<p>Background, aim and scope. In this thesis a framework for integrating life cycle assessment and investment analysis is derived, aimed to (1) unite economic and environmental perspectives, and (2) strengthen system borders. The application of the model is shown in a case study of a bioenergy facility in central Norway. Prices and environmental impacts are calculated, and the results are compared to those for electricity generated from natural gas. Two examples of utilisation of the results are presented. Methods. Hybrid life cycle assessment is employed to enable the use of the price model from input-output analysis. The price model is extended to facilitate the integration of investment analysis. The resulting framework embodies all aspects from investment analysis, including tax and discounting. The result is a model performing a state of the art hybrid life cycle assessment and a net present worth analysis to obtain environmental and economic results with consistent system borders. Application. The method is applied to a case study, evaluating an electricity generating bioenergy facility in central Norway. The bioenergy facility was found to be a viable investment. Using bioenergy as an abatement measure against global warming was found to be competitive against carbon credits in the case of CO2 quota prices at the level assumed in 2030. Results and discussion. The model produced robust results comparable to those found in other studies. The framework proved to have several advantages in addition to strengthened system borders; amongst others a mutual empowerment between the two base analyses in relation to decision making, and a possibility for establishing eco-efficiency indicators.</p>

<p>The main objective of the work reported in this thesis has been to study and develop methodologies that can improve the communication gap between design and manufacturing systems. The emphasis has been on searching for the possible means of modeling and optimizing processes in an integrated design and manufacturing system environment using the combined capabilities (hybrids) of computational intelligence tools particularly that of artificial neural networks and genetic algorithms. </p><p>Within the last two decades, a trend of interest towards use of computers has been observed in almost all business activities. This has forced the industrial business to undergo dynamic profound changes with automation through information and communication technology being on the forefront of business success. Business in manufacturing engineering is no exceptional to this trend. Several functions in the manufacturing field such as design, process planning and manufacturing have enjoyed the recent advances in information and communication technology. However, the earlier isolated automation in each function have created a significant hindrance to smooth flow of information particularly because there has been a very high system incompatibility among the computerized systems.</p><p>One of the most difficult problems in modern manufacturing is the instability of production systems to mimic the basis human capabilities such as adjusting appropriately to the ever-changing environment. From past studies, it has been possible to witness that advances in theory and application methodology of artificial intelligence techniques can overcome many of the obstacles existing in manufacturing discipline. Today, the emergence of advanced computational methods in the artificial intelligence world such as genetic algorithms and neural networks, both inspired by the natural evolutionary process, has created a new field of research and application referred to as computational intelligence (CI) approach.</p><p>Accordingly, this thesis focuses on the application of computational intelligence tools from two main perspectives. On the one hand, instead of the isolated automation of each manufacturing function, the CI techniques have been considered as powerful tools that allow all functions to operate within a fully integrated and intelligent manufacturing system. Particularly, since process planning, is the main linking element between design and manufacturing functions, an automated and optimized process planning function creates a much more powerful environment that leads to the optimization of the whole process. Particularly, being able to integrate feature recognition and operation sequence optimization is an important element in the manufacturing system chain that can highly contribute to the automation and flexibility of the integrated design and manufacturing system. On the other hand, the computational intelligence techniques themselves have certain weakness of their own in solving the complex manufacturing process as a stand-alone form. In a hybrid form, however, they can either support or complement each other.</p><p>To realize these two points, this thesis has focused on the development of theories and application methodologies of hybrid computational intelligence systems to model and optimize complex manufacturing processes. The aim is to exploit the strong side of one computational intelligence tool and support or complement the weakness of the other. To this effect, qualitative analysis and reasoning of computational intelligence based hybrid systems are comprehensively discussed. The development theoretical backgrounds and methodologies are further used in key problem areas of the manufacturing system such as operation sequencing, machining economics analysis using multi-objective optimization approach and modeling and optimization of unstructured data collected from a non-conventional machining environment (electro-discharge machining). The results from the hybrid CI application to model and optimize the electro-discharge machine show that the methodology is also important not only to the industrial activities using this technology, but also promotes further research and application in the discipline. Though the focus in this thesis has been on discrete part manufacturing industries, it is important to mention that the facts, the developed methodologies and the discussed issues in the study are applicable to other industrial businesses. </p>

The main objective of the work reported in this thesis has been to study and develop methodologies that can improve the communication gap between design and manufacturing systems. The emphasis has been on searching for the possible means of modeling and optimizing processes in an integrated design and manufacturing system environment using the combined capabilities (hybrids) of computational intelligence tools particularly that of artificial neural networks and genetic algorithms. Within the last two decades, a trend of interest towards use of computers has been observed in almost all business activities. This has forced the industrial business to undergo dynamic profound changes with automation through information and communication technology being on the forefront of business success. Business in manufacturing engineering is no exceptional to this trend. Several functions in the manufacturing field such as design, process planning and manufacturing have enjoyed the recent advances in information and communication technology. However, the earlier isolated automation in each function have created a significant hindrance to smooth flow of information particularly because there has been a very high system incompatibility among the computerized systems. One of the most difficult problems in modern manufacturing is the instability of production systems to mimic the basis human capabilities such as adjusting appropriately to the ever-changing environment. From past studies, it has been possible to witness that advances in theory and application methodology of artificial intelligence techniques can overcome many of the obstacles existing in manufacturing discipline. Today, the emergence of advanced computational methods in the artificial intelligence world such as genetic algorithms and neural networks, both inspired by the natural evolutionary process, has created a new field of research and application referred to as computational intelligence (CI) approach. Accordingly, this thesis focuses on the application of computational intelligence tools from two main perspectives. On the one hand, instead of the isolated automation of each manufacturing function, the CI techniques have been considered as powerful tools that allow all functions to operate within a fully integrated and intelligent manufacturing system. Particularly, since process planning, is the main linking element between design and manufacturing functions, an automated and optimized process planning function creates a much more powerful environment that leads to the optimization of the whole process. Particularly, being able to integrate feature recognition and operation sequence optimization is an important element in the manufacturing system chain that can highly contribute to the automation and flexibility of the integrated design and manufacturing system. On the other hand, the computational intelligence techniques themselves have certain weakness of their own in solving the complex manufacturing process as a stand-alone form. In a hybrid form, however, they can either support or complement each other. To realize these two points, this thesis has focused on the development of theories and application methodologies of hybrid computational intelligence systems to model and optimize complex manufacturing processes. The aim is to exploit the strong side of one computational intelligence tool and support or complement the weakness of the other. To this effect, qualitative analysis and reasoning of computational intelligence based hybrid systems are comprehensively discussed. The development theoretical backgrounds and methodologies are further used in key problem areas of the manufacturing system such as operation sequencing, machining economics analysis using multi-objective optimization approach and modeling and optimization of unstructured data collected from a non-conventional machining environment (electro-discharge machining). The results from the hybrid CI application to model and optimize the electro-discharge machine show that the methodology is also important not only to the industrial activities using this technology, but also promotes further research and application in the discipline. Though the focus in this thesis has been on discrete part manufacturing industries, it is important to mention that the facts, the developed methodologies and the discussed issues in the study are applicable to other industrial businesses.

This master&#146;s thesis is the continuation of a preliminary study conducted in the fall of 2011. The project is defined by NTNU in cooperation with Laerdal Medical. Laerdal Medical AS is a major manufacturer of medical equipment and training products based in Stavanger, Norway. They now want to make an addition to their spinal product line and offer a lower cost, but quality alternative to their existing spineboard (the BaXstrap spineboard).A spineboard is a long, flat and rigid board mainly used for the immobilization and transportation of trauma patients with suspected spinal injuries.As a basis for comparison of stiffness of the old and proposed new alternative, phys- ical tests of the BaXstrap spineboard were conducted.The new spineboard concept proposes a transition from the current rotational molding process of the BaXstrap to injection molding the new spineboard in two parts and joining them by hot plate welding.Through a part breakdown approach to the spineboard, constraint and possibilities for all design features of the spineboard were reviewed. This was based on extensive re- search through current literature, standards, competitor reviews, discussions with Laerdal and user interviews. From two final design concepts, a curved and tapered spineboard with features continued from the BaXstrap was chosen and another design iteration was performed.The results of this project has, in addition to en extensive product specification, been a CAD model, CAE analysis and a physical foam mock-up of the final design iteration of the proposed new spineboard. CAE analysis showed that the new spineboard can have better resistance to torsion and bending than the BaXstrap.Descriptions of the CAD model structures and how to prepare mesh and load cases for CAE analysis of the spineboard will be used as a basis for further development of the spineboard at Laerdal Medical.

Abstrakt Hvordan kan en låt oppfattes ulikt ut ifra hvordan den er arrangert og fremført? Hvilke følelser bringer ulike instrumenter med seg? Hvilken rolle spiller produksjonen for hvordan en låt blir tolket? Jeg har i forbindelse med dette prosjektet laget en akustisk live-versjon av en av mine egne, utgitte låter og har undersøkt hvordan disse to versjonene oppleves forskjellig av lytterne. Låten heter ”Du” og er i utgangspunktet en veldig produsert poplåt med fullt band og jeg ville se hvordan låten blir oppfattet med et helt annet arrangement. For å få svar på dette har jeg sendt de to versjonene og et spørreskjema til 9 personer. Prosjektet har gitt meg en ny oppfattelse av hvordan ulike mennesker tolker ulik fremførelse av musikk. Formålet med dette prosjektet har vært å undersøke hva det er som gjør at man opplever samme låt på forskjellig måte ut ifra hvordan den blir fremført og presentert.

Arbeidet med vakuuminnfesting for fjernstyrte undervannsverkt&#248;y har p&#229;g&#229;tt siden v&#229;ren 2011, som et samarbeid mellom LBO og studenter ved NTNU. I prosjektoppgaven &#148;Konsept for innfesting av fjernstyrte undervannsverkt&#248;y p&#229; flytende produksjonsinstallasjoner&#148;, Holmgard &amp; L&#229;stad 2011, ble det utviklet et helhetlig konsept for innfesting og tilkomst til skroget p&#229; et lasteskip. L&#248;sningen ble en rektangul&#230;r ramme med en robotarm for gjennomf&#248;ring av vedlikeholdsarbeidet. Et vakuumsystem med sugekopper fungerte som innfesting.Denne masteroppgaven unders&#248;ker gjennomf&#248;rbarheten til vakuumsystemet, gjennom videreutvikling og systematisk testing i en testrigg. Hovedfokuset l&#229; i &#229; teste innfestingskapasiteten til sugekopper under varierende forhold. Resultatene viste at innfestingskapasiteten i liten grad p&#229;virkes av vann og moderat ruhet. Sugekoppene kan dermed dimensjoneres utfra oppgitte spesifikasjoner fra leverand&#248;rene. Det fremstod ogs&#229; hensiktsmessig &#229; bruke vakuumtank som trykkakkumulator, da den f&#248;rer til hurtigere innfesting, og lavere trykktap ved lekkasje.I tillegg til &#229; gi svar p&#229; noen av sp&#248;rsm&#229;lene LBO hadde, har vi gjennom oppgaven tilrettelagt for videre arbeid med vakuuminnfesting offshore. Testriggen og &#248;vrig testutstyr kan benyttes til videreutvikling, og vi anbefaler LBO &#229; gjennomf&#248;re ytterligere tester.

I arbeidet med denne avhandlingen har det blitt utf&#248;rt et omfattende arbeid p&#229; ulike aspekter ved utviklingen av et monocoque chassis designet for &#229; konkurrere i Formula Student. Analyse, dimensjonering og produksjon er hovedtema i denne oppgaven. Fokuset har ligget i &#229; beskrive den tiln&#230;rmingen som brukes i designfasen, analyse og testing av lokaliserte laster p&#229; sandwichpaneler, samt utvikle en produksjonsprosess for chassiset. Alt av dimensjonering, analyse og testing er utf&#248;rt p&#229; sandwich paneler representativt for et monocoque chassis. Hovedfokuset har v&#230;rt et racerbilchassis for Revolve NTNU, med tilh&#248;rende laster. Monocoque-chassiset er en selvb&#230;rende konstruksjon hvor hjuloppheng, girkasse, velteb&#248;yler og andre innfestninger g&#229;r direkte i chassiset som tar opp alle kreftene.Mye av arbeidet har blitt gjort i analyse og eksperimentell testing av lokaliserte laster p&#229; sandwich paneler med s&#229;kalte &#147;inserts&#148;, da dette er den mest brukte metoden for &#229; overf&#248;re laster inn p&#229; et skj&#230;rsvakt sandwichpanel.Eksperimeter og testing har v&#230;rt en stor del av denne avhandlingen. Den meste av teorien som er beskrevet og brukt i denne oppgaven er ogs&#229; basert p&#229; empiriske resultater. Mye av arbeidet har best&#229;tt av den faktiske produksjon av strukturen, og tilh&#248;rende m&#229;ling og verifisering av strukturen.

<p>A wind tunnel study of speed-up effects above the very crest of a sharp-edged escarpment and a hill peak in a simulated atmospheric boundary layer has been carried out. It was desired to do a part-deep simulation of an atmospheric boundary that could be found above sea or coastal area exposed to the open sea. Because of the limited work section length was it used a modified roughness, barrier and mixing-device developed by Counihan to accelerate the boundary layer growth. The mean velocity, integral length scales, power spectrum and turbulence intensity in the simulated boundary layer were compared with full scale empirical data. It showed good agreement except for the turbulence intensity which was too low. Speed-up effects for the mean horizontal velocity and the longitudinal turbulence intensity above the very crest of an escarpment and a hill peak were investigated in the simulated atmospheric boundary layer. From the results it was observed that the speed-up effect gave a decrease in the turbulence intensity and a more uniform profile with height. A considerably increase of the horizontal mean velocity in the lowest part of the flow was also observed. Scaled-up data from the wind tunnel experiment were compared with estimations from the Norwegian standard and potential flow with varying degree of agreement.</p>

<p>The fundamental principles of acoustics and of aeroacoustic noise generation are described, along with specific examples relevant for helicopter rotors. The acoustic analogy approach to computing the propagation of sound is presented, and details are given on the Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings (FW-H) equation. Using an incompressible, laminar Navier-Stokes solver in textsc{Fluent} the flow field around a circular cylinder and a NACA 0015 airfoil is computed. The solution of the flows are then used as the input for a simplified FW-H equation. The simulation results are validated by comparing both the flow parameters and the acoustic solution to numerical data from two different numerical studies. The validation leads to the conclusion that the method used is suitable for the both the flow and noise prediction. The pressure fluctuations are dominated by convected pressure fluctuations in the flow itself, not that radiated from the source. Due to this the FW-H method was not properly validated by the test cases, and no conclusions can be drawn as to its accuracy.</p>

<p>A wind tunnel study of speed-up effects above the very crest of a sharp-edged escarpment and a hill peak in a simulated atmospheric boundary layer has been carried out. It was desired to do a part-depth simulation of an atmospheric boundary that could be found above sea or coastal area exposed to the open sea. Because of the limited work section length it was used a modified roughness, barrier and mixing-device method developed by Counihan to accelerate the boundary layer growth. The mean velocity, integral length scales, power spectrum and turbulence intensity in the simulated boundary layer were compared with full scale empirical data. It showed good agreement except for the turbulence intensity which was too low. Speed-up effects for the mean horizontal velocity and the longitudinal turbulence intensity above the very crest of an escarpment and a hill peak were investigated in the simulated atmospheric boundary layer. From the results it was observed that the speed-up effect gave a decrease in the turbulence intensity and a more uniform profile with height. In addition, it was observed a considerably increase of the horizontal mean velocity in the lowest part of the atmospheric boundary layer. Scaled-up data from the wind tunnel experiment were compared with estimations from the Norwegian standard and potential flow with varying degree of agreement.</p>