bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Macro Uncertainty Impacts on ESG Performance and Carbon Emission Reduction Targets
Authors: Alandejani Maha , Al-Shaer Habiba
Published: February 2023

This study examines the impact of three macro uncertainty factors: economic policy uncertainty (EPU), political instability (PIS), and cultural uncertainty avoidance (UA), on corporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance and carbon emission reduction targets. Additionally, we examine whether these macro factors are affected by the profitability of the company. Using an unbalanced sample of companies located in the USA, China, and the UK during the period 2013–2020, results show that during times of economic uncertainty, companies are more likely to engage in ESG activities, including establishing emission reduction targets. Companies in countries with lower levels of political stability (PS) exhibit greater levels of social and environmental engagements, and companies operating in societies that tolerate risks, including the risk associated with climate change, are more likely to have better ESG performance and be committed to emission reduction targets. The results also suggest that profitable companies are more likely to deal with uncertain environments successfully, as they have the required resources to invest in ESG. The study suggests several practical implications for managers and policymakers.
Integrating Product Stewardship into the Clothing and Textile Industry: Perspectives of New Zealand Stakeholders
Authors: Degenstein Lauren M. , McQueen Rachel H. , Krogman Naomi T. , McNeill Lisa S.
Published: February 2023

The clothing and textile industry has become one of the world’s greatest polluters as tremendous volumes of clothing are produced, used, and disposed of at alarming rates. The industry must transition from its linear take-make-waste model towards a circular economy where textile products are kept in circulation and waste is minimized or eliminated. Product stewardship, an environmental management strategy where producers take responsibility for their products through design to the end-of-life stage, is one option to enable the circular economy. The aim of this research was to explore stakeholder drivers, barriers, and strategies for product stewardship participation in New Zealand. Qualitative data gathered through interview and survey methods of 25 stakeholder perspectives including designers, manufacturers, and retailers were analysed for emerging themes. Key findings suggest that product stewardship operating within the current linear system can only go so far; changes must occur at every stage of the value chain with all stakeholders making efforts towards circularity. Given the complexity of the product stewardship system, greater government regulation and incentive policies are likely needed to mainstream product stewardship and increase its material impact. The results of this study highlight the importance of contextual factors and capacities for tailoring regional product stewardship schemes to local needs.
Marine Ecological Function Zoning and Management Countermeasures: A Case Study of the Sea Area of Zhejiang Province
Authors: Huang Xiaolu , Yan Jishun , Zhang Guangshuai , Huang Jie , Wang Quanming , Li Binyong , Ma Yu
Published: February 2023

The contradiction between the development of marine resources and ecological protection in Zhejiang is prominent, which restricts the high-quality and continuous supply of marine ecological products. As a result, the efficient maintenance of the ecological security pattern of inshore waters relies on the scientific division of marine ecological function zones and the management and maintenance of zoning areas. This paper constructs a technical framework for marine ecological function zoning from the aspects of marine ecosystem health, marine ecosystem diversity and economic and social development balance using GIS-based overlay analysis and the three-dimensional matrix discriminant model to divide marine ecological function zones in the managed waters of Zhejiang Province. The results indicate that the managed sea areas in Zhejiang Province are divided into ten marine ecological function areas, including three marine ecological supply areas (54%), four marine mariculture and resting areas (24%) and three marine ecological restoration areas (22%). As per the zoning results of the marine ecological function, this study further proposes protection and management strategies for different zoning units, in the hopes of providing technical support and practical reference for the division and management of marine ecological function areas in other sea areas.
Development and Validation of an Instrument to Evaluate Technology-Enhanced Learning and Teaching Sustainability in Teaching Spelling
Authors: Lau Yen Yen Emily , Hashim Harwati , Md Yunus Melor
Published: February 2023

(1) Background: The current advancement in technology-enhanced learning and teaching sustainability has extended its progression in teaching spelling. Teaching spelling is paramount as is the impetus for English language mastery. However, a burgeoning paucity in technology-enhanced learning and the teaching of spelling has led to the purpose of this study, which is to undertake a pioneering preliminary study in the development and validation of an instrument (initially with 43 developed items under six constructs) based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model to evaluate its sustainability. (2) Methods: There are two stages of content-validity determination: Stage 1: the instrument development stage, and Stage 2: the instrument validation stage. (3) Results: The first research question demonstrated 40 agreed items (I-CVI = 1) and three items with contradicting agreements (FC7 = 0.40; BI7 = 0.40; UB6 = 0.60) from five experts, which validated the instrument of this study. The second research question revealed the remaining 40 items (S-CVI(Average) = 1) and (S-CVI(Universal Agreement) = 1). (4) Conclusions: The final 40-item instrument is content-valid and could contribute to the evaluation of technology-enhanced learning and teaching sustainability in teaching spelling in a separate study, ultimately forwarding English language mastery.
Performance Comparison of Deep Learning Approaches in Predicting EV Charging Demand
Authors: Koohfar Sahar , Woldemariam Wubeshet , Kumar Amit
Published: February 2023

Electric vehicles (EVs) contribute to reducing fossil fuel dependence and environmental pollution problems. However, due to complex charging behaviors and the high demand for charging, EVs have imposed significant burdens on power systems. By providing reliable forecasts of electric vehicle charging loads to power systems, these issues can be addressed efficiently to dispatch energy. Machine learning techniques have been demonstrated to be effective in forecasting loads. This research applies six machine learning methods to predict the charging demand for EVs: RNN, LSTM, Bi-LSTM, GRU, CNN, and transformers. A dataset containing five years of charging events collected from 25 public charging stations in Boulder, Colorado, USA, is used to validate this approach. Compared to other highly applied machine learning models, the transformer method outperforms others in predicting charging demand, demonstrating its ability for time series forecasting problems.
Engaging Young People in Climate Change Action: A Scoping Review of Sustainability Programs
Authors: Hohenhaus Madeleine , Boddy Jennifer , Rutherford Shannon , Roiko Anne , Hennessey Natasha
Published: February 2023

Young people are stepping forward and engaging in or leading programs promoting climate action and sustainability. To optimize program outcomes, it is important to understand the nature of these programs, as well as their successes and enablers. Consequently, a scoping review was conducted across six databases, Taylor and Francis, Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, Sage and Wiley, to examine existing programs that promote climate change action amongst young people aged 12 to 25 years. The review sought to determine what is known about these programs and their outcomes by documenting what elements contribute to successful behavior changes in young people. Forty-eight articles were included in the review, with almost half of the studies from the United States. Eight elements recurred throughout the reviewed journal articles including intersecting external and internal factors contributing to reported behavior change. External factors included the social environment, place, knowledge, leadership and goal setting development that fostered internal factors that included, self-efficacy, identity, agency and action competence, and systems thinking. Learning from these programs to improve design and ensure sustainable outcomes is key to improving the capabilities of young people to continue responding to the climate challenge.
Improving the Energy Efficiency of Equipment for the Impregnation of Roof Trusses—Modeling and Practical Implementation
Authors: Adrian Łukasz , Szufa Szymon , Mikołajczyk Filip , Piersa Piotr , Głogowski Michał
Published: February 2023

The impregnation of elements made of wood is one of the most important stages of their maintenance and the modification of their parameters. Incorrectly prepared material is sensitive to moisture, fungi, algae or weather conditions. In the case of large wooden elements or ready-made installations, impregnation is often performed not indoors, but outdoors. Despite the obvious advantages, this solution also has a number of disadvantages. One of them is the long duration of the impregnation process, as well as the variability in the process parameters along with changing weather conditions. In addition, the final material properties may differ not only from batch to batch, but also within the batch. In order to eliminate these problems, the equipment for wood impregnation was modernized. As part of the work, models of installation elements were made, a computer simulation was performed, and the necessary design calculations were carried out. The work will be crowned with the practical implementation of the proposed solutions in test equipment and the verification of design assumptions. The effect of the modernization of the system was a significant shortening of the impregnation process, as well the ability to obtain a final product of higher quality.
Landowners Are Interested in Payment for the Ecosystem Services of Forestry: The Case of Korean Private Forests
Authors: Lee Jieun , Youn Yeo-Chang
Published: February 2023

As no market or compensation scheme exists for the provision of ecosystem services for private forest owners, landowners have become more interested in timber and forest production or the conversion of forests into other lands. We tested a hypothesis on the willingness of landowners to accept payments for the ecosystem services of nature-friendly forestry. The conditional logit model analysis showed that restoring planted forests into natural forests and the extension of rotation ages negatively impact the utility of forest owners, who thus require financial compensation for such activities required for higher levels of public benefits. Forest owners are willing to participate in the conversion of artificial commercial forests into natural forests if they are compensated for as much as KRW 185,280 and 212,060/ha/year for extending the rotation age by 50 years, whereas no compensation is demanded for restoring half the land into natural forests, forest protection activities, and thinning. We suggest that the payment for an ecosystem services scheme should be designed based on the detailed information on forestry operations that enhance public goods and ecosystem services. Our results provide a basis for governments to design compensation protocols and the level of compensation for ecosystem services through the management of private forests.
Yoga, an Appurtenant Method to Improve the Sports Performance of Elite Romanian Athletes
Authors: Bucea-Manea-Țoniș Rocsana , Paun Dan Gheorghe , Mindrescu Veronica , Cătună Cristian
Published: February 2023

Yoga is a very popular trendy sport all over the world. Since its establishment and promotion, yoga has mostly been practiced in social clubs and studios, often being performed during optional courses in colleges. Basic yoga instruction is generally absent in middle schools. This study investigated and assessed the viability of integrating yoga practice into the sports training program of elite Romanian athletes. The research methods used include documentation and data collection via an online survey in order to design a factor analysis with a structural equation model using SmartPLS software. The research assesses athletes’ opinions about the benefits of yoga practice and its impact on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The results highlight the need to integrate yoga classes into educational institutions. The research has demonstrated that Romanian athletes use yoga in the pre- and post-competition phases to increase their focus, balance, muscle, and joint elasticity, create a positive attitude toward victory, manage emotional and post-traumatic stress disorder, visualize their performance in competition, and see themselves as winners. Overall, yoga is a successful strategy to enhance sports training and medical rehabilitation for stress disorders and post-traumatic diseases.
Strength Iso-Responses of Shear-Deficient Ultra-High Performance Fiber Reinforced Concrete Beams
Authors: Abbas Yassir M. , Shafiq Nasir , Fares Galal , Osman Montasir , Khan Mohammad Iqbal , Khatib Jamal M.
Published: February 2023

The development of sustainable construction methods can be achieved by improving the performance of reinforced concrete elements, resulting in an increase in structural life expectancy. This paper presents a study of the structural performance of shear-deficient ultrahigh-performance concrete (UHPC) concrete beams to produce sustainable construction materials. In the first phase of the experimental campaign, performance-based optimizations were implemented for UHPC. The characteristic compressive strength of all mixes was kept at 130 ± 10 MPa. The elastic modulus of plain UHPC was obtained at 8 GPa, and for the fiber-reinforced one was 40 GPa. Additionally, 18 sets of reinforced UHPC beams were investigated for their structural behavior based on the overall depth, reinforcement ratio (ρ), and the shear-span-to-depth ratio (λ) as key variables. Here, λ was varied between 1 and 2 and ρ was varied between 0.56% and 3.15%. The experimental study determined the lowest shear strength as 4.56 MPa, and the highest shear strength was calculated as 11.34 MPa. The database of the current shear strength results and similar literature results were used to develop models for predicting shear capacity. This research focused on applying a statistical approach using neuro-fuzzy logic, the robust analytical model. The ratio of the experimentally calculated shear strength and the predicted shear strength for different values of λ and ρ was obtained between 0.75 and 1.25, which was in good agreement with the results of similar literature. The results of this study suggest that high-strength fiber may extend structural lifetimes in UHPC applications.
The Role of Natural Gas in Mitigating Greenhouse Gas Emissions: The Environmental Kuznets Curve Hypothesis for Major Gas-Producing Countries
Authors: Moghaddam Hussein , Kunst Robert M.
Published: February 2023

Since global warming has become a serious threat and GHG emissions are one of the main causes of it, analyzing the interactions between variables related to climate change has gained importance. This study investigates the nexus of per capita CO2 emissions, per capita real GDP or income, per capita natural gas consumption, urban population, and trade openness by examining the validity of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis for a panel of selected gas-producing countries over the period 1990–2020. To these data, slope homogeneity test, Granger causality in panels, stationarity tests, and cointegration tests are applied. A particular focus is on procedures that enable cross-sectional dependence. Admitting slope heterogeneity, the estimators provide mixed results. The findings, however, do provide evidence in favor of the EKC hypothesis in at least some of our sample countries. Furthermore, there are important policy implications that must be taken into consideration. This includes investing in clean technologies to reduce emissions and accelerating reform of fossil fuel subsidies.
Operational and Environmental Assessment of Weaving Section for Urban Roads: Case Study, Aljouf Region, KSA
Authors: Azam Abdelhalim , Alanazi Fayez , Okail Mohamed Ahmed , Ragab Mohamed
Published: February 2023

The urban weaving sections are more complex due to the various disturbing elements within the weaving section, such as lane-change situations. These turbulences reduced road capacity and increased vehicle exhaust emissions. The Highway Capacity Manual (HCM 2010) has a methodology for the analysis of weaving sections for the free highways; the methodology for the analysis of urban roads is not investigated in the HCM. Therefore, the main objective of this research is to present a systematic analysis of the factors that could potentially affect the capacity and exhaust emissions of urban weaving sections. These factors include the main road traffic volume, the weaving section length (WL), the volume ratio (VR), and the percentage of heavy vehicles (HV%). Two weaving sections were selected in the Aljouf Region, KSA; the Sakakah–Dumat Al-Jandal road. The collected data were used in the development of microsimulation using VISSIM models. The results indicated that increasing the volume ratio and percentage of heavy vehicles caused a decrease in capacity and an increase in exhaust emissions. It was discovered that the increase of weaving length resulted in increasing the capacity. However, increasing the weaving length was not beneficial for reducing exhaust emissions. Finally, regression models were developed for capacity estimation and emissions prediction of urban weaving sections based on weaving length and volume ratio, resulting in relatively high R2 values.
Artificial Intelligence for the Detection of Asbestos Cement Roofing: An Investigation of Multi-Spectral Satellite Imagery and High-Resolution Aerial Imagery
Authors: Hikuwai Mia , Patorniti Nicholas , Vieira Abel , Frangioudakis Khatib Georgia , Stewart Rodney
Published: February 2023

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is providing the technology for large-scale, cost-effective and current asbestos-containing material (ACM) roofing detection. AI models can provide additional data to monitor, manage and plan for ACM in situ and its safe removal and disposal, compared with traditional approaches alone. Advances are being made in AI algorithms and imagery applied to ACM detection. This study applies mask region-based convolution neural networks (Mask R-CNN) to multi-spectral satellite imagery (MSSI) and high-resolution aerial imagery (HRAI) to detect the presence of ACM roofing on residential buildings across an Australian case study area. The results provide insights into the challenges and benefits of using AI and different imageries for ACM detection, providing future directions for its practical application. The study found model 1, using HRAI and 460 training samples, was the more reliable model of the three with a precision of 94%. These findings confirm the efficacy of combining advanced AI techniques and remote sensing imagery, specifically Mask R-CNN with HRAI, for ACM roofing detection. Such combinations can provide efficient methods for the large-scale detection of ACM roofing, improving the coverage and currency of data for the implementation of coordinated management policies for ACM in the built environment.
Factor Misallocation and Optimization in China’s Manufacturing Industry
Authors: Li Shuangjie , E Huifang , Wang Liming , Xue Huidan
Published: February 2023

Factor allocation has an important impact on production efficiency, and this study discusses factor misallocation and proposes an optimized method that could improve efficiency and reduce factor inputs. Under a multi-industry competitive equilibrium model, by introducing distortion tax that represents frictions on factor inputs (capital, labor, energy, and other intermediate consumption), we define factor price distortion indexes to measure factor misallocation and set the standardized comprehensive distortion index at the optimal value of one to obtain optimized allocation of each factor. Using actual and optimized inputs, we compute input-oriented efficiencies separately by employing a slack-based measurement data envelopment analysis (SBM-DEA). The superiority of the new allocation method is tested by comparing changes in efficiency and input redundancy before and after optimization. An empirical test based on China’s manufacturing sector during 1999–2016 shows that, under the optimized reallocation, on average, efficiency is improved by 43.40%, capital, labor, energy, and other intermediate consumption are reduced by 18.06%, 16.34%, 30.91%, and 31.24%, respectively, and the total carbon emission is reduced by 55.22% from 2000 to 2016. Our results imply that factor misallocation causes losses in efficiency and excessive input of factors, and factor allocation needs to be further optimized for sustainable development.
The Dual Performance of Moringa Oleifera Seeds as Eco-Friendly Natural Coagulant and as an Antimicrobial for Wastewater Treatment: A Review
Authors: Al-Jadabi Naif , Laaouan Mohamed , El Hajjaji Souad , Mabrouki Jamal , Benbouzid Maria , Dhiba Driss
Published: February 2023

In this review, collected information related to Moringa Oleifera seeds was evaluated, such as their properties and the main active components involved in their processes, as well as their dual efficiency as both antimicrobials and natural coagulants for treating contaminated effluents. Furthermore, discussions were completed about perspectives on progress related to this field of research to understand the bioactive properties of these seed compounds, including their antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral activity. In addition to the coagulant properties that have been quantitatively assessed, studies have examined the underlying coagulating mechanism, and seed processing techniques. In addition, the challenges associated with the use of conventional coagulants (metals or polymers) have led to numerous research efforts towards the development of natural plant-based coagulants that are eco-friendly to treat wastewater and offer a large variety of other advantages, such as their wide availability, the reduction of by-product generation, the reduction of costs, and greater biodegradability. Based on the results of different researchers, and regarding the appraisals using Moringa Oleifera seeds for wastewater treatment processes, many studies encourage their use for those operations. Due to their extensive and potent properties as an antibacterial and a coagulant, Moringa Oleifera seeds are still used today as a promising wastewater treatment method. Finally, this paper provides suggestions and comments, as well as identifies the knowledge gaps, and makes recommendations for future research development strategies, such as studying the contents of Moringa Oleifera seeds, their interactions with colloids present in wastewater, understanding their stability and behavior, assessing the performance of seed-derived flocculants according to pH values, isolating and characterizing the active compounds to determine the toxicity and optimum dose to be used as effective antimicrobials, and removing heavy metals.
A Review of Competitive Balance in European Football Leagues before and after Financial Fair Play Regulations
Authors: Ramchandani Girish , Plumley Daniel , Davis Adam , Wilson Rob
Published: February 2023

This paper analyses competitive balance in 24 top-division domestic football leagues in Europe before and after the implementation of UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. Our analysis covers 22 seasons between 2000/01 and 2021/22 and utilises indicators of overall league concentration and dominance. Seven of the 24 leagues examined have seen a statistically significant worsening of league concentration post-FFP, fourteen leagues experienced a decline in the number of top-four finishers and thirteen saw a reduction in the number of unique title winners. The weight of evidence indicates that FFP has adversely affected competitive balance in several European football leagues.
Study on Rural Planning in Plain and Lake Area from the Perspective of Spatial Resilience
Authors: Zeng Yujun , Pan Hong , Chen Bo , Wang Yapeng
Published: February 2023

(1) Background: With the economic development and population change, the unique village ecological structure in plain and lake areas is facing various threats. This study aims to explore ways to increase the stability of the rural ecological space and promote the construction and development of green and livable villages from the perspective of spatial resilience. (2) Method: The framework for the assessment of spatial resilience for villages was constructed, the spatial resilience characteristics in Qing Yanggang were analyzed through a field investigation and qualitative analysis, and a spatial resilience planning path for the village in river and lake areas was established. (3) Results: By integrating the natural and artificial elements in rural space, the rural spatial resilience planning can reduce the sensitivity, vulnerability and potential risks of rural areas, which is an important strategy to improve rural sustainable development. (4) Conclusions: For rural areas in plain and lake areas, it is important to optimize rural land use structures, divide rural ecological resilience zones, establish ecological zoning control systems, implement water system connectivity, improve water system patterns to achieve ecological restoration, and implement the adaptive cycle of rural water ecosystem to form a rural spatial resilience planning model. In this way, the Goals n.6 of “Provide Water and Sanitation” of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development can be achieved at the rural scale.
Assessing the Link between Environmental Quality, Green Finance, Health Expenditure, Renewable Energy, and Technology Innovation
Authors: Triki Rabab , Kahouli Bassem , Tissaoui Kais , Tlili Haykel
Published: February 2023

This study uses data from 1980 to 2020 to analyze the explanatory power of renewable energy (RE), green finance (GF), and public health expenditure (PUHE) for environmental quality (ecological footprint: EF) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). In order to examine the long- and short-term effects, we ran both linear autoregressive distribution (ARDL) and nonlinear autoregressive distribution (NARDL) models. The empirical results showed that, when estimating the ARDL model, all variables have an impact on the environment’s long-term quality, which has increased. Furthermore, the NARDL model supports the existence of significant positive or negative shocks that support an unbalanced relationship with the movement of variables over the short and long term. Overall, the study demonstrates the critical role of factors that can enhance the environment in the KSA setting. In light of this, we advise policymakers to encourage the use of additional renewable energy sources and to expedite their efforts to do so in order to slow down environmental damage.
Numerical Investigation of the Upside-Down Hanging Well Combined with Curtain Grouting for Strengthening a Flood Control Ancient Levee
Authors: Qin Zipeng , Tian Yan , Gao Siyuan , Zhou Jianfen , Zhao Haitao , Guo Zhizhuo , Chen Tannong , Hua Zhiping
Published: February 2023

The ancient levees used for flood control generally exist in the rainy areas of southern China. After years of operation, the levees have lots of problems, such as leakage, swelling, and cracking, which need to be reinforced. In this paper, combined with the characteristics of river water level fluctuations, the effect of the upside-down hanging well and curtain grouting reinforcement of the ancient levee is analyzed by a numerical method, and the variation law of the levee’s stability in the flooding process before and after reinforcement is explored. The study results show that the flooding process significantly affects the pore water pressure of the filling soil between the ancient levee and the well, and has a weak impact on that behind the well, which is conducive to the levee’s stability. The horizontal displacements of the levee and the fill present the opposite change law before and after reinforcement. Before reinforcement, the maximum horizontal displacement reached 2.75 cm, and the displacement was toward the Lan River. This was caused by the deformation of the soil squeezing the levee after the water level rose, which was extremely unfavorable to the levee’s stability. After reinforcement, the levee and fill shifted away from the river, mainly due to the hydrostatic pressures caused by the rising water level. The change in the stability safety factors of the reinforced levee is basically consistent with the flood fluctuation. The minimum value of the safety factors is 1.727, the maximum value is 2.273, and the safety factor only decreases by 24.02%, which is half of the change range of the safety factors before reinforcement. The stability of the reinforced ancient levee is largely improved.
Assessment of the Impact of Industrial Wastewater on the Water Quality of Rivers around the Bole Lemi Industrial Park (BLIP), Ethiopia
Authors: Lemessa Fituma , Simane Belay , Seyoum Assefa , Gebresenbet Girma
Published: February 2023

The discharge of industrial waste into water bodies without significant treatment can be a source of water pollution. This study was conducted to assess the impact of industrial wastewater on the water quality in rivers around the Bole Lemi Industrial Park (BLIP). Data were collected from six sampling stations in midstream, downstream, and upstream locations between May and June 2021. In situ (pH, electrical conductivity [EC], total suspended solids [TSS], and temperature) and ex situ (chemical oxygen demand [COD], total nitrogen [TN], total dissolved solids [TDS], total phosphorus [TP], and biological oxygen demand [BOD]) determinations of water quality were conducted. The quality of the water samples was examined using the weighted arithmetic water quality index (WQI) method. A statistical analysis showed that there are significant differences in the water quality parameters among the sampling stations along the river. The results showed different levels of temperature, EC, pH, TSS, TDS, COD, BOD, TN, and TP. The pH values were higher than the pH ranges (6.5–8.5) of USEPA, EU, CES, and WHO at two sampling stations. The results of the WQI showed that the analyzed water samples were in the “unsuitable for consumption” water quality category. These results will be useful for the city administration of Addis Ababa in crafting strategies for the protection and sustainable management of the Bole Lemi River.
Analysis of the Informal Reasoning Modes of Preservice Primary Teachers When Arguing about a Socio-Scientific Issue on Nuclear Power during a Role Play
Authors: Cruz-Lorite Isabel María , Cebrián-Robles Daniel , Acebal-Expósito María del Carmen , Evagorou Maria
Published: February 2023

The use of nuclear power is a socio-scientific issue that is controversial in many areas. Concerns of nuclear power touch on health effects, environmental impacts, employment concerns and energy supply; arguments both for and against it are easily generated. This paper examines the specific aspects addressed by preservice primary teachers in their arguments during their participation in a roleplaying activity on the SSI of nuclear power stations closures in Spain. This was done in order to better understand informal reasoning modes, as well as the possible effect of the roles defended and the design of the staging of the role play. To this end, the transcripts of four role plays were analysed. The data analysis was carried out by open coding, extracting different categories of analysis that were classified into three different informal reasoning modes: environmental, financial and social. The results showed that participants used more environmental-oriented arguments than financial and social ones. Differences in informal reasoning modes were found between some roles and between the two parts of the staging. Some educational implications of these results are discussed, such as providing more information to the participants before the roleplaying activity and emphasising the scaffolding of the social aspects when designing the role play.
Shear Strengthening of RC Beams Using Fabric-Reinforced Cementitious Matrix, Carbon Plates, and 3D-Printed Strips
Authors: Murad Yasmin Zuhair , Al-Mahmood Hanady , Tarawneh Ahmad , Aljaafreh Ahmad J. , AlMashaqbeh Ayoub , Abdel Hadi Raghad , Shabbar Rund
Published: February 2023

Existing reinforced concrete (RC) structures suffer from degradation in their structural capacity. These structures require strengthening and retrofitting to integrate sustainability and improve their serviceability and durability. RC members strengthened with fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites usually suffer from FRP debonding; therefore, researchers proposed several types of sustainable materials to overcome the shortcomings of FRP composites. Limited experimental studies have been conducted for shear strengthening of RC beams using sustainable fabric-reinforced cementitious matrix (FRCM) composites; moreover, the application of 3D-printed strips in strengthening RC beams has never been established. The current research experimentally investigates the efficiency of FRCM composites, 3D-printed sheets (CD), and CFRP plates (CP) in strengthening RC beams that are weak in shear. Various strengthening configurations were adopted, including vertical, oblique, zigzag, and several-slanted layouts. Eight simply supported beams were prepared to find the most efficient shear-strengthening configuration and material for RC beams. Test results showed that FRCM and CP are both efficient for shear strengthening in terms of maximum load capacity, initial stiffness, and ductility. However, CD showed a limited effect on enhancing the performance of shear-strengthened beams. The best shear enhancement was found in the beam strengthened with vertical CP, with improvements in load-carrying capacity, stiffness, and ductility of 43%, 23%, and 23%, respectively. The vertical and oblique strengthening configurations were more efficient than the zigzag and several-slanted layouts. The ACI 440.2R-17 model yielded accurate predictions with an average (Vc, test/Vc, ACI 440) of 1.11.
Community-Level, Participatory Co-Design for Landslide Warning with Implications for Climate Services
Authors: Lempert Robert , Busch Lisa , Brown Ryan , Patton Annette , Turner Sara , Schmidt Jacyn , Young Tammy
Published: February 2023

Inclusive, participatory governance is a key enabler of effective responses to natural hazard risks exacerbated by climate change. This paper describes a community-level co-design process among academic, state, and federal scientists and the community of Sitka, Alaska to develop a novel landslide warning system for this small coastal town. The decentralized system features an online dashboard which displays current and forecast risk levels to help residents make their own risk management decisions. The system and associated risk communications are informed by new geoscience, social, and information science generated during the course of the project. This case study focuses on our project team’s activities and addresses questions including: what activities did the project team conduct, what did these activities intend to accomplish, and did these activities accomplish what they intended? The paper describes the co-design process, the associated changes in system design and research activities, and formal and informal evaluations of the system and process. Overall, the co-design process appears to have generated a warning system the Sitka community finds valuable, helped to align system design with local knowledge and community values, significantly modified the scientists’ research agendas, and helped navigate sensitivities such as the effect of landslide exposure maps on property values. Other communities in SE Alaska are now adopting this engagement approach. The paper concludes with broader implications for the role of community-level, participatory co-design and risk governance for climate services.
Learning in MTS of Construction Megaproject: A Conceptual Framework
Authors: Zhang Jinfan , Chen Yun , Wang Da , Zhang Yinghui
Published: February 2023

The construction megaproject team (CMPT) emphasises integration as a megaproject multiteam system (MTS) to facilitate knowledge learning. This paper synthesises the CMPT structure characteristics and team learning processes into a conceptual framework named the CMPT-MTS learning framework to advance future CMPT learning research. The constructs included are identified from published research. A case example is the island and tunnel project of the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge, which provides practical grounding for framework refinement. The conceptual framework deemed to follow a cyclical pattern identifies the CMPT-MTS structure variables and team learning processes affecting learning outcomes and contextual variables hypothesised to influence the intra- and inter-team interaction. We discuss how the conceptual framework might identify the CMPT learning research gaps for future research. The framework’s contribution to the body of knowledge expands our lens to understand team learning practices in the complex CMPT by considering CMPT as an MTS.
The Impact of Changes in Anthropogenic Activity Caused by COVID-19 Lockdown on Reducing Nitrogen Dioxide Levels in Thailand Using Nighttime Light Intensity
Authors: Thongrueang Nutnaree , Tsutsumida Narumasa , Nakaya Tomoki
Published: February 2023

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first identified in Wuhan, China and has since become a pandemic. Thailand’s first lockdown started in the middle of March 2020, restricting anthropogenic activities and inter-provincial traffic. There are few studies on the association between nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels and human activity, primarily because of the difficulty in identifying the changes in anthropogenic activities at a high geographical resolution. Here, we have highlighted satellite-based nighttime light (NTL) as an indicator of anthropogenic activities and investigated the relationship between NTL and reductions in NO2 levels during Thailand’s first lockdown in 2020. We applied geographically weighted regression (GWR) to analyze the regional relationship between NTL and changes in NO2 levels during the first lockdown. Sentinel-5 Precursor satellite observation indicated that the NO2 levels decreased by 10.36% compared with those of the same period in 2019. The level of NTL decreased in most urban and built-up (31.66%) categories. According to GWR results, NTL and NO2 levels represent a positive local correlation around the country’s central, western, and northern parts and negative correlations in the peripheral regions. These findings imply that NTL observations can be used to monitor changes in NO2 levels caused by urban anthropogenic activities.
Stability Analysis of Retaining Walls with Geocell-Reinforced Road Milling Materials
Authors: Zhang Bingbing , Song Fei , Li Weiguang
Published: February 2023

A series of triaxial compression tests with different confining pressures were conducted for gravels, road surface milling materials, and surface–base milling mixtures to investigate the stress–strain relationships of these three kinds of materials. On the basis of the analysis of the test results, the strength and the deformation of the geocell-reinforced surface milling materials and the geocell-encased surface–base milling mixtures were predicted and compared with those of the gravels via the constitutive model of geocell–soil composites. The effects of the geocell pocket size, tensile stiffness, and the peak internal frictional angle on the stress–strain responses of the geocell-reinforced surface–base milling mixtures were examined. Moreover, by employing the finite element strength reduction technique, stability analysis was conducted on the geocell-reinforced retaining wall with the surface–base milling mixtures to investigate the factor of safety and the failure mechanism of the structure. The study results indicated that the surface milling materials exhibited strain hardening, while the gravels and the surface–base milling mixtures exhibited strain softening. The surface milling materials displayed evident shear contraction characteristics, whereas the gravels and surface–base milling mixtures first displayed shear contraction and later dilatancy features. In addition, the strength of the geocell-reinforced surface milling materials is smaller than that of the gravels, but the strength of the geocell-encased surface–base milling mixtures is larger than that of the gravels. Thus, the geocell-reinforced surface–base milling mixtures can be used to replace the gravels in engineering practices. Additionally, the size of the sliding wedge and the factor of safety of the retaining walls increase significantly with reductions in the geocell pocket size.
Influence of Correlation Distance of Soil Parameters on Pile Foundation Failure Probability
Authors: Liu Chao , Zhang Hongrui , Yuan Ying , Zhou Aihong , Liu Weiwen , Guo Wanying
Published: February 2023

Spatial variability of soil parameter distribution is crucial to calculating the pile foundation failure probability. Traditional reliability design methods describe the dispersion degree of soil parameters with their point variance without considering the influence of correlation distance. In this paper, static cone penetration test data of a project site are used, and random field theory is introduced to describe the average spatial characteristics of soil parameters. Then, the method of spatial average is used to calculate the correlation distance of soil parameters in each foundation soil layer. Given the influence of the correlation distance, a variance reduction function is determined to convert point variance to spatial mean-variance and further calculate the failure probability of pile foundation with the Monte Carlo method to study the influence of correlation distance on pile foundation failure probability. Results show that the spatial variability of parameters can be better reflected, and project cost can be reduced by considering the influence of correlation distance during the pile foundation design process. These results lay a foundation for further research on the pile foundation reliability design method.
Policy Analysis of Low-Carbon Energy Transition in Senegal Using a Multi-Criteria Decision Approach Based on Principal Component Analysis
Authors: Mewenemesse Herve Tevenim , Yan Qiang , Acouetey Prince Foli
Published: February 2023

Senegal has been investing in the development of its energy sector for decades. By using a novel multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) based on the principal component analysis (PCA) method, this paper develops an approach to determine the effectiveness of Senegal’s policies in supporting low-carbon development. This was determined using six criteria (C1 to C6) and 17 policies selected from the review of Senegal’s energy system. In order to determine the optimal weighting of the six criteria, a PCA is performed. In our approach, the best weighted factor is the normalized version of the best linear combination of the initial criteria with the maximum summarized information. Proper weighted factors are determined through the percentage of the information provided by the six criteria kept by the principal components. The percentage of information is statistically a fit of goodness of a principal component. The higher it is, the more statistically important the corresponding principal component is. Among the six principal components obtained, the first principal component (comp1) best summarizes the values of criteria C1 to C6 for each policy. It contains 81.15% of the information on energy policies presented by the six criteria and was used to rank the policies. Future research should take into account that when the number of criteria is high, the share of information explained by the first principal component could be lower (less than 50% of the total variance). In this case, the use of a single principal component would be detrimental to the analysis. For such cases, we recommend a higher dimensional visualization (using two or three components), or a new PCA should be performed on the principal components. This approach presented in our study can serve as an important benchmark for energy projects and policy evaluation.
Why Do Donors Donate? A Study on Donation-Based Crowdfunding in Malaysia
Authors: Kamarudin Mohd Khairy , Mohamad Norzilan Nur Izzati , Mustaffa Fatin Nur Ainaa , Khidzir Masyitah , Alma’amun Suhaili , Nor Muhamad Nasrul Hisyam , Abu-Hussin Mohd Fauzi , Noor Zainan Nurul Izzah , Abdullah Abdul Hafiz , Samat-Darawi Abdul Basit
Published: February 2023

This study employed the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R) framework to investigate how social support and quality of the community affect the purpose to donate through donation-based crowdfunding. The online poll generated 359 responses, and the data were statistically analysed using the partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) approach. Path coefficient analysis is also applied to figure out the outcomes of the relationships between the components. The results showed that service and system quality greatly influenced the donors’ trust towards the donation-based crowdfunding. In addition, statistics showed that trust, quality of services, information value, and emotional support played a substantial role in explaining the donation purposes. The results could help donation-based crowdfunding platforms to enhance their success rate of donation campaigns. This study also provided a management application for each relationship and suggested helpful measures in attracting potential donors and retaining them.
A Meta-Synthesis Review of Occupant Comfort Assessment in Buildings (2002–2022)
Authors: Faraji Amir , Rashidi Maria , Rezaei Fatemeh , Rahnamayiezekavat Payam
Published: February 2023

Occupant comfort in buildings is one of the most crucial considerations in designing a building. Accordingly, there is a growing interest in this area. Aspects of comfort include thermal comfort, visual comfort, acoustic comfort, and indoor air quality (IAQ) satisfaction. The objective of this state-of-the-art review was to provide a comprehensive, explicit, and up-to-date literature review on occupant comfort in buildings, since this issue has a great impact on the lifestyle, health, and productivity of occupants. A meta-synthesis method was also used for an analytical-interpretive review of previous studies. In this research, scientific research studies related to the subject of indoor occupant comfort in the period 2002–2022 were reviewed. Previous reviews have often covered the fundamental concepts and principles related to indoor occupant comfort. Although innumerable studies have focused on thermal comfort, other aspects of occupant comfort have not been considered. The review is analyzed and discussed in reference to type of study, case study geographical locations and climate zones, case study building types, decision-making models, assessment criteria, data-collection tools, and data analysis strategies. Finally, future research recommendations are presented. Through the review, we find that the comfort models used in research are mostly based on comfort perception votes collected from experimental studies, which may not reflect the preferences of users well. In addition, only the influence of environmental factors on the models has been investigated, and other personal factors have been ignored. This study presents a useful guide for researchers to determine their outlines for future research in this field.