No abstract

Traditionally, the high frequency components of earthquake loading are disregarded as a source of structural damage because of their small energy content and because their frequency is too high to resonate with the natural frequencies of structures. This thesis argues that higher frequency waves travelling through stiff masonry structures can trigger two types of failure mechanisms that have not yet been taken into account. First, the high frequencies can cause small vertical inter-stone vibrations that result in irreversible relative displacements of the stones, which may ultimately lead to collapse. The energy needed to cause this deformation and failure comes largely from gravitational forces. The second failure mechanism is associated with the increase of the outward thrust that results from the partial fluidization and densification of the loose granular inner core of some unreinforced masonry walls. Preliminary results of a series of static and dynamic tests, as well as of numerical models, demonstrate the potentially destructive effects of high frequency/low energy seismic waves on unreinforced masonry structures.

As a country with multiple ethnicities, religions, and cultures, Indonesia has been suffering from protracted waves of inter-ethnic conflicts among its peoples. This research uses Critical Discourse Analysis (cda) to survey an array of mass and social media outlets, existing policies, and statistics to describe and interpret inter-ethnic relations between Tionghoa (Chinese Indonesians) and Javanese Pribumi (indigenous Indonesian Muslims). It adopts the Weberian three-factor social stratification model to group these relations under three main headings: class, status, and party. The analysis of this research is also enriched by using Geert Hofstede’s cultural-dimension theory. This research shows that Indonesia is socially stratified along Tionghoa-Pribumi lines. Importantly, the analysis also exposes that this stratification is not primarily due to economic inequalities as commonly assumed, but rather the result of deep religious and cultural incompatibilities and inadequate policies. Ultimately, Indonesia’s social stratification exacerbates the existing social inequality and perpetuates antagonistic Tionghoa-Pribumi relations.

Rodrigo Duterte won the Philippines’ 2016 presidential elections thanks to a well-orchestrated campaign and his populist appeal among Filipinos. Soon after he assumed the presidency, he surprised and upset most of his domestic and western international audiences by pragmatically rejecting the pro-Western approach followed by the previous Aquino administration and adopting a China-friendly one. Adopting Critical Discourse Analysis, this research reveals President Duterte’s bicephalous leadership: populist in domestic policies, and pragmatic but unpopular in foreign relations. To qualitatively describe the dichotomy between the populist and pragmatic nature of Duterte’s leadership, this article surveys the Philippines’ mainstream media from 2016 to 2019. Furthermore, this analysis shows that Duterte is using a defensive neorealist approach in building Philippines-China relations and that Filipinos are willing to consider China as a constructive partner for their country.