In recent years, companies such as Amazon and DHL have started to develop alternative last-mile delivery options because of the growing trend in e-commerce. Last-mile deliveries refer to the terminal to customer deliveries and have become increasingly challenging to manage, as traffic congestions in cities has risen. Therefore, companies have begun searching for alternative delivery methods, such as autonomous drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The purpose of this thesis is to investigate drones in the current literature on last-mile delivery. First, by conducting a systematic literature review on the current literature available in two major databases. Second, by analyzing the collected literature sample and presenting it through a descriptive analysis focusing on bibliometrics and a thematic analysis that identifies emerging themes for drivers for drones’ application in last-mile delivery, barriers for drones’ application in last-mile delivery, and approaches for implementing drones in last-mile delivery.                        Drones’ application in last-mile delivery has the potential to reduce cost, decrease delivery time, reduce emissions, and reduce energy consumption. However, barriers that hinder the implementation, such as governmental regulations, need further consideration for the implementation to occur. Some evident gaps can be found related to the barriers. Both managers and researchers might find the thesis useful, as it provides a holistic view on the subject, with theoretical, managerial, and societal implications being presented.

Syftet med studien är att undersöka vilka faktorer som påverkar konsumenternas val av leveransalternativ och varför dessa blir avgörande i konsumenternas sista milen val. Enligt tidigare forskning är sista milen leveranserna e-handelns minst hållbara del men som samtidigt också har störst potential att förändras till att bli mer hållbar. Något som kan ske genom olika påverkansfaktorer vilket kan få konsumenter att välja hållbart. En mix av kvalitativa metoder används vilken innehåller tre olika delstudier - skrivbordsstudie, semistrukturerade intervjuer och fokusgrupper. Studien genomförs inom e-handelsområdet i Sverige. Resultatet visar att ett antal faktorer blir avgörande för konsumenternas hållbara val i SML, varav kunskap och information ses som den främsta bristen vilken måste förbättras. Resultatet visar även på motstridigheter mellan teori, företag och konsumenter. Studien visar då på att konsumenterna inte besitter den hållbarhetsprioriteringen som teorin påstår. Detsamma gäller för företagen där endast 20 företag av de 100 främsta e-handelsföretagen i Sverige erbjuder ett hållbart leveransalternativ i SML. Det framgår ur studien att det krävs mer, tydligare och lättförståddinformation kring hållbarheten i SML. Däremot behöver denna information kommuniceras före, under och efter konsumentens köp. / The purpose of the study is to examine which factors influence consumers’ choice of delivery alternatives and why these factors become decisive in consumer’ last mile choices. According to previous research, last mile deliveries are the least sustainable part of the e-commerce, but at the same time also have the greatest potential to become more sustainable. That can happen through various influencing factors which can get consumers to make sustainable choices. A mix of qualitative methods is used, which contains three different sub-studies - a desktop study, semi-structured interviews and focus groups. The study is carried out in the e-commerce business area in Sweden. Our findings reveal that a number of factors is decisive for consumers’ sustainable choices in SML, of which knowledge and information is seen as the main factor which must be improved. The findings also show contradictions between the theory, the companies and the consumers. The consumers do not possess the priority of sustainability that the theory claims they have. The same applies to the companies where only 20 companies out of the top 100 in the Swedish e-commerce offer a sustainable delivery alternative in SML. The study shows that more, clearer and information that is easier to understand regarding the sustainability of SML is required. On the contrary, this information needs to be communicated before, during and after the consumer's purchase. This thesis is written in Swedish.

Climate has historically been recognized as an influence on sediment flux and deposition. The North American Monsoon is suggested as the forcing mechanism of deltaic progradational events of the Rio Grande River delta. Interpretations of reflection seismic profiles reveal that eustatic rise in sea-level from the Last Glacial Maximum to present is accompanied by several regressional events of the Rio Grande delta 5.5, 9.5, and 11.5 ka BP. Much of the migration of depositional facies within a delta system is forced by hinterland tectonics and base-level rise and fall. However, we suggest that the movement of facies within the Rio Grande delta system represent climate forcing as the most dominant influence on sediment deposition during this short time period. While dominance of climate influence is possible, the sensitivity of an increase in monsoon precipitation and its effect on sediment flux has not yet been tested. We test monsoonal effects using relationships between sediment flux, river discharge, and precipitation. Heavy water management and withdrawal and complexity of precipitation timing and events within the region make the relationship between precipitation and sediment flux difficult to quantify using modern data sources. Therefore, it is necessary to numerically simulate stream discharge to test potential sensitivities of the system to monsoonal precipitation using a stream discharge model. Precipitation input into the stream discharge model is gathered from a suite of climate model simulation outputs. Suspended sediment flux is derived from the outputs of the flow models using empirically derived sediment rating curves. Results of sediment modeling show that increased precipitation during the monsoon months of July-September, 6 ka BP increased monthly suspended sediment flux by 79 percent. The suite of climate models does not include 9 or 11 ka BP, but we suggest the monsoon may have been stronger during this time based on greater received insolation at these times. This study also shows that duration and intensity of monsoonal precipitation events can more greatly affect stream discharge and sediment flux than increased precipitation with constant storm intensity.

This thesis dissertates the identification of existing experimental unit of biomass combustion. It analyses particular methods of identification, the selection of a model and methods of the estimation of parameters, especially by using last square method and analysis of time-response characteristic. It describes common identification procedure and particular algorithms which were used in practice for obtaining model’s parameters. The thesis also mentions popular software tools used for the modeling and the identification of systems. It comprises the implementation of obtained mathematic models using programming environment Borland Delphi as well.

Cette thèse analyse les opérations de crédit et d’émission de billets de la Banque de France, entre 1870 et 1897 et les relations entre l’État républicain et l’institution financière. Elle suppose que la Guerre franco-prussienne (1870-1871) et l’arrivée de Joseph Magnin, républicain, sous la Troisième République (mandat 1881-1897), ont influé sur la politique de la Banque de France. Après la Guerre et alors que l’Europe vit une période de stagnation économique, l’Allemagne et les États-Unis connaissent un développement rapide qui intensifie la concurrence entre les pays. La nomination d’un Gouverneur républicain à la tête de la Banque permet à l’État d’intervenir dans la politique de l’institution, pour permettre l’extension de l’offre de crédit. Néanmoins, beaucoup de dirigeants de la Banque insistent sur le fait qu’elle est encore une société anonyme, au nom de son indépendance. Cette opposition s’observe principalement dans la discussion sur le crédit agricole et l’extension du réseau de la Banque. L’intervention de l’État a aussi joué un rôle important pour le contrôle du désordre du marché résultant de l’échec du Comptoir d’escompte de Paris en 1889. Sous l’initiative du Gouverneur Magnin, l’accumulation de l’or à la Banque et l’augmentation de la monnaie fiduciaire se sont établies. En 1897, l’extension de l’offre de crédit est institutionnalisée lors de la discussion sur le renouvellement du privilège de l’émission des billets au Gouvernement et au Parlement et dans les années qui suivent, le Gouverneur Pallain permet le développement de l’accumulation de l’or. / This thesis analyses operations of credit and of issue of banknotes of the Bank of France between 1870 and 1897, and relations between the State and the financial institution. It supposes that the French-Prussian War (1870-1871) and the arrival of Joseph Magnin, republican (term 1881-1897), influenced the policy of the Bank under the Third Republic. After the war, and during a protracted recession in Europe, Germany and US achieved drastic economic growth and competition between countries escalated. The French government intervened the policies of the Bank of France by a republican assuming the post of the Governor of the Bank, and expanded credit facility. However, many executives of the Bank claimed the fact that it was still a private bank based on its independency. This conflict could be seen mainly in the discussion on expansion of agricultural credit and the base network of the Bank. The intervention of the State fulfilled an important role as well for the control of the confusion of the domestic market resulting from the collapse of the Comptoir d’escompte de Paris in 1889. Under the initiative of the Governor, Mr. Magnin, accumulation of gold was implemented and issuance of banknotes increased in the Bank. In 1897, expansion of credit facility was institutionalized in the discussion between the government and parliament on the renewal of the privilege to issue banknotes for the Bank, and after that, the next Governor Pallain further promoted accumulation of gold.

Die Software alaska ist zunächst ein allgemeines Werkzeug zur Modellierung und Simulation der Dynamik mechanischer/mechatronischer Systeme. alaska wird am Institut ür Mechatronik in Chemnitz entwickelt. Mit dem Erweiterungsmodul alaska/Wind erhält alaska Funktionalitäten die erforderlich sind, um das dynamische Verhalten von Windkraftanlagen (WKA) mit dem Ziel zu simulieren, die resultierenden Belastungen zu ermitteln. Bestandteile von alaska/Wind sind u.a. Komponenten zu Beschreibung der aerodynamischen Umgebungsbedingungen und der Berechnung der daraus resultierenden, an der WKA angreifenden Windkräfte sowie ein Basis-WKA-Simulationsmodell. Inhalt des Vortrages ist es zu zeigen, wie dieses Basis-Simulationsmodell vom Anwender, also vom Entwickler/Hersteller von Windkraftanlagen, an seine spezifischen Anforderungen angepasst wird, wie es in seinen Produktentstehungsprozess eingebunden wird und wie mit dem Einsatz der alaska- Komponente alaska/DC (DistributedComputation) weitestgehend automatisch auf der Basis mehrerer Tausend Simulationsrechnungen Design-treibende Belastungen ermittelt werden.

La presente investigación abunda en los conceptos relacionados a los retrasos que ocurren en una obra y a las causas del ineficiente seguimiento y control realizado al cronograma contractual de proyectos de construcción de la ciudad de Lima Metropolitana. Asimismo, se recaudó información de metodologías y herramientas a la vanguardia y se levantó la información de 3 proyectos de construcción de edificaciones multifamiliares. A partir de la información de estos proyectos, se identificaron los principales problemas de cada metodología que terminaron causando retrasos sobre los plazos contractuales de los mismos. Estos problemas pudieron ser agrupados en tres principalmente: la inadecuada planificación, la inadecuada programación y el vínculo débil o inexistente entre ambos. A partir de lo mencionado, se propuso una metodología con el principal objetivo de brindar una guía hacia los contratistas para realizar un seguimiento efectivo al plazo contractual de sus proyectos y prevenir todo retraso. / This investigation reviews the concepts related to the delays that occur in construction projects and the causes of the inefficient monitoring and control made to the contractual schedule in multi-family building projects developed in the city of Lima, Peru. Information was collected on methodologies and tools being used worldwide as well as from 3 multi-family constriction building projects. From the information of these projects, the main problems of each methodology that ended up causing delays over their contractual schedule were identified. Problems identified were grouped into three: inadequate planning, inadequate programming and a weak or non-existent link between the two. Based on this analysis, a methodology was proposed with the main purpose of providing a guide to contractors to effectively monitor the contractual schedule of their projects and prevent any delay. / Tesis

Textile Reinforced Concrete (TRC) with a small thickness, high tensile and compressive strength has been combined with lightweight materials to create sandwich elements. Due to the low strength of the core materials in the sandwich elements, the additional shear connector devices were suggested to improve the load capacity. However, it raised an idea of using a higher strength material core, Expanded Polystyrene Concrete (EPC), without any connector devices to create a new type of lightweight sandwich element, which can be an answer for not only developing lightweight structures but also solving environmental problems. In this thesis, this novel idea was gradually realized with a study on TRC-EPC sandwich beams. Firstly, experimental material tests on EPC showed the possibility to recycle EPS waste for EPC with a density of around 950 kg/m3. Thus, an EPC with a density of 920 kg/m3 and a compressive strength of 5.2 N/mm2 was chosen for the core to realize the concept for TRC-EPC sandwich with 18 experimental beams. Bending tests of six series with shear-to-depth-ratio (a/d) from 1.5 to 5.2 were implemented to study load responses of this type of sandwich beam. The failure moments of all the specimens were smaller than the nominal moment strength of the cross section. The load capacities of the specimens depend strongly on the ratio a/d. The calculations for the shear capacity according to standards as well as shear calculation approaches were implemented. Due to their generalized form, ACI 318-05 and EC2 offer conservative results for a/d<5.2. The dependence of the shear capacity on a/d could be better described with CEB-FIB Model Code 1990. For the beams with 1.5<a/d and a/d<2.1, Strut and Tie Model gave the most suitable results. In case a/d>2.1, ZINK’s model offered better results than the others. Besides, a new proposed equation for the shear capacity of TRC-EPC sandwich beams depending on the a/d was also suggested. In order to model the load response of the six experimental series, FEM models with ATENA developed. The models with and without a consideration of the bond between the textile and fine HSC in the TRC layer underestimated the load capacity with tolerance 26% and 28 % respectively. The tolerances for the deflections in the models with a/d>2.5 were around 22 % and 23%. Finally, an engineering model originally based on sandwich theory was developed to model the load-deflection response of this type of sandwich beams. The model could predict the displacement with tolerances from -24 % to 12 %. The load capacity of TRC-EPC sandwich beams was underestimated with a tolerance in the range of 15- 34 %. / In dieser Arbeit wurde eine neue Sandwichkonstruktion untersucht, für die Textilbeton, ein Werkstoff mit geringer Dicke und gleichzeitig hoher Zug- und Druckfestigkeit, mit leichten Kernmaterialien kombiniert wurde. Aufgrund der geringen Festigkeit der Kernmaterialien werden in vielen Sandwichkonstruktionen zusätzliche Schubverbinder benötigt, um eine ausreichende Tragfähigkeit zu erreichen. Dies führte zu der Idee, Expanded Polystyrene Concrete (EPC) als höherfestes Kernmaterial zu verwenden, das keine zusätzlichen Verbindungsmittel benötigt. Damit entsteht eine neuartige Sandwichkonstruktion, die nicht nur eine Lösung für die Entwicklung neuer leichter Strukturen ist, sondern auch für Umweltprobleme. Diese Idee wurde in dieser Arbeit durch theoretische und experimentelle Untersuchungen an Textilbeton-EPC-Sandwichbalken umgesetzt. Zunächst wurden Materialuntersuchungen an EPC durchgeführt, um nachzuweisen, dass es möglich ist, EPC mit einer Dichte von rund 950 kg/m³ mit recyceltem EPS herzustellen. Für die anschließenden Untersuchungen an 18 Sandwichbalken wurde dann ein EPC mit einer Dichte von 920 kg/m³ und einer Druckfestigkeit von 5,2 N/mm² ausgewählt. In 6 Serien von Sandwichbalken wurden 4-Punkt-Biegeversuche mit Schubschlankheiten von 1,5 bis 5,2 durchgeführt. Die Bruchmomente aller Balken waren geringer als die rechnerische Momententragfähigkeit des Querschnitts und die Tragfähigkeit war stark von der Schubschlankheit abhängig. Es wurden Berechnungen zur Schubtragfähigkeit nach den verschiedenen internationalen Normen durchgeführt. Aufgrund ihrer allgemeingültigen Form ergaben ACI 318-05 und EC2 sehr konservative Ergebnisse für Schubschlankheiten kleiner als 5,2. Die Formulierung des CEB-FIB Model Code 1990 war besser geeignet, die Abhängigkeit der Schubtragfähigkeit von der Schubschlankheit abzubilden. Für die Balken mit Schubschlankheiten a/d=1,5 bis 2,1 brachten Stabwerkmodelle ausreichend gute Ergebnisse. In Fällen mit a/d>2,1 ergab das Modell von Zink die besten Übereinstimmungen. Um die Abhängigkeit der Schubtragfähigkeit von der Schubschlankheit besser erfassen zu können, wurde eine neue Berechnungsgleichung für Textilbeton-EPC-Balken vorgeschlagen. Um das Last-Verformungsverhalten der experimentellen Untersuchungen beschreiben zu können, wurden FEM-Modelle mit der Software ATENA entwickelt. Es wurden verschiedene Modelle untersucht, die den Verbund zwischen dem textilen Gelege und dem Feinbeton unterschiedlich stark berücksichtigten. Die Tragfähigkeit der untersuchten Balken wurde mit den FEM-Modellen um ca. 26% bis 28% unterschätzt. Die Abweichungen in den berechneten Durchbiegungen betrugen für die Balken mit a/d>2,5 ca. 22% bis 23%. Abschließend wurde ein Ingenieurmodell auf Grundlage der Sandwichtheorie entwickelt, mit dem das Last-Verformungsverhalten dieser Sandwichkonstruktion gut beschrieben werden kann. Mit dem Modell ergaben sich Abweichungen von -24% bis +12% zwischen experimentellen und theoretisch ermittelten Verformungen. Die Tragfähigkeit wurde mit einer Abweichung von 15% bis 34% unterschätzt.

An der Schnittstelle zwischen Elektrofahrzeug und dem Niederspannungsnetz nimmt die Ladesäule eine Schlüsselposition beim Ausbau von intelligenten Stromnetzen in Synergie mit der Elektromobilität ein. Durch die Entwicklung einer frequenzselektiven Stromregelung des Wechselrichters der Ladesäule wurde die Reduktion der Netzrückwirkung bei hoher Ladeleistung ermöglicht und zusätzliche Netzdienstleistungen wie Netzstützung, Phasenschieberbetrieb, Netzsymmetrierung und Oberschwingungskompensation für eine aktive Verbesserung der Netzspannungsqualität realisiert. Ein neues Verfahren zur Optimierung der Phasenregelung erzielte eine höhere Effizienz der Kompensation der Oberschwingungen der Netzspannung. Diese Funktionen wurden an einem Prototyp der intelligenten Ladesäule in einem Inselnetz praktisch erforscht.

E-commerce is in a growing phase where consumers are getting more aware, picky and comfortable when it comes to delivery of their packages. This case study investigates the requirements that consumers have regarding last-mile deliveries as well as various digital logistic solutions that may meet these requirements. In the study, relevant people in three different companies working with delivery, have been selected to get a deeper insight into how companies view consumers' new requirements and how they work to meet these and how they reflect about the future when it comes to last-mile deliveries. Consumers now expect a faster and more flexible service where they can design the last-mile delivery according to their premises, e.g. time, location,  etc. The demands emerging associated with the expansion of e-commerce include faster, cheaper and more flexible deliveries. Transparency in environmental issues and work processes has also become an important factor for many consumers today, which may be decisive for purchasing power. Collaboration with other actors enables e-commerce companies to streamline their delivery alternatives in the form of outsourcing. This approach can be done through collaboration with other logistics players or in the form of crowdsourcing. The term E-logistics implies a system that contains various parts of a logistic process in which the exchange takes place with both the help of technology and the internet. In combination with a functioning digital infrastructure and e-logistics, delivery processes can become more effective. New technologies such as parcel locks, drones and delivery robots are being analyzed as potential solutions to streamline last-mile deliveries. / E-handeln befinner sig i en växande fas där konsumenterna är allt mer medvetna, kräsna ochbekväma. Denna fallstudie undersöker de krav som konsumenter har kring sista-milen leveransersamt olika digitala logistiklösningar som kan komma att möta dessa krav. I studien har ävenrelevanta personer, i tre olika organisationer som arbetar med leverans, valts ut för att få en djupareinblick på hur företag ser på konsumenters nya krav. Studien undersöker hur de arbetar för attmöta dessa samt hur det ser på framtiden när det kommer till sista mil-leveranser. Konsumenternaförväntar sig nu mer flexibla och snabba leveranser där de själva får utforma sista mil-leveranserefter deras premisser. Kraven som växt fram i takt med den växande e-handeln är bland annatsnabbare, billigare och mer flexibla leveranser. Transparens inom miljöfrågor och arbetsprocesserhar även blivit en viktig faktor för många konsumenterna idag som kan komma att bli avgörandeför konsumentens köpvillighet. Samarbete med andra aktörer möjliggör för e-handelsföretag atteffektivisera sina leveransalternativ i form av outsourcing. Tillvägagångssättet kan ske genomsamarbete med andra logistikaktörer eller i form av privatpersoner, crowdsourcing. E-logistik ärdet system som innehåller olika delar i en logistikprocess där utbytet sker med hjälp av teknik ochinternet. I kombination av en fungerande digital infrastruktur och e-logistik så kanleveransprocesser effektiviseras. Ny teknik som paketlås, drönare och leveransrobot analyserassom potentiella leveransmedel för att effektivisera sista mil-leveranser.