Search results

1 – 10 of over 1000
Open Access
Article
Publication date: 5 November 2020

Hongyuan Wang and Jingcheng Wang

The purpose of this paper aims to design an optimization control for tunnel boring machine (TBM) based on geological identification. For unknown geological condition, the authors…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper aims to design an optimization control for tunnel boring machine (TBM) based on geological identification. For unknown geological condition, the authors need to identify them before further optimization. For fully considering multiple crucial performance of TBM, the authors establish an optimization problem for TBM so that it can be adapted to varying geology. That is, TBM can operate optimally under corresponding geology, which is called geology-adaptability.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper adopted k-nearest neighbor (KNN) algorithm with modification to identify geological conditions. The modification includes adjustment of weights in voting procedure and similarity distance measurement, which at suitable for engineering and enhance accuracy of prediction. The authors also design several key performances of TBM during operation, and built a multi-objective function. Further, the multi-objective function has been transformed into a single objective function by weighted-combination. The reformulated optimization was solved by genetic algorithm in the end.

Findings

This paper provides a support for decision-making in TBM control. Through proposed optimization control, the advance speed of TBM has been enhanced dramatically in each geological condition, compared with the results before optimizing. Meanwhile, other performances are acceptable and the method is verified by in situ data.

Originality/value

This paper fulfills an optimization control of TBM considering several key performances during excavating. The optimization is conducted under different geological conditions so that TBM has geological-adaptability.

Details

Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing and Special Equipment, vol. 1 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2633-6596

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 September 2019

Pollyana C.V. Morais, Marcielly F.B. Lima, Davi A. Martins, Lysandra G. Fontenele, Joyce L.R. Lima, Ícaro Breno da Silva, Lidriana S. Pinheiro, Ronaldo F. Nascimento, Rivelino M. Cavalcante and Elissandra V. Marques

An efficient and adequate environmental monitoring plan is essential to any integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) program. The purpose of this paper is to apply an…

Abstract

Purpose

An efficient and adequate environmental monitoring plan is essential to any integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) program. The purpose of this paper is to apply an environmental diagnostic study to a coastal lagoon using anthropogenic markers as a decision support tool to aid the development of coastal environmental management policies.

Design/methodology/approach

Specifically, environmental status and anthropogenic sources were determined as part of a coastal environmental management plan; a study of human occupation and use was conducted to determine the predominant human activities around the lagoon; an environmental diagnostic study was conducted to determine the occurrence, levels and distribution of markers; and the results of the environmental diagnostic study were compared to indicators stipulated in Brazilian legislation.

Findings

Land use study revealed both urban and rural activities around the lagoon, as evidenced by the existence of residences, restaurants as well as poultry and livestock activities. The environmental diagnostic study revealed the input of human sewage (treated and raw) and runoff from animal husbandry activities.

Practical implications

The information produced using anthropogenic markers showed the influence of less studied rural activities, such as livestock and poultry farming, thereby providing a more reliable environmental status compared to the use of classic indicators employed in laws issued by international and Brazilian agencies.

Originality/value

The present results show that classic indicators used by environmental agencies are insufficient for an accurate diagnosis of coastal zones with multiple anthropogenic activities. Thus, the modernization of the environmental monitoring plan of the ICZM program is urgently needed for a more accurate assessment of coastal environments.

Details

Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, vol. 31 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7835

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 February 2007

Amir M. Alani and Farzad Khosrowshahi

Considerable amounts of work have been carried out in developing cost models for the repair and maintenance of earthquake damaged buildings in recent years. Most of these…

897

Abstract

Purpose

Considerable amounts of work have been carried out in developing cost models for the repair and maintenance of earthquake damaged buildings in recent years. Most of these developments have been based on methods and approaches using risk analysis, probabilistic earthquake and scenario earthquakes. The main objectives of this paper can be summarised as: to highlight the extent and variability of influencing factors (quantitative and qualitative) affecting the repair and maintenance of post‐earthquake damage to buildings and structures; and to present the first configuration of a proposed quantitative model for the repair and maintenance of damage inflicted on buildings.

Design/methodology/approach

To achieve this, an in‐depth review of the available literature in this field was deemed necessary. The presented literature review, demonstrates the need and the gap in knowledge, as well as the complexity of the subject for such development. In developing the proposed model, attention has been paid to the recommendations made and good practice observed within the industry and the corresponding literature. The suggested assessment mechanism of buildings (data collection) has been proposed in conjunction with the ATC – 38 post‐earthquake building assessment forms and the ASCE/FEMA 356 – pre‐standard and commentary for the seismic rehabilitation of building. The ability (mechanism) to estimate the cost of required repair and maintenance based on a thorough condition survey of the inflicted damage on buildings was of paramount importance in this study.

Findings

The main finding reported in this paper, apart from the presented cost estimation methodology and the first configuration of a quantitative model, is the necessity to acquire and establish a broad knowledge base of variables and parameters, influencing such development.

Originality/value

This paper certainly paves the way for a more rigorous and comprehensive approach for further development in this field.

Details

Facilities, vol. 25 no. 1/2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-2772

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 July 2006

Pamela M. Barnes

The national governments of the European Union (EU) are finding it increasingly difficult to provide their populations with cheap and reliable sources of electricity. There is a…

1272

Abstract

Purpose

The national governments of the European Union (EU) are finding it increasingly difficult to provide their populations with cheap and reliable sources of electricity. There is a highly controversial technology available within the EU which could overcome this problem – nuclear generated electricity. The purpose of this article is to question the extent to which it is possible to reconcile the views of those citizens who object to the use of nuclear electricity with views of those who support the use of nuclear electricity as a competitive, sustainable and secure electricity supply within an open and competitive European energy market.

Design/methodology/approach

This article adopts an inter‐disciplinary approach to the analysis of the issues.

Findings

Political, economic and environmental pressures are combining to constrain the opportunities for national governments to enable citizens’ preferences with regard to the nuclear sector to be maintained. What is argued in the article is that all the tools which are available to the EU to overcome any lack of democratic decision making in the nuclear sector must be utilised to their full potential, including the legal framework provided by the often overlooked EURATOM Treaty.

Originality/value

The research will be of value to academic lawyers and political scientists investigating the problematic relationships which exist between the national and supranational levels of governance in the EU.

Details

Managerial Law, vol. 48 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0309-0558

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 11 April 2023

Wenhao Yi, Mingnian Wang, Jianjun Tong, Siguang Zhao, Jiawang Li, Dengbin Gui and Xiao Zhang

The purpose of the study is to quickly identify significant heterogeneity of surrounding rock of tunnel face that generally occurs during the construction of large-section rock…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to quickly identify significant heterogeneity of surrounding rock of tunnel face that generally occurs during the construction of large-section rock tunnels of high-speed railways.

Design/methodology/approach

Relying on the support vector machine (SVM)-based classification model, the nominal classification of blastholes and nominal zoning and classification terms were used to demonstrate the heterogeneity identification method for the surrounding rock of tunnel face, and the identification calculation was carried out for the five test tunnels. Then, the suggestions for local optimization of the support structures of large-section rock tunnels were put forward.

Findings

The results show that compared with the two classification models based on neural networks, the SVM-based classification model has a higher classification accuracy when the sample size is small, and the average accuracy can reach 87.9%. After the samples are replaced, the SVM-based classification model can still reach the same accuracy, whose generalization ability is stronger.

Originality/value

By applying the identification method described in this paper, the significant heterogeneity characteristics of the surrounding rock in the process of two times of blasting were identified, and the identification results are basically consistent with the actual situation of the tunnel face at the end of blasting, and can provide a basis for local optimization of support parameters.

Details

Railway Sciences, vol. 2 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2755-0907

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 November 2019

Michael Petterson, Sonam Wangchuk and Norgay Konchok

This paper places a college at the centreof a multi-hazard assessment (earthquake, flood and landslide). The college is within a less studied, rural area of Ladakh, North India…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper places a college at the centreof a multi-hazard assessment (earthquake, flood and landslide). The college is within a less studied, rural area of Ladakh, North India. Research focusses on a case study (Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) College), close to Leh, Ladakh, and extends to incorporate/apply thinking from/to the wider Ladakh region. The approach adopted, centring on the hazard assessment of a single entity/local area, allows a rapid uptake of hazard recommendations within a college environment planning to continue its existence for decades ahead. A sister paper (Petterson et al., 2019) documents the active involvement of college staff and students in the principles of geohazard assessment and the development of student-centric hazard assessments of the college and their home village. SECMOL is a self-sufficient, alternative, college, organised along strong environmentally sustainable principles. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

This work has adopted different strategies for different hazards. Fieldwork involved the collection of quantitative and qualitative data (e.g. shape and size of valleys/river channels/valley sides, estimation of vegetation density, measurement of sediment clasts, angle of slopes, assessment of sediment character, stratigraphy of floodplains and identification of vulnerable elements). These data were combined with satellite image analysis to: define river catchment character and flood vulnerability (e.g. using the methodology of Collier and Fox, 2003), examine catchment connectivity, and examine landslip scars and generic terrain analysis. Literature studies and seismic database interrogation allowed the calculation of potential catchment floodwater volumes, and the collation of epicentre, magnitude, depth and date of seismic events, together with recent thinking on the return period of large Himalayan earthquakes. These data were used to develop geological-seismic and river catchment maps, the identification of vulnerable elements, and disaster scenario analyses.

Findings

This research concludes that SECMOL, and much of the Ladakh region, is exposed to significant seismic, flood and landslide hazard risk. High magnitude earthquakes have return periods of 100s to c. 1,000 years in the Himalayas and can produce intense levels of damage. It is prudent to maximise earthquake engineering wherever possible. The 2010 Leh floods demonstrated high levels of devastation: these floods could severely damage the SECMOL campus if storms were centred close by. This study reveals the connectivity of catchments at varying altitudes and the potential interactions of adjacent catchments. Evacuation plans need to be developed for the college. Northern ridges at SECMOL could bury parts of the campus if mobilised by earthquakes/rainfall. Slope angles can be lowered and large boulders moved to reduce risk. This work reinforces recommendations that relate to building quality and urban/rural planning, e.g. using spatial planning to keep people away from high-risk zones.

Practical implications

The frequency of hazards is low, but potential impacts high to very high. Hazard mitigation actions include engineering options for hazardous slopes, buildings to be earthquake-proofed, and evacuation management for large floods.

Originality/value

Methodologies undertaken in this research are well-tested. Linkages between disciplines are ambitious and somewhat original. The application of this work to a specific college centre site with the capacity to rapidly take up recommendations is novel. The identification of catchment inter-connectivity in this part of Ladakh is novel. This work complements a sister paper (Petterson et al., 2019) for community aspects of this study, adding to the novelty value.

Details

Disaster Prevention and Management: An International Journal, vol. 29 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0965-3562

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 August 2022

Dawei Chen, Jianliang Zhou, Pinsheng Duan and Jiaqi Zhang

The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has posed severe challenges to infrastructure construction in China. Particularly, the complex technology and high process uncertainty of deep…

Abstract

Purpose

The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has posed severe challenges to infrastructure construction in China. Particularly, the complex technology and high process uncertainty of deep foundation pit construction make its safety risk identification a challenging issue of general concern. To address these challenges, Building Information Modeling (BIM) can be used as an important tool to enhance communication and decision-making among stakeholders during the pandemic. The purpose of this study is to propose a knowledge management and BIM-integrated safety risk identification method for deep foundation pit construction to improve the management efficiency of project participants.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper proposes a risk identification method that integrates BIM and knowledge management for deep foundation pit construction. In the framework of knowledge management, the topological relationships between objects in BIM are extracted and visualized in the form of knowledge mapping. After that, formal expressions of codes are established to realize the structured processing of specification provisions and special construction requirements. A comprehensive plug-in for deep foundation pit construction is designed based on the BIM software.

Findings

The proposed method was verified by taking a sub-project in deep foundation pit project construction as an example. The result showed the new method can make full use of the existing specification and special engineering requirements knowledge. In addition, the developed visual BIM plug-in proves the feasibility and applicability of the proposed method, which can help to increase the risk identification efficiency and refinement.

Originality/value

The deep foundation pit safety risk identification is challenged by the confusion of deep foundation pit construction safety knowledge and the complexity of the BIM model. By establishing the standardized expression of normative knowledge and special construction requirements, the efficiency and refinement of risk identification are improved while ensuring the comprehensiveness of results. Moreover, the topology-based risk identification method focuses on the project objects and their relations in the way of network, eliminating the problem of low efficiency from the direct BIM-based risk identification method due to massive data.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 30 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 November 2009

Mohamad Abd Manap, Mohammad Firuz Ramli and Ghufran Redzwan

The purpose of this paper is to utilise the interactive view capability of the geographical information system (GIS) for the geological interpretation in Klang Valley, Malaysia.

1110

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to utilise the interactive view capability of the geographical information system (GIS) for the geological interpretation in Klang Valley, Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

Topographical map scale of 1:10 000 was used to generate digital elevation model (DEM). The geological map was draped over the DEM to create a 3D perspective view. The geological interpretation was undertaken using the 3D capability of the GIS software.

Findings

From the study, five lineaments which could possibly be the newly identified faults and one lithological boundary have been delineated.

Research limitations/implications

Although these findings need to be rechecked in the field, they show the capability of the DEM application in structural geology interpretation.

Practical implications

The results obtained from this study demonstrate the capability of utilising a geological map draped over DEM for structural geological interpretation. Thus the technique may increase the interpretation accuracy.

Originality/value

The major outcome of this research is the possible use of DEM in the application of geological study.

Details

Disaster Prevention and Management: An International Journal, vol. 18 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0965-3562

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 March 2023

Mathew Gregory Tagwai, Onimisi Abdullateef Jimoh, Shaib Abdulazeez Shehu and Hareyani Zabidi

This paper aims to give an oversight of what is being done by researchers in GIS and remote sensing (field) to explore minerals. The main objective of this review is to explore…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to give an oversight of what is being done by researchers in GIS and remote sensing (field) to explore minerals. The main objective of this review is to explore how GIS and remote sensing have been beneficial in identifying mineral deposits for easier and cost-effective mining.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach of this research used Web of Science to generate a database of published articles on the application of GIS and remote sensing techniques for mineral exploration. The literature was further digested, noting the main findings, adopted method, illustration and research scales.

Findings

When applied alone, each technique seems effective, but it is important to know that combining different methods is more effective in identifying ore deposits.

Originality/value

This paper also examined and provided possible solutions to both current and future perspective issues relating to the application of GIS and remote sensing to mineral exploration. The authors believe that the conclusions and recommendations drawn from case studies and literature review will be of great importance to geoscientists and policymakers.

Details

World Journal of Engineering, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1708-5284

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 August 2021

Elham Mahmoudi, Marcel Stepien and Markus König

A principle prerequisite for designing and constructing an underground structure is to estimate the subsurface's properties and obtain a realistic picture of stratigraphy…

Abstract

Purpose

A principle prerequisite for designing and constructing an underground structure is to estimate the subsurface's properties and obtain a realistic picture of stratigraphy. Obtaining direct measure of these values in any location of the built environment is not affordable. Therefore, any evaluation is afflicted with uncertainty, and we need to combine all available measurements, observations and previous knowledge to achieve an informed estimate and quantify the involved uncertainties. This study aims to enhance the geotechnical surveys based on a spatial estimation of subsoil to customised data structures and integrating the ground models into digital design environments.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study's objective is to enhance the geotechnical surveys based on a spatial estimation of subsoil to customised data structures and integrating the ground models into digital design environments. A ground model consisting of voxels is developed via Revit-Dynamo to represent spatial uncertainties employing the kriging interpolation method. The local arrangement of new surveys are evaluated to be optimised.

Findings

The visualisation model's computational performance is modified by using an octree structure. The results show that it adapts the structure to be modelled more efficiently. The proposed concept can identify the geological models' risky locations for further geological investigations and reveal an optimised experimental design. The modifications criteria are defined in global and local considerations.

Originality/value

It provides a transparent and repeatable approach to construct a spatial ground model for subsequent experimental or numerical analysis. In the first attempt, the ground model was discretised by a grid of voxels. In general, the required computing time primarily depends on the size of the voxels. This issue is addressed by implementing octree voxels to reduce the computational efforts. This applies especially to the cases that a higher resolution is required. The investigations using a synthetic soil model showed that the developed methodology fulfilled the kriging method's requirements. The effects of variogram parameters, such as the range and the covariance function, were investigated based on some parameter studies. Moreover, a synthetic model is used to demonstrate the optimal experimental design concept. Through the implementation, alternative locations for new boreholes are generated, and their uncertainties are quantified. The impact of the new borehole on the uncertainty measures are quantified based on local and global approaches. For further research to identify the geological models' risky spots, the development of this approach with additional criteria regarding the search neighbourhood and consideration of barriers and trends in real cases (by employing different interpolation methodologies) should be considered.

Details

Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, vol. 10 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-6099

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 1000