This bachelor’s degree project aimed to improve the wheel profile of a rail mounted trolley and determine the cause of wheel failure. The proceedings of this project where modelled after an approach for solving wear problems with an emphasis on designing for sustainability. A case study and root cause analysis (RCA) was performed and the flanged wheels were deemed insufficient for the given heavy-haul system. Possible areas of wheel profile improvement were identified and further researched with multiple literature reviews. Throughout the projects duration several limitations were introduced that reduced the concept testing to exclusively theoretical prediction models. Archard’s model was implemented to predict wear and operating time for the proposed material and wheel tread profile concepts. The wheel flange dimensions were chosen based on recommendations from wheel and rail interference handbooks among other sources. The final wheel and rail profile suggestion improved operating time by approximately 300% and wear resistance by 50% compared to its predecessor. This result was achieved by applying the same theoretical prediction model to both current and suggested profiles. The findings of this project are meant to aid SCA among others in similar cases and additionally highlight the value of product improvement from a technological, sociological, and environmental perspective.

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Um estudo comparativo entre os principais modelos empíricos e semi-empíricos de predição de nível de sinal para comunicações móveis celulares é descrito neste trabalho. Medidas de cobertura outdoor em ambiente urbano foram comparadas com os resultados simulados a partir dos modelos de Okumura-Hata e Lee, lkegami, Walfisch-Bertoni e Walfisch-Ikegami. As medidas de potência de sinal recebido foram realizadas na cidade de Conceição das Alagoas, MG, a partir da única estação rádio-base (ERB) da cidade, operando na banda A com tecnologia AMPS/TDMA. Foi utilizada como portadora de teste o canal de controle analógico 328. As informações foram coletadas em algumas ruas da cidade, por meio de equipamento instalado em veículo, em diferentes posicionamentos em relação a ERB, de forma a se obter amostras de cobertura em diferentes cenários, seja em visada direta, em obstrução parcial ou total. O modelo de Ikegami se mostrou apropriado para predição de níveis de sinal recebido no ambiente estudado, apresentando desvio médio 5,81 dB em relação às medidas realizadas. / A comparative study among the main empiric and semi-empiric models of prediction of signal leveI for cellular mobile communications is described in this work. Measurements of covering outdoor in an urban environment were compared to the simulated results from the models of Okumura-Hata, Lee, Ikegami, Walfisch-Bertoni and Walfisch-Ikegami. The measurements of received signal level were accomplished in some streets of the city of Conceição das Alagoas, MG, starting from the only radio base station of the city, operating in the A band with AMPS/TDMA technology. The 328-analog control channel was used as test carrier. The measurements were carried out using some equipment installed in a vehicle, in different positions in relation to the radio base station, in order to obtain covering profile in different circunstances such as line-of-sight, non line-of-sight, and partial obstruction. The model of Ikegami was shown appropriate for prediction of the received signal levels in the studied environment, exhibiting an average deviation of 5,81 dB in relation to the accomplished measurements.

The financial crisisand the European debt crisis wreaked havoc on many European economies and stock markets. Previous studies have shown that crises are associated with high debt and linked with lower growth. Studies also suggest that politicians underestimate the risks associated with high debt during economic upturn and that economic crises are usually connected with high volatility. Volatility is used as a measurement of risk since high volatility indicates larger market uncertainty of the valuation of the underlying asset. Previous studies have shown that volatility can be a good indication of a firm’s riskiness. As volatility and capital structure both relate to risk and are influenced by market reactions, investigating the impact that capital structure has on volatility during times of global financial market distress could provide insight and be an important tool for investors. This thesis will investigate firms listed on the Stockholm stock exchange, divided into seven industries, in order to find the impact capital structure may have on volatility, before, during and in the aftermath of the recent European debt crisis (2006-2016). The study will use a quantitative research method, with an objectivistic and positivistic research philosophy as well as a deductive research approach. By using multiple regression models, theoretical relations surrounding volatility and capital structure will be contrasted to the results of the study.The results of the study finds that capital structure does not play a significant part inchanges in volatility for firms during any investigated period when testing for all firms simultaneously. However, the same claim cannot be made for when each industry is tested individually. Empirical evidence showed that capital structure is a influencer for changes in volatility for the consumer goods industry prior to and after the debt crisis and in the consumer goods service industry after the debt crisis. Investors are urged to not be concerned by large debt levels, as long as they invest in largefirms and choose the right sectors. The financial sector is seen as the least risky, with low volatility levels. Furthermore, the basic material sector, despite outward appearances, should be avoided as it presents recent periods of unusually large volatility levels.

This diploma thesis deals with the creation of a computation driver model. In the first part, there is an overview on driver models for longitudinal and lateral control. Next, driving maneuvres that could be selected for testing of driver model are described. In the practical part, there is created a computational driver model, whose task is to follow required path. The resulting model is tested on three driving maneuvers - steady turning, moose test and slalom. Finally, this model is tested on the passage of a real track. For all these tracks, a comparison is made and the success of the model is evaluated.

L’Agence nationale pour la gestion des déchets radioactifs (l’Andra) en France propose un nouveau type de voussoirs de tunnel pour les ouvrages très profonds. Pour éviter des segments de tunnel trop épais, ils proposent d’intégrer une couche de matériau granulaire sur l’extrados d’un voussoir moins épais. Cette approche prétend utiliser la grande compressilibité de la couche granulaire constituée de particules broyables et les transferts de charge interne au matériau granulaire pour réduire l’épaisseur du voussoir tout en gardant des performances mécaniques importantes. Un segment de tunnel avec une telle conception est appelé un VMC monobloc compressible (brevet en instance de l’Andra & CMC). Il s’agit d’un nouveau type de revêtement de tunnel particulièrement innovant.Cette thèse est consacrée à la création d’un modèle numérique capable de reproduire le comportement mécanique d’un couche granulaire très compressible à l’aide de la méthode aux éléments discrets (DEM) en 3D. Le milieu granulaire est constitué de particules d’argile cylindriques creuses appelées textitcoques. Chaque coque est un tube de 2 cm de long avec un diamètre de 2 cm. La faible épaisseur de la coque cylindrique la rend essentiellement constituée de vide entourée d’une fine couche d’argile. Dans le modèle, un cluster sécable (la coque) est généré à l’aide de clumps sphéro-polyédriques allon- gées . Ces clumps, appelés secteurs, sont associés entre eux en utilisant deux lois de contact adhésives. Si la combinaison des forces de contact normales et tangentielles satisfait un critère de charge spécifique, la coque se casse au niveau de l’interface entre les deux secteurs. L’outil DEM Rockable mis au point pour cette recherche peut fonctionner sur ces particules fragiles. Les propriétés mécaniques des coques, composé de 12 à 24 secteurs, sont ajustées à l’aide d’essais de compression radiale uniaxiale (verticale). Les expériences à l’échelle du grain sur les coques en argile cuite ont servi de référence. Nous avons déterminé la plage réelle de rupture et sa distribution statistique (Weibull). Les paramètres numériques et mécanique ainsi obtenus ont été validés avec succès dans le cas de la compression radiale d’une coque contrainte latéralement.Dans un premier temps, l’étude des assemblages de coques porte sur la caractérisation expérimen- tale des échantillons avec un controle sur les variables d’état initiales telles que la densité et l’orienta- tions des coques. La reconstruction 3D à partir de tomographies à rayons X d’échantillons de coques carottés dans l’extrados d’un voussoir nous a permis de caractériser l’anisotropie de l’orientation des particules. Il s’agit là d’une information précieuse pour la génération d’échantillons numériques ayant les caractéristiques initiales pertinentes. Deuxièmement, des simulations DEM de compressions oedo- métriques sur des échantillons de ⟨2 000⟩ coques sont réalisées. Une étude paramétrique permet de mettre en évidence le rôle des variables d’état initiales. Un ensemble bien choisi de variables initiales et des paramètres DEM correctement adaptés permettent d’obtenir des simulations prédictives pertinentes pour une comparaison avec les expériences de laboratoire. Une analyse micro-mécanique de l’effet de la proportion des grains cassés sur les contraintes locales exercées sur les coques (et les fragments) est effectuée. Il est observé que la rupture des coques entraîné une compressibilité élevée du matériau. Par conséquent, la réponse mécanique en déformation est considérée comme une conséquence directe de l’évolution de la rupture des particules. Pour finir, un modèle analytique de prédiction de la re- lation Contrainte↔Déformation est proposé dans le cas de la compression oedométrique. Ce modèle prédictif tient compte des variables internes du milieu granulaire comme la résistance mécanique en compression des coques. / The National Agency for Radioactive Waste Management (FR Andra) in France suggested a new way to design a tunnel lining, especially, beneficial in the case of very deep tunnels. To avoid very thick tunnel segments, they propose to integrate a layer of granular material on the extrados of the thinner lining. This approach takes the advantages of the compressible capacity of the crushable particles and the load transfer in the granular material. A tunnel segment with such design is called a Mono-block Compressible Arch-segment VMC (Andra’s & CMC’s pending patent) and is an innovative new type of tunnel linings.This PhD dissertation is dedicated to the creation of a numerical model capable of reproducing the mechanical behaviour of this compressible granular layer using 3D Discrete Element Method (DEM). The granular packing is made of the brittle hollow coarse-size cylindrical particles, called shells. Each shell is a 2 cm long tube with a diameter of 2 cm. Its small thickness makes the cylindrical shell mainly made of void surrounded by a thin layer of clay. In the model, a breakable cluster (shell) is generated using sphero-polyhedral elongated clumps. These clumps, called sectors, are glued together using two adhesive contact force laws. If the combination of the normal and tangential contact forces exceeds a suitable failure criterion, a de-clustering of the shell (breakage) occurs. The DEM tool Rockable devel- oped for this research can operate on such crushable particles. The mechanical properties of the shell model, composed of 12 to 24 sectors, are adjusted in the case of a uniaxial (vertical) radial compres- sion of shells. The preceding grain-scale experiments on the true shells made of baked clay serve as a reference. We determine the true range of the failure tensile load and its statistical Weibull distribu- tion. The user-specified parameters is then successfully validated in the case of radial compression of a horizontally constrained shell.Firstly, the macroscopic study of shell assemblies focuses on the experimental characterisation of the samples with a control of the initial state variables like a number density and a spatial arrangement of shells (shells orientations). 3D reconstruction from X-ray tomographies of the original coated shells samples extracted from the extrados of a tunnel segment help us to characterise the anisotropy of the shells orientation. This is a piece of valuable information to the generation the numerical samples of shells with relevant initial features. Secondly, a series of DEM oedometric tests on ⟨1 000 : 2 000⟩ shells is simulated. A parametric study successfully leads to the understanding of each internal state variable role. A well-chosen set of initial variables with properly adapted DEM parameters give the relevant predictive simulations for a final comparison with the experimental oedometer tests. Thanks to a discrete insight into the micromechanics, the evolutions of the breakage level, the orientation anisotropy and the local stresses exerted on the shells (and/or the fragments) are quantified during the compression. The breakage of the shells result in high compressibility of the material. Therefore, the mechanical response is seen as a consequence of the breakage evolution. Finally, an analytical model is suggested in order to predict the Stress↔Void ratio relationship knowing the initial state of the sample and the tensile strength of the constituents: the shells.

Screen level temperature is measured at 2 meters above the ground. It is one of the most used atmospheric characteristics in various applications in meteorology and other fields related to weather prediction. Essential is not only the knowledge of its current state, but also its prediction. It is forecasted by numerical weather prediction (NWP) models from the atmospheric current state. Its long-term characteristics can be obtained from the integration of climate models. This text discusses fundamental parametriza- tions, mostly related to temperature forecast, used in the NWP model ALADIN and the regional climate model RegCM. Physical processes which influence temperature are studied using ALADIN in several cases which include the presence of low cloudiness, gravity waves and inappropriate thermic coefficient. A detailed description of the most relevant parametrization schemes is given and the results are studied in a form of indi- vidual feedback loops. Most dominant processes are also found. However, the level of 2 meters above the ground is not the model level, so temperature at 2 meters is obtained by interpolation from the surface temperature and the lowest model level temperature. Using RegCM, two differently complex interpolation schemes are compared to each other. 1

Distillation is the leading thermal separation technology that is carried out in many industrial tray columns worldwide. Although distillation columns are expensive in terms of cost and energy, they will remain in service due to unavailability of any equivalent industrially-viable alternative. However, rising energy costs and urgent needs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions demand improvements in the energy efficiency of separation processes, globally. This can be achieved by tuning the dynamics of the evolving two-phase dispersion on column trays via design modification and revamping. Thus, it becomes necessary to understand how the two phases evolve over the tray and how they link to tray efficiency for given tray designs, systems and operating conditions. Only then, the cost and energy reduction can be achieved by strategically iterating the tray design and revamps with respect to the resulting tray efficiency. To pursue this strategy, accurate prediction of the separation efficiency based on flow and mixing patterns on the trays is an important prerequisite. In this thesis, the mathematical models relying on flow and mixing patterns for predicting the tray efficiencies were reviewed. These models were developed based on the analyses of two-phase flow, crossflow hydraulics and mass transfer over the trays. Several limitations in the existing models were identified that could lead to inaccurate tray efficiency predictions. First, the conventional models do not account for any variation in the local two-phase flow in their formulation. These models rather consider a homogeneous flow scenario based on flow monitoring at the tray boundaries only, which indicates a black box efficiency estimation. Second, the existing models do not consider any vapor flow maldistribution, which can be detrimental to the tray efficiency. In response to these limitations, a new model based on refinement of the conventional residence time distribution (RTD) model (referred to as the ‘Refined RRTD model’) was proposed. The new model involves geometric partitioning of the tray into compartments along the flow path length, which permits computing the tray efficiency through quantification of the efficiency of the individual compartments. The proposed model ensures that the fluid dynamics of each compartment contribute towards the overall tray efficiency, which specifically targets the black box prediction of the tray efficiency by the conventional models. The tray discretization further aids in analyzing the impact of vapor flow maldistribution on the tray efficiency. In the initial assessment, the new model capabilities were demonstrated in appropriate case studies after theoretical validation of the model for the limiting cases of the two-phase flows. For the experimental validation of the new model, a full hydrodynamic and mass transfer description of the two-phase dispersion specific to the tray operation is indispensable. Because of the inherently complex dispersion characteristics, significant advancements in the imaging and efficiency modeling methods were required. In this thesis, a DN800 column simulator equipped with two sieve trays (each with 13.55% fractional free area) was used with air and tap water as the working fluids. Deionized water was used as a tracer. The gas loadings in the column in terms of F-factor were 1.77 Pa0.5 and 2.05 Pa0.5, whereas the weir loadings were 2.15 m3m-1h-1, 4.30 m3m-1h-1 and 6.45 m3m-1h-1. An advanced multiplex flow profiler comprising 776 dual-tip conductivity probes for simultaneous conductivity measurements was introduced for hydrodynamic characterization. The spatial resolution of the profiler based on the inter-probe distance was 21 mm × 24 mm, whereas the temporal resolution was 5000 Hz. The design characteristics of the new profiler, electronic scheme, measurement principle, reference framework, and data processing schemes are explained in detail. By analyzing the two-phase dispersion data gathered by the profiler at multiple elevations above the tray, the effective froth height distributions were obtained for the first time based on a newly proposed approach. Uniform froth heights were seen over the majority of the tray deck, whereas both minimum and maximum froth heights were detected immediately after the tray inlet. Based on threshold-based calculation (accompanied by γ-ray CT scans), 3D time-averaged liquid holdup distributions were visualized for the first time, too. Homogeneous liquid holdup distributions were observed at multiple elevations above the deck with the highest holdups occurring near the average effective froth heights. The detailed flow and mixing patterns of the liquid in the two-phase dispersion were retrieved via tracer monitoring. With respect to tray centerline, axisymmetric liquid flow and mixing patterns were detected with parabolic velocity distributions near the tray inlet. The liquid velocities over the remaining tray deck were nearly uniform for the prescribed loadings. Eventually, the RRTD model was applied by discretizing the tray geometrically, and accordingly employing the available hydrodynamic data. The conventional models often applied in the literature were also evaluated with the new model. For evaluating the model predictions, a new system add-on for the existing air-water column facility was proposed for direct efficiency measurements. The air-led stripping of isobutyl acetate from the aqueous solution is a safe and viable approach that overcomes numerous limitations posed by the existing chemical systems. Based on liquid sampling at different tray locations, the liquid concentration distributions were obtained at each operating condition via UV spectroscopy. The tray and point efficiencies as well as stripping factors were calculated from those distributions. Because of the low liquid diffusivity and high liquid backmixing, low efficiencies were observed at the given loadings. The model predictions were consistent with the experimental counterparts (even for the extrapolated values of the involved parameters), because of the uniform liquid flow and mixing in the compartments. For the given predictions, those corresponding to the new RRTD model were the most accurate. Additional hydrodynamic and efficiency data are needed for more conclusive evidence regarding the promise of the RRTD model.

The wind power prediction plays a vital role in a wind power project both during the planning and operational phase of a project. A time series based wind power prediction model is introduced and the simulations are run for different case studies. The prediction model works based on the input from 1) nearby representative wind measuring station 2) Global average wind speed value from Meteorological Institute Uppsala University mesoscale model (MIUU) 3) Power curve of the wind turbine. The measured wind data is normalized to minimize the variation in the wind speed and multiplied with the MIUU to get a distributed wind speed. The distributed wind speed is then used to interpolate the wind power with the help of the power curve of the wind turbine. The interpolated wind power is then compared with the Actual Production Data (APD) to validate the prediction model. The simulation results show that the model works fairly predicting the Annual Energy Production (AEP) on monthly averages for all sites but the model could not follow the APD trend on all cases. The sensitivity analysis shows that the variation in production does not depend on ’the variation in roughness class’ nor ’the difference in distance between the measuring station and the wind farm’. The thesis has been concluded from the results that the model works fairly predicting the AEP for all cases within the variation bounds. The accuracy of the model has been validated only for monthly averages since the APD was available only on monthly averages. But the accuracy could be increased based on future work, to assess the Power law exponent (a) parameter for different terrain and validate the model for different time scales provided if the APD is available on different time scales.

Dissertation thesis deals with issue stimulation remuneration system for employees of workers profession. Empiric research is focused on situation in the field of remuneration for employees in custom engineering companies acting in the Czech Republic. The final facts from both research are the starting point for creating predictive model. The model offers two main possibilities how to reward workers. It allows settings for each specific company and shows the impact of both chosen system and its settings on financial economy of company.