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Mechanical behaviour and durability assessment of Fibre Reinforced Cementitious Matrix (FRCM) strengthening systems.
No full textIn recent years, the seismic vulnerability of existing masonry buildings has been underscored by the destructive impacts of earthquakes. Therefore, Fibre Reinforced Cementitious Matrix (FRCM) retrofitting systems have gained prominence due to their high strength-to-weight ratio, compatibility with substrates, and potential reversibility. However, concerns linger regarding the durability of these systems when subjected to long-term environmental conditions.
This doctoral dissertation addressed these concerns by studying the effects of mild temperature variations on three FRCM systems, featuring basalt, glass, and aramid fibre textiles with lime-based mortar matrices. The study subjected various specimens, including mortar triplets, bare textile specimens, FRCM coupons, and single-lap direct shear wallets, to thermal exposure. A novel approach utilizing embedded thermocouple sensors facilitated efficient monitoring and active control of the conditioning process. A shift in the failure modes was obtained in the single lap-direct shear tests, alongside a significant impact on tensile capacity for both textiles and FRCM coupons.
Subsequently, bond tests results were used to indirectly calibrate an analytical approach based on mode-II fracture mechanics. A comparison between Cohesive Material Law (CML) functions at various temperatures was conducted for each of the three systems, demonstrating a good agreement between the analytical model and experimental curves.
Furthermore, the durability in alkaline environment of two additional FRCM systems, characterized by basalt and glass fibre textiles with lime-based mortars, was studied through an extensive experimental campaign. Tests conducted on single yarn and textile specimens after exposure at different durations and temperatures revealed a significant impact on tensile capacity. Additionally, FRCM coupons manufactured with conditioned textile were tested to understand the influence of aged textile and curing environment on the final tensile behavior. These results contributed significantly to the existing knowledge on FRCM systems and could be used to develop a standardized alkaline testing protocol, still lacking in the scientific literature
Disorders of arousal: a physiopathological window to explore the mechanisms regulating sleep arousal
No full textDisorders of Arousal (DoA) belong to NREM parasomnias and are characterized by motor and emotional episodes arising from incomplete awakenings from NREM sleep. DoA episodes embody at the same time the double nature of the arousal process, that is preserving sleep as well as respond to sleep perturbations, thus being an ideal model to study sleep arousal.
In the first part of this work, we performed a spectral whole scalp EEG analysis exploring the neurophysiologic correlates of the pre-motor onset of the episodes in a large sample of patients with DoA, disclosing the co-existence of both slow and fast EEG frequencies over overlapping areas before DoA episodes, suggesting an alteration of local sleep mechanisms. Episodes of different complexity were preceded by a similar EEG activation, implying that they possibly share a similar pathophysiology. In the second part of this work, we performed a spectral whole scalp EEG analysis comparing the pre-motor onset of the episodes and normal arousals from healthy sleepers, disclosing the persistence of slow frequencies as well as sigma band (expression of sleep spindles) in DoA episodes. Overall, these results might subtend a higher tendence to preserve sleep and a more defective mechanism toward developing a complete arousal in patients with DoA. In the last part of our work, we evaluated 15 patients with DoA with 15 controls in a functional MRI study during wakefulness in addition to a proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) focused on cingulate cortex. We disclosed subtle alterations on posterior cingulate cortex as well as an increased connectivity in sensory-motor network, possibly representing a trait-functional feature responsible for the dysfunctional arousal process in DoA patient
Marketplace inclusivity and accessibility for people with disabilities
No full textThis Ph.D. dissertation uncovers novel and insidious hurdles that may undermine societal and corporate efforts to make the marketplace more accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities. It offers a novel consumer-based explanation for why people with disabilities, both as employees and consumers, may receive unfavorable outcomes in the marketplace. In the first chapter, we review the literature about consumers' perceptions of employees with disabilities, and we highlight significant gaps and findings. In the second chapter, we document a NIMBY effect (Not in my backyard), such that mass market consumers react positively (negatively) to companies that hire service employees with disabilities (when they have to use the service themselves). This project illustrates how consumer reactions toward companies that hire employees with disabilities may discourage employers from hiring people with disabilities as service employees. In the third chapter, we demonstrate that companies are penalized by mass market consumers when they develop and launch innovative products using value-based pricing targeted at consumers with disabilities. As mass market consumers experience pity toward people with disabilities, they expect companies to serve consumers with disabilities at lower prices. This potential backlash may limit the commercial potential of pursuing this segment for firms, ironically leaving consumers with disabilities with more limited choices
University internships in General State Administration in Spain: a stepping stone for public employment?
No full textEl estudio que abordamos atañe a la vocación de los jóvenes, al magisterio de las universidades y a la contratación de servidores públicos. La adscripción circunstancial de esta investigación al área del derecho de la función pública lo es en la medida que la ordenación de los aspectos recién enumerados ofrece un panorama coyuntural, normativo y sociológico que permite extraer ciertas conclusiones de interés desde la perspectiva del derecho público. El análisis nos permitirá dar una respuesta razonable al siguiente interrogante, que fundamenta los esfuerzos de este trabajo, a saber: ¿aumenta el interés por el empleo público si los jóvenes se aproximan a él durante su paso por la Universidad?
El punto de partida en este trabajo lo constituyen los jóvenes, como sujetos maleables, portadores de una personalidad en construcción y dueños aparentes de su voluntad para afrontar su destino vital. En el curso de la maduración de sus ideas, actitudes e intereses, les serán sugeridos, con mayor o menor intensidad, distintos estímulos de forma que, llegado el trance de tomar las riendas de su porvenir, hayan sido las experiencias previas las que les permitan hacer una elección coherente con su concepción de la vida. Es en este punto donde emerge la institución de las prácticas académicas externas, la cual viene a beneficiarse de la labor llevada a cabo por los estudiosos de la función pública, ya que se encuentra implícita en las investigaciones relativas al acceso al empleo público.
Nos interesa conocer la influencia que ejercen en el joven factores explícitamente ideados para conducir la voluntad hacia el desempeño de una labor de servicio público. Y ya nos atrevemos a apuntar que, entre estos factores, las universidades se erigen en auténticas modeladoras de vocaciones de servicio público, con la responsabilidad trascendental de engendrar los servidores públicos del mañana.Questa ricerca riguarda la vocazione dei giovani, l'insegnamento nelle università e il reclutamento dei dipendenti pubblici. L'ascrizione circostanziale di questo studio all'ambito del diritto del pubblico impiego ha significato nella misura in cui l'organizzazione degli aspetti sopra elencati offre un panorama congiunturale, normativo e sociologico che permette di trarre alcune conclusioni interessanti dal punto di vista del diritto pubblico. L'analisi permetterà di fornire una risposta ragionevole alla seguente domanda, che è alla base degli sforzi del presente lavoro, ovvero: l'interesse per il pubblico impiego aumenta se i giovani vi si avvicinano durante il periodo universitario?
Il punto di partenza di questo studio è rappresentato dai giovani, in quanto soggetti malleabili, con una personalità in costruzione e apparentemente padroni della volontà di affrontare il proprio destino di vita. Nel corso della maturazione delle idee, delle attitudini e degli interessi dei giovani, verranno loro suggeriti stimoli diversi, con maggiore o minore intensità, in modo che, quando arriverà il momento di prendere le redini del loro futuro, saranno le esperienze precedenti a permettere loro di fare una scelta coerente con la propria concezione di vita. È a questo punto che emerge l'istituto del tirocinio universitario, che beneficia del lavoro svolto dagli studiosi del reclutamento dei dipendenti pubblici, essendo implicito nella ricerca riguardante l'accesso al pubblico impiego.
È interessante conoscere l'influenza esercitata sui giovani da fattori destinati a condurli verso lo svolgimento di una carriera presso la pubblica amministrazione. In questo senso, le università danno realmente forma alle vocazioni del servizio pubblico, con la responsabilità trascendentale di formare i dipendenti pubblici di domani.This research concerns the vocation of young people, the education in universities and the recruitment of civil servants. The ascription of this research to the area of civil service law is circumstantial as the organisation of the aspects listed above offers a conjunctural, normative and sociological panorama that allows us to draw certain interesting conclusions from the perspective of public law. The analysis will allow to provide a reasonable answer to the following question, which underpins the efforts of this study, namely: does the interest in public employment increase if young people approach it during their university period?
The starting point of this work is represented by young people, as malleable subjects, with a personality under construction, apparently masters of their will to face their vital destiny. In the course of the maturation of their ideas, attitudes and interests, different stimuli will be suggested to them, with more or less intensity, so that, when arrives the time for them to take the reins of their future, their previous experiences will enable them to make a choice that is coherent with their conception of life. It is right at this point that the institution of university internships emerges, which benefits from the work carried out by scholars of the civil service, since it is implicit in the research on access to public employment.
We are interested in understanding the influence exerted on young people by factors designed to lead them towards the performance of a public service carrier. In this sense, universities are the true shapers of public service vocations, with the transcendental responsibility of engendering the public servants of tomorrow
Shareholder monitoring of management and equal information in joint-stock companies
No full textLa ricerca si propone di identificare e risolvere le problematiche sottese al controllo gestorio dei soci nelle imprese azionarie in riferimento ai rapporti con il principio di parità informativa, offrendone un quadro sistematico. Anzitutto, dopo avere approfondito il peculiare concetto del controllo dei soci sull’amministrazione, si fornisce una ricostruzione causale del fenomeno, muovendo dalla necessità di chiarire il modo in cui vengono a inquadrarsi rispetto all’assemblea degli azionisti le questioni attinenti alla parità informativa che si pongono esternamente a tale organo. A essere esaminato è poi il controllo extrassembleare tipizzato, dimostrando che neppure esso sia in grado di colmare i limiti intrinseci dell’assise assembleare, con la correlata esigenza di definire lo statuto del controllo asimmetrico. La parità informativa, intesa nella sua portata multi-ordinamentale, è pertanto studiata dapprima nella propria dimensione interna, cercando di comprendere come possano conciliarsi le differenti declinazioni che la regola paritaria assume, a seconda che la si collochi nel diritto societario generale oppure in quello speciale dei mercati finanziari. Infine, da una prospettiva esterna al detto principio e mediante l’ausilio di una tassonomia che consente di valutare la distinzione delle soluzioni in base all’oggetto dell’informazione e al soggetto, ponendo a sistema queste variabili, si ricercano delle deroghe, tanto nella forma del dovere gestorio di interloquire con certi azionisti, quanto in quella della semplice facoltà. Le conclusioni si pongono nel senso che la parità informativa, estremamente rigida in ambito assembleare, inizi a vacillare nel contesto extrassembleare per perseguire altri e più alti obiettivi, quali il successo sostenibile attraverso l’impegno a lungo termine degli investitori istituzionali. L’intendimento di fondo del lavoro è quello di rivestire di giuridicità tutte queste diffuse prassi, affermandone in parte la legittimità, seppure con molte e articolate precisazioni.The research aims to identify and resolve the problems underlying the shareholder monitoring of management in joint-stock companies related to the principle of equal information, offering a systematic framework. First of all, after having explored the peculiar concept of member control over the administration, a causal reconstruction of the phenomenon is provided, starting from the need to clarify, with respect to the shareholders’ meeting, the way in which issues relating to information equality are framed outside of this corporate body. Periodic and continuous information is then examined, demonstrating that not even it is capable of bridging the intrinsic limits of the aforementioned meeting, with the related necessity to define the discipline of asymmetric control. Information parity, conceived in its multi-dimensional scope, is therefore first studied in an internal level, trying to understand how the different implementations that the equality rule assumes can be reconciled, depending on whether it is placed in general corporate law or in special financial markets one. Finally, from an external perspective to the principle already drawn and with the help of a taxonomy that allows us to evaluate the distinction of the solutions based on the object of the information and on its subject, by placing these variables in a system, exemptions are sought, both in the form of the managerial duty to communicate with certain shareholders, as well as that of the simple faculty. The conclusions are in the sense that the principle of equal information, extremely stiff in the meeting context, begins to falter in the extra-meeting field to pursue other and higher achievements, such as sustainable success through the long-term commitment of institutional investors. The underlying intention of the doctoral dissertation is to assess the legitimacy of all these widespread practices, given a partially affirmative answer, albeit with many detailed clarifications
Affirming social rights: balancing in the constitutional courts of Germany, Italy and Portugal
No full textThis thesis reviews the acrobatic trajectories of social rights theory, expanding on two core assumptions: (i) the common law jurisdictions’ fetishism, largely along the lines of transformative and/or post-colonial constitutionalism, is liable to miss the historical trajectories underlying the question sociale and to favour a haves-versus-have-nots type of narrative that under-represents the integrative premises of social constitutionalism; and (ii) to this day, the best account of the intricacies and ramifications of social rights theory shall be found in Jeff King’s Judging Social Rights.
Drawing from the vicious under-representation of the continental European experience with the theoretical complexities inherent in the judicial cognisance of socio-economic rights, I revisit constitutional theory by reference to the specific issue of the interpretative positioning of constitutional courts vis-à-vis the state action problem. To this end, I rely on a tripartite comparative inquiry into the constitutional orders of Italy, Germany and Portugal to test judicial incrementalism as a descriptively and normatively accurate heuristic for social rights adjudication for the considered case studies.
In Chapter Three, I finally proceed to contrast judicial incrementalism’s reticence on the intensity of the judicial engagement with constitutional values and principles with the judicial treatment of the question sociale before the constitutional courts of Italy, Germany and Portugal. The inquiry exhibits two distinct models, that I conceptualise as fundamental rights essentialism and dignitarian existentialism and which, in turn, correspond to different gradations of the judicial rejection of the value-neutrality of the state and to universalist leniencies in the reconciliation of liberal and social constitutionalism
Study of the effect of biodegradable plastics on soil fertility
No full textBiodegradable materials for agriculture represent a tool which can reduce the dispersion of plastic waste in the environment.The use of biodegradabe mulch film (BDM) in agronomical practices has grown over time, but still some doubts on their environmental suitability are perceived and represent a barrier for their further adoption. This work aims to study what could be the impact of BDMs on soil, examining relevant aspects related to soil functionality, and in particular the effects on soil microbial biomass and activity, on the biogeochemical cycles, on soil aggregates and N cycle and enzymatic activities. Together with the laboratory experiments, the study analyzed the presence of microplastics derived from long-term use of BDMs and the effects on soil functionality in real field conditions in soils exposed and not exposed to bioplastics. The outputs of showed that the effects induced by bioplastic loads corresponding to realistic bioplastic doses (from 0.01 to 0.1% w/w) were comparable to those of the control (soil with no bioplastic) in terms of C and N cycles, and physiochemical properties. On the contrary, higher bioplastic loads (1% w/w) strongly affected the C and N cycles, increased the mineralization and the immobilization of available N (priming effect), as a result of a strong imbalance in C/N. In real field conditions no effects were induced by the continuous use of biodegradable plastic mulch either on soil functionality parameters or in terms of accumulation of permanent particles (microplastics) derived from BDMs. This study represents one of the first analysis performed in real field conditions with a long-term perspective. Overall, the results obtained demonstrated that the use of overloading quantities of bioplastics greatly exceeding the real usage dose, do not help in the understanding the potential impacts of these materials, but on the contrary create artefacts leading to incorrect conclusions
The corners of form. Politics at the boundary: the perimeters of western architecture and art, 1988–2008.
No full textThe phenomenon of architectural icons, first emerging at the end of the 1980s between the United States and Europe, can be historically situated in line with a postmodern perception of architecture as a formal and artistic means of liberation from its own past. “Architecture’s value no longer lay in its redemptive social power [...] but rather in its communicative power as a cultural object,” in its form, acquiring meaning independently from its social, political, or even physical context.
Interestingly enough, the 1990s witnessed the wake of antagonistic and socially orientated artistic movements expressed through artistic practices actively questioning the architectural perimeter of museums, their spaces and their power, through the contextualization of art beyond institutions and within the social fabric, and through the formlessness of events, performances, and pieces.
It could be expected that the fresh architectural discourse emphatically opposing icons would, similarly, follow a course of recontextualization and extrovercy. However, the discourse advocating for an architecture of the neutral and the rational condensed both the creative and the political responsibilities of architecture into 'form.' The claim towards the political is assessed in this research by situating the discourse of autonomy not in opposition, as proclaimed by its authors, but rather in continuity to the iconic architecture preceding it.
Situating the shift of architectural discourse at the turn of the millennium, the chronology of the research spans from 1988 to 2008. Within this time-frame, the evolving relation between form and politics is examined through architectural examples and theoretical texts, as well as through artistic currents. By means of this parallel, the idea that “formal language [can] be politically [...] relevant from within its specific constraints” is dismantled, not in the scope of diminishing the relation of architecture to form, but of questioning the presumed relation of form to the political
Conservation of built heritage: preservation of challenging carbonate substrates by phosphate treatments
No full textThe present research aimed at: i) optimizing the ammonium phosphate-based (DAP) formulations for protection and consolidation on marble, assess ii) interaction of DAP with salt-contaminated substrates; iii) durability of DAP in comparison with a common consolidant for carbonate substrates, the nanolimes (NL); iv) performance of different DAP formulations on “fresco” mock-ups in comparison with NL.
The formulation optimization was investigated by comparing a low concentrated solution with solvents addition and pH increasing to a more concentrated solution. The results indicated that the most concentrated solution led to significantly higher bulk mechanical properties, while the low concentration led to comparable or superior improvements for superficial layer consolidation, with potential economic and environmental advantages.
The second aim compared DAP with NL on lime-mortars pre-contaminated with sodium sulfate. The results highlighted that DAP outperformed NL with salt contamination; DAP consolidating effectiveness increased and carbonated hydroxyapatite (HAP) formed.
Moreover, lime-mortars durability was assessed by subjecting the samples to freeze-thaw and salt crystallization cycles. The DAP treatment showed significant improvements in comparison with NL, both immediately after consolidation and after aging. The DAP improved mechanical properties with the formation of new calcium phosphates (CaP). Finally, the most performing formulations were used for “fresco” mock-ups consolidation and compared with NL and NL pre-treated (as calcium source) DAP formulation to assess whether CaP might form without color and phase variation. HAP was found for the condition with NL pre-treatment that presented the highest mechanical properties improvements for bulk consolidation, even though the final layer might be optimized. In addition, the low concentrated DAP formulation led to highest superficial mechanical properties improvement, together with the best color preservation for all the pigments.
To conclude, the research successfully achieved the proposed aims, providing valuable guidance for conservators and restorers in consciously choosing the most suitable consolidant for calcium-rich substrates
Micro-foundations of knowledge transfer: an interactional approach to innovation in boundary organizations.
No full textThis dissertation explores how social interactions within specific boundary organizations (BOs) included in universities’ Third Mission: Knowledge Transfer Offices (KTOs) impact the knowledge shared with society. While new activities and unseen actors continuously shape how universities contribute to society, theorists continue to collect missing pieces to the puzzle of universities’ impact on society, neglecting the relational aspect. This dissertation adopts a relational approach to knowledge transfer and examines three projects undertaken by the KTO of a top-ranked European university. The first longitudinal case study takes a longer-term view. It offers a contextualized analysis of the interactions that shaped the creation and implementation of the university makerspace, run by the KTO. It shows how materiality hinders and facilitates decision-making that potentially impacts the innovation developed inside that space. The second exploratory case study of a digitalized hackathon adopts a micro approach following the creation and development of nine digital objects actors use to engage and sustain collaboration during a hackathon. This study shows how the objects acted as a system and how their form, content, and medium changed through the process and according to the different functions they pursued. It portrays a dynamic view of material objects as carriers of knowledge and situational traces that ultimately shaped the innovative output of the project. The third case study takes a fine-grained approach, combining video-ethnography, conversation analysis, and micro-sociology to trace the second-by-second interactions unfolding in a meeting where a project takes an unexpected turn. The findings highlight a micro-interactional process of creative re-framing that we label ‘emotional scaffolding’ by which team members build a positive emotional mood while connecting existing and new ideas into a new solution.
Finally, this thesis discusses the contributions to innovation management beyond traditional university knowledge transfer approaches and the scholarship unpacking situated interactions