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Framgången i ett komplicerat byggprojekt bygger på välplanerad projektering som i sin tur är beroende av erfarna aktörer för att kunna vara konkurrenskraftig. Genom att utnyttja parameterstyrda modeller i bland annat repetitiva projekteringsprocesser kan även samarbetet mellan arkitekter, konstruktörer och projektörer effektiviseras. Arbetet syftar till att undersöka vikten av parameterstyrda modeller för byggbranschen tidigt i projekteringsfasen och bland annat identifiera fördelar och nackdelar genom en enkätundersökning och skapandet av en parameterstyrd bågbro i Grasshopper. Bland annat ges en introduktion i hur parameterstyrning av ett projekt skulle kunna genomföras och de möjligheter och utmaningar som följer. De frågeställningar som studien behandlar är: • I vilken utsträckning används parameterstyrning i branschen? • Vilka för- och nackdelar finns det med parameterstyrningsprocessen inom byggbranschen? • Vilka möjligheter och utmaningar medföljer parameterstyrd modellering? I dagsläget används inte parameterstyrning i stor utsträckning i Sverige. Ett fåtal aktörer nyttjar potentialen men alla ser värdet och möjligheterna. De närmsta åren kommer mer parameterstyrda modeller utvecklas av aktörer inom byggbranschen i Sverige och precis som 3D- modeller inte var standard för ett decennium sedan kommer förmodligen även parameterstyrda modeller bli allt vanligare. Nackdelarna med parameterstyrning är den initiala investeringen som krävs av företagen samt kompetensbristen och den utdragna inlärningsprocessen som medföljer. Fördelarna är många men de som primärt har identifierats är effektivisering av repetitiva arbetsuppgifter och modeller. Effektivisering av projekteringen i form av kostnadseffektivisering och anbud samt smidiga revideringar. Återanvändning av likartade projekt vilket hela tiden leder till förbättringar genom återkoppling av referensprojekt. De utmaningar som medföljer parameterstyrd modellering ställer stora krav på företag och framförallt utbildningsinstituten. Mer kompetens i form av programmering och datavetenskap bör integreras i utbildningarna för att minimera inlärningskurvan. Modelleringsverktyg som Revit, Rhinoceros och AutoCad underlättar övergången mellan traditionell modellering och parameterstyd modellering men utan grundläggande kunskaper i datavetenskap kommer de parameterstyrda modellerna vara begränsade. / A key to success in a complicated building project is the project planning itself and the people involved. To be competitive, repetitive tasks among others have to be automated with the use of parametric design. Computational design can greatly improve the collaboration between architects, designers and structural engineers. The aim of this study is to identify the use and importance of parametrized models in the Swedish construction industry by the use of survey research. This study will also develop an arch bridge with Grasshopper in Rhinoceros 6. After doing so the advantages and drawbacks of this type of modeling will be analyzed. The study revealed that the use of parametric design isn´t well established in the Swedish construction industry. Most companies that participated in this survey recognizes the possibilities and want to see a development in the area. The downside of computational design is the initial cost and lack of competence in the field. The knowledge required by the user is also a restriction for many companies, because well established scripts and stable models require an experienced and educated user. The advantages that´s primarily been identified in this study through the survey are the optimization of repetitive tasks and models as well as cost optimization in the initial planning phase. By reusing and improving scripts with each reference project each company can increase its competitiveness in their own area of expertise. This requires involvement from the educational institutes in the form of increased programming and computer sciences skills incorporated in the education of engineers. Whilst engineers with their modelling knowledge in traditional software can adapt to software´s like Grasshopper their lack of basic knowledge in computer science will restrict the complexity of the models themselves.

Project designing in the building construction industry has developed a lot during recent years and the result is that not only 2D documents are made, but also 3D models are created to facilitate the project. A problem most players are facing daily is when conditions and information in a project change and design engineers must make necessary changes to their models. These changes can be time-consuming, and the designers may need to do these changes more than once during the project. Could a parametric 3D model make these changes faster than a CAD model when conditions and information on a project change? One of the developers that frequently needs to make changes to its models is WSP geotechnical department. The desire is to find a new working method that increases the efficiency of project design of tunnels. The aim of this thesis was to try parametric modeling as a working method and to see if this method could be used to create ground tunnels. A script has been made in Grasshopper, a visual programming plug-in that generates a parametric model of a tunnel. The parametric model was then compared with an existing CAD model created by the WSP geotechnical department in an earlier project. Pros and cons have been presented and conclusions have been made about if parametric modelling could be more efficient than current working methods. The results of this thesis indicate that parametric modelling is an efficient working method and that it could be used as a working method for future ground tunnel projects. / Projekteringen i byggbranschen har utvecklats mycket de senaste åren och resultatet har blivit att förutom 2D-handlingar, projekteras även 3D-modeller för att underlätta projekteringsarbetet.Ett vardagligt problem som de flesta aktörer står inför är när fler förutsättningar och information i projekt ändras och projektörer tvingas göra ändringar i sina modeller. Dessa ändringar kan vara tidskrävande och behöva göras fler än en gång under projektet. Kan en tredimensionell modell som modellerats parametriskt göra ändringar snabbare när förutsättningar i ett projekt ändras än en CAD modell?En av dessa aktörer som ständigt behöver göra ändringar i sina modeller i efterhand är WSP:s bergteknikavdelning. Önskvärt vore att hitta en ny arbetsmetod som kan effektivisera projekteringen av bergtunnlar.Detta examensarbete syftar till att undersöka om parametrisk modellering kan användas som arbetsmetod för projektering av bergtunnlar. Ett script har skapats i Grasshopper, ett visuellt programmeringstillägg som genererar en parametrisk modell av en tunnel. Den parametriskt skapade modellen har sedan jämförts med en befintlig CAD-modell som skapats av WSP:s bergtekniksavdelning i ett tidigare projekt.Fördelar och nackdelar har lyfts fram och slutsatser har dragits om huruvida parametrisk modellering kan vara mer effektiv än nuvarande arbetsmetoder.Resultaten av detta examensarbete pekar mot att parametrisk modellering är en effektiv arbetsmetod och skulle kunna användas för framtida tunnelprojekt.

North American grassland birds show long-term population declines that generally exceed the declines of other bird groups. Efforts to conserve grassland birds require knowledge of diet and habitat requirements during both the breeding and nonbreeding periods of annual life cycles. This dissertation investigated sparrow habitat associations within two defined plant communities of the dry prairie ecosystem, the dry-mesic and wet-mesic prairie, for four prescribed fire treatments over two consecutive winters. Grasshopper and Henslow’s sparrows showed higher relative abundance in wet-mesic prairie and Bachman’s Sparrows were more abundant in dry-mesic prairie across all fire treatments. Abundances of Grasshopper and Bachman’s sparrows were best predicted by plant community association and secondly by time since fire; whereas for Henslow’s Sparrows, habitat and time since fire were equally important. Fall molt-period diets and diet overlap were modeled for resident Florida Grasshopper and Bachman’s sparrows using stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of bird feathers and potential food sources, e.g., arthropods and seeds. Grasshoppers (Orthoptera, including a variety of species foraging on both C3 and C4 herbs), spiders, dragonflies, flies, beetles and weevils comprised the majority of the diets of adult and juvenile Florida Grasshopper Sparrows and Bachman’s Sparrows, but in differing proportions. Despite the similarity in reconstructed diets for the two sparrow species, analysis of diet overlap suggested that approximately half of the Florida Grasshopper Sparrows had diets consisting of higher trophic level prey than Bachman’s Sparrows. Winter diets and diet overlap among Grasshopper, Henslow’s, and Bachman’s sparrows were reconstructed using stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of feathers and potential arthropod and seed food sources. Sparrows were captured and recaptured in winter iv 2007-2008 using systematic flush-netting, removing a tail feather at first capture and then removing the regrown feather when birds were recaptured. Winter diets of all three sparrows included a variety of arthropods, grass seeds, and sedge seeds, but Bachman’s Sparrow winter diets spanned greater trophic diversity than either of the migratory sparrows. Estimated diets of Henslow’s and Grasshopper sparrows differed from that of Bachman’s Sparrow but Henslow’s Sparrow diets did not differ from Grasshopper Sparrow diets. This is the first study of fall and winter sparrow diets in Florida based on stable isotopes and the first study in peninsular Florida on habitat associations of ground-dwelling sparrows.

Daylight availability in buildings faces numerous challenges in a world where energy efficiency,thermal comfort, and sustainability take center stage. Daylight is well-known for its role in reducingartificial lighting consumption and enhancing the well-being and performance of building occupants.However, a crucial issue arises with the incorporation of large windows to introduce natural light, asthis may compromise the thermal efficiency of a room. Designers must strike a delicate balancebetween optimizing daylight and ensuring thermal comfort to achieve energy-efficient buildings. Asthe global population continues to grow and urban areas become more densely populated, this issuebecomes increasingly complex and sensitive to address. Consequently, it is becoming urgent toscrutinize the effectiveness in addressing these challenges. When assessing daylight in various rooms, prevailing requirements in different regulations orstandards tend to mix all types of buildings. The author contends that a more nuanced and tailoredapproach should be adopted, depending on the type of building and the intended room usage. Whilemost studies conducted in Sweden focus on analyzing residential buildings, this master’s Thesis shiftsits focus to Swedish university buildings. The objective is to compare the existing requirement levelswith students' subjective perceptions of daylight quality, with the aim of determining whether thecurrent standards are adequate or should be adjusted. The study centers around a specific building comprising 21 distinct study spaces located at the KTHcampus in Stockholm, Sweden. Each of these spaces possessed unique characteristics that are relevantto the research. To facilitate this investigation, various modeling and daylight simulation tools wereemployed, including Rhinoceros 7, Ladybug Tools, and other editing software such as Microsoft Wordand Adobe illustrator. Ladybug relies on Radiance, a validated daylight simulation engine, for analyzingstatic and dynamic daylight metrics. This thesis, supported by survey and simulation results, illustrates that students studying in universitybuildings have a significantly higher demand for natural light compared to the levels established bySwedish regulations. These findings underscore the imperative need for comprehensive research onthe actual requirements of occupants in university buildings, with the aim of revising and modernizingthe existing Swedish regulations. The potential differentiation in standards between residential anduniversity buildings warrants further exploration. / Dagsljusautonomin i byggnader står inför flera utmaningar i en värld där energieffektivitet, termiskkomfort och hållbarhet står i centrum. Dagsljus är välkänt för sin roll i att minska konstgjord belysningoch förbättra välbefinnandet och prestandan hos byggnadens användare. En viktig fråga uppstår docknär stora fönster används för att införa naturligt ljus, eftersom detta kan kompromissa med rummetstermiska effektivitet. Designers måste hitta en balansgång mellan att optimera dagsljus ochsäkerställa termisk komfort för att uppnå perfekt energieffektivitet. I takt med att den globalabefolkningen fortsätter att växa och stadsområden blir alltmer tätbefolkade, blir denna fråga alltmerkomplex och känslig att hantera. Därför är det brådskande att granska noggrant de befintligaföreskrifterna för dagsljus. När man bedömer dagsljus i olika rum tenderar de rådande kraven i olika föreskrifter eller standarderatt blanda samman alla frekvent använda utrymmen. Författaren hävdar att en mer nyanserad ochskräddarsydd ansats bör användas, beroende på byggnadens typ och avsedd användning av utrymmet.Medan de flesta studier som utförs i Sverige fokuserar på att analysera bostadsbyggnader, ändrardenna magisteruppsats fokus till svenska universitetsbyggnader. Målet är att jämföra de befintligakravnivåerna med studenternas subjektiva uppfattning om dagsljuskvalitet, med målet att fastställaom de nuvarande standarderna är tillräckliga eller bör anpassas. Studien kretsar kring en specifik byggnad som består av 21 olika studieutrymmen som är belägna påKTH:s campus i Stockholm, Sverige. Varje av dessa utrymmen har unika egenskaper som är relevantaför forskningen. För att underlätta denna undersökning användes olika programvaruverktyg, inklusiveRhinoceros 7, Grasshopper, Microsoft Word och Adobe Illustrator. Denna avhandling, stödd av resultat från enkäter och simuleringar, visar övertygande att studentersom studerar i universitetsbyggnader har en betydligt högre efterfrågan på naturligt ljus jämfört medde nivåer som fastställts i svenska föreskrifter. Dessa resultat understryker det akuta behovet avomfattande forskning om de faktiska kraven för användarna i universitetsbyggnader, med målet attrevidera och modernisera de befintliga svenska föreskrifterna. Möjligheten att differentierastandarder mellan bostads- och universitetsbyggnader förtjänar ytterligare utforskning.

In last decades, the increase of megacities in many regions and particularly in developing countries, contributed to deplete rural landscape enhancing the urbanization impacts. Such urban settlements result in high greenhouse gas emissions and negative energy balances. By gathering millions of people, they develop a complex network of infrastructures, services, housings and factories. Climate impacts of metropolitan areas are universally recognized in the urban heat island (UHI) effect that entails the increase of average night temperatures relative to rural surroundings. New global challenges for urban agendas involve the restraint of urban sprawl, the enhancement of urban density and the mitigation of urban climate changes. Densification strategies had risen as key planning tools to be inserted in the urban development practice. Nevertheless, the integration of compact city pattern into the existing urban structure lead to dense arrangements of urban forms, changes transport models, raises human and energy exchanges, shaping new outdoor environments. In the framework of these transformations, the present work explored the interaction between morphological and climate urban variables in urban lands affected by on-going densification and verticalization processes. An integrated research procedure was developed and applied to a case study in the municipality of São Paulo, characterized by high-rise and low-rise zones under development subjected to a subtropical climate. The proposed procedure integrated field data collections, analysis of database and modeling techniques, addressing multiple scales of analysis. Climate and morphological features were gained by available city database, meteorological stations, Local Climate Zone (LCZ) maps, and further integrated by fieldworks. Numerical models were implemented as interpretation data tools to investigate the physical processes and to build the conceptual model of the interactions between urban morphology and climate. ENVImet and Grasshopper computational codes were used to simulate the existing case study area, as well as to implement numerical experiments (scenarios) in which different densification patterns were tested and compared. The calibration process of the ENVI-met model relied on prior sensitivity tests of input parameters in a smaller domain. Main findings underlined the high-rise buildings shading as the main climate driving force at subtropical latitudes, inducing different microclimates in the outdoor spaces. Compact low-rise areas were found highly affected by high temperatures, low-albedo materials and absence of vegetation. High-rise buildings arrangements were discussed focusing on the effects of buildings heights and spacing variability. Finally, results were summarized in urban design precepts helping climate-sensitive practices and understanding of urban lands in which densification and verticalization processes are in action. Design percepts included suggestions on building height and arrangement, materials and green infrastructure. The importance of a local-scale planning was also highlighted. / Nas últimas décadas, o aumento das megacidades em muitas regiões do mundo e particularmente nos países em desenvolvimento, contribuiu para recuo do ambiente rural, aumentando os impactos da urbanização. Grandes assentamentos urbanos resultam em altas emissões de gases de efeito estufa e balanços energéticos negativos. Ao reunir milhões de pessoas, as cidades contemporâneas desenvolvem uma complexa rede de infraestruturas, serviços, moradias e centros produtivos. Os impactos climáticos relacionados são universalmente reconhecidos no efeito de ilha de calor urbana (ICU), que implica o aumento das temperaturas médias noturnas em relação ao entorno rural. Novos desafios globais para as agendas urbanas envolvem a contenção da expansão urbana, o aumento da densidade populacional e a mitigação das mudanças climáticas. Assim, estratégias de densificação surgiram como ferramentas-chave de planejamento a serem inseridas na prática urbana. No entanto, a integração do padrão de cidade compacta na estrutura urbana existente leva a arranjos densos de formas urbanas, requerendo modificações nos modelos de transporte, aumenta as trocas de pessoas e de energia, moldando novos ambientes externos. No âmbito dessas transformações, o presente trabalho explorou a interação entre variáveis urbanas morfológicas e climáticas em áreas urbanas afetadas por processos de densificação e verticalização presentes e futuros. Um procedimento integrado de pesquisa foi desenvolvido e aplicado a um estudo de caso no município de São Paulo, caracterizado por zonas de grande e baixa altura em desenvolvimento, sujeitas a um clima subtropical. O procedimento proposto integrou coletas de campo, análise de conjuntos de dados e técnicas de modelagem, abordando múltiplas escalas de análise. Aspectos climáticos e morfológicos foram obtidos por meio de database disponibilizados pela Prefeitura, estações meteorológicas, mapas de Zonas Climáticas Locais (LCZs) e posteriormente integrados por trabalhos de campo. Modelos numéricos foram implementados como ferramentas de interpretação de dados para investigar os processos físicos e construir o modelo conceitual das interações entre morfologia urbana e clima. Os códigos computacionais ENVI-met e Grasshopper foram usados para simular a área de estudo, bem como para implementar experimentos numéricos (cenários) nos quais diferentes padrões de densificação foram testados e comparados. O processo de calibração do modelo ENVI-met baseou-se em testes de sensibilidade prévios, realizados sobre parâmetros de input em um domínio menor. Os principais resultados ressaltaram o sombreamento causado por grandes objetos construídos como a principal forçante climática nas cidades de latitude subtropical, induzindo diferentes microclimas nos espaços externos ao redor. Tecidos urbanos baixos e compactos foram encontrados afetados por altas temperaturas, materiais de baixo albedo e ausência de vegetação. Arranjos de edifícios altos foram investigados focando nos efeitos das alturas dos edifícios e na variabilidade do espaçamento entre eles. Por fim, os resultados foram resumidos em preceitos de desenho urbano que suportassem uma abordagem de projeto mais sensível ao clima, assim como a compreensão das áreas da cidade onde os processos de densificação e verticalização encontram-se ativos. Os preceitos de desenho urbano incluíam sugestões sobre a altura e disposição dos edifícios, materiais e infraestrutura verde. A importância de um planejamento em escala local também foi destacada.

En projekteringsprocess av en konstruktion kan ofta delas in i två delar, dimensionering ochprojektering. Dimensioneringen utförs enligt för konstruktionen gällande normkrav ochprojekteringen följer sina egna normer samt den dimensionering som är utförd.Även om 2D-projektering fortfarande är vanligt förekommande i projekteringen har BIMmodelleringblivit allt vanligare och värdet av att lagra information i en modell ses alltmersom en nytta i ett projekt.BIM-modelleringen bygger på parameterstyrning av objekt och egentligen finns inga gränserför vilka parametrar som ska ingå i ett objekt.En av de senaste utvecklingarna i projekteringsprocessen är den visuella programmeringensom ger användare möjlighet att styra parametrar till en BIM-modell med hjälp av ett visuelltskript kopplat till BIM-modelleringsverktyget.Det här arbetet syftar på att visa hur ett skript kan driva modelleringen med hjälp avprojektspecifika indata genom att dimensionering av objekt integreras i programmeringen.Med hjälp av programmeringen kan även dimensioneringen redovisas i en annanprogramvara.Resultatet visar att det är fullt möjligt att skapa en modell med hjälp av objektspecifika indataoch att parametrar kan styras med integrerad dimensionering i ett skript skapat med visuellprogrammering. / A design process of a construction can often be divided into two parts, structural design anddrawing. The structural design is made with current standard requirements for theconstruction while the drawing has its own standard requirements along with the results fromthe dimensioning to follow.Even if 2D- drawing still is common in design of a project, BIM-modelling has become morefrequently used and the value of storing information in a model is see more and more as abenefit in a project.The BIM-modelling is based on parametric design of objects and there are actually no limitsto which parameters that should be a part of an object.One of the most recent developments in the design process is the visual programming whichgives users the opportunity to guide parameters in a BIM-model through a visual scriptconnected to the BIM-modelling tool.This work is aiming to show how a script can push the modelling by using project specificinput and perform structural design of load bearing members integrated in the script. With theuse of the script, results can also be verified in another software.Result is showing that it is possible to create a structurally designed model by using only afew object specific inputs and that parameters can be controlled in a script made with visualprogramming.

Pålgrundläggning är en vanlig metod vid grundläggning där sämre markförhållanden råder. För broaroch andra anläggningskonstruktioner måste stora laster tas i beaktande, både horisontella ochvertikala. Att dimensionera för detta kan vara en tidskrävande process som kräver många upprepadeberäkningar för att hitta en fungerande pålkonfiguration.Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur man med hjälp av ett avancerat analysprogramtillsammans med parametrisk modellering kan effektivisera processen för beräkning av pålgrupper.Studien avser undersöka hur man kan uppnå detta syfte med hjälp av Sofistik, ett FEM-program, isamverkan med Rhinoceros och Grasshopper, program för CAD och visuell programmering. Måletmed studien är att ta fram en effektiv metod där man med hjälp av ett skript med ändringsbaraparametrar kan skapa en mer automatiserad och flexibel process för modellering och beräkning avpålgrupper. Med metoden ska man kunna skapa och beräkna pålkonfigurationer under varierandeförutsättningar, med ett resultat som står sig väl mot mer etablerade metoder.Studien har visat att metoden är användbar för syftet att modellera och beräkna pålgrupper. Arbetet harresulterat i ett skript där användaren kan definiera ingående parametrar om material, geometri ochlaster, och genom skriptet både skapa en tredimensionell modell av en pålgrupp och sedan analyseradenna i analysprogrammet. Processen sker till stor del automatiskt och är flexibel på så sätt attparametrarna kan ändras och direkt uppdatera modellen och utföra en ny beräkning.Metoden har visat sig ge jämförbara resultat med ett etablerat beräkningsprogram för pålar, CAERymdpålgrupp, under förutsättning att en förenklad beräkning görs där bottenplattan ges oändligstyvhet. / Piling is a common method of foundation where poorer soil conditions prevail. For bridges and otherplant structures, large loads must be considered, both horizontal and vertical. Dimensioning for thiscan be a time-consuming process that requires many repeated calculations to find a working pileconfiguration.The purpose of this study is to investigate how, with the help of an advanced analysis programtogether with parametric modelling, the process for calculating pile groups can be streamlined. Thestudy aims to investigate how this goal can be achieved with the help of Sofistik, a FEM program, incollaboration with Rhinoceros and Grasshopper, programs for CAD and visual programming. The aimof the study is to develop an efficient method where, with the help of a script with adjustable values, amore automated and flexible process for modeling and calculating pile groups can be created.The study has shown that the method is useful for the purpose of modeling and calculating pile groups.The work has resulted in a script where the user can define parameters about material, geometry andloads, and through the script create a 3D model of a pile group and analyze this in the analysisprogram. The process is largely automatic and is flexible in such a way that the parameters can bechanged and directly update the model to perform a new calculation.The method has been shown to give comparable results with an established calculation program forpiles, CAE Rymdpålgrupp, provided that a simplified calculation is made where the foundation slab isgiven infinite stiffness.

Det här projektet syftade till att studera och införa ett skript för parametriserad modellering av en bro i programmen Rhinoceros och Grasshopper. Skriptet skapades genom visuella programmeringskomponenter och brokonstruktionen som modellerades i detta projekt var en plattrambro. Parametrisk design är ett verktyg som skapar modeller med hjälp av olika förutsättningar kallade parametrar. Dessa parametrar kan ändras direkt i programmen som även ändrar modellen. Detta underlättar redigeringsprocessen av modeller i projekt samt gör det möjligt för flera variationer av samma konstruktionstyp att hanteras i ett och samma skript. I detta projekt användes även Tekla Structures vilket är ett kraftfullt BIM-verktyg som klarar av att modellera och räkna på hus- och anläggningskonstruktioner. Rhinoceros-Grasshopper kopplas till Tekla med programmets eget plug-in, kallad Tekla live-link. Ett flertal intervjuer har genomförts med experter inom området för input om hur programmen används idag, inom de olika byggföretagen, samt hur långt modellering med parametrar har kommit. Resultatet av detta examensarbete visar att parametriserad modellering främst är användbart vid redigeringar av modeller. Den modellerade konstruktionen programmeras på ett sätt där alla dess ingående delar hänger ihop. Då kan redigeringar på specifika delar göras utan att behöva ändra/modellera de resterande delarna på nytt. Detta gör att mindre arbete behöver läggas på redigeringar. Vid projekt med mindre konstruktioner eller enkla geometrier är program som Tekla ett snabbare och smidigare verktyg än Rhinoceros då programmering av skript kan ta mycket tid. Arbetet som har genomförts i detta examensarbete visar dock att det kan vara lämpligt att använda parametriserad modellering vid projekt med större eller mer komplicerade konstruktioner. / The purpose of this thesis was to study and implement a script for a parametric modelling of a bridge in Rhinoceros 3D Grasshopper. The script was done with visualized programming components and the structure was a slab frame bridge. Parametric design is a tool that create models with the use of different prerequisites called parameters. These parameters can be changed directly in the script which in turn changes the model. This makes the editing process of the model easier and allows for greater variations of the same structure to be handled within the same script. In this project, Tekla Structures was used which is a powerful BIM tool that can be used for design and analyses of various structures. Rhinoceros Grasshopper was connected to Tekla Structures with their own plugin, called Tekla live link. Several interviews have been conducted with experts and experienced people in the subject for input on how the programs are used today in the building branch as well as how far parametric design has come. The results of this thesis shows that parametric design is useful mostly when it comes to redactions of an already existing model. The designed structures are programmed in such a way that all their different components are connected. This allows for edits and redactions to be made on one specific component without having to change or redesign the rest. This saves time during the designing part of a project. Although, when it comes to smaller scaled projects or structures with simple geometries,using programs such as Tekla Structures is still faster and easier as opposed to using Rhinoceros Grasshopper. This is because programming and creating a script can take a lot of time and is very complicated at times. However, the result of this thesis shows that it could be wise to use parametric programming when it comes to larger projects and/or more complicated structures.

The human skeletal remains from Grasshopper Ruin, Arizona, constitute an excellent series for the study of growth and development. A total of 390 subadults, fetal through 18 years of age, have been recovered, in a mortality distribution comparable to that observed in most anthropological populations. Children are extremely sensitive to metabolic upsets during the growth process, and an individual's history of illness is often recorded in his bones and teeth. This research is concerned with reading this record and developing a picture of the biological quality of life during pueblo occupation. On the whole, incidence of skeletal stress markers is low. Just 145 children have one or more markers, indicating a low disease load for the subadult community. Based on ethnographic and clinical records of disease among Southwestern Indians, it is believed that most children without visible stress markers were victims of common and virulent gastrointestinal and upper respiratory infections. Those children with stress markers appear to have been subject to underlying morbid conditions (parasitism, dietary deficiencies) which would have intensified the effects of infectious diseases. In order to determine whether a particular sector of the community was at greater risk, the skeletal sample is partitioned into temporal and spatial groups. The impetus for this analysis derives from a long-standing archaeological research focus: the factors precipitating abandonment. Most evidence points to an environmental change and subsequent shortfall in the normal food supply. Behavioral responses to this stress have been documented, but until this research, no direct measure of the effect on pueblo inhabitants had been devised. Differences in stress marker frequency among temporal groups reveal no clear pattern. When spatial groups are analyzed, children from outliers are found to have significantly greater prevalence of Harris lines, implying a pervasive, recurring stress. These findings are interpreted in light of the unique temporal and spatial placement of outliers, and are believed to be due to a combination of factors including depletion of resources, differential access to resources, and increasing contamination of site environs.