The successful evolution of a power system is achieved when its future growth path is visualized. Visualizing and interpreting the future are crucial to understand the risks to which the power system is exposed. These are mostly caused by the interdependencies between the power system and other systems (e.g., transportation sector, fuels sector, industry, etc.); and the resulting uncertain environment where these systems perform. Then, the objectives of planning are to reduce the risks of uncertainties and to gain some control over the future by linking it with the past; otherwise risks might materialize in catastrophic consequences. In particular, motivated by the need of mitigating future risks in power systems, this work focuses on finding robust and flexible investment strategies in the generation capacity expansion planning problem under exposure to multiple uncertainties. They are present in different sources and types such as fuel costs, investment and operational costs, demand growth, renewables variability, transmission capacity, environmental policies, and regulation. The problem when considering multiple uncertainties is much harder, not only because the increased computational effort, but also because it is hard to model the combination of their occurrences in a single optimization problem. Since each uncertainty deserves special treatment, they are grouped into two categories. Those (categorical) uncertainties that really impact the portfolio investment decisions are classified as global; whereas those that quantitatively describe the intrinsic imperfect knowledge of the categorical are considered local uncertainties. So, to effectively account for robustness, defined as the ability to perform well under unforeseen situations, and flexibility, defined as the ability to adapt cost-efficiently to different situations, modern tools are illustrated and implemented in a computationally tractable manner, resulting in promising planning tools under uncertainty.

This research takes as reference two communities affected by the Colombian armed conflict in order to understand the role of Community Driven Reconstruction (CDR) in reparation and reconciliation. It finds that having partnerships, developing local governance, encouraging local participation and delivering accountable processes are useful for achieving reparations. Moreover, it argues that the link between reparation and reconciliation requires also a symbolic dimension missing in the CDR approach. This includes the restoration of shared values and tradition, clarification of truth and construction of memorials and promotion of meeting spaces.

Colombia is not a Member State of the Maritime Carriage Conventions currently in force (Hague-Visby Rules and Hamburg Rules) and it is uncertain whether it will ratify the Rotterdam Rules in the upcoming future. Pursuant to the foregoing, the regulation of the contracts of carriage of goods by sea is governed by the Colombian Code of Commerce. Accordingly, the Colombian Code of Commerce provides certain provisions which particularly regulate the carriage of goods by sea under bill of lading. Amongst those provisions, Article 1644 is of paramount significance for the liability of the carrier, considering that it allows in situations where there is no declaration of the value of the goods in the bill of lading, the possibility to apply the limitation of liability agreed by the parties in the carriage contract. However, the case law in Colombia has never concerned the limitation of the carrier’s liability in the context of an international multimodal carriage contract that includes a sea leg. In that respect, Article 16 of Decision 331 of 1993 of the Andean Community sets forth that when a damage or loss to the goods carried occurs in a stage of an international multimodal carriage contract where an international convention applicable or a mandatory national law provides a higher limit of liability for the carrier that the one agreed by the parties in the carriage contract, the limit of liability sets forth either by the international conventions or mandatory national law shall prevail upon the one agreed in the contract. According to the foregoing legal framework, the aim of this master thesis is to determine whether in accordance with Article 16 of Decision 331 of 1993 of the Andean Community and Article 1644 of the Colombian Code of Commerce the limitation of liability provided either in the Hague-Visby Rules or the Hamburg Rules shall apply compulsory in the Colombian jurisdiction in a situation of localized loss or damage to the goods sustained during the sea leg of an international multimodal carriage contract, in order to adjust Colombian jurisdiction with international standards on this subject matter.

Abstract: Many materials of scientific interest show a disordered phase, with their molecules presenting positional disorder, orientational disorder or both. Processes of interest to life also occur in these kind of phases as it is the case of liquid water present in many biochemical problems of interest such as protein folding. The study of these disordered phases is inherently difficult due to their lack of periodicity as in ordered crystals. In this work, molecular dynamics simulations (MD) are used to study two disordered phases: the liquid and the plastic crystal. The configurations obtained by MD are analyzed using different methodologies to obtain insights into the local ordering of the molecules and into their dynamics. The local ordering of the systems is studied using the Euler angles method considering the molecules as rigid bodies. Probability distributions describing the positional and orientational molecular ordering are obtained. These probability distributions are analysed using information theory concepts that provide a deeper understanding of the results. Two systems of interest are studied: hexachloroethane and water. The structure of the liquid and plastic crystal phases of hexacloroethane are investigated and the results from MD and the local ordering analyses are compared to previous works using simulations and neutron diffraction experiments. A Bayesian approach is used in order to obtain the intra-molecular structure of the molecule from the neutron diffraction experimental data, a set of parameters in better agreement with the plastic phase is obtained compared to previous electron diffraction experiments. Liquid water at room conditions is studied on the short range order, presenting a contribution to the ongoing topic of its local structure. The ordering of water at distances beyond the first hydration shell is also studied using the information theory approach. Findings of this work support recent experimental and simulation data showing the existance of long range correlations in water. Finally, plastic crystals phases of water found at high pressures by MD are studied and compared to a high pressure liquid and the ice vii form by comparing their local ordering and dynamics. The methodologies used in this work provide a powerful technique to analyse disordered phases and the results obtained will contribute to the understanding on the structure of such phases. Resumen: Muchos materiales de interés científico se presentan en fases desordenadas, donde las moléculas se encuentran desordenadas posicionalmente, orientacionalmente o ambas. Así mismo, procesos que son importantes para la vida se desarrollan en este tipo de fases. Un ejemplo de ello es el caso del agua líquida que está presente en muchos de los problemas importantes en bioquímica, como el plegamiento de proteínas. El estudio de estas fases desordenadas es inherentemente complejo debido a que no presentan periodicidad en la estructura como en el caso de sólidos cristalinos. En este trabajo se usa la simulación mediante dinámica molecular (MD) para estudiar dos fases desordenadas: el líquido y el cristal plástico. Las configuraciones obtenidas por MD son analizadas usando diferentes metodologías para entender el ordenamiento local y la dinámica de estas fases. El ordenamiento local de los sistemas se estudia usando el método de ángulos de Euler considerando las moléculas como cuerpos rígidos. Se obtienen distribuciones de probabilidad que describen el ordenamiento molecular posicional y orientacional. Estas distribuciones de probabilidad se analizan usando conceptos de teoría de la información que permiten entender mejor los resultados obtenidos. Se estudian dos sistemas de interés: hexacloroetano y agua. La estructura de las fases líquida y de cristal plástico en el hexacloroetano son investigadas y los resultados de MD y de los análisis de ordenamiento local son comparados con resultados previos de simulación y de difracción de neutrones. La estructura intra molecular del hexacloroetano se estudia usando análisis bayesiano haciendo un fit de los datos de difracción de neutrones, el conjunto de parámetros obtenidos mejoran resultados previos de experimentos de difracción por electrones respecto a la fase plástica. Se investiga el orden de corto alcance del agua a temperatura ambiente, contribuyendo al debate sobre su estructura local que es un tema aún abierto. El órden del agua para distancias más allá de los primeros vecinos también se estudia usando el enfoque de la teoría de la información. Los resultados encontrados dan soporte a experimentos y simulaciones recientes que muestran correlaciones de largo alcance en el agua. FInalmente, se estudian las fases plásticas del agua halladas recientemente por MD a altas presiones. Estas fases se comparan con una fase líquida a alta presión y con el hielo vii tanto en su ordenamiento local, como su dinámica. Las metodologías usadas en este trabajo constituyen una herramienta clave para el análisis de fases desordenadas y los resultados obtenidos contribuirán al entendimiento de la estructura de tales fases.

Abstract: This thesis is divided in five sections: Chapter 1 defines climate change and other related concepts, as well as describes how the international agreements tackle climate change. Chapter 2 explains which GHG are emitted in agriculture and how, and describes how different carbon markets work around the world; agricultural methods Australian farmers carry out to produce carbon credits are also presented in chapter two. Chapter 3 presents the GHG reduction commitment Colombia has taken under the Paris Agreement and discusses the benefits and challenges of implementing the proposed voluntary carbon market for agriculture. Chapter 4 studies GHG reduction or sequestration projects in Colombia. Chapter 5 contains the conclusions. Resumen: La tesis se compone de cinco secciones: El capítulo 1 define el cambio climático y otros conceptos relacionados, así como describe cómo los acuerdos internacionales abordan el cambio climático. El capítulo 2 explica las fuentes de emisión de gases efecto invernadero del sector agrícola y explica cómo funcionan en otras partes del mundo los mercados de carbón que han incluido este sector. El capítulo 3 presenta el compromiso de emisión presentado por Colombia en el Acuerdo de París y discute los retos de implementar un mercado de carbono para la agricultura en Colombia. El capítulo 4 estudia diferentes proyectos agrícolas de reducción de carbono en Colombia. El capítulo 5 contiene las conclusiones.

Abstract: The Environmental Control System (ECS) allows the control of the environment within the cabin and flight deck for pilot and passenger comfort, and protects them from adverse weather conditions. This study presents a Matlab-Simulink® model developed to calculate the shaft power and ventilation required by the ECS during different flight conditions. The ECS model includes two blocks. The first block determines the requirements of the ECS by means of the analysis of thermal loads presented inside the helicopter. The second block computes the ECS air-conditioning pack of the helicopter (for cooling, heating and demisting). Two different ambient and flight conditions are simulated to find the power consumption of the air-conditioning pack once a comfortable cabin environment has been achieved. It is concluded that by using this model, the changes in the comfort level can be predicted in real time in order to intelligently reduce the ECS overall power consumption in a helicopter by choosing among five different ECS configurations the most appropriated, thus maintain the thermal comfort of the pilot and the passengers. Resumen: El Sistema de Control Ambiental (ECS por sus siglas en inglés) permite el control del ambiente dentro de la cabina y la consola de control del helicóptero, proporcionando confort y protección a los pilotos y pasajeros en condiciones climáticas adversas. Este estudio presenta un modelo en Matlab-Simulink® aplicable a diversas condiciones de vuelo para calcular la potencia mecánica y la ventilación requerida por el ECS. El modelo ECS incluye dos bloques. El primer bloque determina los requerimientos del ECS por medio del análisis de cargas térmicas presentadas en el interior del helicóptero. El segundo bloque computa el sistema de acondicionamiento de aire del ECS dentro de un helicoptero (para refrigeración, calefacción y desempañado). Dos condiciones diferentes de ambiente y de vuelo son simuladas para encontrar el consumo de potencia del sistema de acondicionamiento de aire una vez alcanzado un ambiente de cabina confortable. Se concluye que por medio de este modelo, los patrones de cambio próximos en el nivel de confort se pueden predecir en tiempo real con el fin de reducir de forma inteligente el consumo general de energía del ECS en un helicóptero al seleccionar entre 5 configuraciones la más apropiada, y asi mantener el confort térmico del piloto y los pasajeros.

Disaster Risks are the cause of many economic losses and fatalities all over the world. Insurance and reinsurance industry has had a close eye on the catastrophic risks in Latin America, as it is a mechanism for disaster risk management and an incentive of mitigation in the region. Catastrophe insurance is the market in charge of covering losses caused by catastrophic events and a growing market worldwide. Imperfections and different reasons for underinsurance have made the region a hub of vulnerability. Due to its geographical location, social and economic situation, Latin America has a high exposure to disasters that have created many monetary consequences and mortalities over its history. However, there is still a gap in insurance coverage and a lack of information. There is evidence that insurance as an ex-ante financing tool has many benefits for developing regions as the case of the Latin American countries. Insurance is an incentive of mitigation through risk-based price signals, and measures taken by insurance companies themselves. Though, this study intends to present a clear lack of cooperation within the region in terms of regulatory frameworks and international collaboration that is reflected in the lack of information for the insured and insurers. Therefore, the research of disaster risks and (re)insurance in Latin America provides evidence of the high risk that the region presents and the deficiencies that the catastrophic insurance market has in the region, and highlights the necessity for mechanisms for enhancing the market, to develop new insurance solutions and create a region base collaboration in order to promote the disaster risk management using insurance as a tool.

Abstract: Social connections and interdependencies have increased today to levels never previously imagined. Traditionally, operating under the modernist rational model, decision-makers focused on the search for solutions that could be applied to all times and places, regardless of unique social, political and economic contexts. Along these lines, Latin American nations adopted foreign practices in the shaping of their cities and policies. But today, research has brought into question the universality of policies and plans, arguing that local realities are unique in many ways and policies and practices from other latitudes do not necessarily fit, at least not in ways they did elsewhere. This dissertation examines one policy implemented in Bogotá, Colombia, which has become a major inspiration for cities both in the North and the South. In particular, it studies what happens as policy moves from one place to another. This is a case study of policy mobilities, understood as the processes of moving ideas, people and resources from one location to another; this dissertation sheds light on the processes and transformations taking place along the way by examining the implementation of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Bogotá, following the policy´s trajectory to the national scene, and then by analyzing its arrival to Bucaramanga. The dissertation pays special attention to strategies that are reshaping the role of public and private actors in the urban planning and policy arena in Colombia. In other words, this work examines urban planning and policy transformations resulting from national BRT policy mobilities as multiple actors, processes, institutional arrangements and local conditions are impacted by the adoption of the policies. Resumen: Las conexiones sociales y las interdependencias han aumentado hoy a niveles nunca antes imaginados. Tradicionalmente, operando bajo el modelo racional modernista, los tomadores de decisiones se enfocaban en la búsqueda de soluciones que pudieran aplicarse a todos los tiempos y lugares, independientemente de contextos sociales, políticos y económicos únicos. En este orden de ideas, las naciones latinoamericanas adoptaron prácticas extranjeras en la configuración de sus ciudades y políticas. Pero hoy, la investigación ha puesto en tela de juicio la universalidad de las políticas y los planes, argumentando que las realidades locales son únicas en muchos sentidos y que las políticas y prácticas de otras latitudes no necesariamente encajan, al menos no de la manera en que lo hicieron en otros lugares. Esta disertación examina una política implementada en Bogotá, Colombia, que se ha convertido en una gran inspiración para las ciudades tanto del Norte como del Sur. En particular, estudia qué ocurre cuando la política se mueve de un lugar a otro. Este es un estudio de caso de las movilidades de políticas, entendido como los procesos de trasladar ideas, personas y recursos de un lugar a otro; Esta disertación arroja luces sobre los procesos y las transformaciones que tienen lugar en el camino al examinar la implementación de un sistema de transporte basado en buses rápidos en Bogotá, siguiendo la trayectoria de la política hacia la escena nacional, y luego analizando su llegada a Bucaramanga. La disertación presta especial atención a las estrategias que están redefiniendo el papel de los actores públicos y privados en el ámbito de la planificación y la política urbanas en Colombia. En otras palabras, este trabajo examina la planificación urbana y las transformaciones de políticas resultantes de las movilidades nacionales de políticas de BRT ya que múltiples actores, procesos, arreglos institucionales y condiciones locales se ven afectados por la adopción de las políticas.

As it has been proved in several researches carried out by different authors, riverine floods and the scour induced by these are one of the main causes of bridge collapse. More specifically, local scour causes a loss in the lateral resistance of bridge foundation, thus potentially increasing the seismic vulnerability of a bridge system. The present study assesses the combination of scour and earthquake effects for a bridge located in a road network crossing valleys in the Pyrenees Mountain range (France). The bridge spans over a river stream of trapezoidal cross-section, which is more able to capture actual physical behaviours than the rectangular section generally used for similar studies. The bridge consists in a continuous RC deck supported by two multi-column piers. Making use of the OpenSees software, a 3D finite-element model of the bridge is built and subjected to a suite of 312 ground motions (i.e., non-linear time history analyses). Fragility curves are developed for this multi-hazard case study, considering specific levels of damage that might be of interest, as well a comparison between fragility characteristics obtained in the absence and presence of scour. In order to fully study the potentially detrimental effects of scour on the dynamic behavior of the considered bridge, it is considered different scour combinations in the non-linear time-history analyses, such as: • Equal scour depth in all columns. • Same scour depth in the columns of the same pier. • Same scour depth in columns of different piers. • Scour depth concentrated in just one column of the bridge This study demonstrates the ability of a given numerical model to account for various hazard loadings and failure mechanisms, thus providing support to decision making regarding bridge management and monitoring.

Kinesiology tape is commonly applied to enhance muscle functioning. The targeted improvement could be influenced by the neuromuscular stimulation acquired within the muscle and modulated by the mechanoreceptor after its application. The importance of the muscular facilitation effect that K-TAPE may produce within the muscle lies on the direct impact of this property on athletes’ performance, health promotion, injury- prevention and rehabilitations programs. This study seeks to investigate if the application of K-TAPE, from origin to insertion of the RF, significantly increase the motor unit firing within the muscle, after performing a MVC. More precisely, this study examines whether this application leads to a better muscle functioning or conversely, no significant differences on the electrical stimulation within the rectus femuris muscle when using K-TAPE after MVC. Based on an EMG experimental study and using pre-test/post-test designs, twenty healthy subjects were randomly allocated into experiment and control groups. Using regression analysis to compare pre-test and post-test EMG outputs, findings of this study confirm a significant improvement on the neuromuscular facilitation of the rectus femuris of 7% on average. This result is statistically significant at 5% confidence level. Additional tests show that the difference can be as high as 25% after the application of the K-tape. Further analysis on the control group could not reject the theory proved on the experiment group. The contribution made in this study proves that Kinesiology tape can be used to enhance the muscular functioning.