abstract: Highway safety is a major priority for the public and for transportation agencies. Pavement distresses directly affect ride quality, and indirectly contribute to driver distraction, vehicle operation, and accidents. In this study, analysis was performed on highways in the states of Arizona, North Carolina and Maryland for years between 2013 and 2015 in order to investigate the relationship between accident rate and pavement roughness and rutting. Two main types of data were collected: crash data from the accident records and roughness and rut depth data from the pavement management system database in each state. Crash rates were calculated using the U.S. Department of Transportation method, which is the number of accidents per vehicle per mile per year multiplied by 100,000,000. The variations of crash rate with both International Roughness Index (IRI) and rut depth were investigated. Linear regression analysis was performed to study the correlation between parameters. The analysis showed positive correlations between road roughness and rut depth in all cases irrespective of crash severity level. The crash rate data points were high for IRI values above 250-300 inches/mile in several cases. Crash road segments represent 37-48 percent of the total length of the network using 1-mile segments. Roughness and rut depth values for crash and non-crash segments were close to each other, suggesting that roughness and rutting are not the only factors affecting number of crashes but possibly in combination with other factors such as traffic volume, human factors, etc. In summary, it can be concluded that both roughness and rut depth affect crash rate and highway maintenance authorities should maintain good pavement condition in order to reduce crash occurrences. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Civil and Environmental Engineering 2017

Neste trabalho foram realizadas as sínteses dos complexos trans-[RuCl2(L)4] (L = py, isn, 4-acpy e 3-acpy), trans-[RuCl(NO)(L)4](PF6)2 (L = py, isn e 4-acpy), trans-[Ru(OH)(NO)(py)4](PF6)2, trans-[RuCl(NO)(py)4]Cl23H2O, trans-[Ru(OH)(NO)(py)4]Cl2, cis-[RuCl2(DMSO)4], trans-[Ru(NO2)2(py)4], trans-[RuCl(NO2)(py)4], trans-[RuCl(acn)(py)4](PF6) e do complexo reduzido trans-[RuCl(NO)(py)4]I. Estes compostos foram submetidos a várias técnicas de caracterização como: análise elementar de CHN, espectroscopia de 1H RMN, espectroscopia na região do UV-vis e IV, técnicas de eletroquímica e EPR. A análise elementar de CHN e os espectros de 1H RMN se mostraram consistentes com as estruturas propostas, indicando a pureza destes compostos segundo estas técnicas. A caracterização por espectroscopia na região do UV-vis mostrou que os novos complexos apresentaram semelhança espectral com compostos semelhantes descritos na literatura. Entretanto, para os complexos trans-[RuCl(NO)(L)4](PF6)2 (L = py, isn e 4-acpy) e trans-[RuCl(NO)(py)4]Cl23H2O não se observa a banda entre 300-400 nm, comumente observada para tetraaminas de rutênio com o NO coordenado e nas bipiridinas de rutênio com o ligante nitrosilo. Os espectros de absorção na região do IV para os complexos nitrosilos apresentaram a banda da freqüência de estiramento do NO (NO) entre 1870 -1920 cm-1, indicando o caráter nitrosônio do NO. O complexo reduzido trans-[RuCl(NO)(py)4]I apresenta a banda de NO em 1854 cm-1 em acetonitrila, este valor está consistente com o deslocamento da banda de NO observado durante a eletrólise para a redução de trans-[RuCl(NO)(py)4]2+. A atribuição desta banda ao NO0 é reforçada pelo estudo de EPR, cujos espectros apresentaram um sinal característico de NO0 coordenado tanto para o complexo reduzido com iodo trans-[RuCl(NO)(py)4]I como para a solução eletrolisada de trans-[RuCl(NO)(py)4]2+. Os estudos de eletroquímica para os complexos trans-[RuCl2(L)4] (L = py, isn, 4-acpy e 3-acpy) apresentaram um processo de redução reversível, cujo Ef aumenta com o aumento da capacidade receptora de elétrons do ligante L, py < isn < 4-acpy. O comportamento eletroquímico de trans-[RuCl(NO)(L)4](PF6)2 (L = py e 4-acpy), em acetonitrila, apresentou um processo de redução reversível atribuído a 6/7 e um processo irreversível atribuído a redução 7/8. Após a redução do trans-[RuCl(NO)(py)4]2+ por eletrólise, em acetonitrila, foi observada a formação de trans-[RuCl(NO2)(py)4] para Eaplicado = -0,535 e -1,435 V vs Fc+/Fc. Em menor proporção, foi observado também a formação de trans-[RuCl(acn)(py)4]+, produto da liberação de NO (mas somente quando Eaplicado = -1,435 V vs Fc+/Fc). Em solução aquosa, os voltamogramas cíclicos do complexo trans-[RuCl(NO)(py)4]2+ apresentaram três processos de redução. O primeiro processo é referente à redução 6/7, o segundo corresponde à redução 7/8 e o terceiro processo envolve quatro elétrons convertendo o grupo nitrosil a amônia (NO- NH3). Durante a eletrólise, em solução aquosa, observou-se a formação de uma espécie a mais, além do composto trans-[RuCl(NH3)(py)4]+. Possivelmente, esta espécie seja o complexo trans-[RuCl(H2O)(py)4]+ (ou trans-[RuCl(OH)(py)4], dependendo do pH) derivado da liberação de NO. A grande capacidade -receptora dos ligantes piridínicos no plano equatorial dos complexos de rutênio, apresentados neste trabalho, se reflete em várias propriedades como: na energia da TCML, nos potenciais de redução e na acidez da água coordenada em trans ao NO do complexo trans-[Ru(NO)(H2O)(py)4]3+ (pKa < 1) que aumenta consideravelmente em relação ao trans-[Ru(NO)(H2O)(NH3)4]3+, (pKa = 3,1). / The complexes trans-[RuCl2(L)4] (L = py, isn, 4-acpy e 3-acpy), trans-[RuCl(NO)(L)4](PF6)2 (L = py, isn e 4-acpy), trans-[Ru(OH)(NO)(py)4](PF6)2, trans-[RuCl(NO)(py)4]Cl23H2O, trans-[Ru(OH)(NO)(py)4]Cl2, cis-[RuCl2(DMSO)4], trans-[Ru(NO2)2(py)4], trans-[RuCl(NO2)(py)4], trans-[RuCl(acn)(py)4](PF6) and the reduced complex trans-[RuCl(NO)(py)4]I were synthesized. The compounds were analyzed and characterized by elemental analysis of CHN, 1H NMR, UV-vis and IR spectroscopies, electrochemical techniques and EPR. The elemental analyses and 1H NMR spectra were consistent with the proposed structures indicating the purity of the compounds, according to these techniques. The UV-vis spectra of the complexes are similar to those of related complexes. However, for trans-[RuCl(NO)(L)4](PF6)2 (L = py, isn e 4-acpy) and trans-[RuCl(NO)(py)4]Cl23H2O, the band between 300-400 nm, usually seen in other nitrosyl ruthenium complexes spectra, as tetraamines and bipyridines complexes, was not observed. The IR spectra for nitrosyl complexes showed the stretching frequency band (NO) between 1870 -1920 cm-1, which is consistent with the nitrosonium character of these compounds. The reduced complex trans-[RuCl(NO)(py)4]I shows a NO band in 1854 cm-1 (acetonitrile). This value is consistent with the NO band shift observed during the trans-[RuCl(NO)(py)4]2+ reduction electrolysis. The assignment of this band to NO0 is consistent with the EPR studies, whose spectra showed a NO0 coordinated signal for the reduced complex trans-[RuCl(NO)(py)4]I and for the electrolyzed solution of trans-[RuCl(NO)(py)4]2+. The electrochemical studies for trans-[RuCl2(L)4] (L = py, isn, 4-acpy e 3-acpy) show a reversible reduction process assigned to RuIII/RuII, whose Ef increases with the -acceptor ability of the L ligand. In acetonitrile, the electrochemical behavior of trans-[RuCl(NO)(L)4](PF6)2 (L = py e 4-acpy), showed two reduction processes. The first is a reversible process assigned to 6/7 and the second is an irreversible process assigned to 7/8. The trans-[RuCl(NO2)(py)4] complex is formed during the reduction electrolysis of trans-[RuCl(NO)(py)4]2+ in acetonitrile with Eapplied = -0,535 and -1,435 V vs Fc+/Fc. The trans-[RuCl(acn)(py)4](PF6) is also formed after the NO release (only Eapplied = -1,435 V vs Fc+/Fc). In aqueous solution, the trans-[RuCl(NO)(py)4]2+ electrochemical behavior is different from that in acetonitrile. The cyclic voltammograms show three reduction processes. The first is a reversible process assigned to 6/7, the second is irreversible assigned to 7/8 and the third is a NO- NH3 four electron reduction. The electrolysis in aqueous solution generated another specie besides trans-[RuCl(NH3)(py)4]+, which should be the trans-[RuCl(H2O)(py)4]+ (or trans-[RuCl(OH)(py)4], depending on the pH) following the NO release. The great -acceptor ability of the L ligand in the ruthenium equatorial plane, presented in this work, reflects in many properties, such as: MLCT energy, reduction potential and the coordinated water acidity in trans-[Ru(NO)(H2O)(py)4]3+, (pKa < 1), which increases substantially compared to trans-[Ru(NO)(H2O)(NH3)4]3+ (pKa is 3,1).

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Syftet är att undersöka konstruktioner kring avlönat hushållsarbete i 10 debattartiklar i Aftonbladet och Dagens Nyheter samt på företagshemsidorna Hemfrid och HomeMaid i förhållande till arbete, kön och etnicitet. Vidare undersöks hur jämställdhet och jämlikhet kan förstås. Materialurvalet är gjort med förhoppningen att visa en ideologisk och praktisk sida. Inledningsvis ges historisk bakgrund och sedan behandlas nutid och hur upptakten till det politiska beslutet angående Rut-avdraget sett ut. Två teoretiska utgångspunkter utifrån genusvetenskaplig och intersektionell kontext ges och sedan förklaras begreppen arbete, kön, etnicitet, jämställdhet och jämlikhet. Metoden är en kvalitativ textanalys med inspiration av diskursanalys. Här ligger fokus på språk och hur det skapar mening. Debattartiklarna talar om arbetet som både positivt och negativt utifrån arbetsmöjligheter och relationer mellan köpare och utförare. Så kallat manligt och kvinnligt arbete jämförs och en statusskillnad diskuteras. Etnicitet beskrivs utifrån jämförelsen av utföraren som invandrad kvinna och köparen som den vanliga människan, vilket kan ses skapa ”vi” och ”dem”. Jämställdhet och jämlikhet kopplas till lönearbete och makten att påverka sitt arbete. På hemsidorna ligger fokus på en servicebeskrivning och arbetet blir en kvinnlig domän där kvinnor återfinns i olika positioner, vilket kan sägas både återskapa och förnya synen på hushållsarbetet. Vidare är fokus på familjen med vit hudfärg, vilket kan ses vara företagens syn på hur potentiella köparna ser ut. Den invandrade kvinnan skildras utifrån en framgångsbeskrivning vilket skiljer sig från en så kallad eländesbeskrivning. Här ges sken av en jämställd och jämlik domän där ansvaret framförallt ligger på en kvinnans axlar. / The purpose of this paper is to examine the discussion about paid domestic labor in 10 debate articles from Aftonbladet and Dagens Nyheter and the companies Hemfrid and HomeMaids websites in relation to labor, gender and ethnicity. Furthermore it examines how gender equality and equality can be understood. The thesis intends to demonstrate an ideological and a practical side. A historical background and contemporary perspectives are given. Then theoretical aspects on gender and intersectionality are presented, and definitions on labor, gender, ethnicity, gender equality and equality are introduced. The method is a qualitative text analysis inspired by discourse analysis with focus on how language creates meaning. The result of the thesis shows how the debate articles discuss the paid domestic work as both positive and negative based on work opportunities and relationships between buyers and providers; in addition so-called male and female work is compared. Ethnicity is described based on the comparison of the performer as an immigrant woman and the buyer as a common person. Gender equality and equality are connected to paid work. On the websites the work is described as a feminized service where women are customers, workers and entrepreneurs, which can both restore and renew the perception of domestic work. Moreover, white families can be seen as the description of potential buyers. The immigrant woman is described as successful, which is different from so called negative descriptions. The companies describe a gender equal and equal domain where the responsibility lies on a woman's shoulders.

Potifars hustru, Delila och Rut - tre av den hebreiska bibelns femme fatales. Alla tycks de, på olika sätt och i olika utsträckning, använda sitt erotiska kapital eller nyttja sin kvinnliga attraktionskraft för att uppnå ett syfte. Är de förförerskor, och är det i sådana fall det enda de är? / Potiphar's wife, Delilah and Ruth - three of the Hebrew Bible's femme fatales. They all seem, in different ways and to different extents, to use their erotic capital or their feminine attractiveness to achieve a purpose. Are they seducers, and if so, is that all they are?

The buying of domestic services in Sweden has become an increasingly privatized practice, something that correlates with the global feminization and racialisation of domestic labour. Although RUT deductions within the domestic sector historically have been a criticised phenomenon, it is today representing a politically normalised labour market measure. In using a WPR-method, social constructions of equality in parliamentary debates are examined with the theoretical perspectives of post-colonial feminism. The result indicate that the parliamentary social constructions of equality are connected to a neoliberal narrative where women’s increased time in the labour market equals female emancipation.

Syftet med denna undersökning har varit att studera vad RUT-avdragets införande 2007 har inneburit för anställda inom befintliga svenska aktiebolag inom RUT-branschen. RUTavdraget är en skattesubvention som innebär att privatpersoner kan få hushållsnära tjänster utförda till ett reducerat pris. Undersökningen har gjorts genom att empiriskt studera hur genomsnittlig lönesumma per anställd och genomsnittligt antal anställda i befintliga svenska aktiebolag har förändrats inom RUT-branschen mellan åren 2006 och 2008, allt annat lika. För att studera detta användes en difference-in-difference-metod med fixa effekter och robusta standardfel. Datamaterialet som användes till undersökningen var bokföringsdata från aktiebolag som samlats in av PAR. I undersökningen ingick 2 506 företag inom RUTbranschen och totalt 74 798 observationer. Resultatet visar att i genomsnitt har det inom de befintliga aktiebolagen inom branschen skapats 1,4 nya jobb per företag och årslönerna för de anställda i dessa företag har i genomsnitt ökat med 10 931 kronor per anställd. Totalt innebär det att 3 065 nya jobb har skapats i dessa befintliga aktiebolag, vilket kan sättas i relation till tidigare undersökningar som visat att den totala ökningen av antal anställda i genomsnitt varit ca 5 700 personer. Tidigare har inte löneeffekter till följd av RUT-avdraget studerats, vilket innebär att detta arbete bidrar med ny forskning inom ett område som inte studerats tidigare. / The purpose of this thesis has been to study what the introduction of the RUT deduction 2007 has meant for employees in existing Swedish limited companies in the RUT industry. The RUT deduction is a tax subsidy that allows the public to buy household services at a reduced price. The study has been conducted by empirically studying how average wages per employee and average number of employees in existing Swedish limited companies have changed within the RUT industry between 2006 and 2008, ceteris paribus. For this, a Difference-in-Difference method was used with fixed effects and robust standard errors. The data used for the study was accounting data from companies, collected by PAR. The dataset consisted of 2,506 companies in the RUT industry and a total of 74,798 observations. The result shows that on average, within the existing companies in the industry, 1.4 new jobs have been created per company and the annual salary for employees in these companies has increased by an average of SEK 10,931 per employee. In total, 3,065 new jobs have been created in these existing limited companies, which can be compared with previous studies where the average number of employees on average was approximately 5,700. Previously, wage effects resulting from the RUT deduction have not been studied, which means that this work contributes to new research in a previously unexplored area.

Master of Science / Department of Civil Engineering / Mustaque A. Hossain / Preventive maintenance strategies are applied to pavement to bring it back to appropriate serviceability when it starts to deteriorate soon after construction due to several factors, e.g., traffic loading, deterioration of pavement materials, and climatic effects. In recent years, more and more highway agencies are adopting preventive maintenance strategies and moving away from rehabilitation actions since rehabilitating pavements at near failure is not a cost-effective pavement management technique. A variety of preventive maintenance treatments or thin surface treatments are available to bring pavements back to appropriate serviceability for road users. The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) has adopted several preventive maintenance treatments including thin overlay, ultra-thin bonded asphalt surface (Nova Chip), chip seal, and slurry seal. This thesis discusses the effectiveness of thin surface or preventive maintenance treatments applied in 2007 on 16 highway sections in Kansas. Three types of thin surface treatments, 25-mm Hot-Mix-Asphalt (1” HMA) overlay, ultra-thin bonded asphalt surface (Nova Chip), and chip seal, were examined in this study. These treatments were applied on three types of surface preparation, namely, bare surface, 25-mm surface recycle (1” SR), and 50-mm surface recycle (2” SR). Effectiveness of the thin surface or preventive maintenance treatments for mitigating typical distresses and enhancing pavement performance was evaluated by conducting before-and-after (BAA) comparisons. All data required for this study were extracted from the Pavement Management Information System (PMIS) database of KDOT. It was observed that transverse and fatigue cracking significantly decreased and rutting conditions were improved after the thin surface treatments were applied. Roughness conditions were observed to be better on the highway test sections treated with 25-mm (1”) HMA and Nova Chip, while the effects of chip seals on reducing roughness were not as obvious. Benefit and performance levels of the pavements were observed to rise after the thin surface treatments were applied. The Hamburg Wheel-Tracking Device (HWTD) test was conducted on core samples taken from the highway sections under this study. Laboratory test results showed that most projects exceeded the maximum rut-depth limit (20 mm) specified for 20,000 wheel passes, and the number of wheel passes to failure varied significantly among the projects. Cores from only three projects, two treated with Nova Chip and one with 25-mm (1”) HMA, carried 20,000 wheel passes without exceeding the maximum rut limit of 20 mm (0.8 inch). Pair-wise comparisons or contrasts among the treatments were also performed with the statistical analysis software, SAS. Air void of the HWTD test cores was found to be a significant factor affecting performance of thin surface treatments. The results also revealed that performance was significantly affected by the type of treatment and surface preparation.

This research has investigated the effect of tyre rutting of wheeled construction plant performance traversing in wet and deformable terrain, specifically clay and sand. The purpose was to translate the wheel rutting into performance reduction measured in drawbar-pull. The ultimate goal was to translate the power loss into practical effects on cost, time and other economic variations on construction projects that are characterised by movement of wheeled plant on long haulage deformable roads. In order to achieve this aim, mathematical modelling was deployed based on Newton’s laws of motion, principles of energy conservation and numerical integration. The model is based on a single rigid wheel because construction plant tyres are inflated to high pressure in order to support heavy loads thereby translating the flexible tyres into rigid mode. The results from the mathematical model were verified using a three stage robust verification process which included computational analysis based on two existing semi-empirical methods and real experimental data. Laboratory experiments using Mobility SF- 3713 were also used to check the validity of the results. The results from the mathematical model verify that a flexible tyre can operate in rigid mode if it encounters softer and wet ground. Results further indicate that the soil cohesion, angle of shearing resistance and moisture content play key roles in the subsequent power loss created by motion resistance. All the results from computational analysis and the experiments were found to be consistent with the mathematical model results. The study concludes that there is ample evidence to suggest that there is significant power loss associated with wheeled construction plant traversing in soft terrain which can be assessed. The study further concludes that a combination of economic decisions on variables must be considered with respect to existing ground conditions. This will considerably reduce uncertainty levels in cost and resource management on construction projects.

Magíster en Gestión y Dirección de Empresas / El objetivo central de esta tesis consiste en realizar un análisis de factibilidad para implementar el servicio de pago con celular cargado a la CuentaRUT. La CuentaRUT es un producto de BancoEstado que consiste en una cuenta bancaria de débito que sólo tiene como requisito de entrada tener una cédula de identidad vigente y una edad mínima (12 años para mujeres y 14 años para hombres).Se determinó la posición estratégica de BancoEstado en los medios de pagos masivos con la cual se propuso y evaluó un modelo de negocios y los proyectos necesarios para su viabilidad. Se realizó un análisis externo que incluyó la revisión de las tendencias a nivel global y local de los medios de pago electrónicos, del teléfono celular y de la experiencia internacional del uso de este dispositivo como medio de pago masivo. Se verificó que los medios de pagos electrónicos son medios muy efectivos para la bancarización, pues operan con costos sustancialmente menores que los tradicionales y permiten la atención a grandes distancias geográficas. Se mostró que el celular es el medio electrónico más vendido de la historia y se identificaron dos modelos generales para su uso como medio de pago. El primero de ellos está asociado a países y dispositivos altamente tecnologizados, y el otro está asociado al uso de SMS (mensaje de texto) y a países con baja cobertura bancaria y alta cobertura de red de telefonía móvil. En el análisis interno se determinó que las competencias centrales de la banca comercial del segmento personas para el desarrollo del servicio de pago con celular son la alta capacidad de innovación en productos y servicios a sus clientes objetivo y la amplia red física de BancoEstado, la cual es la única presente en todas las comunas del país. Posteriormente se hizo un análisis del comportamiento de compra de los clientes CuentaRUT en el comercio con información de bases de datos y la realización de un Focus Group con ellos, con el objeto de conocer sus necesidades relativas a los medios de pago y visión acerca del pago con celular. Se determinó que el cliente usaría el servicio en los comercios donde no hay Redcompra y ubicados en zonas alejadas de cajeros automáticos y sucursales bancarias. Sintetizando los resultados obtenidos anteriormente se realizó un análisis de fortalezas, oportunidades, debilidades y amenazas. En base a las conclusiones anteriores se propuso un modelo de negocios consistente en implementar el pago con celular con cargo a la CuentaRUT en la red de CajaVecina. El segmento objetivo consiste en clientes CuentaRUT menores de 35 años que habitan en zonas de baja cobertura bancaria (donde está desplegada la red Caja Vecina) los cuales representan a 378 mil personas al año 2009 (estimados en 1 millón en 1014). La red de CajaVecina consta de 2.000 puntos al año 2009 (estimados en 14.000 en 2014). Se estiman 7MM para el primer año de funcionamiento (2010) y del orden de 60 millones de transacciones al 2014. En base al modelo propuesto, se definieron los requerimientos operacionales y proyectos necesarios para su implantación que consisten en desarrollar protocolos de comunicación entre diversas plataformas ya existentes con una inversión total de 1.630 UF. Los costos de operación se determinaron en 31.000 UF en el primero año de operación (estimados en 230.000 al 2014). El VAN del flujo de caja para 5 años de operación dio 300.000 UF con una tasa interna de retorno de 13%. Se utilizó una tasa de descuento del 10%. Se concluye que este servicio permitirá a las personas y los comerciantes que habitan en zonas con baja cobertura bancaria, y donde el efectivo es la única forma de pago, contar con una forma adicional de pagar en los negocios pequeños. Por otro lado este servicio representa una opción atractiva para las personas más jóvenes a la vez que refuerza las orientaciones estratégicas de BancoEstado de ofrecer servicios bancarios eficientes, que apoyen el emprendimiento y que sean desplegados a través de todo el territorio nacional. Finalmente esta forma de pago basada en tecnología móvil representa un servicio de tipo aspiracional para este segmento de clientes, puesto que en su mayoría las aplicaciones bancarias de punta son pensadas para segmentos socioeconómicos más altos.