A Study on the Evolution in Design and Calculation of Iron and Steel Structures over the Mid 19th Century in Western and Central Europe

ABSTRACT

The design of metallic structures in the 19th century is a subject topic of much admiration, as many emblematic structures that are currently withstanding the test of time have become part of our built cultural heritage. Knowledge on the assumptions and design procedures available at that time is of importance to structural engineering nowadays. It allows for the understanding, maintaining and safe extending of the service life of historical metallic structures. The goal of this article is to describe the evolution in the design and calculation of metallic structures during the second half of the 19th century, with focus on Western and Central Europe. Special attention is paid to the similarities and differences between the 19th century design rules and the current structural design standards. Based on a literature survey, the evolution in terms of load definition, calculation methods, material properties, and verifications are described. Different design aspects are illustrated through a case study: The Garabit viaduct in France.     

China's Air Passenger Transport: An Analysis of Recent Trends

Two China-based transportation geographers examine trends and developments revealed by the release of the most recent official data on traffic and airport capacity within mainland China's domestic air passenger transport system. The focus of the study is the uneven spatial distribution of airports and airport service hinterlands, as well as the hierarchical nature of passenger flows centered within the axis Beijing-Shanghai-Guangzhou (Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan are not included in the analysis). Among the questions investigated are the efficiency/balance within the system, as well as the extent to which the distribution of airports and air passenger flow volumes reflect basic patterns of economic and urban development within the country, and conform with a hub-and-spoke model. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: L50, L93, O18, R40. 5 figures, 5 tables, 30 references.     

The Fluidity of the ‘Farming Ladder’: The Experience of the Duffin Family,Yorkshire, 1870-1950

This article examines the nuances of the ‘farming ladder’ through a case study of the Duffin farming family. It explores the circumstances in which they flourished and faltered; the internal and external determinants affecting their ability to maintain a grip on the ‘farming ladder’; and the fluidity of the ladder. Drawing upon the personal archive of the family and complementary sources, the variable position of the family on the ‘farming ladder’ as they progress from agricultural labourers to farmers and then back to labourers is charted within wider historical and geographical frameworks. The social and spatial relationships forged are identified as being particularly important in the operation of the ‘farming ladder’.     

Making gender–work practicable: situating men's reconstruction of ‘women's job’ in a Swedish supermarket's micro-politics

Based on empirical data from one Swedish supermarket, this article argues that men's reconstructing of ‘women's work’ in accordance with a masculinised sense of self what Simpson (2004, ‘Masculinity at Work: The Experience of Men in Female Dominated Occupations’, Work, Employment & Society 18, no 2: 349–368) calls ‘gender–work’ is not limited to individual men's perceptions and creations of self. Rather, by investigating the gendered boundary work in which the manager and other workers engage, this study shows how these reconstructions are legitimised and made practicable by organisational micro-politics. By emphasising the specific skills required by ‘their’ department – produce – the male workers distanced themselves from the routine and standardised stocking that dominated the work performed at the supermarket. This notion that working in the produce department required specialised knowledge was legitimised by the manager and the organisation of work at the supermarket. While at times, other workers (most of them women) challenged the boundaries of the produce department, they simultaneously re-established those boundaries by glossing over potential conflicts and maintaining equal treatment existed within the organisation.     

The Stalk that Supports the Flower: Orang Rimba Kinship,Marriage and Gender in Jambi Sumatra

This article examines Orang Rimba kinship, marriage and gender relations in the Bukit Duabelas region of Jambi, Sumatra. Orang Rimba social organization, its terms and concepts, primary kinship relations, use of botanic metaphor and key structural contrasts demonstrate their ties to Malay and Austronesian‐speaking peoples throughout the region. The manner in which these concepts are applied is very different, and is arranged in a way to fit their unique way of life in the forests. Some of the broader differences relate to their mobile economy, small and dispersed camps, and asymmetrical relations of affinity, which take place in the context of egalitarian social relations. This results in a set of social relationships not unlike many of the bride service societies throughout the world. Orang Rimba women have great rights over forest resources, yet are restrained in their interactions with men and outsiders by rigid gender relations.     

Towards a critical service learning in geography education: exploring challenges and possibilities through testimonio

There has been an increasing interest in exploring the transformational possibilities of experiential learning approaches like service learning, across post-secondary education, including geography. At the same time, scholars caution that such initiatives can entrench neoliberalism, white supremacy and other power structures and call for implementing a critical service learning (CSL) approach that is rooted in action against injustice. In response, this paper uses testimonio methodology to explore the experiences of a student and instructor engaging in a graduate geography course that implements CSL. We demonstrate how CSL is a complex process that is mired in the very power structures and institutional barriers it attempts to disrupt. Nonetheless, CSL creates opportunities for social change in the classroom and community, which make it a promising pedagogical strategy for geographers aiming to create alternative teaching approaches in their classrooms.     

兰新高铁对西北地区可达性及经济联系的影响

高铁正在深刻改变和影响我国区域空间格局，兰新高铁作为丝绸之路经济带上重要交通线，对西北地区经济发展具有重要推动作用。通过GIS网络分析及成本加权栅格法构建模型，综合选用最短时间距离、加权平均旅行时间及经济联系强度指标，定量分析兰新高铁对西北地区可达性及经济联系的影响。结果发现：兰新高铁引发了非均衡的时空收敛效应，影响和重塑了区域空间结构，沿线城市可达性提升优于非沿线城市，“核心-边缘”格局得到强化；兰新高铁提升了中心城市的辐射能力，加速中心城市的空间扩张和重构，中心城市一日交流圈面积（3h）均有增加，在空间上沿高铁线呈带状分布；兰新高铁增强了城市间经济联系，促进高铁沿线经济带的发展，沿线城市经济联系中心度得到提高，区域经济联系模式“廊道效应”明显。本研究为完善西北地区交通网络及推动丝绸之路经济带建设提供参考。     

论实现档案价值为经济建设服务

档案是人类枉会各项实践活动的真实记录,它具有其独特的价位和作用。在全面建设小康枉会的进程中,只有重视档案价值,深入开发档案信息资源,发挥档案工作的枉会功能,才能充分地实现档案的价值,为社会经济建设服务。     

新形势下做好高校图书馆文献服务工作的几点思考

飞速发展的网络信息时代,改变了过去图书馆服务单一、独立的局面.新的服务手段、内容的出现,要求图书馆工作人员紧跟时代步伐,努力提高自身水平,使图书文献资料的价值得到充分利用.