AAU Institutional Repository (AAU-ETD)
Addis Ababa University Institutional repository is an open access repository that collects,preserves, and disseminates scholarly outputs of the university. AAU-ETD archives' collection of master's theses, doctoral dissertations and preprints showcase the wide range of academic research undertaken by AAU students over the course of the University's long history.
How to Submit Your Work
The repository contains scholarly work, both unpublished and published, by current or former AAU faculty, staff, and students, including Works by AAU students as part of their masters, doctoral, or post-doctoral research
- All AAU faculty, staff, and students are invited to submit their work to the repository. Please contact the library at your college.
You may contact digirep@aau.edu.et.with any questions about the repository
Colleges,Institutes in AAU-ETD
Select a college,institute to browse its collections.
Recent Submissions
Spatial-Temporal Variations and Influencing Factors of Carbon Monoxide Exposure in Underground Parking Facility: A Case Study of Meskel Square, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
(Addis Ababa University, 2025-06) Azaria Abebe; Engdawork Assefa (PhD)
Urban underground parking facilities, while managing surface congestion, pose significant indoor air quality risks from vehicular Carbon Monoxide (CO). This study comprehensively assessed CO spatial-temporal variations, identified influencing factors, and evaluated existing control mechanisms' effectiveness and compliance in the Meskel Square Underground Parking Facility, Addis Ababa. Employing a mixed-methods approach, 432 hourly CO readings from 18 fixed sensors across six zones were integrated with traffic/ventilation logs and qualitative observations from five key informant interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and a Linear Mixed-Effects Model (LMM). The study revealed significant spatial heterogeneity, with Central Parking Zone 1 exhibiting the highest mean CO at 11.92 ppm and entrance/exit zones the lowest (e.g., 5.29 ppm). Temporally, CO progressively increased from morning to evening, peaking at 13.05 ppm during evening hours, with weekend bazaars consistently showing the highest pollution burden (mean 13.07 ppm). CO concentrations frequently exceeded World Health Organization (WHO) and Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) permissible limits; Central Parking Zone 1, for instance, reached 31.5 ppm mean CO level or 40 ppm highest individual measurement (1-hour) and 18.3 ppm (8-hour, 103% exceedance of 9 ppm limit) during weekend bazaars. The LMM confirmed that zone, time period, day type, traffic count (β = 0.109 ppm/vehicle), and ventilation status all significantly influenced CO levels. Qualitative insights revealed critical ventilation management challenges, including manual control, low-speed operation, lack of automation, and maintenance gaps, resulting in poor Air Changes per Hour (ACH) performance below American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) 62.1 standards in multiple zones. The study concludes that inconsistent ventilation, institutional inaction, and inadequate protective measures contribute significantly to acute and chronic CO exposure risks for workers and visitors. It recommends automated sensor-based ventilation systems, fan redesign, stricter traffic/idling controls, enhanced occupational safety protocols, and alignment with international health and ventilation standards.
Challenges and Opportunities of Female Professional Workers in the Building Construction Industry: Case Study on Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
(Addis Ababa University, 2024-06) Tsige Babiye; Aynalem Megersa (PhD)
This study assesses the opportunities and challenges faced by female professional workers in the building construction industry within Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Despite global advances in gender equality, the construction sector remains predominantly male-dominated, particularly in developing regions where cultural norms and systemic barriers limit women's participation. This research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys(170 female professional) with qualitative interviews (7 female professional) to gather comprehensive data, including Engineering, Architecture, Surveyor, and Project management. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize the survey data for the quantitative analysis and thematic analysis will be applied to the qualitative analysis. Key findings reveal significant challenges, including gender biases, cultural norms, workplace harassment, limited access to training and professional development opportunities and unequal treatment compared to their male counterparts. Additionally, the study highlights the lack of supportive networks and mentorship programs that further hinder women's career advancement. However, the research also identifies emerging opportunities, such as government initiatives promoting gender equality, an increasing awareness of the benefits of diversity within the workforce, emotional support, verbal encouragement and a growing demand for skilled labor in the construction sector. The insights gained from this study underscore the need for targeted interventions to address the identified barriers and leverage the available opportunities, ultimately promoting a more inclusive and equitable construction industry in Addis Ababa. The findings aim to inform policymakers, industry leaders, and educational institutions about effective strategies to enhance women's participation and empowerment in the construction workforce, contributing to broader societal progress in gender equality.
Railway Development and Its Implications: Displacement, Resettlement and Its Effects on Livelihoods and the Environment in South Wello Zone of Amhara Region, Ethiopia
(Addis Ababa University, 2025-06) Adane Egze; Tesfaye Zeleke (PhD); Abrham Seyoum (PhD)
The dissertation examines the impacts of railway development-induced displacement on household livelihoods in the South Wello Zone Amhara Region, the northern part of Ethiopia. The region works on multiple development projects, including railway expansion for economic growth, and leads to disruptions of livelihoods and creates social challenges due to displacement. The dissertation utilized a mixed-methods approach, collecting data from 304 households, including both displaced and nondisplaced participants, through surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions. To analyze the primary and secondary data, the study employed quasi-experimental techniques such as propensity score matching, ordered logistic regression, and probit analysis. The research demonstrates that involuntary displacement causes major income reduction together with financial instability that erodes natural resources while breaking down social unity. Displacement of households leads to major income decreases as well as expense reductions which suggest that current resettlement plans and compensation schemes do not provide adequate support in rural areas - worsening socioeconomic challenges. The research findings demonstrate how demographic characteristics including marital status together with religious background and age along with educational level that affect household satisfaction concerning paid compensation. Education functions as a vital factor that powerfully controls different aspects of livelihood elements. Research demonstrates that people who advance their education level gain much stronger human capital because those holding tertiary degrees experience 3.80 times better advantages in obtaining advanced skills and training compared to those with elementary education only. People who transition from elementary education to certificate-level training show nearly double the probability to advance their skills and build their social networks. Thus, education is a far way impactful on livelihood sustainability. Moreover, employment status strongly determines livelihood results. The stability and resilience benefits of obtaining employment on one's own farm surpass private business and organizational work. On the other hand, there was a pronounced disparity among households compensated in their willingness to accept and the compensation they received. This was due to the fact that the compensation received was by far lower than the expected amount. Sustainable rehabilitation becomes difficult because training programs do not match the requirements and recovery plans that do not support long-term success. The dissertation proposes developing compensation programs that combine non-financial benefits with customized training and methods to earn additional income and community participation to minimize displacement’s adverse impacts.
Comparative Study on The Removal of Methylene Blue Dye Using Natural Clays from Two Deposits
(Addis Ababa University, 2025) Simegn Getu; Anteneh Marelign (PhD)
Synthetic dyes, particularly methylene blue (MB), are widely used in the textile industry and often discharged into water bodies, where they create serious ecological and health risks due to their Chemical stability, toxicity, and resistance to conventional treatment methods. Adsorption has emerged as one of the most efficient and economical techniques for dye removal, and natural clays are gaining attention as promising low-cost adsorbents. This study investigates the comparative adsorption performance of natural clays obtained from two different deposits named as Belesa and Homecho. the comparative performance of clays from different deposits in Ethiopia, in terms of their efficiency for dye removal, has not been systematically explored. This study aims to conduct a comparative analysis on the removal of methylene blue dye using natural clays from two distinct deposits in Ethiopia. By examining factors such as mineral composition, surface area and pore structure, the research seeks to identify the most effective clay material for dye removal. Both Belesa and Homecho clays were systematically characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) to determine mineral composition, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis for surface area measurement, X-ray Fluorescent (XRF) to know the elemental composition and Thermogravimetric–differential thermal analysis (TG–DTA) to evaluate thermal behavior. Batch adsorption experiments were carried out at an initial MB concentration of 20 mg/L, with adsorbent dosages of 0.2–0.6 g and contact times of 20–100 minutes. Results showed that both clays exhibited high adsorption efficiency, with removal percentages exceeding 95% and maximum adsorption capacity reaching 10 mg/g with Belesa clay demonstrating slightly superior performance due to its favorable mineralogical composition, reactive surface functional groups, and well-developed mesoporous structure. Equilibrium was achieved within 60 minutes for both clays. However, this study suggest that adsorption performance is influenced not only by surface area but also by pore size, pore volume, crystallinity, and mineral composition indicating that both clays possess high and comparable surface areas suitable for adsorption applications. These findings highlight the potential of naturally available clays as sustainable adsorbents for textile wastewater remediation and provide insights into the influence of mineralogy and surface properties on adsorption performance.
The Sudan Crisis: Implications for Ethiopian's National Security
(Addis Ababa Unversity, 2025-06) Teshome Mekonnen; Yonas Tariku (PhD)
This thesis investigates the varied influence of the ongoing Sudanese armed conflict on Ethiopia's national security in the context of domestic political dynamics in both countries, emerging regional dynamics, and interstate ties in the Horn of Africa. The study examines historical relations, contemporary diplomatic engagements, and regional security frameworks to demonstrate how Sudan's internal instability affects Ethiopia's strategic interests, border security, resource management, and refugee flows. The study employs the Regional Security Complex Theory and Regional Conflict Complex frameworks to investigate the interconnectivity of regional conflicts, transboundary threats, and foreign actors that shape the security environment. It emphasizes the importance of Sudan's geostrategic location, its geopolitical entanglements with Middle Eastern and Gulf states, and the implications of regional conflict forms for Ethiopian stability. Methodologically, the research employs qualitative analysis based on interviews with Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials and experts, experts from the Institute of Foreign Affairs. It also undertook extensive review of secondary sources. The findings reveal that Sudan’s protracted conflict exacerbates Ethiopia’s vulnerabilities, including border disputes, transboundary water resource tensions, refugee influx, transboundary crimes which threaten regional stability. In addition, the protracted war in Sudan compromise Ethiopia’s national interest by indirectly fueling domestic instability, exposing to involvement of external adversaries.