This thesis explored the possibilities of incorporating automation and optimization inthe design process of cantilever retaining walls. The programming language Pythonhas been used to develop a program that given certain inputs performs the necessarydesign verifications according to Eurocodes and Swedish standards. The GeneticAlgorithm (GA) was chosen as optimization algorithm, where the objectives of theoptimization were defined as minimization of investment cost (IC) and environmentalimpact (EI).Optimized solutions from the program were compared with a previously designedretaining wall in a case study. Savings ranging between 15% and 30% could beobtained depending on the restrictions that were imposed on the optimization. Resultsalso indicate that the optimization algorithm tends to output retaining walls withhigher reinforcement content when optimizing for EI, leading to thinner structuralmembers in comparison to optimizations with respect to IC. A parametric analysis wasfurthermore performed to study the influence of varying heights and concrete classeson the optimized solutions.

On January 1st, 2022, requirements for climate declarations were set in Sweden to calculate the climate impact of new buildings. Climate impact is calculated at an early stage using generic data which is the average data of the selected product type. Most building components must be included in climate declarations, however, there are no requirement for foundation components to be included. Foundations can form a large part of a building, meaning that excluding them from climate calculations can result in a large missing figure of the total climate impact. Thus, this thesis has focused on creating generic climate data for concrete piles that can be used for climate declarations of construction projects in Sweden. The reason why concrete piles have been chosen is because they are the most used pile type in Sweden.To produce this generic data, a literature review was first conducted and interviews with experienced people in the industry were performed to complement the study. After that, calculations were made together with a parameter study as well as a case study.Generic data were obtained for both single and jointed concrete piles of the dimensions SP1, SP2 and SP3 with the unit kg CO2e/m. To make the generic data conservative, the climate impact for modules A1-A3 was increased by 25%. Generic data for SP1 is 41.38 kg CO2e/m, SP2 is 51.90 kg CO2e/m and SP3 is 55.78 kg CO2e/m when the distance to construction site is 100 km, also including 5% construction waste. Input data for distance to construction site and amount of construction waste should be adapted for each specific building project.The assumption that there is no difference in climate impact between single and jointed concrete piles per meter was made. On the other hand, the climate impact weighted against the bearing capacity, shows that single concrete piles have a lower climate impact per meter and kN load than jointed concrete piles. In this order, from lowest to highest, the climate impacts of the different pile types are single SP3, SP2 and SP1 followed by jointed SP2, SP3 and SP1. That is, single SP3 has the lowest carbon footprint while jointed SP1 has the highest carbon footprint, in terms of their load bearing capacity.A combined value of climate impact was calculated, taking into consideration the different concrete pile types and their frequency of use, however, this value was considered too misleading and is therefore not recommended to use.

During the last decades the challenge of sustainability has become more urgent and environmental impacts of different processes in manufacturing industry have received more attention. Life cycle assessment (LCA) has become an important and useful tool to evaluate the environmental impact of products and processes. In this study the environmental impact of two cooling techniques in a turning process has been evaluated using LCA. Turning is used for shaping metal parts by removing material. The compared cooling techniques in this study are dry cutting and Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL). The inputs and output in each technique are considered in form of material flows and energy consumption as well as waste flows. The Ecoinvent database has been used in order to quantify, evaluate and compare the environmental impacts of the two cooling techniques. Environmental impact categories considered in this study are Carbon footprint (CO2 kg equivalent), Cumulative Energy Demand (CED), Total eco-cost in Euro and ReCiPe. ReCiPe is a method used to evaluate multiple environmental impact categories and it covers impact categories related to human health, ecotoxicity and material depletion. Calculations and analysis of the results show that MQL has significantly lower environmental impact compared to dry cutting whereas energy consumption is the main contributor in the considered environmental impact categories. / Under de senaste åren har hållbar utveckling blivit mer relevant och miljöpåverkan av olika tillverkningsprocesser i industrin har således fått mer uppmärksamhet. Livscykelanalys (LCA) har blivit ett viktigt och användbart verktyg för att analysera och utvärdera miljöpåverkan av produkter och processer. I det här examensarbetet har miljöpåverkan av två olika kylmetoder vid svarvning utvärderats med hjälp av livscykelanalys (LCA). Svarvning används för att forma metalldelar. De jämförda kylmetoderna är torrskärning (dry cutting) utan kylvätska och minimalsmörjning (Minimum Quantity Lubrication - MQL) där en liten mängd smörjmedel används. Tillfört material, energiförbrukning och avfall vid varje kylmetod har betraktats. Ecoinvent-databasen har använts för att kvantifiera, utvärdera och jämföra miljöpåverkan av de två kylmetoderna. Miljöpåverkanskategorierna som behandlas i denna studie är koldioxidavtryck (CO2 kg ekvivalent), kumulativt energibehov (CED), totala miljökostnader i Euro och ReCiPe. ReCiPe är en metod som används för att utvärdera flera olika miljöpåverkanskategorier inkluderande människors hälsa, miljögifter och förbrukning av naturresurser. Beräkningarna och analysresultaten visar att MQL har betydligt lägre miljöpåverkan än torrskärning och att energiförbrukningen är den mest avgörande faktorn.

This research study examines the emergence of gypsum waste and its negative environmental impact within the construction industry and explores strategies to reduce waste and promote the recycling and reuse of gypsum materials. Methods include interviews with representatives from construction companies and literature studies. The results show that common causes of gypsum waste include excess ordering, miscommunication, misassembly, and damage due to external factors. To reduce waste, construction companies used strategies such as digital tools and improved planning. To further develop methods, the use of 3D models and education to improve gypsum board handling is proposed. Measures to reduce gypsum waste include ordering the correct amount of gypsum material and promoting the recycling and reuse of gypsum material. By applying these strategies, construction companies can contribute to a more sustainable construction industry with reduced environmental impact and carbon emissions.

The most used design approach for civil engineering structures is a trial and error procedure; the designer chooses an initial configuration, tests it and changes it until all safety requirements are met with good material utilization. Such a procedure is time consuming and eventually leads to a feasible solution, while several better ones could be found. Indeed, together with safety, environmental impact and investment cost should be decisive factors for the selection of structural solutions. Thus, structural optimization with respect to environmental impact and cost has been the subject of many researches in the last decades. However, design techniques based on optimization haven’t replaced the traditional design procedure yet. One of the reasons might be the constructive feasibility of the optimal solution. Moreover, concerning reinforced concrete beam bridges, to the best of the author knowledge, no study in the literature has been published dealing with the optimization of the entire bridge including both the structural configuration and cross-section dimensions. In this thesis, a two-steps automatic design and optimization procedure for reinforced concrete road beam bridges is presented. The optimization procedure finds the solution that minimizes the investment cost and the environmental impact of the bridge, while fulfilling all requirements of Eurocodes. In the first step, given the soil morphology and the two points to connect, it selects the optimal number of spans, type of piers-deck connections and piers location taking into account any obstacle the bridge has to cross. In the second and final step, it finds the optimal dimensions of the deck cross-section and produces the detailed reinforcement design. Constructability is considered and quantified within the investment cost to avoid a merely theoretical optimization. The wellknown Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Pattern Search optimization algorithms have been used. However, to reduce the computational effort and make the procedure more user-friendly, a memory system has been integrated and a modified version of GA has been developed. Moreover, the design and optimization procedure is used to study the relationship between the optimal solutions concerning investment cost and environmental impact. One case study concerning the re-design of an existing road bridge is presented. Potential savings obtained using the proposed method instead of the classic design procedure are presented. Finally, parametric studies on the total bridge length have been carried out and guidelines for designers have been produced regarding the optimal number of spans. / <p>QC 20190304</p> / Optimala betongbrolösningar med hänsyn till klimatpåverkan och investeringskostnad

In this thesis I develop a critical theory of public participation and deliberation in post-communist Romania. Primarily, this theory is developed from a critical assessment of two intermediate-level Romanian institutions: the deliberative system that has formed to debate the authorisation of a proposed gold mining project in Ro¿ia Montan¿, Romania and the legitimacy claims of the series of hybrid forums that were convened as part of that project¿s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The hybrid forum legitimacy claims were assessed based on a standard of hybrid forum legitimacy developed in this thesis from deliberative democracy theory and practice. Grounded in new institutionalism theory, this thesis describes the historical and contemporary socio-economic conditions that have shaped Romanian public participation and deliberation. / American Fulbright Commission

Thesis (M.Sc. (Geography)) -- University of Limpopo, 2023 / The process of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) aims at identifying the significant environmental, social, and economic impacts of a proposed project before a decision is made of whether a project should commence. The Public Participation Process (PPP) should occur throughout all phases of an EIA process and forms an integral part of successful EIAs. It allows for input from stakeholders and subsequently contributes to sustainable development. This process is however often viewed as a “box-ticking” exercise negatively impacting the intended effectiveness thereof. This study therefore aimed to assess the perceived effectiveness of public participation in EIA processes of the Matseke filling station project in the Capricorn District of Limpopo from the perspective of various key stakeholders. The study was descriptive and exploratory in nature and a qualitative research approach was considered pragmatic. Two key informant interviews were undertaken with the environmental assessment practitioner (EAP) and government official that was involved in the EIA processes. Furthermore, a total of 16 Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs) were identified to participate in the study. Different methods of qualitative analyses were used to analyse the objectives of this study. The methods include thematic analysis and descriptive statistics such as percentages and frequencies. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 24.0 software was used to analyse the data. The study findings show that the identified I&APs indicated that they were not involved in project planning and design. It further shows that only one I&AP commented during the process. Education, language, gender and methods of communication were identified as key factors in determining level and effectiveness of public participation processes. The study recommends that potential I&APs need to be educated by EAPs and government officials as to the role they play in ensuring effective public participation

Consumption continues to grow, while warnings persist about the fact that more isbeing consumed than the Earth is capable of yielding. This growth in consumption isclearly exemplified in the textile industry, which doubled global fibre productionbetween the years 2000 and 2020, while the population growth was 27% (The WorldBank, 2022). The textile industry is not limited to fashion; it has a wide range ofapplications and sources. However, all materials and industries come with their ownenvironmental challenges, such as land use, water consumption and chemical release,which all have an impact on nature. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a method used tomeasure and compare these challenges between products. One of the resources that ismeasured is biodiversity, which is affected by land use. Various models to measurethese effects have been developed by researchers such as Lindeijer (2000), Milá i Canalset al. (2007) and Koellner &amp; Scholz (2008).This study aims to evaluate the effects on the land's ability to reproduce itself bycomparing the plants that can produce two common textile fibres from two types ofland: cotton from agricultural land and viscose from forestry land. The study analysesthe resources required and determines which fibre is the most sustainable in terms ofresource extraction in land, water and chemical use.Two LCA methods were chosen. The primary method is based on data selected by theauthor through literature studies, conversations and statistics, termed the ExplorativeLCA. The second method, the benchmark method, utilized a standardized databaseLCA provided by Ecoinvent, ReCePi and Simapro named Database LCA. The resultsobtained from the two methods stated significant and unexpected differences,encouraging the need for a more in-depth analysis to understand the reasons behindthem.According to the Exploratory LCA the results of the thesis and research questionsindicate that cotton is the preferable fibre compared to viscose. Conversely, theDatabase LCA presents the opposite findings. The results of the method analysisindicate that the integration of different plant cycles was not taken into account. Thisfinding leads the author to strongly recommend to further investigate this limitation / <p>2023-10-11</p>

As the use of digital goods and services has rapidly become extensive in many companies, there is increasing awareness and concern about the environmental impact of these digital practices, especially as there is a continuing trend towards digitalization and technology improvement in most companies. However, it can be hard to precisely assess how detrimental these practices are to the environment because existing literature often relies on assumptions which may not generalize well to the context of a specific company. In order to enable companies to mitigate the negative impact of their IT practices, we provide a method for fusing internal data (inventories, consumption indicators, etc) with external data (general or aggregated figures of environmental footprint), such that it can be easily extended to different types of companies and environmental issues. Based on this method, we present an assessment of the carbon footprint of the digital practices of a large French insurance company and formulate recommendations aiming to limit it. We find that a large majority of the company’s digital carbon footprint comes from the production of the devices, while electricity consumption occupies only a small part of it. Moreover, the impact of prints, which comes mostly from paper production, is significant. This is why we strongly encourage measures aiming to extend the lifetime of devices and to decrease the consumption of paper. / Eftersom användningen av digitala varor och tjänster snabbt har blivit omfattande i många företag finns det en ökad medvetenhet och oro för miljöpåverkan från dessa digitala verksamheter, särskilt som det finns en fortsatt ökande trend mot digitalisering och utveckling av teknologier i de flesta företag. Det kan vara svårt att exakt bedöma hur skadliga dessa verksamheter är för miljön eftersom befintlig litteratur ofta bygger på antaganden som kanske inte generaliseras väl i kontexten av specifikt företags verksamhet. För att företagen ska kunna minska de negativa effekterna av sina IT- verksamheter föreslår vi en metod för att kombinera internt data (inventeringar, förbrukningsindikatorer, osv) med externt data (övergripande eller aggregerade siffror för miljöavtryck), så att den metoden lätt kan utvidgas till olika typer av företag och miljöfrågor. Vi använder den föreslagna metoden för att presentera en bedömning av koldioxidavtrycket från den digitala verksamheten i ett stort franskt försäkringsbolag och formulerar rekommendationer för att begränsa det. Vi finner att en stor majoritet av företagets digitala koldioxidavtryck kommer från tillverkningen av enheterna, medan elförbrukningen endast utgör en liten del av det. Dessutom är påverkan från utskrifter, som främst kommer från pappersproduktion, betydande. Därför uppmuntrar vi starkt åtgärder som syftar till att förlänga enheternas livslängd och minska pappersförbrukningen.

A global proliferation of large dam construction since the 1950s has been accompanied by scientific research challenging the benefit of these projects while drawing attention to their numerous negative environmental and social impacts. The institutions that assess the costs and benefits associated with large dam proposals, creating policies either approving, altering, or disapproving them, collectively form what is known as a policymaking framework. Examining these frameworks allows observers to trace policies through outlined decision-making processes and can help to reveal inherent biases within those systems that may impact policy outcomes. Often, divergent policy outcomes, like the those observed in the cases of the Belo Monte dam in Brazil and HidroAysén dam in Chile, are a result of variations in the environmental policymaking frameworks of the deviating cases. The subjects of this study present similar arrangements of costs and benefits but resulted incongruous policy outcomes, specifically that the HidroAysén dam was not built while the Belo Monte dam is currently under construction. Existing bodies of literature outlining the environmental policymaking frameworks of Chile and Brazil fail to fully address the influence of external variables, including presidential influence, corruption, and electoral politics, on these cases. This project synthesizes an outline of the environmental policymaking frameworks of Chile and Brazil from existing literature and uses the divergent cases of the Belo Monte and HidroAysén dams to provide evidence for the incorporation of these external variables to better understand the incongruous policy outcomes these frameworks produce.