Filetype
A feasibility study of reliability theory as a tool for the assessment of present safety and residual service life of damaged concrete structures has been performed in order to find a transparent methodology for the assessment procedure. It is concluded that the current guidelines are open to interpretation and that the variation in the results obtained regarding the structural safety is too grea
The purpose of this thesis is to develop an increased understanding of strategic alliance processes. A specific aim has been to explore the trust processes involved, and to better understand the dynamics of the strategic alliance processes. The study includes socio-cultural elements and captures both the manager´s and the employee´s perspectives in everyday life. The theoretical discussions were b
Long-range transboundary air pollution generates pressing environmental problems such as the acidification of lakes and soils, forest decline and loss of biodiversity as well as threats to human health across Europe. The overall aim of this study is to explore the role of scientific expertise in environmental diplomacy by analyzing recent international agreements in the transboundary air pollution
In this thesis spectroscopic techniques have been used in the fields of analytical chemistry, environmental and medical applications. In analytical chemistry, laser induced fluorescence was used to image the separation of substances during capillary electrophoresis. Here, an optical fibre imaging technique facilitated a higher sensitivity compared with a lens imaging technique. The motion of the s
This thesis considers static and dynamic team decision problems in both stochastic and deterministic settings. The team problem is a cooperative game, where a number of players make up a team that tries to optimize a given cost induced by the uncertainty of nature. The uncertainty is modeled as either stochastic, which gives the stochastic team problem, or modelled as deterministic where the team
This dissertation explore young peoples will to become artists. A group of artstudents have been interviewed and severel questions are raised. How do the students perceive their artistry and their role as artists? In what way is artistic creation meaningful to them? What does the relationship between the individual project of becoming an artist and their societal participation look like? As artist
The effect of duration of ischaemia on final infarct size is well established in animal studies, but not fully evaluated in humans. Delayed contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DE-MRI) can be used to distinguish between viable and non-viable myocardium and thus to quantify infarct size. We therefore used DE-MRI to investigate how duration of ischaemia affects final infarct size normalized
Diesel engine developers are facing major challenges when meeting future demands on NOx and particulate emissions. The exhausts after treatment systems are rapidly improving and the technologies available in a few years will be capable of cutting emission levels close to the demanded levels. However, in order to reach the low emissions required in a long-lasting, cost effective way, the potential
The modeling work developed in this thesis can be divided in two main areas of investigations: autoignition related to spark ignition engine and combustion and emissions formation in relation to diesel engines. A first version of a detailed kinetics engine simulation program, extended to handle full cycle calculations, was employed in order to demonstrate the strong effect that nitric oxide from
A number of working children in several regions over the world are mobilising to fight for better working conditions and to gain their rights according to how they interpret the Child Rights Convention (UNCRC) from 1989. Despite the increasing focus on child participation, their approaches and their demands are in many aspects controversial and they are often met with suspicion among diverse actor
This thesis is concerned with the propagation of transient electromagnetic waves in nonlinear media. It consists of a General Introduction and five scientific papers. The General Introduction gives a broad overview of nonlinear electromagnetic phenomena. The emphasis is on the representation of the constitutive functional modeling the material's response to electromagnetic excitation, and the met
The purpose of this study is to identify the factors influencing pupils when they individually solve problems in mathematics in grades 4-9 in the compulsory school (ages: 10-16 years). The method that has been used is an analyses of the solutions of 25 problems given to each grade. Some of the problems were the same in all grades and about 100 pupils participated in each grade. Through an examinat
This thesis has the main focus on ways to improve the blood perfusion estimate, as obtained from a continuous wave Doppler system. Earlier studies have shown large temporal variations in the detected perfusion estimate, due to speckle. Here, a theoretical model to predict frequency dependent characteristics of speckle in continuous wave ultrasound is presented. The model predicts the frequency shi
The performance of cyclones used in occupational hygiene for sampling respirable dust was studied. Test methods for experimental determination of cyclone penetration have been designed and validated. The penetration curve for a sampling cyclone presently used in Europe was measured. The sampler's performance relative to three sampling conventions for respirable dust was determined. The cyclone was
In the supply chain interactions with product and packaging systems, actors place various needs on packaging. Satisfying these needs eventually increases the supply chain efficiency and effectiveness. The aim of the research presented is to contribute to the packaging logistics body of knowledge on reducing the gap between the supply chain needs and satisfying them, through packaging design and de
The central issue discussed in this thesis is the “essayistic mode”, which is usually described as a set of themes and characterization of the traditional written essay. In our more digitalized world today, it has been argued that some of these essayistic traits could be identified in other types of media, for example in essay films. Since the beginning of the 1990th century the capacity of essay
The process of firms entering and exiting the market has since Schumpeter’s introduction of the concept of creative destruction been a subject of interest for economists aiming to determine what drives economic growth. However, limited availability of data has long been a hindrance to such ambitions and it is not until recent decades that empirical studies on the role of firm dynamics for economic
