SEISMIC VULNERABILITY OF REINFORCED CONCRETE BRIDGES IN PAKISTAN

Different researchers have performed seismic hazard assessment studies for Pakistan using faults sources which differ from Building Code of Pakistan (BCP 2007) with diverse standard deviations. The results of seismic hazard studies indicate that BCP requires gross revision considering micro and macro level investigations. The recent earthquakes in Pakistan also damaged bridge structures and some studies have been conducted by different researchers to investigate capacity of existing bridges. The most of bridge stock in Pakistan has been designed assuming seismic loads as 2%, 4% and 6% of dead loads following West Pakistan Code of Practice for Highway Bridges. The capacity of eight selected real bridges, two from each seismic zone 2A, 2B, 3 & 4 is checked against BCP demands. Static and dynamic analyses were performed and the piers were checked for elastic limits. It is established that piers are on lower side in capacity and the bridges in zone 2A are generally less vulnerable. Whereas the bridges in zone 2B, 3 and 4 are vulnerable from medium to very high level. Hence, an in-depth analytical vulnerability study of bridge stock particularly in high-risk zone needs to be conducted on priority and appropriate seismic retrofitting schemes need to be proposed.

Evaluation of Static Pile Load Test Results of Ultimate Bearing Capacity by Interpreting Methods

in geotechnical engineering, foundation piles are ideal for deep foundations that cannot bear higher loads. This architectural expansion places a great deal of responsibility on the engineer to anticipate the appropriate load for the constructor. Unfortunately, calculations of the pile’s bearing capacity are not accessible. It has always been a source of concern for geotechnical engineers, as the structure’s safety depends on the pile’s bearing capacity and gives it a safe value. These research tests are previously known pile load test data from several locations in Nasiriyah to determine the ultimate load-carrying capacity using various interpreting methodologies. A database that was used to test the pile load for three different areas in Nasiriyah, southern Iraq: The Main Drain River Bridge Project, the Al-Eskan Interchange Project, and the Al-Hawra Hospital, as determined by analytical methods, as well as evaluating the final loading values resulting from the methods used, by ASTM D-1143, American and British Standard Code of Practice BS 800. The final capacity for the pile bearing is estimated using these approaches, which are depicted in the form of a graph-based on field data. Chin-Kondner and Brinch Hansen algorithms anticipate the highest failure load for all piles based on the comparison. On average, Chin–Kondner’s ultimate load is 22% higher than Hansen’s maximum load for the 22 pile load tests. Decourt and DeBeer, and Mazurkiewicz’s techniques yielded the closest average failure load. Buttler-Hoy approach yielded the smallest failure load.

The Determination of Indoor Air Quality and Thermal Comfort with Different Space and Ventilation in the Teracce and Bungalow Houses

This study observed the influence of different ventilation, indoor and outdoor activities (i.e., cooking, praying, sweeping, gathering, and exhaust from motorcycle) between a bungalow house (i.e., stack and cross ventilation applications) and a terrace house (i.e., one-sided ventilation application). We appraised the indoor air quality (IAQ) and thermal comfort. We monitored the indoor air contaminants (i.e., TVOC, CO, CH2O, PM10, O3, and CO2) and specific physical parameters (i.e., T, RH, and AS) for four days in the morning (i.e., 6.00 a.m. – 9.00 a.m.), morning-evening (i.e., 11.00 a.m. – 2.00 p.m.), and evening-night (i.e., 5.00 p.m. – 8.00 p.m.) sessions. The results found that cooking activities are the major activities that contributed to the increase of the TVOC, CO, PM10, O3, and CO2 concentrations in the bungalow and terrace houses. However, IAQ exceeded the Industry Code of Practice on IAQ (ICOP) limit in the terrace house. The bungalow house applies stack and cross ventilation, double area, and a long pathway of indoor air contaminants movements. Besides that, the results indicated that cooking activities worsen the ventilation system because CO2 exceeded the ICOP limit on Day 2 at 74.1 % (evening-night session) and Day 3 at 13.2 % (morning session), 11% (morning-evening session), and 50.1 % (evening-night session). Moreover, the combination of mechanical (i.e., opened all fans) and natural ventilation (i.e., opened all doors, windows, and fans) is the best application in the house without a cooking ventilator with lower indoor air movement. Furthermore, the temperatures exceeding the ICOP limit of 23-26 °C for both bungalow and terrace houses could be lower indoor air movement, which is less than the ICOP limit of 0.15-0.5 m/s and high outdoor air temperature. Therefore, it is prudent to have an efficient ventilation system for acceptable indoor air quality and thermal comfort in the family house.

Combating Disinformation in the European Union: Legal Aspects

Today, both Ukraine and European countries are subject to disinformation and foreign intervention in their domestic policies. Each democracy no matter its geography experiences its distinct vulnerabilities and respectively, reactions to foreign interference. It should be stated, the immediate responses to such challenges in most Western countries have been rare and sluggish, hampered by legal constraints and bureaucracy, and furthermore, they lacked a real political awareness of the problem or proof of its further impact. Foreign actors are increasingly using disinformation strategies to influence public debate, stir controversy and interfere in democratic decision-making. Responding to these new challenges, the European Commission has introduced a set of actions and tools to better regulate the digital ecosystem of the media and its participants, in particular, the formation and improvement of the legal framework to combat disinformation in the European information space. The researcher’s focus revolves around the European Union’s comprehensive approach to vigorous combating misinformation. The research data prove that since 2015, the EU has adopted a number of regulations to counter this information threat and the potential effects of foreign interference. In particular, in 2016 the EU adopted a document “Joint Framework on countering hybrid threats, a European Union response”, and “Action Plan against Disinformation”, respectively in 2018. These documents provide a baseline for understanding the diverse types of challenges other countries face and how they are addressing them. Consequently, a number of initiatives and projects of the European institutions, and the first worldwide self-regulatory “EU Code of Practice on Disinformation” issued in 2018 on a voluntary basis, have become main pillars of the EU. The Code identifies issues related to ensuring the transparency of political advertising, strengthening efforts to close active counterfeits. accounts, enabling users to report misinformation and access various news sources, while improving the visibility and reliability of authoritative content; enabling the research community to monitor disinformation on the Internet through access to these platforms, compatible with the confidentiality signed by the largest Internet platforms and social media (Google, Facebook, Twitter and Mozilla) in the framework of WMC self-regulation activities. It should be noted that the implementation of the “European Union Code of Practice on Countering Disinformation” has yielded ambiguous fruits. Self-regulation was the first logical and necessary step, but few stakeholders were fully satisfied with the process or its outcome, significant challenges remain for building trust through industry, governments, academia and civil society engagement.

Code of practice for medical autopsies: a minimum standard position paper for pathology departments performing medical (hospital) autopsies in adults

The medical autopsy (also called hospital or clinical autopsy) is a highly specialised medical procedure, which requires professional expertise and suitably equipped facilities. To ensure high standards of performance, the Working Group of Autopsy Pathology of the European Society of Pathology (ESP) suggests a code of practice as a minimum standard for centres performing medical autopsies. The proposed standards exclusively address autopsies in adults, and not forensic autopsies, perinatal/or paediatric examinations. Minimum standards for organisation, standard of premises, and staffing conditions, as well as minimum requirements for level of expertise of the postmortem performing specialists, documentation, and turnaround times of the medical procedure, are presented. Medical autopsies should be performed by specialists in pathology, or by trainees under the supervision of such specialists. To maintain the required level of expertise, autopsies should be performed regularly and in a number that ensures the maintenance of good practice of all participating physicians. A minimum number of autopsies per dedicated pathologist in a centre should be at least 50, or as an average, at least one autopsy per working week. Forensic autopsies, but not paediatric/perinatal autopsies may be included in this number. Turnaround time for final reports should not exceed 3 weeks (14 working days) for autopsies without fixation of brain/spinal cord or other time-consuming additional examinations, and 6 weeks (30 working days) for those with fixation of brain/spinal cord or additional examinations.

The protection of consumers in rest homes - time for a change?

<p>This dissertation examines the statutory protection of elderly consumers in rest homes and makes several proposals of how to improve their protection. The dissertation compares New Zealand’s legislation with the existing rest home related legislation in Australia and Germany to improve New Zealand’s regulations. At first, the dissertation characterises elderly consumers as a consumer group with special vulnerabilities. According to the dissertation several reasons can be identified, which justify regulatory intervention in favour of the elderly. Secondly, the dissertation gives an overview of the relevant rest home legislation in New Zealand, Australia and Germany. In the later chapters the dissertation examines the existing information obligations, and the statutory protection of elderly consumers during the implementation and at the time of the termination of a rest home contract. The author argues that many of the existing consumer protection measures are not specifically tailored for consumers in rest homes and, therefore, do not ensure comprehensive protection. Furthermore, the author identifies several gaps in protection and proposes to introduce targeted new protection measures to close these gaps. Subsequently, the dissertation considers the access to justice for elderly consumers. The author states that the existing system offers some advantages but is far from being perfect. He speaks in favour of establishing a new Commissioner who is responsible for the issues of elderly consumers and the enhancement of their legal position. Lastly and on the basis of the previous outcomes, the author recommends creating a new piece of legislation specifically tailored for the protection of elderly consumers in rest homes to implement all the proposed changes. In the author’s opinion a new Act could build on the existing consumer protection measures but should also improve them to ensure the best protection possible. The author also outlines how a code of practice should be put in place, which sets out minimum requirements.</p>

Essays in the Regulation of Drones and Counter-Drone Systems

<p>Rapid growth in the use of drones potentially delivers significant economic benefits, but it has also given rise to considerable public concern about safety risks, infringement of privacy, and other unwelcome surveillance and observation. Drones are able to be operated remotely from the pilot, making it difficult to identify the operator and attribute liability for harm caused. This in turn means that existing regulatory frameworks might not induce an efficient level of drone-related harm. The first substantive chapter of this thesis considers measures to address concerns about privacy and surveillance. I propose the adoption of a package of measures including: tort law reform, the promulgation of a "Code of Practice for Drone Operations" under New Zealand's Privacy Act 1993, a remotely-readable identifier to identify approved operators, provision for aerial trespass by unmanned aircraft, provision for the destruction of unmanned aircraft committing trespass, and the clarification of what constitutes a privacy violation by broadcast or closed-circuit television and video systems. Fundamental to those proposals are the concepts of drone registration and the legalisation of the right to self-defence against drones. Registration requires that a drone is registered with the regulatory authorities, with a registered drone being traceable back to the owner of the drone. Registered drones may also be required to carry a remotely-readable identifier. Legalisation of self-defence allows bystanders to take defensive actions against drones, with the potential for a drone to be destroyed. Both of these mechanisms provide a means by which the operator of a drone faces some cost if they are causing harm, and thus may induce more efficient actions by the drone operator. This thesis establishes a theoretical framework for self-defence, registration, and registration in conjunction with self-defence. Conditions are established under which each will be the preferred form of regulation. It is also established that the status quo, with neither registration nor self-defence, is likely to be optimal when harm from drone activity is relatively low. The conditions established around when self-defence is efficient also provide the conditions for the regulation of counter-drone systems. I identify the legal impediments to the implementation of drone-detection systems and counter-drone systems in New Zealand, and propose a regulatory framework to allow the adoption of those systems.</p>