Denna studie beskriver effekterna beträffande överlevnad och tillväxt hos gran (Picea abeis L. Karst) vid tillsats av superabsorbent Luquasorb 1280R i samband med plantering under olika betingelser. Plantor i form av täckrot och barrot studerades. Tillsats av superabsorbent visade sig ha en positiv inverkan på de studerade parametrarna i jämförelse med referensmaterial utan tillsats av superabsorbent. Detta visade sig särskilt vid extremförsök under tak utan tillgång till vattentillförsel under försöksperioden, förutom vattentillsats i samband med plantering. / This study describes the effects concerning survival and growth of Norway spruce seedelings (Picea abeis L. Karst) by addition of superabsorbent Luquasorb 1280R in connection with planting under differnt conditions. Container seedlings and bare-root seedlings were studied. The addition of superabsorbent showed a positive influence regarding the studied parameters in comparision with reference material without the addition of superabsorbent. This was most obvious at the the extreme test under roof without access to additional water during the test period, except water added in connection with planting.

In this work were considered the maxima and minima structures. Where number of value is random and is distributed by negative binomial distribution. There were theorems that were improved in this work, that helped to find the limit distribute function of this standard structures. These theorems generalize propositions, when set size is geometric random number. Also, there was the concrete distribution analysis done and such distributions were chosen: exponential, general logistic and uniform.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

Disertacijoje aprašomas metodas, sukurtas vertinti ypatingųjų poveikių statiniams keliamą riziką. Darbe pateikti trys šio metodo taikymo pavyzdžiai. Disertaciją sudaro įvadas, penki skyriai, išvados, literatūros šaltiniai, autoriaus publikacijų sąrašas ir penki priedai. Pirmajame skyriuje apžvelgiama mokslinė literatūra, kurioje tiriami rizikos vertinimo metodai ir aptariama jų taikymo konstrukcijoms skaičiuoti galimybė. Pateikiama trumpa ypatingųjų poveikių klasifikacija bei konstrukcijų, kurias jie gali paveikti, pažeidžiamumo modeliavimas. Antrajame skyriuje aprašomas metodas, sukurtas ypatingųju poveikių keliamų konstrukcijų pažaidų tikimybėms vertinti. Metodas derina statybinių konstrukcijų patikimumo teorijos ir Bajeso statistinės teorijos priemones. Jis gali būti taikomas tiek projektuojant konstrukcijas, tiek vertinant pramoninių objektų riziką. Trečiajame skyriuje aprašoma, kaip taikyti siūlomą metodą vertinant medinėms konstrukcijoms keliamą gaisro riziką. Ta rizika išreiškiama gaisro pažeistos konstrukcijos suirimo tikimybe, kuri yra vertinama apriorine ir aposteriorine tankio funkcijomis, skaiciuojamomis Bajeso statistinės teorijos priemonėmis. Šiame skyriuje nagrinėjama medinė gaisro veikiama pramoninio pastato stogo konstrukcijos sija. Gaisro poveikis modeliuojamas maža statistine gaisro charakteristikų imtimi. Ketvirtajame skyriuje pateiktas siūlomo metodo taikymas projektuojant sprogimo veikiamą apsauginį barjerą. Atsižvelgiama i barjero elementų mechaninio... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The dissertation presents a method developed for assessing the risk to constructed facilities posed by accidental actions. The proposed method is applied to the analysis of structures subjected to accidental actions induced by fire, explosion and extreme wind. The dissertation consists of introduction, five chapters, conclusions, lists of references and papers published by the author of the dissertation, as well as five annexes. Chapter 1 presents a review of published work on the assessment of risk to structures and non-structural property posed by accidental actions. The review covers general aspects of risk assessment and application of risk analysis tools to the analysis and design of structures. The core of the review is an application of Bayesian methods, which prevail in the field of risk assessment, to a risk-based structural analysis. Chapter 2 proposes a method developed for the assessment of damage to structures from accidental actions. This method combines structural analysis with Bayesian handling of information related to accidental actions and response of structures to these actions. The method allows to estimate probabilities of the damage to structures caused by accidental actions. Chapter 3 deals with an application of the proposed method to the estimation of fire risk to structures. It is shown how to apply this method to the estimation of failure probability of a timber beam damaged by fire in an industrial building. This chapter shows how to handle... [to full text]

Le Pronostic et l'étude de l'état de santé (en anglais Prognostics and Health Management (PHM)) vise à étendre le cycle de vie d'un actif physique, tout en réduisant les coûts d'exploitation et de maintenance. Pour cette raison, le pronostic est considéré comme un processus clé avec des capacités de prédictions. En effet, des estimations précises de la durée de vie avant défaillance d'un équipement, Remaining Useful Life (RUL), permettent de mieux définir un plan d'actions visant à accroître la sécurité, réduire les temps d'arrêt, assurer l'achèvement de la mission et l'efficacité de la production. Des études récentes montrent que les approches guidées par les données sont de plus en plus appliquées pour le pronostic de défaillance. Elles peuvent être considérées comme des modèles de type " boite noire " pour l'étude du comportement du système directement à partir des données de surveillance d'état, pour définir l'état actuel du system et prédire la progression future de défauts. Cependant, l'approximation du comportement des machines critiques est une tâche difficile qui peut entraîner des mauvais pronostics. Pour la compréhension de la modélisation de pronostic guidé par les données, on considère les points suivants. 1) Comment traiter les données brutes de surveillance pour obtenir des caractéristiques appropriées reflétant l'évolution de la dégradation ? 2) Comment distinguer les états de dégradation et définir des critères de défaillance (qui peuvent varier d'un cas à un autre)? 3) Comment être sûr que les modèles définis seront assez robustes pour montrer une performance stable avec des entrées incertaines s'écartant des expériences acquises, et seront suffisamment fiables pour intégrer des données inconnues (c'est à dire les conditions de fonctionnement, les variations de l'ingénierie, etc.)? 4) Comment réaliser facilement une intégration sous des contraintes et des exigences industrielles? Ces questions sont des problèmes abordés dans cette thèse. Elles ont conduit à développer une nouvelle approche allant au-delà des limites des méthodes classiques de pronostic guidé par les données. Les principales contributions sont les suivantes. <br>- L'étape de traitement des données est améliorée par l'introduction d'une nouvelle approche d'extraction des caractéristiques à l'aide de fonctions trigonométriques et cumulatives qui sont basées sur trois caractéristiques : la monotonie, la "trendability" et la prévisibilité. L'idée principale de ce développement est de transformer les données brutes en indicateur qui améliorent la précision des prévisions à long terme. <br>- Pour tenir compte de la robustesse, la fiabilité et l'applicabilité, un nouvel algorithme de prédiction est proposé: Summation Wavelet-Extreme Learning Machine (SWELM). Le SW-ELM assure de bonnes performances de prédiction, tout en réduisant le temps d'apprentissage. Un ensemble de SW-ELM est également proposé pour quantifier l'incertitude et améliorer la précision des estimations. <br>- Les performances du pronostic sont également renforcées grâce à la proposition d'un nouvel algorithme d'évaluation de la santé: Subtractive-Maximum Entropy Fuzzy Clustering (S-MEFC). S-MEFC est une approche de classification non supervisée qui utilise l'inférence de l'entropie maximale pour représenter l'incertitude de données multidimensionnelles. Elle peut automatiquement déterminer le nombre d'états, sans intervention humaine. <br>- Le modèle de pronostic final est obtenu en intégrant le SW-ELM et le S-MEFC pour montrer l'évolution de la dégradation de la machine avec des prédictions simultanées et l'estimation d'états discrets. Ce programme permet également de définir dynamiquement les seuils de défaillance et d'estimer le RUL des machines surveillées. Les développements sont validés sur des données réelles à partir de trois plates-formes expérimentales: PRONOSTIA FEMTO-ST (banc d'essai des roulements), CNC SIMTech (Les fraises d'usinage), C-MAPSS NASA (turboréacteurs) et d'autres données de référence. En raison de la nature réaliste de la stratégie d'estimation du RUL proposée, des résultats très prometteurs sont atteints. Toutefois, la perspective principale de ce travail est d'améliorer la fiabilité du modèle de pronostic.

This paper is a study of the aspects that are important to consider when designing an unobtrusive interaction for wearable devices in the area of extreme sports. The work is based on an analytical study of seemly-unrelated areas with the common facet that they all call for an unobtrusive interaction in their devices. The findings of the analysis conclude that it is necessary a change of direction in the design because it is not possible to design an unobtrusive interaction that relies on active manipulation. Activity theory and affective computing present theoretical principles with the potential to be used as a framework for HCI and solve the mentioned issues. Finally, I design the user interface of a specific case in the areas of mountain biking and skiing to use it as design-oriented research. An essential aspect of this case is the use of expert feedback and video simulations to drive the design process. Another important point is the definition of the situations and variables that will be observed by the system to adapt itself so it is able to continue being unobtrusive and helpful through the changes.

The purpose of this thesis is to contribute to New Product Development-literature by expanding the analysis of the R&amp;D-manufacturing interface in complex product development in three areas, i.e. the outsourcing of manufacturing, uncertainty and time-criticality, and field service. The thesis focuses on interface challenges and solutions which concern three questions: How does the level of outsourcing of manufacturing affect the management of the R&amp;Dmanufacturing interface in complex product development? How does the presence of uncertainty and time-criticality affect the management of the R&amp;Dmanufacturing interface in complex product development? How does the need to consider field service requirements affect the management of the R&amp;Dmanufacturing interface in complex product development? The background and point of departure is the realization that there are three areas which influence the management of the important, dynamic interface between R&amp;D and manufacturing. First, the level of outsourcing of manufacturing is increasing in many industries, which makes it even more demanding to manage the R&amp;D-manufacturing interface in complex product development. Second, complex product development may also be characterized by uncertainty and time-criticality, and previous research indicates that these factors need to be handled differently. Third, it is increasingly important to consider not only R&amp;D and manufacturing, but also field service requirements. The research methodology rests on a multiple case study approach where the main case used in this thesis is an extreme case in terms of uncertainty, R&amp;D intensity and volume levels, i.e. Micronic Laser Systems. The main findings of the thesis revolve around the identification of the challenges and solutions involved in complex product development. Based on five research papers, the thesis identifies challenges associated with each of the three research questions, and all challenges identified revolve around how to identify and understand conflicting requirements, to establish an understanding of changing prerequisites and their implications, and to ensure active involvement and a certain degree of competence overlap between organizational functions (internal as well as external). The solutions identified for handling these challenges have one thing in common, namely a focus on achieving controlled responsiveness and flexibility based on an understanding of tradeoffs, interaction, and informed decision-making. These solutions differ from those prescribed in conventional product development literature which tends to focus on upfront planning techniques and how to follow plans. The findings may be of value to a variety of managers in different environments, in particular for project managers who are involved in complex product development. The main reason is that this kind of product development exhibits challenges and solutions different from those described in conventional literature on new product development, at least in cases where there is some degree of uncertainty.

The physicality of sports and outdoor life offers great opportunities for intensive experiences – participants ”feel” the happening in their bodies. As well as looking upon physical activity mainly as something instrumental, as for example in competitive sports and exercise culture, other aspects can also be central, for instance the pure joy of movement. The existential or expressive side of physical activity is examined in this doctoral thesis. In order to study such experiential quality more thoroughly, the author’s attention turns to adventure sports participants, as they appear to have a capacity for becoming highly involved and seeking very intense experiences. Who is involved in adventure sports? Why are they engaged in a sport that demands such great hardships and risk-taking? What do they get out of it? The overall objective of the thesis is to shed light on adventure sports as a practice and to discuss the educational significance of flow and other experiential qualities in adventure sports and in schools. The analyses are based on three empirical sub-studies. The first began with a questionnaire that 161 adventure sports participants responded to. This was followed by an interview study of eleven men and three women, all of whom had extensive experience in adventure sports. The categories of sport were evenly divided between climbing, off-piste skiing and hang gliding. In the second sub-study a detailed investigation of climbing was carried out. A notable sportification has brought about a very clear and interesting change in parts of this activity. Six traditional/adventure climbers and six sport climbers were interviewed, of which half were men and half women. All the climbers were experienced and very much involved in their sport. The aim of the third sub-study was to seek an answer as to whether pupils have experiences in their daily school life that are similar to those of adventure sports participants. An ESM (Experience Sampling Method) investigation was carried out with 60 pupils in compulsory school year nine (corresponding to UK schools’ year eleven) from four different schools. The pupils’ parents answered a special parent questionnaire including questions about academic and professional backgrounds, living conditions, habits, interests, attitudes and leisure time activities. The results were analysed taking into consideration the phenomenological perspective and structuralistic or more correctly expressed the cultural sociological perspective. Mihály Csikszentmihályi’s theoretical argument on optimal experiences, which in turn is based on the flow concept, constitutes the phenomenological foundation. Pierre Bourdieu’s concept apparatus and theories were used to closely examine the participants’ backgrounds, life histories and current living situations. The study shows that a preference for adventure sports is clearly linked to the participants’ backgrounds and earlier life experiences. A behavioural pattern is incorporated and developed into an embodied capacity to master a practice, a result of a long learning process. Participants were clearly concordant in these respects. Participants emphasise the abundant opportunities for intensive experiences that arise from adventure sports. It is a matter of something multidimentional: the active body, outdoor life in natural surroundings, exacting and clear goals, total focus, and about exercising control. This approach presents a model for identification of content qualities, which together create the dynamics that form the meaningful rewards that result from participation in adventure sports. The dimensions include flow experiences, but also go beyond them. The deep sense of presence, the physical involvement, the fact that they can choose the path and increase the degree of difficulty themselves – and simultaneously counter this new challenge with increased capacity so that they are engaged at the ”right level” – also provide favourable conditions for a stimulating and successful learning experience. The observation was made that it was primarily in the practical and aesthetic subjects that school pupils had the same deep feeling of presence together with a meaningful and pleasurable holistic experience as the adventure sports participants had. Here they were actively involved with their hands or with their whole bodies, and they could make their own choices and be in control of the activity, which for most pupils led to a strong feeling of satisfaction.

Agile Software Development has gained popularity with their people centric view and their common practices for developing software in today&rsquo / s volatile business world where change on requirements is unavoidable. However / the efficiency of the project depends on the communication and the collaboration of the team, which are supported by the co-location of the team. But in some cases colocation of the team cannot be realized, thus agile processes should also support distributed teams. This point was observed by Kircher, Jain, Corsaro, and Levine [31] and they suggested Distributed eXtreme Programming (DXP) after they prepared a study using offthe- shelf software products in order to replace the effect of face-toface communication on the efficiency of the application of agile processes with the aid gathered from tool support. In this study some available tool support for distributed agile software development is investigated and a tool is developed and presented in order to support software configuration management as well as increasing collaboration and communication of the team. The tool is then evaluated from a user&rsquo / s perspective and it is compared with some available software configuration management tools.

自從90年代以來，許多機構因為金融商品的操縱不當或是金融風暴的衝擊數度造成全球金融市場的動盪，使得風險管理的重要性與日俱增，而量化風險模型的準確性也益受重視，基於財務資料的相關性質如異質變異、厚尾現象等，本文主要結合AR(1)-GARCH(1,1)模型、極值理論、copula函數三種模型應用在風險值的估算，且將報酬分配的假設區分為三類，一是無母數模型的歷史模擬法，二是基於常態分配假設下考量隨機波動度的有母數模型，三是利用歷史資料配適尾端分配的極值理論法來對聯電、鴻海、國泰金、中鋼四檔個股和台幣兌美元、日圓兌美元、英鎊兌美元三種外匯資料作一日風險值、十日風險值、組合風險值的測試。 實證結果發現，在一日風險值方面，95%信賴水準下以動態風險值方法表現相對較好，99%信賴水準下動態極值理論法和動態歷史模擬法皆有不錯的估計效果；就十日風險值而言，因為未來十日資產的報酬可能受到特定事件影響，所以估計上較為困難，整體看來在99%信賴水準下以條件GPD＋蒙地卡羅模擬的表現相對較理想；以組合風險值來說， copula、Clayton copula+GPD marginals模擬股票或外匯組合的聯合分配不論在95%或99%信賴水準下對其風險值的估計都獲得最好的結果；雖然台灣個股股價受到上下漲跌幅7%的限制，台幣兌美元的匯率也受到央行的干涉，但以極值理論來描述資產尾端的分配情形相較於假設其他兩種分配仍有較好的估計效果。