Swedish Project Research Articles

Selection of track form in railway tunnel from a life cycle analysis perspective

AbstractThe use of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as a criterion for decision-making within the rail industry is increasing. The demand for considering this criterion affects the type of decision models acceptable by railway infrastructure managers in the planning, construction, and maintenance of railway assets. The total amount of GHG emitted from a track solution in tunnels during its service life depends on the track form (i.e., ballasted track or ballastless track), the type of construction, maintenance machines used, current traffic profile, and tunnel length. However, the development in the design of ballastless track systems during recent decades to make them environmentally friendly motivates infrastructure managers to rethink and consider the use of the system. This study examines the effect of several design and maintenance factors not adequately addressed in previous research. These factors are (i) the modulus of elasticity of track support affecting the design of track forms, (ii) differences in maintenance and renewal required for track forms in the corresponding line condition, and (iii) recent developments in optimizing the environmental impact of ballastless tracks. The GHG emissions, represented by life cycle carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions, are calculated using the climate impact software developed by the Swedish Transport Administration Trafikverket. The result is compared with the estimated emission from the conventional ballasted tracks. The method proposed in this paper is applied in a case study to study the effect of applying the optimized ballastless track system Rheda 2000® in a railway tunnel (the Hallsberg-Stenkumla tunnel) as part of a new line project in Sweden. The model applied in the study is an integral part of an integrated decision support system for effectively selecting track solutions from a lifecycle perspective. The study´s findings are: (i) the life cycle CO2 equivalent emissions by a ballastless track during its life cycle are 10% lower than that of the ballasted track, (ii) the primary total emission driver for both track form solutions is the emissions generated at the manufacturing of rails. (iii) the second important emission factor for the ballasted track solution is the emission from the renewal of the track form during its life cycle, and (iv) the second important emission factor for the ballastless track solution is concrete manufacturing.

LCC-based approach for design and requirement specification for railway track system

AbstractLife cycle cost (LCC) analysis is an important tool for effective infrastructure management. It is an essential decision support methodology for selection, design, development, construction, maintenance and renewal of railway infrastructure system. Effective implementation of LCC analysis will assure cost-effective operation of railways from both investment and life-cycle perspectives. A major setback in the successful implementation of LCC analysis by infrastructure managers is the availability of relevant, reliable, and structured data. Different cost estimation methods and prediction models have been developed to deal with this challenge. However, there is a need to include condition degradation models as an integral part of LCC model to account for possible changes in the model variables. This article presents an approach for integrating degradation models with LCC model to study the impact of change in design speed on key decision criteria such as track possession time, service life of track system, and LCC. The methodology is applied to an ongoing railway investment project in Sweden to investigate and quantify the impact of design speed change from 250 to 320 km/h. The results of the studied degradation models show that the intended change in speed corresponds to correction factor values between 0.79 and 0.96. Using this correction factor to compensate for changes in design speed, the service life of ballasted track system is estimated to decrease by an average of 15%. Further, the expected value of LCC for the route under consideration will increase by 30%. The outcome of this study will be used to support the design and requirement specification of railway track system for the project under consideration.

Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) and Financial Inclusion: Explore How CBDCs Can Promote Financial Inclusion for Unbanked or Underbanked Populations, Considering both Benefits and Challenges

Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) offer a promising solution to expand financial inclusion for the unbanked and underbanked populations globally. This paper explores the potential benefits of CBDCs in promoting financial access, including reduced transaction costs, increased accessibility in remote areas, and efficient government transfers. However, challenges like infrastructure limitations, privacy concerns, and regulatory frameworks need to be addressed for successful implementation. The paper examines ongoing pilot projects in Sweden and China, highlighting how these initiatives tailor CBDCs to specific national contexts. By overcoming these challenges and continuing research, CBDCs can become a powerful tool for financial inclusion, fostering economic empowerment and participation.

Discomfort as a sign of authentic engagement and progress in company gender equality work

Gender equality work in organisations has been criticised for weak results and an unclear political agenda. Studies on such work that put emotions at the centre are rare. The aim of this article is to examine the relationship between feelings of discomfort and practical gender equality work in companies, in projects which are facilitated by external gender experts in collaboration with company employees. Interviews and project documents from four companies involved in a regional gender equality project in Sweden form the empirical basis. Findings show that there was an aspiration to feel discomfort about inequality, among both gender experts and company employees, which was also embedded in recurring practice aiming for feeling and interpreting inequality. The discomfort among interviewees can be understood as signalling both authentic engagement and progress, but may also clash with specific organisational emotion norms and lead to problems associated with individualising responsibility. The article shows the import of discomfort and related emotions in gender equality work, and can be used for critical reflections on and realignment of ideas that inform these efforts.

Tactical capabilities in agile NPD projects: insights from an autonomous car project in Sweden

Tactical capabilities in agile NPD projects: insights from an autonomous car project in Sweden

Geomedia sensibility in media technologies

ABSTRACT With the rapidly emerging development of technology-mediated tourism experiences and place-based digital services for visitors, there is a lack of awareness regarding the spatial implications of technological implementations. Based on a participatory action research method applied in this study on five research-based destination development projects in Sweden, we propose a spatially sensible approach when developing enhanced experiences for visitors through digital technology. This paper is motivated by the emerging criticism of how media technology is shaping and reshaping spaces. Drawing on the theoretical underpinnings of the growing field of geomedia studies, we propose “geomedia sensibility” as a way to offer a sensible approach in the co-creation of digital experiences at destinations.

Starting up user-focused monitoring projects: trust and conflicting expectations in user involvement practices

ABSTRACT User-focused monitoring (UFM) is an emerging method for user involvement and quality development in the Swedish mental health sector. It involves people with lived experience conducting a systematized evaluation of a mental health service or support programme. The aim of this study is to analyse motives and central concerns when initiating a UFM project. Five UFM projects in Sweden were sampled, 16 semi-structured interviews were performed with user monitors and commissioners and analysed using conventional content analysis. Our results showcase a range of motives for conducting UFM, illustrate the centrality of trust in the relationships of the UFM practice and the varying degrees of user autonomy in UFM projects. We further discuss our results in relation to epistemic trust and organizational learning theories. Accountability processes are discussed as important for securing continuous trust between the stakeholders. Furthermore, trust is required for UFM being applied to engage in continuous learning and review of organizational norms and goals together with service users.

Making Rural Areas Attractive for Teachers and Principals:Putting Rural Educational Settings on the Agenda

One cornerstone in the ‘Nordic model of education’ is equal opportunities in education (Frønes et al., 2020), however, the curricula of the Nordic countries are adapted to urban environments (Bæck, 2016). Regional-spatial aspects of education therefore need to be identified to find solutions to equal education. In this re-analysis of two research projects in Sweden and Finland, new insights are highlighted regarding how to develop nationwide equal education. The study proposes establishing supportive structures in the education of teachers and principals and in their continuing professional development in order to bring about equal education.

Gender Differences and Inequality? A 20-Year Retrospective Analysis Based on 39,980 Students’ Perceptions of Physical Education in Sweden

Purpose: The aim of this study was to critically examine previous studies’ claims about the magnitude of gender differences and gender inequality in physical education (PE) in Sweden. Method: The data were based on students’ (N = 39,980) perceptions of PE and were gathered from four large research projects in Sweden. Three effect size measures (Cramer’s V, r squared, and Cohen’s d) were calculated for gender differences. Results: In general, there are small gender differences; and after controlling for students’ grade, “sports capital,” and parents’ “educational capital,” the differences are practically irrelevant. Conclusion: This study provides compelling evidence that there are small, or even irrelevant, gender differences in students’ perceptions of PE in Sweden. Moreover, given that previous research asserts that large gender differences can be used as an indicator of inequality, this study suggests that gender inequality issues related to students’ perceptions of PE are relatively small.

Reliability of the Motor Optimality Score-Revised: A study of infants at elevated likelihood for adverse neurological outcomes.

To assess the inter-assessor reliability of the Motor Optimality Score-Revised (MOS-R) when used in infants at elevated likelihood for adverse neurological outcome. MOS-R were assessed in three groups of infants by two assessors/cohort. Infants were recruited from longitudinal projects in Sweden (infants born extremely preterm), India (infants born in low-resource communities) and the USA (infants prenatally exposed to SARS-CoV-2). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and kappa (κw) were applied. ICC of MOS-R subcategories and total scores were presented for cohorts together and separately and for age-spans: 9-12, 13-16 and 17-25-weeks post-term age. 252 infants were included (born extremely preterm n=97, born in low-resource communities n=97, prenatally SARS-CoV-2 exposed n=58). Reliability of the total MOS-R was almost perfect (ICC: 0.98-0.99) for all cohorts, together and separately. Similar result was found for age-spans (ICC: 0.98-0.99). Substantial to perfect reliability was shown for the MOS-R subcategories (κw: 0.67-1.00), with postural patterns showing the lowest value 0.67. The MOS-R can be used in high-risk populations with substantial to perfect reliability, both in regards of total/subcategory scores as well as in different age groups. However, the subcategory postural patterns as well as the clinical applicability of the MOS-R needs further study.

Banging on Closed Doors or Beating the Drum? Social Movements’ Interpretations of Opportunities in Legal Appeal Processes

ABSTRACT Social movements and interest groups in Europe are increasingly using litigation as a form of legal mobilization in their campaigns. Current literature often depicts this as a result of favourable opportunities in movements’ legal contexts, with activists responding to rising prospects of legal success. This comparative study of fifteen cases of mobilizations against mineral exploration projects in Sweden explores a puzzle in relation to this view: Why do movements frequently litigate even when the prospects of legal success seem non-existent? Using frame analysis within a multi-institutional politics (MIP) approach, this study explores how movements interpret opportunities in appeal processes linked to mineral exploration projects. While confirming that the prospect of legal success is a relevant motivator in several cases, the results also indicate that some movements interpret the court as a democratic arena, presenting opportunities to mobilize adherents and signal popular resistance to policy makers and extractive companies. These diverging interpretations of the court are tentatively connected to organizational needs for mobilizing adherents, previous experiences of litigating and available institutional logics in society. Building upon the MIP approach, this study introduces the idea that the democratic understanding of the appeal process signifies a ‘creative infringement’. A democratic institutional logic is imported into the court, an arena typically dominated by an institutional legal-bureaucratic logic. Movements’ increasing use of litigation may thus be driven not only by goals of legal success, but also by creative reinterpretations of legal processes as arenas in which goals of popular participation and democracy may be achieved.

The EU Tyre Noise Label: The problem with measuring the noise level of only a few of all tyre variants

The STEER project, described in another Inter-Noise 2022 paper, has evaluated the performance of the noise label of the European tyre label. The major finding was that uncertainties of the tyre/road noise measurements were higher than should be accepted. One of the worst uncertainty sources was found to be the common prac-tice to measure only some tyres of all sizes or variants within a tyre line, to save money. Generally, only the nois-iest tyre(s) is/are measured individually and other tyres in that line get the same level, which means that many if not most tyres are labelled with too high noise levels. Then consumers cannot find the quietest tyres. STEER lacked resources to study this problem, but a Swedish project supported STEER in this respect, by making it pos-sible to measure noise of 53 tyres selected from tyre lines of three major tyre manufacturers. The results showed that even though tyres in each line were labelled with the same noise level, in practice they differed up to 6 dB in noise emission. To avoid this very serious source of uncertainty, a special simplified test is suggested in order to be able to label tyres correctly without too much extra effort.

Extended home visits can provide multidimensional adapted professional support for parents - an intervention study.

The aim of this study was to explore healthcare professionals' experiences of working with extended home visits for parents. It is essential to identify parents, both expectant and with a newborn child, who need support in their parenting abilities at an early stage because children's health and well-being are affected by their home environment as well as by their parents' health and social relationships. Home visits represent a cost-effective way of identifying and supporting families with a newborn. Further research is needed to explore healthcare professionals' experiences working with extended home visits for parents. This was a qualitative interview study focusing on an intervention introduced in the Enhanced Parenting-Extended Home Visits project in Sweden. Data were collected via 13 semi-structured interviews with healthcare professionals who provide the intervention in antenatal care (midwives) and child health care (CHC nurses and family supporters), and a qualitative content analysis was performed. Data analysis resulted in one theme and four categories. The theme - to provide multidimensional adapted professional support, - and the four categories - strengthened collaboration between professionals enriches their work. Home visits provide time for conversation, which promotes continuity of care and relationships with parents; being humble guests in parents' homes provides insight; and home visits provide the opportunity to strengthen parenting and participation in the family centre. The goals of the Enhanced Parenting-Extended Home Visits project were to strengthen parents' confidence in their parenting abilities and to build trusting relationships with healthcare professionals. The conclusion of this study, from the participants' perspective, is that these goals can be achieved with the intervention. Extended home visits seem to help healthcare professionals provide collaborative, multi-professional support for parents, both expectant and with a newborn child, with unique support needs.

An approach to estimate influence region of field investigation sampling points, investigation zone in civil infrastructure projects and brief review of existing field investigation process

Geotechnical investigation is a cyclic process. The interdependency between different steps involved in whole process, i.e., from planning, performing investigation, transporting samples and analysis of data obtained from field or lab, present opportunities for improvements and further discussion.For estimating number of investigation sampling points required for a particular site and selection of investigation methods, today we mostly relay on information from previously conducted site investigations, local experience from that area or site. In geotechnical investigation getting field samples which represents actual ground conditions for the whole site is well known challenge and has been highlighted in many research papers.In this paper we are presenting concept of influence region of geotechnical investigation points and an approach for estimation of the same. We believe the influence region concept; its estimation approach will provide a mathematical model and will help in deciding number of sampling points at the geotechnical investigation sites. In author’s opinion the presented concept will further improve the quality of geotechnical ground investigation process and will provide help in getting representative, quality field samples for laboratory analysis.The presented concept and estimation approach in this paper is based on author’s field experience and exposure gained from working in Swedish infrastructure projects. We think the influence region concept will further improve the existing geotechnical ground investigation process and will open opportunities for its validation through focused scientific research.A brief overview of the existing ground investigation processes has been covered in the paper, along with examples from geotechnical site investigations from Trafikverket (The Swedish Transport Administration) projects in Sweden.

INTERACT - Integration of innovative technologies of PEDs into a holistic architecture

INTERACT is an international research and innovation project which boosts the emergence of Energy Communities as one crucial building block to achieve Positive Energy Districts. It is designing an optimal organization and structure for Energy Communities based on success-factors of existing PED/PEN approaches, stakeholder needs and motivation, the available technologies, and a holistic LINK-based architecture. Technological and market-related solutions are delivered that maximize the benefit for the environment and society, considering the current legal framework and available business models. The project will develop a roadmap for the Energy Community's secure and reliable embedding into the power system structure, focusing on two pilot regions, a green-field project in Sweden and an~existing municipality in Austria. The holistic architecture is used to ensure the integrity of the solution by harmonizing all interactions within the Energy Community itself, between it and the market, and the European power system. Its standardized and flexible structure allows the straightforward application of the roadmap to perfectly meet the diverse necessities of local communities, thus supporting the large-scale roll-out of the new control paradigms.

Västlänken – The West Link Project, Korsvägen construction section in Gothenburg, Sweden

AbstractWest Link (Swedish: Västlänken) is one of the biggest infrastructure projects in Sweden building an in total 8 km double‐track railway tunnel in Gothenburg, which is currently under construction. “E05 Korsvägen” is a construction lot which is part of the West Link project with the Swedish transport authority Trafikverket as the client. The works were awarded to the Joint Venture (JV) West Link Contractors consisting of Wayss & Freytag Ingenieurbau AG and NCC. A special contract model with a design and build part combined with a regular bill of quantities comprises building an underground double‐track railway tunnel with a length of 3.2 km and the new Korsvägen station. This sub‐project includes three drill and blast sections and three open excavation sections. All three construction pits will be executed in challenging soft ground conditions. The JV is confronted with high environmental demands and special requirements for the blasting works in the urban area of Gothenburg.

Creating a youth ambassador: a critical study of a Swedish project on teaching and learning about the Holocaust

ABSTRACT This article focuses on a project within the government-supported Swedish Committee Against Antisemitism program. To our knowledge, this is the first study to employ full-project interviews and participant observations to explore Swedish study trips to Holocaust memorial sites. It applies the educational concepts of qualification, socialization, and person-formation inspired by educational theorist Gert Biesta. Students acquired qualified concepts regarding the Holocaust's ‘what' and ‘why’ dimensions. However, findings indicate that attention should be paid to how external organizers risk narrowing the potentials of education about the Holocaust due to a lack of preexisting relations among students, and between educators and students.

Exploring the involvement of representatives of migrant groups in health research

Abstract Background Public involvement in research is increasingly utilised, but has been problematised for lack of diversity. Involving representatives from seldom-heard groups, such as the migrant population, has the potential to transform health research for some of Europe's most disadvantaged groups. Methods We have explored involvement of migrants in health research projects in Sweden, through a three-year longitudinal qualitative study with migrant contributors involved in a child mental health trial, and a series of behavioural observations of research meetings in several projects with migrant contributors. Results The migrant contributors were initially hesitant to trust the researchers. However, through relationship-building and time, mutual trust was established. The contributors gained a social network in each other and the researchers, and their motivation for involvement changed over time, from focussing on individual benefits to societal change. They viewed their role as sharing their experiences, but saw researchers as in control of the final research decisions. Behavioural observations identified barriers to contributors’ access to information in the meetings, such as academic terminology and difficulties in language interpretation. Enabling factors included balancing the presence of experts in the meeting as well as flexibility towards contributors’ needs and initiatives. Additionally, transparency around the research process and providing feedback to the contributors functioned as enablers for involvement. Conclusions This longitudinal qualitative inquiry paired with behavioural observations, revealed that when involving migrants as public contributors in research, time and resources should be focused on relationship building, to increase mutual trust and understanding, and careful planning undertaken to make the research process transparent and accessible for the contributors. Key messages • Involving migrants in research has great potential – but requires careful planning and consideration. • Awareness of barriers and enablers can assist researchers in attaining meaningful involvement.

Energy efficiency at what cost? Unjust burden-sharing of rent increases in extensive energy retrofitting projects in Sweden

Although renovation costs can lead to rent increases in energy retrofitting, it is often assumed that reductions in energy costs will counterbalance the rent increase. In Swedish multifamily housing, energy costs for heating are however generally included as a fixed component in the monthly rent, meaning that the rent increase after energy retrofitting corresponds to the net change in rent level as well as energy costs for heating. This makes Sweden a methodologically advantageous setting for studying tenants' cost burden of energy retrofitting. The aim of this study was thus to investigate how energy performance improvement has affected rent increases in Swedish renovation projects between 2013 and 2019. Utilising a national database of multifamily housing, it was found that energy retrofitting entailed a cost relief for tenants in renovation projects with smaller investments. However, in renovation projects with larger investments, energy retrofitting entailed a cost burden for tenants. Moreover, public housing companies had conducted a high share of the extensive energy retrofits, leading to low-income tenant groups being disproportionately subjected to cost burdens of energy retrofitting. On the contrary, light energy retrofits with a cost relief for energy efficiency had been rather evenly distributed across income groups. These results indicate ongoing conflicts with the ability-to-pay principle in the energy transition of Swedish multifamily housing, and suggest that if low-investment energy retrofits are not sufficient for upcoming objectives and requirements, subsidies could be needed to compensate low-income tenants for the cost burden of extensive energy retrofitting.

Demands, default options and definitions: How artefacts mediate sustainability in public housing projects in Sweden and Cyprus

Sustainable building design practices are influenced by requirements, guidelines, criteria for green procurement and certification, assessment tools such as life cycle assessment, etc. This study investigates how such artefacts support or define aspirations towards sustainability, through case studies of public housing projects in Sweden and Cyprus. The study first illustrates how constraints mediated by artefacts set boundaries to the range of available sustainable design options. On one hand, fulfilling sustainability requirements conveyed in regulations, certifications and directives is a major driver of designers' involvement with sustainable design. On the other hand, cost calculations, procurement laws and development plans exclude certain design options. Moreover, default solutions and standardised design guidelines within the organisation streamline and simplify the design process, indirectly determining what sustainable design options are considered. However, these demands and default options are also bent and adapted on a case-by-case basis. The ways in which sustainable design arises from the interplay between artefacts and actors' agency differed significantly between the Swedish and Cypriot cases. Swedish actors' operational definition of sustainability is strongly codified and enforced through interconnected artefacts. The Miljöbyggnad certification is often a de facto definition of sustainability used by actors to set sustainability criteria and targets. Environmental databases for construction products act as black boxes, implicitly determining what aspects of sustainability are addressed in design decisions. Conversely, Cypriot designers' work with sustainability depends to a larger extent on their motivation, experience and ability to convince their peers.