La transformación digital ha permitido convivir con nuevas alternativas de trabajo, inicialmente con el teletrabajo y ahora con el smart working. En este sentido, el principal objetivo de esta investigación es analizar las perspectivas del smart working como metodología de trabajo en las organizaciones. El presente substantial research paper (SRP) se llevó a cabo a partir de un estudio minucioso de diferentes artículos que poseen alto factor de impacto (FI) y se encuentran publicados en revistas indizadas. Por tanto, dicha selección respalda el desarrollo y las conclusiones de este trabajo de investigación. Como resultado del análisis de los artículos, se identificaron siete subtemas: (1) smart working: definición, características y formas de trabajo relacionadas, (2) smart work center (SWC), (3) desafíos para la implementación del smart working, (4) rol e impacto de las tecnologías de la información y comunicación (TIC) aplicadas al smart working, (5) experiencias de países u organizaciones que se aproximan a su implementación, (6) factores favorables para ambas partes: empresa y colaborador, (7) factores adversos para ambas partes: empresa y colaborador. Finalmente, cabe aclarar que esta modalidad de trabajo ya se practica en diversos países como Corea del Sur, Italia, Suecia, Holanda, Reino Unido, Rusia, Australia y Letonia. / The digital transformation has made it possible to coexist with new work alternatives, initially with teleworking and now with smart working. In this sense, the main objective of this research is to analyze the prospects of smart working as a work methodology in organizations. This substantial research paper (SRP) was carried out from a thorough study of different articles that have a high impact factor (IF) and are published in indexed journals. Therefore, this selection supports the development and conclusions of this research paper. As a result of the analysis of the articles, seven sub-themes were identified: (1) smart working: definition, characteristics and related forms of work, (2) smart work center (SWC), (3) challenges for the implementation of smart working, (4) role and impact of information and communication technologies (ICT) applied to smart working, (5) experiences of countries or organizations approaching its implementation, (6) favorable factors for both parties: company and collaborator, (7) adverse factors for both parties: company and collaborator. Finally, it should be noted that this type of work is already practiced in several countries such as South Korea, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Russia, Australia and Latvia. / Trabajo de Suficiencia Profesional

This research paper investigates the need from two different stakeholders, in the purpose to formulate prerequisites for a digital business model that are in line with a digital transformation strategy. The paper contains qualitative and quantitative research methods to gather data. The scope of the research was to create a digital business model with business model innovation with input from two stakeholder and data from customers. To create a basis for the research a literature review was executed on the keywords business models, business model innovation, digital transformation, digital transformation strategy, business process management, stakeholder management, customer relations and transport management. Findings showed one digitized business model and one digitalized business model that fits a digital transformation with cooperation between stakeholders. / I denna uppsats undersöks behovet från två olika intressenter i syfte att formulera förutsättningar för en digital affärsmodell som är i linje med en strategi för digital transformation. Uppsatsen innehåller kvalitativa och kvantitativa forskningsmetoder för att samla in data. Forskningens omfattning var att skapa en digital affärsmodell med affärsmodellinnovation med input från två intressenter och data från kunder. För att skapa en grund för forskningen utfördes en litteraturgenomgång på nyckelorden affärsmodeller, affärsmodellinnovation, digital transformation, digital transformationsstrategi, affärsprocesshantering, intressenthantering, kundrelationer och transporthantering. Diskussionen och slutsats visar en digitaliserad affärsmodell och en digitaliserad affärsmodell som passar en digital omvandling med hjälp av samarbete mellan intressenter.

Digital Transformation is changing the ICT industry and companies must act with speed to stay in the race. In order to be a credible business transformation partner, responding to industry changes and customer demands faster, companies today are transforming themselves and embarking on their digital journey and digitalization is high on every company’s agenda.   Most of these transformation initiatives fail or are progressing slowly and one major reason for this is organizational barriers to transformations. These barriers are challenging as organizations and employees react differently to change. Hence in this paper, I will study the transformation process and try to identify and understand the barriers and the most challenging stage of the transformation by interviewing eleven executives from across companies which are in various stages of their Digital Transformation journey. Even though significant number of barriers were identified in the Initiation and the Transition phases, the results indicate that each phase is equally important and is an outcome of the previous phase. By addressing barriers in the first two phases and taking concrete actions, the resistance can be reduced, and organizations can smoothly transition and transform ensuring that the organization and staff embrace the changes.   Several barriers to change and transformation were identified ‐ Unclear Company Vision and Goal of the Transformation; Top Management, Leaders and their Leadership style; Project group, Organizational set‐ up and Agility; Change and Middle managers lacking expertise; Lack of Rewards and Incentives; Unclear Measurement systems, Lack of HR involvement and a strong Learning culture missing.   In this work with executives working across a variety of industries, the findings suggest that by putting people first and by running change management programs with more people‐centric approaches can lead to dynamic results. The study revealed the need for top leaders and executives to present a united front, provide more autonomy, increase collaboration and transparency across project functions and structures. Middle managers and HR need to work together bettersupporting and coaching the employee’sindividual development plans, tracking changes, creating an atmosphere that engages and energizes employees and by rewarding or incentivizing employees ensure that the changed behaviours stick and quickly spread throughout the organization. Siloed organizational structures were further identified as making the organizations obsolete and the transformation journey must begin by putting together diverse project teams encompassing the right capabilities and skills with a clear driver of change.

Digital transformation effects the way companies engage with their customers, which is reflected in the post-purchase offerings. This change and added utilization of digital technologies allow companies to capture more data about their customer through different sources and by having the digital capabilities to transform this data into knowledge, companies can offer better products and personalized experiences. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate how a traditional company in the white goods sector can improve its post-purchase phase offerings to engage with its customers, through the use of digital technologies, by conducting a case study on Electrolux. To do so, an extensive literature review was conducted and key learnings used to investigate the post-purchase offerings from Electrolux, compared with three traditional and eight born digital companies. Empirical data is collected through direct observation, desk research, and interviews. Overall, the analysis revealed Electrolux offers about the same to its customers as the other companies in the post-purchase phase. However, the differences are in the process behind the creation of each offering. This lead to the creation of a substantive model that presents the process by which a company in the white goods sector can deliver personalized and data-driven experiences to their customers. The model additionally outlines the need for a quick-learning environment, developed through testing and experimentation within the companies. Concluding, the conclusions and recommendations suggested identifies what focuses need to be implemented by traditional companies in the white goods sector in order to succeed in a digital environment.

[pt] Transformação Digital deveria estar na pauta de praticamente todas as discussões estratégicas das empresas hoje em dia. Não se trata apenas de tecnologia da informação, mas também de um tema multidisciplinar que, sob a ótica da estratégia empresarial, face às profundas mudanças nas relações com clientes, fornecedores e concorrentes, muitas vezes resulta em ações inovadoras e, em muitos casos, até mesmo na reinvenção do próprio negócio da empresa. Nesse contexto, essa pesquisa qualitativa visou identificar o estágio de maturidade de transformação digital de uma empresa nacional de tecnologia, de acordo com uma série de fatores e direcionadores propostos por modelos teóricos da literatura pesquisada, tais como: a intensidade do uso de tecnologias digitais, o grau de digitalização dos concorrentes, o comportamento digital do cliente, as estratégias dos gestores, a estrutura organizacional, a cultura organizacional, o grau de investimento em novas tecnologias, entre outros. Foram realizadas entrevistas em profundidade com roteiro semiestruturado, que nortearam o estudo de caso, com 12 colaboradores que ocupavam cargos distintos em diferentes posições hierárquicas na companhia. O material das entrevistas foi submetido à análise de conteúdo e discutido com a literatura pesquisada. Concluiu-se que os modelos teóricos considerados e a pesquisa de campo realizada mostraram-se adequados à realidade da empresa, ajudando a diagnosticar sua situação atual e sugerindo caminhos de continuidade na sua jornada de transformação digital. / [en] Digital Transformation should be on the agenda of virtually every strategic discussion in companies today. It is not just about information technology, but also about a multidisciplinary issue that, from the perspective of business strategy, in the face of profound changes in relationships with customers, suppliers and competitors, often results in innovative actions and, in many cases, even in the reinvention of the company s own business. In this context, this qualitative research aimed to identify the stage of digital transformation maturity of a middle-sized brazillian national company, according to a series of factors and drivers proposed by theoretical models of the researched literature, such as: the intensity of the use of digital technologies , the degree of digitalization of competitors, the customer s digital behavior, the manager s strategies, the organizational structure, the organizational culture, the degree of investment in new technologies, among others. In-depth interviews were carried out with a semi-structured script, which guided the case study, with 12 employees who occupied different positions in different hierarchical levels in the company. The material from the interviews was submitted to content analysis and discussed with the researched literature. It was concluded that the theoretical models considered and the field research carried out proved to be adequate to the company s reality, helping to diagnose its current situation and suggesting paths for continuity in its digital transformation journey.

Recently digital transformation has become imperative that organizations must embrace to cope with today’s digital world’s new demands. Previous research has been investigating the opportunities provided by digital transformation but still, there is a gap when it comes to digital transformation challenges. This thesis addresses the main challenges faced by restaurants during their digital transformation journey. A qualitative research method with semi-structured interviews has been used to investigate digital transformation challenges in the restaurant industry in the following countries: Sweden, Sri Lanka, Australia, and Korea. Our findings show that restaurants mostly face a lack of resources, culture change, and lack of knowledge. This study has a double contribution. On the one hand, this thesis provides practitioners with the main challenges restaurants face during their digital transformation journey, on the other hand, this study provides literature to fill the gap that exists in digital transformation challenges.

The increase in demand for passenger transportation, the change in the qualitative characteristics of demand and consumer behavior patterns, as well as the involvement innovative, digital and knowledge-intensive technologies makes it necessary to radically transform the business of railway companies around the world. In the long term, based on the technologies already being deployed and the accumulated experience, it is necessary to realize driving trains in fully automatic mode without a driver on board. Engineers strive to recreate as many risky situations as possible in order to increase the safety of the new driving technology. Therefore, an integral part of the implementation of such changes in the current activities of the railway company is the identification of risks for the purpose of their subsequent effective management. The purpose of the work is to develop risk management measures for the project of organizing unmanned driving. The object of the study is an unmanned locomotive project implemented by JSC "Russian Railways". The practical significance lies in the fact that the results obtained during the identification of risks and the development of measures for their management can be used in the organization of the risk management system of JSC "Russian Railways" as part of the implementation of the “Digital Railway” project. The application of the developed risk management measures is also possible within the framework of the introduction of the unmanned locomotive "Lastochka" on the sections of the Moscow Central Ring. / Увеличение спроса на пассажирские перевозки, изменение качественных характеристик спроса и моделей поведения потребителей, а также вовлечение в оборот инновационных, цифровых и наукоемких технологий делает необходимой кардинальную трансформацию бизнеса железнодорожных компаний во всем мире. В долгосрочной перспективе на основе развертываемых уже сейчас технологий и накапливаемого опыта предстоит реализовать вождение поездов в полностью автоматическом режиме без машиниста на борту. Инженеры стремятся воссоздать как можно больше рисковых ситуаций, которые могут произойти в пути следования с целью увеличения безопасности новой технологии вождения. Поэтому неотъемлемой частью внедрения подобных изменений в текущую деятельность железнодорожной компании является идентификация рисков с целью последующего эффективного управления ими. Цель работы состоит в разработке мероприятий по управлению рисками проекта организации беспилотного вождения. Объектом исследования является проект беспилотного локомотива, реализуемый ОАО «РЖД». Практическая значимость состоит в том, что результаты, полученные в ходе идентификации рисков и разработке мероприятий по их управлению, могут быть использованы при организации системы риск-менеджмента ОАО «РЖД» в рамках реализации проекта «Цифровая железная дорога». Применение разработанных мероприятий по управлению рисков также возможно в рамках внедрения беспилотного локомотива ЭС2Г «Ласточка» на участках Московского центрального кольца.

В настоящий момент технология цифрового двойника находит все большее применение во всех сферах промышленности. Влияя на эффективность бизнес-процессов предприятия, цифровой двойник формирует конкурентные преимущества, снижает себестоимость продукции при повышении ее качества. Целью магистерской диссертации является разработка методического инструментария к оценке влияния и внедрению цифровых двойников. В работе рассматривается понятие цифровых двойников, вопросы положительного и негативного влияния на бизнес-процессы и эффективность бизнес-процессов предприятия. В качестве источников использовалась научно-исследовательская и методическая литература, нормативно-правовые акты и финансовая отчетность организаций в открытом доступе. В магистерской диссертации был предложен методический инструментарий к оценке влияния и внедрению цифровых двойников, основанный на оценке целесообразности внедрения цифровых двойников, оценке эффективности внедрения цифрового двойника в бизнес-процессы производства с использованием коэффициентов повышения экономии и разработке стратегической карты внедрения цифрового двойника. / At the moment, digital twin technology is increasingly being used in all areas of industry. Influencing the efficiency of business processes of an enterprise, the digital twin creates competitive advantages, reduces the cost of production while improving its quality. The purpose of the master's thesis is to develop methodical tools for assessing the impact and implementation of digital twins. The paper discusses the concept of digital twins, issues of positive and negative impact on business processes and the efficiency of enterprise business processes. As sources, research and methodical literature, legal acts and financial statements of organizations in the public domain were used. In the master's thesis, a methodical toolkit was proposed for assessing the impact and implementation of digital twins, based on assessing the feasibility of introducing digital twins, evaluating the effectiveness of introducing a digital twin into business processes of production using savings increase factors and developing a strategic map for implementing a digital twin.

The emergence of new digital technologies has paved a way for new business opportunities which have led to drastic changes to the way organizations do business. This technological progress has resulted in a conundrum in which research cannot always keep up with the rate of technological progress. Said issue can be observed in the complex and resource-intensive field of digital transformation which has several research gaps. Primary of which is the lack of research concerning how an organization can systematically assist the digital transformation of another organization in a cooperative environment. The aim of this study was to generate a deeper understanding of digital transformation as a process of co-creation by conducting a qualitative study on how an organization that works with integration of digital solutions systematically assists their customers with digital transformation. In line with the aim of this study, we have analyzed the case based on an analytical framework grounded in existing digital transformation research. Our analysis shows that the studied organization succeeded in systematically assisting its customers digital transformation because of its cooperative and flexible workflow. This workflow allows the organization to rapidly and iteratively collect and exchange information with its customers. Based on that information the organization is able to produce prototypes and deliver digital innovation solutions that are in line with its customers’ demands. Additionally, the workflow combined with the acquired information allows the organization to systematically influence and steer their customers digital transformation at different stages of the co-creational process. The results of this study showcased that the conceptualization of digital transformation in existing research is limited. This indicates that future studies in the field should focus on researching digital transformation in the context of how one organization can assist in another organization’s digital transformation.

Seit mehr als 3 Jahrzehnten stehen Belebtschlammmodelle als Werkzeuge für die ingenieurtechnische Planung und Optimierung von Kläranlagen zur Verfügung. Die Verbreitung und Anwendung speziell im deutschsprachigen Raum ist dabei geringer als in anderen Weltregionen. Dies ist im Zusammenhang mit dem detaillierten DWA-Regel-werk zu sehen, das auf Seite der Anwendenden kaum zusätzlichen Bedarf für weitere Werk¬zeuge für die Anlagenplanung und –optimierung erwachsen lässt. Dies gilt ebenso für die Über¬wachungs- und Genehmigungsseite. Die vorliegende Arbeit bietet für verschiedenste Aspekte im Bereich der Kläranlagen-modellierung Methoden und Werkzeuge, um durch effizientere Nutzung eine weitere Etablierung voranzutreiben und eine breite allgemein verbindliche Anwendung zu manifestieren. Dies betrifft konkret:  Protokolldefinition für eine allgemeine Vorgehensweise (Kapitel 1.4 und 7.1)  Skriptbasierte Unterstützung der Datenauswertung, Prüfung und Aufbereitung (Kapitel 6 und 7.4)  Zulaufdatengenerierung für lückenbehaftete Betriebsdaten (Kapitel 3)  Analyse des Verweilzeitverhaltens basierend auf Betriebsdaten (Kapitel 5)  Modellkopplung für plant-wide modelling (Kapitel 4 und 7.3)  Modellerweiterungen für Belebtschlammmodelle (Kapitel 7.2) Basis sind wie bei klassischen Bemessungs¬frage¬stellungen die vorhandenen Betriebs¬da-ten von Kläranlagen. Für die Nutzung sowohl zur statischen Bemessung als auch zur dyna¬mi¬schen Simulation sind diese nach geeigneter Zusammenstellung und Aufbereitung hin¬sicht¬lich ihrer Eignung und Qualität zu bewerten. Dieser eher handwerkliche Schritt wird durch skriptbasierte Module unterstützt, um der eigentlichen Planungsaufgabe mehr Zeit widmen zu können. Eine beispielhafte Vorgehensweise wird in dieser Arbeit in Kapitel 6 präsentiert. Dies stellt aus Effizienz- und Qualitätsgründen einen Fortschritt dar. Die Betriebsdaten von kommunalen Kläranlagen speziell unterhalb der Größenklasse 5 sind sehr lückenbehaftet. Daher sind geeignete Methoden erforderlich, um die Daten zu einem kontinuierlichen Zulaufdatensatz aufzubereiten. Eine mögliche Methode findet sich in Kapitel 3 dieser Arbeit. Auch dies unterstützt die Qualitätsverbesserung. Für die praxisnahe Modellanwendung stellen die bereits verfügbaren Belebt¬schlamm-modelle eine geeignete Basis dar. Allerdings wurden einige offene Fragestellungen identifiziert. Konzepte und Vorschläge für entsprechende Modellerweiterungen finden sich im Kapitel 7.1. Dies betrifft den Umgang mit inerten Stofffrachten, Dosierung externer Kohlenstoffquellen, Lösungen für hohe Anteile industrieller Abwässer sowie die P-Elimination. Auch eine methodische Vorgehensweise für den praktischen Einsatz wurde basierend auf allgemeingültigeren Simulations¬protokollen entwickelt, um die Bear¬bei¬tung strukturierter und damit sowohl nachvollzieh¬barer als auch effizienter zu gestalten (Kapitel 1.4 und 7.1). Das Verweilzeitverhalten hat erheblichen Einfluss auf erzielbare Umsatzraten sowie die erreich¬baren Ablaufkonzentrationen. Eine diesbezügliche Analyse ist allerdings noch kein Standard¬werkzeug bei der Betrachtung bestehender Kläranlagen. Im Einzelfall bestehen allerdings erhebliche Optimierungspotentiale bei strömungsungünstiger Gestaltung. Neben der Nutzung von computational fluid dynamics (CFD) als Analysewerkzeug kann auch die Auswertung von speziellen Tracerversuchen oder die Nutzung vorliegender Daten für die Analyse des Verweilzeitverhaltens genutzt werden. Im Kapitel 5 finden sich entsprechende Erläuterungen und methodische Beispiele. Die zunehmende Durchdringung ingenieurtechnischer Bereiche mit IT-basierten Werk-zeu¬gen führt auch zu Weiterentwicklungen bei der Arbeit mit Daten. Die Besonder-heiten im Bereich der Kläranlagenplanung und Optimierung werden in dieser Arbeit beleuchtet und mit dem vorgestellten methodischen Rahmen eine Möglichkeit der modularisierten Abarbeitung wiederkehrender Aufgaben in Kapitel 6 demonstriert. Die Einbettung möglicher weiterer Werkzeuge wie z.B. Simulationssoftware in open source basierte Skripte ermöglicht eine maximale Flexibilität bei gleichzeitig hoher Transparenz. Je nach Aufgabenstellung finden sich in dieser Arbeit Ergänzungen und Hilfestellungen in Form von Werkzeugen oder methodischen Empfehlungen, um den Bearbeitungsaufwand zu minimieren sowie die Bearbeitungsqualität zu erhöhen unter gleichzeitiger Verbesserung der Transparenz für alle am Planungs- bzw. Optimierungsprozess Beteiligten. Dadurch wird eine tatsächliche Anwendung in der täglichen Ingenieurpraxis erheblich vereinfacht. Durch Integration der präsentierten Entwicklungen in die siedlungs¬wasserwirtschaftliche Ausbildung ist außerdem eine zukünftige niedrig¬schwelligere und damit breitere Nutzung zu erwarten.:1 General introduction 1 1.1 Explanation of terms 1 1.2 Motivation 2 1.3 Background 4 1.3.1 Quality assurance in the performance of simulation studies 4 1.3.2 Special features of simulation studies for wastewater treatment plants in German-speaking countries 6 1.4 Aims, differentiation and objectives 7 1.5 Structure of the document 9 1.6 References 10 2 Growth of science in activated sludge modelling – a critical bibliometric review 13 2.1 Highlights 13 2.2 Abstract 13 2.3 Introduction 14 2.3.1 Motivation 14 2.3.2 Introduction into bibliometrics 15 2.3.3 Objective 15 2.4 Material and Methods 16 2.4.1 Database and tools 16 2.4.1.1 Selection of database 16 2.4.1.2 Development of the number of data sets in the Web of Science 19 2.4.2 Bibliometric analysis of the entire data set 20 2.4.3 Analysis of time-related developments 23 2.4.4 Keyword development within the examined topic area 24 2.5 Results and Discussion 25 2.5.1 Bibliometric analysis of the entire database 25 2.5.2 Journal-based measures 28 2.5.3 Source dynamics 30 2.5.4 Author impact measures 30 2.5.5 Document-based measures 35 2.5.6 Structural Analysis 36 2.5.7 Analysis of time-related developments 40 2.5.8 Keyword development within the scientific field under investigation 44 2.6 Critical comments on the methodology 47 2.7 Recommendations for conducting a bibliometric analysis 49 2.8 Conclusions 50 2.9 References 52 3 A black-box model for generation of site-specific WWTP influent quality data based on plant routine data 56 3.1 Introduction 56 3.2 Material and Methods 58 3.3 Results and discussion 62 3.3.1 Test of robustness 63 3.3.2 Universality of the approach 66 3.4 Conclusions and outlook 69 3.5 References 70 4 Organic matter parameters in WWTP – a critical review and recommendations for application in activated sludge modelling 74 4.1 Highlights 74 4.2 Abstract 74 4.3 Introduction 75 4.4 Theoretical Considerations 76 4.5 Review of literature data of WWTP sludge 80 4.5.1 Literature survey 80 4.5.2 Measures related to total and volatile organic matter 81 4.5.3 Sludge composition based on biochemical families 83 4.6 Results and Discussion 85 4.6.1 Solids 85 4.6.2 COD and COD/VSS ratio 87 4.6.3 Connection between LPC and COD/VSS ratio 90 4.7 Application to plant-wide-modelling 92 4.7.1 Solids in Activated Sludge Models 92 4.7.2 Organic and inorganic solids 94 4.7.3 COD influent characterisation 96 4.7.4 Adaptation of research results and discussion 97 4.8 Conclusions 101 4.9 Data availability statement 101 4.10 References 101 5 Temperature as an alternative tracer for the determination of the mixing characteristics in wastewater treatment plants 108 5.1 Abstract 108 5.2 Introduction 108 5.2.1 Historical background 109 5.2.2 Alternatives in evaluation of tracer tests 110 5.2.3 Objective of this paper 112 5.3 Material and Methods 112 5.3.1 Lab-scale system 112 5.3.2 Pilot-scale system 113 5.3.3 Procedure 114 5.3.3.1 Substitute hydraulic model 114 5.3.3.2 Energy balance 115 5.3.3.3 Parameter estimation 117 5.4 Results and Discussion 118 5.4.1 Lab-scale system 118 5.4.2 Pilot-scale system 121 5.4.3 Sensitivity tests for optimised substitute model parameters 124 5.4.3.1 Lab scale tests 124 5.4.3.2 Pilot scale tests 126 5.4.4 Influence of recirculation 126 5.4.5 Consideration of variable flow rates 127 5.4.6 Impact of the structured model approach on ASM parameters 127 5.5 Conclusions 131 5.6 References 133 6 One script to solve it all – an open-source-based framework for a digital workflow based on WWTP data 137 6.1 Abstract 137 6.2 Highlights 138 6.3 Introduction 138 6.4 Fundamentals and requirements 138 6.5 Material and Methods 142 6.5.1 Background to the case study 142 6.5.2 Development of the concept 144 6.5.3 Technical implementation 145 6.6 Results 148 6.6.1 Preparation and data import 148 6.6.2 Plausibility checks 149 6.6.3 Calculation of design parameters (A198) 150 6.6.4 Design of WWTP (A131) 151 6.6.5 Activated sludge modelling 152 6.7 Discussion 153 6.7.1 Practical advantages of the developed methodology 153 6.7.2 Lessons learned from development process and first use 153 6.8 Conclusions 157 6.9 References 158 7 Enhancements for a practical application 161 7.1 Evolution of unified protocol of GMP taskgroup 161 7.1.1 Overview 161 7.1.2 Understand the plant + plant layout selection 163 7.1.3 Collection of existing data 163 7.1.4 Iterative process cycle for data analysis and plant model setup / adjustment 164 7.2 Extensions to the activated sludge model (ASM_EDU) 166 7.2.1 Background 166 7.2.2 Separation of inert particulate COD by origin 168 7.2.3 Integration of external carbon sources 169 7.2.4 Consideration of the influence of industrial discharges 171 7.2.5 Consideration of different precipitants in chemical P elimination 174 7.3 Plant-wide modelling 176 7.4 Digital transformation for efficiency enhancement 178 7.5 References 182 8 Conclusions and Outlook 187 8.1 Developments in the field of WWTP modelling 187 8.2 Future significance in science and application practice 188 8.3 Further scientific research needs 189 8.4 Changing the way engineering works 191 8.5 References 193 9 Appendices 195 9.1 Supplementary material for Chapter 4 195 9.1.1 References for sludge data 195 9.1.2 Data survey from references 217 9.2 Supplementary material for Chapter 6 217 / For more than three decades, activated sludge models have been used as tools for the engineering planning and optimisation of wastewater treatment plants. However, their use is less widespread, particularly in German-speaking countries, due to the detailed rules and regulations of the DWA, which do not create a demand for additional tools for plant planning and optimisation. This also applies to the surveillance and authorisation side. The current work offers methods and tools for various aspects of wastewater treatment plant modeling in order to promote further adoption through more efficient use and to facilitate a broad, generally binding application. This includes:  Definition of a protocol for the general approach (Chapter 1.4 and 7.1)  Script-based support for data evaluation, testing, and processing (Chapters 6 and 7.4)  Generation of inflow data for incomplete operational data (Chapter 3)  Analysis of residence time behavior based on operational data (Chapter 5)  Model interfacing for plant-wide modeling (Chapters 4 and 7.3)  Model extensions for activated sludge models (Chapter 7.2) The existing operational data of wastewater treatment plants is the foundation for classical design questions. In order to be used in both static design and dynamic simulation, the data must be evaluated for their suitability and quality after appropriate compilation and processing. This manual step is supported by script-based modules to allow more time for the actual planning task. An exemplary procedure is presented in Chapter 6 of this thesis, which represents progress in terms of efficiency and quality. The operational data of municipal wastewater treatment plants, especially those below size class 5, are often incomplete. Therefore, it is necessary to develop suitable methods for processing these data into a continuous influent data set. One such method is presented in chapter 3 of this thesis. This method also helps to improve the quality of the data. For practical model application, the existing activated sludge models provide a suitable foundation. However, some open questions have been identified, and concepts and suggestions for corresponding model extensions can be found in chapter 7.1. These include handling inert material loads, dosing of external carbon sources, solutions for high proportions of industrial wastewater, and P elimination. A methodological approach for practical application has also been developed based on more general simulation protocols in order to structure the process and make it more comprehensible and efficient (Chapters 1.4 and 7.1). The residence time behaviour has a significant impact on the achievable conversion rates and effluent concentrations. However, an analysis of this behaviour is not yet a standard tool when considering existing wastewater treatment plants. In certain cases, however, there is significant potential for optimisation in cases of flow-unfavourable design. In addition to using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) as an analysis tool, the evaluation of special tracer tests or the use of existing data can also be used to analyse retention time behaviour. Chapter 1.4 und 7.1 provides explanations and examples The increasing use of IT-based tools in engineering fields also leads to further developments in working with data. The special features in the area of wastewater treatment plant planning and optimisation are highlighted in this thesis and a possibility of modularised processing of recurring tasks is demonstrated with the presented methodological framework in chapter 6. The embedding of possible further tools such as simulation software in open source-based scripts allows for maximum flexibility while maintaining a high degree of transparency. Depending on the task, this thesis provides supplements and assistance in the form of tools or methodological recommendations to minimise the processing effort and increase the processing quality while improving transparency for all those involved in the planning or optimisation process. This considerably simplifies actual application in daily engineering practice. By integrating the presented developments into urban water management training, a lower-threshold and thus broader use can also be expected in the future.:1 General introduction 1 1.1 Explanation of terms 1 1.2 Motivation 2 1.3 Background 4 1.3.1 Quality assurance in the performance of simulation studies 4 1.3.2 Special features of simulation studies for wastewater treatment plants in German-speaking countries 6 1.4 Aims, differentiation and objectives 7 1.5 Structure of the document 9 1.6 References 10 2 Growth of science in activated sludge modelling – a critical bibliometric review 13 2.1 Highlights 13 2.2 Abstract 13 2.3 Introduction 14 2.3.1 Motivation 14 2.3.2 Introduction into bibliometrics 15 2.3.3 Objective 15 2.4 Material and Methods 16 2.4.1 Database and tools 16 2.4.1.1 Selection of database 16 2.4.1.2 Development of the number of data sets in the Web of Science 19 2.4.2 Bibliometric analysis of the entire data set 20 2.4.3 Analysis of time-related developments 23 2.4.4 Keyword development within the examined topic area 24 2.5 Results and Discussion 25 2.5.1 Bibliometric analysis of the entire database 25 2.5.2 Journal-based measures 28 2.5.3 Source dynamics 30 2.5.4 Author impact measures 30 2.5.5 Document-based measures 35 2.5.6 Structural Analysis 36 2.5.7 Analysis of time-related developments 40 2.5.8 Keyword development within the scientific field under investigation 44 2.6 Critical comments on the methodology 47 2.7 Recommendations for conducting a bibliometric analysis 49 2.8 Conclusions 50 2.9 References 52 3 A black-box model for generation of site-specific WWTP influent quality data based on plant routine data 56 3.1 Introduction 56 3.2 Material and Methods 58 3.3 Results and discussion 62 3.3.1 Test of robustness 63 3.3.2 Universality of the approach 66 3.4 Conclusions and outlook 69 3.5 References 70 4 Organic matter parameters in WWTP – a critical review and recommendations for application in activated sludge modelling 74 4.1 Highlights 74 4.2 Abstract 74 4.3 Introduction 75 4.4 Theoretical Considerations 76 4.5 Review of literature data of WWTP sludge 80 4.5.1 Literature survey 80 4.5.2 Measures related to total and volatile organic matter 81 4.5.3 Sludge composition based on biochemical families 83 4.6 Results and Discussion 85 4.6.1 Solids 85 4.6.2 COD and COD/VSS ratio 87 4.6.3 Connection between LPC and COD/VSS ratio 90 4.7 Application to plant-wide-modelling 92 4.7.1 Solids in Activated Sludge Models 92 4.7.2 Organic and inorganic solids 94 4.7.3 COD influent characterisation 96 4.7.4 Adaptation of research results and discussion 97 4.8 Conclusions 101 4.9 Data availability statement 101 4.10 References 101 5 Temperature as an alternative tracer for the determination of the mixing characteristics in wastewater treatment plants 108 5.1 Abstract 108 5.2 Introduction 108 5.2.1 Historical background 109 5.2.2 Alternatives in evaluation of tracer tests 110 5.2.3 Objective of this paper 112 5.3 Material and Methods 112 5.3.1 Lab-scale system 112 5.3.2 Pilot-scale system 113 5.3.3 Procedure 114 5.3.3.1 Substitute hydraulic model 114 5.3.3.2 Energy balance 115 5.3.3.3 Parameter estimation 117 5.4 Results and Discussion 118 5.4.1 Lab-scale system 118 5.4.2 Pilot-scale system 121 5.4.3 Sensitivity tests for optimised substitute model parameters 124 5.4.3.1 Lab scale tests 124 5.4.3.2 Pilot scale tests 126 5.4.4 Influence of recirculation 126 5.4.5 Consideration of variable flow rates 127 5.4.6 Impact of the structured model approach on ASM parameters 127 5.5 Conclusions 131 5.6 References 133 6 One script to solve it all – an open-source-based framework for a digital workflow based on WWTP data 137 6.1 Abstract 137 6.2 Highlights 138 6.3 Introduction 138 6.4 Fundamentals and requirements 138 6.5 Material and Methods 142 6.5.1 Background to the case study 142 6.5.2 Development of the concept 144 6.5.3 Technical implementation 145 6.6 Results 148 6.6.1 Preparation and data import 148 6.6.2 Plausibility checks 149 6.6.3 Calculation of design parameters (A198) 150 6.6.4 Design of WWTP (A131) 151 6.6.5 Activated sludge modelling 152 6.7 Discussion 153 6.7.1 Practical advantages of the developed methodology 153 6.7.2 Lessons learned from development process and first use 153 6.8 Conclusions 157 6.9 References 158 7 Enhancements for a practical application 161 7.1 Evolution of unified protocol of GMP taskgroup 161 7.1.1 Overview 161 7.1.2 Understand the plant + plant layout selection 163 7.1.3 Collection of existing data 163 7.1.4 Iterative process cycle for data analysis and plant model setup / adjustment 164 7.2 Extensions to the activated sludge model (ASM_EDU) 166 7.2.1 Background 166 7.2.2 Separation of inert particulate COD by origin 168 7.2.3 Integration of external carbon sources 169 7.2.4 Consideration of the influence of industrial discharges 171 7.2.5 Consideration of different precipitants in chemical P elimination 174 7.3 Plant-wide modelling 176 7.4 Digital transformation for efficiency enhancement 178 7.5 References 182 8 Conclusions and Outlook 187 8.1 Developments in the field of WWTP modelling 187 8.2 Future significance in science and application practice 188 8.3 Further scientific research needs 189 8.4 Changing the way engineering works 191 8.5 References 193 9 Appendices 195 9.1 Supplementary material for Chapter 4 195 9.1.1 References for sludge data 195 9.1.2 Data survey from references 217 9.2 Supplementary material for Chapter 6 217