University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy

About: University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy is a education organization based out in Sofia, Bulgaria. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Finite element method & Beam (structure). The organization has 3808 authors who have published 3822 publications receiving 30736 citations. The organization is also known as: Sofia Polytechnic.

Co-engineering Participatory Water Management Processes: Theory and Insights from Australian and Bulgarian Interventions

Abstract: Broad-scale, multi-governance level, participatory water management processes intended to aid collective decision making and learning are rarely initiated, designed, implemented, and managed by one person. These processes mostly emerge from some form of collective planning and organization activities because of the stakes, time, and budgets involved in their implementation. Despite the potential importance of these collective processes for managing complex water-related social-ecological systems, little research focusing on the project teams that design and organize participatory water management processes has ever been undertaken. We have begun to fill this gap by introducing and outlining the concept of a co-engineering process and examining how it impacts the processes and outcomes of participatory water management. We used a hybrid form of intervention research in two broad-scale, multi-governance level, participatory water management processes in Australia and Bulgaria to build insights into these coengineering processes. We examined how divergent objectives and conflict in the project teams were negotiated, and the impacts of this co-engineering on the participatory water management processes. These investigations showed: (1) that language barriers may aid, rather than hinder, the process of stakeholder appropriation, collective learning and skills transferal related to the design and implementation of participatory water management processes; and (2) that diversity in co-engineering groups, if managed positively through collaborative work and integrative negotiations, can present opportunities and not just challenges for achieving a range of desired outcomes for participatory water management processes. A number of areas for future research on co-engineering participatory water management processes are also highlighted.

Assessment of the Surface Permeation Properties of Recycled Aggregate Concrete

Abstract: The water permeability, air permeability and surface permeability of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) are compared with those of a control concrete made with natural aggregate. The study shows that the permeation properties of RAC depend on mix-design, conditions of curing and drying of samples. Relationships between permeability and other physical characteristics of concrete such as water absorption capacity and diffusivity are discussed. According to the criteria existing for ordinary concrete made with natural aggregate, RAC could be classified as being of moderate quality rather than poor quality. The testing methodology shows that some of the techniques used to measure the permeability of RAC need to be modified in order with the distinctive characteristics of this material.