The objective of the article is to present the possibility of using landscape studies in the development of guidelines for the revitalization of rural areas. Performing detailed analyses of the cultural and aesthetic values of the landscape has become the basis for formulating the directions for the development of the rural areas located in the vicinity of the town of Drawsko Pomorskie, that previously were part of state collective farms. Landscape studies included the identification and characterization of natural elements and cultural and aesthetic values of the area, based on the landscape audit methodology and commonly applied principles of valorization of cultural landscape. The analyses allowed us to identify areas that, due to a significant decline in the value of the landscape, caused mainly by the location of objects related to the former state farms, require the analysis of the legitimacy of their further protection within the “Pojezierze Drawskie” [hereinafter “Drawsko Lakeland”] Protected Landscape Area. As a result, it was possible to formulate new guidelines for the revitalization of the studied area. Keywords: landscape research, post State Farm areas, village renewal, landscape audit

In the studies, the subject of the so-called central school gardens which were founded in interwar Poland was undertaken, thinking about the pupils of all schools in a given city, irrespectively of the level of learning. The character of the gardens was determined by the goal they served, as well as by the user for whom they were founded – they were, first of all, demonstration gardens, based on the model of university botanic gardens. From among the whole group of school gardens which were founded in great quantities at that time, they were distinguished by their relatively large scale, often with access for the wider public and by a “park nature”; therefore, their layout, architectonic details, and partly their plant selection, are not only the reflection of the requirements, being imposed by their didactic function but also a picture of contemporary fashion or standards and rules for the design of gardens and parks.

City landscape design in the approach presented here is a process that combines the language of contemporary urban design, landscape and the phenomenon that the landscape represents. Using it allows the most important values, meaning and the identity of the space to be recognised, which gives the opportunity to accurately highlight its shortcomings and its potential. The method of city landscape design process presented within includes a distinctive landscape analysis and a system of results synthesis and interpretation. Three aspects have been presented: the general approach to the research process, the role of lighting, and the importance of urban furniture in the design of the city landscape.

The article presents theoretical considerations on the philosophy of designing and protecting wild urban waterfront spaces. Its goal is to examine the sense of these places in terms of their significance for urban and ecological structures, city social life, as well as for individual human beings. The analysis presented here based on the theory of architecture, environmental psychology and aesthetics, leads to two conclusions. First of all, such spaces are important places for city residents to engage in behaviorally and emotionally. Secondly, when it comes to managing wild water areas in cities, it seems to be more important to create places than to implement a specific project. What seems to matter most in creating such places is an emphasis on their familiarity, openness, effective simplicity and harmony in balancing the requirements of water nature and social life.

Old German cemeteries which have been devastated and liquidated, are a disgraceful reminder of the 1970s and 1980s. They are particularly numerous in cities and villages in Western and Northern Poland. Though they constitute a historically exceptional relic of those places and people, only a few have been memorialized. The paper presents a review of exemplary forms of commemorating liquidated cemeteries, as symbolic sights in the landscape with a specific historical, cultural, and social significance.

This article concerns the subject of landscape changes based on dynamic changes in horizontal land cover over 20 years (1995–2015). The research area is the Odra valley in Wrocław and its surroundings, which is divided into architectural-landscape units and land structure changes using photointerpretative retrospective analysis. Based on this analysis, a characteristic changeability index was specified, which shows the percentage value of changes in each unit. These changes have direct influences on the visual perception of each landscape.

This paper presents the results of preliminary tests focused on the strengthening of laminated veneer lumber (LVL) beams with aramid fibre-reinforced polymer (AFRP) and glass fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) sheets. Edgewise bending tests were performed on elements throught 4-point loading. The following two types of strengthening arrangements were investigated: sheets bonded to the bottom face along the entire length of the element, and a U-shaped half-wrapped type of reinforcement. The reinforcement ratios of the beams strengthened with GFRP sheets were 0.3% and 1.0% for the first and second strengthening arrangements, respectively; for the beams strengthened with AFRP sheets, these ratios were 0.2% and 0.64%, respectively. The experimental data revealed an increase in both the bending strength and the stiffness in bending of the strengthened elements. The failure mode was dependent upon the type of the strengthening configuration.

This paper presents an analysis of the dynamic response of an overground steel pipeline during a strong mining shock. The analysis was conducted using various calculation methods- a time history (THA), a response spectrum (RSA) and a multiple support response spectrum analysis (MSRS). For the THA and MSRS methods, non-uniform effects of ground excitation were taken into account. During the analyses, the bending moment was calculated. On the basis of obtained results, it can be noted that the non-uniform effects had a significant impact on the dynamic behaviour of the pipeline and it was indicated that the MSRS method led to more accurate estimation than the RSA.

This paper presents the problem of the identifying parameters for use in mathematical models of induction motors with the use of a genetic algorithm (GA). The effect of arithmetical crossover and the generation of new populations on identification results is analysed. The identified parameters of the model were determined as a result of the minimisation of the performance index defined as the mean-square error of stator current and angular velocity. The experiments were performed for the low power induction motor. The steady-state genetic algorithm with regard to convergence and accuracy of the identification process and calculation time is analysed.

In this article, a method of centralised distribution of university e-learning electronic educational resources is proposed. E-learning is seen as a complex organisational hierarchy. The method applied in this article is based on n structured analysis of the problems and objectives of the system. The method considers electronic educational resources for e-learning. The advantages of the proposed method include the timely completion of multi-session e-learning and the availability of a reserve of electronic educational resources.

This paper presents FEM techniques used for modelling concrete elements subjected to torsion. It compares the results from a 3D numerical analysis and a numerical homogenization method analysis. Finally, the results are compared to the reported experimental data.