Geotechnical monitoring (GTM) is an essential part of the observation method. In the principle it is the measurement and monitoring of preselected magnitudes – their changing values in the course of the constructing process and their partial evaluation. On the measured values basis the correctness of designed structures and technological processes is verified, optionally new technical and organizational measures are adopted in order to guarantee the continuous and safe constructing course. The main goal of the dissertation is to analyze the current state of the problematics and evaluate the methods of GTM in underground structures with low overburden, including suggestions and recommendations for procedures. In the framework of knowledge, practical experience and data analysis, the basic types and procedures of monitoring elements of underground structures with low overburden will be defined.

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Contexte : La littérature suggère que le virus du papillome humain (VPH) puisse être transmis verticalement. Or, le mécanisme exact de transmission verticale demeure inconnu et les données ne permettent pas de savoir dans quelle mesure la transmission verticale est affectée par le mode d’accouchement. L’objectif de l’étude était de mesurer l’association entre le mode d’accouchement et la détection d’ADN du VPH chez les bébés. Méthode : Nous avons utilisé les données de 1052 femmes enceintes de la cohorte HERITAGE. Des échantillons vaginaux auto-collectés ont été obtenus chez les mères durant la grossesse, et des échantillons des muqueuses de la bouche, la gorge, les yeux et de la région anogénitale ont été collectés chez les bébés à la naissance et à 3 mois. Nous avons inclus les 282 femmes ayant eu un test VPH positif au premier et troisième trimestre de grossesse. Tous les échantillons ont été analysés pour la détection d’ADN du VPH par la méthode de réaction de polymérase en chaîne (PCR) avec le test Linear ArrayMC. Les informations sur l’accouchement ont été collectées dans les dossiers médicaux. L’association entre le mode d’accouchement et la transmission verticale du VPH a été mesurée par régressions logistiques. Résultats : La probabilité de transmission verticale du VPH a été de 8,9% (25/282), soit 3,7% (3/81) pour les césariennes et 10,9% (22/201) pour les accouchements vaginaux. Chez 21 des 25 enfants positifs au VPH (84%), il y avait au moins un génotype concordant avec leur mère, et tous sont nés par accouchement vaginal. Une augmentation significative du risque de transmission verticale du VPH a été observée pour l’accouchement vaginal, en comparaison avec la césarienne (OR ajusté: 3,63, intervalles de confiance à 95% (IC 95%): 1,03-12,82). Nous n’avons pas observé d’association significative entre la césarienne suivant la rupture des membranes et le risque de transmission, lorsque comparé avec la césarienne avec membranes intactes (OR ajusté : 1,31, IC 95% : 0,10-17,76). Il n’y a pas eu d’association entre la durée écoulée entre la rupture des membranes et la naissance (en heures continues) et le risque de transmission verticale (OR : 1,00, IC 95% : 0,97-1,02). Conclusion : L’accouchement par césarienne a été associé à un risque significativement plus faible de transmission du VPH chez les bébés. La transmission verticale du VPH surviendrait principalement lors du passage dans le canal vaginal car très peu d’enfants nés par césarienne ont été infectés au VPH. Puisque la rupture des membranes avant la césarienne et la durée entre la rupture des membranes et la naissance n’ont pas été associées à un risque de transmission du VPH plus élevé, nos résultats suggèrent que la transmission par infection ascendante après rupture des membranes est probablement rare. / Background: The literature suggests that human papillomavirus (HPV) can be transmitted vertically. However, the exact mechanism of vertical transmission remains unknown and the data do not allow us to know to what extent vertical transmission is affected by the mode of delivery. The aim of the study was to measure the association between mode of delivery and the detection of HPV DNA in infants. Method: We used data from 1052 pregnant women from the HERITAGE cohort. Self-collected vaginal samples were obtained from mothers during pregnancy, and specimens from the mucous membranes of the mouth, throat, eyes and anogenital region were collected from infants at birth and at 3 months. We included 282 women who had both positive HPV tests in the first and third trimester of pregnancy. All samples were analyzed for detection of HPV DNA by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method with the Linear ArrayTM assay. Information about the delivery was collected from medical records. The association between the mode of delivery and HPV detection in infants was measured using logistic regressions. Results: The probability of transmission of HPV was 8.9% (25/282); 3.7% (3/81) for caesarean sections and 10.9% (22/201) for vaginal deliveries. In 21 of 25 HPV positive infants (84%), there was at least one genotype concordant with their mother, and all were born vaginally. A significant increase in the risk of transmission of HPV was observed for vaginal delivery, compared to caesarean section (adjusted OR: 3.63, 95% confidence intervals (95% CI): 1.03-12.82). We found no significant increase in the risk of HPV transmission for caesarean section following rupture of membranes, compared to caesarean section with intact membranes (adjusted OR: 1.31, 95% CI: 0.10-17.76). There was no association between the time between rupture of membranes and birth (in continuous hours) and the risk of vertical transmission (OR: 1.00, 95% CI: 0.97-1.02). Conclusion: Caesarean delivery is associated with a significantly lower risk of HPV vertical transmission. Vertical transmission is thought to occur mainly during passage through the vaginal canal, because very few infants born by caesarean section have been infected with HPV. Since rupture of membranes before caesarean section and the time between ruptured membranes and birth have not been associated with a higher risk of HPV transmission, our results suggest that transmission by ascending infection after rupture of membranes is unlikely.

The contemporary imperative of sustainable development has established an unprecedented degree of urgency, in view of the intransigent challenges posed by the persistent and ever-increasing energy and climate crises. In 2019, the Swedish building industry accounted for 21% of the nation’s total greenhouse gas emissions, with the structural framework of a building contributing to 34% of its overall emissions. In response to climate change and the housing demand caused by a growing population, sustainable construction solutions are needed. By substituting steel beams with timber beams, the carbon emissions caused by the building industry can be reduced significantly. This study investigates whether timber based, or steel-reinforced timber beams can provide comparable load-bearing capacity to steel beams while reducing carbon. How this impacts the cross-sectional height of the beams is also taken into consideration. Different load-bearing properties were calculated according to Eurocode using Excel for all the surveyed beams. The carbon emissions were calculated based on the weight of each beam combined with climate data obtained from the Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning. Findings suggest that timber-based beams made from glulam or laminated veneer lumber exhibit moment capacity and bending stiffness on par with those of steel beams while reducing the carbon emissions drastically, but at the cost of increased cross-section height. Steel beams were identified as the main source of carbon emissions. Consequently, also making steelreinforced timber beams only marginally successful in reducing carbon emissions if at all.

Der vorliegende Beitrag befasst sich – motiviert vom Detail des monolithischen Anschlusspunktes der Stützen an den Überbau semi-integraler Brücken und den damit einhergehenden Besonderheiten für den Entwurf – mit der Thematik der verformungsinduzierten Rissbildung und ihren Einflussfaktoren. Anhand zweier Versuchsreihen wird der Einfluss der geometrischen Querschnittsparameter (Bewehrungsgrad, Bewehrungsumfang und Anzahl der Bewehrungslagen) auf die Rissbildung infolge Zwangsverformung untersucht.

[pt] Neste presente trabalho, o Método do Casamento de Modos é aplicado na análise e no projeto de estruturas coaxiais. A estrutura de excitação é um dos pontos críticos do projeto de antenas do tipo discone quando se pretende explorar suas características de banda larga. Seções não uniformes de guias de ondas coaxiais são usualmente utilizadas como elementos dessa estrutura de excitação sendo, eventualmente, necessária a inclusão de anéis dielétricos para garantir a rigidez mecânica da antena. Devido a essas não uniformidades encontradas nas dimensões e no meio dielétrico desse dispositivo de microondas, métodos numéricos serão utilizados na predição do seu comportamento eletromagnético. O correto dimensionamento desses anéis e das descontinuidades de guias de onda coaxiais que compõe a estrutura de alimentação, permite estabelecer um compromisso entre minimização das perdas, alargamento da banda passante e rigidez mecânica. Associados ao Método do Casamento de Modos serão utilizados algoritmos de otimização que farão o ajuste das dimensões dessas seções de guias de onda coaxiais não uniformes, visando à minimização da perda de retorno e o aumento da banda de operação da antena. Finalmente, será feito o estudo de algumas estruturas de excitação, onde serão otimizados seus desempenhos para a perda de retorno. / [en] In this present work, the Mode Matching technique is applied in the analysis and project of coaxial structures. The feed junction is one of the critical points of the project of discone antennas when broadband performance is expected. Usually, these junctions are composed of nonuniform sections of coaxial waveguide and, to guarantee the necessary mechanical rigidity of the structure, some sections are filled with dielectric material. The project of these feed junctions requires a compromise between frequency band, compact structure, minimal losses, and mechanical rigidity. Due to the discontinuities, numerical methods are used to predict the electromagnetic behavior. Here, Mode Matching technique associated with an optimization algorithm is employed in the adjustment of the dimensions of the coaxial waveguide sections, seeking the minimization of the return loss and the enlargement of the antenna bandwidth. Several types of junctions are explored and their performance is compared.

The aim of this doctoral thesis is the research of the plan curved footbridges with the deck supported by arch. The research is preceded by the survey of present findings about arch structures with upper deck. The summary of reasons and difficulties of design of plan curved structures follows. The appropriate approach for design of plan curved structure is searched on the basis of methods for design of straight structure. The design of arch which is subjected to minimal bending moments is emphasised. At first, the structure is designed in the same way as straight structure and the limit plan curvature (for which the method is not suitable anymore) is sought. Then the approach based on method of inversion of suspended cable is examined and adapted for designing of plan curved arch geometry. The approach is thoroughly analysed through calculation model and experimentally verified on physical model in scale 1:10. The process of design, construction and testing of the physical model is described in detail. Measured deformations and stresses are compared with expected behaviour based on numerical analysis. The comparison proves good correlation between calculation and measurement, as well as high load bearing capacity of the structure.

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Since the default of Lehman Brothers in 2008, it has become increasingly important to measure, manage and price the default risk in financial derivatives. Default risk in financial derivatives is referred to as counterparty credit risk (CCR). The price of CCR is captured in Credit Valuation Adjustment (CVA). This adjustment should in principle always enter the valuation of a derivative traded over-the-counter (OTC). To calculate CVA, one needs to know the probability of default of the counterparty. Since CVA is a price, what one needs is the risk-neutral probability of default. The typical way of obtaining risk-neutral default probabilities is to build credit curves calibrated using Credit Default Swaps (CDS). However, for a majority of a bank's counterparties there are no CDSs liquidly traded. This constitutes a major challenge. How does one model the risk-neutral default probability in the absence of observable CDS spreads? A number of methods for constructing proxy credit curves have been proposed previously. A particularly popular choice is the so-called Nomura (or cross-section) model. In studying this model, we find some weaknesses, which in some instances lead to degenerate proxy credit curves. In this thesis we propose an altered model, where the modelling quantity is changed from the CDS spread to the hazard rate. This ensures that the obtained proxy curves are valid by construction. We find that in practice, the Nomura model in many cases gives degenerate proxy credit curves. We find no such issues for the altered model. In some cases, we see that the differences between the models are minor. The conclusion is that the altered model is a better choice since it is theoretically sound and robust. / Sedan Lehman Brothers konkurs 2008 har det blivit allt viktigare att mäta, hantera och prissätta kreditrisken i finansiella derivat. Kreditrisk i finansiella derivat benämns ofta motpartsrisk (CCR). Priset på motpartsrisk fångas i kreditvärderingsjustering (CVA). Denna justering bör i princip alltid ingå i värderingen av ett derivat som handlas över disk (eng. over-the-counter, OTC). För att beräkna CVA behöver man veta sannolikheten för fallissemang (konkurs) hos motparten. Eftersom CVA är ett pris, behöver man den riskneutrala sannolikheten för fallissemang. Det typiska tillvägagångsättet för att erhålla riskneutrala sannolikheter är att bygga kreditkurvor kalibrerade med hjälp av kreditswappar (CDS:er). För en majoritet av en banks motparter finns emellertid ingen likvid handel i CDS:er. Detta utgör en stor utmaning. Hur ska man modellera riskneutrala fallissemangssannolikheter vid avsaknad av observerbara CDS-spreadar? Ett antal metoder för att konstruera proxykreditkurvor har föreslagits tidigare. Ett särskilt populärt val är den så kallade Nomura- (eller cross-section) modellen. När vi studerar denna modell hittar vi ett par svagheter, som i vissa fall leder till degenererade proxykreditkurvor. I den här uppsatsen föreslår vi en förändrad modell, där den modellerade kvantiteten byts från CDS-spreaden till riskfrekvensen (eng. hazard rate). Därmed säkerställs att de erhållna proxykurvorna är giltiga, per konstruktion. Vi finner att Nomura-modellen i praktiken i många fall ger degenererade proxykreditkurvor. Vi finner inga sådana problem för den förändrade modellen. I andra fall ser vi att skillnaderna mellan modellerna är små. Slutsatsen är att den förändrade modellen är ett bättre val eftersom den är teoretiskt sund och robust.