This thesis presents a product development project done at Scania Ferruform in Luleå. The process that was used is called Stage-Gating which means that the project is divided into gates. The gates used in this project were the following: Planning, Concept development, Ergonomic analysis, Analysis of culture and work environment, Refinement & Documentation. The purpose was to generate concepts that lowers the overall load on the operators at the crossmember painting lines unloading station, to better the production. The subsystems investigated in this project were the following: Trolley, Hooks, Lifting table (+Control panel) & Pallets (Packaging). The mission from Scania was to analyse, concept generate, find tools and solutions to the crossmember painting line. The aim was to deliver: Foundation of product development regarding the unloading station, Ergonomic evaluations of the chosen concept towards today’s station, Analysis of work environment and culture & Report. The project was started by interviewing operators and leaders to get a clear picture of the current situation and what has been done so far. The method to reach the desired solutions consists mainly of concept generation. To evaluate and choose concept, Screening and Scoring was used which ensures that the best possible concept is chosen. The chosen concept that is called Concept 3 includes 14 new functions where some functions are more important than others. The results show that Concept 3 will perform 30–60 % better regarding ergonomics than today’s station. It also shows that at the average of the amount of lifts per takt, the ergonomic evaluation get a red evaluation in the zones where the operators work the most. Culture and work environment shows that skepticism towards the management is deeply rooted in the culture which leads to a worker collective to form. In turn, this leads to that unhealthy working conditions is enforced by the culture itself. More results can be seen in the section Results & Discussion. One of the most important conclusions is that even if the chosen concept improves the ergonomics, it does not eliminate the extreme loads and the extent of beams the operators are lifting daily. Even with proof of improvement, it is impossible to eliminate the immense load — which leads to that something else than the operator have to take up the force of the beams. Manual handling is therefore not an option to consider.

Die Jahresmitteltemperatur-Zeitreihen dreier Stationen (Berlin, Leipzig und Stockholm) werden auf ihre langfristigen Trends im Zeitbereich 1830-1980 untersucht. Dazu wird die neuartige, parametrische Methode der Rampenregression (Mudelsee 1999a) verwendet. Die Vorteile gegenüber bisher verwendeten Verfahren sind (1) eine realistischeres Übergangsmodell und (2) Angaben des statistischen Fehlers geschätzter Übergangs-Zeitpunkte und -Niveaus. Leipzig (Erwärmung um 0.86±0.13 °C von 1889±7bis1911±7) und Stockholm (Erwärmung um 1.01±0.22 °C von 1879±23 bis 1945±21) zeigen beide einen rampenförmigen Trendverlauf, Berlin dagegen einen noch komplizierteren Trend. Im Falle von Leipzig liegt wahrscheinlich ein deutlicher Urbanisierungseinfluß vor. Die Rampenregression bietet die Möglichkeit, einen globalen Klimawechsel genauer zu quantifizieren. / Timeseries of annual average temperature from three stations (Berlin, Leipzig and Stockholm) are investigated with regards to their long-term trends in the time interval 1830-1980. For that, the new, parametric method of ramp function regression (Mudelsee 1999a) is used. The advantages against other previously employed methods are (1) a more realistic transition model and (2) information about the statistical accuracy of estimated transition dates and levels. Both Leipzig (warming by 0.86±0.13 °C, from 1889±7 to 1911±7) and Stockholm (warming by 1.01±0.22 °C, from 1879±23 to 1945±21) show a ramp-form trend, whereas Berlin\''s trend is even more complicated. In the case of Leipzig a significant contribution by urbanization is likely. Ramp function regression has the potential to quantify a global climate change more accurately.

The subject of the thesis is a variant solution of the interchange of roads I/ 52 and II / 152 near the village of Modřice, which lies in the district of Brno-Country in the South Moravian Region. Within the work, a total of four variants were proposed and subsequently processed in the form of a study. The aim of the proposal is to improve the traffic situation and traffic safety, due to the formation of queues on the ramps of the interchange at rush hour, which is caused by heavy traffic on the road II / 152.

The European battery market is in rapid growth and the industry actors are ramping up production as well as exploring international expansion opportunities. However, due to the relative novelty of the industry in Europe, there is a lack of benchmark companies and established frameworks for successful expansion. Existing studies in this field primarily focus on strategic solutions such as sourcing strategies and supplier relationship management, neglecting the utilization of supporting operative functions. Although some studies acknowledge the significance of these supporting functions, there is a lack of research providing models for their utilization. This research gap motivates the aim of this study to address this issue and contribute to the existing literature. The purpose of this study is to develop a comprehensive and adaptable expansion strategy that European battery manufacturers can employ when expanding their production facilities, while ensuring a high-quality procurement function. This was met by collecting qualitative data through interviews. The interviews were primarily with respondents from the case company, supplemented by inputs from relevant external participants. By conducting a case study focusedon the procurement department, valuable insights were gained, and the identified expansion strategy can serve as a valuable resource for industry practitioners. The main finding of this research is the battery manufacturers need for a structured expansion step model that outlines both the execution steps and their sequential order. The steps of the framework are: (1) Assure Management Support, (2) Create a Dedicated Expansion Team, (3) Adjust & Consolidate Systems, (4) Define Roles & Responsibilities, (5) Train & Incentives Employees, (6) Control Access Management, (7) Create & Maintain Master Data, and lastly, (8) Initial Supplier Contact. / Batterimarknaden i Europa växer snabbt. Företagen ökar sin produktion samtidigt som de undersöker möjligheter till att expandera internationellt. Vidare är marknaden i Europa relativt ny. Det innebär att det saknas större etablerade företag, riktlinjer och system att jämföra sig med om hur man expanderar på bästa sätt. Tidigare studier inom området har främst fokuserat på strategiska lösningar, såsom inköpsstrategier och hantering av leverantörer, men har förbisett utforskandet av hur man ska använda stödjande operativa funktioner. Även om vissa studier betonar vikten av dessa stödfunktioner är forskning som tillhandahåller modeller för användning av stödfunktioner bristfällig. Detta forskningsgap motiverar syftet med studien, vilken är att fokusera på modeller och bidra till den befintliga litteraturen. Målet med denna studie är att utveckla en omfattande och anpassningsbar expansionsstrategi som europeiska batteritillverkare kan använda vid expansion av sina produktionsanläggningar samtidigt som de säkerställer en högkvalitativ inköpsfunktion. För att uppnå detta har kvalitativa data samlats in genom intervjuer. Intervjuerna har främst genomförts med respondenter från det studerade företaget och har kompletterats med bidrag från relevanta externa deltagare. Genom att genomföra en fallstudie inom inköpsområdet har många värdefulla insikter erhållits, framför allt den identifierade expansionsstrategin som kan ses som en värdefull resurs för batteritillverkare. Det huvudsakliga resultatet av denna forskning är att batteritillverkarna har behov av en strukturerad stegmodell för expansion som tydligt anger både utförandestegen och deras sekventiella ordning. Stegen i ramverket är: (1) Säkra ledningens stöd, (2) Skapa en dedikerad expansionsgrupp, (3) Anpassa & konsolidera system, (4) Definiera roller & ansvar, (5) Utbilda & ge incitament till anställda, (6) Kontrollera åtkomst (7) Skapa & underhålla master data, och slutligen, (8) Initiera leverantörskontakt.

Adaptive ramp metering (ARM) is a widely popular intelligent transportation system (ITS) tool that boasts the ability to reduce congestion and streamline traffic flow during peak hour periods while maintaining a lower implementation cost than traditional methods such as freeway widening. This thesis explores the effectiveness of ARM implementation on an 18 mile segment of the Interstate 80 (I-80) corridor in the Bay Area residing in northern California. Smaller segments of this particular segment were analyzed to determine the effective length of ARM on efficiency at various lengths originating from a known bottleneck location. Efficiency values were also compared against a control segment of the Interstate 280 (I-280) in San Jose to provide a test site experiencing similar traffic congestion but without any ARM implementation. An Empirical Bayes analysis was conducted to provide the foundation of a safety evaluation of the ramp metering implementation and determine a counterfactual estimate of expected collisions had ARM implementation not occurred. It was found that the installation of the ramp meters did allow for some marginal increases in efficiency but may not be entirely associated with ARM implementation due to a variety of external factors as well as showing inconsistent behavior between analyzed segments. Regarding safety, the predictive model estimates 32.8 collisions to occur along a 0.5 mile segment within a three-year timeframe if ARM were not installed, which implies substantial improvements in safety conditions. However additional efficiency and safety data within the “after” period may be necessary to provide a more robust and conclusive evaluation as the ARM system is still relatively new.

Phylloid-algal mounds form heterogeneous hydrocarbon reservoirs in the southeastern portion (Blanding sub-basin) of the Paradox Basin. Well-studied Lower Ismay mounds exposed along walls of the San Juan River gorge in the vicinity of Eight Foot Rapids, the west limb of the Raplee Anticline, and at the classic Honaker Trail locality (southwestern Paradox Basin) have often been cited as outcrop analogs of productive subsurface mounds. Until now, however, there has not been a complete description of the distribution, size, and spacing of outcropping algal mounds at the classic Eight Foot Rapids locality. The Lower Ismay sequence was analyzed in the context of a build-and-fill model of deposition. There are three facies associations within the sequence: 1) a basal lowstand to middle highstand pre-mound facies association, 2) a late highstand to middle falling stage phylloid algal-dominated relief-building facies association, and 3) a late falling stage, post-mound relief-filling facies association. Above the basal maximum flooding surface (Gothic Shale), the facies succession displays a distinct shallowing upward trend through the Lower Ismay sequence. Mound dimensions and facies stacking patterns permit evaluation of two depositional models. The first is a traditional, moderate- to low-energy model of vertical and radial mound accumulation of phylloid algal plates. The second is a high-energy, tidally influenced model of accumulation wherein mounds become hydrodynamically elongate. Outcrop data indicate that algal-dominated buildups are domal in shape with no preferred axis of elongation. These patterns do not support a hydrodynamic accumulation of loose algal plate fragments. The absence of in-situ algal thalli in all but the upper few tens of centimeters of the mounds, however, argues against a purely biological/ecological origin of mounds. A down-stepping ramp model is proposed wherein a muddy algal facies was deposited at the base of the mounds in the low energy of the outer ramp, followed by a grain-rich algal core in the mid-ramp environment. Mounds tops accumulated in an algal bafflestone facies in the inner ramp setting. Restriction of energy due to basinward algal buildup may have also contributed to deposition of algal bafflestone. Mounds accumulated radially at differential rates and were influenced by these variations in energy. This differential deposition of microfacies and subsequent diagenetic alteration have produced heterogeneities in algal reservoir rock, producing algal mound reservoirs that have a high potential for compartmentalization.

This research evaluates Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) implementation strategies to improve the safety of a freeway once a potential of a crash is detected. Among these strategies are Variable Speed Limit (VSL) and ramp metering. VSL are ITS devices that are commonly used to calm traffic in an attempt to relieve congestion and enhance throughput. With proper use, VSL can be more cost effective than adding more lanes. In addition to maximizing the capacity of a roadway, a different aspect of VSL can be realized by the potential of improving traffic safety. Through the use of multiple microscopic traffic simulations, best practices can be determined, and a final recommendation can be made. Ramp metering is a method to control the amount of traffic flow entering from on-ramps to achieve a better efficiency of the freeway. It can also have a potential benefit in improving the safety of the freeway. This thesis pursues the goal of a best-case implementation of VSL. Two loading scenarios, a fully loaded case (90% of ramp maximums) and an off-peak loading case (60% of ramp maximums), at multiple stations with multiple implementation methods are strategically attempted until a best-case implementation is found. The final recommendation for the off-peak loading is a 15 mph speed reduction for 2 miles upstream and a 15 mph increase in speed for the 2 miles downstream of the detector that shows a high crash potential. The speed change is to be implemented in 5 mph increments every 10 minutes. The recommended case is found to reduce relative crash potential from .065 to -.292, as measured by a high-speed crash prediction algorithm (Abdel-Aty et al. 2005). A possibility of crash migration to downstream and upstream locations was observed, however, the safety and efficiency benefits far outweigh the crash migration potential. No final recommendation is made for the use of VSL in the fully loaded case (low-speed case); however, ramp metering indicated a promising potential for safety improvement.

Performance-based planning and programming has increased in popularity for transit project funding in recent years. This methodology focuses on quantitative performance measures to inform decision making. For transit projects, projections or observed ridership is the most commonly used performance measure to evaluate project benefits. Conventional wisdom within the transit industry suggests that measuring the performance of a transit project immediately after project opening may not capture all the project’s benefits, since it takes time for a project to realize its short-term ridership potential, a process commonly referred to as ridership ramp-up. While this idea is both intuitive and appealing, especially for projects that seem to be underperforming in their initial years, there is a need for empirical analysis to determine the typical magnitude and extent of ridership ramp up in order to better account for ramp-up in ridership forecasting and transit project evaluation. The purpose of this study is to meet this need by evaluating variations in ridership in the initial years after project opening for 55 fixed-guideway rail transit projects in the United States. I applied a fixed-effects regression model to predict one-year increases in ridership in each of the first five years after project opening, controlling for variation in gas prices, population, income, and unemployment. I find that ridership on new rail transit projects increases on average six percent controlling for other factors between the opening year and the first year after project opening. These findings can support decisions about how to account for ridership ramp up in forecasting and performance evaluation for rail transit projects.

Summary Aim: The aim with the study was to explore the work conditions of the Ground staff performing unloading and loading from an HTO perspective, and to identify areas for improvement. Research questions: 1. Which factors are important for the work performance? 2. To what degree do the employees follow the work instructions regarding the use of the equipment on the ramp? 3. Which recommendations can be provided to improve work performance at ramp operations and minimize risks for accidents? Background: Ramp operations have, according to Studic et al., (2017), repeatedly been estimated as one of the areas with the highest, still increasing, safety risks. Passenier, Sharpanskykh and de Boer (2015) also confirms how the work within the ramp operations, and performance of unloading and loading, is an area with high risks of injuries and deaths. Methods: The study was conducted with a qualitative research approach and Descriptive Case study design (Baxter & Jacks, 2008). Results: Five categories were found; time pressure, “safety mindset”, education, culture and equipment. The findings also showed that the employees prioritize the safety of the aircraft rather than their own safety. Conclusions: Out of the five factors, time pressure and equipment are the factors in the environment which the respondents have to work in line with to make it function in the environment.

Hand-intensive work significantly correlates with the increased risks of developing Distal upper-extremity (DUE) Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), such as carpal tunnel syndrome and tendinitis. Many studies have investigated the physical risk factors and their contribution to the occurrence of the DUE WMSDs. These factors include but are not limited to hand force, level of hand movement repetition, and non-neutral hand-wrist postures. Several observational-based risk assessment methods have emerged from these studies to control these risk factors and reduce the DUE WMSDs' development. In this regard, The RAMP Tool's Hand Model (RAMP's HM) has been developed recently by the Ergonomics Division at KTH Royal Institute of Technology as a new model within the RAMP Tool .The aim with RAMP's HM is to fulfill the need for an observational-based, preventive, research-oriented, and systematic method of risk management targeting the elevated risks of DUE occupational injuries associated with hand-intensive tasks. Moreover, the RAMP's HM seeks to investigate and combine a more significant number of ergonomic risk factors than those covered by existing DUE observational-based risk assessment methods. This master's thesis project evaluated the latest prototype of RAMP's HM for reliability, usability, and face validity. A group of ten ergonomists and ergonomics coordinators, all working at Scania AB, had volunteered to participate in this evaluation study. They assessed eight video records of hand-intensive work tasks across various industries using RAMP's HM. The raters assessed the model's inter-rater and intra-rater reliability by evaluating eight video records of hand-intensive work tasks in two assessment sessions, which were separated by a 21-day gap. The ergonomists also used the 2018 ACGIH® Hand Activity Level (HAL)– Threshold Limit Value (HAL Tool) to assess the same video-recorded tasks in the two sessions to evaluate the reliability of RAMP's HM in comparison (the inter-method reliability). Seven of the ten ergonomists volunteered to complete a quantitative questionnaire using a 5-Likert scale to assess the usability and face validity of the new RAMP model. The evaluation showed that the RAMP Tool's Hand Model has fair inter-rater and moderate intra-rater reliability. The reliability test also showed a similar level of reliability for the two methods, with no significant differences between the reliability results of RAMP's HM and HAL. The reliability results of the RAMP's HM may have been adversely influenced by statistical factors, and factors related to the observation process, raters' experience and background, and pre-test training. The categories of the resulting ratings for overall risk levels on the task level using RAMP's HM and the HAL Tool agreed in over 75% of ratings. According to the ergonomists, RAMP's HM is usable; it supports the systematic risk management approach, and their answers indicated that it has been designed in a user-centered way. Furthermore, the evaluation results indicated a strong face validity for RAMP's HM. Raters perceived the new model as a practical tool for systematically managing DUE WMSDs and the corresponding risk factors across various work environments and industries. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that comprehensive education and practical training on RAMP's HM are provided before conducting further evaluations, i.e., on the complete RAMP 2.0 version. Furthermore, it is recommended to include more participants and tasks in such evaluations. Additionally, it may be valuable to consider using other reliability parameters besides the weighted Cohen's kappa.