Inom sociologins, miljöpsykologins och kulturgeografins verksamhetsområde undersöks det bland annat hur människan påverkas av den byggda miljön. Det är därför väsentligt att undersöka hur människor förhåller sig till den byggda miljön och framför allt till byggnader genom att lyfta fram strukturer som kan användas i arbetet för jämställdhet. Ett sätt att bidra positivt i jämställdhetsintegrering vid byggnadsutformning är att lyfta fram genusperspektivet i samtliga processer vid ett byggnads- utformningsprojekt. För att lyckas med att utforma genusanpassade byggnader som tar hänsyn till brukarens olika behov, är tillgång till könsuppdelade data en förutsättning för att utformning av byggnader ska ske på ett jämställt sätt. Idag finns det brist på genusuppdelade data i många områden vilket leder till konsekvenser av olika grader.  Studien syftar till att bidra med ökad förståelse om hur brist på könsuppdelade data leder till byggnadsutformningar som inte är lämpliga för brukaren med olika kön. Målet är därmed att identifiera vilka utrymmen samt vilka byggnadsdelar i en byggnad som kan tänkas vara genuskritiska och beroende av könsuppdelade data. Ett annat syfte med arbetet är att undersöka hur bör data samlas in och användas för att byggnader utformas på ett sätt som passar bra för båda könen.  Studien baseras på en litteraturstudie samt en intervjustudie. Intervjustudien utgörs av fyra perspektiv varav en arkitekt, en politiker, en SIS:s projektledare inom bostadsutformning samt två byggherrar. Intervjuerna syftade till att undersöka hur ovannämnda aktörer förhåller sig till genusperspektivet inom byggnadsutformning och vilka utrymmen och delar i byggnader kan vara viktiga gällande genus- perspektivet, samt vad de ser för utmaningar och möjligheter med att samla in och använda köns- uppdelade data vid utformning av byggnader. Litteraturstudien utfördes delvis för att få en förståelse för ämnet samt för att kunna jämföra information från intervjustudien med resultatet från litteraturen.  Resultatet från studien visar att det är brukarens behov i form av genusuppdelade data som avgör hur en jämställd byggnad ska se ut. Litteraturstudien visade att trots byggnadsplanerarnas försök till en genusanpassad byggnadsutformning och implementering, kan upplevelse och användning av byggnader skiljas mellan män och kvinnor. Analysen av intervjustudien och dess jämförelse med litteraturstudien visade att byggnadsdelar så som kök, hygienrum, sovrum, gemensamma ytor samt toaletter på offentliga platser kan tänkas vara könskritiska utrymmen i en byggnad. Detta för att antropometriska mått hos män och kvinnor ökades något efter flera decennier då måttsättning av flesta byggnadsdelar är baserad på antropometriska studien som utfördes i slutet av 1960-talet. Dessutom biologiska förutsättningar så som graviditet, förlossning, klimakteriet, menstruation och så vidare ger upphov till att kvinnor har andra behov när det gäller användning av olika utrymmen och byggnadsdelar och därmed är de i behov av mer bättre anpassad utformning än dagens byggnadsutformning. En annan faktor som gör byggnadsdelar könskänsliga är styrkor hos olika kön. Analysen visade att faktorer så som köksinredning, fönstersättning, balkongens säkerhet, dörröppning, ljudisolering av sovrumsväggar samt termiska komforten kan leda till byggnadsfunktioner som kan ha könsspecifika betydelse.  Resultatet visar att det är centralt att man använder sig av data som är könsuppdelad och fri från partiskhet för att kunna uppnå byggnadsutformning som passar bra för båda könen. För att uppnå detta är det viktigt att det ska finnas konkreta byggregler som tar hänsyn till genusperspektivet, att aktörer har kommunikation och samråd genom en genomförandestrategi och processordning, att involvera brukaren i projektet vid ett tidigt skede samt att det finns en maktbalans mellan manliga och kvinnliga aktörer där jämnt antal män och kvinnor har beslutfattande och ledande roller, vilka ska ha relevanta kompetens och kunskap om genus- och jämställdhetsfrågor. Det är viktigt att ta fram ett verktyg som man kan kontrollera genuskvalitéerna på ett mätbart sätt eller i form av en checklista.  Forskningsområdet som har belysts i denna studie är under utveckling och kompletterande forskning är nödvändigt. Förslagsvis skulle fortsatta studier kunna undersöka om det finns skillnader på män och kvinnor med samma funktionsnedsättning vid användning av olika byggnadsdelar. Ett annat förslag skulle kunna vara att undersöka hur försäkringsbolagen och bankväsendet ser på genuskvalitéer inom en byggnadsutformning då de håller på att ta över bostadspolitiken. / In the field of sociology, environmental psychology, and cultural geography, it is investigated, among other things, how humans are affected by the built environment. It is therefore important to examine how people relate to the built environment and, especially to buildings by highlighting structures that can be used in the work for gender equality. One way to make a positive contribution to gender integration in building design is to highlight the gender perspective in all processes in a building design project. To succeed in designing buildings based on gender equality that consider the user's different needs, access to gender data is a prerequisite for the design of buildings to take place in an equal manner. Today, there is gender data gap in many areas, which leads to consequences with different degrees.  The aim of the study is to contribute to an increased understanding of how a gender data gap leads to building designs that are not suitable for the user with different genders. The goal is therefore to identify which spaces and components in a building may be gender critical and dependent on gender data and how data should be collected and used to ensure that buildings are designed in a way that is suitable for both sexes.  The study is based on a literature study and an interview study. The interview study considers the perspective of four actors which are an architect, a politician, a project manager in housing design from Swedish institute for standard and two investors. The interviews aimed to examine how the above- mentioned actors relate to the gender perspective in building design and what spaces, parts and functions in buildings can be important regarding the gender perspective and what they see as challenges and opportunities in collecting and using gender data in building design. The literature study was done to gain an understanding of the subject and to compare information from the interview study with the results from the literature.  The results from the study show that it is the user's needs in the form of gender data that determine what a gender-equal building should look like. The literature study showed that despite the building planners' attempts at a gender-adapted building design and implementation, the experience and use of buildings can be distinguished between men and women. The analysis of the interview study and its comparison with the literature study showed that spaces such as kitchens, hygiene rooms, bedrooms, common areas and toilets in public places can be considered gender-critical building components. This may be because anthropometric measurements in men and women increased slightly after several decades, as the measurement of most building components is based on the anthropometric study carried out in the late 1960s. In addition, biological conditions such as pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, menstruation and so on leads to women having different needs during using of different building components; therefore, they need different building designs than today's designs. Another factor that makes building components gender sensitive is the strengths of different genders. The analysis showed that factors such as kitchen interior design, window replacement, balcony security, door opening, sound insulation of bedroom walls and comfort temperature can lead to building functions that can have gender-specific significance.  The results show that it is pivotal to use gender data that is free from bias to achieve building designs that are suitable for both sexes. To accomplish this, it is important that there are specified building rules that consider the gender perspective; communication and consultation between actors through an implementation strategy and process order; to involve the user of the building in the project at an early stage and that there is a balance of power between men and women actors. An equal number of men and women that have decision-making and leadership roles, who must have relevant skills and knowledge of gender and equality issues are important factors for achieving gender-adapted building. It is necessary to have tool that enable checking the gender qualities in a measurable way or in the form of a checklist.  The research area in this study is under development and additional research is needed. For example, further studies could investigate whether there are differences between men and women with the same disability when using different building components or how insurance companies and the banking system view gender qualities in a building design when they are taking over housing policy.

This thesis will provide knowledge on how to maintain a well developed flow of material while at the same time finding an optimal level of capacities for buffers. Simultaneously, aspects that allow for positive sustainability practices will be regarded.  Buffers have a considerable impact on the performance of a production system. However, the process of optimizing buffers remains a complex task, and is therefore in need of further research. Through a thorough data collection process, simulation modeling and Multi-objective Optimization, the authors will present evidence-based recommendations for managing buffers in an optimal manner. The case company currently has two buffer zones that are to be investigated if they could be improved by finding an optimal capacity level. The current flow of material consists of certain variations in the components that will be taken into consideration, some variations need further investigation in order to be representative and applicable to this study. By applying amongst other things, Lean concepts, Gemba walks, simulation modeling, interviews and knowledge within the specific field of buffer optimization, the authors were able to provide evidence-based recommendations. These recommendations both take into account optimal buffer capacities as well as brief sustainability and economical aspects. The authors have found that one buffer zone has the potential of being removed, which will contribute to positive environmental aspects. However, if this solution is to be applied, the need of planning and managing the distribution of components is required.  Another buffer zone has been investigated by applying the concept of Multi-objective Optimization, where the objectives are to maintain high throughput while minimizing the buffer capacities. The optimization procedure generated a decrease in buffer capacities in the zone by a total of 35%. This newly acquired space can either be used for other manufacturing processes, or be discontinued, which would decrease the energy consumption and positively affect the sustainability aspect.

No description available.

No description available.

The thesis aims to reconstruct the procedural rules that apply whenever the simulation of contract becomes an issue within a civil proceeding.To this end, a different method is followed from that commonly used by the courts and in the scholarly literature, which have mostly deduced the content of these rules assuming, as a starting point, a certain solution to the problem of the nature of simulated contracts. The courts, that still adhere to the traditional doctrine of nullity of the simulated contract, state that the rules of the civil code dedicated to the action and the objection of nullity shall also apply to the action and objection of simulation. Part of the scholars, rejecting such premises, uphold interpretative solutions that are at odds with those supported by the courts. On the contrary, in this thesis, the legal notion of simulation is assumed as a starting point. Such a legal notion describes the set of facts that lead to a simulation of a contract and to the legal consequences set forth in articles 1414 and ff of the civil code; these facts are thus material to the process in which the simulation is an issue. Hence, the first part of the thesis (chapters 1 to 4) aims at framing the legal notion of simulation within the main categories of civil procedure, and starts from the definition of the legal notion of simulation by critically assessing the two main conceptions of the simulation phenomenon that emerge from the conspicuous literature on the subject: a “negative” conception, which sees the simulation as the lack of an essential element of the contract, and a “positive” conception, which sees the simulation as an agreement between the parties with the aim of excluding the legal effects of a contract between them (simulation agreement). The arguments in support of this last conception are set forth; after that, the question of the structure of the so-called “concealed contract” and the role of the simulation agreement on its formation and effectiveness is examined. The framing of the simulation in the fundamental categories of the process is then carried out through the observation of the legal effects that the simulation activity produces with regard to third parties, and the procedural classification of the substantial categories referred to in Articles 1415 and 1416 of the Italian Civil Code (in particular, unopposability). Finally, the objective scope of the process in which the ascertainment of the simulation of a contract is requested (action of simulation) is defined by critically examining the prevailing doctrine, according to which the said action aims at ascertaining the lack of a “contractual relationship”. Another doctrine is then examined, according to which simulation and nullity may be described as authonomous legal effects capable of being ascertained within a judgment having the force of res judicata. The second part (chapters 5 and 6) is dedicated to the discussion of selected issues of “procedural dynamics”, namely: a) the objection of absolute simulation, and the problem wether the judge may decide upon it ex officio in both the processes aimed at enforcing a simulated contract, and in those that aim, on the contrary, at the declaration of nullity, or at the annulment, rescission or termination of the same contract; b) the multiple facets that the issue of absolute simulation presents in the course of a forced expropriation proceeding undertaken against an “apparent owner”; c) the form of the concealed contract and the extent to which the simulants may prove a relative simulation by witnesses, particularly in the event that the relative simulation of the price of a sale contract is alleged as an objection to an avoidance action promoted by the bankruptcy trustee; d) the stading to an action of simulation; e) the objective scope of the res judicata in the same action. / La tesi mira a ricostruire la disciplina processuale della simulazione negoziale, ossia le regole concernenti l'attività compiuta nel processo dalle parti e dal giudice, ogniqualvolta la simulazione di un negozio giuridico sia oggetto di allegazione, prova e decisione (nella forma della mera cognizione o dell'accertamento). Si segue, a tal fine, un metodo diverso da quello comunemente impiegato dalla giurisprudenza e dalla dottrina, le quali hanno perlopiù dedotto il contenuto di tali regole a partire dalla soluzione di volta in volta prescelta al problema della qualificazione del contratto simulato. La giurisprudenza, muovendo dalla tesi della nullità del contratto simulato, conclude per la diretta applicabilità delle norme del codice civile dedicate all'azione e all'eccezione di nullità. Parte della dottrina, discostandosi da quella premessa, propone soluzioni applicative di segno opposto. Al contrario, nel presente lavoro, la centralità solitamente assegnata al contratto simulato, è occupata dalla simulazione, ossia dalla fattispecie degli effetti che gli artt. 1414 e seguenti designano quali “effetti della simulazione”. Detta fattispecie è infatti quanto forma oggetto dell'attività dei soggetti del processo (l'allegazione, la prova, la cognizione e l'accertamento). La ricostruzione della disciplina processuale della simulazione muove pertanto dalla collocazione della fattispecie simulatoria entro le categorie che informano il contenuto di quella disciplina, e cioè la qualificazione della simulazione come tema di prova, come questione di merito oggetto di mera cognizione, nonché, infine, come oggetto del processo e dell'accertamento munito di autorità di cosa giudicata. La prima parte della tesi (capitoli da 1 a 4) si occupa esattamente di tale inquadramento, prendendo le mosse dalla definizione della fattispecie simulatoria e dalla discussione critica delle due opposte concezioni del fenomeno simulatorio che emergono dalla cospicua letteratura sul tema: una concezione “negativa”, che vede nella simulazione una forma qualificata di difetto della fattispecie negoziale, e una concezione “positiva”, che ravvisa la fattispecie simulatoria in un negozio distinto da quello simulato (il c.d. accordo simulatorio). Enunciate le ragioni a sostegno di quest'ultima concezione, si prende in esame la questione della struttura del contratto dissimulato e del ruolo dell'accordo simulatorio sulla formazione e l'efficacia del medesimo. L'inquadramento della simulazione nelle categorie fondamentali del processo prosegue mediante l'osservazione degli effetti giuridici che l'attività simulatoria produce riguardo ai terzi, e l'inquadramento processuale delle categorie sostanziali richiamate negli artt. 1415 e 1416 c.c. (segnatamente, l'inopponibilità). Infine, si definisce l'oggetto dell'azione di simulazione, mettendo di fronte la prevalente tesi che detto oggetto fa coincidere con il rapporto fondamentale contrattuale, e quella minoritaria che addita le azioni di simulazione e nullità quali esempi di processi di accertamento di situazioni giuridiche preliminari. Si sottopone quindi a critica la tesi del rapporto fondamentale. La seconda parte (capitoli 5 e 6) è dedicata alla discussione di profili scelti di dinamica processuale, segnatamente: l'eccezione di simulazione assoluta, e il problema della sua rilevabilità d'ufficio nei processi diretti all'esecuzione del contratto simulato, nonché in quelli che mirano, al contrario, alla dichiarazione della nullità, ovvero all'annullamento, alla rescissione o alla risoluzione dello stesso contratto; le molteplici sfaccettature che presenta la cognizione della simulazione assoluta nel corso (o a lato) dell'espropriazione forzata intrapresa contro il titolare apparente; la forma del contratto dissimulato e l'ampiezza dei poteri istruttori dei simulanti che intendano dar prova della simulazione relativa, e per suo tramite del contratto dissimulato, particolarmente nel caso in cui la simulazione relativa del prezzo venga addotta per contrastare l'azione revocatoria promossa dal curatore fallimentare contro una compravendita immobiliare “a prezzo vile”; la legittimazione ad agire nell'azione di simulazione; i limiti oggettivi del giudicato di accertamento della simulazione.

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Wanvoorstelling van wesenlike feite deur omiss/o aan 'n versekeraar kan tot gevolg he dat die versekeringskontrak ongeldig verklaar word ingevolge die gemene reg. In Mutual and Federal Insurance Co Ltd v Oudtshoorn Municipality 1985 (1) SA 419 (A) is beslis dat wesenlikheid bepaal moet word vanuit die oogpunt van die redelike man. In 'n paging om bewys van die wesenlikheid van feite te vermy, het versekeraars vereis dat aansoekers die voorstellings in die kontrak moat waarborg. Dit het tot gevolg gehad dat voorstellings wat in die kontrak gewaarborg is outomaties wesenlik was. Sedert die invoering van artikel 63(3) van die Versekeringswet 27 van 1943 deur die wetgewer gedurende 1969, is die wesenlikheid van voorstellings egter 'n vereiste, selfs waar dit in die kontrak gewaarborg is. Versekeraars sou dus in die toekoms nie agter kontraktuele wanvoorstellings kon skuil nie. Hierdie maatreel het meer beskerming aan die versekerde gebied. In Qilingele v South African Mutual Life Assurance Society 1993 (1) SA 69 (A) is die toets vir wesenlikheid, soos vereis deur artikel 63{3), aangespreek. Dit het die vraag laat ontstaan of daar twee aparte toetse vir wesenlikheid bestaan, naamlik gemeenregtelik en statuter, en of daar een algemene toets bestaan. / Misrepresentation by omissio of material facts to an insurer may lead to an insurance contract being declared invalid in terms of the common law. In Mutual and Federal Insurance v Oudtshoorn Municipality 1985 (1) SA 419 (A) it was decided to determine materiality in the eyes of the reasonable man. To avoid proving materiality of facts, the insurers required proposers to warrant the representations in the contract. This resulted in the facts automatically being material. In 1969 parliament, .however, enacted section 63(3) of the Insurance Act 27 of 1943 whereby materiality of presentations, even where it was warranted in the contract, became a requirement. Therefore insurers could in future not hide behind contractual misrepresentations. This provided more protection to the insured. Qilingele v SA Mutual Life Assurance Society 1993 (1) SA 69 (A) addresses the test for materiality as required by section 63(3). This resulted in the question whether two separate tests for materiality in terms of common law and statute, or only one exists. / Criminal and Procedural Law / LL.M.

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Text in Afrikaans / In die skripsie word gekyk na die remedies van 'n versekeraar by wanvoorstelling (nie-openbaring) en waarborgbreuk deur 'n versekerde en veral die beperking van die versekeraar se kansellasiereg. Die klem sal egter val op die remedies by waarborgbreuk omdat versekeraars veel meer daarop steun. Die volgende voorstelle word gemaak. 'n Kansellasiereg behoort in die geval van wanvoorstelling (nie-openbaring) nie verleen te word as die versekeraar nogtans, met kennis van die ware feite, sou kontrakteer nie. By verbreking van bevestigende waarborge behoort 'n kansellasiereg toegestaan te word as die waarborgbreuk die betrokke versekeraar se berekening van die risiko redelikerwys geraak het maar nie as die versekeraar nogtans sou kontrakteer nie. By voortdurende waarborge behoort kansellasie beskikbaar te wees as die waarborgbreuk die skade redelikerwys veroorsaak het. 'n Skadevergoedingseis behoort beskikbaar te wees waar 'n versekeraar nie kan of wil kanselleer nie. / The remedies of an insurer, in the event of misrepresentation (non-disclosure) and breach of warranty by an insured are discussed, particularly limiting the insurer's right to cancel. The emphasis is on the remedies applicable to breach of warranty because insurers use these more frequently. The following solutions are suggested. An insurer should not be allowed to cancel in the event of misrepresentation (nondisclosure) if it would still have concluded the contract, knowing the truth. In the event of affirmative warranties a right to cancel should be available if breach of warranty reasonably affected the particular insurer's assessment of the risk, but not if the contract would still have been concluded. In the event of promissory warranties, cancellation should only be available if breach of warranty reasonably caused the loss. A claim for damages should be available if an insurer can not or does not wish to cancel. / Private Law / LL.M.

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Text in Afrikaans / In die skripsie word gekyk na die remedies van 'n versekeraar by wanvoorstelling (nie-openbaring) en waarborgbreuk deur 'n versekerde en veral die beperking van die versekeraar se kansellasiereg. Die klem sal egter val op die remedies by waarborgbreuk omdat versekeraars veel meer daarop steun. Die volgende voorstelle word gemaak. 'n Kansellasiereg behoort in die geval van wanvoorstelling (nie-openbaring) nie verleen te word as die versekeraar nogtans, met kennis van die ware feite, sou kontrakteer nie. By verbreking van bevestigende waarborge behoort 'n kansellasiereg toegestaan te word as die waarborgbreuk die betrokke versekeraar se berekening van die risiko redelikerwys geraak het maar nie as die versekeraar nogtans sou kontrakteer nie. By voortdurende waarborge behoort kansellasie beskikbaar te wees as die waarborgbreuk die skade redelikerwys veroorsaak het. 'n Skadevergoedingseis behoort beskikbaar te wees waar 'n versekeraar nie kan of wil kanselleer nie. / The remedies of an insurer, in the event of misrepresentation (non-disclosure) and breach of warranty by an insured are discussed, particularly limiting the insurer's right to cancel. The emphasis is on the remedies applicable to breach of warranty because insurers use these more frequently. The following solutions are suggested. An insurer should not be allowed to cancel in the event of misrepresentation (nondisclosure) if it would still have concluded the contract, knowing the truth. In the event of affirmative warranties a right to cancel should be available if breach of warranty reasonably affected the particular insurer's assessment of the risk, but not if the contract would still have been concluded. In the event of promissory warranties, cancellation should only be available if breach of warranty reasonably caused the loss. A claim for damages should be available if an insurer can not or does not wish to cancel. / Private Law / LL.M.

The objective of an Energy Control Center (ECC) is to ensure secure and economic operation of power system. The challenge to optimize power system operation, while maintaining system security and quality of power supply to customers, is increasing. Growing demand without matching expansion of generation and transmission facilities and more tightly interconnected power systems contribute to the increased complexity of system operation. Rising costs due to inflation and increased environmental concerns has made transmission, as well as generation systems to be operated closure to design limits, with smaller safety margins and hence greater exposure to unsatisfactory operating conditions following a disturbance. Investigations of recent blackouts indicate that the root cause of most of these major power system disturbances is voltage collapse. Information gathered and preliminary analysis, from the most recent blackout incident in North America on 14th August 2003, is pointing the finger on voltage instability due to some unexpected contingency. In this incident, reports indicate that approximately 50 million people were affected interruption from continuous supply for more than 15 hours. Most of the incidents are related to heavily stressed system where large amounts of real and reactive power are transported over long transmission lines while appropriate real and reactive power resources are not available to maintain normal system conditions. Hence, the problem of voltage stability and voltage collapse has become a major concern in power system planning and operation. Reliable operation of large scale electric power networks requires that system voltages and currents stay within design limits. Operation beyond those limits can lead to equipment failures and blackouts. In the last few decades, the problem of reactive power control for improving economy and security of power system operation has received much attention. Generally, the load bus voltages can be maintained within their permissible limits by reallocating reactive power generations in the system. This can be achieved by adjusting transformer taps, generator voltages, and switchable Ar sources. In addition, the system losses can be minimized via redistribution of reactive power in the system. Therefore, the problem of the reactive power dispatch can be optimized to improve the voltage profile and minimize the system losses as well. The Instability in power system could be relieved or at least minimized with the help of most recent developed devices called Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) controllers. The use of Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) controllers in power transmission system have led to many applications of these controllers not only to improve the stability of the existing power network resources but also provide operating flexibility to the power system. In the past, transmission systems were owned by regulated, vertically integrated utility companies. They have been designed and operated so that conditions in close proximity to security boundaries are not frequently encountered. However, in the new open access environment, operating conditions tend to be much closer to security boundaries, as transmission use is increasing in sudden and unpredictable directions. Transmission unbundling, coupled with other regulatory requirements, has made new transmission facility construction more difficult. In fact, there are numerous technical challenges emerging from the new market structure. There is an acute need for research work in the new market structure, especially in the areas of voltage security, reactive power support and congestion management. In the last few decades more attention was paid to optimal reactive power dispatch. Since the problem of reactive power optimization is non-linear in nature, nonlinear programming methods have been used to solve it. These methods work quite well for small power systems but may develop convergence problems as system size increases. Linear programming techniques with iterative schemes are certainly the most promising tools for solving these types of problems. The thesis presents efficient algorithms with different objectives for reactive power optimization. The approach adopted is an iterative scheme with successive power-flow analysis using decoupled technique, formulation and solution of the linear-programmingproblem with only upper-bound limits on the state variables. Further the thesispresents critical analysis of the three following objectives, Viz., •Minimization of the sum of the squares of the voltage deviations (Vdesired) •Minimization of sum of the squares of the voltage stability L indices (Vstability) •Minimization of real power losses (Ploss) Voltage stability problems normally occur in heavily stressed systems. While the disturbance leading to voltage collapse may be initiated by a variety of causes, the underlying problem is an inherent weakness in the power system. The factors contributing to voltage collapse are the generator reactive power /voltage control limits, load characteristics, characteristics of reactive compensation devices, and the action of the voltage control devices such as transformer On Load Tap Changers (OLTCs). Power system experiences abnormal operating conditions following a disturbance, and subsequently a reduction in the EHV level voltages at load centers will be reflected on the distribution system. The OLTCs of distribution transformers would restore distribution voltages. With each tap change operation, the MW and MVAR loading on the EHV lines would increase, thereby causing great voltage drops in EHV levels and increasing the losses. As a result, with each tap changing operation, the reactive output of generators throughout the system would increase gradually and the generators may hit their reactive power capability limits, causing voltage instability problems. Thus, the operation of certain OLTCs has a significant influence on voltage instability under some operating conditions. These transformers can be made manual to avoid possible voltage instability due to their operation during heavy load conditions. Tap blocking, based on local measurement of high voltage side of load tap changers, is a common practice of power utilities to prevent voltage collapse. The great advantage of this method is that it can be easily implemented, but does not guarantee voltage stability. So a proper approach for identification of critical OLTC s based on voltage stability criteria is essential to guide the operator in ECC, which has been proposed in this thesis. It discusses the effect of OLTCs with different objectives of reactive power dispatch and proposes a technique to identify critical OLTCs based on voltage stability criteria. The fast development of power electronics based on new and powerful semiconductor devices has led to innovative technologies, such as High Voltage DC transmission (HVDC) and Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS), which can be applied in transmission and distribution systems. The technical and economicalBenefits of these technologies represent an alternative to the application in AC systems. Deregulation in the power industry and opening of the market for delivery of cheaper energy to the customers is creating additional requirements for the operation of power systems. HVDC and FACTS offer major advantages in meeting these requirements. .A method for co-ordinated optimum allocation of reactive power in AC/DC power systems by including FACTS controller UPFC, with an objective of minimization of the sum of the squares of the voltage deviations of all the load buses has been proposed in this thesis. The study results show that under contingency conditions, the presence of FACTS controllers has considerable impact on over all system voltage stability and also on power loss minimization.minimization of the sum of the squares of the voltage deviations of all the load buses has been proposed in this thesis. The study results show that under contingency conditions, the presence of FACTS controllers has considerable impact on over all system voltage stability and also on power loss minimization. As power systems grow in their size and interconnections, their complexity increases. For secure operation and control of power systems under normal and contingency conditions, it is essential to provide solutions in real time to the operator in ECC. For real time control of power systems, the conventional algorithmic software available in ECC are found to be inadequate as they are computationally very intensive and not organized to guide the operator during contingency conditions. Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques such as, Expert systems, Neural Networks, Fuzzy systems are emerging decision support system tools which give fast, though approximate, but acceptable right solutions in real time as they mostly use symbolic processing with a minimum number of numeric computations. The solution thus obtained can be used as a guide by the operator in ECC for power system control. Optimum real and reactive power dispatch play an important role in the day-to-day operation of power systems. Existing conventional Optimal Power Flow (OPF) methods use all of the controls in solving the optimization problem. The operators can not move so many control devices within a reasonable time. In this context an algorithm using fuzzy-expert approach has been proposed in this thesis to curtail the number of control actions, in order to realize real time objectives in voltage/reactive power control. The technique is formulated using membership functions of linguistic variables such as voltage deviations at all the load buses and the voltage deviation sensitivity to control variables. Voltage deviations and controlling variables are translated into fuzzy set notations to formulate the relation between voltage deviations and controlling ability of controlling devices. Control variables considered are switchable VAR compensators, OLTC transformers and generator excitations. A fuzzy rule based system is formed to select the critical controllers, their movement direction and step size. Results show that the proposed approach is effective for improving voltage security to acceptable levels with fewer numbers of controllers. So, under emergency conditions the operator need not move all the controllers to different settings and the solution obtained is fast with significant speedups. Hence, the proposed method has the potential to be integrated for on-line implementation in energy management systems to achieve the goals of secure power system operation. In a deregulated electricity market, it may not be always possible to dispatch all of the contracted power transactions due to congestion of the transmission corridors. System operators try to manage congestion, which otherwise increases the cost of the electricity and also threatens the system security and stability. An approach for alleviation of network over loads in the day-to-day operation of power systems under deregulated environment is presented in this thesis. The control used for overload alleviation is real power generation rescheduling based on Relative Electrical Distance (RED) concept. The method estimates the relative location of load nodes with respect to the generator nodes. The contribution of each generator for a particular over loaded line is first identified , then based on RED concept the desired proportions of generations for the desired overload relieving is obtained, so that the system will have minimum transmission losses and more stability margins with respect to voltage profiles, bus angles and better transmission tariff. The results obtained reveal that the proposed method is not only effective for overload relieving but also reduces the system power loss and improves the voltage stability margin. The presented concepts are better suited for finding the utilization of resources generation/load and network by various players involved in the day-to-day operation of the system under normal and contingency conditions. This will help in finding the contribution by various players involved in the congestion management and the deviations can be used for proper tariff purposes. Suitable computer programs have been developed based on the algorithms presented in various chapters and thoroughly tested. Studies have been carried out on various equivalent systems of practical real life Indian power networks and also on some standard IEEE systems under simulated conditions. Results obtained on a modified IEEE 30 bus system, IEEE 39 bus New England system and four Indian power networks of EHV 24 bus real life equivalent power network, an equivalent of 36 bus EHV Indian western grid, Uttar Pradesh 96 bus AC/DC system and 205 Bus real life interconnected grid system of Indian southern region are presented for illustration purposes.

This article analyzes the so-called surprise-decision prohibition as a rule that follows from the due process of law and as an innovation of the Brazilian New Code of Civil Procedure 2015, observing its incidence. It concludes that this prohibition is part of the right of defense and therefore applicable without express legal prevision, as is the case of Peruvian law. / El artículo analiza la llamada prohibición de la decisión-sorpresacomo regla que deriva del principio de contradicción y en tanto innovacióndel Código Procesal Civil brasileño del año 2015, observando el plano desu incidencia. Llega a la conclusión de que tal prohibición es inherente ala previsión general del derecho de defensa y, por lo tanto, resulta aplicableprescindiendo de una disposición legal expresa, tal como en el caso delderecho peruano. / Este artigo analisa a chamada vedação à decisão-surpresa comouma regra que decorre do princípio do contraditório como uma inovaçãodo Código de Processo Civil brasileiro de 2015, observando o seu plano deincidência, e conclui que tal vedação é ínsita à previsão geral do direito dedefesa, portanto aplicável prescindindo de previsão legal expressa, como é ocaso do direito peruano.