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The two principal challenges in processing many eucalypts are the distortion/warping of timeber during sawing and the subsequent difficulties in drying the timber without significant degrade. Incorporating wood quality traits associated with these challenges in breeding is considered to be a demanding task. In this paper, simple approaches for mass screening for growth stresses, shrinkage,... [Conference Paper]

In order to incorporate seismic risk of facilities into a decision making framework, procedures are needed to quantify such risk for stakeholders. Seismic loss estimation methods combine seismic hazard, structural response, damage fragility, and damage consequences to allow quantification of seismic risk. This paper presents a loss estimation methodology which allows various means of... [Conference Paper]

In order to incorporate seismic risk of facilities into a decision making framework, procedures are needed to quantify such risk for stakeholders. Seismic loss estimation methods combine seismic hazard, structural response, damage fragility, and damage consequences to allow quantification of seismic risk. This paper presents a loss estimation methodology which allows various means of... [Conference Paper]

A loss estimation methodology is presented which provides several measures of seismic performance to decision-makers. The is methodology based on parametrically describing several key relationships between: (i) ground motion intensity measure (IM) and exceedance rate ?(IM); (ii) IM and engineering demand parameter (EDP); (iii) EDP and damage states (DS); and (iv) DS and economic loss (L). Both... [Conference Paper]

A loss estimation methodology is presented which provides several measures of seismic performance to decision-makers. The is methodology based on parametrically describing several key relationships between: (i) ground motion intensity measure (IM) and exceedance rate ?(IM); (ii) IM and engineering demand parameter (EDP); (iii) EDP and damage states (DS); and (iv) DS and economic loss (L). Both... [Conference Paper]

Proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis offers several advantages compared to the traditional alkaline technologies including higher energy efficiencies, considerably higher specific production rates leading to more compact design, and avoiding a liquid and highly corrosive electrolyte. The oxygen electrode is the critical part in the energy consumption of such cells. To obtain high... [Conference Paper]

Deficiencies in current seismic risk analysis procedures are assessed and measures to overcome these drawbacks proposed. A methodology for representing Lifetime Loss (LL), expressed in dollars, as a function of an exceedance probability is established. The methodology incorporates aleatoric variability and epistemic uncertainty in the relationship between intensity measures and engineering... [Conference Paper]

The use of microalgae as an economically viable feedstock for biofuel production requires development of efficient methods for growth and harvest of biomass. Here we describe a preliminary investigation of the growth and settling characteristics of microalgal-bacterial biomass using primary treated wastewater from the Christchurch Wastewater Treatment Plant (CWTP) as a nutrient source.... [Conference Poster]

This preliminary research examined microbial biomass growth in sequence batch reactors fed primary treated wastewater from Christchurch Wastewater Treatment Plant (CWTP), New Zealand. Reactors were inoculated with indigenous microalgae (and bacteria) from oxidation ponds at CWTP. Microalgal-bacterial flocs were developed by systematically discarding the non-settleable material (supernatant) and... [Conference Paper]

The concept of using lifts for evacuation form high rise buildings in fires and other emergency events is gaining momentum around the world, with the recent inclusion of clauses in the International Building Code(IBC) to regulate the design of such lifts and a growing number of buildings, incorporation this new technology. To predict the time that a building will take to be fully evacuated in... [Conference Paper]

The concept of using lifts for evacuation form high rise buildings in fires and other emergency events is gaining momentum around the world, with the recent inclusion of clauses in the International Building Code(IBC) to regulate the design of such lifts and a growing number of buildings, incorporation this new technology. To predict the time that a building will take to be fully evacuated in... [Conference Paper]

Content removed from thesis due to copyright restrictions: Winger, R.J. and L. Ren (2009). "Solubility of sodium and potassium iodates in saturated salt solutions." Food Chemistry 113: 600-601.This paper was to improve the production of calcium-induced alginate gels manufactured by a company in Auckland. Problems encountered included yield and syneresis of the beads post-gelation. Essentially the alginate, sugars and other ingredients were dissolved in water at 80ºC. The pH of the solution was adjusted and the alginate beads were extruded into a 5% CaCl2 bath before being drained... [Thesis or Dissertation]

Reduced-order models for micro-electromechanical structures possess several attractive features when compared to computational approaches using e.g. finite element packages. However, also within the business of reduced-order modeling there are different approaches which yield different results. The efficiency of such approaches has to be judged according to, first, the purposes and aims of the... [Journal Article]

This article outlines the establishment of the Lyttelton Harbour Working Party that was set up to investigate new treatment and disposal options for the Diamond Harbour, Governors Bay and Lyttelton sewage. [Journal Article]

In this thesis, investigations into fabricating tin oxide hydrogen gas sensors from films assembled by the deposition of tin clusters are reported. The tin clusters were formed in a UHV compatible cluster apparatus by DC magnetron sputtering and inert gas aggregation. Through SEM imaging, it was found that the morphology of tin cluster assembled films deposited onto silicon nitride substrates... [Thesis or Dissertation]

Leachate, the liquid that leaches through solid waste in a landfill, can potentially contaminate groundwater and surface waters. Therefore, leachate management in landfills is crucial to safeguard the environment and public health. Leachate management is a growing concern in developing countries in which environmental protection has traditionally been secondary to economic progress. An example... [Thesis or Dissertation]

Leachate, the liquid that leaches through solid waste in a landfill, can potentially contaminate groundwater and surface waters. Therefore, leachate management in landfills is crucial to safeguard the environment and public health. Leachate management is a growing concern in developing countries in which environmental protection has traditionally been secondary to economic progress. An example... [Thesis or Dissertation]

An improved ground motion seismic hazard model for use in performance based earthquake engineering is presented. The model is an improved approximation of the so-called 'power law' model, which is linear in log-log space. The mathematics of the model and uncertainty incorporation is briefly discussed. Various means of fitting the approximation to 'exact' hazard curves... [Conference Paper]

This work will further investigate the validity of Damage Avoidance Design systems through an experimental and computational study of a 80% scale sub-assembly. A coupler system is implemented whereby high strength unbonded threaded rods running through the beams are coupled to rods within the columns. The threaded rods are post-tensioned and additional energy dissipation devices are installed.... [Conference Paper]

This work will further investigate the validity of Damage Avoidance Design systems through an experimental and computational study of a 80% scale sub-assembly. A coupler system is implemented whereby high strength unbonded threaded rods running through the beams are coupled to rods within the columns. The threaded rods are post-tensioned and additional energy dissipation devices are installed.... [Conference Paper]

Peak demand has been a growing problem for both security of supply and cost of generation and transmission. International research has attributed a significant influence of human behaviour on home energy for homes with similar households and appliances. Demand side management has had many successful programmes aimed at managing demand growth and load shape. The energy management strategy,... [Journal Article]

Peak demand has been a growing problem for both security of supply and cost of generation and transmission. International research has attributed a significant influence of human behaviour on home energy for homes with similar households and appliances. Demand side management has had many successful programmes aimed at managing demand growth and load shape. The energy management strategy,... [Journal Article]

Fabric has always been prominent throughout history. In the last 70 years new synthetic fabrics have been developed which mimic the natural fibres but have increased strength, durability and stretchability. Common fibres include Polyester, Nylon and Lycra(R). These fibres can be blended to incorporate the properties of both the individual fibre types. Gold nanoparticles have been found to give...

It is almost impossible to remember a world without plastics; however, environmental concerns over the origin, use and disposal of plastics have created a substantial effort into finding alternative solutions to these issues. Recycling is aimed at reducing the amount of virgin material required; biodegradable polymers are intended to solve the disposal and ultimate fate of polymers, while...This article has been published in the journal: Bioplastics Magazine. ©2008 Bioplastics Magazine. Used with permission. [Journal Article]

Three different criteria have been developed to determine the smoke layer behavior under sprinkler spray and these are known as the Bullen criterion, the Zhang criterion and the Li criterion. A review is carried out theoretically and experimentally to validate these criteria. The experimental results have shown that the values of all three criteria are less than unity when a smoke layer is... [Conference Paper]