Brick and Concrete Masonry

Describes the various materials used in brick and concrete masonry construction: some of the more common masonry systems, and the details that go into making rna onry walls strong durable and weather-resistant

Roofing Materials

Describes some of the many materials and systems available for residential roofing, typical application details and some of the problems encountered. Included are properties of roofing types, including shingles and rolled roofing, and selection of materials

Helpful Resouces for Family Caregivers

Formerly published under the HE seriesFS-68

The End of Angkor? The Modification and Re-use of Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world, was built in the mid 12th century AD and has been continuously occupied ever since. Angkor Wat was the jewel in the crown of Greater Angkor, the capital of the Khmer Empire. Over 800 years have passed since its construction and during this long period the context of Angkor Wat and Greater Angkor has changed significantly. Once the capital of the Khmer Empire, in the 15th and 16th centuries as the apparatus of the state moved to the Southeast, Greater Angkor came to be on the periphery of the Khmer world. In a similar manner, as Khmer society changed, the originally Vaisnavite temple Angkor Wat came to be hallowed by Theravada Buddhist monks. Throughout these political and social changes Angkor Wat itself has changed – the temple features modifications which postdate the original construction phase. The fourth enclosure wall is one such component which has undergone several modifications. The wall, which clearly demonstrates more than one construction phase, is covered in several thousand postholes. The postholes, which are located along the upper part of the inside face and on top of the wall, have never been studied before. This thesis seeks to answer two questions: 1) What was the purpose of the postholes?, and 2) When were the postholes made? To answer these questions the postholes were surveyed. The results of a detailed survey show that the distribution of and relationship between the postholes is consistent over a considerable distance. The relationship between the postholes and the construction phases of the wall establishes a relative chronology. The nature of the modifications to the wall and the location of the postholes indicate that they were supports for the framework of a defensive platform and palisade. The absolute date of these defensive works is as yet unknown, however the likely historical context suggests they were installed sometime between the late 16th century and the early 17th century AD

The End of Angkor? The Modification and Re-use of Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world, was built in the mid 12th century AD and has been continuously occupied ever since. Angkor Wat was the jewel in the crown of Greater Angkor, the capital of the Khmer Empire. Over 800 years have passed since its construction and during this long period the context of Angkor Wat and Greater Angkor has changed significantly. Once the capital of the Khmer Empire, in the 15th and 16th centuries as the apparatus of the state moved to the Southeast, Greater Angkor came to be on the periphery of the Khmer world. In a similar manner, as Khmer society changed, the originally Vaisnavite temple Angkor Wat came to be hallowed by Theravada Buddhist monks. Throughout these political and social changes Angkor Wat itself has changed – the temple features modifications which postdate the original construction phase. The fourth enclosure wall is one such component which has undergone several modifications. The wall, which clearly demonstrates more than one construction phase, is covered in several thousand postholes. The postholes, which are located along the upper part of the inside face and on top of the wall, have never been studied before. This thesis seeks to answer two questions: 1) What was the purpose of the postholes?, and 2) When were the postholes made? To answer these questions the postholes were surveyed. The results of a detailed survey show that the distribution of and relationship between the postholes is consistent over a considerable distance. The relationship between the postholes and the construction phases of the wall establishes a relative chronology. The nature of the modifications to the wall and the location of the postholes indicate that they were supports for the framework of a defensive platform and palisade. The absolute date of these defensive works is as yet unknown, however the likely historical context suggests they were installed sometime between the late 16th century and the early 17th century AD

Are interventions supporting separated parents father inclusive? Insights and challenges from a review of programme implementation and impact

This paper reviews divorce-related parenting programmes, assessing the extent to which fathers are included and whether father inclusion influences outcomes. The paper also discusses limitations of the research evidence and implications for future intervention and evaluation design. Thirteen programmes met the criteria in the review period 2005–2012 but only four had been evaluated using randomized control trials or with independent measures from mothers and fathers. Analysis of these four programmes shows modest evidence of reduced couple-conflict, improved coparenting and some evidence of improved child outcomes. Key issues raised are the need for improving the quantity and quality of demographic data about fathers; the importance of incorporating analysis by gender of parent into evaluation design and the value of developing and routinely using father-related indicators to measure programme impact on men’s parenting, fathering and co-parental relationships

Ecological and community relationships of \u3ci\u3eEriogonum corymbosum\u3c/i\u3e (Polygonaceae) in the Uinta Basin, Utah

Ecological and community relationships of 10 different plant communities in the Uinta Basin, Utah, where Eriogonum corymbosum was found to grow were studied and described. Each community was sampled to determine the amount of ground cover, percent composition, frequency, and density of participating species. Physical site factors, viz., soil texture, total soluble salts, pH, cation exchange capacity, and amounts of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium were determined. The 10 communities were compared to determine the degree of similarity between them. Correlations between individual plant species and measurable characteristics of the community were attempted. Evidence is presented that the distributional patterns of some species are related to these measured characteristics. Eriogonum corymbosum, Chenopodium leptophyllum, Atriplex confertifolia, Stipa comata, Artemisia tridentata, and Agropyron smithii showed correlation to both vegetational and edaphic factors of the community. Total vegetative cover increased from desert to mountain in the Uinta Basin. As the vegetative cover increased, soil depth also increased. Eriogonum corymbosum decreased in importance in the higher elevation communities. Eriogonum corymbosum was studied taxonomically, which demonstrated the presence of a previously undescribed variety. It is suggested that E. corymbosum var. corymbosum, found generally in the desert areas of the basin, is composed of a series of ecotypes that inhabit shallow soils and prefer communities that show high degrees of disturbance, little competition, fairly high levels of soluble salts in the soil, and are found at elevations below 5500 feet. Eriogonum corymbosum var. erectum, on the other hand, does best in communities above 6000 feet that show less disturbance than the desert areas, have deeper soils, and low levels of soluble salts

The Effect of Varying Environmental Conditions on Phytolith Morphometries in Two Species of Grass (Bouteloua curtipendula and Panicum virgatum)

Solid deposits of SiO2 (phytoliths) accumulate in many plants in specific intracellular and extracellular locations. Phytoliths have morphological characteristics unique to some taxa and therefore have taxonomic significance. Phytoliths persist and maintain their morphological integrity long after a plant has died, thus becoming a microfossil of the plant that produced them. Development of phytolith sytematics for microfossil phytoliths has traditionally followed a typological approach based on simple verbal descriptions of shape. A new method for use in phytolith sytematics is the morphometric approach which employs computer-based Image Analysis Systems to make quantified measurements of morphological parameters (size, shape, texture, etc.) which can be used as discriminators between taxa. These parameters, called morphometrics, or morphometries, are potentially important for improved phytolith sytematics. This study evaluates the effect of varying environmental conditions on 18 different phytolith morphometries relative to shape and size as a prerequisite to the further development of a morphometric based phytolith taxonomy. Results indicate that environmental conditions do indeed effect phytolith morphometries for the silica cell phytoliths produced by the two grass species considered in this study. However, the effects are not usually significant (p ≤ 0.05). Moreover, results of discriminant analyses using the morphometric data obtained indicate that the varying environmental conditions did not hinder the potential of phytolith morphometries to discriminate between plant taxa

Grazing impacts on sagebrush communities of central Utah

Twenty-three study sites were established in the sagebrush communities bordering Utah Lake. Relic (ungrazed) and grazed stands were represented in the sample. Differences in species composition, vegetation, and soil characteristics were assessed. Major differences in species composition and vegetative characteristics were due to the influence of grazing. Major changes were loss of native perennial grass cover, and increases in cover from introduced annual species. Differences in the soil characteristics were due to habitat rather than grazing influences