Branding the design metropole: the case of Montréal, Canada

As part of a broader process of inter-urban competition, city governments have increasingly sought to 'position' themselves as centres of creativity. In these branding initiatives, culture is viewed as a tool of urban regeneration and economic development. Our paper examines the case of Commerce Design Montréal, an annual design competition run by the City of Montréal, which aims to brand Montréal as a centre of design. Commerce Design Montréal is an example of a 'fast' policy initiated by the state, but carried out by business owners and citizens. As such, it represents a downloading of the responsibility for economic development to the private or individual scale and adopts only a partial view of the varied actors and uses that are implicated in the design process. The paper considers the opportunities and challenges that this model presents for promoting design as a form of urban regeneration in a neo-liberal context.     

Historical Auckland on foot

Abstract:  This paper discusses three walking tour guides prepared for the 12th International Conference of Historical Geographers. It argues that the guides are innovative in terms of format, content and ironic sensibility. It construes them as devices for re-imagining Auckland's urban heritage.     

Site Investigation for the Effects of Vegetation on Ground Stability

The procedure for geotechnical site investigation is well established but little attention is currently given to investigating the potential of vegetation to assist with ground stability. This paper describes how routine investigation procedures may be adapted to consider the effects of the vegetation. It is recommended that the major part of the vegetation investigation is carried out, at relatively low cost, during the preliminary (desk) study phase of the investigation when there is maximum flexibility to take account of findings in the proposed design and construction. The techniques available for investigation of the effects of vegetation are reviewed and references provided for further consideration. As for general geotechnical investigation work, it is important that a balance of effort is maintained in the vegetation investigation between (a) site characterisation (defining and identifying the existing and proposed vegetation to suit the site and ground conditions), (b) testing (in-situ and laboratory testing of the vegetation and root systems to provide design parameters) and (c) modelling (to analyse the vegetation effects).     

城市钻孔数据地下三维地质建模软件的实现

介绍了基于钻孔数据的城市地下三维地质建模软件的实现过程，提出了基于钻孔数据三维地质建模的总体思路、钻孔数据管理和层序分层方法，还介绍了软件的模块组成及应用实例。建立的软件实现了对城市钻孔数据的三维建模、可视化分析和科学管理，具有丰富的二维成图和三维显示功能，实例的应用也说明本软件是分析城市第四系构造格架和演化的有力工具。     

城市土壤环境地球化学研究--以苏州市为例

通过苏州城市环境地球化学调查工作的实施，对城市土壤环境地球化学研究的工作方法进行了初步研究。结果显示。苏州城市土壤的主要污染区域分布于东南居民生活区、西部工业区、东部木材加工厂集中区及公路干线一带；主要污染物为重金属、有机污染物多环芳烃、有机氯农药等。根据城市自然地理环境、功能分区特点和分布面积大小，确定土壤环境地球化学采样密度和测试项目是城市土壤环境地球化学研究的关键技术。     

城市水环境承载能力研究

针对人类高强度活动区——城市水资源系统特点和存在的水环境问题,探讨城市水环境承载能力和水资源承载能力的概念及内涵;提出了计算城市水环境承载能力的"控制目标反推模型"(COIM模型),该模型主要包括:城市污染物排放量计算、控制断面径流量计算、控制断面水质指标计算、控制目标方程和城市水环境承载能力计算;以郑州市为应用范例,介绍城市水环境承载能力计算模型应用及水环境调控对策制定.     

公路和城市街渠机动车大气污染物扩散模式发展综述

随着城市机动车数量的增加，机动车尾气污染已经成为城市污染物的重要来源。研究机动车尾气扩散规律，可为公路建设，车流量控制，街道大气污染的监测、评价与防治提供科学依据。对公路机动车污染物扩散模型的发展进行了回顾，详细论述了高斯模式、数值模式、统计模式等模式的发展历程及其目前存在的问题，并比较了几种典型模式的性能优劣及其各种条件下的适用性。随后对城市街渠峡谷机动车污染物扩散模型进行专述，指出了街渠峡谷模式研究的难点在于街渠流场模拟，介绍了国外最新街渠流场研究方法。最后提出了当前机动车大气污染物扩散模型存在的主要困难，展望了其解决途径和发展的方向。     

合肥市夏季热岛特征研究

根据2002牟夏季高温期间合肥市城市小气候考察的资料，分析了合肥市夏季城市热岛特征以及热岛强度的历史变化。结果表明：1）合肥市夏季热岛强度的日变化与冬季明显不同，夏季晴天一天中热岛强度只出现一个峰值，其基本特征与Oke提出的理想状态下的城市热岛强度日变化的模式曲线非常相似，而冬季与高纬地区的加拿大卡尔加里城市的热岛强度日变化特征接近。这反映了冬、夏两季人类活动、能源消耗量的不同；2）随着城市范围的扩大和城市绿化工程的实施，合肥市热岛面积、分布形状有了一定的改变，但主要分布特征和强度基本没有变化。     

城市热岛效应监测方法研究进展

城市热岛效应是一种由于城市建筑及人们活动导致的热量在城区空间范围内聚集的现象,是城市气候最明显的特征之一.由于城市热岛影响因素以及相互关系的复杂性,为了精确细致地描述其时空分布,人们采用了多种方法来研究城市热岛现象,主要归纳为：气象站法、定点观测法、运动样带法、遥感测定法以及模拟预测等.最后,认为各种测定方法都存在一定的缺陷,建议多种测定方法综合运用.     

An integrated hydrological model for rain‐induced landslide prediction

This paper describes an extension to the Combined Hydrology And Stability Model (CHASM) to fully include the effects of vegetation and slope plan topography on slope stability. The resultant physically based numerical model is designed to be applied to site‐specific slopes in which a detailed assessment of unsaturated and saturated hydrology is required in relation to vegetation, topography and slope stability. Applications are made to the Hawke's Bay region in New Zealand where shallow‐seated instability is strongly associated with spatial and temporal trends in vegetation cover types, and the Mid‐Levels region in Hong Kong, an area subject to a variety of landslide mechanisms, some of which may be subject to strong topographic control. An improved understanding of process mechanism, afforded by the model, is critical for reliable and appropriate design of slope stabilization and remedial measures. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.