Theses and Dissertations from UMD

Permanent URI for this communityhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/2

New submissions to the thesis/dissertation collections are added automatically as they are received from the Graduate School. Currently, the Graduate School deposits all theses and dissertations from a given semester after the official graduation date. This means that there may be up to a 4 month delay in the appearance of a give thesis/dissertation in DRUM

More information is available at Theses and Dissertations at University of Maryland Libraries.

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    CATALOG OF MATERIAL PROPERTIES FOR MECHANISTIC-EMPIRICAL PAVEMENT DESIGN
    (2011) Li, Rui; Schwartz, Charles W.; Civil Engineering; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    The new pavement design methodology is based on mechanistic-empirical principles that are expected to be used in parallel with and eventually replace the current empirical pavement design procedures. The new mechanistic-empirical pavement design guide (MEPDG) requires greater quantities and quality of input data. Material characterization for the mechanistic-empirical approach, the focus of this thesis, is significantly more fundamental and extensive than in the current empirically-based AASHTO Design Guide. The objective of the thesis is to develop an organized database of material properties for the most common paving materials used in Maryland. A comprehensive material property database in Microsoft Access 2007 has been developed. The database is initially populated with all information received from SHA. It provides complete data management tools for adding and managing future data as well as data display screens for MEPDG. Recommendations for future material testing for Maryland are also provided.
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    UNIVERSITY GOING IN CONTEXT: A CASE STUDY OF GUSII STUDENTS OF SOUTHWESTERN KENYA
    (2009) Choti, Truphena Moraa; Lin, Jing; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    ABSTRACT Dissertation Title: UNIVERSITY GOING IN CONTEXT: A CASE STUDY OF GUSII STUDENTS OF SOUTHWESTERN KENYA Truphena Moraa Choti, Doctor of Philosophy, 2009 Directed By: Prof. Jing Lin, Department of Education Leadership, Higher Education, and International Education University of Maryland, College Park The main objective of this qualitative ethnographic case study is to ascertain the level of awareness and preparedness among high school students in Gusiiland, Southwestern Kenya, for university education opportunities and possibilities. Through an in-depth interviewing process, a purposive sample of twelve students and four focus groups were conducted in four Gusii high schools to capture students' perceptions and conceptions of the university going process. In addition, twelve parents and eight teachers participated in the study. The data were analyzed to identify a set of ideas, issues and themes from all the participants. Also, data from each target student were analyzed as case study, and later a cross-case analysis was undertaken to refine data across participants and schools. Utilizing the theories of social capital, cultural capital and human capital, this study explores the role of the family, school and community in the preparation of students' university going within their socio-cultural environment. Structural inequality in the distribution of educational resources, rigidness of the curriculum and overemphasis on examinations, extreme poverty and local politics emerged as some the barriers to university pathway for Gusii high school students. To overcome these impediments, students adopted unique strategies characterized by strict study schedule, group networks and holiday tuition to gain entry into university. This research contributes original material on the university going process in Kenya and hopes to shed light for future research in this hitherto unexplored academic area. Finding out what students know about higher education including their plans on how to pay for their university costs is worthwhile in helping Kenyan policy makers and scholars in understanding the needs of prospective undergraduate students entering Kenyan universities.