Texte remanié de : Thèse doctorat : Science politique : Paris 1 : 1994. / Titre provenant de l'écran d'accueil. Notes bibliogr.

Functional Test of any given system is used to verify that the top level system is performing according to the specifications and all of the sub systems, i.e., hardware, software, inputs, outputs and sensors are operating properly. The term System is used here in context of any device or equipment consisting of hardware, software, sensors, virtual sensors and inputs / outputs. One of the examples of such a system is a semiconductor fabrication equipment. There have only been a few approaches that are used to perform the functional test of a system. Engineers typically develop custom test equipment to interface with the system under test and determine proper functioning of all the sub systems and behavior of overall system. In another method, domain experts, utilize the software of the system under test, and manually actuate / stimulate sub systems and then observe and record outcomes to determine whether the system exhibited correct behavior. A novel solution of a reusable functional test automation framework is developed. The framework interfaces with the system under test via the exposed API, and allow domain experts with minimal or no programming background to create test suites to methodically test overall functionality of the system. / text

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The focus of this thesis is on foreign-policy decision-making in circumstances of water scarcity. In particular the study focuses on how the issue of water has been treated in the interstate negotiations within the Peace Process between Israel and the Palestinians and Israel and Jordan. It also analyses the implementation phase. The aim of this study is to analyse why and under what conditions co-operation has taken place and how it has functioned in the water sector. As such the study moves beyond the vast quantitative material which states that transboundary water co-operation does occur by exploring why co-operation has occurred in the Jordan River Basin. Based on an overall actor-structure framework the factors deemed to be important in affecting the process and outcome are identified. The development of a shared system of norms, rules and procedures for how to manage the water resource are seen as a vital explanatory variable for the water co-operation in the Jordan River Basin. It is concluded that the water negotiations, both between Israel and the Palestinians and between Israel and Jordan have been intimately linked to the other issues on the negotiation table. Further-more, it is concluded that water has been sub-ordinate to other politically more salient questions in the negotiations. The thesis contributes to the body of research on water in the Jordan River Basin in three ways. First, it provides and empirical overview of the implementation process of the water elements of the Peace Treaty between Israel and Jordan and of article 40 (which deals with water) of the Interim Agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. Second, the thesis has analysed the role that scientific experts play in the water negotiations. Expert advice has been used in the negotiations and can be said to be important in that it reduces uncertainty for decision-makers as well as provide tools with which to legitimise political decisions. Third, the thesis contributes to the understanding of why the parties in the Jordan River Basin have chosen co-operative strategies rather than resorting to conflictual behaviour to handle their shared waters. Of key importance in this respect is that shared water is an interdependent resource. Thus mutual dependence on a shared resource stimulates and reinforces the need for cooperation.

La reconnaissance faciale (RF) est un domaine de recherche très actif en raison de ses nombreuses applications dans le domaine de la vision par ordinateur en général et en biométrie en particulier. Cet intérêt est motivé par plusieurs raisons. D'abord, le visage est universel. Ensuite, il est le moyen le plus naturel par les êtres humains de s'identifier les uns des autres. Enfin, le visage en tant que modalité biométrique est présente un caractère non intrusif, ce qui le distingue d'autres modalités biométriques comme l'iris ou l'emprunte digitale. La RF représente aussi des défis scientifiques importants. D'abord parce que tous les visages humains ont des configurations similaires. Ensuite, avec les images faciales 2D que l'on peut acquérir facilement, la variation intra-classe, due à des facteurs comme le changement de poses et de conditions d'éclairage, les variations d'expressions faciales, le vieillissement, est bien plus importante que la variation inter-classe.Avec l'arrivée des systèmes d'acquisition 3D capables de capturer la profondeur d'objets, la reconnaissance faciale 3D (RF 3D) a émergé comme une voie prometteuse pour traiter les deux problèmes non résolus en 2D, à savoir les variations de pose et d'éclairage. En effet, les caméras 3D délivrent généralement les scans 3D de visages avec leurs images de texture alignées. Une solution en RF 3D peut donc tirer parti d'une fusion avisée d'informations de forme en 3D et celles de texture en 2D. En effet, étant donné que les scans 3D de visage offrent à la fois les surfaces faciales pour la modalité 3D pure et les images de texture 2D alignées, le nombre de possibilités de fusion pour optimiser le taux de reconnaissance est donc considérable. L'optimisation de stratégies de fusion pour une meilleure RF 3D est l'objectif principal de nos travaux de recherche menés dans cette thèse.Dans l'état d'art, diverses stratégies de fusion ont été proposées pour la reconnaissance de visages 3D, allant de la fusion précoce "early fusion" opérant au niveau de caractéristiques à la fusion tardive "late fusion" sur les sorties de classifieurs, en passant par de nombreuses stratégies intermédiaires. Pour les stratégies de fusion tardive, nous distinguons encore des combinaisons en parallèle, en cascade ou multi-niveaux. Une exploration exhaustive d'un tel espace étant impossible, il faut donc recourir à des solutions heuristiques qui constituent nos démarches de base dans le cadre des travaux de cette thèse.En plus, en s'inscrivant dans un cadre de systèmes biométriques, les critères d'optimalité des stratégies de fusion restent des questions primordiales. En effet, une stratégie de fusion est dite optimisée si elle est capable d'intégrer et de tirer parti des différentes modalités et, plus largement, des différentes informations extraites lors du processus de reconnaissance quelque soit leur niveau d'abstraction et, par conséquent, de difficulté.Pour surmonter toutes ces difficultés et proposer une solution optimisée, notre démarche s'appuie d'une part sur l'apprentissage qui permet de qualifier sur des données d'entrainement les experts 2D ou 3D, selon des critères de performance comme ERR, et d'autre part l'utilisation de stratégie d'optimisation heuristique comme le recuit simulé qui permet d'optimiser les mélanges des experts à fusionner. [...]

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La présente recherche vise à décrire les pratiques d’enseignement de la littératie au premier cycle du primaire en contexte montréalais d’enseignants considérés experts. Plus précisément, les trois objectifs de recherche consistent à décrire les pratiques d’enseignement de la langue écrite au premier cycle du primaire en contexte montréalais privilégiées par certains enseignants considérés experts (N=6) (objectif 1); à décrire les différentes formes de différenciation pédagogique privilégiées pour l’enseignement de la lecture et de l’écriture en contexte montréalais de certains enseignants considérés experts afin de répondre aux besoins variés de tous leurs élèves (objectif 2) et à étudier les liens possibles entre les pratiques d’enseignement de la langue écrite d’enseignants considérés experts et la progression de leurs élèves (N=100) du premier cycle du primaire en contexte montréalais, au regard de leur connaissance des correspondances phonographiques et de la norme orthographique (objectif 3). Afin de répondre aux objectifs, deux entretiens ont été menés auprès des enseignantes, de même que deux observations en classe, une à l’automne et une au printemps. Pour leur part, les élèves ont été soumis à deux tâches d’écriture à deux reprises durant l’année (une tâche de production de mots et une tâche de production de texte) permettant de mesurer leur progression en cours d’année relativement à leurs connaissances des correspondances phonographiques et de la norme orthographique. Nos résultats nous ont permis de recueillir des pratiques très diversifiées et conduites avec une fréquence fort différente d’une enseignante à l’autre. La densité des contenus abordés en classe diffère également beaucoup entre les enseignantes. En lien avec le modèle du multi-agenda de Bucheton et Soulé (2009), les cinq composantes constituant la matrice de l’activité de l’enseignant se retrouvent dans toutes les classes, mais ces préoccupations n’occupent pas toutes la même place dans les pratiques des enseignantes de la recherche. Nos résultats indiquent aussi que toutes les enseignantes différencient leur enseignement, mais de façon variable. Il semble que ce soit la différenciation des processus, des contenus et des structures qui soit la plus aisée à mettre en place en classe. En lien avec notre adaptation du modèle de différenciation pédagogique de Caron (2008), il semble que ce soit la diversification et l’offre de choix qui sont mobilisées le plus fréquemment. Les mesures d’adaptation sont rarement mises en avant dans les pratiques de classe, tandis que les mesures d’individualisation n’ont pas été constatées. En ce qui a trait aux résultats des élèves aux tâches en écriture, nos résultats indiquent que deux groupes se démarquent parmi les six. En effet, c’est dans ces deux classes que la plus forte progression est constatée. Les pratiques des enseignantes de ces deux classes sont très diversifiées et elles sont les seules à mettre en avant dans leurs pratiques tous les dispositifs dont il est question en entretiens. De plus, les contenus enseignés sont denses, ce qui est réputé pour caractériser les pratiques des enseignants efficaces (Hall, 2003). De même, ces deux enseignantes offrent un étayage de grande qualité à leurs élèves et maîtrisent parfaitement le pilotage des tâches. La présente recherche peut servir à apporter un éclairage nouveau sur les pratiques de littératie des enseignants considérés experts afin de mieux comprendre leurs pratiques, de même que la place qu’ils accordent à la différenciation pédagogique. / The present research document aims to describe the practices of literacy of teachers considered as experts in an early elementary school context in Montreal. Specifically, the three research objectives of our work are as follows: describe the teaching practices applied to written language used by some teachers considered as experts (N = 6) in an early elementary school context in Montreal (objective 1); describe the various types of differentiated teaching selected by some teachers considered as experts in a Montreal-specific context to teach reading and writing skills according to the varying needs of their students (objective 2); and investigate possible links between the teaching practices applied to the acquisition of writing skills used by teachers considered as experts and the progress made by their students (N = 100) in the first cycle of elementary school in a Montreal, in terms of their knowledge of phonographic relationships and the spelling standard (objective 3). In order to meet these goals, we conducted two interviews with teachers, and ran two classroom observations, one in the fall and the other in spring. For their part, students were subjected to two writing tasks twice during the year (one aimed at word generation and the other at text production) to measure their progress during the year as it relates to their knowledge of phonographic relationships and to the spelling standard. Results showed that teaching practices as well as frequency vary greatly from one teacher to another. The richness of the material presented in class also differs greatly. In accordance with the multi-agenda model of Bucheton and Soulé (2009), the five components of the activity matrix of the teacher were found in all classes, but did not have the same importance for every one of the teachers engaged in our research. The results also indicate that all teachers differentiate their teaching, although at varying degrees. It seems that differentiation of processes, of contents and of structures is the easiest factor to implement in the classroom. In line with our adaptation of Caron’s model of differentiated instruction (2008), it seems that the elements that were most mobilized were diversification and the offering of choices. Adaptation measures were seldom emphasized in classroom practices, while no measures of individualization were observed. In regard to student performance in writing tasks, our results indicate that two groups stand out among the six. Indeed, it is in these two classes that we observed the greatest increase. Practices used by the teachers in these two classes were very diverse and they were the only ones who used all of the methods discussed in interviews. Furthermore, the content of the course was rich, a characteristic of effective teaching practices (Hall 2003). Similarly, these two teachers offered their students a high quality scaffolding and mastered coaching tasks. This research can be used to shed new light on the practices of literacy used by teachers that are considered as experts in order to better understand these practices, as well as the importance given to differentiated instruction.

How do experienced lenders make decisions? This dissertation addresses this question by investigating judgment and decision-making behavior of loan officers in banks as well as credit managers in supplying companies. The dissertation applies an integrated economic-psychological perspective and consists of seven parts: a comprehensive literature review and six separate empirical papers. Reviewed areas are research on judgment and decision-making (JDM), research on expert decision-makers, and earlier empirical work on experienced lenders. The six papers shed light on: (1) desirable personal attributes of expert credit analysts; (2) the use of software to track JDM behavior; (3) differences between novices' and experienced loan officers' JDM behavior; (4) the relationships between information acquisition, risk attitude, and experience; (5) attitudes towards credit decision support systems; and (6) attitudes towards requesting collateral. Employed methods were in-depth interviews, a nation-wide survey, and a computer-based experiment.On the whole, the empirical findings give an ambiguous picture of the alleged superiority of experienced lenders' judgment and decision-making behavior. On the one hand, experienced lenders seem to be capable, careful, and conscious of their responsibility. On the other hand, they tend to disagree and make contradictory judgments and decisions. The applied perspective and methodology are not only aimed at providing better insights into how experienced lenders make decisions, but can also stimulate future research on how professionals in other domains than credit granting make decisions. / Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögsk., 2001

Una de las actuaciones posibles para la gestión de los residuos sólidos urbanos es la valorización energética, es decir la incineración con recuperación de energía. Sin embargo es muy importante controlar adecuadamente el proceso de incineración para evitar en lo posible la liberación de sustancias contaminantes a la atmósfera que puedan ocasionar problemas de contaminación industrial.Conseguir que tanto el proceso de incineración como el tratamiento de los gases se realice en condiciones óptimas presupone tener un buen conocimiento de las dependencias entre las variables de proceso. Se precisan métodos adecuados de medida de las variables más importantes y tratar los valores medidos con modelos adecuados para transformarlos en magnitudes de mando. Un modelo clásico para el control parece poco prometedor en este caso debido a la complejidad de los procesos, la falta de descripción cuantitativa y la necesidad de hacer los cálculos en tiempo real. Esto sólo se puede conseguir con la ayuda de las modernas técnicas de proceso de datos y métodos informáticos, tales como el empleo de técnicas de simulación, modelos matemáticos, sistemas basados en el conocimiento e interfases inteligentes. En [Ono, 1989] se describe un sistema de control basado en la lógica difusa aplicado al campo de la incineración de residuos urbanos. En el centro de investigación FZK de Karslruhe se están desarrollando aplicaciones que combinan la lógica difusa con las redes neuronales [Jaeschke, Keller, 1994] para el control de la planta piloto de incineración de residuos TAMARA.En esta tesis se plantea la aplicación de un método de adquisición de conocimiento para el control de sistemas complejos inspirado en el comportamiento humano. Cuando nos encontramos ante una situación desconocida al principio no sabemos como actuar, salvo por la extrapolación de experiencias anteriores que puedan ser útiles. Aplicando procedimientos de prueba y error, refuerzo de hipótesis, etc., vamos adquiriendo y refinando el conocimiento, y elaborando un modelo mental. Podemos diseñar un método análogo, que pueda ser implementado en un sistema informático, mediante el empleo de técnicas de Inteligencia Artificial.Así, en un proceso complejo muchas veces disponemos de un conjunto de datos del proceso que a priori no nos dan información suficientemente estructurada para que nos sea útil. Para la adquisición de conocimiento pasamos por una serie de etapas:- Hacemos una primera selección de cuales son las variables que nos interesa conocer.- Estado del sistema. En primer lugar podemos empezar por aplicar técnicas de clasificación (aprendizaje no supervisado) para agrupar los datos y obtener una representación del estado de la planta. Es posible establecer una clasificación, pero normalmente casi todos los datos están en una sola clase, que corresponde a la operación normal. Hecho esto y para refinar el conocimiento utilizamos métodos estadísticos clásicos para buscar correlaciones entre variables (análisis de componentes principales) y así poder simplificar y reducir la lista de variables.- Análisis de las señales. Para analizar y clasificar las señales (por ejemplo la temperatura del horno) es posible utilizar métodos capaces de describir mejor el comportamiento no lineal del sistema, como las redes neuronales. Otro paso más consiste en establecer relaciones causales entre las variables. Para ello nos sirven de ayuda los modelos analíticos- Como resultado final del proceso se pasa al diseño del sistema basado en el conocimiento.El objetivo principal es aplicar el método al caso concreto del control de una planta de tratamiento de residuos sólidos urbanos por valorización energética.En primer lugar, en el capítulo 2 Los residuos sólidos urbanos, se trata el problema global de la gestión de los residuos, dando una visión general de las diferentes alternativas existentes, y de la situación nacional e internacional en la actualidad. Se analiza con mayor detalle la problemática de la incineración de los residuos, poniendo especial interés en aquellas características de los residuos que tienen mayor importancia de cara al proceso de combustión.En el capítulo 3, Descripción del proceso, se hace una descripción general del proceso de incineración y de los distintos elementos de una planta incineradora: desde la recepción y almacenamiento de los residuos, pasando por los distintos tipos de hornos y las exigencias de los códigos de buena práctica de combustión, el sistema de aire de combustión y el sistema de humos. Se presentan también los distintos sistemas de depuración de los gases de combustión, y finalmente el sistema de evacuación de cenizas y escorias.El capítulo 4, La planta de tratamiento de residuos sólidos urbanos de Girona, describe los principales sistemas de la planta incineradora de Girona: la alimentación de residuos, el tipo de horno, el sistema de recuperación de energía, y el sistema de depuración de los gases de combustión Se describe también el sistema de control, la operación, los datos de funcionamiento de la planta, la instrumentación y las variables que son de interés para el control del proceso de combustión.En el capítulo 5, Técnicas utilizadas, se proporciona una visión global de los sistemas basados en el conocimiento y de los sistemas expertos. Se explican las diferentes técnicas utilizadas: redes neuronales, sistemas de clasificación, modelos cualitativos, y sistemas expertos, ilustradas con algunos ejemplos de aplicación.Con respecto a los sistemas basados en el conocimiento se analizan en primer lugar las condiciones para su aplicabilidad, y las formas de representación del conocimiento. A continuación se describen las distintas formas de razonamiento: redes neuronales, sistemas expertos y lógica difusa, y se realiza una comparación entre ellas. Se presenta una aplicación de las redes neuronales al análisis de series temporales de temperatura.Se trata también la problemática del análisis de los datos de operación mediante técnicas estadísticas y el empleo de técnicas de clasificación. Otro apartado está dedicado a los distintos tipos de modelos, incluyendo una discusión de los modelos cualitativos.Se describe el sistema de diseño asistido por ordenador para el diseño de sistemas de supervisión CASSD que se utiliza en esta tesis, y las herramientas de análisis para obtener información cualitativa del comportamiento del proceso: Abstractores y ALCMEN. Se incluye un ejemplo de aplicación de estas técnicas para hallar las relaciones entre la temperatura y las acciones del operador. Finalmente se analizan las principales características de los sistemas expertos en general, y del sistema experto CEES 2.0 que también forma parte del sistema CASSD que se ha utilizado.El capítulo 6, Resultados, muestra los resultados obtenidos mediante la aplicación de las diferentes técnicas, redes neuronales, clasificación, el desarrollo de la modelización del proceso de combustión, y la generación de reglas. Dentro del apartado de análisis de datos se emplea una red neuronal para la clasificación de una señal de temperatura. También se describe la utilización del método LINNEO+ para la clasificación de los estados de operación de la planta.En el apartado dedicado a la modelización se desarrolla un modelo de combustión que sirve de base para analizar el comportamiento del horno en régimen estacionario y dinámico. Se define un parámetro, la superficie de llama, relacionado con la extensión del fuego en la parrilla. Mediante un modelo linealizado se analiza la respuesta dinámica del proceso de incineración.Luego se pasa a la definición de relaciones cualitativas entre las variables que se utilizan en la elaboración de un modelo cualitativo. A continuación se desarrolla un nuevo modelo cualitativo, tomando como base el modelo dinámico analítico.Finalmente se aborda el desarrollo de la base de conocimiento del sistema experto, mediante la generación de reglasEn el capítulo 7, Sistema de control de una planta incineradora, se analizan los objetivos de un sistema de control de una planta incineradora, su diseño e implementación. Se describen los objetivos básicos del sistema de control de la combustión, su configuración y la implementación en Matlab/Simulink utilizando las distintas herramientas que se han desarrollado en el capítulo anterior.Por último para mostrar como pueden aplicarse los distintos métodos desarrollados en esta tesis se construye un sistema experto para mantener constante la temperatura del horno actuando sobre la alimentación de residuos.Finalmente en el capítulo Conclusiones, se presentan las conclusiones y resultados de esta tesis. / One of the possible alternatives for the management of the municipal solid waste is the energy recovery in waste-to- energy facilities, i.e. the incineration with energy recovery. However, it is very important to control the incineration process properly in order to avoid, as far as possible, the liberation of pollutants to the atmosphere that could occasion problems of industrial contamination. To achieve that, both the incineration process and the treatment of flue gases are carried out in good conditions it presupposes to have a good knowledge of the dependences between process variables. It is necessary to have adequate measuring methods of the most important variables and to treat the measured values with appropriate models in order to transform them in control magnitudes. A classical control model looks not very promising in this case due to the complexity of the processes, the lack of quantitative description and the necessity of performing real-time calculations. This can only be achieved with the help of the modern techniques of data processing and informatics methods, like the use of simulation techniques, mathematical models, knowledge based systems and intelligent interfaces. A control system based on fuzzy logic applied to the field of the incineration of municipal solid waste is described in [ Ono, 1989]. In the Karslruhe center of investigation FZK applications that combine fuzzy logic with neural networks [Jaeschke, Keller, 1994] are being developed for the control of the TAMARA pilot plant for waste incineration.In this thesis it is outlined the application of a method of knowledge acquisition for the control of complex systems inspired by the human behaviour. When we are placed in face of an unknown situation, at the beginning we don't know how to act, except for the extrapolation of previous experiences that could be useful. Applying procedures of trial and error, reinforcement of hypothesis, etc, one goes acquiring and refining the knowledge, and elaborating a mental model. We can design a similar method, which could be implemented in an informatics system, by means of the use of Artificial Intelligence techniques.So, in a complex process often we have a group of process data that a priori don't give us sufficiently structured information to be useful. For the knowledge acquisition we went by a series of steps:- We make a first selection of which are the variables that we are interested to know.- State of the system. In first place we could begin applying classification techniques (unsupervised learning) in order to group the data and obtain a representation of the state of the plant. It is possible to establish a classification, but normally almost all the data are in a single class, that corresponds to the normal operation. Done this and in order to refine the knowledge we use classical statistical methods in order to look for correlations between variables (principal components analysis) to simplify and reduce the list of variables.- Analysis of the signals. In order to analyse and classify the signals (for example the temperature of the furnace) it is possible to use methods capable to better describe the non-linear behaviour of the system, like the neural networks. Another step consists in to establish causal relationships between the variables. For this purpose the analytical models are helpful.- As final result of the process go over the design of the knowledge based system.The main objective is to apply the method to the concrete case of the control of a plant of treatment of municipal solid waste by waste-to- energy process.First, chapter 2 The municipal solid waste, treats the global problem of waste management, giving an overview of the several existent alternatives, and of the national and international situation at the present time. The problems of the waste incineration are analysed with more detail, putting special interest in those waste characteristics that have more importance for the combustion process.In the chapter 3, Description of the process, is made a general description of the incineration process and of the different elements of a incineration plant: from the reception and storage of the waste, going by the different types of furnaces and the demands of the codes of good combustion practice, the combustion air system and the exhaust system. The different systems for cleaning the combustion gases, and the system of evacuation of ash residues are presented.The chapter 4, The municipal solid waste treatment plant of Girona, describes the main systems of the Girona incineration plant: the feeding of waste, the type of furnace, the energy recovery system, and the flue gas cleaning system. Are also described in this chapter, the control system, the operation, the data of operation of the plant, the instrumentation and the variables that are of interest for the control of the combustion process.In the chapter 5, Used techniques, is provided a global vision of the knowledge-based systems and of the expert systems. The diverse techniques used are explained: neural networks, systems of classification, qualitative models, and expert systems, illustrated with some examples of application.With regard to the knowledge-based systems, in first place are analysed the conditions for their suitability, and the forms of representation of the knowledge. Next the different forms of reasoning are described: neural networks, expert systems and fuzzy logic, and a comparison between them it is carried out. An application of the neural networks to the analysis of time series of temperature is presented.It is also treated the problem of the analysis of the operation data by means of statistical techniques and the use of techniques of classification. Another paragraph is dedicated to the different types of models, including a discussion of the qualitative models.The Computer Aided Supervisory System Design CASSD that is used in this thesis is described, and the analysis tools employed to obtain qualitative information from the behaviour of the process: ors and ALCMEN. An example of application of these techniques is included in order to find the relationships between the temperature and the actions of the operator. Finally are analysed the main characteristics of expert systems in general, and of the system expert CEES 2.0 that also are part of the CASSD system that has been used.The chapter 6, Results, shows the results obtained by means of the application of the several techniques, neural networks, classification, the development of the model of the combustion process, and the generation of rules. Inside the paragraph of analysis of data a neural network is used for the classification of a temperature signal. The use of the LINNEO+ method is also described for the classification of the states of operation of the plant.In the paragraph dedicated to the modelling a model of combustion is developed that is used as base in order to analyse the behaviour of the furnace in stationary and dynamic conditions. It is defined a parameter, the surface of flame, related with the extension of the fire in the grate. By means of a liberalized model the dynamic answer of the incineration process is analysed.Then we go over to the definition of qualitative relationships between the variables that are used in the elaboration of a qualitative model. Next a new qualitative model is developed, taking as base the analytic dynamic model.Finally the development of the knowledge base of the expert system is approached, by means of the generation of rules.In the chapter 7, Control system of an incineration plant, the objectives of a control system of an incineration plant are analysed, their design and implementation. Are described the basic objectives of the combustion control system, their configuration and the implementation in MATLAB/ SIMULINK using the different tools that have been developed in the previous chapter.Lastly in order to show how the different methods developed in this thesis could be applied it is built an expert system to maintain constant the temperature of the furnace acting on the waste feeding.Finally in the chapter Conclusions, the conclusions and results of this thesis are presented.

Avui en dia no es pot negar el fet que els humans són un component més de les conques fluvials i que la seva activitat afecta enormement la qualitat de les aigües. A nivell europeu, l'elevada densitat de població situada en les conques fluvials ha comportat un increment de la mala qualitat de les seves aigües fluvials. En les darreres dècades l'increment de les càrregues de nutrients en els sistemes aquàtics ha esdevingut un problema prioritari a solucionar per les administracions competents en matèria d'aigua.La gestió dels ecosistemes fluvials no és una tasca fàcil. Els gestors es troben amb què són sistemes molt complexos, donada l'estreta relació existent entre els ecosistemes fluvials i els ecosistemes terrestres que drenen. Addicionalment a la complexitat d'aquests sistemes es troba la dificultat associada de la gestió o control de les entrades de substàncies contaminants tant de fonts puntuals com difoses. Per totes aquestes raons la gestió de la qualitat de les aigües fluvials esdevé una tasca complexa que requereix un enfocament multidisciplinar. Per tal d'assolir aquest enfocament diverses eines han estat utilitzades, des de models matemàtics fins a sistemes experts i sistemes de suport a la decisió. Però, la major part dels esforços han estat encarats cap a la resolució de problemes de reduïda complexitat, fent que molts dels problemes ambientals complexos, com ara la gestió dels ecosistemes fluvials, no hagin estat vertaderament tractats. Per tant, es requereix l'aplicació d'eines que siguin de gran ajuda en els processos de presa de decisions i que incorporin un ampli coneixement heurístic i empíric: sistemes experts i sistemes de suport a la decisió. L'òptima gestió de la qualitat de l'aigua fluvial requereix una aproximació integrada i multidisciplinar, que pot ésser aconseguida amb una eina intel·ligent construïda sobre els conceptes i mètodes del raonament humà. La present tesi descriu la metodologia desenvolupada i aplicada per a la creació i construcció d'un Sistema Expert, així com el procés de desenvolupament d'aquest Sistema Expert, com el principal mòdul de raonament d'un Sistema de Suport a la Decisió Ambiental. L'objectiu principal de la present tesi ha estat el desenvolupament d'una eina d'ajuda en el procés de presa de decisions dels gestors de l'aigua en la gestió de trams fluvials alterats antròpicament per tal de millorar la qualitat de la seva aigua fluvial. Alhora, es mostra el funcionament de l'eina desenvolupada a través de dos casos d'estudi.Els resultats derivats del Sistema Expert desenvolupat, implementat i presentat en la present tesi mostren que aquests sistemes poden ésser eines útils per a millorar la gestió dels ecosistemes fluvials. / Nowadays it is not possible to deny the fact that the human are one more component of river basins and that their activity affects enormously the water quality. To European level, the high density of population placed in the river basins has supposed an increase of the bad river water quality. In the last decades the increase of nutrient loads in the aquatic systems has turned into a priority problem to solve for the competent water agencies.The management of the fluvial ecosystems is not an easy task. They are complex systems due to the narrow relationship among fluvial and terrestrial ecosystems. Additional to the complexity of these systems, one finds the associate difficulty of the management or control of pollutant inputs (from point and/or non-point sources). For all these reasons the management of the river water quality is a complex task that requires a multidisciplinary approach.With the aim to reach this approach, different tools have been used, from mathematical models to expert systems and decision support systems. However, most of the efforts have been directed to the resolution of limited complexity problems, doing that many of the environmental complex problems, as river ecosystems management, have not been really treated. For this reason, there is needed the application of helping tools in the decision-making processes and that incorporate wide heuristic and empirical knowledge: expert systems and decision support systems. The ideal management of the river water quality requires an integrated and multidisciplinary approach, which can be reached by an intelligent tool based on the concepts and methods of the human reasoning.The present thesis describes the methodology developed and applied in the building of an Expert System, as well as the development process of this Expert System, as the main module of reasoning of an Environmental Decision Support System. The main objective of the present thesis has been the development of a tool to help water managers in the decision-making processes to improve water quality of altered reaches. In addition, the thesis shows the functioning of the developed tool by means two study cases.The results derived from the developed, implemented and presented Expert System show that these systems can be useful tools to improve the management of fluvial ecosystems.