Search results
1 – 10 of 213Xiwen Zhang, Zhen Zhang, Wenhao Sun, Jilei Hu, Liangliang Zhang and Weidong Zhu
Under the repeated action of the construction load, opening deformation and disturbed deformation occurred at the precast box culvert joints of the shield tunnel. The objective of…
Abstract
Purpose
Under the repeated action of the construction load, opening deformation and disturbed deformation occurred at the precast box culvert joints of the shield tunnel. The objective of this paper is to investigate the effect of construction vehicle loading on the mechanical deformation characteristics of the internal structure of a large-diameter shield tunnel during the entire construction period.
Design/methodology/approach
The structural response of the prefabricated internal structure under heavy construction vehicle loads at four different construction stages (prefabricated box culvert installation, curved lining cast-in-place, lane slab installation and pavement structure casting) was analyzed through field tests and ABAQUS (finite element analysis software) numerical simulation.
Findings
Heavy construction vehicles can cause significant mechanical impacts on the internal structure, as the construction phase progresses, the integrity of the internal structure with the tunnel section increases. The vertical and horizontal deformation of the internal structure is significantly reduced, and the overall stress level of the internal structure is reduced. The bolts connecting the precast box culvert have the maximum stress at the initial stage of construction, as the construction proceeds the stress distribution among the bolts gradually becomes uniform.
Originality/value
This study can provide a reference for the design model, theoretical analysis and construction technology of the internal structure during the construction of large-diameter tunnel projects.
Details
Keywords
Miguel Angel Martínez Martínez
The purpose of the article is to show the regime of truth in the institutional commissions that have the objective of restoring history by establishing a democratic, equitable…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the article is to show the regime of truth in the institutional commissions that have the objective of restoring history by establishing a democratic, equitable, comprehensive, inclusive and fair criterion against the attempts of re-victimization and suppression of memory that Western political and cultural traditions have installed through their mechanisms of power.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the analysis of the cases of Inés Fernández Ortega and Valentina Rosendo Cantú, they establish the material conditions from which prejudices and hegemonic stereotypes are intertwined to reproduce serious violations of human rights in democratic political and epistemic frameworks. The colonial function of the truth commissions in Mexico is analyzed, which are presented as mechanisms for social development, political and colonial reproduction of liberal democracy.
Findings
The qualitative results allow considering the way in which the different truth commissions in Mexico have been strongly linked to epistemic mechanisms in which truth and justice favor the reproduction of established relationships based on race, social class and gender. Especially in the so-called democratic transition, violence, truth and justice come together to highlight power relations in situations that have been disavowed by the intelligentsia.
Research limitations/implications
The limitations of the research are found in the historical configuration of the truth commissions in Mexico. The data, references and assessments are crossed by the initial function of the truth commissions and the establishment of apparatuses and mechanisms based on transitional justice. Based on this, it can be considered a methodological oversight to shift the analysis of truth commissions toward a critical assessment of the truth as a regime of government and hegemonic and colonization criteria from two very specific cases.
Originality/value
The originality of the work is found in the critical discernment of truth as a political category and the coloniality of power.
Details
Keywords
In this article, I answer the call to normalize and discuss how ethnographers navigate failure in the field by sharing my own experiences from long-term fieldwork in Malawi. I…
Abstract
Purpose
In this article, I answer the call to normalize and discuss how ethnographers navigate failure in the field by sharing my own experiences from long-term fieldwork in Malawi. I highlight, particularly, my own struggles with feelings of failure and the role of my interlocutors in helping me navigate and understand these situations.
Design/methodology/approach
My argument is based on more than 18 months of ongoing in-depth ethnographic fieldwork in Malawi, where I study the everyday practices of civil servants active in disaster governance, focusing on those working for the Malawi Government Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DODMA).
Findings
I use ethnographic vignettes to show how my interlocutors tried to teach me what being a Malawian civil servant is all about, which often came most forcefully to the fore in moments where either I or they deemed that I had failed to behave like one.
Originality/value
This adds new empirical data to the discussions on the various manifestations and roles of failure in ethnographic research, underlining how frictions and feelings of failure are a difficult yet productive and central part of fieldwork and ethnographic data creation.
Argaw Gurmu, M. Reza Hosseini, Mehrdad Arashpour and Wellia Lioeng
Building defects are becoming recurrent phenomena in most high-rise buildings. However, little research exists on the analysis of defects in high-rise buildings based on data from…
Abstract
Purpose
Building defects are becoming recurrent phenomena in most high-rise buildings. However, little research exists on the analysis of defects in high-rise buildings based on data from real-life projects. This study aims to develop dashboards and models for revealing the most common locations of defects, understanding associations among defects and predicting the rectification periods.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 15,484 defect reports comprising qualitative and quantitative data were obtained from a company that provides consulting services for the construction industry in Victoria, Australia. Data mining methods were applied using a wide range of Python libraries including NumPy, Pandas, Natural Language Toolkit, SpaCy and Regular Expression, alongside association rule mining (ARM) and simulations.
Findings
Findings reveal that defects in multi-storey buildings often occur on lower levels, rather than on higher levels. Joinery defects were found to be the most recurrent problem on ground floors. The ARM outcomes show that the occurrence of one type of defect can be taken as an indication for the existence of other types of defects. For instance, in laundry, the chance of occurrence of plumbing and joinery defects, where paint defects are observed, is 88%. The stochastic model built for door defects showed that there is a 60% chance that defects on doors can be rectified within 60 days.
Originality/value
The dashboards provide original insight and novel ideas regarding the frequency of defects in various positions in multi-storey buildings. The stochastic models can provide a reliable point of reference for property managers, occupants and sub-contractors for taking measures to avoid reoccurring defects; so too, findings provide estimations of possible rectification periods for various types of defects.
Details
Keywords
Informal housing stands out as a major challenge surrounding the massive reconstruction of Syrian cities, devastated by a bloody war and a terrible earthquake. The purpose of this…
Abstract
Purpose
Informal housing stands out as a major challenge surrounding the massive reconstruction of Syrian cities, devastated by a bloody war and a terrible earthquake. The purpose of this article is to assess the adequacy of the Syrian Law to adequate provide a solution to this problem.
Design/methodology/approach
With the purpose of informing the question, this paper offers a legal-institutional analysis of the informal housing phenomenon and the corresponding regulatory responses in Syria. A literature review is conducted, and functional analysis of the legal texts and their effective implementation is provided.
Findings
First, informal housing in Syria has been fostered by the existence of an erratic regulation, particularly burdened by the incoherence of passing repressive provisions against informal housing while master plans were conspicuously absent or incomplete. Second, the regulatory policy seems to be leaning toward the urban renewal option, indicating a supply-oriented housing approach that may face serious challenges due to the scarcity of capital. In this context, regulation should not underestimate any policy tools at hand (renewal and upgrading; with the contribution of public, private and cooperative sectors).
Originality/value
Although there have been several studies on informal housing in Syria, none has taken a legal institutionalist approach. Furthermore, this study offers an up-to-date account of the problem, taking into account the problematic after the 2023 earthquake and the content of Law 2/2023.
Details
Keywords
Bullying knowledge hiding has been recently identified as a manifestation of knowledge hiding behavior. As a relatively new concept, it is still underexplored. Previous research…
Abstract
Purpose
Bullying knowledge hiding has been recently identified as a manifestation of knowledge hiding behavior. As a relatively new concept, it is still underexplored. Previous research has focused on the antecedents of bullying hiding. However, there is a lack of research on the negative consequences that bullying hiding may have on employees. This study aims to uncover the effects of supervisor bullying hiding on employees knowledge behavior. The study also aims to examine the moderating effect of power values and the mediating effect of job stress.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were gathered in two waves from 444 employees with higher education in Poland. Data collection was conducted in July and August 2022. A general linear model mediation analysis with jamovi Advanced Mediation Models software was used to examine the hypotheses.
Findings
The results indicate that bullying knowledge hiding by supervisors triggers subordinates’ job stress and aggression in the form of bullying knowledge hiding toward co-workers. Contrary to expectations, job stress does not mediate the relationship between supervisor bullying hiding and subordinate bullying hiding toward co-workers. Power-dominance values, contrary to power-resources values, moderate the above relationship.
Practical implications
As bullying hiding has significant potential to spread among organizational members, managers seeking to reduce it should check the personal values of job applicants and employees.
Originality/value
Based on the behavioral contagion and frustration–aggression–displacement theories, to the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the relationships between supervisor bullying hiding, job stress, power values and subordinate bullying hiding toward co-workers.
Details
Keywords
Selma Bahi and Mohamed Nabil Houhou
This study aims to investigate the behavior of different types of stone columns, including the short and floating columns, as well as the ordinary and the geosynthetic encased…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the behavior of different types of stone columns, including the short and floating columns, as well as the ordinary and the geosynthetic encased stone columns (OSC and GESC). The effectiveness of the geosynthetic encasement and the impact of the installation using the lateral expansion method on the column performance is evaluated through a three-dimensional (3D) unit cell numerical analysis.
Design/methodology/approach
A full 3D numerical analysis is carried out using the explicit finite element code PLAXIS 3D to examine the installation influence on settlement reduction (ß), lateral displacement (Ux) and vertical displacement (Uz) relative to different values of lateral expansion of the column (0% to 15%).
Findings
The findings demonstrate the superior performance of GESC, particularly short columns outperforming floating counterparts. This enhanced performance is attributed to the combined effects of geosynthetic encasement and increased lateral expansion. Notably, these strategies contribute significantly to decreasing lateral displacement (Ux) at the column’s edge and reducing vertical displacement (Uz) under the rigid footing.
Originality/value
In contrast to previous studies that examined the installation effect of OSC contexts, this paper presents a comprehensive investigation into the effect of geosynthetic encasement and the installation effects using the lateral expansion method in very soft soil, using 3D numerical simulation. The study emphasizes the significance of the consideration of geosynthetic encasement and lateral expansion of the column during the design process to enhance column performance.
Details
Keywords
Min Luo, Bon-Gang Hwang, Xianbo Zhao and Xiaopeng Deng
This study aims to clarify the psychological mechanism of international contractors' fraud by linking performance pressure to fraudulent intention through the displacement of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to clarify the psychological mechanism of international contractors' fraud by linking performance pressure to fraudulent intention through the displacement of responsibility and addressing the moderating role of moral intensity.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on moral disengagement theory, performance pressure was hypothesized to be positively associated with fraudulent intention by mediating the displacement of responsibility. Drawing on the issue-contingent theory, moral intensity was hypothesized to inhibit the relationship between performance pressure and displacement of responsibility in three aspects: magnitude of consequences (MC), probability of effect (PE) and social consensus (SC). The scenario-based questionnaire was conducted to collect information from contractors spread across 50 countries. The partial least squares structural equation modeling was employed to assess the proposed model.
Findings
The results demonstrated that performance pressure was positively associated with the fraudulent intention, and displacement of responsibility exerted a positive partial mediating impact between performance pressure and fraudulent intention. Regarding moral intensity in the moderating analysis, the negative moderating role of MC and PE was significant, while that of SC was insignificant.
Practical implications
This study provides international construction practitioners with a deep understanding of the formation mechanism of fraud at the psychological level.
Originality/value
It clarifies the psychological mechanism from performance pressure to fraudulent intention by integrating a mediation impact from the displacement of responsibility and a moderation effect from MC and PE. It contributes to the sparse research on how situational factors shape individuals' fraudulent intentions in the international context. It provides a fresh perspective on fraud by constructing a formation model from moral psychological theories.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this study is to investigate the strain rate effect on the problem of low-velocity impact (LVI) on a beam, including silicon nitride and stainless steel materials.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the strain rate effect on the problem of low-velocity impact (LVI) on a beam, including silicon nitride and stainless steel materials.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the nonlinear Hertz impact mechanism, the energies related to the impactor and the beam are written, and motion equations are derived using the Lagrangian mechanics and Ritz method. The strain rate term is represented as a damping matrix in the equations of motion. In the issue of LVI on the silicon nitride and stainless steel beam, the effect of internal viscous damping coefficient in simply–simply and clamped–free boundary conditions are studied. Also, the influence of the volume fraction index in the range between zero and one and greater than one on the impact response is investigated.
Findings
The results make it clear that the strain rate parameter had little effect on the response in LVI. Also, an increase in the volume fraction index has led to a decrease in the contact force and an increase in the rebound velocity of the impactor.
Originality/value
The effect of strain rate on LVI is theoretically studied in this paper, while in most of the papers, this effect is investigated experimentally and numerically.
Details
Keywords
The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) in the accounting landscape marks a significant shift, promising gains in efficiency and accuracy but also eliciting concerns about job…
Abstract
Purpose
The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) in the accounting landscape marks a significant shift, promising gains in efficiency and accuracy but also eliciting concerns about job displacement (JD) and broader socio-economic implications. This study aims to provide an in-depth understanding of how AI’s integration in accounting contributes to JD, reshapes decision-making processes and reverberates across economic and social dimensions. It also offers evidence-based policy recommendations to mitigate adverse outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
Leveraging a cross-sectional survey disseminated through Facebook, this research used snowball sampling to target a diverse cohort of accounting professionals. The collected data were subjected to meticulous analysis through descriptive and regression models, facilitated by SmartPLS 4 software.
Findings
The analysis revealed a significant correlation between AI’s increasing role in accounting and a heightened rate of JD. This study found that this displacement is not isolated; it has tangible repercussions on decision-making paradigms, economic well-being, professional work dynamics and social structures. These insights corroborate existing frameworks, including, but not limited to, theories of technological unemployment and behavioural adjustments.
Research limitations/implications
Although providing valuable insights, this study acknowledges limitations such as the restricted sample size, the cross-sectional nature of the survey and the inherent biases of self-reported data. Future research could aim to extend these initial findings by adopting a longitudinal approach and potentially integrating external data sources.
Practical implications
As AI technology becomes increasingly ingrained in accounting practices, there is an urgent need for coordinated action among stakeholders. Policy recommendations include focused efforts on talent retention, investment in upskilling programs and the establishment of support mechanisms for those adversely affected by AI adoption.
Originality/value
By synthesising a range of theoretical perspectives, this study offers a comprehensive exploration of AI’s multi-dimensional impacts on the accounting profession. It stands out for its nuanced examination of JD and its economic and social implications, thereby contributing to both academic discourse and policy formulation. This work serves as an urgent call to action, highlighting the need for strategies that both exploit AI’s potential benefits and protect the workforce from its disruptive impact.
Details