Recent bark beetle outbreaks have caused extensive tree mortality in conifer forests across western Northern America, which has altered forest fuels. These changes have raised concerns about forest health and wildfire risk. Studies focused on interactions between bark beetles, forests fuels, and changes in fire behavior have been primarily led in upper elevation forests characterized by high-severity fire regimes, principally in lodgepole pine (pinus contorta Douglas ex Loudon) and Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm) forests. Few studies to date have addressed bark beetle fuel interactions in lower to middle montane forest characterized by a mixed-severity fire regime, with available research focused strictly on assessing fuel load conditions or stand structural changes. The goal of this research was to quantify and characterize surface and canopy fuel changes in middle montane interior Douglas-Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco var. glauca (Beissn.)) forest infested by Douglas-fir beetle (Dendroctonus pseudotsugae Hopkins), while also measuring physical and chemical changes to foliage in terms of moisture content and terpenes, which are known to play important roles in foliage flammability. Our results revealed few changes in surface fuels following Douglas-fir beetle infestations aside from a significant increase in litter depth and loading in red stage sample plots. Substantial changes to canopy fuels were detected in the red stage of an outbreak with a significant reduction in foliar moisture content measured as tree crowns faded from a healthy green phase to red. During this period, volatile emissions and within-needle concentrations of terpenes increased, including some terpenes previously associated with increased foliage flammability in other tree species. Furthermore, aerial fuel parameters that estimate the likelihood of crown fire initiation, including canopy bulk density and canopy base height, showed a substantial reduction in gray stage sample plots. Based on our findings we judge the influence of Douglas-fir beetle activity on altering fuels is most pronounced in the aerial fuels complex. Our results suggest bark beetle affected interior Douglas-fir stands with a high percentage of trees in yellow and red crown phases could have an increased threshold for crown fire initiation based on higher levels of flammable monoterpenes and lower foliar moisture content.

Practical assessments of range production and utilization are based on forage weight estimates. In preparing these estimates moisture content in green vegetation offers some problems. The moisture component is not likely to be constant for a given species. Diurnal, seasonal and site variability have been well illustrated for agronomic and tree species (Salisbury, 1848; Jenkins, 1879; Miller, 1917; Pearson, 1924; Watkins, 1940; Parker, 1951; Ackley, 1954; Werner, 1954; Zohary and Orshan, 1956; Slatyer, 1959; Kozlowaki, 1965 and Jame son, 1966). Since variability is also likely for range plants, computations made on green weights are apt to be fallacious. It is a common practice, therefore, to express production on "water free" or "dry weight" basis. But the estimates of dry weight are made difficult by variations in herbage moisture. A variety of factors, relevant both to the vegetation and the site it occupies, would seem to account for variable moisture content. The prevalent methods for estimating moisture, however, seem to be more of a legacy from the past than an appreciation of ecological influences. Earlier investigators of pastures and fodder crops were largely agronomists interested in comparing yields. They were concerned primarily with irrigated crops where soil moisture is not a limiting factor and the ecological influences, such as humidity, rain, cloudy weather, dew, shade, exposure etc. are far from dominant (Atwater, 1869; Collier, 1881; Richardson , 1884; Ladd, 1888; Richardson, 1889; Morse, 1891 and Widstoe, 1897). The variations in water content and other components were accordingly related to stage of growth. Taking a cue from these studies agencies such as the United States Forest Service and Soil Conservation Service came to use certain reducing factors to convert green weight of range forage into dry weight. In developing these factors the type of vegetation and growth phases have been considered but ecological features and context have been neglected. The methodology adopted from pasture conditions became the accepted basis for making range management decisions (Range Memo, SCS-8, Soil Conservation Service, 1963; Range Analysis, Region IV, Forest Service, 1964). The influence of features of environment, particularly aspect, on growth differential, has long been recognized by foresters (Schlich, 1905; Champion, 1928 and Tourney, 1928). Plant physiologists have been aware of the significance of time-of-day on plant water for some time (Shreve, 1914; Miller, 1917). It is very probable that these influences express themselves in moisture content of herbage also. The investigations reported herein were conducted to define and assess the scope and intensity of some of these ecological features in modification of the moisture component of herbage. The objective is to determine whether differences in ecological context influence range herbage moisture to a sufficient extent to warrant consideration in developing conversion factors for deriving dry weights from green weights of vegetation samples. The appraisal should reaffirm present assumptions applied or yield more accurate adjustments for estimating forage production. In either circumstance the results should enhance the scientific basis of range management decisions.

Mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) has caused extensive tree mortality in whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis Engelm) forests. Previous studies conducted in various conifer forests have shown that fine surface fuels are significantly altered during a bark beetle outbreak. Bark beetle activity in conifer stands has also been shown to alter foliar fuel moisture content and chemistry over the course of the bark beetle rotation.The objective of this study was to evaluate changes to fine surface fuels, foliar fuel moisture and chemistry and litter chemistry in and under whitebark pine trees infested by mountain pine beetle. Fuels were measured beneath green (healthy) trees compared to red (two years since initial MPB attack with 50% or greater needles remaining) and gray (greater than two years since attack with between 15% and 45% needles remaining) trees. Foliar moisture content was measured in four mountain pine beetle crown condition classes: green-uninfested, green-infested (current year’s attack), yellow (last year’s attack), and red. Total terpene content was analyzed in whitebark pine needle litter and volatile terpenes were collected and analyzed from green, green-infested, yellow, and red trees.Significant differences were found in litter depths under green, red, and graytrees. Duff depths were significantly less beneath green trees than red and gray trees. One hour and ten hour fuels were more influenced by diameter and crown size than beetle crown condition classes. Foliar fuel moisture content dramatically decreased from green-infested to the red beetle crown condition class. No differences were detected in shrub and forb biomass between green, red, and gray trees. Green-infested trees had significantly lower foliar fuel moisture than green trees and by late in the season showed fuel moisture levels similar to red trees which had the lowest fuel moisture content. Litter beneath red trees contained large amounts of terpenes, including compounds known to increase foliage flammability that remain in the litter throughout the fire season. Total terpene content emitted from red foliage is greater than green-infested or yellow foliage.

The vegetation of the Sydney Basin, Australia, is highly flammable and subject to a wide range of fire regimes. Sclerophyllous shrubs and sedges are common and in some vegetation types up to 70 % of fuel consumed during a fire can be live. Research into fire behaviour and fuel dynamics has been minimal. To address this issue this thesis investigated the principal factor affecting the ease of ignition and rate of combustion of individual fuel particles and fuel beds in bushfires: dead fine fuel moisture (FFM). Two common Sydney Basin vegetation types, eucalypt woodland and heathland, each with a history of problematic fire management, were measured in the field for diurnal fluctuations in FFM following rain, under conditions similar to when prescribed burns are conducted. The FFM components of current operational fire behaviour models were found to be inadequate for predictions of FFM and fire behaviour under these conditions. The equilibrium moisture content (EMC) of five fuel types from the field site was investigated in a laboratory study. An existing function describing EMC as a function of temperature and relative humidity was evaluated and found to be very accurate for these fuels. Two FFM predictive models incorporating this function were evaluated on the field data and the laboratory results were shown to be applicable to the estimation of FFM in the field. One model gave very accurate predictions of FFM below fibre saturation point, but its accuracy was reduced when screen level conditions were used instead of those measured at fuel level. A recent process-based model that accounts for rainfall showed promise for predicting when fuel is < 25 % FFM. Systematic problems with the radiation budget of this model reduced the accuracy of predictions and further refinement is required. Live fine fuel moisture content (LFMC) of common heathland shrubs and sedge was investigated over two years and found to be both seasonal and influenced by phenology. LFMC minima occurred in late winter and spring (August to October), and maxima were in summer (December to February) when new growth was recorded. The dominant near-surface fuel in mature heath was sedge. It was found to have little seasonal variation in its??? percentage dead but the percentage dead maxima occured at the same time as the LFMC minima of shrubs and sedge in both years. Simple instantaneous models for duff moisture content in woodland and heathland and LFMC and the percentage dead sedge in heathland were developed. The information gained by this study will form the basis for future development of fuel moisture models for prescribed burning guidelines and fire spread models specific to the vegetation communities of the Sydney Basin.

An increasing number of power plants in Scandinavia are beginning to use biofuel instead of coal or oil. The material in the new fuel is a mixture of woodchips, mostly Pine, Spruce and Salix, bark, GROT (tops and branches from felling waste) and sawdust from sawmills. It is heterogeneous, having a moisture content varying from 15% up to 65%. The moisture content affects the combustion of the fuel and therefore its commercial value. The industry is now interested in obtaining a method for measuring the moisture content of biofuel, quickly and reliably; preferably on delivery at the power plant. The measuring technique presented in this thesis is the first reported in the literature capable of measuring the moisture content of a large sample of such an heterogeneous material as biofuel. The equipment is today calibrated for a sample volume of 0.1 m3. A radio frequent signal is supplied from an antenna and penetrates the biofuel. Its reflection is modeled using partial least squares. As part of the work presented in this thesis, a new type of measuring rig and an analysis method for measurement of the moisture content of large samples of heterogeneous material have been developed. A statistical model for moisture content measurements of five different biofuel materials using radio waves has been built, having a root mean square error of prediction of 2.7. The interactions between biofuels and radio frequent signals have been demonstrated, indicating a variation of the reflection with varying types of biofuel material and variation in the reflection and delay of the signal with varying moisture content.

This research focuses on a study of the material parameters of horse hoof. The study of the problem with the factors that affect to the fastening of the shoe is not performed. Three different tests are carried out to obtain the behavior of the horn wall of the horse hoof in different ways, under physiological conditions and variation of hydration level. The first one is a tensile test to obtain both the force/displacement relation and the stress/strain relation and the parameters derived from them. The second is a hardness test to determine how the material resists to several kinds of permanent-shape changes when a force is applied.Finally, a microscopic study is performed to analyze the fracture surface after testing the specimens. A meticulous analysis of the results and a broad comparison with several researches are performed. The end of the thesis work suggests future works needed to solve the problem.

Abstract (in English) The task for the diploma work was to develop methods for measuring of moisture content by the Karl Fischer method, in jam, jelly sweets, and fudge. The start premises was a for the company whole new equipment, which should be started up. Then programs should be developed for different kind of samples. In the task it was as well included to develop methods for dissolving the different kind of samples, since the Karl Fischer method demands completely dissolved sample material.

This paper challenges the fact and to change people’s opinion about the much controversial ‘green’energy that is Bioenergy. If done properly with the right tool and attitude to implement a change in businesspractices, bioenergy could potentially be one of the major substitutes for fossil fuels, or as a preferred alternativeenergy. ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system is introduced as the solution for a cleaner and more sustainableoperation in terms of logistics strategy and supply chain management by integrating all business functions togetherwith the help of ICT (Information and Communications Technology) for a more transparent and efficient exchangeof data and instruction. The methodology employed is through a quantitative pilot experiment that is conducted inThailand, representing the region of South East Asia because of the climatic resemblance. The conceptualframework is based purely on the relationship between the Moisture Content (MC) of the biomass and thetransportation needed, and subsequently the environmental benefits that come along with a higher energy valuebiomass and a cut down of GHG emissions. The findings and analysis show a trend in superior operationalefficiency that leads to higher profitability performance due to cost savings and a minimization of environmentalimpact with a lower MC, before and after ERP is adopted to the business process. It is therefore decided thatcompanies gain competitive advantage with the employment of ERP platform, with a better management of theenterprise’s resources.

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Most engineering as well as pavement materials are composites composed of two or more components to obtain a variety of solid properties to support internal and external loading. The composite materials rely on physical or chemical properties and volume fraction of each component. While the properties can be identified easily, the volume fraction is hard to be estimated due to the volumetric variation during the performance in the field. Various test procedures have been developed to measure the volume fractions; however, they depend on subjective determination and judgment. As an alternative, electromagnetic technique using dielectric constant was developed to estimate the volume fraction. Empirical and mechanistic approaches were used to relate the dielectric constant and volume fraction. While the empirical models are not very accurate in all cases, the mechanistic models require assumptions of constituent dielectric constants. For those reasons, the existing approaches might produce less accurate estimate of volume fraction. In this study, a mechanistic-based approach using the self consistent scheme was developed to be applied to multiphase materials. The new approach was based on calibrated dielectric constant of components to improve results without any assumptions. Also, the system identification was used iteratively to solve for dielectric parameters and volume fraction at each step. As the validation performed to verify the viability of the new approach using soil mixture and portland cement concrete, it was found that the approach has produced a significant improvement in the accuracy of the estimated volume fraction.