Papers

This trans-disciplinary work combines modeling and observational approaches and offers a unique dataset tostudy the behaviour of a wide estuary linear sandbank over different time-scales. The sandbank studied, theLonge de Boyard, lies in a macrotidal estuary environment off the French Atlantic coast. Side scan sonar datacombined with shipek grab samples and numerical modeling of waves and tides revealed its short-termdynamics. Historical (1824) and present-day (2000 and 2003) bathymetric data combined with numericalsimulations of waves and tides and tide-related sand transport in 1824, and seismic profiling, were then usedto demonstrate the long-term evolution of the sandbank and how this correlates with the short-termdynamics. The geological evolution (centuries to millennia) was finally deduced from seismic stratigraphycombined with an analysis of vibrocore samples.Most of the long-term morphological changes in the

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss a method for assessing the condition of buildings. The method was developed in Portugal as part of a new Urban Tenancy Regime approved in 2006. Design/methodology/approach – The method was developed in six phases, namely: definition of objectives; analysis of existing instruments; formulation of the proposal; discussions with organisations in the rented sector; pilot; and technical presentations of the final version. Findings – The method is viable and adequate, since a balance was achieved between the accuracy of the results in view of their importance for the contractual relationship between landlord and tenant, and feasibility in terms of human and financial resources available for its implementation. Research limitations/implications – The method has been in use for two years. Further research is needed to confirm the accuracy of the results. Practical implications – The results are used to determine the maximum annual rent value and to summon landlords to carry out repairs if the state of the building falls short of the required standard of maintenance. In a broader perspective the method is also used to assess of rented stock condition of large property owners and, in an adapted form, to assess buildings viability and determine repair needs. Originality/value – This paper is relevant because it describes the assessment method; the previous methods for assessing the condition of Portuguese buildings were too simplistic and lacked the accuracy, transparency and independence required.

A erosão interna é uma das principais causas de acidentes e de roturas em barragens de aterro. Os modos de rotura deste tipo estão associados ao arrastamento de partículas de solo através da percolação no aterro da barragem ou na sua fundação. A erosão interna é uma expressão abrangente que engloba diferentes tipologias, conforme a sua iniciação fenomenológica, nomeadamente: erosão através de fuga concentrada, erosão regressiva, sofusão e erosão no contacto entre solos. Um processo de erosão interna que conduza à rotura de uma barragem de aterro desenvolve-se em quatro fases sequenciais fundamentais, designadas por: (i) iniciação da erosão, (ii) continuação da erosão ou filtração, (iii) progressão da erosão e (iv) formação de brecha. Neste documento identificam-se os principais factores que influenciam a probabilidade de ocorrência de cada fase de um processo de erosão interna.

Mediante o desafio de fomentar a relevância da investigação em sistemas de informação, sem por em causa o seu rigor, este artigo analisa os conceitos de rigor e de relevância da investigação, assim como as perspectivas existentes sobre as possibilidades de conjugação derigor e relevância em processos de investigação.Verificando-se que alguma da investigação mais rigorosa não atrai, tanto quanto seria desejável,o interesse de parte da sua audiência por falta de relevância, este artigo compila um conjunto derecomendações para que os investigadores em sistemas de informação desenvolvaminvestigação não só rigorosa mas também relevante. Considerando os objectivos doinvestigador, nomeadamente o nível de rigor e relevância pretendidos e os recursos disponíveispara o processo de investigação, este artigo discute o impacto da escolha por inovaçãoincremental, modular, arquitectural e radical nas perspectivas de exequibilidade de rigor e relevância. Assim, a discussão e as considerações finais deste trabalho deverão constituir contributo satisfatoriamente rigoroso e relevante para os investigadores em sistemas de informação.

Two years of offshore wave data and daily time exposure images from Trafalgar beach, a 2-km-long sandy beach located on the southwest coast of Spain that frequently exhibits rhythmic features, were used to (1) explore the variability of the beachface morphology and (2) determineenvironmental conditions associated with the different morphological states. The beachface morphology at three distinct alongshore sectors wasanalyzed and classified and five different morphological states were found that are related with the presence or absence of beach cusps and a berm:(1) large beach cusps, (2) small beach cusps, (3) low-tide terrace; (4) plane beach berm and (5) plane beach. The predominant beachface morphology is characterized by the presence of large beach cusps, and the main wave climate consisted of offshore significant wave heights ranging from 0.5

Os sectores da indústria cerâmica e da construção contribuem de forma significativa para a economia portuguesa. No entanto, são uma ameaça para o meio ambiente face ao elevado montante de subprodutos e resíduos por eles gerado, à consequente deposição em aterro, ao desperdício energético e à agressão causada pela exploração de matérias-primas que, embora existam ainda em quantidade e qualidade, são recursos esgotáveis.

Work undertaken in the EU HUMOR project on morphodynamical modelling, particularly with regard to simulating and understandingrhythmic surf zone bars and related morphodynamic self-organization, is presented. These features are reviewed and their engineering contextstated. Hydrodynamical and morphodynamical models developed and/or applied within the HUMOR project in order to address these issues arebriefly presented. The linear stability modelling concept and stability studies using fully nonlinear models are contrasted. The stability of a shoreparallelbar under normal or oblique wave incidence is chosen as a test case for the different models. The results are compared and discussed.Lastly, modelling efforts and main results from the project are summarized. Recommendations for further work are made.

This study aims at showing the sedimentary and geomorphological records of wave climate variations by spits. The studied spit (Arçay Spit) is located on the French Atlantic coast and has displayed a rapid elongationsince the beginning of the 19th century that potentially represents a two century-long wave climate record.Wave climate and spit growth relationships are studied from two complementary methods: (1) numerical modelling of wave and longshore transport temporal and spatial variabilities, and (2) morphologicalmonitoring based on the analysis of 4 historical maps (1811

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Stone masonry in historical buildings. Ways to increase their resistance and durability