For steel railway bridges, fatigue is the main reason for a limited service life. An initial prediction of the fatigue life is usually performed using loads and conservative assumptions stated in the governing standards. The result is used for decisions of further actions. Even if the result is an insufficient residual life, some bridges are not easy to strengthen or replace without causing large traffic disturbance. In this licentiate thesis, the real load effect is studied by monitoring a bridge during service. The aim is to improve the fatigue life prediction by reducing the uncertainties in the traffic load and finally attain a longer theoretical service life of the bridge. A case study of the Söderström Bridge in central Stockholm, one of Sweden’s most important railway bridges, is incorporated in the studies. Previously performed theoretical assessments have shown alarming results regarding the remaining fatigue life for some of the structural members in the bridge. To verify the result and hopefully receive more favorable stress ranges, the bridge was instrumented with a monitoring system in 2008. The bridge and the monitoring campaign are thoroughly presented. Owing to the large data volume produced by the monitoring system, robust routines and procedures for quality assurance have been required. A deterministic fatigue assessment is presented based on 43 days of continuous measurements comprising more than 17 thousand train passages. Unfortunately, also this fatigue assessment indicates high fatigue damages. A large monitoring system with many gauges enables a statistical evaluation of the quality of the measurements. By the principle of Analysis of Variance, a comparison of the stress range spectra can be performed with the aim of finding deviant spectra and corrupt gauges. An additional aspect is the length of the monitoring period, meaning the required duration for obtaining a stable result. A model for the convergence progress is proposed which could be incorporated in a monitoring system for use during service. The extensive monitoring program of the Söderström Bridge has resulted in reliable stress range spectra. By curve fitting and goodness-of-fit tests measured spectra have been compared with known statistical distributions. These distributions can be used for future fatigue reliability assessments. / QC 20110120

A thickness design module for flexible pavements, based on the HMA fracture mechanics framework, has been developed in order to design against premature failure caused by cracking. The HMA fracture mechanics based design module has been evaluated by designing typical Swedish pavements under typical Swedish climate and loading conditions and comparing the results with a reference design framework. The integrated set of material models predicting the necessary material strength- and creep compliance parameters for crack resistance evaluation within this framework has been evaluated against a number of field cores tested. Results show that the design module developed is able to accurately predict cracking in Swedish flexible pavements, indicating that the principles behind the design procedure are fundamental and that the material models used are able to make qualitative predictions of the individual material properties used to estimates a mixtures’ resistance to cracking. / <p>QC 20110518</p>

Title: The process of gentrification –the transformation of declined neighbourhoods into attractive ones Gentrification = ”A social process of change where people with high socioeconomic status move into neighbourhoods which traditionally has been dominated by people from the lower classes or from ethnical minorities.” (Nationalencyklopedin 2010). In many cities around the world, disinvested neighbourhoods become the place to be, where everything happens. This usually occurs when different social groups, such as bohemians, homosexuals and artists, move into a declined and disinvested neighbourhood. After a while, people from the middleclass move in to the area due to its increased attractiveness, and start to renovate their properties. This usually leads to higher rents, which force some of the original inhabitants to leave the neighbourhood. This is what you can call a process of classic gentrification. The phenomenon also starts its process due to economical elements and urban renewal. Politicians are often very favourably disposed to the process of gentrification, since the city turn more attractive and the incomes of the new residents greatly increase. But since gentrification’s class related signification and political charge, they often use other words instead, such as urban renewal, social mixing and urban renaissance. Even if there are some urban planners who try to control this process, for example by subsidies, it seems like the process have a life of its own. Or does it? And what does it really mean for cities on the long run? This is a study, which examines theories and underlying factors about the process of gentrification, its gentrifiers and its future.

This thesis is carried out with the aim of identifying if, and how, low-cost airline services have their effects on planning issues. Low-cost airlines have set new trends in the travel market and induced air travel demands without competition with established airlines: creating new travel networks with new entry points in countries in Europe. The development of this network is apparently grounded in the expansion of the European Union and its policies. This was also obviously present in the development of the case studies. These case studies illustrated that low-cost airlines have created a complementary system in the region which enhances theoretical network ideas. Furthermore, it becomes more than clear that low-cost services attract passengers from larger distances and therewith have a more spread out effect to the greater region instead of what is often expected to be to the benefit for the locality. That is also why the perceptions between the adjacent town and the region differ, as respectively opportunity and support. The conclusion of the thesis is in the end that low-cost airlines do have an effect on planning issues, though it is indirectly with more reaction from the locality but rather more meaning to the region. The implications for planning are presented and a few directions are discussed on how to handle the phenomenon and what the future might hold for this concept.

No description available.

This study aimed at identifying passive design features through extensive literature study that can be incorporated in residential buildings to make them energy efficient. The study also aimed at identifying changes in the design process that can affect energy efficiency in residential buildings. It has analyzed the design features of typical residential buildings representative of upper middle income households in Dhaka through a case study conducted in Dhaka. It also analyzed the present electric energy use for cooling and lighting typical residential buildings of upper middle income households in Dhaka and the possible energy savings by adopting certain energy efficient features in the case study building. It also distinguishes the different roles of developers, architects, interior designers, land owners (clients) and residents that can act as a barrier in achieving energy efficiency in residential buildings. The findings from this study indicate that doubling the thickness of external walls on east and west, use of hollow clay tiles instead of weathering course for roofs and use of appropriate horizontal overhang ratios for all four orientations can reduce the cooling load of the case study building by 64% and hence reduce the total energy use of the building by 26%. Finally it can be concluded that the process of designing energy efficient residential buildings is not a ‘one-man’s show’. Architects, developers, interior designers and clients are the other actors who can bring a change in the design practice.         Keywords: Energy- efficient; passive design features; residential building; tropical climate

This research has been emphasized on integration of plants in skyscraper design which play a vital role for the energy conservation by the building as well as improving the living quality into these vertical cities. Throughout the thesis work it has been studied to establish the necessity of planting to incorporate into skyscrapers, for the well being of our economy, society and the environment. The rules and regulations in various countries have been studied. The provisions of integrate plants into skyscraper includes the four possible options like, Green roof, Green wall, Biofilter and Indoor potting plants which can be incorporate into the  esign. Benefits and impacts have been studied in terms of energy savings and  ndoor environmental qualities. For example green roof can reduce 50% of cooling  oad; green wall can reduce 10 degree centigrade indoor temperature, where as biofilter and indoor plants purifies indoor air by 50% to 60%. Available technologies for green installments, like complete, modular and vegetated blanket system for green roof; modular, freestanding and cable-rope system for green wall; active and passive system for biofilter and different types of indoor plants have been addressed here along with their examples and case studies. At the end the  ecommendation shows that integration of plants into skyscrapers can change the micro and macro environment, climate, can restore the ecology and benefited to the economy. Results are the noticeable decrease in urban heat island, rapid reduction of energy consumption and cost, refreshing air for a healthy environment. Key words: Green Skyscraper, integration of plants, green roof, green wall, biofilter, ecological impact, climate, energy savings, indoor air quality, aesthetics, design technology.

The change of the Real property index map has met a lot of resistance in Dalarna.This is the reason that the parcel’s reform has not had the same impact in Dalarnaas in the rest of Sweden. In addition, even “Laga skifte” (the reformation on propertystructure) was never effected in most areas of Dalarna. This has lead to thatDalarna has a unique property structure with many small and narrow parcels.Some argue, however, that the property structure has been the same for many centuries.The purpose of this thesis is therefore to study how the property structurelooked before “storskifte” (the reformation on property structure) was done, howit was when äganderättsutredningen (the adjudication), in the 1970s, was accomplished,and finally how the structure looks when land consolidation has been implemented.For the template of the studies, seven different villages were chosen.The basis for the study was comprised of acts for each stage and each village.The study showed that change in property structure has occurred. When “storskiftet”was effected a very intensive and illegal dividing of the property landstarted (called sämjedelning). This led to the result that at the time for ”äganderättsutredning”the parcels had become much finer and significantly smaller. Whenland consolidation was accomplished, the parcels once again become fewer andlarger. / I Dalarna har motståndet mot förändringar i fastighetsindelningen varit mycketstort. Det har lett till att de skiftesreformer som genomförts i övriga delar av Sverigeinte fått samma genomslagskraft i Dalarna. Dessutom har inte ens lagaskiftetgenomförts på många platser i Dalarna. Det har resulterat i en för Dalarna unikfastighetsstruktur med många små och smala skiften.Vissa hävdar dock att fastighetsstrukturen sett likadan ut i många hundra år. Syftetmed detta examensarbete är därför att studera hur fastighetsstrukturen sett ut vidolika tidsepoker, storskiftet, äganderättsutredningen på 1970-talet samt när omarronderinggenomförts. För studien har därför sju olika byar i Dalarna valts ut. Underlagettill studien har utgjorts av akterna för respektive skede och by.Resultatet av studien visar på att en förändring av fastighetsstrukturen skett. Närstorskiftet genomförts påbörjades en ibland intensiv sämjedelning vilket innebaratt fastigheterna delades utan att gällande regelverk angående jorddelning följdes.Resultatet av sämjedelningen blev att vid äganderättsutredningen hade fastighetsstrukturenblivit betydligt mer finmaskig, och det enskilda skiftets storlek blivitavsevärt mindre. När omarronderingen sedan genomförs blir skiftena återigenfärre och större. / QC 20101004

Under utbildningen inom samhällsbyggnad med inriktning stadsplanering på KTH har det funnits två teoretiska koncept som varit centrala och återkommande: hållbarhetsbegreppet med de tre aspekterna ekologisk, ekonomisk och social hållbarhet, samt kommunikativ planering. Dessa två, inom teorin till stor del skilda tankesfärer har under utbildningen däremot sällan diskuterats i relation till specifika praktiska kontexter varför deras kompatibilitet inte problematiserats. Denna uppsats ämnar därför utforska hur en planeringsprocess präglad av ideal om hållbarhet och kommunikativ planering kan se ut i praktiken samt diskutera vilken potential en planeringspraktik inom detta teoretiska gränsland har att svara upp mot de ideal om hållbarhet och medbestämmande som den är präglad av. Mer specifikt ämnar uppsatsen undersöka frågeställningarna: Hur ser en planeringspraktik styrd av ideal om hållbarhet och kommunikativ planering ut? Vilka begränsningar och möjligheter kan en sådan praktik vara präglad av? Studien är tvådelad och inleds med en litteraturstudie av de två teoretiska koncepten hållbarhet och kommunikativ planering för att undersöka deras kompatibilitet från ett teoretiskt perspektiv. I studiens andra del utforskas begreppens kompatibilitet i planeringspraktiken genom att titta på Järvalyftet i Stockholm. Detta fall har funnits lämpligt då det präglas av uttalade ambitioner om både hållbarhet och medborgarinflytande samt för att det som pågående projekt erbjuder möjlighet till insyn i planeringspraktiken. I fallstudien utgörs materialet av officiella handlingar såsom Stockholm stads förslag till strukturplaner och politiska styrdokument. Empiriskt material har samlats in genom kvalitativa intervjuer med en rad aktörer som på olika sätt och omfattning är eller har varit delaktiga i projektet Järvalyftet. Fokus har legat på planerarens och samhällsplanerings roll, dock har det empiriska materialet kompletterats med ytterligare berörda parter såsom intressegrupper, för att möjliggöra en vidare diskussion. Slutligen presenteras de slutsatser som dragits. Initialt de slutsatser som har hämtats från fallstudien Järvalyftet kring de problem och möjligheter som kan uppstå i en planeringspraktik präglad av ideal om hållbarhet och kommunikativ planering. Därefter görs en mer vidgad diskussion kring de mer generella problem och potentialer som kan tänkas uppstå i en samtida planeringsprocess som influeras av de båda teoretiska begreppen. / Two theoretical concepts have been central and reoccurring throughout the urban and regional planning program at Kungliga Tekniska högskolan (Royal Institute of Technology) in Stockholm: sustainability with its three aspects ecological, economic and social sustainability, and communicative planning. The two concepts are within theory often discussed separately, and their compatibility has rarely been problematized in relation to applied planning practice during the education. The aim of this thesis is therefore to explore what a planning process influenced by sustainability and communicative planning ideals might look like, as well as to discuss the potential of a planning practice within this theoretical borderland to achieve the ideals of sustainability and citizen participation which also constitutes it. Explicitly, the thesis aims to explore: What might a planning practice governed by sustainability and communicative planning ideals look like? What are the possibilities and limitations linked to this kind of practice? The study is divided into two parts. Initially, a literature review maps the two theoretical concepts sustainability and communicative planning, to explore their compatibility from a theoretical perspective. Secondly, the concepts’ compatibility in planning practice is explored by conducting a case study of Järvalyftet in Stockholm. This project was chosen because it provides an opportunity to explore the relation between sustainability and communicative planning within an existing practical planning process. The case study is based on official planning and strategic documents, at project and city level. Empirical qualitative data has been collected by interviewing different actors that to varying degrees have been involved in the Järvalyftet project. The focus has been on the role of spatial planning and the planners, but the empirical data has also been supplemented with the views of other affected parties to facilitate a broader concluding discussion. The last part of the thesis presents the final conclusions. Firstly the conclusions which are linked to the Järvalyftet case study regarding the observed issues and possibilities that can occur in planning practice based on ideals of sustainability and communicative planning. Lastly, a broader discussion addresses the more general problems and potentials that are likely to spring from a contemporary planning process influenced by both of the theoretical concepts.

Sammanfattning I dagens samhälle sker en stor transport av virtuellt vatten mellan världens länder. Med virtuellt vatten menas allt det vatten som går åt för att producera en produkt. Sverige importerar virtuellt vatten från exempelvis Brasilien i form av kaffe. Hoekstra och Chapagain har beräknat att en kopp kaffe innehåller 140 liter virtuellt vatten. Detta virtuella vatten består av färskvatten som har förbrukats i Brasilien för att odla, producera och förpacka kaffet. Färskvatten finns endast i begränsad mängd. Sverige har stor tillgång på det men i många länder, som Sverige importerar virtuellt vatten ifrån, råder det brist på färskvatten. Som exempel importerar Sverige stora mängder virtuellt vatten från Tyskland, Spanien och Indien som redan idag förbrukar mellan 40 – 50 % av sina förnyelsebara vattentillgångar. Då befolkningsmängden och den globala temperaturen ökar kommer denna transport av virtuellt vatten inte kunna fortgå i samma utsträckning i framtiden. För att kunna analysera hur mycket färskvatten som faktiskt behövs i ett land, område, region eller liknande introducerade Arjen Y. Hoekstra konceptet vattenfotavtryck år 2002. Vattenfotavtrycket för ett land definieras som den volym vatten som går åt för att producera de produkter och tjänster som konsumeras i det aktuella landet. Det delas upp i två delar, internt och externt vattenfotavtryck. Med det interna vattenfotavtrycket menas den totala volym vatten som används av det inhemska vattnet i den nationella ekonomin, minus det virtuella vatten som exporteras till andra länder. Det externa vattenfotavtrycket definieras som den volym vatten som används i andra länder för att framställa de varor som konsumeras i det aktuella landet, och är den del av vattenfotavtrycket studien har fokuserat på. Sveriges totala vattenfotavtryck är beräknat till 2150 m 3/invånare/år, detta kan sättas i förhållande till det globala medlet, som är 1564 m3 /inv/år. Dagligen förbrukar en medelsvensk 5890 liter vatten/inv/dag. 72 % av detta är relaterat till jordbruksprodukter, 22,4 % till industriprodukter och bara 330 liter, det vill säga 5,6 % är vatten som används i hushållet. Studien resulterar i en arbetsmetodik för att identifiera de produkter som orsakar ett stort externt vattenfotavtryck för ett lokalsamhälle, hur detta samhälle påverkar den globala vattenförbrukningen i form av virtuellt vatten och hur den kan minskas. Arbetsmetodiken är en steg-för-steg-metod och delas in i fyra olika faser: Fas 1. Avgränsa det studerade området; Fas 2. Identifiera vattenfotavtrycket; Fas 3. Planera åtgärder för att minska det externa vattenfotavtrycket; Fas 4. Analysera resultaten. Arbetsmetodiken beskriver vad man ska tänka på, vad som saknas i dagsläget och hur man ska räkna när man vill titta på ett lokalsamhälles externa vattenfotavtryck. I arbetet används Ornö som exempel för att applicera den framarbetade arbetsmetodiken på. ii Vårt exempel, Ornö, är en ö i Stockholms skärgård. Ön som ligger i Haninge kommun är glesbebyggd med 5,7 invånare per kvadratkilometer, i förhållande till Sverige som land, som har 22,8 inv/km 2 . Detta medför att det finns stor tillgång till färskvatten och goda odlingsmöjligheter på ön. Studien identifierar sjutton jordbruksprodukter som svarar för 60 % av Sveriges externa vattenfotavtryck. Av dessa produkter är det kaffe som står för den största andelen, 16,3 %. Förutom kaffe står köttprodukter för en stor del av Sveriges externa vattenfotavtryck, cirka 16 %. Alla dessa sjutton produkter kan inte ersättas med lokalt odlade produkter, detta på grund av att klimatet i Sverige inte lämpar sig för det. Detta gäller exempelvis för kaffe. Dock visar studien att 35 % av det externa vattenfotavtrycket kan ersättas genom lokal produktion. När arbetsmetodiken applicerades på Ornö uppmärksammades att den konsumtionsstatistik som finns är otillräcklig. Därför antogs att en ornöbo konsumerar som en medelsvensk. Om en liknande studie ska göras i framtiden borde denna statistik tas fram. För att göra detta finns det framförallt två alternativ. Det första alternativet är att genom en utförlig enkätundersökning få fram vad människorna i det aktuella samhället konsumerar i detalj. Det andra alternativet är att Statistiska centralbyrån (SCB) eller annan liknande organisation gjorde en undersökning på vad människor i Sverige med olika inkomster, åldrar eller annan gruppering konsumerar. För att sedan kunna överföra det på invånarna i lokalsamhället. / Abstract In today's society is a large shipment of virtual water between countries in the world. Virtual water refers to all the water consumed to produce a product. From this standpoint, Sweden is importing virtual water from Brazil when we import coffee. Hoekstra and Chapagain have calculated that one cup of coffee contains 140 liters of virtual water. This water is all the freshwater that is consumed in Brazil to grow, package and carry the goods to Sweden. Fresh water is something that exists in limited quantities. In Sweden we have plenty of fresh water, but many of the countries we are importing virtual water from there is a shortages of fresh water. As an example, Sweden is importing large quantities of virtual water from countries like Germany, Spain and India, which today consumes between 40-50% of their renewable water resources. With an increased population and as the temperature increases, this consumption is going to be problematic. In order to analyze how much fresh water is actually needed in a country, territory, region or similar Arjen Y. Hoekstra introduced the water footprint concept in year 2002. Water footprint is defined as the volume of water that goes in to producing the products and services consumed in that area. The water footprint is divided into two parts, internal and external water footprint. With the internal water footprint means the total volume of water used by the domestic water in the national economy, minus the virtual water exported to other areas. The external water footprint is defined as the annual volume of water used in other countries to produce the goods consumed in the area and is the part that this degree thesis will be focused on. Sweden's total water footprint is estimated to 2150 m 3/inhabitants/year, this can be taken in relation to the global average, which is 1564 m3 /inhab/year. Daily the average Swede consumes an average of 5890 liters of water/person/day. 4240 liters of this (72 %) is related to agricultural products, 1320 liters (22.4 %) for industrial products and only 330 liters (5.6 %) water used in the household. The purpose of this degree thesis is to develop a methodology for identifying the products that cause a large external water footprint for a local community, how this society affects global water consumption in the form of virtual water and how it can be reduced. The methodology is a step-by-step approach and is divided into four phases. Phase 1. Delimit the study area, Phase 2. Identify the water footprint, Phase 3. Planning measures to reduce external water footprint, Phase 4. Analyze the results. The methodology describes what to think about, what is missing and how to calculate when you want to calculate a local society's external water footprint. The degree thesis is using Ornö as an example to apply the presented methodology on. Our example, Ornö, is an island in the Stockholm archipelago. The island which is located in Haninge municipality is sparsely populated, 5.7 inhabitants per square kilometer, compared to iv Sweden as a country, which has 22.8 inv/km 2 . This means that there is much access to fresh water and good farming opportunities on the island. The degree thesis identifies 17 agricultural products that accounts for 60 % of Sweden's external water footprint. Of these 17 products coffee is the individual crop, which accounts for the bulk of Sweden's external water footprint, 16.3 %. In addition to coffee, meat products accounts for about 16 % of the footprint. All of these 17 products are not products that can be replaced with local production. Because of the Swedish climate not all crops are fit to grow there, such as coffee. However, the study shows that 35% of the external water footprint can be replaced with local production. To make a study, at a local community, it is above all statistics and data on consumption in the current society that is missing. To overcome this, we see two main solutions. The first is through a detailed survey that produces what people in the society consume in detail. A second solution could be that the Statistiska centralbyrån (SCB), or a similar organization, did a survey on what people in the country with different incomes, ages or other groupings are consuming. In order to transfer it back to the residents in the local community