This thesis presents a statistical analysis of weaving in a managed lane system which is evolving from a High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) system to a High-Occupancy Toll system (HOT). Weaving was, assessed along the I-85 corridor in Atlanta, during three different phases in the conversion from HOV to HOT: 1) the existing HOV managed lane system prior to conversion to HOT lanes, 2) after restriping of some weaving zones but prior to conversion of the HOV lanes to HOT lanes and, 3) after the HOT managed lane system opened. Each phase was analyzed to see how weaving behavior into and out of the managed lane system was affected by changes in the system. To accomplish the analysis, video was collected using Georgia Department of Transportation cameras along the corridor. The videos were transferred to an Android Tablet, in which an App developed by the research team was used to record data from the videos. Using the processed weaving data, a comparison of weaving activity during each phase was performed. Data were also analyzed across time of day, speed differentials, and whether the weaves in question were performed legally (within established weaving zones) or illegally (across double-solid striped lane markings). After a comparison of weaving behavior along different variables, a regression tree analysis was completed. The analysis showed that weaving intensity increased as the system was converted from HOV to HOT. However, illegal weaving decreased significantly once the HOT system was in place, perhaps due to stricter enforcement or perhaps due to driver response to illegally entering and leaving tolled lanes. The regression tree analyses indicated that weaving intensity was highly dependent upon whether it was legal or illegal to weave and upon the phase of conversion during which the weave occurred.

This thesis describes all the necessary parts needed to build a complete system for autonomous indoor mapping in 3D. The robotic platform used is a two-wheeled Segway, operating in a planar environment. This, together with wheel odometers, an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), two Microsoft Kinects and a laptop comprise the backbone of the system, which can be divided into three parts: The localization and mapping part, which fundamentally is a SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping) algorithm implemented using the registration technique Iterative Closest Point (ICP). Along with the map being in 3D, it also designed to handle the mapping of dynamic scenes, something absent from the standard SLAM design. The planning used by the system is twofold. First, the path planning - finding a path from the current position to a destination - and second, the target planning - determining where to go next given the current state of the map and the robot. The third part of the system is the control and collision systems, which while they have not received much focus, are very necessary for a fully autonomous system. Contributions made by this thesis include: The 3D map framework Octomap is extended to handle the mapping of dynamic scenes; A new method for target planning, based on image processing is presented; A calibration procedure for the robot is derived that gives a full six degree of freedom pose for each Kinect. Results show that our calibration procedure produces an accurate pose for each Kinect, which is crucial for a functioning system. The dynamic mapping is shown to outperform the standard occupancy grid in fundamental situations that arise when mapping dynamic scenes. Additionally, the results indicate that the target planning algorithm provides a fast and easy way to plan new target destinations. Finally, the entire system’s autonomous mapping capabilities are evaluated together, producing promising results. However, it also highlights some problems that limit the system’s performance such as the inaccuracy and short range of the Kinects or noise added and reinforced by the multiple subsystems / Detta exjobb beskriver delarna som krävs för att för bygga ett komplett system som autonomt kartlägger inomhusmiljöer i tre dimensioner. Robotplattformen är en Segway, som är kapabel att röra sig i ett plan. Segwayn, tillsammans med en tröghetssensor, två Microsoft Kinects och en bärbar dator utgör grunden till systemet, som kan delas i tre delar: En lokaliserings- och karteringsdel, som i grunden är en SLAM-algoritm (simultan lokalisering och kartläggning)  baserad på registreringsmetoden Iterative Closest Point (ICP). Kartan som byggs upp är i tre dimensioner och ska dessutom hantera kartläggningen av dynamiska miljöer, något som orginalforumleringen av SLAM problemet inte klarar av. En automatisk planeringsdel, som består av två delar. Dels ruttplanering som går ut på att hitta en väg från sin nuvarande position till det valda målet och dels målplanering som innebär att välja ett mål att åka till givet den nuvarande kartan och robotens nuvarande position. Systemets tredje del är regler- och kollisionssystemen. Dessa system har inte varit i fokus i detta arbete, men de är ändå högst nödvändiga för att ett autonomt system skall fungera. Detta examensarbete bidrar med följande: Octomap, ett ramverk för kartläggningen i 3D, har utökats för att hantera kartläggningen av dynamiska miljöer; En ny metod för målplanering, baserad på bildbehandling läggs fram; En kalibreringsprocedur för roboten är framtagen som ger den fullständiga posen i förhållande till roboten för varje Kinect. Resultaten visar att vår kalibreringsprocedur ger en nogrann pose for för varje Kinect, vilket är avgörande för att systemet ska fungera. Metoden för kartläggningen av dynamiska miljöer visas prestera bra i grundläggande situationer som uppstår vid kartläggning av dynamiska miljöer. Vidare visas att målplaneringsalgoritmen ger ett snabbt och enkelt sätt att planera mål att åka till. Slutligen utvärderas hela systemets autonoma kartläggningsförmåga, som ger lovande resultat. Dock lyfter resultat även fram problem som begränsar systemets prestanda, till exempel Kinectens onoggranhet och korta räckvidd samt brus som läggs till och förstärks av de olika subsystemen.

本研究旨在運用用後評估的方法，蒐集並評析師生使用意見，輔以訪談學校行政人員，藉以瞭解綠建築規畫是否符合學校實際需求，及實務面使用後產生的課題，俾作為日後學校建築改善及未來規劃學校綠建築的參考。 　　為達上述研究目的，本研究係對新北市猴硐國小教職員及高年級學生、桃子腳國中小教職員及五、六、七、八年級學生以「新北市學校綠建築使用意見調查問卷」進行問卷調查，共計猴硐國小教職員問卷15份，學生問卷24份；桃子腳國中小教職員問卷78份，學生問卷263份。此外，並分別以「新北市學校綠建築用後評估訪談大綱」，進行校長或總務主任對學校綠建築使用意見與建議的訪談調查，輔以「新北市猴硐國民小學綠建築用後評估觀察表」及「新北市桃子腳國中小綠建築用後評估觀察表」，觀察二校學校綠建築使用與維護之情形，以期能獲取較完整且深入的綠建築用後評估相關資料。研究結論如下： 一、新北市猴硐國小與桃子腳國中小學校綠建築設計規劃能具體落實於實施現況。 二、新北市猴硐國小與桃子腳國中小師生對學校所取得之綠化量指標屬滿意程度，且桃子腳國中小學生對學校所取得之綠化量指標滿意度因年級不同而有差異。 三、新北市猴硐國小與桃子腳國中小師生對學校所取得之基地保水指標屬滿意程度，且猴硐國小教職員對學校所取得之基地保水指標滿意度因年齡不同、桃子腳國中小學生對學校所取得之基地保水指標滿意度因年級不同而有差異。 四、新北市猴硐國小與桃子腳國中小師生對學校所取得之日常節能指標屬滿意程度，且桃子腳國中小學生對學校所取得之日常節能指標滿意度因性別、年級不同而有差異。 五、新北市猴硐國小與桃子腳國中小師生對學校所取得之水資源指標屬滿意程度。 六、新北市猴硐國小與桃子腳國中小師生對綠建築帶來學校認同感屬同意程度，且桃子腳國中小學生對學校認同感因性別、年級不同而有差異。 七、新北市猴硐國小與桃子腳國中小師生對綠建築概念融入課程教學屬同意程度，且桃子腳國中小學生對學校將綠建築概念融入課程教學同意程度因年級不同而有差異。 八、新北市猴硐國小與桃子腳國中小綠建築使用與維護之情形良好。 九、新北市猴硐國小與桃子腳國中小綠建築實施之困境在於綠建築觀念較難傳遞與落實，需自設計初衷精神出發。 十、新北市猴硐國小與桃子腳國中小綠化量指標之困境在於整草與綠圍籬安全，需投入人力或社區守望相助為對策。 十一、新北市猴硐國小與桃子腳國中小基地保水指標之困境在於透水鋪面與紅砂操場之清整，以及滯洪池觀念之推廣，需納入預算編列，以及加深加廣宣達為對策。 十二、新北市猴硐國小與桃子腳國中小日常節能指標之困境在於夏季溫度過高以及太陽光直射，須以電器用品及移動座位為對策。 十三、新北市猴硐國小與桃子腳國中小水資源指標使用與維護情形良好。 　　最後，本研究依據研究結果提出建議，提供未來學校、教育行政主管機關進行學校綠建築規劃之有效參考。 / This study aims to use methods of post-evaluation methods, to collect and analyze the using opinion of the teachers and students. Supplemented by interviews with administrators of schools in order to learn about whether green building planning is necessary to meet the actual needs of the school, and practice topics arising from the use, as school buildings to improve and plan schools of green buildings in the future. 　For up above purposes, this study researches on staffs and the high grade students of Houtong elementary school, New Taipei City, and staffs and the five, six, seven and eight grade students of Tur Ya Kar Elementary and Junior High School, New Taipei City by" Questionnaire of opinion of using green buildings of New Taipei City. " We took back 15 copies of questionnaire from Houtong elementary school staffs, 24 copies questionnaire from students; peach feet country small staff questionnaire 78 copies of questionnaire from Tur Ya Kar Elementary and Junior High School staffs, and 263 copies of questionnaire from students. In addition, we used" Interview outline of post evaluation of school green building, New Taipei City" separately to each school, to interview and study on the using views of principals and director of general affairs. Also, we used" observation table of post evaluation of school green building of Tur Ya Kar Elementary and Junior High School," to observe green building using and maintenance of two schools to get more related data of green building. Research findings were as follows: 1.Green building plan can be implemented in the application status in Houtong elementary school and Tur Ya Kar Elementary and Junior High School, New Taipei City. 2.Teachers and students were satisfied with the Greenery Indicator in Houtong elementary school and Tur Ya Kar Elementary and Junior High School, New Taipei City. The satisfaction of Greenery Indicator varied significant from grades among Tur Ya Kar Elementary and Junior High School students. 3.Teachers and students were satisfied with the Soil Water Content Indicator in Houtong elementary school and Tur Ya Kar Elementary and Junior High School, New Taipei City. The satisfaction of Soil Water Content Indicator varied significant from ages among Houtong elementary school staffs, and from grades among Tur Ya Kar Elementary and Junior High School students. 4.Teachers and students were satisfied with the Daily Energy Saving Indicator in Houtong elementary school and Tur Ya Kar Elementary and Junior High School, New Taipei City. The satisfaction of Daily Energy Saving Indicator varied significant from genders and grades among Tur Ya Kar Elementary and Junior High School students. 5.Teachers and students were satisfied with the Water Resource Indicator in Houtong elementary school and Tur Ya Kar Elementary and Junior High School, New Taipei City. 6.Teachers and students were agreed with" green building can arise identification with school" in Houtong elementary school and Tur Ya Kar Elementary and Junior High School, New Taipei City. The identification of school varied significant from genders and grades among Tur Ya Kar Elementary and Junior High School students. 7.Teachers and students were agreed with green building concepts into the curriculum in Houtong elementary school and Tur Ya Kar Elementary and Junior High School, New Taipei City. The identification of school varied significant from grades among Tur Ya Kar Elementary and Junior High School students. 8.The using and maintenance of green building were good in Houtong elementary school and Tur Ya Kar Elementary and Junior High School, New Taipei City. 9.The dilemma of implementing green building was the ideas were hard to pass and implement in Houtong elementary school and Tur Ya Kar Elementary and Junior High School, New Taipei City. They can go back to the spirit from designed. 10.The dilemmas of implementing Greenery Indicator were weeding and the Green fence security in Houtong elementary school and Tur Ya Kar Elementary and Junior High School, New Taipei City. They can input more staffs and use support from community. 11.The dilemmas of implementing Soil Water Content Indicator Indicator were cleaning and putting water permeable paving and red sand playground in order in Houtong elementary school and Tur Ya Kar Elementary and Junior High School, New Taipei City, including the practice of basin. They may get more budget and enhance educational guidance. 12.The dilemmas of implementing Daily Energy Saving Indicator lies in high temperature and direct sunlight in the summer in Houtong elementary school and Tur Ya Kar Elementary and Junior High School, New Taipei City. They need electrical appliances and mobile seats for countermeasures. 13.The using and maintenance of Water Resource Indicator were good in Houtong elementary school and Tur Ya Kar Elementary and Junior High School, New Taipei City. Finally, we offer recommendations based on the findings of this study, to provide administrative authority effective reference of green building planning of the schools administrations and education administrations in the future.

Area of Occupancy (AO) is a frequently used indicator to assess and inform designation of conservation status to wildlife species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The applicability of the current grid-based AO measurement on freshwater organisms has been questioned due to the restricted dimensionality of freshwater habitats. I investigated the extent to which AO influenced conservation status for freshwater taxa at a national level in Canada. I then used distribution data of 20 imperiled freshwater fish species of southwestern Ontario to (1) demonstrate biases produced by grid-based AO and (2) develop a biologically relevant AO index. My results showed grid-based AOs were sensitive to spatial scale, grid cell positioning, and number of records, and were subject to inconsistent decision making. Use of the biologically relevant AO changed conservation status for four freshwater fish species and may have important implications on the subsequent conservation practices.

Area of Occupancy (AO) is a frequently used indicator to assess and inform designation of conservation status to wildlife species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The applicability of the current grid-based AO measurement on freshwater organisms has been questioned due to the restricted dimensionality of freshwater habitats. I investigated the extent to which AO influenced conservation status for freshwater taxa at a national level in Canada. I then used distribution data of 20 imperiled freshwater fish species of southwestern Ontario to (1) demonstrate biases produced by grid-based AO and (2) develop a biologically relevant AO index. My results showed grid-based AOs were sensitive to spatial scale, grid cell positioning, and number of records, and were subject to inconsistent decision making. Use of the biologically relevant AO changed conservation status for four freshwater fish species and may have important implications on the subsequent conservation practices.

Mountaintop removal mining and valley filling (MTR/VF) is a common form of land conversion in Central Appalachia and threatens the integrity of stream ecosystems. We investigated the effects of MTR/VF on stream salamander occupancy probabilities and community structure by conducting area constrained active searches for stream salamanders within intermittent streams located in mature forest (i.e., control) and those impacted by MTR/VF. During March to June of 2013, we detected five stream salamander species (Desmognathus fuscus, D. monticol, Eurycea cirrigera, Pseudotriton ruber, and Gyrinophilus porphyriticus) and found that the probability of occupancy was greatly reduced in MTR/VF streams compared to control streams. Additionally, the salamander community was greatly reduced in MTR/VF streams; the mean species richness estimate for MTR/VF streams was 2.09 (± 1.30 SD), whereas richness was 4.83 (± 0.58 SD) for control streams. Numerous mechanisms may be responsible for decreased occupancy and diminished salamander communities at MTR/VF streams, although water chemistry of streams may be a particularly important mechanism. Indeed, we detected elevated levels of specific conductivity, pH, total organic carbon, and dissolved ions in MTR/VF streams. Our results indicate that salamander communities, with other invertebrates, fish, and other aquatic and/or semi-aquatic animals, are susceptible to MTR/VF mining practices.

Autonomous features in vehicles is already a big part of the automobile area and now many companies are looking for ways to make vehicles fully autonomous. Autonomous vehicles need to get information about the surrounding environment. The information is extracted from exteroceptive sensors and today vehicles often use laser scanners for this purpose. Laser scanners are very expensive and fragile, it is therefore interesting to investigate if cheaper radar sensors could be used. One big challenge when it comes to autonomous vehicles is to be able to use the exteroceptive sensors and extract a position of the vehicle and at the same time get a map of the environment. The area of Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) is a well explored area when using laser scanners but is not that well explored when using radars. It has been investigated if it is possible to use radar sensors on a truck to create a map of the area where the truck drives. The truck has been equipped with ego-motion sensors and radars and the data from them has been fused together to get a position of the truck and to get a map of the surrounding environment, i.e. a SLAM algorithm has been implemented. The map is represented by an Occupancy Grid Map (OGM) which should only consist of static objects. The OGM is updated probabilistically by using a binary Bayes filter. To localize the truck with help of motion sensors an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) is used together with a map and a scan match method. All these methods are put together to create a SLAM algorithm. A range rate filter method is used to filter out noise and non-static measurements from the radar. The results of this thesis show that it is possible to use radar sensors to create a map of a truck's surroundings. The quality of the map is considered to be good and details such as space between parked trucks, signs and light posts can be distinguished. It has also been proven that methods with low performance on their own can together with other methods work very well in the SLAM algorithm. Overall the SLAM algorithm works well but when driving in unexplored areas with a low number of objects problems with positioning might occur. A real time system has also been implemented and the map can be seen at the same time as the truck is manoeuvred.

The Ottawa Hospital cancels hundreds of elective surgeries every year due to a lack of beds, and has an average weekday occupancy rate above 100%. Our approach to addressing these issues, by way of informing administrators of resource needs, was to model the flow of patients coming and going from the hospital. We used administrative data from the Ottawa Hospital to build a time-series model of emergency department admissions, and studied models that would predict next-day discharge of patients currently taking up hospital beds. In the latter, we considered population-averaged models for groups of patients based on their primary medical condition, as well as subject-specific models. We included the random effects from subject-specific variation to improve on predictive accuracy over the population- averaged approach. The result was a model that provided more realistic probabilities of discharge, and stable predictive accuracy over patient length of stay.

Post-occupancy evaluation is a mechanism of great importance for the performance evaluation of a building, as it makes it possible to evaluate the quality of the built environment regarding technical, functional, aesthetic and behavioral factors and diagnosing negative aspects and deficiencies in the space.Therefore, this work evaluated the social interest housing complex Loteamento Zilda Arns , in Santa Maria-RS, using methods such as questionnaires applied to residents, technical inspections and photographic surveys, the goal being to identify deficiencies and pathological manifestations of the construction process with cast-in-place concrete walls as well as to evaluate the quality and performance of the material and finishes used in the housing units and the complex itself. The opinion and satisfaction of the residents were taken into account. Sixty randomly selected housing units from the complex were inspected. These buildings are built with cast-in-place concrete walls, a commonly used rapid implementation system for massive building of housing.The main problem identified in the housing complex is related to the absence of collective equipment and leisure areas. As far as housing is concerned, pathological manifestations were identified with regards to the construction process and quality of the material applied in the buildings. Despite the problems uncovered by the postoccupancy evaluation, most of the residents are satisfied, which might not be related to the constructive quality and environmental comfort levels offered by their current housing unit but rather to the precarious state of their previous homes. / A Avaliação Pós-Ocupação é um mecanismo de grande importância para a verificação do desempenho das edificações, pois torna possível investigar a qualidade do ambiente construído, considerando fatores técnicos, funcionais, estéticos e comportamentais, diagnosticando aspectos negativos e deficiência do espaço. A partir disso, este trabalho de pesquisa avaliou as habitações de interesse social do Loteamento Zilda Arns, em Santa Maria-RS, através da utilização de métodos que envolveram a aplicação de questionários aos moradores, vistorias técnicas e levantamento fotográfico. O objetivo foi identificar as deficiências e manifestações patológicas do sistema construtivo de paredes de concreto moldadas in loco, avaliar a qualidade e o desempenho dos materiais e acabamentos das unidades habitacionais e do loteamento, considerando a opinião e satisfação dos moradores. Foram vistoriadas 60 unidades habitacionais, selecionadas aleatoriamente em todo o loteamento. As edificações são construídas com o sistema de paredes de concreto moldadas no local, o que caracteriza um sistema de rápida execução, comumente utilizado para a construção massiva de habitações. O principal problema identificado no loteamento está relacionado à ausência de equipamentos comunitários e áreas de lazer. No que se refere a habitação, foram identificadas manifestações patológicas relacionadas ao sistema construtivo e a qualidade dos materiais empregados na edificação. Apesar dos problemas identificados na aplicação da Avaliação Pós-Ocupação, a maioria dos moradores está satisfeito, porém esse fato pode estar relacionado com a situação precária da moradia anterior e não pela qualidade construtiva e níveis de conforto ambiental oferecidos na atual unidade habitacional.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The last decades have been marked by profound technological, social and economic changes, but above all, environmental, which have significantly affected the strategies of planning. One of the main tools used by public agencies in preparing the environmental territorial planning is the map of environmental fragility, because this kind of mapping allows to assess the potential of environments in an integrated way, matching its natural characteristics with its restrictions. In order to use geoprocessing technologies to identify areas of bigger and smaller environmental fragility of the Arroio Grande Watershed, it was used the methodology proposed by Ross (1994), with the aim to observe the real situation of the study environment, searching to promote the matching of the uses to their vocation features. The Arroio Grande River Basin is locating between the geographic coordinates 29º 29' 20" and 29º 43' 20" S and 53º 47' 30" and 53º 34' 20" W and has an area of 27,673.77 hectares. It s a medium to high fragility basin, especially as a function of the land use and occupancy as well as its terrain characteristics and soil units. The class of potential fragility with higher representativity is the mean fragility and occurs in an area of 12768.12 hectares, where dominate the Brazilian soil type Association (RRe1 Cxe TXp), with 57.27% of the soils belongs to this class and slope ranging from 12% to above 30%. The more representative class of emerging environmental fragility is called the average the mean fragility, present in 54.12% of total basin, presenting itself to 14977.87 hectares. The land use in the class presents the most forests, with 43.47%, followed by class field with 36.52%. Only 4.42% of the area gives strong fragility basin, of which 89.08% of the total understood by the class of exposed soil, and only 10.86% with the class of irrigated agriculture. Since there is a seasonality of agricultural production according to the region typical weather, during the period that the soil is not exposed the very strong emerging environmental fragility class declines, leading consequently increase of mean and strong fragility. Beyond the data produced in this study, other researches are needed to cover additional aims of environmental theme, because what matters is not an analysis of the isolated element but how the element interacts with the others, to be environmentally appropriate, economically viable and socially integrated. / As últimas décadas têm sido marcadas por profundas modificações tecnológicas, sociais, econômicas, mas principalmente ambientais o que tem afetado significativamente as estratégias de planejamento. Uma das principais ferramentas utilizadas pelos órgãos públicos na elaboração do planejamento territorial ambiental é o mapa de fragilidade ambiental, pois este tipo de mapeamento permite avaliar as potencialidades dos ambientes de forma integrada, compatibilizando suas características naturais com suas restrições. Com objetivo de utilizar as tecnologias de geoprocessamento para identificação das áreas de maior e menor fragilidade ambiental da Bacia Hidrográfica do Arroio Grande, aplicou-se a metodologia proposta por Ross (1994), tendo como finalidade observar a situação real do ambiente de estudo, buscando promover a adequação dos usos às suas características de aptidão. A Bacia Hidrográfica do Arroio Grande, esta localizada entre as coordenadas geográficas 29o 29 20 e 29o 43 20 de latitude sul e 53o 47 30 e 53o 34 20 de longitude oeste e apresenta uma área de 27673,77 hectares. Apresenta-se como uma bacia de média a alta fragilidade, em função principalmente do uso e ocupação da terra, bem como das características de relevo e unidades de solos que a compreende. A classe de fragilidade potencial com maior representatividade é a denominada de média fragilidade e ocorre em uma extensão de 12768,12 ha, da qual predominam os solos tipo Associação (RRe1 Cxe TXp), com 57,27% dos solos presentes nesta classe e declividade variando entre 12% até valores acima de 30%. A classe de fragilidade ambiental emergente mais representativa é a denominada de média fragilidade, presente em 54,12% do total da bacia apresentando-se em 14977,87 ha. O uso do solo nessa classe apresenta em sua maioria florestas com 43,47% , seguido da classe campos com 36,52%. Apenas 4,42% da área da Bacia apresenta muito forte fragilidade, da qual 89,08% do seu total é compreendido pela classe de solo exposto e apenas 10,86% com a classe de agricultura irrigada. Como existe uma sazonalidade da produção agrícola em função do clima característico da região, no período em que o solo não está exposto a classe de fragilidade ambiental emergente muito forte apresenta diminuição, ocasionando conseqüentemente aumento da classe de fragilidade média e forte. Destaca-se que, além dos dados produzidos neste trabalho, são necessárias outras pesquisas complementares que englobem outros focos de atuação na linha ambiental, pois o que interessa não é uma análise do elemento de forma isolada, mas sim como esse elemento interage com os demais, de forma que possa, no seu conjunto, constituir-se ambientalmente adequado, economicamente viável e socialmente integrado.