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1 – 10 of 747Liantao Hou, Yinsheng Yang, Xiaoyi Zhang and Chunming Jiang
The relationship between farm size and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has not been clearly defined. This paper aims to assess and compare the impact of farm size on greenhouse gas…
Abstract
Purpose
The relationship between farm size and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has not been clearly defined. This paper aims to assess and compare the impact of farm size on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions derived from wheat and maize production in the North China Plain (NCP), one of the most important agricultural regions in China.
Design/methodology/approach
A field survey through face-to-face interviews was conducted to collect the primary data, and life cycle assessment method, a worldwide comparable framework, was then adopted to characterize the farm-size effect on greenhouse gas (GHG) wheat and maize production in NCP.
Findings
It was confirmed that GHG emissions from N fertilizer production and use were the primary contributor to total carbon footprint (CF). As farm size increased, maize yield increased but wheat yield barely changed, while area-scaled and yield-scaled CF declined for both crops. These results were supposed to relate to utilize the inputs more efficiently resulting from increased application of modern agriculture methods on larger operations. It was also found maize not only had higher grain yields, but possessed much smaller CFs. More notably, the reduction of CF with farm size seemed to be more sensitive for maize as compared to wheat. To further mitigate GHG emissions, farm size should better be larger for wheat than for maize.
Originality/value
This study provides useful information guide for Chinese agriculture in increasing crop production, raising farm income and relieving environmental burdens caused by the misuse of agricultural resources.
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Jie Zhang, Yuwei Wu, Jianyong Gao, Guangjun Gao and Zhigang Yang
This study aims to explore the formation mechanism of aerodynamic noise of a high-speed maglev train and understand the characteristics of dipole and quadrupole sound sources of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the formation mechanism of aerodynamic noise of a high-speed maglev train and understand the characteristics of dipole and quadrupole sound sources of the maglev train at different speed levels.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on large eddy simulation (LES) method and Kirchhoff–Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings (K-FWH) equations, the characteristics of dipole and quadrupole sound sources of maglev trains at different speed levels were simulated and analyzed by constructing reasonable penetrable integral surface.
Findings
The spatial disturbance resulting from the separation of the boundary layer in the streamlined area of the tail car is the source of aerodynamic sound of the maglev train. The dipole sources of the train are mainly distributed around the radio terminals of the head and tail cars of the maglev train, the bottom of the arms of the streamlined parts of the head and tail cars and the nose tip area of the streamlined part of the tail car, and the quadrupole sources are mainly distributed in the wake area. When the train runs at three speed levels of 400, 500 and 600 km·h−1, respectively, the radiated energy of quadrupole source is 62.4%, 63.3% and 71.7%, respectively, which exceeds that of dipole sources.
Originality/value
This study can help understand the aerodynamic noise characteristics generated by the high-speed maglev train and provide a reference for the optimization design of its aerodynamic shape.
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Guolong Li, Mangmang Gao, Jingjing Yang, Yunlu Wang and Xueming Cao
This study aims to propose a vertical coupling dynamic analysis method of vehicle–track–substructure based on forced vibration and use this method to analyze the influence on the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to propose a vertical coupling dynamic analysis method of vehicle–track–substructure based on forced vibration and use this method to analyze the influence on the dynamic response of track and vehicle caused by local fastener failure.
Design/methodology/approach
The track and substructure are decomposed into the rail subsystem and substructure subsystem, in which the rail subsystem is composed of two layers of nodes corresponding to the upper rail and the lower fastener. The rail is treated as a continuous beam with elastic discrete point supports, and spring-damping elements are used to simulate the constraints between rail and fastener. Forced displacement and forced velocity are used to deal with the effect of the substructure on the rail system, while the external load is used to deal with the reverse effect. The fastener failure is simulated with the methods that cancel the forced vibration transmission, namely take no account of the substructure–rail interaction at that position.
Findings
The dynamic characteristics of the infrastructure with local diseases can be accurately calculated by using the proposed method. Local fastener failure will slightly affect the vibration of substructure and carbody, but it will significantly intensify the vibration response between wheel and rail. The maximum vertical displacement and the maximum vertical vibration acceleration of rail is 2.94 times and 2.97 times the normal value, respectively, under the train speed of 350 km·h−1. At the same time, the maximum wheel–rail force and wheel load reduction rate increase by 22.0 and 50.2%, respectively, from the normal value.
Originality/value
This method can better reveal the local vibration conditions of the rail and easily simulate the influence of various defects on the dynamic response of the coupling system.
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Zhijun Yan, Roberta Bernardi, Nina Huang and Younghoon Chang
Ke Zhang, Almudena González del Valle-Brena, Ignacio Ramos Riera and Jingli Zhao
The study aims to understand how cultural route heritage is conceptualized and managed in China by systematically reviewing the research literature on Chinese cultural route…
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to understand how cultural route heritage is conceptualized and managed in China by systematically reviewing the research literature on Chinese cultural route heritage (CRH). The study intends to inspire further discussion on the theoretical and practical development of cultural routes since the development is still at a liminal stage in China.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 253 research articles related to Chinese cultural rote heritage from major Chinese and English research databases China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Web of Science (WOS) and Scopus have been comprehensively identified and reviewed for the purpose of the study.
Findings
Four major themes of research on Chinese CRH have been identified: conceptual evaluation, list of the routes and characteristics of the routes, conservation and utilization. The results revealed that China has very rich resources in CRH, many of which were formed a long time ago, which exist across vast geographic regions and have assumed multiple functions and undergone dynamic reciprocal exchanges among diverse cultures and ethnicities.
Practical implications
The paper summarizes some major obstacles faced by CRH in China and proposes a strategic model to address the need for a more sustainable development of CRH in the Chinese context.
Originality/value
The paper offers a comprehensive overview of CRH in China and discusses practical issues in management and development of heritage great in size, number and complexity.
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Zhou Shi, Jiachang Gu, Yongcong Zhou and Ying Zhang
This study aims to research the development trend, research status, research results and existing problems of the steel–concrete composite joint of railway long-span hybrid girder…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to research the development trend, research status, research results and existing problems of the steel–concrete composite joint of railway long-span hybrid girder cable-stayed bridge.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the investigation and analysis of the development history, structure form, structural parameters, stress characteristics, shear connector stress state, force transmission mechanism, and fatigue performance, aiming at the steel–concrete composite joint of railway long-span hybrid girder cable-stayed bridge, the development trend, research status, research results and existing problems are expounded.
Findings
The shear-compression composite joint has become the main form in practice, featuring shortened length and simplified structure. The length of composite joints between 1.5 and 3.0 m has no significant effect on the stress and force transmission laws of the main girder. The reasonable thickness of the bearing plate is 40–70 mm. The calculation theory and simplified calculation formula of the overall bearing capacity, the nonuniformity and distribution laws of the shear connector, the force transferring ratio of steel and concrete components, the fatigue failure mechanism and structural parameters effects are the focus of the research study.
Originality/value
This study puts forward some suggestions and prospects for the structural design and theoretical research of the steel–concrete composite joint of railway long-span hybrid girder cable-stayed bridge.
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Fahad Khalid, Khwaja Naveed, Cosmina Lelia Voinea, Petru L. Curseu and Sun Xinhui
Given the regional diversity in China, this study aims to provide an empirical evaluation of how organizational stakeholders (i.e. customers, employees, suppliers and…
Abstract
Purpose
Given the regional diversity in China, this study aims to provide an empirical evaluation of how organizational stakeholders (i.e. customers, employees, suppliers and shareholders) affect corporate environmental sustainability investment (ESI).
Design/methodology/approach
To empirically investigate the influence of organizational stakeholders on ESI, this study used regional-level data consists of Chinese A-share stocks for the years 2009–2019.
Findings
This study’s findings show that pressure from customers, employees and suppliers has a significant effect on corporate ESI, with customers being the most important stakeholder group. Shareholders, by contrast, have no significant influence on ESI. The influence of these pressures is more pronounced in developed regions (the east) than in less developed (the west) localities of China.
Research limitations/implications
This study complements the stakeholder–institutional perspective by implying to consider the differentiated logics of the contesting stakeholders in the nonmarket operations.
Practical implications
Practically, this study poses that managers must realize the heterogeneity of pressures from stakeholders and the differentiated impact of these pressures keeping in view the institutional differences in different regions.
Originality/value
Our study reports initial empirical evidence that shows how regional differences influence the role of stakeholders in determining corporate environmental strategy.
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