemporary research careers. The findings contribute to ongoing discourse on postdoctoral support, providing actionable frameworks for institutions seeking to strengthen the professional trajectories of early career researchers.</p
Qualitative Systematic Review of Environmental Impact Reduction Strategies in the Construction Sector
No full textThis study comprehensively assesses strategies for mitigating adverse environmental impacts in the construction industry, addressing a critical knowledge gap. Using a qualitative systematic literature review covering studies from 1990 to 2023, 236 articles were screened, resulting in the analysis of 36 relevant papers. The findings emphasize the need for environmentally friendly construction practices for long-term sustainability, highlighting the growing interest in Green Energy (GE) and Regulation Control/Economic Incentive (RC/EI) strategies alongside traditional methods like Green Building (GB) and Green Construction (GC). The study's potential impact lies in informing policymaking, influencing industry practices, and inspiring innovative solutions to harmonize urban growth with environmental health. It acknowledges that environmental sustainability is now a vital necessity, not mere rhetoric. Through rigorous research methods and the identification of effective strategies, this study empowers stakeholders to promote greener practices in the construction industry for the benefit of both the sector and the global community.</p