Accurate measurements with primitive instruments: the “paradox” in the qanat design

Qanats are up to 3000 years old artificial sub-horizontal underground water channels, 5–80 km long, widespread in Iran, but also common in western China, Arabia and the Mediterranean; they were excavated from the bottom of vertical shafts, starting from their exit and advancing upstream till main, productive wells, constructed at the very beginning of the project were met. Successful qanat excavation therefore required accurate geodetic design, though based on primitive instruments; an apparent “paradox”, obscured by the tremendous social and economic significance of qanats controlling lifestyle in arid regions.     

Human occupation and geomorphological evolution of the Thessaloniki Plain (Greece) since mid Holocene

The plain of Thessaloniki is an important area from a historical standpoint. Numerous reigns and empires have occupied the area, leaving behind numerous archaeological remains. The literature and historical evidences show that the city of Pella was located near the sea and its harbor was the starting point of various conquests of famous kings such as Philip the 2nd and Alexander the Great. At present, the ancient capital is located 28 km inland the large fertile plain of Thessaloniki.     

Seismic uplift of the harbour of ancient Aigeira, Central Greece

The Mavra Litharia cove, between Akrata and Derveni, in the North Peloponnesian coast (Central Greece), has been identified as the site of the harbour of the Hellenistic Aigeira, one of the very few natural harbours along the uplifting, fault-controlled North Peloponnesian coast.
Geomorphological, marine biological and archaeological data as well as radiocarbon dating of marine fossils testify to a 2m relative land uplift since Hellenistic times (around 2000 years bp), part of which (1 m at least) was probably seismic, dated to the Byzantine period (AD 900–1200). This palaeoseismic event, as well as others deduced from archaeological data, are not included in the historical seismology records, but had probably dramatic impacts on the economic and cultural history of ancient Aigeira.
The amplitude of uplift at Mavra Litharia is of the same order of magnitude as submersion dominating the Aegean and, with the exception of the arc, the higher Holocene uplift rate recorded in this area and the surrounding regions. This result is consistent with the Quaternary uplift history of North Peloponnesus.     

Deviant ideas,prohibited books and aberrant practices: reflections of the Roman Inquisition in the societies of the Venetian Ionian Islands (sixteenth–seventeenth centuries)

The paper examines the history of relations between the Roman Inquisition and the societies of the Venetian Ionian Islands. Specifically, it studies cases of arrest or accusation to the Inquisition of subjects of the Republic of Venice residing permanently or displaying in the Ionian region delinquent behaviour on issues relating to faith during the period οf the sixteenth to seventeenth centuries. Besides the definition of the divergent ideas embraced or propagated by the accused as well as their deviant behaviours and practices, principal issues investigated are on the one hand the role and the policies of the State authorities regarding religious dissent and its repression, and on the other the perception of the Roman Inquisition by the local societies and the reflections of its function in the social domain.     

Seismic Retrofitting of Columns with Lap Spliced Smooth Bars Through FRP or Concrete Jackets

The effectiveness of RC jacketing or FRP wrapping for seismic retrofitting of rectangular columns having smooth (plain) bars with 180° hooks lap-spliced at floor level is experimentally investigated. The relatively low deformation capacity and energy dissipation of five unretrofitted columns is found not to depend on lap length, if lapping is not less than 15 bar-diameters. Six columns cyclically tested up to ultimate deformation after RC concrete jacketing demonstrate force and deformation capacity and energy dissipation sufficient for earthquake resistance, regardless of the presence or length of lap splicing in the original column. Another ten columns cyclically tested to ultimate deformation after wrapping of the plastic hinge region with CFRP show that FRP wrapping of the splice region is more effective than concrete jackets for enhancement of the deformation and energy dissipation capacity of old-type columns with smooth bars lap-spliced at floor level, provided that wrapping extends over the member length sufficiently to preclude plastic hinging and early member failure outside the FRP-wrapped length of the column.     

Intercontinental Hybrid Simulation for the Assessment of a Three-Span R/C Highway Overpass

This paper presents hybrid simulations of a three-span R/C bridge among EU, US, and Canada. The tests involved partners located on both sides of the Atlantic with each one assigned a numerical or a physical module of the substructured bridge. Despite the network latency in linking remote sites located on the two sides of the Atlantic the intercontinental hybrid simulation was accomplished and repeated successfully, highlighting the efficiency, and repetitiveness of the approach. Adaptations, challenges, and limitations are discussed, focusing on the implications of network communication latency, the insensitivity of the sub-structuring arrangement, and the accuracy of the results obtained.