1,721,188 research outputs found
Sustainable Pavement Engineering and Road Materials
No full textOne of the most topical research areas currently concerns the identification and improvement of technologies against climate change, environmental pollution, exploitation of natural resources, and the economic crisis [...
Polemical Social Representations in Social Media: “Snapchat Dysmorphia”
No full textIntroduction. On social media, it’s possible to create a personal online identity, even very different from the real one. Scientific literature indicates that in some cases there may be a risk of incurring serious problems, such, for example the Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). BDD regarding the use of filters to edit the body image is called “Snapchat Dysmorphia.
Theoretical background. The Social Representations Theory (SRT) -even if it was formulated during the last century- can be used to read and to interpret emerging phenomena like “Snapchat Dysmorphia”.
Aims. The purpose of the research is to analyze the communication about “Snapchat Dysmorphia”, identifying which type of post (written post, photo or video) is the most common among the hashtags considered, the words and the emoticons used in the captions on the three main social media (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter).
Hypotheses. During the first step of the research, and behind the choice of the #, there were some expectations.
- The comparison between the representations of the real body and of the edited body (H1);
- The rejection of the imperfect body, far away from the beauty standard stereotypes (H2);
- The promotion of the acceptance of imperfections, following the body positivity movement (H3).
Method. Through the use of six hashtags (snapchat dysmorphia, beauty standard, Instagram reality, selfie dysmorphia, filter no filter, unrealistic beauty standard), the contribution analyses posts published in English on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter in 2021. The analysis were made with the IRAMUTEQ software and the result was the Descending Hierarchical Classification (DHC).
Results. The DHC produced six classes: comparison between the own body and the others’ body; comparison between the real body and the edited body; positive value dimension; negative emotional/value dimension; stereotypes of beauty; filter and edited body parts. The results show key elements of the S.R.T.: the emotions, the values, the attitudes and the stereotypes of snapchat dysmorphia.
Impacts of the work. Because of the close bond between social representations and practices, the study, in its application value, supports the body positivity actions aimed at reducing the spread of “Snapchat Dysmorphia”
Recycling of reclaimed fibers from end-of-life tires in hot mix asphalt
No full textNowadays, the disposal of end-of-life tires (ELT) is worldwide one of the major concerns for the environment as well as for public health. Crumb rubber and steel wires, the main by-products (in terms of weight) deriving from the ELT processing, can be recycled in several ways. However, the textile fiber, representing about 10% of the waste by weight, is typically not reused and ends up in landfills or incinerators. The present paper deals with the use of reclaimed fibers from ELT in hot mix asphalt (HMA), with the aim to improve its performance. The study included the preliminary characterization of the fiber through microscope observation and Fourier trans form infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and then the investigation of the mechanical properties of HMA containing ELT fibers, in comparison with an ordinary HMA with no fibers. In particular, indirect tensile strength (ITS), indirect tensile stiffness modulus (ITSM), semi-circular bending (SCB), three point bending (3PB) and indirect tensile fatigue (ITF) tests were carried out. The results showed that the use of ELT fibers does not reflect in a significant improvement in terms of strength and stiffness properties. However, the ELT fibers determine a noticeable increase of the HMA resistance to fatigue, probably related to the ability of the fibers in sewing the micro-crack edges and contrasting the macro-crack opening
Analysis of different reclaimed asphalt pavements to assess the potentiality of RILEM cohesion test
No full textIn the last years, RILEM Technical Committee 237-SIB proposed a new test protocol for reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) characterization, the cohesion test, with the goal to facilitate the identification of the most suitable solution for the recycling within new pavement layers. However, this procedure actually allows discriminating between different RAP sources but it does not exactly indicate the effective “activity” of the binder in the RAP.The present paper deals with the analysis of different RAP materials through the RILEM cohesion test. In particular, two “young” RAPs, different in composition and milled immediately after being laid, were aged in the laboratory and tested at different ageing levels. Moreover, an in-site aged RAP was tested as reference, either in neat conditions or after being sprayed with a rejuvenator. The results showed that the actual cohesion test approach, based on the evaluation of the indirect tensile strength (ITS), is not able to distinguish between RAP binders with stiff-brittle behaviour or good residual binding properties (despite the first is an unwanted condition while the second is a desired condition, both of them determine an increase in ITS). Differently, the Cracking Tolerance Index (CT Index) defined by ASTM D8225-19 can emphasize the RAP bitumen ductility and highlight any residual binding and adhesive properties. For this reason, a RILEM cohesion test improvement is proposed by including the CT Index calculation in the analysis
Resilient grandparents in times of a pandemic: living in partnership|Nonni resilienti in tempo di pandemia: vivere in cordata!
No full textThe problem under consideration. This contribution refers to the studies conducted by the Generational Encounters Laboratory and by the A.R.I.P.T.Fo.R.P. more recently in the perspectives of social psychology and aging to address the problem of the pandemic as rift generated in the time axis. The social representations and practices of the elderly regarding an evolving society - between past, present and future - are analyzed by reading the results in the light of the reference theories (Mead, 1934; Moscovici, 1961/1976; Markus, 1977) and in an intergenerational perspective.Participants. In this first phase of the survey, 56 semi-structured interviews were collected for residents in some contexts in Northern Italy (38 in the cities of Milan, Bergamo, Brescia and Lecco) and in the Center (18 in the cities of Arezzo, Viterbo, Rome).Objective. The objective of the exploratory research is to reconstruct the experiences, emotions, attitudes - in synthesis the social representations (Moscovici, 1961/1976, 1984, 1988, 2000, 2001) and the practices of the over 65 before, during and after the pandemic in different Italian territorial contexts.Method. The interview is the tool that was selected with the aim of reconstructing the representations and social practices of the participants. The semi-structured interview outline was built ad hoc for research and is divided into three sections concerning the social representations and practices of the elderly before, during and after the Coronavirus. The analyzes were conducted using the IRAMUTEQ software for Descending Hierarchical Analysis (Camargo and Justo, 2013).Main results. Despite the numerous difficulties deriving from the pandemic, the results of the research highlight the presence of positive social representations that include the example of the parents and grandparents of the interviewees, responsible and strong in facing the difficulties and hardships that characterized the reconstruction after World War II. The memory of the resilient elderly (past self of society - Mead, 1934; Markus, 1977 enriches the cognitive and emotional baggage of those farsighted young people (present self) who will accept the challenge of "living in cordata"! This is the metaphor that, in the light of the Theory of Social Representations, helps to anchor and objectify the pact between generations" - deriving from the wisdom of grandparents - suitable for building a rich and consolidated future self of society.Conclusions and future perspectives. Studying how the elderly represent cognitively and how they emotionally deal with the particular historical moment has been relevant in an intergenerational psycho-social perspective. The strength of the research is precisely this point of view. The interest in the results obtained suggests expanding the collection of data, also improving the research methodology to promote representativeness. Applications. The research could also catch the attention of a wider audience in addition to the academic one, encouraging the opening of spaces for reflection on the importance of intergenerational social connections. The proposal that derives directly from the research results is that of the activation of intergenerational social laboratories (on the model of the one already active in Viterbo) in which the different generations can confront, structuring a dialogue in favor of the pact between generations
La comunicazione sulla mobilità sostenibile: un’indagine esplorativa sui social network
No full textL’obiettivo del volume è di raccogliere riflessioni sul tema della mobilità sostenibile, e riassumere in uno stesso contesto la grande mole di materiale di ricerca (sitografica, bibliografica ed empirica), raccolta nel corso degli anni, affinché questa possa costituire, a sua volta, il punto di partenza dei nostri lavori futuri. Il gruppo di ricerca, composto da psicologici e sociologi, ha mirato ad analizzare il tema delle scelte sostenibili delle persone attraverso una prospettiva multi-teorica e multi-metodo, nella convinzione che la comprensione del fenomeno nella sua complessità richieda approcci non solo multidisciplinari, ma anche multi-settoriali. La peculiarità di queste ricerche è stata, quindi, quella di aver sperimentato diversi modelli teorici psicologici e sociologici (dalla teoria degli atteggiamenti, alla teoria delle Rappresentazioni Sociali, alla communication research) e approcci metodologici (quantitativi e qualitativi) per indagare gli orientamenti dei cittadini (in termini di valori, atteggiamenti, credenze, rappresentazioni) verso l’adozione di stili più sostenibili di spostamento. Particolare attenzione è stata anche dedicata ad approfondire i fattori psicologici e sociali che influenzano l’adozione della mobilità ciclistica nei contesti urbani, e alla ricostruzione del quadro di contesto a livello macro-sociale (normative di riferimento e strategie politiche). L’obiettivo di questi lavori è stato da un lato quello di accrescere le conoscenze scientifiche sull’argomento, costruendo strumenti di indagine teorico-metodologici adeguati, e, dall’altro, identificare questioni e temi chiave che potessero informare gli urbanisti impegnati nella progettazione di politiche e infrastrutture più sostenibili nei contesti urbani
Influence of reclaimed asphalt on mechanical characteristics of cement-bitumen treated materials.
No full textCold recycling techniques have become one of the main sustainable solutions in road construction and maintenance. The use of reclaimed asphalt (RA) as a constituent material for bound mixtures offers two main advantages: it eliminates problems concerning disposal and it allows natural resources to be preserved. RA must be considered a real construction material and it has to be accurately selected for any specific use. Currently, engineers and technicians are eager to exploit the use of RA in construction and maintenance planning, but the lack of a clear understanding of RA effects on the performance of the mixture requires a detailed investigation. Among the most widespread recycled mixtures, the use of cement-bitumen treated materials (CBTM) for subbase courses has rapidly increased over the last 10 years. In particular bitumen can be ntroduced in the form of foam or emulsion and the aggregate blend may contain RA. This paper deals with the influence of RA content on the mechanical characteristics of CBTM. Several mixtures were produced by combining different dosages of binders (cement and bituminous emulsion) and RA contents. The behavior of recycled mixtures was evaluated and compared in terms of indirect tensile strength, water sensitivity and stiffness modulus. In addition, the effects of temperature on the stiffness properties were investigated. The findings offer good prospects for increasing the use of RA and encourage administrations to employ this material as an effective construction solution
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