Search

Improvement of the structural integrity of clay-rich soil is crucial to mitigate risks related to ground movements, and representative procedures are needed to quantitatively describe the reproducibility and authenticity of laboratory-mixed (LM) clay model specimens. Here, two standardised industry protocols for preparation of laboratory lime–cement (LC) improved clay samples are compared with field LC-improved clay. Samples from both dry deep-mixed (DDM) clay columns and LM clay, with different binder quantities, were tested for density, water content and unconfined compressive strength, and analysed by X-ray micro-computed tomography. The results showed clear differences in sample density and ‘macro-porosity’ described as entrapped air resulting from field installation and laboratory preparation. For the field samples, the macro-porosity was relatively low, indicating that the air used in the binder injection is successfully evacuated along the drilling rod as sought after during DDM works. For the laboratory samples, prepared with two standard moulding preparation protocols, the macro-porosity was larger and have an influence on the measured strength and stiffness of the improved soil. An inverse relation between the mechanical strength under unconfined compression and porosity was found. In conclusion, the industry-standard laboratory moulding techniques fail to reproduce specimens that are representative for field conditions.

Koronapandemien aktualiserte undervisning i digitale læringsmiljø og førte til en bratt læringskurve for undervisere i høyere utdanning. Studiens formål var å få kunnskap om hvordan undervisere opplevde undervisning i digitale læringsmiljø for store studentkull under pandemien. Det er utført to gruppeintervju med erfarne undervisere. Hovedfunnene er at underviserne opplever «svarte skjermer» og mangel på respons hos studentene i digitale læringsmiljø. Dette påvirker dem negativt. De blir slitne og demotiverte og tappes for energi. De opplever at arbeidet mister kvalitet, og at de blir kjedeligere og mindre frie. På den positive siden er det høyt oppmøte, og det tekniske er lett. Gruppearbeid digitalt oppleves også enklere å få til enn i fysiske læringsmiljø, men utfordringen er at mange studenter forlater gruppearbeidet. Datamaterialet avdekker motsetninger mellom undervisernes negative opplevelser og deres positive holdninger til å videreføre det. Undervisning i digitale læringsmiljø ser ut til å kunne føre til en behagelig avstand og dermed en risiko for resignasjon for både studenter og undervisere. Det kan dermed være mer krevende enn undervisning i fysiske miljø. Undersøkelsen ble gjort da dette var ganske nytt. Forventninger om hvordan undervisning skal være, er dermed preget av tradisjonell undervisning i fysiske læringsmiljø. Erfaringene kan se annerledes ut på sikt.

© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Several Norwegian Mountain and coastal municipalities have experienced comprehensive second home development in recent decades. From a sustainability perspective, it is necessary to understand both the importance of various geographical locations within a local context, as the location has an impact on available resources, amenities, and courses of action, and the complex interdependencies between the three sustainability pillars: economy, society, and environment. The purpose of the article is to provide knowledge on why and how various locations matter for planning sustainable second-home tourism. The analysis is based on document studies and interviews from three Norwegian destinations, supplemented with official statistics. The findings indicate that emphasis on, and development challenges associated with, the sustainability pillars differ across locations. They also indicate that local capacities to assess, plan, and implement adequate measures to address specific sustainable development challenges vary. Hence, there is a need for regional and local authorities to reflect on the driving forces behind the development of second-home tourism, as the impacts vary depending on what and who is driving the development. The authors conclude that it matters where second-home development is planned and what sustainability measures are adequate, applicable, and available. Nevertheless, all three pillars must be considered even if just one is enhanced

International audience; A series of nickel-cerium-promoted mesoporous silica (SBA-15) catalysts modified with different loadings of yttrium were synthesized by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-assisted impregnation. The catalysts were tested in CO2 methanation reaction and characterized by N2 sorption, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (XRD), H2 chemisorption, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), H2 temperature-programmed reduction (H2-TPR), CO2 temperature-programmed desorption (CO2-TPD), and thermogravimetric analysis coupled with mass spectrometry (TGA-MS). The best catalytic performance in CO2 methanation was found for Y-modified NiCe/SBA-15 catalysts compared to the unpromoted sample. The modification with 10 wt% of yttrium gave the highest CO2 conversion of 61% ± 2% at 350 °C. We attribute this increase to an improved dispersion of Ni, increased reducibility of Ni species, higher ratio of Ce3+/(Ce3+ + Ce4+), and increased moderate basicity found for 15Ni10Ce10Y/SBA-15. This paper shows that 10 wt% of Y loading not only improves the catalytic activity in CO2 methanation, but also gives stable performance. The tested 15Ni10Ce10Y/SBA-15 catalyst did not exhibit activity loss during 26 h of time-on-stream (TOS) experiment at 350 °C. Moreover, carbon deposits and sintered nickel particles could hardly be found in 15Ni10Ce10Y/SBA-15 catalyst used for 7 h.

The overall goal of the thesis is twofold. First, it aims to increase knowledge of aesthetics in nature-based tourism and to develop certain aesthetic dimensions in such a context. Second, it aims to increase knowledge of how these aesthetic dimensions influence the variables satisfaction, positive emotions, and customer loyalty. To achieve this, aesthetics in general and aesthetic dimensions in particular in nature-based tourism are explored in four papers. The methods used for data collection are qualitative interviews and a survey. The dissertation opens up the research area with regard to nature-based tourism and the influence of aesthetic dimensions. This is one of the first systematic studies, which contributes to developing research-based knowledge of the role aesthetic dimensions play in nature-based tourists’ behaviour. Specifically, the dissertation offers three main contributions to nature-based tourism research. First, the thesis presents the concept of aesthetics from different theoretical perspectives, and empirical data from key informants’ and tourists’ understandings of central aesthetic dimensions. One of the main findings is that aesthetic qualities of nature-based destinations go beyond the visual aspects and engage all the senses. Tourists are actively sensing the overall environment, including the man-made and natural environment. Furthermore, both key informants and tourists mentioned the four aesthetic dimensions “harmony”, “variation/contrast”, “scenery/viewing”, and “genuineness”. In addition, key informants emphasized “art/architecture” and tourists emphasized “cleanliness”. The findings reveal that the dimensions “harmony” and “genuineness” are especially important for the man-made environment in nature, while the dimensions “variation/contrast” and “scenery/viewing” are important for the natural environment. The findings confirm universal patterns of aesthetics from theoretical perspectives on how “scenery” contributes to understanding the environment, and how “variation” relates to the degree of complexity (e.g., boring or chaotic). The findings also confirm previous empirical studies in tourism that emphasize “harmony”, “scenery”, and “cleanliness”. “Genuineness” is an interesting finding with regard to the man-made environment in nature. Second, the thesis contributes to furthering our understanding of the effects of aesthetic dimensions on tourists’ satisfaction with and loyalty to nature-based experiences. The findings demonstrate that tourists’ evaluations of the dimensions “scenery/viewing”, “harmony”, and “genuineness” affect their satisfaction with the scenic road positively, and that satisfaction has a direct influence on both the intention to recommend, the intention to revisit the scenic road and to visit similar roads. However, only the aesthetic dimensions “genuineness” and “cleanliness” have a direct effect on the intention to revisit the scenic road, and indicate at more complex explanatory pattern for the intention to recommend. Finally, the thesis also contributes to expanding our understanding of the relationship between aesthetic dimensions, positive emotions, and loyalty. The findings reveal that tourists’ evaluations of the aesthetic dimensions “scenery/viewing”, “cleanliness”, and “genuineness” have significant effects on positive emotions towards the scenic road. Positive emotions have direct effects on both the intention to recommend, the intention to revisit the scenic road and to visit similar roads. Moreover, the aesthetic dimension “scenery/viewing” has a direct effect on the intention to recommend, and “cleanliness” has a direct effect on the intention to visit similar roads. The main contribution of the thesis is thus not to the depth of the century-long aesthetic discussion and research in general, nor is it to aesthetic notions regarding landscape preferences, where a substantial body of literature exists. Rather, it is first of all about the role different aesthetic dimensions play in tourists’ satisfaction, positive emotions, and loyalty intentions with regard to the overall environment at a nature-based destination. The findings have practical implications for nature-based destination management, and marketing and development processes. One example is the importance for managers to develop attractive value propositions (in networks with other providers at the destination) by emphasizing the six aesthetic qualities that go beyond the visual aspect and engage all the senses, and thus adding customer value. This can maximize the tourists’ opportunities to enjoy pleasurable experiences within the overall environment at a nature-based destination, e.g., a scenic road. Furthermore, new market knowledge about aesthetic qualities must continuously be structured, and interpreted into shared understandings among tourist providers and nature-based tourist organizations. This is especially important in development and innovation processes, thus leading to a competitive advantage for nature-based destinations. The thesis also opens up some of the areas for future research on the role of aesthetics in man-made environments (in addition to the natural environment) in nature-based tourism. When most of the other variables are similar, aesthetic dimensions or qualities may make a difference to a nature-based tourist product’s performance, and thus provide that competitive edge.

X-ray diffraction tensor tomography is used to map clay mineral orientation and high-density inclusions in a sample of Pierre shale., Shales have a complex mineralogy with structural features spanning several length scales, making them notoriously difficult to fully understand. Conventional attenuation-based X-ray computed tomography (CT) measures density differences, which, owing to the heterogeneity and sub-resolution features in shales, makes reliable interpretation of shale images a challenging task. CT based on X-ray diffraction (XRD-CT), rather than intensity attenuation, is becoming a well established technique for non-destructive 3D imaging, and is especially suited for heterogeneous and hierarchical materials. XRD patterns contain information about the mineral crystal structure, and crucially also crystallite orientation. Here, we report on the use of orientational imaging using XRD-CT to study crystallite-orientation distributions in a sample of Pierre shale. Diffraction-contrast CT data for a shale sample measured with its bedding-plane normal aligned parallel to a single tomographic axis perpendicular to the incoming X-ray beam are discussed, and the spatial density and orientation distribution of clay minerals in the sample are described. Finally, the scattering properties of highly attenuating inclusions in the shale bulk are studied, which are identified to contain pyrite and clinochlore. A path forward is then outlined for systematically improving the structural description of shales.