Framställning av digitala terrängmodell (Digital Terrain Model, DTM) är en viktig del för projekteringsunderlag vid markrelaterade frågor. Grunden för en DTM är punktmolnet som innehåller grunddata från mätningen. DTM är användbara i många olika områden, kvalitén bestäms beroende på vilken uppdrag som DTM gäller för. UAS-fotogrammetri är en av metoder som tillämpas för att framställa en DTM, det går även att framställa en DTM utifrån punktmoln från Laserdata NH. En DTM är en modell av endast markyta, där data samlas genom mätning av ett visst objekt. Syftet med detta examensarbete som är utfört vid Institutionen för ingenjörsvetenskap vid Högskolan Väst var att jämföra två olika metoder för framställning av ett punktmoln som är till underlag för en DTM. Punktmoln som framställs med egna mätningar från UASfotogrammetri och ett färdigt punktmoln från Laserdata NH. Målet med jämförelsen är att undersöka om det går att ersätta UAS-fotogrammetri med den kostnadseffektiva Laserdata NH i projektet för ett industriområde (Lödöse varvet) i Lilla Edets kommun, samt om det går att ersätta den överlag. Med hjälp av Agisoft Metashape programvaran framställdes det punktmolnet från mätning från UAS av modellen DJI Phantom 4 Advanced, sedan jämfördes den mot det färdiga punktmolnet från Laserdata NH i CloudCompare programmet. Resultatet på denna studie visar att det går att ersätta UAS-fotogrammetri mot Laserdata NH i just denna och andra liknande projekt som har samma syfte och viss bestämd noggrannhet då punktmolnen inte avviker signifikant från varandra. Medan det inte går att ersätta de mot varandra överlag, då UAS-fotogrammetri erhåller högre noggrannhet när det gäller framställning av ett punktmoln jämfört med vad Laserdata NH har för noggrannhet på sina mätningar / Generation of Digital Terrain Model (DTM) is an essential part in project planning in questions related to spatial planning. Basis for the DTM is the point cloud which obtains initial data from the measurement. DTM can be used in different areas, accepted quality level is depending on the assignment for which DTM is produced. UAS-photogrammetry is one of the methods which is used for DTM generation, but it is possible to produce DTM from point cloud originated from Laserdata NH. A DTM is a model representing entirely terrain surface, where the data used for its generation gathers from measuring of a certain object. The purpose of this study accomplished at Department of Engineering Science at University West was to compare two different methods for point cloud generation as a basis for DTM. First point cloud generated comes from own measurement with UAS-photogrammetry and second is a point cloud from acquired Laserdata NH. The goal of the comparison is to examine if it is possible to replace UAS-photogrammetry with the cost effective Laserdata NH in the project for the industrial area (Lödöse varvet) in Lilla Edet municipality, and if it is possible to replace it generally. With help of Agisoft Metashape software the point cloud from UAS-measurement with DJI Phantom 4 Advanced was generated and then compared to Laserdata NH point cloud in CloudCompare program. Result of this study is showing that it is possible to replace UAS-photogrammetry with Laserdata NH in this specific and others similar projects which have same purpose and certain decided precision since point clouds are not significantly deviating from each other. While it is not possible to replace them generally, as UAS-photogrammetry obtains higher precision concerning point cloud generation compared to accuracy that Laserdata NH has in its measurements.

<p>The main goal of the thesis was to prevent the generation of waste, by<br />using the spent coffee grounds (SCG) and date stones (DSAC) for<br />production of activated carbon adsorbent for water treatment. The<br />substances for water removal were selected from those presenting<br />potential risk to aquatic environment according to the NORMAN list of<br />emerging substances and belong to the group of pesticides:<br />carbendazim, linuron and isoproturon. SCG and DSAC adsorbents, as<br />an eco-friendly and low-cost materials, showed high potential for the<br />removal of selected emerging pesticides.</p> / <p>Основни циљ тезе био је смaњeњe стварања отпада коришћењем oтпaдa oд кaфe (SCG) и кoштицa урмe (DSАC) за производњу активног угљa кao адсорбенса за пречишћавање воде. Изaбрaнe супстанце за испитивaњ прoцeсa уклањањa из воде представљају потенцијални ризик за воднe eкo систeмe према NОRМАN листи eмeргeнтних супстaнци и припадају групи пестицида: карбендазим, линурон и изопротурон. SCG и DSАC адсорбенти су, као еколошки прихватљиви материјали нискe цeнe, показали висок потенцијал уклањања одабраних пестицида из aквaтичнoг систeмa.</p> / <p>Osnovni cilj teze bio je smanjenje stvaranja otpada korišćenjem otpada od kafe (SCG) i koštica urme (DSAC) za proizvodnju aktivnog uglja kao adsorbensa za prečišćavanje vode. Izabrane supstance za ispitivanj procesa uklanjanja iz vode predstavljaju potencijalni rizik za vodne eko sisteme prema NORMAN listi emergentnih supstanci i pripadaju grupi pesticida: karbendazim, linuron i izoproturon. SCG i DSAC adsorbenti su, kao ekološki prihvatljivi materijali niske cene, pokazali visok potencijal uklanjanja odabranih pesticida iz akvatičnog sistema.</p>

This master thesis deals with static load test and static assessment of selected segments of reinforced concrete ceiling construction of the Hennebique system at the Faculty of Arts at Masaryk University in Brno. This thesis contains: the execution of the static load test, the data evaluation of the static load test and the data evaluation of the complementary laboratory testing, geometric orientation of bearing elements, the checking of the ceiling placement in the peripheral position, and the diagnosis of the reinforcing of the construction. This thesis also includes the static assessment according to various standard norm rules and the numerical analysis in ATENA software program.

Thesis (Ph.D. Agriculture (Plant Production)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / Livestock has evolved to serve as the foundation and backbone of human well-being, and it is an important component of South Africa's agricultural sector. The small stock such as sheep (Ovis aries) in Limpopo province has remained a significant and multifunctional livelihood strategy for the majority of the rural and resource-poor people. Factors such as population growth, urbanization, rising per capita income and changes in consumer tastes and preferences are all contributing to gradual increases in livestock product consumption and demand. According to the 2019 Abstract of Agricultural Statistics, South Africa is an importer of sheep and sheep products. If the sheep production industry in the province could pursue this opportunity and realize its full production potential then increased production could stimulate economic growth and development, particularly from the communal and smallholder sector. Objective one of the study seeks to describe the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of communal and smallholder sheep farmers, identify sheep feeding practices and describe the constraints that hinder the sustainable productive growth of communal and smallholder sheep systems. Data were collected from one hundred and twenty (120) sheep farmers using a structured questionnaire across three agro-ecological zones of Limpopo province. Results revealed that overall, the majority of sheep farmers were males (78%) and farmers were above 60 years old (48%). Mean sheep flock size differed significantly between communal (24.74) and smallholder (62.36) farmers. Indigenous crossbreeds were the dominant breed kept by communal (86%) and smallholder (77%) farmers. The majority of communal and smallholder farmers (90% and 96%, respectively) reared their sheep under an extensive system with rangelands as the main source of feed. As a result, they experience a critical feed gap during June and September, the mid-winter to early spring until the first rains. The findings of the study revealed that feed shortages and diseases were ranked as the first and second production constraints by sheep farmers in both the production systems. In rangeland-dependent feeding systems, insufficient feed to meet animal demands create a feed gap, which is a critical factor that limits sheep productivity and causes xxi land degradation through overgrazing. Improved forages have been widely advocated as a critical step toward resolving this challenge. However, the adoption and utilization of improved technologies such as on-farm forage legume production by these farmers have been very low, contributing to the province's low sheep productivity. An extension of objective one of this study used primary data which was collected from a sample of 120 sheep farmers to determine the factors that influence the adoption of on-farm forage legume production and the perceived barriers to adoption by communal and smallholder sheep farmers in the Limpopo province. A Probit regression model and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were used to analyze the data. The study revealed that the adoption of on-farm forage production by communal and smallholder sheep farmers is influenced by several factors, including gender, farming experience, knowledge of forage legume production, source of income, membership in farmer associations, access to extension services and farm size. Farmer perceived barriers to adoption of on-farm forage legume production identified by this study were low institutional support, lack of resources, lack of knowledge, shortage of water and objectives of the farmer. It is therefore recommended that intensive and high-quality extension support in partnership with industry associations and stakeholders is required for communal and smallholder farmers to improve forage technology awareness, training and promote on-farm forage production to transform communal and smallholder sheep feeding practices. In the face of climate change, identifying forage species with a high potential to mitigate winter feed gap challenges under more variable climatic conditions is critical. Trifolium and Vicia species are forage legumes well known for producing high-quality forage, particularly protein, which is deficient in the majority of feed resources used for sheep feeding during the winter season. Climate change-induced stresses from rising temperatures, which these winter annual forage legumes are likely to face, necessitate agronomic and breeding approaches to improve their adaptability. Lack of knowledge on how these climate change mitigation approaches influence the productivity of winter annual forage legumes in the Pietersburg Plateau of Limpopo province prompted objective two of this study. A three-year field experiment laid in a split-split plot design with four replications was conducted to measure the effects of planting date, cultivar and harvest stage on the physiological traits associated with biomass production, forage quality, nodulation activity and xxii nutritive value of annual clover and vetch species. The results showed that the planting date and harvest stage had a significant effect on leaf gaseous exchange and biomass production. A non-significant effect of planting date on nutritive value was observed. Intercellular CO2 concentration, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, instantaneous water use efficiency and intrinsic water use efficiency in cultivars increased with delayed planting, while a decrease in photosynthetic rate, shoot DM, root DM and nodule DM was observed. Overall among the cultivars, Resal, Alex, Elite, Laser and Dr Baumans showed more consistency in terms of leaf gaseous exchange, biomass production and quality traits under planting date 1 and varying harvest stages. Investment in the year-round fodder flow establishment with high-quality forages is important in supporting sustainable sheep production. Forage legume-grass rotation systems are important not only for green fodder production of high crude protein, mineral and vitamin content throughout the year but also for enhanced soil fertility to reduce the nitrogen (N) fertilizer requirements. Accurate estimates of forage yields on the farm are required for fodder flow planning to ensure the seasonal distribution of fodder throughout the year. Objective three of the study was a no-tillage, short-term rotation experiment conducted to determine the growth and nutritive value of forage sorghum, planted after the winter annual forage legumes in combination with nitrogen application and to validate the performance of the APSIM-grain sorghum crop model in simulating forage sorghum growth and biomass production under different N rates. The treatments were planting date (January and February) and N source from inorganic N fertilizer (0 kg N ha-1, 60 kg N ha-1, 120 kg N ha-1, 180 kg N ha-1) and forage legume N residues (Alex, Capello, Dr Baumans, Elite, Hanka, Laser, Linkarus, Opolska, Resal and Timok) arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replicates. The findings of this study showed a significant response of forage sorghum growth and nutritive value to planting date. Delayed planting reduced plant height (11%), stem diameter (18%), LAI (6.7%), chlorophyll content (18%), NDVI (2.5%), photosynthetic rate (38%) and biomass production (8%). Delayed planting further reduced crude protein, acid detergent fiber and N yield. Nitrogen source from inorganic N at 60 kg N ha-1, 120 kg N ha-1, 180 kg N ha-1 and residual N from annual clover and vetch cultivars had a significant effect on morphological, physiological, yield and nutritive value parameters of forage sorghum. xxiii Generally, legume N residue effects on all the studied parameters of forage sorghum were similar to the inorganic N fertilizer of 60 kg N ha-1. However, the effects differed widely according to the species and cultivar of the legume. Resal, Laser, Elite Capello and Dr Baumans N residue consistently showed greater effects than other legume residues. They consistently outperformed inorganic 60 kg N ha-1 on the most measured parameters. The results confirm that annual clover-forage sorghum and vetch-forage sorghum rotation have huge potential to reduce the cost and negative environmental effects associated with inorganic N use in forage prediction systems. Regarding the evaluation of the potential of the APSIM grain legume model to simulate forage legume DM and plant height, in general, the model performed well and accurately in predicting the shoot dry matter accumulation and plant height under 0 kg N ha-1, 60 kg N ha-1 and 120 kg N ha-1. However, it underestimated both these parameters at 180 kg N ha-1 implying that the application of N up to 180 kg N ha-1 is not necessary. APSIM-grain module was able to accurately predict forage biomass production under N rates up to 120 kg N ha-1 and it is therefore considered reliable to support the N nutrition in the forage sorghum fodder production systems. / University of Limpopo, research office under the UCDP program and National Research Foundation-Thuthuka

This dissertation consists of three essays that explore the interplay between economic shocks and local context. The first chapter studies the role of Korea's unique social fractionalization in explaining a 60% growth in agricultural productivity during the 1970s. Social fractionalization along dimensions like ethnicity or class can stunt economic development. This paper investigates how fractionalization affects a group's ability to respond to economic shocks by studying rural South Korea in the 1970s. Social groups in rural Korea were defined by one dominant characteristic: extended kin network identified by family name. Some villages displayed high homogeneity, with up to 90% of households sharing the same family name. This unique social context offers a reliable measure of social fractionalization that is otherwise difficult to measure. I combine this cross-sectional variation with the time variation in market access created by the construction of a new bridge, the Namhae bridge, in 1973. I find that homogeneous villages displayed higher agricultural investments and productivity growth than heterogeneous villages following the bridge construction. Homogeneous villages capitalized on the opportunities created by the bridge by providing complementary local public goods more effectively than heterogeneous villages. This paper highlights the critical role of social homogeneity in enhancing a community's ability to capitalize on new opportunities in the face of external shocks, such as improved market access. In the second chapter, I investigate the impact of expanding access to education on the quality of pre-existing schools, using India's Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) national secondary school construction program as a case study. I use a difference-in-differences strategy to assess the effects of new school construction on existing schools' enrollment, facilities, and the number of students taking and passing the nationally administered exam at grade ten and twelve. The analysis utilizes school-level data from the Secondary Education Management Information System (SEMIS) database, which tracks all secondary schools in India between 2009 and 2020. I find that while opening new schools increases the number of students taking and passing exams, it does not necessarily lead to improvements in the quality of education, as measured by the proportions of students taking and passing exams. This suggests that constructing new schools alone may not be enough to enhance educational quality through increased competition, and other factors or interventions may be necessary. This paper highlights the potential trade-off between expanding access to education and maintaining the quality of education provided by pre-existing schools. In the third chapter, I empirically test ``learning-by-exporting'' by examining the long-term performance of Indian IT firms after their exposure to the temporary export shock created by the Y2K bug. The Y2K bug was a computer software glitch that misinterpreted the year 2000 as 1900 due to the widespread use of two-digit date representations in computer systems at the time. As the new millennium approached, concerns grew that this programming oversight would lead to widespread system failures and potential global disruptions. This uncertainty prompted extensive efforts to identify and fix potential issues before 2000, resulting in a surge in outsourcing to Indian IT companies. However, by the year 2000, concerns proved to be largely overstated as few major problems materialized. This event represented an unexpected yet short-lived export boom for Indian IT firms. I use two exposure measures: IT firms with a history of exporting before 2000 and the Bartik instrument, which leverages regional variation in IT sector employment share. Overall, I find that exposure to the Y2K export shock had a positive and statistically significant effect on the long-term performance of Indian IT firms, supporting the concept of ``learning-by-exporting.'' Event study analysis shows that firms exposed to the Y2K shock experienced improvements in sales, export share, and total compensation paid to employees. However, the 2SLS results using the Bartik instrument reveal statistically insignificant findings, suggesting a potential weak instrument problem. This highlights the need for more accurate measures of Y2K shock exposure and further exploration of alternative estimation strategies.

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Populations of many European bird species have decreased in recent years. Of seabird species, roughly 25 % are classified as threatened or as species of future concern. In the Baltic Sea, an entire ecosystem faces the aftermath of anthropogenic changes, which might be one of the reasons behind the decreasing population of Caspian terns (Hydroprogne caspia). In this paper, an attempt was made to shed light upon nestling survival in Caspian terns in breeding colonies on islets outside of Gotland, Sweden, by using bird ringing data as well as re-sightings of post-fledged terns. Based upon literature from other species, I expected a higher survival probability with earliness of breeding time, and improved survival probability with higher nestling body condition. Significant study results showed that re-sighted Caspian terns had slightly earlier hatching day (150 ± 6.55) compared to never-again seen Caspian terns (153 ± 8.08), implying that early breeding time might be of benefit in the species. However, no significant result could confirm that high body condition in nestling terns was correlated with general survival probability, indicating that a myriad of other factors is likely at play. / Många fågelarter har under de senaste åren minskat drastiskt i Europa. Inom gruppen havsfåglar har konstaterats att omkring 25 % av alla arter tilldelats hotstatus eller bedömts vara av framtida mål för bevarande. I Östersjön hotas idag ett helt ekosystem av de effekter som genererats genom antropogena processer. Av populationer som påverkats i området med en kritisk tillbakagång under 2000-talet, inräknas den kolonihäckande arten skräntärna (Hydroprogne caspia). I denna studie användes ringmärkningsdata och återfyndsinformation från gotländska skräntärnor, i syfte att undersöka artens generella överlevnadschans i relation till födelseperiod och kroppskondition som ungfågel. Till resultatet förväntades att ungar födda tidigt under säsongen hade högre överlevnadschans än ungar födda sent.  En längre livslängd i dagar antogs höra ihop med högre kroppskondition hos ungfåglar på häckplatsen. Mitt resultat visade med signifikans att återsedda tärnor från Gotland hade lite tidigare födelsedatum i genomsnitt (dag 150 ± 6.55) än ej återsedda skräntärnor (dag 153 ± 8.08). Samband mellan tärnornas överlevnad och kroppskondition kunde ej påvisas, vilket indikerar att en mängd andra faktorer med all förmodan inverkar på skräntärnors överlevnadschanser.

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