kth master thesis portal

KTH Degree Project Portal

Assignments.

Welcome to the KTH Degree Project Portal. Filter assignments by selecting one or more assignment types or subjects, or by using a search term.

• Degree project
• Seasonal and part time jobs
• Architecture and the Built Environment
• Biotechnology
• Chemical Science and Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Computer Science and Engineering
• Design and Product Realisation
• Electrical Engineering
• Energy and Sustainable Development
• Engineering
• Engineering physics
• Environment and natural resources
• Environmental Engineering
• Industrial Management
• Information and Communication Technology
• Marine technology
• Materials Science and Engineering
• Mechanical engineering
• Media Management
• Medical Engineering
• Real Estate Development and Financial Services
• Sustainability
• Vehicle Engineering

View details

We're sorry, an error has occurred.

Create related record

Run workflow, resolve case.

For students

In the KTH Degree Project Portal you will primarily find degree projects, as well as trainee positions, internships and part-time and seasonal jobs in both the private and public sectors. Choose among a wide range of placements from large industrial companies to SMEs, as well as governmental organisations.

Find assignments in the KTH Degree Project Portal

This is how it works

Subscribe to new assignments.

Keep updated on new assignments in the KTH Degree Project Portal.

• Subscribe here

Find your degree project in the KTH Degree Project Portal and obtain a unique opportunity to make valuable contacts in the labour market. Last year, around 1,000 different companies/organisations posted over 1,300 potential placements in the KTH Degree Project Portal. Of these placements, more than 800 were for practical degree project placements.

If you have any questions regarding the design of the degree project or other procedures, please take a look at the respective programme website or contact your academic supervisor. Keep in mind that contacting your academic supervisor at KTH at an early stage will facilitate ensuring that the practical degree project placement has the correct academic level and scope for you.

Things to think about when preparing for an external written thesis/degree project

If you have questions, contact us!

If you have any questions regarding the KTH Degree Project Portal, e-mail us at [email protected] . If you see a posting that you think is inappropriate, please let us know by e-mail so we can review and, if necessary, remove it. Thank you in advance for your help!

• modern-language-association-8th-edition
• Other style
• Other locale

This project explores the development of a prototype for a line-following robot equipped with mecanum wheels, aiming to combine omnidirectional movement with precise path-following capabilities. The robot is powered by stepper motors and uses sensors for color recognition to identify paths and directions. A microcontroller manages the control system, implemented using a PID algorithm for accurate speed regulation. The research analyzes the feasibility of integrating mecanum wheels and automated path detection through sensors. Challenges encountered include slippage during turns and sensor calibration issues, providing valuable insights into the limitations and advantages of this technology for autonomous guided vehicles. Future improvements should focus on scaling up the motors and enhancing the sensor system for better line detection and refining the control algorithms for smoother directional changes.

This research explores the integration of Stewart platform technology for image stabilization, aiming minimize accelerations and rotation. A prototype Stewart platform is constructed to stabilize camera equipment, with a focus on mitigating unwanted motion. The prototype is able to achieve accelerations of 0.8 m/s^2 and lessen acceleration of less than 0.4 m/s^2 with a response delay of 0.2 seconds. The study identifies challenges related to stability and interference, stemming from mechanical tolerances and software implementation in the constructed prototype. Improvement opportunities, needed to perform further testing includes the need for higher quality parts, better sensor filtering, and refined calibration. While the prototype exhibits the ability to counteract some acceleration and rotation on solid surfaces it also showcases some of the limiting factors with the technology. In conclusion there is potential for Stewart platforms in image stabilization in larger-scale, sophisticated applications, but with the limitations there will be few use cases for which it will be deemed necessary

 In recent years, deposit formation in fuel systems for heavy-duty engines, using drop-in fuels, have become increasingly common. Drop-in fuels are particularly appealing because they are compatible with existing engines, allowing for higher proportions of alternative fuels to be blended with conventional fuels. However, the precipitation of insoluble substances from drop-in fuels can result in fuel filter clogging and the formation of internal injector deposits, leading to higher fuel consumption and issues with engine drivability. The precise reasons behind the formation of these deposits in the fuel system remain unclear, with factors such as operating conditions, fuel quality, and fuel contamination all suggested as potential contributors. In order to reproduce and study the formation of internal injector deposits, for heavy-duty engines under controlled conditions and to facilitate a more precise comparison to field trials, a novel injector test rig has been developed. This newly constructed, non-firing rig includes the main components of heavy-duty vehicle engines and uses an electric motor to simulate the revolutions per minute of an engine. A tailored run cycle has been developed to enable the continuous monitoring of injector performance during the deposit formation process, as well as to meticulously mimic the actual operations of a real engine. The deposits formed on injectors during the rig tests were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and pyrolysis connected to gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (Py GC-MS). This work presents the outcome of the analysis of injector deposits using the test rig, and compares these findings with deposits gathered from field operations. The deposits obtained from the injector test rig were found to be similar in terms of deposit location, composition, and microstructure, with both sets of deposits containing metal carboxylates and derivatives of engine oil additives. These similarities demonstrate that the test rig effectively reproduces the formation of injector deposits observed in real-world conditions. 

 Heavy-duty transportation is one of the sectors that contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. One way to reduce CO2 emissions is to use drop-in fuels. However, when drop-in fuels are used, i.e., higher blends of alternative fuels are added to conventional fuels, solubility problems and precipitation in the fuel can occur. As a result, insolubles in the fuel can clog the fuel filters and interfere with the proper functioning of the injectors. This adversely affects engine performance and increases fuel consumption. These problems are expected to increase with the development of more advanced fuel systems to meet upcoming environmental regulations. This work investigates the composition of the deposits formed inside the injectors of the heavy-duty diesel engine and discusses their formation mechanism. Injectors with internal deposits were collected from field trucks throughout Europe. Similar content, location and structure were found for all the deposits in the studied injectors. The physical structure was analyzed using a Scanning Electron Microscope with an Energy Dispersive X-Ray (SEM-EDX). Pyrolysis coupled with Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (Py GC-MS) and Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) were also used to determine the composition of the injector deposits. The deposits consist of a mixture of organic and inorganic compounds, indicating that they originate from fuel and engine oil. To further analyze the origin of the formed deposits, samples were collected from various parts of the fuel system. The analysis suggests that the deposits were formed exclusively in the injectors, and by comparing and describing the composition and structure of the deposits from different parts of the injector, a mechanism is proposed. 

This research focuses on developing a methodology for evaluating the performance of five-axis milling machines, driven by the increasing demands for enhanced precision and superior surface finish in machined components. A methodology for performance evaluation of 5- axis milling machine is proposed in this thesis. The proposed methodology introduces an innovative artifact designed specifically to evaluate the accuracy and operational performance of five-axis machines. The proposed artifact consists of 14 machining features. The artifact is characterized by its modular and scalable design, providing flexibility to accommodate various testing requirements. The design of the artifact was meticulously crafted using CAD software, followed by a simulation of the machining process in CAM software to produce the necessary CNC code. Prototyping was also an integral part in understanding the artifact in 3-dimensional space and mapping it to axis utilization.

This thesis develops an operational simulation model for the Outbound Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) at Northvolt DWA, a production plant in Gdańsk, Poland. The thesis provides a detailed explanation of how each component of the system was modeled, including modifications made to accurately replicate a real-world production storage area and manage logistics and material flow.

The results demonstrate the system's production capacity when all three production lines are operational, along with the utilization percentage of the ASRS. Additionally, a Failure Tree Analysis (FTA) was conducted based on the analysis of the entire outbound ASRS, complemented by enhanced traceability measures for quality control.

Future work is recommended to expand this analysis by conducting a more comprehensive Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (PFMEA) for the ASRS. Finally, continuous validation with new data is advised to further improve the system's resilience and performance.

  One way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the current heavy-duty vehicles fleet is to replace fossil fuel with renewable fuel. This can be done by blending so-called drop-in fuels into the standard diesel fuel. However, problems such as insoluble impurities may arise when the fuels are mixed. These precipitates, known as soft particles, can cause deposits in the fuel system, e.g., injectors and fuel filters, reducing the engine´s performance. The most used drop-in fuel today is biodiesel which, is blended with different concentrations. To better understand how soft particles are formed in the vehicle´s fuel system, the degradation of biodiesel blends in the engine has been investigated. This study explores biodiesel blends´ degradation process by comparing the incoming fuel with the return fuel from a modern diesel engine to investigate how the fuel is affected by this process. The engine was run using different blends of biodiesel fuel. To investigate the degradation of the biodiesel, engine tests at low, medium, and high torque at two engine speeds was performed. Fuel samples were collected before and after the engine for comparison. The tested fuels were examined with different analytical techniques. Rancimat, ion chromatography, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy and total acid number. A filtration test method was developed to collect the soft particles from the tested fuels. The results showed that fuel properties from the fuel return in biodiesel blends with high biodiesel content were more affected compared to lower biodiesel blends. For the lower biodiesel blends both the oxidation stability (Rancimat) and the filterability improved after passing the fuel system in the engine. While for the high biodiesel content, Rancimat and filterability were reduced. In biodiesels blends lower than 10%v/v, the change in oxidation stability was positive and around 30h and for B100 the change in oxidation stability was negative around 5 to 10 h. The filterability of blends with high biodiesel content showed that these fuels were more affected by different engine conditions, whereas B30 showed the highest variation in filtration time. Indicating that B30 is the most sensitive fuel. No big change was seen in the acid number for any biodiesel blends and a correlation was seen with biodiesel content. Further, the concentration of short chain fatty acid seems to correlate with the oxidation stability of the fuel. Increasing the level of short chain fatty acids, the oxidation stability of the fuel decreases.  

This master's thesis focuses on enhancing the flexibility and efficiency in assembly at Volvo Group Trucks Operations (GTO) in Skövde, Sweden. The research addresses the challenges of assembling diverse engine variants on three specific assembly lines, proposing the adoption of technologies like Collaborative robots (Cobots), Automated Mobile Robots (AMRs), and Augmented Reality (AR) to improve flexibility and reduce space requirements.

The thesis presents a detailed case study of the current assembly processes at the Volvo GTO plant, focusing on the assembly of Exhaust Manifold-Turbo modules and Common Rail systems. These two cases, referred to as Case X and Case Y, are analyzed to identify specific challenges and inefficiencies in the existing assembly lines. The study reveals that the current assembly processes, while highly effective for mass production, lack the flexibility needed to handle the wide range of engine variants produced at the plant. This leads to increased cycle times, higher space requirements, and greater physical strain on workers, particularly in tasks involving the lifting and assembly of heavy components.

To address these challenges, the thesis proposes a series of technological interventions designed to enhance flexibility and efficiency in the assembly process. These include proposing cobots to assist with tasks such as torquing and part handling, the deployment of AMRs to automate the delivery of parts to assembly stations, and the use of AR to provide real-time, hands-free assembly instructions to assemblers. The proposed system also emphasizes the importance of reconfigurable manufacturing systems, which allow for quick adjustments to assembly processes and equipment in response to changes in product variants.

The effectiveness of these proposals is evaluated through factory layout design in Autodesk Fusion 360 and discrete event simulations conducted in ExtendSim. The simulations demonstrate the potential benefits of the proposed system, including reduced space requirements. Additionally, a Failure Mode Effects Analysis (FMEA) is conducted to identify potential risks associated with the implementation of the new technologies and to develop strategies for mitigating these risks.

Results from simulations and analyses, such as space utilization, energy consumption, and Production Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (PFMEA), demonstrate significant potential for these technologies to enhance assembly flexibility and efficiency. The thesis concludes with recommendations for further research and pilot implementations, underscoring the importance of these innovations in meeting the future demands of engine manufacturing. This study contributes to the field of industrial engineering by providing actionable insights and practical solutions for implementing flexible and smart assembly systems in a real-world manufacturing environment.

 Sustainable fuels can help to decrease carbon dioxide emissions in road transportation compared to standard fossil fuels. The most common sustainable fuels used today in heavy-duty applications are biodiesel and hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO). Biodiesel and HVO are known as drop-in fuels since they are fuels that can be blended with standard diesel. However, due to changes in the chemical properties when the fuels are mixed, solubility problems in terms of precipitates may be formed. These insolubilities can lead to deposits in the fuel system, e.g., blocked fuel filters and internal injector deposits, and thus driveability problems. This study is a part of a project where the goal is to study the processes that cause the formation of deposits inside the injectors in heavy-duty vehicles. The deposits inside the injectors are known as internal diesel injector deposits (IDID). To study the formation of IDID, a number of injectors from heavy duty vehicles were collected from two different European markets:one market that uses biodiesel fuel and another that uses HVO as a drop-in fuel. A technique not previously used to identify IDID, namely pyrolysis GC-MS, proved successful in this regard, and FTIR and SEM-EDX methods were also used to characterise the deposits. The results showed that the composition of the IDID´ s from different markets differed. Metal soaps, inorganic salts and nitrogen compounds were found in the deposits taken from the injectors in the biodiesel drop-in market. The source of these components is believed to be degradation and contamination of the biodiesel. In addition, fuel additives such as corrosion inhibitors and detergents were found in the injectors from the market using HVO as a drop-in fuel. This could imply that the poor solvency of HVO can give problems in some additive combinations. 

The thesis explores in depth the progress and viability of the Feeding-as-a-Service (FaaS) model, a new strategy designed to revolutionize conventional manufacturing methods by providing feeding systems through a subscription model. The FaaS model helps small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) overcome the difficulties of obtaining and keeping advanced manufacturing equipment because of the expensive initial investment needed. FaaS allows SMEs to utilize cutting-edge feeding technologies without the ownership burden, making advanced manufacturing capabilities more accessible and equitable.

The study explains the theoretical structure of FaaS, discussing the process, methods of service delivery, and business model supporting this service-focused method. It further investigates the financial impacts of implementing FaaS, such as potential cost reductions and enhanced cash flow for small and medium-sized enterprises, while showcasing the profit potential for service providers. By using a thorough cost analysis, the thesis examines how the financial outcomes of the FaaS model stack up against conventional equipment purchasing approaches, showcasing the possibility of substantial cost savings and enhanced operational adaptability.

Furthermore, the research explores the technical and logistical considerations of incorporating FaaS into current manufacturing processes, highlighting how it can improve production scalability and adaptability. Through the utilization of cloud-based monitoring and predictive maintenance, FaaS guarantees ongoing system optimization, thus reducing downtime and enhancing efficiency to the fullest extent. The study also discusses possible obstacles like data security and uninterrupted service, providing ways to reduce these dangers.

To sum up, the thesis offers a thorough examination of the FaaS model, demonstrating its ability to transform the manufacturing industry with a more adaptable, expandable, and affordable option compared to traditional equipment ownership. The results indicate that FaaS may have a crucial part in the future of the manufacturing industry, especially for small and medium enterprises, by helping them stay competitive in a market driven by technology advancements.

This thesis aims to explore the correlation between welding parameters and material deposition quality in Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM), with a focus on minimizing defects and improving dimensional accuracy. The research involved developing path programming using Siemens NX software in collaboration with ABB's Robotstudio, and conducting a systematic parameter optimization study, linear part programming, followed by experimental validation and a demonstrator build study. Experimental setups employed materials A1, A2, B1, and B2, using an ABB robot equipped with rotary positioners and the Fronius TPS400i welding power source in the joining lab environment at Swerim AB. The study identified a part programming workflow and optimal welding parameters that consistently produced high-quality WAAM parts, characterized by minimal deformation and smooth surface finishes. The findings contribute to the advancement of WAAM technology by providing a robust framework for parameter optimization, offering significant benefits in terms of material efficiency and production speed. This research demonstrates that with appropriate parameter control and part programming strategies, WAAM can be effectively integrated into modern manufacturing, particularly in industries such as aerospace and automotive.

The extraction of matter from the Earth is a foundational process that provides designers with the materials needed to create products and structures. However, the extractivist logic – often unnoticed, normalized or accepted without critique – simultaneously drives environmental degradation, social inequity, and contributes to climate change. Consequently, design operates as both a solution and a source of concern. This dissertation, Mineral Matterings: Diffractive Practices of Design, focuses on the relationship between designers and their materials, asking how design processes can generate critical curiosity, particularly by examining the entanglements between humans and mineral matter. Through site-specific engagements with past and future sites of extraction in southern Sweden, the research comprises two projects: “Walking with Minerals” and “Critical Clay”. The former involves guided sensory walks through a disused limestone quarry, inviting participants to experience minerals beyond their conventional role as resources. The latter traces alum shale from landscapes marked for future vanadium extraction, mapping its global entanglements and learning by processing its matter into materials and artifacts. Through these material-discursive practices, collectively termed “design matterings,” both projects demonstrate how direct material engagement can inform theory and practice alike. Through the lenses of geology, philosophy, the feminist posthumanities, and science and technology studies, with particular emphasis on Karen Barad’s agential realism, this dissertation introduces diffractive practices of design, an approach that is embodied and embedded, inviting designers to understand the world from within, as part of its becoming. Diffractive practices of design do not merely reflect existing dichotomies; they diffract them by emphasizing anthropo-decentric scales of time and place, offering multiple perspectives and relational understandings. These practices challenge the dominant extractivist logic by rendering imperceptible materialities and relations perceptible, thereby creating new meanings and nuanced differences. Allowing for a deeper attunement to the shared “mineralness” of humans and other-than-humans, diffractive practices of design actively participate in reconfiguring ethical and material design matterings and emphasize the role of design in the making and remaking of worlds.

The thesis project focuses on developing an online compensation strategy to enhance the positioning accuracy of industrial robots. The primary aim is to integrate the real-time compensation calculation into an embedded controller (NI-CRio 9030 and LabView programming) and minimize communication latency. The calculations compensate for the robot positioning errors when external forces are applied. The methodology involves socket communication, trajectory design, force sensor data acquisition, and forward kinematics calculations. Experimental results indicate a successful compensation positioning result and a significant reduction in communication time from 120 ms to 50 ms. Further enhancements in algorithm precision and joint stiffness modeling are recommended for future research.

Smart door locks are becoming increasingly common today and provide many advantages compared to an ordinary lock. However, most smart door locks on the market require the user to remove their ordinary lock to install the smart door lock. This alienates a large demographic of rental apartment tenants that are not allowed to modify their door locks. The purpose of this thesis was to develop a functioning smart door lock that requires no modification to the original lock. The prototype smart door lock was designed in CAD and manufactured using 3D-printed and laser-cut parts. The smart door lock was mounted on the inside of the door and the lock turnpiece was turned using a servo motor. A magnetometer was used to detect the deadbolts position and movement. Multiple iterations were made before a final design for a retrofit smart door lock was reached. An app for remote locking and unlocking as well as viewing the lock status was also developed. The design of the smart door lock and app is described in this report. The smart door lock prototype was tested on two dierent doors with and without an added magnet to the door deadbolt. The tests showed that the smart door lock could successfully lock and unlock doors in 40/40 attempts and determine the lock position in 39/40 attempts with a magnet attached to the deadbolt. With the magnet removed the smart door lock could successfully lock and unlock doors in 37/40 attempts and determine the lock position in 35/40 attempts. It was further shown that the magnet itself was not important, but that the larger dierence between magnetometer values in locked and unlocked position thanks to the magnet, gave better results. The conclusion was that a functioning smart door lock that required no modification to the original lock had been successfully developed.

Today, prosthetics are an essential tool for amputees who want to live a normal everyday life. In order to further our knowledge within the area of prosthetics, we decided to create a robotic hand that closely resembles the human hand in its anatomy and function. In order to control and test the prosthesis we decided to create a medium that can recognize human motion and recreate it in the mechanical hand as accurately as possible. Our challenge would be to design an artificial copy of an organic mechanism using known mechanical principles, as well as to find a suitable way to capture physical movements made by a person and make them into instructions for the mechanical hand. To achieve this, we decided to attach flex sensors to a glove so that a microcontroller could read their tension to control the arm. We used Solid Edge 2023 to design the individual parts of the arm, based on real human anatomy and we used fishing wire attached to servo motors to control the fingers. The glove and hand were connected by code that translated the flex sensor signals into control signals for the servo motors. In the end, we managed to create all parts of the project and the robotic hand was able to hold small objects for longer than 30 seconds. Although it would have been preferable if the hand could hold heavier objects the project is seen as a success, since we managed to further our knowledge in anatomy, electronics and prosthetics.

This thesis focuses on the development and implementation of a gas filter and a Slam Start Protector (SSP) for a Mechanical Pressure Regulator (MPR). The pressure regulator in question is a prototype designed for use in spacecraft propulsion systems, developed by the Swedish spacesystems company OHB Sweden AB (OSE).

The primary aim of this development project is to produce an inlet filter, an outlet filter, and an SSP for three variants of the MPR. These variants are intended for different propulsion systems:one for a cold gas propulsion system using nitrogen (N2) as the flow medium, another for anelectric propulsion system using xenon (Xe), and the third for a chemical propulsion systemusing helium (He).

The components were designed, manufactured, and tested to ensure they meet the stringent requirements of all three MPR variants. Each design underwent iterative analysis to select the most suitable variant for each part, followed by rigorous testing through a series of evaluations.

For the selected filters, the pressure drop, contaminant capacity, and filtration rating were thoroughly examined. Additionally, flow resistance equations were proposed to predict the pressure drop of a filter under various flow conditions, and these models were validated with measured test results.

For the developed SSP, its response to different levels of pressure surges was studied, and its capabilities were analyzed.

Several conclusions and suggestions for future work are provided as a foundation for anyone looking to continue the research presented in this thesis, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that the MPR qualifies for space flight.

This report aims to develop a functional and user-friendly automatic pet feeder based on adjustable timer and portion size, using Arduino Uno, load cell, OLED-screen, and DC-motor. The report covers mechanical and electronic design aspects. It investigates the precision of the prototype's system regulation and the accuracy of a load cell in measuring mass. Two tests were conducted on the final prototype: one to assess regulation precision by comparing dispensed mass to set portion sizes, and another to evaluate load cell accuracy using standard weights. The results indicated a system regulation deviation of +1.2 grams and a load cell deviation of ±0.3 grams. This suggests relatively high precision in regulation and the load cell provides reliable measurements with high accuracy.

Robotic arms and similar technology are widely present within manufacturing today, increasing productivity massively. As the field of robotics progresses and artificial intelligence becomes more refined, it is likely we will see further applications of these technologies that may extend into daily life. This bachelor’s thesis will cover the development of a robotic arm, capable of interacting with a person through playing a game of Tic Tac Toe. The robot will be constructed with three degrees of freedom, wherein each joint will be driven by a servo motor. The playing field will be monitored by a camera mounted onto a simple tripod. It will identify the game pieces by analysing their RGB-values and mapping them onto a digital board accordingly. A minimax algorithm will then determine the best move to make and convert that into a set of coordinates on the board. Finally, those coordinates can be calculated into joint angles through inverse kinematics. Results show that the movement is precise with an accuracy of above 80%, games that are played with consistent lighting have a completion rate of 70% and average move time is 21.55 seconds.

All trucks produced by Scania are provided with multiple sensors to support various functionality, collecting Controller Area Network (CAN) data from the truck at all times. With this operational data, Scania is able to analyze the usage of the trucks and perform relative comparisons between populations of vehicles. With this it can be concluded if a population of vehicles in one country is used in a more demanding manner than a population of the same vehicle type in another country. Using relative comparison, a general understanding of the usage of the trucks can be obtained. Operational data is also very useful when trying to estimate the load variability, which requires a significant amount of measured samples. Cornering and manuevering are currently not analyzed, since no single sensor have been identified that could serve as a proxy for loads on the vehicle due to such events.

The thesis was constructed with the aim to use operational data for estimating the fatigue damage to the basic chassis caused by curves and maneuvers. It included multi-body simulations as well as physical measurements on both test track and public roads. After the measurements, the data was analyzed with the aim to find a correlation between the frame and the maneuvering, and find a way to describe the correlation with an equation. From the measurements results it could be concluded that there was a clear correlation between the steering angle and strain, showing a similar behaviour for all maneuvers. It was also concluded that the relative change in strain amplitude as a function of the bogie weight was independent of the maneuver. 

From the obtained data, showing the behaviour between steering wheel angle and strain, Hans B Pacejka's formula, "the magic formula", could be adapted to represent the strain data, using the steering wheel angle and the bogie weight as input parameters. The formula did not correspond well for all sensor; however, as it was relative damage that was to be determined the formula only had to have the correct behaviour with a scale factor to give the correct results when analyzing the damage.

The adapted formula could estimate the relative damage for the sensors on the front of the chassis (second crossmember and lower flange) relatively well. However, for the sensors in the rear (upper flange and side member web) the formula did not estimate the relative damage as good, especially for maneuvers performed in higher velocities. It was found that the lateral acceleration will impact the strain amplitude for maneuvers in higher velocities, and therefore affect the measured strain in the sensors closer to the fifth wheel. It was also noticed that the formula could not estimate the relative damage when driving on a different road surface than pavement, as the road surface friction is not part of the operational data.

To conclude, the formula should be further investigated and might need to include lateral acceleration in a second term. It is also of most importance to choose populations when performing relative comparison wisely, as the road conditions has to be similar. Lastly, the vehicle configuration should also be evaluated. As of now, there is not known how the vehicle configuration will affect the formula as only one vehicle was used during the measurements.

Marine vessels are known to undergo various types of loading when traversing water, one of which are the g-forces caused by crashing into waves. These g-forces can cause the rubberized mounts that support the engine to bottom out and can also impact the bending moment experienced by the flanges at the junctions between components.

The goal of this work was to create a program using a generalized analytical model to run a static analysis on any particular combination of components and yield data such at the point at which a mount bottoms out and the bending moments at the flanges between components. This model was then compared against a finite element model to evaluate its usefulness.

It was concluded that while for most of the cases, the simplified analytical model yielded acceptable results, the deviances caused by particular cases deem the model to not be robust enough to be trustworthy, and as such the model would require further work to be useful.

Laser-induced graphene has been demonstrated as a promising conductive material for various applications, ranging from supercapacitors and flexible sensors to air and water filtration membranes. This study explores the preparation and characterization of laser-induced graphene (LIG) from wood-derived precursors. Additionally, it aims to develop an extraction process to remove the produced LIG from the PET substrate and make it available in a bulk powdered form, thereby increasing its versatility and expanding its potential use in a wider range of applications.  Two ink formulations with different ratios of lignosulphonate sodium salt (LS-Na) to 2-hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) were prepared and graphitized using a CO2 laser. The formulation with an LS-Na to HEC ratio of 2:1 produced laser-induced graphene (LIG) with lower sheet resistance, and therefore higher conductivity, compared to the 1:1 ratio. The study also investigated the effects of laser parameters such as power and scan speed on the sheet resistance and structural properties of the resulting LIG. Conductive LIG formed from the 1:0.5 ratio ink showed four distinct regions based on varying scan speeds and powers: non-conductive material at low energy, complete removal of ink without carbon formation, conductive material with sheet resistances between 5 and 100 ohms/sq, and substrate melting at high energy levels. An energy per pulse range of 0.5 to 1mJ was critical for producing conductive LIG, while higher power levels above 22% or peak powers over 60 watts led to thermal degradation of the material. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the presence of graphitic carbon and revealed varying degrees of disorder that correlated with the material’s electrical properties.  The developed extraction process for bulk graphene uses water-based technique that promotes PET substrate reuse, reducing carbon footprint and production costs. Further exploration is needed to optimize conditions for producing conductive materials and to address the primary bottleneck in scaling LIG production—processing speed. This study confirms the feasibility of scaling LIG production and highlights the need for further research to optimize laser parameters for improved material properties.

Natural disasters result in devastating losses in human life, environmental assets, and personal, regional, and national economies. The availability of different big data such as satellite images, Global Positioning System (GPS) traces, mobile Call Detail Records (CDR), social media posts, etc., in conjunction with advances in data analytic techniques (e.g., data mining and big data processing, machine learning and deep learning), can facilitate the extraction of geospatial information that is critical for rapid and effective disaster response. However, disaster response system development usually requires the integration of data from different sources (streaming data sources and data sources at rest) with different characteristics and types, which consequently have different processing needs. Deciding which processing framework to use for a specific big data to perform a given task is usually a challenge for researchers from the disaster management field. While many tasks can be accomplished with population and movement data, for disaster management, a key and arguably most important task is to analyze the displacement of the population during and after a disaster. Therefore, in this thesis, the knowledge and framework resulted from a literature review. These were used to select tools and processing strategies to perform population displacement (the forced movement or relocation of people from their original homes) analysis after a disaster. This is a use case of the framework as well as an illustration of the value and challenges (e.g., gaps in data due to power outages) of using CDR data analysis to support disaster management.

Displaced populations were inferred by analyzing the variation of home cell-tower for each anonymized mobile phone subscriber before and after a disaster using CDR data. The effectiveness of the proposed method is evaluated using remote sensing-based building damage assessment data and Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) from individuals’ survey responses at shelters after a severe cyclone in Beira city, central Mozambique, in March 2019. The results show an encouraging correlation coefficient (over 70%) between the number of arrivals in each neighborhood estimated using CDR data and from DTM. In addition to this, CDR-based analysis derives the spatial distribution of displaced populations with high coverage of people, i.e., including not only people in shelters but everyone who used a mobile phone before and after disaster. Moreover, results suggest that if CDR data are available after a disaster, population displacement can be estimated. These details can be used for response activities and for example to contribute to reducing waterborne diseases (e.g., diarrheal disease) and diseases associated with crowding (e.g., acute respiratory infections) in shelters and host communities.

Although COVID-19 is not a post-disaster disease, it is an acute respiratory illness that can be severe. By assuming that its characteristics can be similar to an acute respiratory infection following a disaster, a deep learning approach was tested to predict the spread of COVID-19. The tested deep learning approach consists of multilayer BiLSTM. In order to train the model to predict daily COVID-19 cases in low-income countries, mobility trend data from Google, temperature, and relative humidity were used. The performance of the proposed multilayer BiLSTM is evaluated by comparing its RMSE with the one from multilayer LSTM (with the same settings as BiLSTM) in four developing countries namely Mozambique, Rwanda, Nepal, and Myanmar. The proposed multilayer BiLSTM outperformed the multilayer LSTM in all four countries. The proposed multilayer BiLSTM was also evaluated by comparing its root mean squared error (RMSE) with multilayer LSTM models, ARIMA- and stacked LSTM-based models in 8 countries, namely Italy, Turkey, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, Japan, and the UK. Finally, the proposed multilayer BiLSTM model was evaluated at the city level by comparing its average relative error (ARE) with the other four models, namely the LSTM-based model considering multilayer architecture, Google Cloud Forecasting, the LSTM-based model with mobility data only, and the LSTM-based model with mobility, temperature, and relative humidity data for 7 periods (of 28 days each) in six highly populated regions in Japan, namely Tokyo, Aichi, Osaka, Hyogo, Kyoto, and Fukuoka. The proposed multilayer BiLSTM model outperformed the multilayer LSTM model and other previous models by up to 1.6 and 0.6 times in terms of RMSE and ARE, respectively. Therefore, the proposed model enables more accurate forecasting of COVID-19 cases. This can support governments and health authorities in their decisions, mainly in developing countries with limited resources.

In addition to understanding the disease spread dynamics, rapid implementation of control measures is critical in the case of a post-disaster outbreak. This is crucial to stopping the spread of the disease. However, its implementation is based on informed decisions. Therefore, in order to support the decision-makers, a data-driven approach for estimating spatio-temporal exposure risk of locations using mobile phone data was tested. The approach used anonymized CDR from one of the biggest mobile network operators in Mozambique to estimate the daily origin-destination (OD) matrices. The daily OD matrices are estimated at province level since the available daily COVID-19 cases (validation data) are at that level. COVID-19 was used as a proxy of a post-disaster disease due to the unavailability of daily real-world data of a disease following a natural disaster in Mozambique. The estimated daily OD matrices are then used to construct the daily directed-weighted networks, in which the nodes represent provinces and the edges, the people flowing between each pair of provinces. Then, three centrality measures, namely weighted in-degree centrality, improved in-degree centrality, and weighted PageRank were used to estimate the daily exposure risk of each province. The results were evaluated by computing the Spearman’s rank correlation between risk score estimated using the daily COVID-19 reported cases and the exposure risk estimated using the three measures. The comparison results revealed that the overall weighted PageRank algorithm is the best measure at estimating exposure risk compared to the other two measures. Accordingly, three Poisson regression models were implemented to model the relationship between the COVID-19 cases in each province and the corresponding exposure risk estimated using the three centrality measures. The results showed that the coefficients of the models estimated using the maximum likelihood method are statistically significant (p-value <0.05). This means that the exposure risk does in fact influence the number of COVID-19 cases. Since the sign of the coefficients of the models is positive, we conclude that the number of COVID-19 cases in each province increases with an increase in the spatial exposure risk. The analysis was also conducted at district level, i.e., in Greater Maputo Area (GMA), which is located in the southern part of Mozambique and consists of all Maputo city districts (except Kanyaka), Matola city, Matola-Rio, Boane, and Marracuene districts. However, due to the unavailability of daily COVID-19 cases at district level, the evaluation was done by comparing the daily exposure risk estimated using the three centrality measures and the distribution of different types of points of interest, namely commercial, education, financial, government, healthcare, public, sport, and transport. The results revealed a good Spearman’s rank correlation between education, financial, and transport related points of interest and the three centrality measures. Government related points of interest presented the lowest correlation results compared to the three centrality measures. The remainder of points of interest showed medium-low to medium-high Spearman’s correlation coefficient compared to the three centrality measures. Therefore, anonymized CDR in conjunction with weighted PageRank algorithm can help decision-makers estimate the exposure risk in case of an outbreak and hence reduce the impact of a disease on human lives by imposing several informed interventions to contain and delay its spread. 

Concrete is one of the most widely used construction materials in the world, employed for avariety of structures. Today, the concrete industry accounts for 5-7% of global carbon dioxideemissions due to the demand for new infrastructure and its difficulty to replace in construction.The main component of concrete is cement, which constitutes about 15% of the mix andprovides the compressive strength of the concrete. The cement industry needs to minimizetheir environmental impact by capturing carbon dioxide and refine production. Fossil FreeSweden is an initiative by the Swedish Government to increase the pace of climate transition,but demands are also increasing from the global community, including the UN's Agenda 2030.Companies are trying to reduce concrete's climate impact by exploring environmentallyfriendly supplementary cementitious materials (SCM) in concrete.Currently, SCMs such as fly ash and blast furnace slag are used in concrete. By replacing aportion of the cement in a concrete mix with SCMs, the carbon footprint of concrete isreduced. However, fly ash and blast furnace slag are non-renewable materials and their supplyis insufficient to meet demand. Researchers are exploring other materials that are available insufficient quantities to meet current needs, one such material being calcined clay (CC).This study investigates whether calcined clay can replace a portion of cement in the concretemix. The collaboration in this study is with Heidelberg Materials Cement Sweden AB, and thecalcined clay comes from a quay from Kunda, Estonia which is owned by HeidelbergMaterials. The clay from Kunda is an illite clay, which is one of the lesser reactive clays aftercalcination and needs to be studied to determine if it can be used in concrete mixes.The aim of the thesis is to investigate the compressive strength of concrete mixes with acertain proportion of calcined clay after 1, 7, 28, and 56 days of curing, compared to the sameproportion of fly ash and a reference mix with only rapid hardening Portland cement. Theresults show that calcined clay achieves higher compressive strength with greater replacementof cement in comparison to concrete with greater replacement of fly ash , while lowerreplacement provides comparable compressive strength. Higher replacement of cement withcalcined clay and fly ash resulted in significantly lower compressive strength compared to amix with only rapid hardening Portland cement.The results from this study indicate that the optimal replacement of cement in a concrete mixwith calcined clay is about 15%-35%, where higher replacement of cement significantlyimpaired workability. The conclusion from this study is that, considering only compressivestrength, it is possible to replace a portion of the cement with calcined clay in a concrete mix.

part is recycled. Most of these materials are often transported over long distances. Today, mass transportation accounts for approximately 25% of greenhouse gas emissions generated by heavy transport, resulting in significant costs and environmental impact. 

In densely populated urban areas like Stockholm, where urban development occurs on limited space and noise management regulations are strict, optimizing mass handling and transportation presents a complex challenge. Addressing this challenge requires a holistic perspective on both societal and transportation systems, along with implementing measures such as reducing transport distances, increasing circular handling, and electrifying transportation.

A strategic approach to achieving these goals is the establishment of multiple mass logistics centers (MLCs) within the county. An MLC is an infrastructure that receives and processes masses from construction sites for recycling. Currently, the first and only MLC in Sweden is located in Norra Djurgårdsstaden (NDS), serving as one of the two case studies in this report. The second case study examines the electrification plan of mass transports in Stockholm County (EMS) from 2023 to 2030. These case studies constitute the qualitative part of the project's methodology and results, focusing on analyzing and exploring current mass handling, transportation, and electrification possibilities, discussing the obstacles encountered along the way and their potential solutions, and outlining a vision for the industry's future.

The second part of the methodology and results for this project consists of a quantitative analysis, specifically a multi-criteria analysis (MCA). The purpose of this analysis is to use GIS data, software and various criteria/preferences to identify suitable locations within the county for future establishment of new mass logistics centers. The analysis primarily identified five optimal areas: Tumba in Botkyrka, Jordbro in Haninge, Älta in Nacka, Flemingsberg in Huddinge, and the northern parts of Täby.

In summary, economic factors and lack of regulations have hindered the development of electrification in mass transportation and the construction of mass logistics centers. Social factors, such as collaboration between different stakeholders and fear of change within the construction industry and municipalities, also play a crucial role. Overcoming these obstacles and promoting long-term sustainable development in mass transportation requires the implementation of stricter regulations and subsidies that facilitate the transition to electrification for medium and small trucking companies. Additionally, economic incentives should be created for the recycling of materials in available mass logistics centers, strategically located near construction sites in the future, which is the vision of this study.

In May 2023, Rwanda experienced extensive flooding with deadly outcomes. Providing accurate and reliable emergency mapping to provide authorities with decision-making support for sustainable development for future disaster management is crucial. In this study, we aim to assess the flood extent and damage in the Lower Nyabarongo catchment in Rwanda using Google Earth Engine (GEE), Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data and Sentinel-2 MultiSpectral Instrument (MSI) data with an in-situ approach for validation. An image differencing method with automatic thresholding based on Otsu’s method was used for change detection in flood mapping. For land cover and land use (LULC), a supervised Random Forest (RF) classification was used. The results revealed an extensive flooded area on the 3rd of May 2023 that based on the accuracy assessment showed high agreement with the UNOSAT reference data of the same event. VV polarization performed marginally better than VH polarization. The LULC, however, showed varying accuracy across different classes with challenges posed by the spectral similarities between certain land cover types. The integration of field visits and observations in combination with open-source intelligence (OSINT) further validated our findings. Using OSINT in combination with open source software GEE and open data assets such as Sentinel, especially showed the potential for use of this approach in data-scarce areas with limited monitoring infrastructure. Creating an accurate flood map and a reliable LULC free of charge and with only open available resources, with limited required knowledge of geospatial techniques.

Läkarhuset is a high-rise from the 1960s at Odenplan in Stockholm. The building faces demolition and the city is planning to replace the building with another high-rise, with the same structure.The project preserves Läkarhuset and proves that the existing building can integrate the »new« functions to avoid demolition. To increase the floor area, the project extends the building and uses massive stone as a material.Therefore the project investigates the lifespan of todays buildings, referring to Mies van der Rohe as he claims that buildings have to be a permanent solution that allow change within its floor. The lifespan of buildings exceeds its functions so we have to find solutions to avoid demolition for any change of program.With the input of modern structures as successful typology, the project combines the permanent structure with the permanent material stone, to address the misconception of concrete and steel as the materials to solve this problem.Next to the preservation of the existing building and the sustainable extension, the use of the material stone aims towards an aesthetic integration of the modern typologies into their surroundings.

Road freight transport systems are complex socio-technical systems where freight services are provided through various technological solutions, with the involvement of several stakeholders. Despite the benefits of road freight transport to the economy and society, it also has substantial drawbacks for our current and future society, such as greenhouse gas emissions, congestion, air pollution, noise and poor working conditions. Therefore, several transport concepts and policies, such as electric vehicles and carbon taxes, are being explored and implemented within the private and public sectors to mitigate the externalities of road freight transport systems and achieve more sustainable systems.

Understanding sustainability transitions requires a holistic approach that includes multiple dimensions of sustainability and the perspectives of various stakeholders. Therefore, this thesis uses a System Thinking lens to achieve a system-level understanding of sustainability. Moreover, the dynamics and feedback structures of sustainability transitions are considered in order to identify leverage points and avoid policy resistance.

This thesis aims to understand the impacts of transport concepts and policies on the sustainability of road freight transport systems. A mixed-method approach, including surveys, interviews, and System Dynamics modelling is used to study the impacts of COVID-19 regulations, electric trucks, city hubs, cargo bikes, automation and off-peak hour deliveries. Moreover, policies impacting the adoption of electric trucks and city hubs are explored.

This thesis's results indicate that collaboration is required to achieve sustainability. However, collaboration is complex since stakeholders often have conflicting goals. Applying System Dynamics as a modelling method allows for understanding the right place and time to implement various policies. In this thesis, the simulation of different policy scenarios enables the consideration of the consequences of these policies from both short- and long-term perspectives. This knowledge benefits decision-makers in the private and public sectors in making decisions that shift road freight transport systems towards sustainability.

With better durability and lower maintenance cost, bridges with integral abutments have become more favorable than conventional bridges. When integral bridges are subjected to temperature changes or traffic loads, large stresses can be generated at the pile tops, and large stress cycles from these loads may cause fatigue issues at the pile tops. However, current studies about integral bridges are quite conservative, and the length limit of integral bridges is restricted. Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to study the fatigue at the pile tops in integral bridges under traffic loads and the temperature changes, and discuss the length limit that integral bridges may reach. 

In this thesis, a parametric study was performed to address the problem. Two bridge models were built and analyzed in the this study using finite element method: one 40 m long bridge model and one 117 m long 3-span bridge model. Effects of following parameters were studied in these models under temperature changes and traffic loads: bridge length, pile diameter, pile number, pile length and soil stiffness. The temperature data was collected from the measurements on the Bryngeån Bridge north of Örnsköldsvik . Fatigue load model 4 was used as the traffic load. Palmgren-Miner cumulative damage method was used to calculate the damage in the piles.

The results show that the largest stress range appeared under temperature changes when temperature range of 48◦ was used, which is 115.06 MPa, while the largest stress range under traffic load is only 93.77 MPa. However, the damages caused by temperature changes are not a problem in fatigue, and they are almost negligible compared with those caused by traffic loads. Therefore, attention should be drawn to traffic loads when considering the fatigue in the piles in integral bridges. When integral bridges are designed in stiffer soil conditions, larger damages will be induced, and larger diameter piles are preferable. When longer multi-span bridge models were used, the damages caused by traffic loads decreased, but it is uncertain if the influence is caused by the bridge length, and the number of the supports may also have an impact on the damages. When designing longer integral bridges, the number of supports should also be carefully considered.

Mechanical circulatory support devices are widely used to assist patients with severe heart failure. However, one of the major challenges associated with these devices is the potential risk of thrombosis. The ability to monitor the coagulation state of patients is crucial for timely detection of abnormal clotting events and the adjustment of anticoagulation therapy. D-dimer is a fibrin degradation product and a reliable marker for thrombus formation. The feasibility of fabricating a sensitive D-dimer OECT-based immunosensor is presented in this work. Current sensors for the detection of D-dimer rely on traditional electrochemical sensing approaches. In this project, the proposed sensing system has been designed based on both an electrochemical 3 electrodes set-up and an OECT-based approach. In both designs, a glassy carbon electrode was coated with a p-type conjugated polymer, PEDOT:PSS, via drop casting. In the case of the OECT, the conducting polymer was also deposited on the channel via spin-coating, achievingan homogenous thin conducting later. A following immobilization of specific antibodies took place on the working electrode and gate electrode via cross-linking through a (3 Glycidyloxypropyl) trimethoxysilane (GOPS) functionalization process to selectively capture the biomarker. Initially, the D-dimer immunosensor was tested with a three-electrode setup, achieving good sensitivities (2.93 ∗ 10−3 µA∗mL ng ) for very low concentrations that fall within the range of therapeutic interest (below0.5ug/mL).The use of an OECT-based sensor enhances the capabilities of the proposed initial system, since they possess inherent amplification properties and high signal-to-noise ratio. The current output result shows that the lowest concentration that can be measured with this sensor falls down to 1 ng/mL, achieving good sensitivities (38.65 µA∗mL ng ). Since a D-dimer OECT-based immunosensor has not been reported before, more investigations should be performed to improve the sensing ability in the future.

This chapter reflects on the two main purposes of this book. The first was to better understand the intricacies and nuances of risky places for crime. The second was to advocate for a systems thinking approach to foster integrated long-term crime prevention. In this final chapter we detail why systems thinking is appropriate for addressing the complexities of crime at risky places. The chapter also acknowledges obstacles to its adoption, such as institutional inertia and the need for interdisciplinary efforts. We consider who should be using systems thinking and argue for the involvement of researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and the community in creating and implementing systematic crime prevention strategies. We outline a series of steps for introducing systems thinking approaches. We note the book’s limitations, including areas needing deeper investigation, and propose an agenda for future research. The chapter highlights systems thinking’s importance in sustainable crime prevention, urging a shift towards more long-term, collaborative, and inclusive approaches for safer communities.

In this chapter, we explore the dynamic roles of those who have influence over and shape the urban landscape and the implications of this for preventing crime in risky places. Our discussion encompasses an exploration of the interplay between the diverse elements of the urban planning process and the actors involved, highlighting how they influence each other. We draw a critical comparison between conventional situational crime prevention approaches and the broader application of systems thinking from the perspective of those who influence, manage, and shape risky places. This includes a consideration of the policy frameworks at both national and supra-national levels, with a specific focus on Sweden and the UK. The chapter culminates with a hypothetical example in which we apply systems thinking principles to offer insight into possible effective urban governance and crime prevention. 

This chapter offers a skeleton framework for preventing crime at risky places by fusing conventional analysis approaches with systems thinking. We outline a series of steps that can be utilized to support systems thinking for developing a user-informed, in-depth understanding of crime problems at risky places. This requires us to acknowledge the interconnectedness of multiple factors present at risky places and move away from conventional reductionist linear methods and preconceived ideas about addressing crime problems at risky places. This allows us to think more freely about the nature of the crime problems at risky places and to re-frame our conventional methods through a systems thinking perspective to develop long-term sustainable approaches to crime prevention.

Risky places for crime are interesting real-life cases from a governance perspective because they often require balancing immediate crime reduction actions with long-term interventions. However, current organizational structures provide a series of obstacles to developing more sustained crime prevention. Beyond this, there are many situations where well-intended policies produce unintended and often adverse outcomes, what are often called system traps or systems archetypes. In this chapter, we illustrate situations when these problems create opportunities for action. The use of systems thinking is deemed crucial for addressing persistent problems, avoiding rigid long-term solutions, and empowering local practice to collaboratively bridge the gap between aspirations and reality.

In this chapter, we examine the third of our three key elements of risky places, namely risky paths and risky journeys, and explore this by considering the concept of street networks. Paths may be short distances and highly localized or connect places further apart. Routes traveled by individuals and groups may be short or extensive and consist of single or even multiple trips. Users may travel using a range of transport modes, for example, on foot, via bicycle, public transport, or other for-hire or private vehicles. For offenders and victims to be present in a risky place, they will have either traveled there from somewhere else or lived or worked there. However, risky places are generally not made risky by their residential population alone. What is often missing from our understanding of risky places is an understanding of the paths taken to reach these places. From a systems thinking perspective, we may ask what the purpose of these trips is and how they connect the different elements of a wider system together. This chapter reviews what is known about risky pathways and how we can reframe our ideas of traditional risky paths within a systems thinking approach.

In this chapter, we examine the second of three key elements of risky places and discuss ‘risky nodes.’ We consider risky places here at the ‘meso’ level, which is larger than individual land parcels or facilities, where multiple features are close together. These can even be considered as ‘mega’ or ‘super’ facilities, such as a sports stadium or large train station. Nodes represent a convergence of people or information in urban spaces. We examine parks, stations, shopping malls, stadiums, education campuses, public housing, and night-time entertainment zones. We find the risk is not equal, and the 80/20 principle applies; crime is concentrated at a small proportion of these nodes. This chapter considers how risk varies across similar risky nodes and between different types of risky nodes. We demonstrate these patterns not just in the Global North but also in the Global South. We explore how people use these settings, the connectedness within these nodes, and how the management of these settings all contribute to its criminogenic. We also investigate new forms of interaction between the physical and cyber environments, which create new opportunities for crime.

In this chapter, we examine the first of our three key elements of risky places and discuss what we know about risky facilities. We explore several examples of risky facilities, including bars, libraries, schools, banks, and bus stops. We review what we know about crime concentration and disproportionality at each of these facilities and discuss possible reasons why a small proportion of each type of facility accounts for most of the crime and disorder problems experienced by all facilities of that type. We assess potential commonalities and differences between the identified risky facilities in terms of types of environments, users, types of available services or products, and spatial and temporal contexts that make these facilities more of a target than others. We consider mismatches between crime and fear of crime when risky facilities are perceived as safe but reported crime rates are low. By bringing in examples from different country contexts, we can critically assess potential similarities and differences and identify pertinent features of risky places that hold true across multiple contexts.

In this chapter, we review key place-based theories that have conventionally been used to understand crime patterns at risky places. We review salient ideas that have informed our knowledge of risky places, linked to patterns in place and time, the interaction between people and their environments, and why and how factors converge at particular places and times to develop concentrated pockets or opportunities for crime. We acknowledge how these can be considered at different scales, and we discuss why we break down risky places into three key elements: risky facilities, risky nodes, and risky pathways and journeys. We also explore some factors that make people feel unsafe in risky places. We then explore the principal components of systems thinking identified in Chapter 2 and consider how these can support and add value to conventional place-based approaches to preventing crime at risky places.

The chapter introduces the fundamental concepts of systems thinking used in this book. We advocate for systems thinking as a framework for developing sustainable crime prevention for risky places. We detail the principal components of systems thinking used in this book, including how we define a system, what we mean by its elements, and central ideas such as interconnectedness, beneficiaries, feedback loops, leverage points, and boundaries. We then examine the city as a system through the principles of systems thinking to examine how this can be applied to risky places and crime prevention. We discuss some of the key differences between conventional and systems thinking approaches applied to the governance of risky places, emphasizing the interconnectedness of elements across the systems structures and levels of the systems across types of urban planning models. We then briefly consider the role of governance in systems thinking as applied to crime prevention in risky places. 

This chapter outlines the aim, scope, and structure of the book. It provides a definition of ‘risky places’ and identifies their importance for crime and feelings of safety. We also introduce the need for new ways to understand the complex dynamics of these places. In this chapter, we justify why we advocate for a systems thinking for preventing crime in risky places. This approach considers the context of risky places and their interconnectedness with the broader urban system and supports a longer-term integrated approach. We emphasize the need for a shift in the analysis and governance of risky places through a systems thinking lens. 

This book offers a comprehensive overview of areas with elevated levels of crime, which we consider ‘risky places.’ These can be facilities, nodes, or paths and can be found everywhere, from small towns to megacities. Crime and fear are examined from the perspective of those who use these places, based on examples from the US, the UK, Sweden, Nigeria, Brazil, China, Australia, and more. Advocating for a systems thinking approach, the book shows what can be learned from risky places and identifies ways to address their inherent problems. The book also assesses current barriers to applying systems thinking and identifies ways to foster interconnected long-term crime prevention strategies that meet the diverse needs of multiple stakeholders. Aimed at academics, students, and professionals in urban planning, criminology, geography, and related fields, this book is a vital resource for those dedicated to creating safer, more inclusive, and sustainable environments.

The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 license.

This report outlines the process of constructing a stable quadrupedal robot. The purpose lies in fashioning a platform for further development, with the main goal being a stable controller for standing on uneven surfaces. An oscillating platform is used to evaluate the robot’s response and stability under different conditions, primarily to find a maximum amplitude and frequency which still keeps stability. The robot starts to slip at an angle of around 14 degrees and starts to lift from the platform due to inertia at an amplitude of 0.11m and a frequency of 0.57Hz. These cases result in a loss of probable stability. The robot overall performs best on low amplitudes, regardless of the frequency and the controller is sufficient enough for basic control in all major directions. The data collection and platform oscillation is done manually, where mean values are used for results which decrease the validity of the findings. The performance of the robot is however well in line with the goals set up in the beginning.

With the rise of global warming, the demand for carbon-neutral technologies is increasing. As industries consume over one-third of total energy, their role in reducing carbon emissions is crucial. Electrification, particularly through heat pumps, is key for a sustainable future. However, refrigerants used in these systems pose environmental risks such as ozone layer depletion (ODP) and global warming potential (GWP). Due to the EU’s stringent F-gas regulations aimed at reducing TFA from HFCs, transitioning to natural refrigerants becomes imperative.

This thesis analyzes large-scale heat pump systems, focusing on performance, carbon emissions, and operational costs within a heat sink temperature range of 70°C-140°C. Various system designs for different temperature levels and refrigerants are modeled across different source temperatures.

The study identifies ammonia (R717) as the optimal choice, offering high performance, minimal carbon emissions, and competitive operational electricity costs for a heat sink temperature of 70°C with a heat source temperature of -11.28°C to 60°C. At higher temperature ranges, n-butane (R600) is the most effective option. Despite CO2’s safety advantages, it lags in COP compared to alternatives like ammonia, propane, orpropylene.

The thesis also explores practical applications, highlighting ammonia’s usage in industrial settings and CO2’s suitability in safety-focused scenarios. By emphasizing the importance of heat pumps in industrial decarbonization, the study provides valuable insights for future endeavors with natural refrigerants. 

This bachelor’s thesis explores the stabilization of an inherently unstable system, the inverted pendulum, using a Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controller implemented in a simulated environment and tested in hardware. The inverted pendulum poses a classic control problem due to its natural tendency to fall over, making it an ideal project for exploring different control systems. To solve the problem of stabilization of the pendulum a physical model of the system was constructed and the dynamics of the system were modeled in the Simulink environment. A PID regulator was chosen as the controller and different methods were used to find PID coefficients for achieving system stability. Various experiments were conducted to fine tune the gain values. The results demonstrate that while the system could be stabilized for a short period of time, maintaining long term stability proved challenging due to mechanical limitations and the non-ideal behaviors of the components, particularly the stepper motor used for actuation. These experiments provided insights into the discrepancies between simulated predictions and actual performance, highlighting the impact of factors choosing right input values for the simulation and mechanical limitations. Ultimately, this project reinforced the theoretical foundations of control systems and highlighted practical challenges that are present in such a project, also offering improvements for alternative actuation mechanisms and more robust and better suited control algorithms.

This project involved constructing a prototype of a drink dispenser that allows for the ordering and serving of a number of popular mixed drinks. The flow from the dispenser is controlled by solenoid valves, which in turn are controlled by a microcontroller. The user orders through a menu on a touchscreen that sends signals to the microcontroller. Upon ordering, a reaction test is activated to verify that the user is sober enough to place an order. This test is inspired by the reaction test of the electric scooter-company Voi Technology and involves the user clicking on symbols that appear on the screen for a short period of time. The prototype should also be able to determine if a bottle needs to be replaced and notify the staff, this is achieved by a counter in the program code tracking how many centiliters are poured from the bottle and opening a warning-window on the screen after a certain amount. Due to manufacturing defects in four out of six purchased solenoid valves, the prototype was reduced to only serve one cocktail. To still offer choices when ordering via the touchscreen, the user is instead allowed to choose the amount of alcohol and mixer for their drink. To test the precision capability of the prototype, the deviation in dispensing 4 centiliters of liquid was examined. These tests showed that the outlet with the lowest accuracy had an average deviation of 6.25 percent.

The purpose of this project was to create an autonomous plant watering system for potted plants to answer the research questions. Having healthy plants at home has proven to be beneficial by improving air quality and creating a peaceful environment, therefore reducing stress. The focus of this research paper was to study how autonomous the system can be, and how the important parameters are regulated. To answer our research questions a system was created and tested. The system used a microcontroller and a handful of sensors together with actuators, including pumps and an LED strip. The goal was to regulate the pH and nutrients of the water supplied to the plant, moisture level in the plants soil and the light that the plant received. Tests were conducted on a potted basil in the mechatronics lab at KTH. Results from experiments showed that our system for lighting worked as intended, however the conversion from analog value to lux was faulty due to the usage of default values for calibration. pH regulation works, but takes over 4 hours to stabilize, making the system less optimal. Lastly, due to the extensive time it takes for the water container to be emptied by watering the plant, calculations were made from the data gathered during the 228-hour long moisture monitoring experiment. This, together with research and further calculations, showed that the container needs to be refilled roughly every 11 weeks, making it autonomous to a high degree.

This thesis presents a comprehensive assessment of the environmental impacts associated with the Dutch electricity system, focusing on integrating innovative electrostatic energyharvesting technology, "E-Box," developed by iON-ENERGY. The "E-Box" is a novel residential electricity-generating device designed to harness electrostatic energy from atmosphericions. This study utilizes traditional Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Dynamic Life CycleAssessment (DLCA) methodologies to evaluate the environmental performance of electricity generation sources over their entire life cycle, from raw material extraction to disposal. The DLCA approach is evaluated over four scenarios assessing different electricity mixes to capture the temporal variations of the environmental impacts over time.The detailed Life Cycle Inventories (LCIs) were developed for the electricity generation sources used in the Netherlands, including natural gas, coal, nuclear, wind, solar PV, biomass, and hydroelectric power. An LCI was also developed for the "E-Box" to assess its potential contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing energy sustainability inresidential settings. The study further explores multiple scenarios, including current and projected energy mixes for 2030, both with and without the integration of "The Box."The results indicate that integrating "E-Box" into the Dutch electricity mix offers significant environmental benefits, particularly in reducing the greenhouse gas potential by 48.86% andfossil fuel scarcity by 34.95%. The DLCA findings highlight the importance of considering temporal dynamics in LCA studies, as they reveal critical periods where the "E-Box" can most effectively contribute to environmental sustainability while adding to the marketability of the novel electricity generating device.

Smartwatches, fitness trackers, and the broader range of wearable technologies have experienced widespread adoption, resulting in a robust market characterized by an excessive quantity of diverse products. This growing collection of options may nevertheless, perplex athletes endeavoring to select the most suitable choice within this field of interest. The study aims to simplify the complex landscape of wearable technologies, focusing on smartwatches, fitness trackers, and their embedded sensors. Additionally, the study validates a few solutions that could offer an effective and cost-efficient solution for measuring cadence in athletes. The study further analyzes and categorizes widely-used commercial sports wearables, offering a matching selection of the most relevant devices for measuring key sports performance metrics. The final results presents a comparative analysis of the most accessible wearables on the market, with the aim of conducting a gap analysis that contrasts the key performance indicators (KPIs) relevant to runners with the capabilities of research-grade tools. This comparison assesses how effectively, accurately, and affordably current market products and sensors can measure athletes’ required KPIs. 

For a long time the electricity use in Sweden has been on a rather constant level, and the transmission system has been maintained rather than expanded. However, over the coming decennia, the electricity consumption in the country is predicted to double. This change calls for rapid expansion of transmission capacity. The traditional approach for transmission expansion planning, using the deterministic N-1 criterion, might not be sufficient to be able to meet the increased demand. One way to make the planning more optimized and efficient is by transitioning from deterministic to probabilistic analysis tools. This Master’s thesis is centered around the way transmission expansion planning with probabilistic risk assessment can be used at the Swedish transmission system operator Svenska kraftnät. More specifically, the project focus has been to develop a method that can be used for realistic and intuitive probabilistic risk evaluations. The method consists of three main steps: creation of operating states for analysis, contingency analysis, and reliability assessment. The project consists of three corresponding areas of development: use of a clustering algorithm for representative operating states for analysis; inclusion of monthly variations in failure rates that represent reality; and an intuitive presentation of results that can be used in communication with other stakeholders. To evaluate the method, two case studies are done: one for comparison with a previously tested probabilistic method, one for comparison with the currently used deterministic assessment. In each study, several investment alternatives (for example a new line or a new load) are added, one by one, to a model of the Swedish transmission grid. The risk with and without investments is then evaluated. The results of the first study show that the two probabilistic methods give different recommendations of investment alternatives. The results of the second study show that the deterministic assessment and the method developed in this project, can give the same investment indication, but that the probabilistic assessment gives more information about each case. The conclusion is that the probabilistic method is a valuable complement to the deterministic method, but that more improvements could be done.

This master’s thesis aims to develop a simulation method for analyzing the buckling of torsion springs using an implicit solver. The study focuses on creating a Finite Element (FE) model to capture buckling onset, post-buckling behavior, plasticity, and friction loss. Additionally, an analytical equation for initial buckling is derived to validate the simulation results.

This study evaluated the use of beam elements to model torsion springs. The findings show that the beam element modeling approach provides reliable results, aligning well with both analytical equations and experimental data.

The study concludes that developing an analytical equation incorporating changes in coil diameter and number of coils could further improve the accuracy of the results. Differences between simulation and test data are assumed to be a result of unmatching material properties. However, the results are considered successful within an acceptable range.

Remote laser welding presents itself as a promising alternative that offers faster welding times and non-contact operation when compared to traditional spot welding. This study investigates the fatigue performance of remote laser welds in comparison to traditionally used spot welds. The aim is to determine if Scania’s established calculation methods for spot welds can be applied to remote laser welded structures. A physical testing campaign involving lap-shear specimens was conducted. Computational analyses using the effective notch method and the software FEMFAT were also performed to evaluate these methods’ capabilities incalculating fatigue life for the welds.Results from the lap-shear tests show that laser-welded specimens exhibit slightly lower fatigue strength compared to spot welded specimens, although both perform similarly in static tensile tests. The slopes of the S-N curves for both weld types are similar, indicating comparable fatigue behaviors under varying load cycles. The effective notch method provided conservative and relatively accurate fatigue life predictions, though the method is time-inefficient and best applied to previously identified critical welds. Based on these findings, remote laser welding can potentially replace spot welding with appropriate adjustments. Further experimental testing is recommended to enhance predictive methods and increase the understanding of the laser welds fatigue behaviour.

Master degree project rules and routines

This page presents the rules and routines for degree projects at second cycle at EECS.

Courses and course coordinators

The degree projects are organised in courses. Each master's programme has a dedicated degree project course, the name of the programme is included in the name of the course. Programmes with tracks that belong to different major subjects ("huvudområden"); Electrical Engineering or Computer Science and Engineering, have a degree project course for each major subject.

In addition, there are dedicated courses for

• double degree students
• master of science in engineering students ("civilingenjör") who do not follow any master's programme
• exchange students. 

List of degree project courses

If any questions, contact the course coordinator of the given course.

• Master coordinator: Student administrator handling the course admission.
• Course coordinator: Has administrative responsibility for a degree project course (or several courses). Provides information about the degree project process to the students as well as for the examiners. Coordinates the application process, the assignment of examiners and supervisors, and if needed the presentations and oppositions.
• Examiner: Ensures the quality of the project based on the project plan, and grades the completed project. Only teachers who completed an examiner course can be examiners. To be examiner in a degree project course, the person has to be added as examiner to the course.
• Supervisor:  Follows the work of the student through the entire project, meets the student regularly. Ensures the scientific and technical quality of the work. The examiner and the supervisor have to be different persons. The supervisor can be a doctoral student.
• External supervisor:  Follows the project at the external partners, usually supports the day by day work of the student.

On-line resources

Information for the students that they need before starting the project is published in the shared Canvas course for managing the master degree projects. A new page is started each year.

For 2024 see: canvas.kth.se/courses/47414

For 2023 see: canvas.kth.se/courses/40135

For 2022 see: kth.instructure.com/courses/33514

For 2021 see: kth.instructure.com/courses/25434

Before the degree project

Information to the students .

Students receive information about the requirements for and processes around the master degree projects on dedicated meetings, or as a part of the programme integrating courses. The information is also available in the Canvas room for the current year.

Requirements for admission to degree project 

To start a master degree project, at least 60 credits for second-cycle studies must be fully completed. These 60 credits have to contain courses that are relevant to the thesis, including a course on philosophy of science and research methodology. 

If the student is enrolled in a master of science in engineering (civilingenjör) programme, all courses required for the bachelor's degree must be completed.

The school's office of student affairs evaluates the basic requirements of completed courses on first cycle, 60 credits second-cycle courses, including the philosophy of science course. The examiner is responsible to ensure that the student has courses that are relevant to the thesis.

Process for admission to the degree project course

Students get admitted and registered to the course through the following steps.

• The student finds a degree project. The student can also agree with an examiner and a supervisor, if the student prefers to do so. Some programmes require that the student finds the examiner and the supervisor.

The student applies for the degree project by submitting the project proposal through a web interface (KTH Forms). If the student already has examiner and supervisor, the student also adds this information. At the same time the student uploads the form about the DiVA publication. The link to KTH Forms, the template for the projet proposal and the DIVA form are available through the Canvas page of the degree project. For projects in the spring term the students are asked to submit the application by 15 December, if possible, but of course, applications arriving later are accepted too.

• The master coordinator at the school's office of student affairs performs the basic eligibility check.
• The course coordinator starts the process where teachers can sign up as examiners and supervisors for the submitted projects. The examiner checks that the student has courses related to the thesis topic and that the thesis proposal is suitable for a degree project. Based on the information in the submitted thesis proposal, the examiner checks that the student has courses related to the thesis topic and that the topic of the thesis is suitable for a degree project.
• Once examiner and supervisor are confirmed, the school's office of student affairs admits the student to the respective course. The student registers to the course via Ladok for students, as for other courses. After registration, the student gets access to the closed part of the Canvas course.

Students from other schools/EECS students carrying out the project at another school

For students who come from another school within KTH and want to do a degree project with someone at EECS, or the opposite, a student at one of our programmes wants to do a degree project offered by another school, there are in these cases two possible solutions:

• The student stays at the “home-school”, registers for the degree project course of the programme, and gets an examiner from there. The supervisor comes from the school giving the degree project. The “home school” compensates the supervisor for the work. 
• The student takes the degree project course outside the “home-school”. If the student is from EECS, both the programme director (PA) and the director of first and second cycle education (GA) have to agree. The PA may need to accept this again when the student applies for the degree. Not all schools at KTH allow this solution.

During the degree project

The main steps of the project, according to the course syllabus, are the following: Note that the degree projects at second cycle have to be individual projects. Each student needs to submit their own individual plan, perform the thesis individually, and write a single-author report.

• The examiner informs the supervisor about the rules and procedures of the degree project.
• The examiner informs the student about the requirements of passing the degree project.
• The student prepares the individual plan for the thesis project, that includes the problem description, as well as the discussion on the implementation of the project. The examiner needs to accept the individual plan. 
• If the degree project is performed by an external partner, the examiner ensures that the external supervisor is aware that the thesis report will be a public document. If possible, the examiner or the supervisor from KTH meets the external partner, or at least contacts the external supervisor via e-mail.
• The student performs an extended pre-study, including the discussion of methodology and literature study on the theoretical background of the project. This should serve as a draft for the respective chapters of the final master thesis report. The supervisor, and for some programmes the examiner, from KTH needs to accept the pre-study.
• The student performs the individual work of the master degree project, where knowledge, methodology and skills gained in the master's programme has to be applied. The supervisor from KTH follows the process.
• The student is present and is actively participating at two presentations of advanced level master degree projects. The participation is acknowledged by the examiner of the presented project.
• The student performs written and oral opposition of a master degree project on advanced level. The opposition is acknowledged by the examiner of the presented project.
• The student plans the oral presentation, and presents the results of the master degree project. The examiner accepts the oral presentation.
• The student prepares a written report of the master degree project, where the student describes and discusses the final results of the project, as well as the theoretic results and arguments that support these. The report also needs to motivate the selected methodology and if appropriate discuss sustainability and ethical issues.
• The examiner performs plagiarism check and accepts the written report. 
• The student performs a self-evaluation of the master degree project, according to a given template. The supervisor and then the examiner comments and accepts the self-evaluation.
• Finally, the examiner grades the degree project. The examiner reports the grade and submits the report with cover page but without TRITA number to the school's office of student affairs, [email protected] .
• The school's office of student affairs registers the grade, adds the TRITA number, and uploads the report to DiVA.
• The canvas course is used to archive compulsory material, such as individual plan, pre-study, opposition report, material for oral presentation, and self-evaluation report. The student is responsible for posting these.

Requirements for passing the degree project

• Individual plan for the degree project. 
• Pre-study, including discussion of methodology and literature study.
• Written and oral opposition of another degree project at second cycle. 
• Active participation at two master thesis presentation on second cycle. 
• Written report, with abstract both in Swedish and in English. 
• Oral presentation. 
• Self-evaluation rapport. 

All course moments have to be passed within one year of the start of the degree project. Otherwise the degree project is closed with grade fail, unless specific circumstances motivate the delay. In each of the cases, the school's office of student affairs contacts the examiner to make a decision.

Forms and templates

The following forms and templates are provided for the students through the Degree Project Canvas page:

• DiVA publication form 
• project proposal template
• individual plan template
• information for students and employers ( KTH Degree Project Portal )
• report template (to come)
• certificate of participation (pdf for live presentations, on-line procedure otherwise)
• self-evaluation form.