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  • About
  • The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers to find electronic theses and dissertations. This service is provided by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
    Our metadata is collected from universities around the world. If you manage a university/consortium/country archive and want to be added, details can be found on the NDLTD website.
171

Non-economic loss and damage in the context of climate change: Comparative analysis of Wakayama (Japan) and Khulna (Bangladesh) / 気候変動に係る非経済的ロス&ダメージ:和歌山(日本)及びクルナ(バングラディッシュ)における比較分析

Chiba, Yohei 25 September 2017 (has links)
京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(地球環境学) / 甲第20744号 / 地環博第167号 / 新制||地環||33(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院地球環境学舎地球環境学専攻 / (主査)准教授 吉野 章, 教授 岡﨑 健二, 准教授 西前 出 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Global Environmental Studies / Kyoto University / DFAM
172

New Method Aiming at Comprehensive Evaluation of Low Impact Development:Case Study in Tianjin, China / 環境影響の少ない都市計画の新たな総合的評価モデルの開発:中国天津市を例として

Li, Yu 25 March 2019 (has links)
京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第21743号 / 工博第4560号 / 新制||工||1711(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院工学研究科都市社会工学専攻 / (主査)教授 田中 茂信, 准教授 田中 賢治, 教授 中北 英一 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) / Kyoto University / DFAM
173

Developing Production Techniques and A Site Assessment Tool for Forest Farmed Ramps in Appalachia

Aryal, Pabitra 23 June 2023 (has links)
The Allium tricoccum Aiton (ramps, aka wild leeks), a native spring ephemeral, is a cultural keystone species in Appalachia, a mountainous physiographic region encompassing 205,000 square miles of the eastern United States. People in Appalachia have long harvested ramps in the wild. However, growing demand for the plant in and outside the region has increased harvesting, resulting in threats to native populations. Agroforestry cultivation techniques and technical support for sustained-yield forest farming practices are needed to conserve ramps and meet increasing demand. Various techniques for assessing suitable production practices for ramps were explored in this dissertation, particularly examining best-suited ramp ecotypes, mycorrhizal treatment, and habitat suitability determination. In the first study, bulbs and seeds from diverse Appalachian locations were gathered and transplanted to a common experimental site to investigate the effects of different ramp ecotypes on growth, survival, and stress responses. Plant characteristics and stress measurements were recorded before transplantation and post-transplantation assessments. Specifically, the study investigated the germination rate of three ramp seed ecotypes and the growth, survival, and stress responses of eight native ramp bulb ecotypes and three commercially obtained seedling samples. Results indicated that above-ground growth, survival, and stress response on the ramp ecotypes differed significantly. The second study explored the impact of mycorrhizae on ramps and was evaluated by assessing the impact of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) inoculation on Allium tricoccum. Four measurements, collectively referred to as parameter categories, were assessed. These included measures of 1) above-ground plant growth: leaf length, and leaf width; 2) stress measurement: transplant stress after a few days of transplant, and photosynthetic performance stress after a year of transplant; 3) survival analysis; and 4) mycorrhizal colonization rate. For each parameter category, three treatment comparison categories were conducted: 1) Positive control treatments: bulbs were planted from their native environment without treatment; 2) Negative controls: bulbs were treated with fungicide before planting to eradicate existing AMF in roots; and 3) The test group: bulbs were inoculated with commercial AMF (Atriva 500). Results indicated that mycorrhizal inoculation could increase ramp leaf length (P≤0.03). However, the impact varied by ecotype, highlighting the importance of considering local environmental conditions and ramp ecotype. Mycorrhizal inoculation did not impact ramp growth at the seedling stage. Mycorrhizal treatment increased the transplanted ramp's survival and stress tolerance (P≤0.001). The third study used multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM), the Analytic Hierarchical Process (AHP), and weighted linear combinations to model suitable habitats for ramps production. Ten habitat criteria were chosen (including five soil properties, three topographic parameters, and two land use properties) to assess the potential for growing ramps in seven counties in Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. The percentage of highly suitable areas for ramps production in the studied counties ranges from 21.5% in Haywood County to 49.6% in Macon County. Similarly, moderately suitable areas range from 36.7% in Macon County to 54.5% in Lawrence County. Ground truthing was performed to validate the model. Ramp patch locations within each county were geocoded in the final suitability maps. Existing ramp patches were within the model's estimate of moderate to high site suitability ranges, suggesting the model is valid. Results of the study suggest that site suitability modeling could be useful for producers interested in growing ramps in forest farm settings across Appalachia. / Doctor of Philosophy / The ramp, also known as the wild leek, is an important food, medicinal and cultural resource for the people of Appalachia. However, increasing demand for ramps beyond this region has led to over-harvesting and threatens the plant's native populations. Appropriate cultivation techniques and technical support for sustained-yield forest farming practices are needed to conserve ramps and meet growing demand. This dissertation explores various techniques for assessing suitable production practices for ramps, including examining ramp ecotypes, mycorrhizal treatments, and habitat suitability determination. The first study evaluated the ecotypic variation among ramps collected from different geographic regions and their impact on plant performance. Ramp ecotypes displayed differences in above-ground growth, survival, and stress response. The second study examined the impact of mycorrhizae on ramps and found that mycorrhizal inoculation can increase ramp leaf length and survival and stress tolerance of transplanted ramps. However, this impact varied by ecotype, highlighting the importance of considering local environmental conditions and ramp ecotype. The third study involved developing a model to identify suitable habitats for growing ramps. The model was tested for seven counties across Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. The percentage of land predicted as highly suitable for ramps production ranged from 21.5% in Haywood County, NC, to 49.6% in Macon County, NC. Moderately suitable lands ranged from 36.7% in Macon County, NC to 54.5% in Lawrence County, PA. Ground truthing confirmed the model's accuracy as geocoded existing ramp patch locations fell within the estimated suitable ranges. Site suitability modeling could be useful for people interested in growing ramps in forest farm settings across Appalachia. Overall, this research provides insights into best practices for ramp cultivation that help conserve a cultural keystone species and meet the growing demand for ramps.
174

Assessing the supplier selection problem for raw materials of different strategic importance. : Case study of a lithium-ion battery manufacturer in Sweden / Utvärdering av urvalsprocessen för leverantörer av råmaterial av olika strategisk betydelse. : Fallstudie hos en litiumjonbatteritillverkare i Sverige.

Palacios, Manuel, Thernström, Bill January 2019 (has links)
Many sectors and industries are being pushed by policymakers and consumers towards an industrial transformation to become more sustainable. This in order to reduce the negative impact on the environment caused by the emissions of toxic substances and greenhouse gases, as well to promote more efficient use of resources. The transport sector and specifically the automotive industry is seen as one of the main actors within the climate debate due to their high environmental impact in terms of emissions. Therefore, authorities and customers are pushing automotive manufacturers to shift towards electric mobility. However, a rapid shift is not simple. The supply of raw materials needed to sustain the production of batteries does not meet the demand. In turn, causing shortages of some materials and heavily increasing their prices. This thesis addresses the supplier selection problem within a Swedish lithium-ion battery manufacturer with clients mainly in the automotive industry. The study has analyzed a set of relevant criteria to evaluate a supplier within the high-tech industry within a specific context. Furthermore, the study has determined whether differences exist between the importance of the criteria depending on the strategic profile of the material. The strategic profile depends on the profit impact and the supply risk of the material. In order to assess the importance weights of the criteria, the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) was used and interviews were conducted with purchasing experts in the industry. This study provides a new approach to the existing literature of supplier selection, by studying this process in an industry in which it has never been done and also by assessing the supplier selection by categorizing the materials by their strategic profile, an approach that has not been studied in literature until the moment. Results show that the importance of some of the supplier selection criteria vary widely between the strategic profile of the materials, while the importance of other criteria remain the same. In addition, the study has also determined that the importance of the criteria vary also within the supplier selection process, having different importance levels at different steps. Finally, the results show that some criteria of a certain criticality represent a go-no go gate in the selection process. The conclusions are that the supplier selection process within the battery industry cannot be regarded as a homogenous process and that supplier selection criteria vary with the strategic importance of the material. Thus, suppliers must be assessed with different criteria importance weights when using a tool such as the AHP to perform supplier selection. Additionally, the critical criteria for each material must be determined prior to use the tool. / Politiker och konsumenter ställer allt högre krav på industrin att genomföra åtgärder för att bli mer hållbara, exempelvis genom att minska utsläpp av giftiga ämnen och växthusgaser samt ett mer effektivt resursanvändande. Transportsektorn och bilindustrin är särskilt utpekade inom miljödebatten på grund av deras höga miljöpåverkan och stora mängder av utsläpp. Biltillverkarna drivs därför mot en industriell omvandling där förnybara bränslen ska ersätta fossila bränslen. Övergången till eldrivna fordon är en långsam och komplicerad process där flödeskedjan för effektiv tillverkning av bilbatterier fortfarande är under utveckling. Tillgången på vissa råmaterial som behövs för produktionen av batterier räcker inte för att mätta efterfrågan vilket drar upp prisnivån. Samtidigt etablerar sig många nya leverantörer av råmaterial vars varierande kvalitet och pålitlighet skapar ytterligare utmaningar hos batteritillverkarna. Studien behandlar urvalsprocessen vid inköp av material hos en svensk litium-jonbatteritillverkare med kunder främst inom bilindustrin. Urvalskriterier för att utvärdera leverantörer inom högteknologisk industri analyserats. Därtill har det utretts om skillnader existerar mellan kriteriernas betydelse beroende på råvarornas strategiska profil. Den strategiska profilen beräknas genom dess påverkan på produktens slutkostnad tillsammans med risken för avbrott i försörjningskedjan. Metoden Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) används för att bedöma dessa kriteriers betydelse. Därtill har intervjuer genomförts med branch-experter för att ge fördjupad insikt i kriteriernas betydelse. Studien ger två huvudsakliga bidrag till den akademiska litteraturen. Först och främst utvärderas urvalskriterierna, som identifierats i litteraturstudien, inom en industrisektor där de inte prövats tidigare. Urvalskriterierna för leverantörsval appliceras dessutom specifikt för råmaterial av olika strategisk profil för att studera i vilken utsträckning de skiljer sig åt. Även denna ansats är tidigare oprövad inom den akademiska litteraturen. Resultaten visar att vikten av vissa kriterier varierar i hög utsträckning mellan material av olika strategisk profil, medan andra kriterier är näst intill opåverkade. Studien har dessutom fastställt att betydelsen av vissa kriterier varierar mellan olika steg i urvalsprocessen. Somliga kriterier representerar en kritisk punkt i urvalsprocessen och utesluter de leverantörer som inte kan leverera upp till en miniminivå. Studiens slutsas är att urvalsprocessen vid val av leverantör inom batteribranschen inte kan ses som en homogen process då urvalskriterierna varierar med materialets strategiska betydelse. Råmaterialens strategiska profil måste alltså tas i beaktning vid användning av ett urvalsverktyg som AHP. De kritiska kriterier som leverantören måste leva upp till måste dessutom fastställas innan verktyget kan tas i bruk.
175

A generalizable method and case application for development and use of the Aviation Systems – Trust Survey (AS-TS).

Hicks, Jamison 12 May 2023 (has links) (PDF)
Automated systems are integral in the development of modern aircraft, especially for complex military aircraft. Pilot Trust in Automation (TIA) in these systems is vital for optimizing the pilot-vehicle interface and ensuring pilots use the systems appropriately to complete required tasks. The objective of this research was to develop and validate a TIA scale and survey methodology to identify and mitigate trust deficiencies with automated systems for use in Army Aviation testing. There is currently no standard TIA assessment methodology for U.S. Army aviation pilots that identifies trust deficiencies and potential mitigations. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify prominent TIA factors present in similar studies. The compiled list of factors and associated definitions were used in a validation study that utilized the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) as a pair-wise comparison tool to identify TIA factors most relevant to Army pilots. A notional survey, the Aviation Systems – Trust Survey (AS-TS), was developed from the identified factors and pilots were used as subjects in scenario-based testing to establish construct validity for the survey. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted after data collection and a validated survey was produced. A follow-on study interviewed Army test and evaluation experts to refine the survey methodology and ensure appropriate context for the recommended mitigations. A final packet was developed that included instructions for the rating scale, associated item definitions, and recommended mitigations for trust deficiencies. Future research will focus on other Army demographics to determine the generalizability of the AS-TS.
176

Key Considerations When Selecting Environmental Rating System : Decision-Making Analysis from Landlord and Tenant Perspective

Sauchyk, Dzmitry January 2017 (has links)
It is estimated that nearly 100 various environmental product certification rating tools are implemented in the United States construction and real estate industries. Choice of a certain building sustainability measurement tool depends on the specific need for reflection of buildings’ impact on the natural and urban environment as well as its tenants. Selection of the appropriate rating system is a decision-making process performed by the project client (landlord of the building, potential or current tenant) which can be affected by clients’ insufficient knowledge or otherwise be biased. The result of selection decision has significant consequences for the project design, construction process complexity and entire life-cycle of the building. In this work, an effort is made to facilitate decision-making process of best environmental rating alternative selection for a “green building” project. The analytic hierarchy process is used to perform unbiased decision making on the environmental rating selection. The decision process has been evaluated from the landlord and the tenant perspectives. The findings of this study show that for the landlord, it would be enough to be certified with a single-attribute rating that covers only one characteristic of building sustainability and, according to AHP analysis, satisfies all significant landlord’s requirements for the environmental rating system. The main conclusion of the study is that selection of environmental rating is a multicriteria problem that should take into consideration the requirements from landlord and tenant as well as the environmental ratings characteristics but not based on the distinct assessment of the mentioned factors.
177

Att mäta tillgänglighet i stadsmiljö : En modell att kvantifiera individens uppfattning / Measuring accessibility in the urban environment : A model to quantify the individual's perception

Nilsson, Erik, Frisk, Anton January 2018 (has links)
The term accessibility is a regularly recurring concept in planning, where increased accessibility time and time again has proven impactful regarding how well an area develops. The importance of the concept has resulted in a wealth of research, where many methods have been developed to measure the concept. The wide variety of methods are a result of accessibility being an ambiguous and subjective concept whose definition and meaning may vary significantly from individual toindividual, as well as depending on the context in which it appears. Most of the encountered measurement methods are based on structural accessibility with a clear focus on accessibility to sites in a defined network. This rational and general approach to accessibility tend to ignore individual variations in perception. The aim of the study is, therefore, to develop a model to quantify the concept of accessibility, which in the context of the study is defined as "How well adapted the built environment is for an individual to effectively use, regardless of individual needs". This definition focuses on is on the individual's perceived accessibility of a specific urban environment. The basis for the model consists of seven developed indicators whose aim is to operationalize the concept of accessibility. These indicators are then used in the two different parts of the model, where one part intends to weigh the indicators against each other and the other parts aims to assess a specific urban environment, both parts are entirely based onthe views of the respondent. The model is tested in the framework of project Madendalen, where the municipality of Sundbyberg intends to transform the motorway Enköpingsvägen into an attractive city street. The model is tested by four different respondent groups, each of which possesses a unique and interesting perspective on accessibility. The result of the model test shows that the model works,and measures what it is intended to measure and produces a unique result that has not been encountered in the studied literature. However, the model needs to be further developed to increase its validity. How the model should be developed is explained in the discussion together with suggestions on how the model can be used in practice. / Begreppet tillgänglighet är ett regelbundet återkommande koncept i samhällsplaneringen, där ökad tillgänglighet gång på gång visat sig starkt påverka hur väl ett område utvecklas. Begreppets viktiga roll i planeringen har resulterat i en mängd forskning, där ett stort antal metoder utvecklats för att mäta begreppet. Den stora mängden olika metoder grundar sig i att tillgänglighet är ett tvetydigt och subjektivt begrepp vars definition och innebörd kan variera markant från individ till individ, samt beroende på vilken kontext det verkar inom. De flesta påträffade mätmetoderna utgår från strukturell tillgänglighet med stort fokus på tillgängligheten till platser i ett definierat nätverk. Detta rationella och övergripande angreppssätt har lätt en tendens att bortse från individers varierande uppfattning om en plats tillgänglighet. Syftet med studien är därför att utveckla en modell som avser kvantifiera begreppet tillgänglighet, som i studiens kontext definieras som “Hur väl anpassad den byggda miljön är för att en individ, oavsett individuella förutsättningar, ska kunna nyttja den effektivt” , där fokus ligger på individens upplevda tillgänglighet i en specifik stadsmiljö. Till grund för modellen står sju framtagna indikatorer som avser operationalisera begreppet tillgänglighet. Dessa indikatorer används i modellens två separata moment, där ena momentet ämnar att vikta indikatorerna mot varandra utifrån respondentens uppfattning och det andra ämnar att bedöma en specifik stadsmiljö, även där helt utifrån respondentens uppfattning. Modellen testas inom ramen för projekt Madendalen, där Sundbybergs stad avser omvandla motorleden Enköpingsvägen till en attraktiv stadsgata. Modellen testas av fyra olika respondentgrupper, som var och en besitter ett unikt och intressant perspektiv på tillgänglighet. Resultatet av modelltestet visar att modellen i grund och botten fungerar, den mäter det den är tänkt att mäta och producerar ett unikt resultat som inte påträffats i den studerade litteraturen. Modellen behöver dock bearbetas och utvecklas för att öka dess validitet. Hur modellen bör utvecklas tas upp i diskussionen tillsammans med förslag på hur modellen kan användas i praktiken i planeringsprocessen.
178

Defining A Stakeholder-relative Model To Measure Academic Department Efficiency At Achieving Quality In Higher Education

Robinson-Bryant, Federica 01 January 2013 (has links)
In a time of strained resources and dynamic environments, the importance of effective and efficient systems is critical. This dissertation was developed to address the need to use feedback from multiple stakeholder groups to define quality and assess an entity’s efficiency at achieving such quality. A decision support model with applicability to diverse domains was introduced to outline the approach. Three phases, (1) quality model development, (2) input-output selection and (3) relative efficiency assessment, captured the essence of the process which also delineates the approach per tool applied. This decision support model was adapted in higher education to assess academic departmental efficiency at achieving stakeholder-relative quality. Phase 1 was accomplished through a three round, Delphi-like study which involved user group refinement. Those results were compared to the criteria of an engineering accreditation body (ABET) to support the model’s validity to capture quality in the College of Engineering & Computer Science, its departments and programs. In Phase 2 the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was applied to the validated model to quantify the perspective of students, administrators, faculty and employers (SAFE). Using the composite preferences for the collective group (n=74), the model was limited to the top 7 attributes which accounted for about 55% of total preferences. Data corresponding to the resulting variables, referred to as key performance indicators, was collected using various information sources and infused in the data envelopment analysis (DEA) methodology (Phase 3). This process revealed both efficient and inefficient departments while offering transparency of opportunities to maximize quality outputs. Findings validate the potential of the ii Delphi-like, analytic hierarchical, data envelopment analysis approach for administrative decision-making in higher education. However, the availability of more meaningful metrics and data is required to adapt the model for decision making purposes. Several recommendations were included to improve the usability of the decision support model and future research opportunities were identified to extend the analyses inherent and apply the model to alternative areas.
179

A Systematic Analysis To Identify, Mitigate, Quantify, And Measure Risk Factors Contributing To Falls In Nasa Ground Support Ope

Ware, Joylene 01 January 2009 (has links)
The objective of the research was to develop and validate a multifaceted model such as a fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) model that considers both qualitative and quantitative elements with relative significance in assessing the likelihood of falls and aid in the design of NASA Ground Support Operations in aerospace environments. The model represented linguistic variables that quantified significant risk factor levels. Multiple risk factors that contribute to falls in NASA Ground Support Operations are task related, human/personal, environmental, and organizational. Six subject matter experts were asked to participate in a voting system involving a survey where they judge risk factors using the fundamental pairwise comparison scale. The results were analyzed and synthesize using Expert Choice Software, which produced the relative weights for the risk factors. The following are relative weights for these risk factors: Task Related (0.314), Human/Personal (0.307), Environmental (0.248), and Organizational (0.130). The overall inconsistency ratio for all risk factors was 0.07, which indicates the model results were acceptable. The results show that task related risk factors are the highest cause for falls and the organizational risk are the lowest cause for falls in NASA Ground Support Operations. The multiple risk factors weights were validated by having two teams of subject matter experts create priority vectors separately and confirm the weights are valid. The fuzzy AHP model usability was utilizing fifteen subjects in a repeated measures analysis. The subjects were asked to evaluate three scenarios in NASA KSC Ground Support Operations regarding various case studies and historical data. The three scenarios were Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF), Launch Complex Payloads (LCP), and Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). The Kendall Coefficient of Concordance for assessment agreement between and within the subjects was 1.00. Therefore, the appraisers are applying essentially the same standard when evaluating the scenarios. In addition, a NASA subject matter expert was requested to evaluate the three scenarios also. The predicted value was compared to accepted value. The results from the subject matter expert for the model usability confirmed that the predicted value and accepted value for the likelihood rating were similar. The percentage error for the three scenarios was 0%, 33%, 0% respectively. Multiple descriptive statistics for a 95% confidence interval and t-test are the following: coefficient of variation (21.36), variance (0.251), mean (2.34), and standard deviation (0.501). Model validation was the guarantee of agreement with the NASA standard. Model validation process was partitioned into three components: reliability, objectivity, and consistency. The model was validated by comparing the fuzzy AHP model to NASA accepted model. The results indicate there was minimal variability with fuzzy AHP modeling. As a result, the fuzzy AHP model is confirmed valid. Future research includes developing fall protection guidelines.
180

Desired Future Conditions of Riparian Areas on Southeastern National Forests

Pert, Heather Anne 19 June 2001 (has links)
Development of goals (desired future conditions (DFCs)) based on substantial public involvement is critical to the success of ecosystem management on public lands. I evaluated DFCs of riparian areas on national forests in the southern Appalachian mountains and evaluated a process for involving the public in development of DFCs for riparian areas on the Jefferson National Forest. First, I identified the major components, structures, and functions that are essential to riparian health through a literature review. Second, I examined how the key components, structures, and functions identified in the literature review were addressed in the DFCs and standards and guidelines for eight southeastern national forest management plans. In reviewing forest plans, I found a clear shift from emphasizing water quality in older forest plans to a more comprehensive incorporation of the values and functions of riparian areas in more recent plans. Riparian attributes included in DFCs varied widely and disparities between DFCs for forest plans and measurable criteria in the standards and guidelines often occurred. Finally, I designed, tested, and evaluated a public involvement process that identified public values for use in the development of DFCs for riparian areas on the Jefferson National Forest. I used a combination of alternative dispute resolution techniques and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), a participatory decision-making tool. I used surveys before and after the riparian meetings to evaluate the effectiveness of the public involvement process. Survey respondents generally were middle-aged, well-educated, high-income males who were long-time residents of the area. Riparian meeting participants indicated that the DFC for riparian areas on the JNF should strongly emphasize water quality and quantity, protection of riparian-dependent species and their habitats, and maintenance of the integrity of the relationship between riparian areas and the surrounding environment. Participants indicated recreational and commodity uses of riparian areas could occur as long as they did not negatively affect the other, more highly valued characteristics of riparian areas. Participants felt that the meetings were fair, that diverse interests were represented, that they had enough information to participate in the process, and that it was a wise use of their time. / Ph. D.

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