Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluation Of The Effect Of Vehicle Performance On Consumer Satisfaction, Elizabeth A. Cudney

Doctoral Dissertations

"Value is the relationship of functionality or benefit to the cost of a product or service. Consumers appear to seek value, but not all consumers are alike in their needs and wants. Common characteristics that consumers desire in automobiles include a high level of value relative to the product's cost. Consumers measure vehicle performance in terms of twenty-three attributes such as roominess, ride, reliability, handling, brake pedal feel, visibility, interior noise, acceleration, etc. Problems arise when automakers try to translate these characteristics into vehicle performance specifications and capabilities.

Quality is an essential element for both the consumer and producer since …

Designing And Modeling Of A New Continuous Steelmaking Process, Jörg Peter

Doctoral Dissertations

"Continuous steel production has the potential to lower the cost of steelmaking as compared to current batch operations. However, experiences from past attempts to develop and commercialize continuous steelmaking processes show that there are several engineering hurdles to overcome. The objective of this research was the development of a fully continuous steelmaking process that would incorporate the lessons from past experiences, address the foreseen challenges, and meet the requirements to justify the possible replacement of the current EAF-LMF steelmaking route.

The design of the new process consists of five interconnected vessels. Preheated scrap would be continuously charged, melted, and superheated …

An Analysis And Policy Implications Of Comfort Levels Of Diverse Constituents With Reported Units For Blast Vibrations And Limits: Closing The Communication Gap, Braden Lusk

Doctoral Dissertations

"Differences exist between public perception of construction blasting and quarry blasting. In general, people are able to tolerate short term inconveniences much better than long term ones. Quarries and other long term mining operations utilizing blasting are coming under increasing public and legislative pressure in the United States. The question being posed for the blasting industry is, "Has our past haste in adopting complex scientific scales and units been detrimental to us?" In other words, are the most palatable things being reported? The goal of this dissertation is to determine whether current units create an atmosphere of discomfort among neighbors …