This thesis consists of four papers: two of them deal with the relationship between consumption, energy taxation, and emissions on macro level, and two of them focuses on the effects of changes in consumption and income on the environmental quality on a micro level. The main objective of paper [I] is to examine how exogenous technological progress, in terms of an increase in energy efficiency, affects consumption choice by Swedish households and thereby emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx). The aim of the paper is closely related to the discussion of what is known as the “rebound effect”. To neutralise the rebound effect, we estimate the necessary change in CO2 tax, i.e. the CO2 tax that keeps CO2 emissions at their initial level. In addition, we estimate how this will affect emissions of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. The results indicate that an increase in energy efficiency of 20 percent will increase emissions of CO2 by approximately 5 percent. To reduce the CO2 emissions to their initial level, CO2 tax must be raised by 130 percent. This tax increase will reduce the emissions of sulphur dioxide to below their initial level, but will leave the emissions of nitrogen oxides at a higher level than initially. One of the premises implied in paper [II] is that the changes in consumer prices, as a result of changes in environmental taxes, may send a different signal to the consumer compared with other changes in consumer prices, such as changes in producer price. In addition, this assumed difference in the signaling effect of the changes in environmental taxes, compared to changes in the producer price, may also differ between different commodities. To achieve the objectives a system of demand functions for Swedish households is estimated. To test for the signalling effect of environmental taxes the consumer price for energy goods is partitioned into a producer price part and a tax part. In Paper [III], we estimate the income elasticity of demand for recreational services and other traditional groups of goods in Sweden and we test for potential changes in such estimates over the twentieth century. The paper uses Swedish household surveys for the years 1913, 1984, 1988, and 1996. Because of the difficulty of directly observing the demand for recreational services, we employ an indirect methodology by using the demand for some outdoor goods as proxies for the recreational services demand. In paper [IV], we investigate the relationship between pollution and income at the household level. Here we want to investigate, and hence contribute to the existing literature, under what conditions concerning individual preferences and the link between consumption and pollution a linear relationship are to be expected, but also to empirically assess the relationship. To achieve our objective we formulate a model determining different type of households’ choice of consumption for goods. Furthermore we link the demand model to emission functions for the various goods. The results from the empirical analysis show that, at least in a close neighbourhood of observed income/pollution, we can reject linearity for all three types of pollutions, CO2, SO2, and NOx. According to our results the pollution/income relationships are all strictly concave. Thus the implication is that the income distribution seems to matter in the sense that equalization of income will lead to higher emissions. Furthermore it is shown that the slope as well as the curvature differs between different types of households, which means that preferences differ across households.

The aim of this thesis is to give a perspective on the development of the Swedish automobility between 1950 and 2007. New knowledge on automobility’s role for economic historical development will be achieved by studying the interaction between the diffusion of the private car on the national and the regional level, and the households’ preferences and the government’s regulations of car ownership. The first paper, Two Sides of the Same Coin?, compares car diffusion in Norway and Sweden to find explanations for the national and regional patterns. We ask whether the slower diffusion in Norway can be explained with national differences in income, institutions, infrastructure and population settlements; or if regional differences in income and population density have affected the outcome? Our conclusion is that car diffusion in Norway and Sweden displays two sides of the same coin; the national levels converged, but the process did not follow the same regional pattern. Regional differences in income and population density have in general been a significant explanation for car density in Sweden, but not in Norway.   The second paper, Driving from the Centre to the Periphery?, examines whether the diffusion of private cars followed the over-all socio-economic and geographical changes in Sweden from 1960 to 1975. In particular, it studies if ownership per capita followed changes in income or changes in population density (urbanisation). The analysis is based on unique Swedish parish-scale census material that includes all private car owners for the years 1960, 1970 and 1975. Our conclusion is that income levels were more important than other explanations for the diffusion of private cars in Sweden between 1960 and 1975. The third paper, ‘En ledande och samordnande funktion’, contributes with new knowledge on how the Swedish government has organised traffic safety in certain ways since the 1950s. The emphasis is on the establishment and closing down of the National Road Safety Office (TSV) and how the changing forms of organisations before, during and after TSV have been reflected in the road plans from 1958, 1970 and 1990. Our conclusion is that the motives for both establishment and closing down of the TSV were the same; to create a more efficient organisation regarding traffic safety. These changes have been reflected in the road plans where an increased control over the infrastructure can be recognised, especially during the last two decades. The fourth paper, A Dark Side of Car Ownership, examines whether improved technical performance with respect to fuel consumption have been counterbalanced through increasing engine power and weight, how such properties are valued by the consumers, and in what way political instruments have affected this development. The analysis is based on historical data covering all car models within the 50 percentiles of new registrations. Our conclusion is that a vehicle purchase rebound effect can be identified since the fuel consumption has decreased over time, while the engine effect has increased. Also, the Swedish car fleet has developed in a setting of political instruments and regulations working in favour of larger and more fuel consuming cars.

Ten sediment cores (2.0-8.5 m long) from various locations in Lake of the Woods (LOTWs) and Shoal Lake (SL) were recovered in August 2006, using a Kullenberg piston corer. From the study of the macrofossils (primarily ostracodes and thecamoebians) and the sediments in six processed cores, variations in paleoconditions were observed both spatially and temporally, and the timing of these changes were identified in over 10,000 years of postglacial history. Ostracodes disappeared from the LOTWs record from about 9000 to 7600 calendar years before present (BP) (about 5800 in SL), after LOTWs became isolated from glacial Lake Agassiz. Thecamoebians appeared in many cores around 2000 calendar years BP, with the earliest appearance at 9200. Buried paleosols in three cores indicate portions of the lake dried on several occasions during the Hypsithermal, perhaps indicating the region’s future climate response. One core contained a pink clay bed indicative of the Marquette readvance about 11,300 years (BP), and the subsequent input of water from the Superior basin.

Ten sediment cores (2.0-8.5 m long) from various locations in Lake of the Woods (LOTWs) and Shoal Lake (SL) were recovered in August 2006, using a Kullenberg piston corer. From the study of the macrofossils (primarily ostracodes and thecamoebians) and the sediments in six processed cores, variations in paleoconditions were observed both spatially and temporally, and the timing of these changes were identified in over 10,000 years of postglacial history. Ostracodes disappeared from the LOTWs record from about 9000 to 7600 calendar years before present (BP) (about 5800 in SL), after LOTWs became isolated from glacial Lake Agassiz. Thecamoebians appeared in many cores around 2000 calendar years BP, with the earliest appearance at 9200. Buried paleosols in three cores indicate portions of the lake dried on several occasions during the Hypsithermal, perhaps indicating the region’s future climate response. One core contained a pink clay bed indicative of the Marquette readvance about 11,300 years (BP), and the subsequent input of water from the Superior basin.

Suppressing unwanted stereotypes ironically leads suppressors to think and behave in a more stereotypical manner than controls. Suppression studies typically test for rebound with target groups that perceivers may feel entitled to stereotype (e.g., skinheads) or that are associated with negative stereotypes (e.g., African Americans). In contrast, stereotypes of the aid-related poor are expected to contain ambivalent content: a mix of both positive and negative stereotypic information. Since this content may affect perceivers’ cognitive processes of stereotype activation, application, suppression and rebound, it was expected that stereotype rebound effects (e.g., judgments and behaviours) for the aid-related poor would differ from those reported for previously tested target groups. Stereotype rebound effects for this target group might occur as: a) positive responses, such as approach behaviour or positive judgments, b) occur as negative responses, such as avoidance behaviour or negative judgments, or c) not be evidenced in suppressors’ responses. Four experiments were designed to explore the effects of stereotype suppression, and to examine stereotype rebound effects in perceivers who suppressed (i.e., were asked not to think stereotypically) their stereotypes of the aid-related poor. In the first experiment (N = 29), there was no evidence of stereotype suppression in suppressors’ essays about a poor African youth. In the second experiment (N = 24) however, suppressors sat significantly closer than controls to the alleged seat of an African student (a reverse rebound effect). In the third experiment (N = 35), suppressors again showed evidence of approach behaviour when interacting with African poor individuals, and demonstrated avoidance behaviour when interacting with African wealthy individuals. Experiment 4 (N = 70) used implicit measures of stereotyping; participants were asked to name the ink colour of stereotypic and nonstereotypic trait words presented immediately following two category primes. Suppressors tended to be faster than controls to name the colour of positive trait words and slower than controls to name the colour of negative trait words that were stereotypic of the African poor target group. This difference in response times implies that, for suppressors only, the salient stereotype features being primed were positive rather than negative; thus eliciting a positive rebound effect. Stereotype rebound effects may therefore not always be evidenced by higher levels of negative or prejudiced responding in suppressors, but can also appear as positive evaluations and approach behaviours. Findings from this research (i.e., stereotype rebound effects can be either positive or negative) have important implications for those viewers of aid advertisements who suppress unwanted stereotypes, especially as rebound effects for the aid-related poor are associated with unconscious behavioural and cognitive responses.

Este trabalho apresenta a análise de provas de carga dinâmica realizadas em estaca metálicas tipo trilho (TR - 68) cravadas no Campo Experimental de Fundações da USP/São Carlos. As estacas possuem segmentos de 12 e de 3 m, soldados segundo a NBR 8800/86, totalizando um comprimento máximo 27 m. Os objetivos desta análise são: 1) realizar um estudo abrangente da capacidade de carga do tipo trilho, 2) verificar a utilização de trilho usado como elemento estrutural de fundação, 3) comprovar o uso do repique como método de controle do estaqueamento, 4) demostrar a importância da energia crescente na prova de carga dinâmica. As medidas de repique foram realizadas com o uso de papel e lápis em vinte estacas, para níveis crescentes de energia. A energia foi aplicada pelo martelo de gravidade caindo de uma altura de 0,20 - 0,40 - 0,60 - 0,80 - 1,00 - 1,20 e 1,50 m. A capacidade de carga das estacas, determinada pela extrapolação da curva carga mobilizada - deslocamento, foi comparada com os valores obtidos pelos métodos de previsão da prática brasileira, bem como com os resultados de dois ensaios com PDA (Pile Driving Analyzer) e também com uma prova de carga estática, realizados em estacas representativas. / This paper presents an analysis of dynamic load tests performed on steel crane rails piles (TR-68) at the Experimental Foundation Field of USP/São Carlos. The piles have segments of 12 and 3 m, welded according to NBR 8800/86, comprising a maximum driving length of 27 m. The objectives of this analysis are: 1) to carry out a wide study of steel track pile bearing capacity, 2) verify the utilization of the steel crane rails piles with structural element of foundation, 3) to prove the use of the rebound with the control method of driving piles. 4) to demonstrate the importance of increasing energy in the dynamic load test. The rebound measurements were performed with paper and pencil in twenty piles and were analyzed by applying increasing energy level. The energy was applied by the gravity hammer falling of a drop heights of 0.2 - 0.4 - 0.6 - 0.8 - 1.0 - 1.2 and 1.5 m. The pile bearing capacity, determined by the extrapolations of the mobilized resistance - displacement curves was compared to the Brazilian experience methods, as well as to two load tests employing the Pile Driving Analyzer (PDA) and to one static load test carried out on representative piles.

The diploma thesis deals with non-destructive testing of concrete as well as with the relationship between determined parameters and the compressive strength of concrete. The thesis is mainly focused on the ultrasonic pulse velocity method and the rebound hammer test. The experimental part of the thesis describes non-destructive tests performed on concrete blocks. The compressive strength was tested on the drill cores taken from the concrete blocks. The aim of this thesis is to find regression models of the relationship between the compressive strength and non-destructive parameters, and the subsequent analysis of the results.

This thesis deals with the rebound hammer method as a tool for approximation of the time limit for handling the concrete. The theoretical part is focused on three fields of knowledge - rebound hammer test, production of precast concrete components and statistical data analysis. The following practical part deals with the design of two single-parameter linear functions for two types of rebound hammer testers - SilverSchmidt L and SchmidtOriginal N. Statistical data processing is completed by the analysis of influential points by using the Cook’s distance. The resulting statistical models are compared with commonly used relationships.

No description available.

Det tolfte målet i FN:s Agenda 2030 handlar om hållbar konsumtion och produktion, som bland annat innefattar mål om en hållbar användning av naturresurser. En strategi som blivit allt mer populär för att effektivisera användandet av naturresurser är återvinning. Den främsta miljöfördelen med återvinning vilar på ett antagande om att det faktiskt ersätter behovet av att ta ut nya resurser från naturen. Syftet med detta kandidatexamensarbete är att ge en ökad kunskap om hur olika aktörer inom koppar- och pappersbranschen ser på återvinning och dess möjligheter att ersätta naturresursutvinning. För att undersöka detta har intervjuer hållits med både företag och myndigheter som verkar i eller har kunskap om respektive branscher. Resultatet visar på, enligt de tillfrågade, att en ersättning i dagsläget inte är möjlig. Vad detta beror på verkar dock skilja sig åt mellan de två olika fallen. Resultatet visar att aktörerna inom kopparbranschen menar att efterfrågan på koppar ökar mer än den koppar som finns tillgänglig för återvinning till följd av elektrifieringen. För papper är det dock en annan faktor som styr möjligheten för ersättning enligt de tillfrågade. Enligt de tillfrågade aktörerna krävs en viss inblandning av färskfiber kontinuerligt eftersom styrkan hos pappersfibrerna försämras vid varje återvinningsprocess. Aktörerna nämner att det finns förbättringsåtgärder, dessa syftar dock mer åt att förbättra återvinningen generellt och kanske inte nödvändigtvis bidrar till att öka ersättningen. / Responsible consumption and production is one of the Sustainable Development Goals formulated by the UN in 2015. One of the targets concerns sustainable management and use of natural resources. One strategy that has gained more popularity throughout the years to handle this question is recycling. The prime environmental benefit is based on the assumption that recycling displaces the need to extract natural resources. The purpose of this study is to provide increased knowledge of the actors' perspective on the potential of recycling to displace natural resource extraction in the copper and paper industry. Interviews have been done with both companies and authorities. The results show that a complete displacement is not possible. However, the causes of this seem to differ between the two cases. The respondents of the copper industry mention that the increased demand of the metal which will occur as a consequence of the electrification process makes it difficult for a displacement. For paper, on the other hand, the quality loss the fibers suffer from at every recycling process requires continuous supply of raw fiber. However, the results also show a range of improvements that can be implemented to improve recycling in general, if those as well increase the displacement is not necessarily certain.