Abstract: In this thesis, I test if the effect of state intervention on economic growth and inequality depends on the level of institutional quality a country presents. I use three different proxies to measure the degree of state intervention in the economy, then I specify a model which includes an interaction term between rule of law and one of the proxies of state intervention. The model is tested in a cross-panel dataset for at most 58 countries in 7 three-year periods, from 1998 to 2018. I find evidence for a non-linear relationship between income per capita and state intervention when the latter is proxied as market openness, varying on the level of rule of law. Contrary to expectations, countries with better institutional quality do not benefit the most from freer markets. As for inequality, I find non-robust evidence of a crossover interaction between public employment and rule of law, yet this result is not economically meaningful. Resumen: En esta tesis, compruebo si el efecto de la intervención estatal sobre el crecimiento económico y la desigualdad depende del nivel de calidad institucional que presenta un país. Utilizo tres indicadores distintos para medir el grado de intervención estatal en la economía y, a continuación, especifico un modelo que incluye un término de interacción entre la variable de Estado de Derecho (rule of law) y uno de los indicadores de intervención estatal. El modelo se testea en una base de datos de panel con un máximo de 58 países en 7 períodos de tres años, de 1998 a 2018. Encuentro pruebas de una relación no lineal entre la renta per cápita y la intervención estatal cuando esta última se aproxima como apertura del mercado, variando en función del nivel de Estado de Derecho (rule of law). Contrario a lo esperado, los países con mejor calidad institucional no son los que más se benefician de mercados más libres. En cuanto a la desigualdad, encuentro pruebas no robustas de una interacción cruzada entre el empleo en el sector público y el Estado de Derecho, aunque este resultado no es económicamente significativo.

Natural Resource Revenues: An opportunity to grow? Estimating the effect of royalties on Colombian departments Abstract: Do royalties from the natural resource extraction contribute to economic growth in the Colombian context? To answer this question, this study examines the allocation and use of royalties in the 32 Colombian departments between 2005 and 2019, period that spans two different governance schemes. Using panel data analysis, it finds that from the allocation perspective, there are indications of the natural resource curse in producing departments. In terms of the returns of the investments, the results highlight issues related to the efficiency and quality of public investment in the main sectors, despite the significant contribution of the 2011 royalties’ reform to address revenues mismanagement and equity issues. These results point to imbalances in the royalties’ policy, thus contributing to inform the current debate on energy transition and future policy reforms. Resumen: ¿Contribuyen las regalías provenientes de la extracción de recursos naturales al crecimiento económico en el contexto colombiano? Para responder a esta pregunta, este estudio examina la asignación y el uso de las regalías en los 32 departamentos colombianos entre 2005 y 2019, periodo que abarca dos esquemas de gobernanza diferentes. Utilizando análisis de datos de panel, encuentra que desde la perspectiva de la asignación, hay indicios de la maldición de los recursos naturales en los departamentos productores. En términos de los retornos de las inversiones, los resultados destacan problemas relacionados con la eficiencia y la calidad de la inversión pública en los principales sectores, a pesar de la importante contribución de la reforma de las regalías de 2011 para abordar la mala gestión de los ingresos y los problemas de equidad regional. Estos resultados apuntan a desequilibrios en la política de regalías, contribuyendo así a informar el debate actual sobre la transición energética y las futuras reformas de política.

Abstract: I document differences in inflation rates across gender in the UK between 2001 and 2021. Using data from the interview and diary components of the Living Costs and Food Survey, for the period spanning 2001-2021, I compute gender specific inflation rates for male and female households. I find that average annual inflation was higher for male than for female households (17 and 15 basis points higher for single and cohabitating male households than single and cohabitating female households, respectively). This difference persists after controlling for other sociodemographic characteristics. Differences are mainly explained by male households spending a significantly larger part of their consumption budget in relatively higher-inflation product categories, such as transport, restaurants and hotels, and alcohol and tobacco. Deflation in clothing and footwear, a category on which female households spent around twice as much as male households, further increased the gap. I also document a significant amount of heterogeneity in inflation within gender. Resumen: Documento las diferencias en las tasas de inflación por género en el Reino Unido entre 2001 y 2021. Utilizando datos de los componentes de entrevista y diario de la Living Costs and Food Survey del Reino Unido, para el periodo comprendido entre 2001 y 2021, calculo las tasas de inflación específicas por género para los hogares masculinos y femeninos. La inflación media anual fue mayor en los hogares masculinos que en los femeninos (17 y 15 puntos básicos, respectivamente). Esta diferencia persiste después de controlar otras características sociodemográficas. Las diferencias se explican principalmente por el hecho de que los hogares masculinos gastan una parte significativamente mayor de su presupuesto de consumo en categorías de productos que experimentaron una mayor inflación, como transporte, restaurantes y hoteles y alcohol y tabaco. La deflación en ropa y calzado, una categoría en la que las mujeres en la que los hogares femeninos gastan aproximadamente el doble que los masculinos.

Abstract: The thesis critically deals with Urban Greening, a phenomenon that transformed contemporary urban areas in the post-industrial landscape. After a deep exploration of literature and field fieldwork, this research defines such an issue as “an accumulative mechanism of translation of the perception and relationship between society and urban nature”. By inquiring greening mechanisms in the cases of Rotterdam and Torino, the work proposes a design experiment to challenge the current ways of production of green bodies, by fostering new relationships in the urban sphere. The first part of the thesis defines urban greening through literature, contemporary definitions, and categorizations. Aiming for a redefinition of the concept by means of the deconstruction into its main components; society, nature, time, and interactions. The research directly moves towards a better understanding of what greening and nature can mean, by confronting the ideas of some significant authors, such as Matthew Gandy, Phillippe Descola, and Lucilla Barchetta, among others. The exploration understands the relevance of greening as a term that has gained momentum in the past few decades, with the decline of the post-industrial landscape and the increasing degradation processes of the Anthropocene. However, the general approach, wishes to go beyond the contemporary notions of greening, as one of the promises of the so-called “sustainable city”, and explore the constructions and narratives that have constituted its meaning throughout time. The second part of the inquiry takes two contemporary cities as case studies: Rotterdam and Torino. By analyzing their greening history and urban expansion, to later take a look at the modern-day panorama in terms of administration, governance, and policies around green infrastructures. Moreover, confronting this Greening agenda with the projects that will shape the future of Rotterdam and Torino, assessing their reach, coherence, and implementation in terms of the Sustainable City. As a result of the case studies exploration, the thesis draws a series of considerations that suggest new types of relationships around urban greening. The last part of the study wishes to challenge current ways of urban greening, by experimenting with a form of planning that drifts apart from the objectification of green elements and hopefully tries to integrate spontaneity in urban relationships.

Abstract: The supply chain is a network of nodes that connects the different states through which a raw material must go from the source to being a finished product available to the consumer. The intermediate nodes that help reduce the distances between the manufacturer and the customer when distributing products are called warehouses, distribution centres or cross-docks. These facilities serve as temporary storage that reduces distribution costs and allows products to be available closer to the customers when required. In many operations worldwide where automation is not an option as it is a costly alternative, these warehouses, distribution centres and crossdocks manually operate with workers their activities of loading, unloading, picking, sorting, storing, among others. This study seeks to address the workforce sizing problem in warehouses, distribution centres or cross-docks to understand what the indicated number of workers should be to meet the site's performance indicators, meet demand and reduce operating costs. The research was developed under a methodology with mixed methods, where from an exploratory sequential approach, it begins with a systematic literature review to find the most relevant variables or factors used by multiple studies when trying to address the problem of dimensioning the workforce in distribution centres, warehouses, or cross-docks, as well as contrast their approaches and identify the techniques and tools used. With this, a total of 46 variables were found by breaking down their frequency of appearance by journal article or conference proceeding, clustering them into 7 categories which are input and output operations, material handling equipment (MHE) performance, warehouse configuration, warehouse performance, product complexity, picking operations and labour and worker conditions. Based on these variables, some were used in the technique that most frequently appeared in the literature, simulation. Here, a crossdock of a company belonging to the mass consumption sector was virtually represented using Flexsim software. The objective of this simulation was to find the number of forklifts needed to handle the loading and unloading operation of 5 types of trucks under different demand scenarios, or the total number of trucks to attend per day. After developing the model and extracting the results for 4 demand profiles, a sensitivity analysis was carried out where the influence of the forklift quantity on the crossdock performance measures was demonstrated, finding that as the number of forklifts increased, the average truck cycle time decreased, the total quantity of trucks attended reached the expected number per day according to the demand profile, and the average forklift utilization decreased. Finally, the limitations were shown from the literature and from the simulation model to address the workforce sizing problem, giving suggestions for future research that can deepen or address the problem from another approach.

Abstract: Reservoir models of deep-water channels rely upon low-resolution but spatially extensive seismic data, high vertical resolution but spatially sparse well log data and geomodeling methods. The results cannot predict architecture below seismic resolution or between well logs. Usually, the data and interpretations that provide constraints for modeling workflows do not capture sub-seismic scale architecture. Therefore, standard modeling methods do not generate models that include details that can impact hydrocarbon flow and recovery. Constraining models to well and seismic data is problematic. Employing measured sections in the Tres Pasos Fm. (Magallanes Basin, Chile) is feasible to predict deep-water channel architecture, specifically channel stacking patterns with 1D information analogous to well data. This research performed near-wellbore modeling to generate multiple scenarios of channel stacking patterns constrained by machine learning-derived probabilities using (i) conditional Monte Carlo simulation with soft probabilities per channel element within the measured section choosing the highest probabilities for each element (ii) conditional Monte Carlo simulation of channel stacking, (iii) template-based modeling, (iv) forward modeling with Markov transition probabilities without matching to thickness and (v) conditional Monte Carlo simulation constrained to measured section thickness. Machine learning workflows generate channel position probabilities (i.e., axis, off-axis, margin) within a measured section given the interpreted top/bases of channel elements. These probabilities constitute the input for Monte Carlo simulations capturing channel element stacking patterns at the measured section locations. The most likely 2D channel stacking pattern scenarios defined channel centerline points, and volumes of the individual channel elements can be generated connecting them. Surface-based modeling offers a way to depict reservoirs of hydrocarbons, water or low-enthalpy geothermal systems in which small-scale heterogeneity needs to be captured explicitly by bounding surfaces because it impacts fluid flow, improving our forecasts of resource exploitation. Furthermore, predicting heterogeneity controlled by depositional architecture is critical for transport and storage capacity in CO2 reservoirs. The dataset provided and the advent of these flexible and accurate methods to depict the subsurface offer the opportunity to overcome the historical limitations of grid-based models and allow us to assess multiscale architecture that controls fluid flow. This research aims to show the results of modeling deepwater channels, including a 1D identification of architectural positions and a 2D arrangement of channel stacking patterns.

Abstract: Colombia is a country whose economy is largely driven by SMEs companies, but with the advance of technology, their production and growth is stagnating. Only companies that have under- stood the importance of innovation and have applied technologies framed in the DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION are making progress. One of the most critical reasons why these companies have not yet begun to go through this change of ideology is due to the lack of knowledge and support. The information is abundant but it is not compiled in a single digital site, where any- one can find it. Companies will continue to invest in technology to support the shift towards remote work and automation, but that is no longer enough. One of the most relevant findings when talking to various stakeholders, has been to understand that in the collective imagination of entrepreneurs, there are misconceptions about what DT means. It is common that this concept is framed in a series of myths that confuse and are transferred from voice to voice, creating a panorama of misinformation. That is why, I took on the challenge of creating a digital strategy that brings together in one place the dimensions that are part of the DT. The objective is to demystify the preconceived ideas of entrepreneurs so they can understand that their perception of digital reality has been created under ideas that do not correspond to the truth. Therefore, to achieve this change of mentality, a common and direct language will be used in order to make people feel identified with their false ideas about the concept and as a result, they will experience a desire to explore further. Resumen: Colombia es un país cuya economía está en gran medida impulsada por empresas pymes, pero con el avance de la tecnología, su producción y crecimiento se están estancando. Solo las empresas que han comprendido la importancia de la innovación y han aplicado tecnologías enmarcadas en la TRANSFORMACIÓN DIGITAL están progresando. Una de las razones más críticas por las cuales estas empresas aún no han comenzado a pasar por este cambio de ideología se debe a la falta de conocimiento y apoyo. La información es abundante, pero no está recopilada en un solo espacio digital, donde cualquiera pueda encontrarla. Las empresas continúan invirtiendo en tecnología para respaldar el cambio hacia el trabajo remoto y la automatización, pero eso ya no es suficiente. Uno de los hallazgos más relevantes al hablar con diversos interesados ha sido comprender que en la imaginación colectiva de los empresarios, hay conceptos erróneos sobre lo que significa la Transformación Digital. Es común que este concepto se enmarque en una serie de mitos que confunden y se transmiten voz a voz, creando un panorama de desinformación. Por eso, asumí el desafío de crear una estrategia digital que reúna en un solo lugar las dimensiones que forman parte de la TD. El objetivo es desmitificar las ideas preconcebidas de los empresarios para que puedan entender que su percepción de la realidad digital se ha creado bajo ideas que no corresponden a la verdad. Por lo tanto, para lograr este cambio de mentalidad, se utilizará un lenguaje común y directo con el fin de que las personas se sientan identificadas con sus ideas falsas sobre el concepto y, como resultado, experimenten el deseo de explorar más a fondo. Dentro de esta estrategia y como artefacto final, desarrollé un sitio web llamado ""Mitos Digitales"", los empresarios podrán comprender el concepto, sus componentes, beneficios, la tecnología más usada, historias de éxito y una recopilación de mitos desarticulados. Finalmente, podrán encontrar algunos recursos en términos de formación y ayuda financiera que el gobierno y las organizaciones privadas en Colombia están proporcionando para apoyar y fortalecer el crecimiento y desarrollo tecnológico de las pymes.

Abstract: Bogotá Social Backbone proposes the development of a backbone of social infrastructure for the most needed people in Bogota, those who usually do not have access to the professional services of an architect. I selected three ""free"", abandoned, and problematic spaces along the Caracas Avenue in Bogotá, and three clients who inhabit them; a drug addict who was displaced from El Bronx, a prostitute from Santafé neighborhood and a recycler from Caracas 59. Social architecture is proposed with the objective of being a platform for these people to reintegrate into society with dignity, providing minimal housing, as well as places for training and for the development of a life project. Resumen: Bogotá Social Backbone propone el desarrollo de una columna vertebral de infraestructura social para las personas más necesitadas de Bogotá, aquellas que normalmente no tienen acceso a los servicios profesionales de un arquitecto. Seleccioné tres espacios ""libres"", abandonados y problemáticos a lo largo de la Avenida Caracas en Bogotá y tres clientes que los habitan; un drogadicto desplazado de El Bronx, una prostituta del barrio Santafé y un reciclador de la Caracas con 59. La arquitectura social se propone con el objetivo de ser una plataforma para que estas personas se reintegren dignamente a la sociedad, proporcionándoles una vivienda mínima, así como lugares para la formación y para el desarrollo de un proyecto de vida.

Abstract: Pharmaceutical Compounds (PCs), are synthetic substances intensively consumed by humans and continuously released into the urban wastewater. Often, the removal of PCs from wastewater is found to be insufficient, or even absent if population is not connected to the sewage system and wastewater is directly emitted into the environment. In the last decades, the PCs have aroused special attention because they have been found in surface water at concentrations that can cause negative effects on the aquatic biota and environment. Studies employing PCs monitoring and modelling techniques on surface waters have been mainly conducted in developed countries, while studies in developing countries are still scarce. Attempting to fill this gap, this work focused specifically in Colombia, where the occurrence of PCs has not been thoroughly studied and monitoring plans are barely done due to high costs. This work employed the Exposure to Pharmaceuticals in the Environment (ePiE), a spatially distributed model only implemented and used in Europe, to predict concentrations of PCs in rivers and lakes by considering their consumption, fate and transport. So, it aimed to create a new ePiE model network taking as a case of study the prediction of Naproxen and Paracetamol in the Upper Catchment of the Cauca River, Colombia, an area with a different socio-economic and climatic conditions with respect to the European continent. The methodological approach included: a) data collection on PCs’ consumption, physicochemical properties and removal in Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs); b) consolidation of geodata of the study area such as hydrology, hydrography, urban agglomeration and WWTPs location; c) model building by using the open-source software environment R; d) analysis of the model sensitivity to input parameters; e) model validation. The results showed that all concentration predictions deviate within a range of only one order of magnitude from measurements which is a remarkable result when dealing with such high uncertainties. In terms of magnitude prediction, for the worst-case scenario, Naproxen and Paracetamol were found to exceed the environmental standards thresholds in 9% and 1% of the model river network nodes respectively. Overall, this research aimed to assess the applicability of the ePiE model in estimating the presence of PCs in a subregion of Colombia, demonstrating that it is feasible to expand ePiE to other areas and giving insights about the spatial distribution of pharmaceuticals substances so hotspots can be identified and several scenarios can be built in future works.

Abstract: With growing traffic demands and structural degradation accelerated by climate change, there is a critical need for continued advancement of concrete repair and strengthening technologies to enable extended bridge service life. Specifically, transitioning to cost-effective reinforced concrete (RC) retrofit strategies that further enhance durability under service loading conditions and minimize damage development under extreme hazard conditions, which are more probable to occur in longer-lasting concrete structures, are key elements of next-generation concrete bridges. This thesis explores the use of iron-based shape memory alloys (Fe-SMAs) as an active shear retrofit strategy for RC components. SMAs are a class of smart materials with the unique property of the shape memory effect, allowing them to fully recover plastic deformations when subsequently heated. By installing prestrained Fe-SMA strips and activating the shape memory effect, an active pressure can be introduced to help close cracks and apply a confining stress in the concrete. The primary objective is to evaluate the performance and practicality of Fe-SMA as an active shear strengthening technique in comparison to traditional methods such as external steel reinforcement and fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites. The experimental phase of this study involved conducting push-off tests on RC specimens retrofitted with pre-deformed Fe-SMA strips. The goal was to assess the efficiency of active shear retrofitting. Additionally, finite element analysis (FEA) simulations were employed to model Fe SMA-retrofitted RC structures and investigate their behaviour under shear loading conditions. Key findings indicate that Fe-SMA retrofits, through transverse prestressing as part of the active retrofit strategy, contributed to notable improvements in the stiffness and strength of damaged RC components. Similar to passive retrofit methods, increased shear capacity was observed with higher levels of transverse reinforcement. Notably, combinations of substantial shear reinforcement ratios and elevated transverse prestressing provided the most significant gains in shear strength. Furthermore, the addition of prestressed Fe-SMA retrofits was found to effectively reduce shear crack widths and mitigate the progression of subsequent shear crack width growth. This study not only demonstrates the potential of Fe-SMA as a promising solution for active shear strengthening but also contributes to the development of future field-scale tests. The presence of Fe-SMA in damaged structures offers the prospect of multiple improvements, marking a significant advancement in the field of shear retrofitting.