https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/17858 2026-05-27T11:11:16Z 2026-05-27T11:11:16Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/146105 2026-05-04T11:56:03Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Continuity and change : the curation, modification and reuse of the 15th-century choir stalls in St Paul’s Cathedral, Mdina, Malta (1625 – 1725) Abstract: This dissertation investigates the curation, modification, and reuse of the 15th-century choir stalls at St Paul’s Cathedral, Mdina, between 1625 and 1725. The choir was originally completed in 1490 and dismantled in 1876. Less than 10% of the original material of the fragmented stalls survives today, posing significant challenges to scholarly interpretation. Employing an interdisciplinary framework that integrates archival research, material analysis, and visual observation, this study reconstructs the evolution and treatment of the choir during the century under study which was a critical period in the life-history of this artefact. The research establishes the stalls’ completion date. A hypothesis is presented for their initial configuration, and key modifications are identified, including a previously undocumented relocation in 1626 and the addition of kneelers in 1682. Decorative interventions, such as the replacement of inlaid frames in the late 17th century and the introduction of gilding in the early 18th century, are also analysed. It is argued that the findings reflect evolving liturgical, aesthetic, and functional priorities. These transformations align with broader Counter-Reformation objectives. They also reveal sustained and deliberate efforts to integrate artefacts from the old Cathedral into the newly reconstructed structure, illustrating a nuanced balance between continuity and innovation. By exploring how successive curation decisions were shaped by the cultural, liturgical, and historical significance of the stalls, this study enriches the discourse on heritage preservation, presenting it as a dynamic negotiation of tangible and intangible values. Despite challenges posed by the stalls’ fragmented state and limited primary sources, this research underscores the efficacy of interdisciplinary approaches in reconstructing fragmented heritage. It recognises the choir stalls as enduring witnesses to Malta’s ecclesiastical and artistic evolution, offering a robust framework for future inquiry into their cultural, political, and religious contexts. Description: M.A.(Melit.)

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/146073 2026-04-30T10:13:38Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Gendered perspectives to city navigation : addressing Birkirkara’s street design impact on women’s perceived safety and navigation patterns Abstract: This dissertation investigated the correlation between street design and women’s perception of safety. It particularly explored how social, spatial and psychological factors contribute to these perceptions. Moreover, it explored how different street typologies and elements such as alleyways, subways, main roads, street lighting and visibility affected women’s safety perceptions. By using the case study of Birkirkara, this research aimed to address the gap in literature in the local context and initiate a discourse on gender-based perceptions of street harassment and navigations patterns. In the Maltese context, distinct socio-cultural elements such as patriarchal systems and women still playing a predominant role as homemakers, considerably shape women’s experiences in the urban sphere. Thus, it is vital to understand how urban design influences women’s perception of safety and navigation patterns in such contexts. A sequential exploratory mixed-method approach was employed with a two-phase methodology process. The first method employed was a quantitative online survey, addressing all genders who reside, work or frequently visit Birkirkara. Consequently, women aged 18 to 44 years old were invited to participate in a qualitative semi-structured interview. The interviews included mapping exercises to investigate how women navigate Birkirkara during the daytime and nighttime. Findings demonstrated that, certain street typologies such as alleyways and subways and street elements such as poor lighting and signs of neglect were perceived as high-risk, especially among women. This resulted in women adopting coping mechanisms, highlighting clear behaviours which differ between the day and nighttime. Women alluded to taking longer routes and at times avoiding walking alone to mitigate risks. This research underscores the need for gender-sensitive urban planning and design to promote equitable and safe cities for women in Malta’s urban environments. Description: M. Arch.(Melit.)

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145481 2026-04-13T09:52:54Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The feasibility of precast concrete structural systems in the local construction industry Abstract: Malta has experienced a significant increase in construction activity in recent years, driven by its economic development. This growth has placed increasing pressure on the local construction industry to enhance project efficiency, control costs, improve quality, and adopt more sustainable practices. At the same time, the industry faces challenges such as a limited skilled labour force, high levels of on-site activity, and strict project timelines. In response to these issues, precast concrete has emerged as a promising alternative to conventional construction methods. This research investigates the feasibility of precast concrete structural systems within the Maltese context by examining the key factors influencing their adoption, highlighting both the potential benefits and the challenges associated with their implementation. A mixed-methods research approach was adopted, involving semi-structured interviews with architects/structural engineers, and suppliers, as well as structured questionnaires distributed to a wider group of industry professionals, including architects/structural engineers, project managers, cost consultants, and quantity surveyors. In addition, selected case studies were reviewed to support the analysis of time and cost implications across projects of varying scale and structural systems. Quantitative data were assessed using percentage distributions, while qualitative data were thematically analysed using NVIVO Software to identify key themes, subthemes, and relationships. Findings suggest that precast concrete is most suitable for medium to large scale commercial and industrial developments, where repetitive design allows for mould reuse, increased efficiency, and faster construction. Smaller or residential projects face limitations due to lower standardisation and logistical constraints. Architectural typology, particularly in terms of scale, project type and aesthetics, strongly influences system selection. The success of precast depends on early design finalisation and planning, as it offers limited flexibility for late changes. Structural design remains a challenge, especially in connection detailing, due to limited local expertise. While initial costs are relatively high, long-term advantages include reduced on-site labour, shorter timelines, and consistent quality through factory-controlled production. However, certification and quality assurance vary across suppliers. Logistics and supply chain coordination are critical, requiring early planning and alignment between design, manufacturing, and site operations. Sustainability is generally perceived positively, with benefits in material efficiency and reduced site impact, although there are concerns about similar embodied carbon when compared to traditional methods. Its broader feasibility, when considered alongside cast in situ and steel systems, depends on factors such as project scale, site constraints, construction timeframes, cost considerations, and the local industry's capacity to adopt more industrialised construction methods. Description: M.Eng.(Melit.)

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145266 2026-03-30T12:31:49Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Carbon dioxide sequestration in cement-based materials : carbonation treatment of recycled concrete powder Abstract: Urbanisation growth has brought about (i) an increased use of concrete and consequently an increase in Cem I production which is a major contributor to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and (ii) an increase of construction and demolition waste (C&DW). The objective of this study is to explore ways of how to provide a partial Cem I replacement whilst mitigating the problems mentioned above, namely by (i) reducing CO2 emissions by using CO2 captured during cement production in a process to produce supplementary cementitious material and (ii) using recycled concrete from construction and demolition waste in the afore-mentioned process to produce supplementary cementitious material (SCM). This dissertation focuses on the production of recycled concrete powder (RCP) and its activation via different treatment methods, to identify the process which yields the best supplementary cementitious material. Treatment processes researched in this dissertation included calcination, dry carbonation, aqueous carbonation, calcination followed by dry carbonation, calcination followed by aqueous carbonation and limewater soaking followed by dry carbonation. Initially, characteristic testing was done on the various treated powders to determine their physical and chemical properties. This was followed by the assessment of these treated powders when introduced as a 20% cement replacement within the mix design of paste and mortar samples, to determine their fresh, mechanical and durability properties. Calcination treatment achieved a material with the highest pozzolanic activity, as XRD results showed it to have the highest percentages of portlandite, tobermorite, gismondine, and belite at 17.4%, 12%, 2.1% and 17.2% respectively, when compared to the other treated samples. Through XRD, compressive strength and durability testing, it was determined that both dry and aqueous carbonation treatments also yielded materials with potential to be suitable supplementary cementitious material. The combined calcination and carbonation treatments yielded the best chemical and mechanical results due to the formation of both calcite and hydrated phases, creating materials of increased reactivity and strength. The dry carbonation in the calcination and dry carbonation process contributed to produce a material with better properties than that produced in the calcination and aqueous carbonation treatment. In fact, calcination followed by dry carbonation achieved the highest compressive strength of 114.90 MPa at 21 days, surpassing that of the cement control. Description: M.Eng.(Melit.)

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z