Opin vísindi
Opin vísindi er varðveislusafn vísindaefnis og doktorsritgerða í opnum aðgangi á vegum íslenskra háskóla og Landsbókasafns Íslands - Háskólabókasafns.
Opinn aðgangur að rannsóknaniðurstöðum er í samræmi við 10. gr. laga nr. 3/2003 um opinberan stuðning við vísindarannsóknir sem og kröfur innlendra og erlendra rannsóknasjóða. Markmiðið með opnum aðgangi er að niðurstöður rannsókna séu aðgengilegar sem flestum óhindrað og án endurgjalds á rafrænu formi. Vistun í varðveislusafninu er varanleg og ætlað að tryggja aðgang að vísindaefni íslenskra háskóla í opnum aðgangi um ókomna tíð. Varðveislusafnið Opin vísindi er tengt við rannsóknagáttina IRIS og rannsóknaniðurstöður í opnum aðgangi sem eru skráðar í IRIS eru um leið vistaðar og gerðar aðgengilegar til framtíðar í varðveislusafninu. Með því að safna þessu efni saman í eitt safn verður aðgangur að því einfaldur og þægilegur fyrir alla sem vilja kynna sér það og geta þannig notið þess öfluga vísindastarfs sem fram fer í háskólum landsins.
Varðveislusafnið er OpenAIRE / OpenAIREplus samhæft og samrýmist kröfum sem gerðar eru um birtingu rannsóknaniðurstaðna úr verkefnum sem styrkt eru úr evrópsku rannsóknaáætlununum FP7 og H2020.
Varðveislusafnið notar opna hugbúnaðinn DSpace.
Opinn aðgangur að rannsóknaniðurstöðum er í samræmi við 10. gr. laga nr. 3/2003 um opinberan stuðning við vísindarannsóknir sem og kröfur innlendra og erlendra rannsóknasjóða. Markmiðið með opnum aðgangi er að niðurstöður rannsókna séu aðgengilegar sem flestum óhindrað og án endurgjalds á rafrænu formi. Vistun í varðveislusafninu er varanleg og ætlað að tryggja aðgang að vísindaefni íslenskra háskóla í opnum aðgangi um ókomna tíð. Varðveislusafnið Opin vísindi er tengt við rannsóknagáttina IRIS og rannsóknaniðurstöður í opnum aðgangi sem eru skráðar í IRIS eru um leið vistaðar og gerðar aðgengilegar til framtíðar í varðveislusafninu. Með því að safna þessu efni saman í eitt safn verður aðgangur að því einfaldur og þægilegur fyrir alla sem vilja kynna sér það og geta þannig notið þess öfluga vísindastarfs sem fram fer í háskólum landsins.
Varðveislusafnið er OpenAIRE / OpenAIREplus samhæft og samrýmist kröfum sem gerðar eru um birtingu rannsóknaniðurstaðna úr verkefnum sem styrkt eru úr evrópsku rannsóknaáætlununum FP7 og H2020.
Varðveislusafnið notar opna hugbúnaðinn DSpace.
Nýlega bætt við
A Multi-Criteria Framework for Sustainable Structural Design Tools in Early-Stage Design
(2026-09-03) Hamdallah, Mohammed; Nasser Asad, Sarah; Heinonen, Jukka Taneli; Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering
The construction industry’s digital maturity remains critically low in early-stage structural design, the phase where decisions most significantly dictate a building's total lifecycle impact. While a plethora of digital tools claim to facilitate sustainability, practitioners lack a systematic, evidence-based framework for tool selection, often leading to sub-optimal workflows and a "tool-choice paradox." This study addresses this gap by presenting a qualitative evaluation of three prominent tools representing distinct digital paradigms: Carbon Designer 3D (cloud-based schematic estimation), Structural PANDA (generative optimization), and Carbo-Life Calculator (BIM-integrated evaluation). Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), these tools are assessed against three core pillars: efficiency, decision support, and user experience, decomposed into 11 specific functional criteria. To ground the model, performance scoring was derived from a real-world office building case study. Our findings reveal a critical trade-off between automation and accessibility: Structural PANDA demonstrates superior generative design integration but requires high computational literacy, whereas Carbon Designer 3D excels in rapid estimation but lacks geometric flexibility. Meanwhile, Carbo-Life Calculator provides robust BIM integration for carbon tracking but fails to offer the comparative trade-off capabilities essential for iterative design. By isolating these qualitative performance drivers, this article contributes a streamlined selection matrix and a decision-support framework. This enables engineering firms and researchers to align tool selection with specific project requirements and institutional technical capacity, ultimately fostering a more effective transition toward low-carbon structural design.
Exploring the Viability of Utilizing Slag Waste in Concrete through LCA: A Case Study in Giessen, Germany
(fib. The International Federation for Structural Concrete, 2026-09-03) Hamdallah, Mohammed; Cunha, Jaime; Qazi, Sonaila; Górecki, Jarosław; Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering
According to statistics from the VDI Centre for Resource Efficiency, approximately 30.1 million tons of cement were utilized for construction purposes in Germany in 2020, resulting in an estimated emission of 28 million tons of CO2. Given that concrete is a key material in almost 30% of residential construction, it is imperative to seek methods to reduce cement and clinker usage. One promising avenue involves integrating waste materials into concrete, offering the dual advantage of lowering cement consumption while effectively managing industrial waste. However, the practicality of this approach heavily relies on the availability and quantity of waste materials. To delve deeper into this concept, a study was conducted in Giessen, Germany, with a focus on managing waste from local steel mills, which produce approximately 0.6 tons of waste per ton of steel. This waste encompasses various materials such as steelmaking slag, electric arc furnace dust, mill slag, and zinc sludge. The study examined four concrete scenarios, each involving different levels of cement substitution with Ground Granulated BlastFurnace Slag (GGBFS). These scenarios included Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) with 40% substitution, Conventional Concrete (CC) with 40% and 20% substitution, and CC without waste valorization serving as the control mixture. Evaluations spanning 100 and 200-year lifespans indicated that CC with 40% GGBFS had the least environmental impact over a century. However, over a 200-year period, the durability of UHPC positioned it as the most environmentally friendly option in terms of embodied energy, considering the respective design lifespans of both mixtures. Further analysis, factoring in the reduction in reinforcement within the UHPC mixture, however, it still has the highest environmental for the 100-year design life span (without considering the durability factor).
Redesign of Plastic Packaging for Fresh Fish Transport: Lightweight design based on numerical and experimental investigations of structural and thermal behavior
(University of Iceland, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science, 2026-09-11) LU, ZIWEI; Björn Margeirsson; Fjóla Jónsdóttir; Sigurjón Arason; Ólafur Ögmundarson; Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science (UI); Iðnaðarverkfræði-, vélaverkfræði- og tölvunarfræðideild (HÍ); School of Engineering and Natural Sciences (UI); Verkfræði- og náttúruvísindasvið (HÍ)
The increasing demand for sustainable cold-chain logistics has created a need for lighter and more environmentally efficient packaging for fresh food transport. This thesis investigates the structural, thermal, and environmental performance of expanded polystyrene (EPS) boxes and rotomolded polyethylene (PE) food tubs used in the transport of fresh fish products. The objective is to develop lighter packaging solutions while maintaining the mechanical strength and thermal insulation required for chilled food distribution.
The study combines experimental testing, microstructural analysis, finite element analysis (FEA), and life cycle assessment (LCA) to relate material properties to the overall performance of EPS boxes. Experimental results for EPS boxes show that small density variations significantly increase material modulus, and influence the stiffness and stacking strength of the EPS box. Using a calibrated FEA framework, an improved EPS design achieved an 11% reduction in box weight. This reduced the environmental impact across all major LCA categories while causing a 9% reduction in thermal insulation and negligible decrease in stacking strength.
For PE food tubs, microstructural defects in the high-density polyethylene (HDPE) skin layer were found to substantially reduce material ductility. Simulations of industrial hoisting conditions further identified buckling of the handle as the dominant failure mode, providing a clear pathway for geometric optimization of load-bearing capacity in the elastic region.
Overall, this work provides scientifically validated design guidelines for more sustainable cold-chain packaging and highlights the importance of advanced material models and stochastic numerical methods capable of accounting for the inherent microstructural variability in PE foams.
Qualitative exploration of gambling harm among UK veterans : normalisation, stigma and postservice escalation
(2026-03) Dekel, Dana; Ekenna, Adanma; Engward, Hillary; Godier-McBard, Lauren R.; Kay, Chris; Kersey, Thomas; Fossey, Matt; Dymond, Simon; Department of Psychology
ObjectiveThis study explored the lived experiences of UK Armed Forces veterans affected by gambling-related harm. It examined how military culture, institutional practices and life transitions shaped gambling behaviours, barriers to help-seeking and the long-term impact on well-being. While quantitative research has documented elevated gambling-related harm among veterans, little qualitative work has examined how veterans themselves understand, experience and navigate gambling harm across military and post-military contexts.DesignReflexive thematic analysis of one-to-one semistructured interviews, covering topics such as the nature of participants’ gambling activities, the impact on their lives, pathways to gambling behaviours and help-seeking.ParticipantsParticipants were UK veterans (n=14), aged 31–60, including one female, from three service branches, all of whom self-identified as having experienced gambling-related harm.ResultsFour interrelated themes were generated: (1) Gambling as normalised in both civilian and military contexts, reinforced by institutional routines and downtime activities; (2) Gambling as an emotional coping mechanism, shaped by institutional norms of stoicism and emotional control; (3) Stigma, silence and structural barriers to help-seeking, including fears of professional repercussions and (4) Escalation postdischarge, driven by isolation, unstructured time, digital gambling access and difficulties adjusting to civilian life. Participants reported concealment, debt and relational breakdowns, with some disclosing suicidal ideation linked to gambling harm.ConclusionsGambling harm among UK veterans is shaped by a complex interplay of cultural, emotional and institutional factors. While gambling opportunities are embedded in military life, systems of support remain inconsistent and often punitive. Gambling remains under-recognised as a serious mental health issue within military and veteran care pathways. Findings highlight the need for stigma-free, culturally informed interventions across the military life cycle, including routine screening, gambling harm education and trauma-informed care.
Self-compassion, depressive symptoms, and well-being : A cross-sectional exploration across athlete status and gender
(2026-02) Einarsdóttir, Fríða Rún; Arnardóttir, Nanna Ýr; Kristjánsdóttir, Hafrún; Belz, Johanna; Kenttä, Göran; Andersson, Mitchell; Tahtinen, Richard E.; Department of Sport Science
Self-compassion is associated with positive mental health outcomes and may buffer against negative self-evaluations and emotional difficulties. Nevertheless, studies among athletes often explore self-compassion in specific groups in isolation (e.g., women athletes) (Röthlin et al., 2019). The aims of this study were to 1) explore whether the relationship between gender and composite scores and specific dimensions of self-compassion (e.g., self-judgement) was moderated by athlete status; and 2) to explore the relationship between different dimensions of self-compassion and self-reported depressive symptoms and well-being among team sport athletes (n = 84, Mage= 22.9 ± 5.0; 57.1 %men) and non-athletes (n = 189, Mage= 35.5 ± 5.9; 32.8 %men). For our first aim, the relationship between gender and self-compassion (including specific dimensions) was not moderated by athlete status. However, regardless of gender, athletes reported significantly higher total self-compassion scores and significantly lower scores on specific dimensions of self-compassion, isolation, and over-identification, than non-athletes. For our second aim, self-judgement was positively associated with depressive symptoms in both athletes and non-athletes. Self-judgment was, however, negatively associated with well-being only among athletes, and isolation was negatively correlated with well-being only among non-athletes.
Flokkar í Opnum vísindum
Veldu flokk til að skoða.
- University of Iceland
- University of Akureyri
- Bifröst University
- Hólar University College
- IRIS
- Agricultural University of Iceland
- National and University Library of Iceland
- Iceland University of the Arts