A Critique on Discourse of Language Tests

In the 21st century, with the rise of the popularity of standardized or large-scale tests, their high-stakes have started to be apparent. High-stake tests are not new, but in most cases, their current use as social practice tends to shape individuals’ futures. Currently the new trend for their quality discussion aims to critically evaluate tests through the focus on their functions, use and power in their testing discourse, whereas traditionally what was included in this discussion was only their psychometric features. Regarding those tests as social practices, examining the functions, consequences and use of tests in their own discourses is at the heart of this new perspective. Driven by the tenet of such a critical perspective, this study aims to first provide a better understanding of ‘discourse of test’, and then describe the social dimensions comprising discourse of language tests. Finally, this study concludes with some suggestions for adapting a critical perspective to improve the discourse of tests and enhance their quality.

Effect of Aggregate Types on the Mechanical Properties of Traditional Concrete and Geopolymer Concrete

For the same concrete quality, different types of coarse aggregates may result in different mechanical properties. This paper presents a study on the effect of aggregate types on the mechanical properties of two concretes, namely, geopolymer concrete (GP) and traditional Portland cement (TC) concrete. The mechanical properties were investigated through several large-scale tests. Moreover, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and laser scanning microscope (LSM) images were obtained to study the microstructure of tested mixes. The results revealed that the aggregate type has different effects on the mechanical properties of TC and GP, as they were behaving opposite to quartz and limestone aggregates. Microstructure analysis further confirmed the growth of well-bonded regions between the paste and aggregate in the GP with limestone aggregates, and the formation of several weak interfacial zones in concrete mixtures made with quartz aggregates. It was concluded that the mechanical properties of GP are very sensitive to the stiffness of aggregate, concentrations of stress, and the physical and chemical reactions occurring in the interfacial transition zone which may lead to improved or weakened bond strength between paste and aggregates.

Review of large-scale fire tests on cross-laminated timber

Concerns about the environmental impact of building construction is leading to timber being more commonly used. However, it often faces scepticism regarding its safety in the event of fire. This article provides a point of reference on the fire performance of cross-laminated timber through a review of large-scale tests. Although adequately protecting CLT can make its contribution to fire insignificant, some of the internal surface of an enclosure can be exposed whilst still achieving adequate fire performance. Natural fire tests show that the charring rate and zero-strength layer thickness are higher than commonly used in guidance documents. The type of adhesive used to bond lamellae influences performance where delamination can lead to secondary flashovers, particularly in smaller enclosures. Structural elements can potentially collapse without self-extinction and/or suppression intervention. Tests to date have focussed on a residential context and knowledge gaps remain regarding larger enclosures, such as office-type buildings.

A Critique on Discourse of Language Tests

In the 21st century, with the rise of the popularity of standardized or large-scale tests, their high-stakes have started to be apparent. High-stake tests are not new, but in most cases, their current use as social practice tends to shape individuals’ futures. Currently the new trend for their quality discussion aims to critically evaluate tests through the focus on their functions, use and power in their testing discourse, whereas traditionally what was included in this discussion was only their psychometric features. Regarding those tests as social practices, examining the functions, consequences and use of tests in their own discourses is at the heart of this new perspective. Driven by the tenet of such a critical perspective, this study aims to first provide a better understanding of ‘discourse of test’, and then describe the social dimensions comprising discourse of language tests. Finally, this study concludes with some suggestions for adapting a critical perspective to improve the discourse of tests and enhance their quality.

Time-dependent scour processes on granular beds at large scale

A theoretical framework, based on the phenomenological theory of turbulence applied to scour-related processes due to plunging jets on cohesionless beds, is considered in this paper. More specifically, its predictive capability is assessed herein for large-scale domains, after it was developed for small scales elsewhere. The analysis focuses on both the time-evolution process and the equilibrium configuration for a wide range of hydraulic structures. After revisiting the theory for the temporal evolution of the scour processes, the scour for large-scale tests is investigated using unpublished experiments performed at Colorado State University by the last author. These tests confirm the existence of two stages in the scour hole development, namely the developing and developed phases. Thus, the scour dynamics at large scales is shown to be consistent with that at smaller scales. Then, the theory recently introduced by the first three authors is used to predict the time evolution of scour, corroborating that the very same equations, together with the same coefficients, provide successful predictions, regardless of scale and granulometric distribution. Finally, the theory is again verified against laboratory data on PK weirs obtained at the University of Pisa. Overall, the work described in the paper offers a tool with general validity.

Evaluation of Various Perimeter Barrier Products

Construction activities entail substantial disturbance of topsoil and vegetative cover. As a result, stormwater runoff and erosion rates are increased significantly. If the soil erosion and subsequently generated sediment are not contained within the site, they would have a negative off-site impact as well as a detrimental influence on the receiving water body. In this study, replicable large-scale tests were used to analyze the ability of products to prevent sediment from exiting the perimeter of a site via sheet flow. The goal of these tests was to compare products to examine how well they retain sediment and how much ponding occurs upstream, as well as other criteria of interest to the Illinois Department of Transportation. The products analyzed were silt fence, woven monofilament geotextile, Filtrexx Siltsoxx, ERTEC ProWattle, triangular silt dike, sediment log, coconut coir log, Siltworm, GeoRidge, straw wattles, and Terra-Tube. Joint tests and vegetated buffer strip tests were also conducted. The duration of each test was 30 minutes, and 116 pounds of clay-loam soil were mixed with water in a 300 gallon tank. The solution was continuously mixed throughout the test. The sediment-water slurry was uniformly discharged over an 8 ft by 20 ft impervious 3:1 slope. The bottom of the slope had a permeable zone (8 ft by 8 ft) constructed from the same soil used in the mixing. The product was installed near the center of this zone. Water samples were collected at 5 minute intervals upstream and downstream of the product. These samples were analyzed for total sediment concentration to determine the effectiveness of each product. The performance of each product was evaluated in terms of sediment removal, ponding, ease of installation, and sustainability.

On mechanical behaviour of clastic soils: numerical simulations and constitutive modelling

Clastic soil is ubiquitous in practice but still poses challenges for testing and modelling. Conventional laboratory tests with small sizes are not suitable for the large grain size, while large-scale tests and field tests are often too costly and time-consuming. In this paper, the mechanical behaviour of clastic soil is described by a hypoplastic constitutive model based on numerical simulations considering both the soil matrix and breccia. The numerical simulations indicate that the breccia content, gradation, and overconsolidation ratio have a significant influence on the strength, deformation, and failure pattern of the clastic soil. The coarse particles are found to change the stress path developed in the soil matrix and consequently influence the critical state of the soil matrix. Moreover, the coarse particle distribution based on computed tomography scan seems to have a larger impact than the breccia content for the failure pattern of the clastic soils.

Ladder drill portable: Agility tools for sports

The development of portable ladder drills as a medium for agility training has never been touched once. The ladder drill tool's mobile concept will make it easier for the trainer to use the device with a variety of varied agility training movements and can be used in more sports. Based on this, the research was carried out in an effort to make portable ladder drill training media that is useful as a medium for agility training. This research uses research and development level 3 methods. Product trials are conducted in three types: one on one practices with four respondents, small group trials worked with five respondents athletes, students majoring in Sports Education FKIP Riau University, and large-scale tests. They worked on 11 athletes KONI and Dispora Riau Province. The data analysis technique used in this research is the quantitative descriptive analysis technique. Furthermore, data collection techniques using a questionnaire (questionnaire). The results of this study indicate that: assessments made by material experts, media experts, one-on-one trials, small-scale trials, and large-scale trials are above 83 percent. Based on this study's results, it can be concluded that the Development of Portable Ladder Drills is declared feasible as a medium to increase agility by sports actors. Considering that this development still has shortcomings, future research recommendations are related to providing cheaper and more functional product materials in terms of equipment installation efficiency.