The research presented in this thesis is the result of field data collection conducted by the Utah Local Technical Assistance Program (Utah LTAP) in conjunction with the Utah Department of Transportation. The first step of the research was data collection from 18 road safety audits conducted throughout the state of Utah. These Road Safety Audits (RSA's) provided a wide variety of data that was used for the validation of the road safety audit quantification methodology. The purpose of this research is to provide quantification to the RSA process that will increase the benefits gained from implementing the RSA recommendations. Benefits derived from the implementation of RSA recommendations were found by assessing the change of risk from before and after safety improvements. The RSA quantification tool was developed to analyze projects in both urban and rural settings. The implementation of the RSA tool will help practitioners show the benefits that can be gained from the safety recommendations and help decision makers in allocating funds to the areas that pose the most risk. The tool will show the difference in risk that the improvements make and the cost effectiveness of different project alternatives.

The research presented in this thesis is the result of field data collection conducted by the Utah Local Technical Assistance Program (Utah LTAP) in conjunction with the Utah Department of Transportation. The first step of the research was data collection from 18 road safety audits conducted throughout the state of Utah. These Road Safety Audits (RSA's) provided a wide variety of data that was used for the validation of the road safety audit quantification methodology. The purpose of this research is to provide quantification to the RSA process that will increase the benefits gained from implementing the RSA recommendations. Benefits derived from the implementation of RSA recommendations were found by assessing the change of risk from before and after safety improvements. The RSA quantification tool was developed to analyze projects in both urban and rural settings. The implementation of the RSA tool will help practitioners show the benefits that can be gained from the safety recommendations and help decision makers in allocating funds to the areas that pose the most risk. The tool will show the difference in risk that the improvements make and the cost effectiveness of different project alternatives.

Sustainable development is now being recognised as a vital component of our society in the environmental, ethical, social, technological, economic, and institutional aspects, or dimensions, so, this thesis develops a framework to quantitatively measure sustainability. This thesis is distinctive in that it focuses on quantitative methods encapsulated in a formal assessment procedure and includes sustainability concepts that have rarely been put into practical use in sustainability reports. The framework is designed along the strategy that the methodology needs to be scale invariant and recursive, meaning the procedure is the same irrespective of the scale the user is interested in, and that different people can focus at different levels of sustainability by following a similar procedure. While the quantification process is aimed to be as unbiased as possible, a configuration of the tools from Total Quality Management (TQM) is adapted to identify sustainability indicators which are then mapped onto a scalar with mathematical functions. The sustainability indices are presented according to the amount of details needed by different users ─ some may need just one overall figure while others may need sustainability indices broken down by the six sustainability dimensions and presented on a spider diagram, while others may need all the details for analysis. This methodology also caters for sustainability analysis by different stakeholders. To fully demonstrate the potential of the methodology, the author has chosen to test it on a large-size industry sector so that it can have the capacity to be scaled up to a country or down to a small business, and on an industry sector that is important on its own right. Furthermore, this sector needs to be illustrative and has nontrivial complex problems. Under these criteria, the electricity sector of New Zealand was selected. The robustness of the methodology was investigated with inputs from three evaluators with different views: a standard view from the author that was made after much research in the sector and in the concepts of sustainability, a view with an environmental bias and one that focuses on commercial interests.

Sustainable development is now being recognised as a vital component of our society in the environmental, ethical, social, technological, economic, and institutional aspects, or dimensions, so, this thesis develops a framework to quantitatively measure sustainability. This thesis is distinctive in that it focuses on quantitative methods encapsulated in a formal assessment procedure and includes sustainability concepts that have rarely been put into practical use in sustainability reports. The framework is designed along the strategy that the methodology needs to be scale invariant and recursive, meaning the procedure is the same irrespective of the scale the user is interested in, and that different people can focus at different levels of sustainability by following a similar procedure. While the quantification process is aimed to be as unbiased as possible, a configuration of the tools from Total Quality Management (TQM) is adapted to identify sustainability indicators which are then mapped onto a scalar with mathematical functions. The sustainability indices are presented according to the amount of details needed by different users ─ some may need just one overall figure while others may need sustainability indices broken down by the six sustainability dimensions and presented on a spider diagram, while others may need all the details for analysis. This methodology also caters for sustainability analysis by different stakeholders. To fully demonstrate the potential of the methodology, the author has chosen to test it on a large-size industry sector so that it can have the capacity to be scaled up to a country or down to a small business, and on an industry sector that is important on its own right. Furthermore, this sector needs to be illustrative and has nontrivial complex problems. Under these criteria, the electricity sector of New Zealand was selected. The robustness of the methodology was investigated with inputs from three evaluators with different views: a standard view from the author that was made after much research in the sector and in the concepts of sustainability, a view with an environmental bias and one that focuses on commercial interests.

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Det finns ett uttalat önskemål inom Sveriges statliga myndigheter är att finna lämpliga tillvägagångssätt för att kvantifiera växthusgaser, som en del i arbetet mot målet att bli förebilder inom miljöledningsarbete. Tillvägagångssätt som är praktiskt genomförbara, användbara och uppfyller myndigheternas behov och önskemål. Den här studien syftar till att identifiera och jämföra olika tillvägagångssätt för att kvantitativt bedöma utsläpp av växthusgaser. Det finns olika internationella etablerade tillvägagångssätt och i detta arbete studeras dess likheter och skillnader, föroch nackdelar. Den svenska statliga myndigheten SMHIs behov och önskemål exemplifieras i studiens frågeställningar och resultat. Studien är baserad på en litteraturstudie och material har bearbetats genom en analytisk induktion, där induktiv och deduktiv process använts. De etablerade riktlinjer och ramverk som valts ut att analyseras är Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), ISO-14064 och 2006 IPCC riktlinjerna. GRI används inte enbart till miljörelaterade frågor, det innehåller även perspektiv på sociala och ekonomiska frågor. Det innebär att det innehåller fler hållbarhetsperspektiv än IPCC 2006 och ISO 14064, då de enbart fokuserar på miljöperspektivet. I denna studie identifierades för- och nackdelar med samtliga valda tillvägagångssätt och vilket som lämpar sig för en statlig myndighet i Sverige beror vad myndigheten har för syfte. Är syftet att arbeta med att enbart kvantitativt bedöma skulle ISO 14064 eller IPCC 2006 vara applicerbara. Om syftet är att arbeta med alla perspektiv inom hållbarhet, så är GRI applicerbart. Det beror också på i vilken skala myndigheter vill göra sina bedömningar, på lokal, regional eller nationell nivå, eftersom den geografiska skalnivån skiljer mellan ISO 14064 och IPCC 2006. / There is a pronounced need within Swedish government agencies to find approaches for quantifying greenhouse gases, as part of their work towards the goal of becoming role models in environmental management. Approaches that are practically feasible, useful and meet the government agencies needs and wishes. This study aims to identify and compare different approaches to quantitatively assessing greenhouse gas emissions. There are different international established approaches, and this thesis has studied their similarities and differences, as well as pros and cons. The Swedish Government agencies SMHI's needs and wishes are exemplified in this study's questions and results. The study is based on a literature study and material has been processed through an analytical induction, using inductive and deductive processes. The established guidelines and framework chosen to be analyzed are Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), ISO 14064 and 2006 IPCC Guidelines. GRI is not only used for environmental issues, it also includes perspectives on social and economic issues. This means that it contains more sustainability perspective than IPCC 2006 and ISO 14064, who only focusing on the environmental perspective. This study identified the pros and cons of all the chosen approaches and if it is appropriate for a governmental agency depends. Is the purpose of working to quantitatively measure the ISO 14064 or IPCC 2006 is applicable. If the purpose is to work with all sustainability perspectives, GRI is applicable. It also depends on what scale government wants to make its calculations, at local, regional, or national level, as the geographic level of scale differs between ISO 14064 and IPCC 2006

The aesthetic aspect of a functional product is growing to be an important reason for the consumers choice to buy the product. Despite this importance, aesthetics has not generally been incorporated into engineering design which makes much sense of functional and ergonomic designs. The study presented in this thesis aims to remedy this observed gap. The study focuses on the integration of aesthetic attributes with functional attributes of a product and on the quantification of the aesthetic principle from fine arts into design variables of the product. In particular, two hypotheses underlie this study: (1) design variables can be classified in terms of their relevance to functional, ergonomic, and aesthetic attributes, and (2) a particular aesthetic principle, namely visual balance, helps to achieve an improved aesthetic product.<p>The cell phone is used to ground this study. A statistic experiment using the cell phone product positively tests the first hypothesis, resulting in two design variable which are only related to the aesthetic attribute of the cell phone product. The study of the visual balance principle results in a more general formula which relates design variables to visual balance with consideration of both geometry and color of the cell phone product. Finally, another statistic experiment is designed, which positively tests the second hypothesis.<p>This study concludes: (1) the effective integration of aesthetics with function and ergonomics requires an analysis and classification of design variables, and (2) there is a potential to quantify all aesthetic principles from fine arts into design variables.

The aesthetic aspect of a functional product is growing to be an important reason for the consumers choice to buy the product. Despite this importance, aesthetics has not generally been incorporated into engineering design which makes much sense of functional and ergonomic designs. The study presented in this thesis aims to remedy this observed gap. The study focuses on the integration of aesthetic attributes with functional attributes of a product and on the quantification of the aesthetic principle from fine arts into design variables of the product. In particular, two hypotheses underlie this study: (1) design variables can be classified in terms of their relevance to functional, ergonomic, and aesthetic attributes, and (2) a particular aesthetic principle, namely visual balance, helps to achieve an improved aesthetic product.<p>The cell phone is used to ground this study. A statistic experiment using the cell phone product positively tests the first hypothesis, resulting in two design variable which are only related to the aesthetic attribute of the cell phone product. The study of the visual balance principle results in a more general formula which relates design variables to visual balance with consideration of both geometry and color of the cell phone product. Finally, another statistic experiment is designed, which positively tests the second hypothesis.<p>This study concludes: (1) the effective integration of aesthetics with function and ergonomics requires an analysis and classification of design variables, and (2) there is a potential to quantify all aesthetic principles from fine arts into design variables.

This thesis is an investigation of detecting and quantifying airborne inoculum of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary to improve the Sclerotinia rot of carrot (SRC) forecast model. A quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay was developed to specifically detect and quantify DNA from airborne ascospores of S. sclerotiorum. The qPCR assay was evaluated on air samples collected using a Burkard Sampler, and showed that ascospores of S. sclerotiorum were specifically detected among a pool of foreign DNA. The concentration of detected ascospores was related to the observed incidence of SRC to suggest a preliminary threshold of 2 to 4 ascospores m-3 of air for SRC development. Evaluation of an Andersen Sampler, the blue plate test (BPT) and the qPCR assay showed that the latter two methods were equally effective in detecting and quantifying ascospores of S. sclerotiorum and consistently detected greater numbers of ascospores than an Andersen Sampler. Three days are required to confirm the presence of S. sclerotiorum using the BPT, while results from the qPCR assay can potentially provide results within five hours of air sampling. The choice of detection method depends on the available resources and need for a quick result. Analysis of data from nine years of air sampling using the BPT indicated that a single air sampling site is sufficient to detect ascospores when counts are low, increasing to two sites during periods when ascospores are detected near threshold levels and crop and environmental conditions are conducive to disease. Chitosan and canopy trimming were evaluated to manage SRC under field conditions. Chitosan reduced area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) by 55 and 42% in 2009 and 2011, respectively, which was comparable to a standard fungicide. Trimming enhanced chitosan efficacy, reducing AUDPC by 88 and 82% in 2009 and 2011, respectively. Trimming as a stand-alone treatment reduced AUDPC by 66% in 2011. Under controlled environmental conditions, chitosan inconsistently enhanced defense responses against S. sclerotinia. The results show that chitosan has potential to be integrated into SRC management systems, particularly when combined with foliar trimming in years with moderate to high disease risk. / National Research Council of Canada; University of Guelph; Department of Plant Agriculture; Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientÃfico e TecnolÃgico / O desperdÃcio à o principal responsÃvel pela geraÃÃo de resÃduos sÃlidos no ramo da construÃÃo civil, mais notadamente aquele relacionado com a aplicaÃÃo do gesso como revestimento de paredes e tetos. Neste trabalho, buscou-se quantificar a taxa de desperdÃcio de gesso em quatro obras localizadas na cidade de Fortaleza, por meio da utilizaÃÃo de duas metodologias, as quais relacionam a quantidade de massa de gesso demandada com a quantidade de resÃduos gerados. A quantificaÃÃo de resÃduos gerados foi possÃvel devido Ãs empresas construtoras estudadas possuÃrem sistema de coleta segregada desse tipo de material. Foram pesquisados dois mÃtodos. No primeiro tem-se como parÃmetro a Massa de Gesso Demandada (MGD), calculada levando em consideraÃÃo a quantidade de gesso adquirida para a realizaÃÃo do serviÃo. No segundo, a MGD à confrontada com a Quantidade TeÃrica NecessÃria (QTN), sendo esta determinada a partir de parÃmetros como a Ãrea total a ser revestida e o Ãndice de Massa Consumida (IMC), que representa o consumo ideal sem perdas. Foi possÃvel concluir que a tÃcnica da pasta de gesso à aquela que apresenta maior taxa de desperdÃcio, sendo nÃo recomendada, do ponto de vista ambiental, para ser utilizada como revestimento de paredes e, particularmente, tetos. Verificou-se, ainda, que a taxa de desperdÃcio para essas obras à muito grande, sendo maior que os valores encontrados na literatura / The waste is primarily responsible for the generation of solid waste in the construction industry, most notably those related to the application of gypsum as a coating for walls and ceilings. In this work, we tried to quantify the rate of waste gypsum in four works located in the city of Fortaleza, by using two methods, which relate the quantity of mass of gypsum defendant with the amount of waste generated. The amount of waste generated could be due to the construction companies have studied segregated system of collection of such material. We studied two methods. The first parameter has been like a Mass of Gypsum Defendant (MGD), calculated taking into account the amount of gypsum obtained for the completion of service. In the second, the MGD is faced with the Quantity Theory Needed (QTN), which is determined from parameters such as the total area to be coated and Consumed Mass Index (CMI), which represents the ideal consumption without loss. It could be concluded that the technique of plaster folder is one that shows higher rates of waste and is not recommended, from an environmental standpoint, to be used as lining of walls and particularly roofs. There was also that the rate of waste to such works is very large, being larger than the values found in literature