Tiehankkeiden suunnittelu - Ympäristön tilan selvitys ja ympäristövaikutusten arviointi

Tämä diplomityö on tehty ohjeeksi väyläsuunnittelijoille, tiehankkeiden suunnittelussa tehtävään ympäristön tilan selvittämiseen sekä ympäristövaikutusten arviointiin.Työn toimeksiantajana on Tieliikelaitoksen Konsultoinnin Suunnittelupalvelut. Tutkimusongelmaa lähestyttiin selvittämällä aikaisemmin suunnittelussa käytettyjätyöskentelytapoja ja -menetelmiä sekä tarkastelemalla aiemmin tehtyjä tiensuunnittelun asiakirjoja. Selvitys keskittyi Tieliikelaitoksen ja sitä edeltäneen Tielaitoksen toimintaan, mutta työssä tarkasteltiin myös muiden asiantuntijoiden laatimia suunnitelmia. Työn lähtökohtana oli laatia ohje, jonkaavulla suunnittelijat voivat tehdä suunnitelmaan kuuluvan ympäristötiedon käsittelyn itsenäisesti. Hankkeissa, joissa näin toimitaan, oletetaan ympäristövaikutusten jäävän melko vähäisiksi eikä niissä vaadita YVA-lain mukaista menettelyä. Laaditun ohjeen myötä eri suunnittelijoiden laatimat tiehankkeiden suunnitelmat yhtenäistyvät ympäristötiedon käsittelyn osalta, sillä aiemmin yhtenäistä käytäntöä ei ole ollut. Suunnitelmien laatu paranee ja ympäristövaikutusten arviointi helpottuu samaan ohjeeseen kootun tiedon avulla. Ohjeen aikaansaaman suunnittelutoiminnan kehittyminen näkyy vasta, kun ohjetta on sovellettukäytännössä hankkeiden suunnitteluun.

Aplicación de la técnica de espectrometría de fluorescencia de rayos-X en el estudio de la dispersión de metales en áreas mineras

One critical factor for success in characterizing metals polluting mining environments so as to be able to eliminate them and subsequently recover these areas depends upon a speedy and correct response in the analysis of samples. Rapid, simultaneous, multi-element analysis can be undertaken using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, a versatile, non-destructive analytical technique commonly employed to identify both major and minor elements in samples related to environmental studies. An additional advantage of this technique is the possibility of conducting the analysis directly on solid samples, which is extremely convenient when dealing with environmental samples that are difficult to dissolve, such as soils, sediments and mining wastes. Moreover, in recent years the development of spectrometers equipped with digital-signal processors combined with enlarged X-ray production, using better designs for excitation-detection, has contributed to an improvement in instrumental sensitivity, thus allowing us to detect important polluting elements such as Cd and Pb at trace levels. In this paper the authors describe, on the basis of their own experience, some interesting applications of XRF spectrometry for the analysis of several types of environmental samples related to the study of the dispersion of metals within mining environments: (A) analysis of mining wastes, soils and sediments; (B) analysis of samples of vegetation used as bioindicators or related to phytoremediation studies; and (C) analysis of water samples related to mining operations

Kestomagneettitahtikoneen lämpömallinnus

Sähkökoneenterminen suunnittelu on yhtä tärkeätä kuin koneen sähköisten piirien ja magneettipiirin mitoitus, koska koneen lämpenemä määrää koneesta saatavan tehon. Pääosasähkökoneista suunnitellaan edelleen ns. perimätiedon avulla, jossa tukeudutaanvalmiiksi koeteltuihin ratkaisuihin ja kokemusperäiseen tietoon tiettyjen rakenteiden toimivuudesta. Perinteisin menetelmin uusia konerakenteita suunniteltaessa ei pystytä saamaan luotettavaa tietoa uusien ratkaisuiden toimivuudesta. Etenkin hitaasti pyörivien ja suuren vääntötiheyden omaavien kestomagneettitahtikoneiden jäähdytyksen mitoitus on ongelmallista. Siten tarve kehittää analyyttisiä työkaluja lämpenemän mallinnukseen on perusteltua. Tässä työssäperehdytään suuren tehotiheyden omaavien kestomagneettikoneiden urakoon ja virrantiheyden valintaan termisen mitoituksen kannalta. Työn tavoitteena on laatia yksinkertainen analyyttinen työkalu urakoon ja virrantiheyden valintaan. Työkaluavoidaan hyödyntää jo koneensuunnittelun alkuvaiheessa.

Management of slips and its effect on growth and production of 'Pérola' pineapple plants

The lack of good quality planting material has limited the expansion and contributed to yield reduction of the Brazilian pineapple culture. Alternatives of 'Pérola' pineapple slips management were studied aiming at obtaining superior planting material within a shorter time period and making good use of healthy slips of low vigor, that are commonly discarded by growers. Two experiments were carried out at the Experimental Field of Embrapa Cassava & Fruits, Cruz das Almas, Bahia, Brazil, and another one in a commercial plantation in the region of Itaberaba, BA, using blocks or entirely randomized designs with at least four replications. In the first one, the development of slips of different initial sizes (6 to 20 cm long), when grown on mother plants after fruit harvest, was compared with that of slips grown in a nursery after their removal from the mother plants. It became clear that larger slips grow more vigorously and that the removal from the mother plant delays their growth. However, results from the second study showed that those slips grown in nursery had vegetative and agronomic performance similar to that of conventional slips and close to that of plantlets produced from plant stem sections. Independently from the type of planting material used, the larger ones presented a more vigorous growth and produced higher yields. In the third study, it was observed the influence of mineral fertilization, pest control and growth regulator application after fruit harvest on slip development. The treatments applied did not significantly accelerate slip growth. Slips reached 50 cm length and at least 300 g fresh weight within 90 days after fruit harvest, indicating that vigorous plants have enough nutritional storage material for slips development.

SIMULATION OF AMB SUPPORTED ROTOR DURING DROP ON RETAINER BEARINGS

The active magnetic bearings present a new technology which has many advantages compared to traditional bearing designs. Active magnetic bearings, however, require retainer bearings order to prevent damages in the event of a component, power or a control loop failure. In the dropdown situation, when the rotor drops from the magnetic bearings to the retainer bearings, the design parameters of the retainer bearings have a significant influence on the behaviour of the rotor. In this study, the dynamics of an active magnetic bearings supported electric motor during rotor drop on retainer bearings is studied using a multibody simulation approach. Various design parameters of retainer bearings are studied using a simulation model while results are compared with those found in literature. The retainer bearings are modelled using a detailed ball bearing model, which accounts damping and stiffness properties, oil film and friction between races and rolling elements. The model of the ball bearings includes inertia description of rollingelements. The model of the magnetic bearing system contains unbalances of the rotor and stiffness and damping properties of support. In this study, a computationally efficient contact model between the rotor and the retainer bearings is proposed. In addition, this work introduces information for the design of physicalprototype and its retainer bearings.

Electromagnetic Design of a Solid Steel Rotor Motor for Demanding Operation Environments

The solid-rotor induction motor provides a mechanically and thermally reliable solution for demanding environments where other rotor solutions are prohibited or questionable. Solid rotors, which are manufactured of single pieces of ferromagnetic material, are commonly used in motors in which the rotationspeeds exceed substantially the conventional speeds of laminated rotors with squirrel-cage. During the operation of a solid-rotor electrical machine, the rotor core forms a conductor for both the magnetic flux and the electrical current. This causes an increase in the rotor resistance and rotor leakage inductance, which essentially decreases the power factor and the efficiency of the machine. The electromagnetic problems related to the solid-rotor induction motor are mostly associated with the low performance of the rotor. Therefore, the main emphasis in this thesis is put on the solid steel rotor designs. The rotor designs studied in thisthesis are based on the fact that the rotor construction should be extremely robust and reliable to withstand the high mechanical stresses caused by the rotational velocity of the rotor. In addition, the demanding operation environment sets requirements for the applied materials because of the high temperatures and oxidizing acids, which may be present in the cooling fluid. Therefore, the solid rotors analyzed in this thesis are made of a single piece of ferromagnetic material without any additional parts, such as copper end-rings or a squirrel-cage. A pure solid rotor construction is rigid and able to keep its balance over a large speed range. It also may tolerate other environmental stresses such as corroding substances or abrasive particles. In this thesis, the main target is to improve the performance of an induction motor equipped with a solid steel rotor by traditional methods: by axial slitting of the rotor, by selecting a proper rotor core material and by coating the rotor with a high-resistive stainless ferromagnetic material. In the solid steel rotor calculation, the rotor end-effects have a significant effect on the rotor characteristics. Thus, the emphasis is also put on the comparison of different rotor endfactors. In addition, a corrective slip-dependent end-factor is proposed. The rotor designs covered in this thesis are the smooth solid rotor, the axially slitted solid rotor and the slitted rotor having a uniform ferromagnetic coating cylinder. The thesis aims at design rules for multi-megawatt machines. Typically, mega-watt-size solidrotor machines find their applications mainly in the field of electric-motor-gas-compression systems, in steam-turbine applications, and in various types of largepower pump applications, where high operational speeds are required. In this thesis, a 120 kW, 10 000 rpm solid-rotor induction motor is usedas a small-scale model for such megawatt-range solid-rotor machines. The performance of the 120 kW solid-rotor induction motors is determined by experimental measurements and finite element calculations.

Design of axial-flux permanent-magnet low-speed machines and performance comparison between radial-flux and axial-flux machines

This thesis presents an alternative approach to the analytical design of surface-mounted axialflux permanent-magnet machines. Emphasis has been placed on the design of axial-flux machines with a one-rotor-two-stators configuration. The design model developed in this study incorporates facilities to include both the electromagnetic design and thermal design of the machine as well as to take into consideration the complexity of the permanent-magnet shapes, which is a typical requirement for the design of high-performance permanent-magnet motors. A prototype machine with rated 5 kW output power at 300 min-1 rotation speed has been designed and constructed for the purposesof ascertaining the results obtained from the analytical design model. A comparative study of low-speed axial-flux and low-speed radial-flux permanent-magnet machines is presented. The comparative study concentrates on 55 kW machines with rotation speeds 150 min-1, 300 min-1 and 600 min-1 and is based on calculated designs. A novel comparison method is introduced. The method takes into account the mechanical constraints of the machine and enables comparison of the designed machines, with respect to the volume, efficiency and cost aspects of each machine. It is shown that an axial-flux permanent-magnet machine with one-rotor-two-stators configuration has generally a weaker efficiency than a radial-flux permanent-magnet machine if for all designs the same electric loading, air-gap flux density and current density have been applied. On the other hand, axial-flux machines are usually smaller in volume, especially when compared to radial-flux machines for which the length ratio (axial length of stator stack vs. air-gap diameter)is below 0.5. The comparison results show also that radial-flux machines with alow number of pole pairs, p < 4, outperform the corresponding axial-flux machines.

Two component systems: physiological effect of a third component

Signal transduction systems mediate the response and adaptation of organisms to environmental changes. In prokaryotes, this signal transduction is often done through Two Component Systems (TCS). These TCS are phosphotransfer protein cascades, and in their prototypical form they are composed by a kinase that senses the environmental signals (SK) and by a response regulator (RR) that regulates the cellular response. This basic motif can be modified by the addition of a third protein that interacts either with the SK or the RR in a way that could change the dynamic response of the TCS module. In this work we aim at understanding the effect of such an additional protein (which we call ‘‘third component’’) on the functional properties of a prototypical TCS. To do so we build mathematical models of TCS with alternative designs for their interaction with that third component. These mathematical models are analyzed in order to identify the differences in dynamic behavior inherent to each design, with respect to functionally relevant properties such as sensitivity to changes in either the parameter values or the molecular concentrations, temporal responsiveness, possibility of multiple steady states, or stochastic fluctuations in the system. The differences are then correlated to the physiological requirements that impinge on the functioning of the TCS. This analysis sheds light on both, the dynamic behavior of synthetically designed TCS, and the conditions under which natural selection might favor each of the designs. We find that a third component that modulates SK activity increases the parameter space where a bistable response of the TCS module to signals is possible, if SK is monofunctional, but decreases it when the SK is bifunctional. The presence of a third component that modulates RR activity decreases the parameter space where a bistable response of the TCS module to signals is possible.

How to prevent venous cannula orifice obstruction during extracorporeal circulation.

Venous cannula orifice obstruction is an underestimated problem during augmented cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), which can potentially be reduced with redesigned, virtually wall-less cannula designs versus traditional percutaneous control venous cannulas. A bench model, allowing for simulation of the vena cava with various affluent orifices, venous collapse and a worst case scenario with regard to cannula position, was developed. Flow (Q) was measured sequentially for right atrial + hepatic + renal + iliac drainage scenarios, using a centrifugal pump and an experimental bench set-up (afterload 60 mmHg). At 1500, 2000 and 2500 RPM and atrial position, the Q values were 3.4, 6.03 and 8.01 versus 0.77*, 0.43* and 0.58* l/min: p<0.05* for wall-less and the Biomedicus(®) cannula, respectively. The corresponding pressure values were -15.18, -31.62 and -74.53 versus -46.0*, -119.94* and -228.13* mmHg. At the hepatic position, the Q values were 3.34, 6.67 and 9.26 versus 2.3*, 0.42* and 0.18* l/min; and the pressure values were -10.32, -20.25 and -42.83 versus -23.35*, -119.09* and -239.38* mmHg. At the renal position, the Q values were 3.43, 6.56 and 8.64 versus 2.48*, 0.41* and 0.22* l/min and the pressure values were -9.64, -20.98 and -63.41 versus -20.87 -127.68* and -239* mmHg, respectively. At the iliac position, the Q values were 3.43, 6.01 and 9.25 versus 1.62*, 0.55* and 0.58* l/min; the pressure values were -9.36, -33.57 and -44.18 versus -30.6*, -120.27* and -228* mmHg, respectivly. Our experimental evaluation demonstrates that the redesigned, virtually wall-less cannulas, allowing for direct venous drainage at practically all intra-venous orifices, outperform the commercially available control cannula, with superior flow at reduced suction levels for all scenarios tested.

Defining ecological strategies in neuroprosthetics.

Neurological disorders disrupt the equilibrium within the brain and spinal cord ecosystems. Ecology reuses, recycles, and reduces to help maintain the balance across ecosystems. Likewise, neuroprosthetics can help the brain help itself with ecoprosthetic designs that integrate the principles of the "three 'R's."

Generating highly balanced sudoku problems as hard problems

Sudoku problems are some of the most known and enjoyed pastimes, with a never diminishing popularity, but, for the last few years those problems have gone from an entertainment to an interesting research area, a twofold interesting area, in fact. On the one side Sudoku problems, being a variant of Gerechte Designs and Latin Squares, are being actively used for experimental design, as in [8, 44, 39, 9]. On the other hand, Sudoku problems, as simple as they seem, are really hard structured combinatorial search problems, and thanks to their characteristics and behavior, they can be used as benchmark problems for refining and testing solving algorithms and approaches. Also, thanks to their high inner structure, their study can contribute more than studies of random problems to our goal of solving real-world problems and applications and understanding problem characteristics that make them hard to solve. In this work we use two techniques for solving and modeling Sudoku problems, namely, Constraint Satisfaction Problem (CSP) and Satisfiability Problem (SAT) approaches. To this effect we define the Generalized Sudoku Problem (GSP), where regions can be of rectangular shape, problems can be of any order, and solution existence is not guaranteed. With respect to the worst-case complexity, we prove that GSP with block regions of m rows and n columns with m = n is NP-complete. For studying the empirical hardness of GSP, we define a series of instance generators, that differ in the balancing level they guarantee between the constraints of the problem, by finely controlling how the holes are distributed in the cells of the GSP. Experimentally, we show that the more balanced are the constraints, the higher the complexity of solving the GSP instances, and that GSP is harder than the Quasigroup Completion Problem (QCP), a problem generalized by GSP. Finally, we provide a study of the correlation between backbone variables – variables with the same value in all the solutions of an instance– and hardness of GSP.

Responsiveness et changement thérapeutique au travers de l'études de cas

Le concept de responsiveness ou « responsivité » a été proposé dans le domaine de la recherche en psychothérapie pour décrire l'influence mutuelle qui s'exerce continuellement entre patient et thérapeute. La nature responsive des psychothérapies pose alors un problème majeur aux chercheurs, qui adoptent généralement des plans de recherche impliquant des liens de cause à effet et sont en échec dans leur entreprise de mieux comprendre le changement thérapeutique. L'objectif de notre travail est de proposer des pistes pour répondre à ce problème. Nous avons adopté la méthode d'étude de cas, qui permet une analyse en profondeur et en contexte des processus de changement. Dans les deux premières phases de la recherche, nous nous situions dans une approche spécifique à la recherche qualitative en psychothérapie. Nous avons tout d'abord analysé comment le changement s'effectuait chez le patient, en identifiant pas à pas le niveau d'assimilation de ses expériences problématiques. Nous avons ensuite tenté d'appréhender le rôle du thérapeute dans le processus de changement. Notre objectif était d'analyser comment la responsivité du thérapeute pouvait faciliter le processus de changement chez le patient à chaque instant de la thérapie. En suivant une procédure inspirée de l'analyse de la tâche, nous avons identifié pour chaque niveau d'assimilation des interventions thérapeutiques suivies de progression, et élaboré un modèle empirique séquentiel. Dans la troisième phase de la recherche, nous avons effectué un tournant dans notre parcours et sommes allée du côté des sciences du langage. En adoptant une approche dialogique du discours, notre objectif était d'éclairer notre objet d'étude à partir d'une nouvelle perspective et d'ouvrir la réflexion. Nous avons ainsi pu répondre à certaines limites rencontrées dans les premières phases de la recherche, et faire émerger de nouvelles questions et perspectives pour l'étude des processus de changement dans une dimension interactive. -- The concept of responsiveness was developed in psychotherapy research to describe the mutual and constant influence between patient and therapist. The responsive nature of psychotherapy is a serious problem for researchers, who generally adopt research designs involving cause-effect reasoning and fail to better understand therapeutic change. The purpose of our work is to propose some viable possibilities to respond to this problem. We chose the case study method, which enables an analysis in depth and in context of change processes. In the two first phases of research, our approach was specific to qualitative psychotherapy research. We first analyzed how change occurred in the patient, by identifying moment-by-moment the level of assimilation of his or her problematic experiences. We then tried to apprehend the therapist role in the change process. Our aim was to analyze how the therapist responsiveness could facilitate the patient change process at any moment of psychotherapy. We followed a procedure inspired by task analysis and, for each level of assimilation, we identified therapist interventions followed by progression, and elaborated an empirical sequential model. The third phase of research was a turning point, as we went in the field of linguistics. We adopted a dialogical approach of discourse to open up reflection. Thus, we could answer some limitations encountered in the first phases of research, and new questions and perspectives to study change process taking into account the interactive dimension emerged.

Factors modifying drug and placebo responses in randomized trials for bipolar mania

Factors modifying drug and placebo responses in randomized trials for bipolar mania. Yildiz A, Vieta E, Tohen M, Baldessarini RJ. Source Department of Psychiatry, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey. agul_yildiz@hotmail.com Abstract Randomized placebo-controlled trials (RCTs) are standard for assessing efficacy and safety of treatments. We pursued preliminary indications that some factors are associated differentially with responses to placebo or drugs in RCTs for bipolar mania. We meta-analysed data from RCTs to assess influences of study-site count, subjects' age, sex distribution, diagnostic subgroups, clinical features, trial-completion rates, and publication year on mean difference (MD) in mania ratings between intake and final assessments. In 38 RCTs involving 3812 placebo-treated and 6988 drug-treated patients, symptomatic improvement was similar in placebo arms of trials of effective (6.77, 95% CI 5.77-7.76) and ineffective (7.61, 95% CI 5.47-8.75) drugs. Lesser placebo responses (MD) and greater drug-placebo differences (Hedges' g) were associated with fewer study sites, younger patients' age, and male sex. More patients with initial psychotic features and more trial completion in drug arms were associated with greater drug-associated improvement (MD) and drug-placebo contrast (Hedges' g), whereas more mixed-state diagnoses decreased both measures. Identifying modifying factors can support more efficient and cost-effective designs of therapeutic trials. In trials for mania, fewer sites may limit placebo response and enhance drug-placebo contrasts.