bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on Behavior of CO2 Gas Shielded Welding Joint of Ultrafine Grain Steel
Authors: Wang Yan
Published: December 2022

This research paper mainly studied the microstructure and hardness of the weld bead and welding heat affected zone of ultrafine grain steel after CO2 gas-shielded welding. After normalizing and quenching heat treatment, the changes in microstructure and hardness of welded joints were studied. These experimental results showed that the microstructure of the weld bead of the welded joint was dendritic. The microstructure of weld bead was a mixed structure of proeutectoid ferrite, side plate ferrite, bainite, and pearlite. The microstructure of the overheated zone of HAZ under the as-welded condition was ferrite and pearlite with coarse grains, and the normalized zone was pearlite and ferrite with smaller grains than that of base metal. The microstructure of the normalized + quenched welded joint was a mixture of low carbon martensite, pearlite and ferrite, and the ferrite content was less. The hardness change of these welded joints was that the welded joint hardness after normalizing + quenching was significantly higher than that of welded joints before heat treatment.
Synthesis and Application of Lead Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals@Metal-Organic Frameworks Composites
Authors: Tan Xiaohong , Yao Xiaoqing , Chen Zhishun
Published: December 2022

LHP@MOFs composites, combined lead halide perovskite (LHP) nanocrystals (NCs) with metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), show great potential in the field of optoelectronic applications. Meanwhile, the stability of LHP NCs is improved by encapsulating them in MOFs. The recent progress of LHP@MOFs composites in terms of synthesis and applications is first summarized in this paper. Thereafter, a brief outlook is given for the possible future prospects of LHP@MOFs composites, which may provide the further development of stable LHP@MOFs.
Influence of CaO and Fe2O on the surface tension and structure of SiO2-Al2O3-CaO-Fe2O3-MgO synthetic slags
Authors: Guo Junli , Lu Deping , Hu Qiang , zou Jin
Published: December 2022

The surface tension of coal slags influences the adhesion between the slag and furnace walls in slagging gasifiers, which further influences the efficiency, maintenance cost and reliability of the gasifier. The influence of CaO and Fe2O3 on the surface tension and structure of synthetic slags were investigated. The results indicate that the surface tension linearly increases with the increase of CaO content in the synthetic slag. When Fe2O3 exceeds 3.8 mole%, the surface tension of synthetic slag increases slowly with the increase of Fe2O3, which is related to Fe2O3 acting as an intermediate oxide. The degree of polymerization and the electrostatic potential of ions are related to a variation in surface tension, and the number of unsatisfied bonds increases because the Si-O-Si network structure was depolymerized. Here, NBO/T cannot reflect the degree of depolymerization of slag due to the variation in intermediate Fe2O3 contents.
Simulation of Li3HoCl6 Solid-state Lithium Batteries Based on COSMOL Multiphysics
Authors: Cui Yufan
Published: December 2022

The rapid development of portable smart devices and electric vehicles is placing greater demands on the energy density and safety of rechargeable secondary batteries. Lithium-ion batteries using the Solid State Electrolyte (SSE) are considered to be the most promising direction to achieve these goals. Among the latest electrolyte developments, chloride solid electrolytes have attracted much attention due to their physicochemical properties such as high ionic conductivity, ease of deformation and oxidative stability. In this paper, a one-dimensional model of a solid-state Li3HoCl6 battery is proposed based on COSMOL Multiphysics multi-physics field simulation software, and the charge-discharge curves and lithium-ion concentration variation curves at different discharge rates are obtained. The results show that the battery has a stable potential and relatively high-capacity density at low C rates (1.8C~14.4C). Therefore, it has application values at low currents and space for improvement at high currents.
Study on radiation degradation of nuclear power cable materials
Authors: Wu Haihua , Liu Yuchen , Zhang Bingtao , Zhang Hongyu , Yang Zhongtian
Published: December 2022

During the operation of nuclear power plants, it is necessary to monitor and evaluate the aging of cable materials. In this paper, we evaluate the irradiated use status of two types of cable insulation materials used in nuclear power plants-cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) and ethylene propylene diene methylene (EPDM). Firstly, two kinds of cable materials are subjected to accelerated radiation aging with different cumulative doses, and the macro-mechanical properties and microstructure changes of the cable materials after different doses are studied. Analyze and test its hardness value, tensile strength, elongation retention at the break, scanning electron microscope, and oxidation induction temperature. The results show that after γ-ray irradiation, the cable hardness and the retention rate of elongation at break show a downward trend. Under the highest cumulative dose of 500kGy, the retention rate of elongation at break is greater than 50% of the failure index. The tensile strength decreases slightly, the microscopic morphology of the tensile section has holes, and the oxidation induction temperature decreases.
Study on the corrosion behavior of austenitic stainless 15-15Ti for nuclear fuel cladding in lead-bismuth eutectic alloy with oxygen control
Authors: Sun Yulin , Yuan Ganfeng , Wang Da , Ma Xianfeng , Liang Yuqiang , Zeng Jun , Ye Huanmin , Liu Sirui , Xiao Changquan , Hu Yanying
Published: December 2022

The austenitic stainless steel 15-15Ti is one of the main candidate materials for the fuel cladding of the Lead-cooled Fast Reactor (LFR) due to its outstanding irradiation resistance and mechanical properties at high temperatures. The study of the corrosion behavior of 15-15Ti in LBE can help further investigate the service performance in a reactor. In this study, the static LBE corrosion of 15−15Ti was carried out for 1000 h at the temperature of 550°C and the oxygen concentration of 5×10−7 wt%. The samples were analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). The results showed that 15-15Ti was oxidized and formed a duplex oxide film. The inner oxide film is continuous and the main component is FeCr2O4. The outer oxide film is composed of Fe3O4. The Fe3O4 oxides are loose and they could fall off from the surface.
Symbolic regression assisted design of perovskite-type OER electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline electrolyte
Authors: Li Wentao , Yang Fan , Zhang Junliang
Published: December 2022

Perovskite oxides are promising electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline electrolytes. With high activity and low cost, they are being pursued by researchers worldwide. However, due to the compositional and structural diversity of perovskite-type oxides, the conventional method based on experimental trials on thousands of elemental combinations is inefficient and time-consuming, which hampers the development of this type of electrocatalyst. Here we employed a symbolic regression (SR) method under a machine learning framework to build mathematical formulae that best fit datasets based on 105 experimentally studied perovskite-type electrocatalysts and identified a simple parameter as the OER activity descriptor. Results show that B-site cations with a large number of d electrons and a small radius, such as Ni4+, Co4+, and Fe4+, are beneficial to high OER activity in perovskite oxides, which provide a guide for materials design.
Sponge-Based Aerogels for Efficient Solar Steam Generation
Authors: Cui Kewen , Wei Anyun , Zhou Jianhua , Liu Jing
Published: December 2022

As a new type of solar energy utilization, solar photothermal water evaporation system has the characteristics of high photothermal conversion efficiency and green environmental protection, which can be widely used in the field of seawater desalination and sewage treatment. The bagasse carbonized by high-temperature pyrolysis was used as the photo-absorption material, and the polyurethane sponge-based aerogel photo-thermal conversion material was prepared with the double-network composite aerogel constructed by chitosan and polyurethane sponge as the substrate. It has good evaporation stability and is suitable for portable evaporation equipment. Moreover, when the carbonization temperature of carbonized bagasse was 500 °C and the addition amount was 1%, the evaporation performance of aerogel was the best. In the wavelength range of 200~2500 nm, its absorption rate can reach 98.2%, and its evaporation rate can reach 2.04 kg m−2h−1 at 1 kW m−2. In addition, the aerosol has good stability in general seawater and alkaline sewage, and is an effective method for solving seawater and sewage.
Synthesis and properties of hyperbranched solid polycarboxylate superplasticizer
Authors: Yang Maoqian , Cai Guisheng , Zhang Jie , Liu Yongsheng , Lu Tongwei , Meng Fanjun
Published: December 2022

In this paper, a novel strategy for the preparation of solid polycarboxylate superplasticizers (PC-3) with hyperbranched structures was proposed. PC-3 was synthesized by bulk polymerization method under a redox initiation system. Dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) with an initiating group, as a soluble vinyl monomer was introduced to copolymerize with acrylic acid (AA) and isobutyl alcohol polyoxyethylene ether (HPEG). The reaction mechanism of the system initiated by ammonium persulfate (APS) and DMAEMA was explored, and the formation process of the hyperbranched structure was investigated. The experimental results show that the hyperbranched solid polycarboxylate superplasticizer has a high water-reducing rate and good slump retention. It can be applied in cement-based grouting materials well.
Insights into the Preparation of Silica Microsphere
Authors: Song Lianxiang , Luo Han , Zhao Yuqing , Li Qiong , Wei Shiqian , Hu Yu
Published: December 2022

In this paper, spherical silica was prepared with tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as the silicon source and cetylpyridine bromide (CPB) as the template, the time and temperature of microwave digestion and the influence of urea content in the solution on the shape and particle size of silica were discussed, and the silica was characterized by XRD and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results show that with the increase of microwave digestion temperature, the size of silica changes from small to large and larger, with the largest size at 120 °C, the size of silica increases with the increase of urea content.
Influence of polyethylene glycol inhibitors on properties of electroplated copper layer
Authors: Xiang Jing , Qin Ziwei , Zhang Hongzhi , Qin Renhua , Zeng Chong , Zhou Dengmei , Li Jie , Wan Xiaoting , Song Jing , Tian Liangliang
Published: December 2022

Inhibitor is one of the important additive components in electrodeposited copper. As a common inhibitor, the concentration of PEG8000 has an important effect on electrodeposited copper. In this article, different concentrations of polyethylene glycol-based organic additives were added to the acidic electrolyte, and their effects on the electrochemical behavior of copper electrodeposition were investigated by galvanostatic test, cathodic polarization curve test, and cyclic voltammetry test. In addition, the surface morphology and crystallographic orientation of the obtained copper layers were analyzed by SEM and XRD. The results show that with the increase of PEG8000 concentration in the electroplating solution system, the inhibitory effect of PEG8000 on electroplating copper becomes stronger, and the copper surface density obtained by electroplating is better.
Research of the Property Changes of ITO/Kapton/Al Based on Different Temperature in Atomic Oxygen Environment
Authors: Guo Liang , Qiu Tiecheng , Guo Zhanping , Shan Ming , Zheng Lide , Song Xiaohui
Published: December 2022

In the field of spacecraft space environment engineering, the impact of atomic oxygen on the performance of spacecraft is very critical. According to the relevant literature, temperature is an important factor affecting atomic oxygen. This paper is about atomic oxygen erosion influence on ITO/Kapton/Al based on different temperatures. The temperatures selected were 25 °C, 75 °C, 100 °C, 125 °C, and 150 °C respectively to research the possible influences of different temperatures on atomic oxygen simulation experiment effects. The ground simulation equipment releases a fluence of 9.0×1019 atoms/cm2 under a 10−2Pa vacuum. The mass of samples was measured by high-precision micro-electron balance before and after the experiment and the reaction ratio was calculated. Emissivity and solar absorbance were measured by the TEMP 2000A portable emissivity testing apparatus and LRSR 300 portable spectrum solar absorbance testing apparatus respectively. According to the experiment, it is shown that the ITO protects the base material well, and the mass loss and the reaction ratio of samples show inactive. Results also show that the effects on mass loss are little, but effects on the physical property changes are great by the temperature variation.
Experimental research on mechanical performance of the lightweight composite slabs Research Progress on the Lightweight High-Entropy Alloys
Authors: Gao Yibo
Published: December 2022

The high-entropy alloy, a new multi-principal element alloy, contains light elements to obtain the lightweight high-entropy alloy (HEA) with the outstanding property of low densities. Its high strength and hardness, corrosion resistance, and high-temperature resistance allow it to be broadly applied in aerospace, transportation, etc, which has attracted wide attention and research. Its research status is described and its component design methods are classified in this paper. Meanwhile, this paper summarizes its microscopic phase structure and properties of different kinds, including hardness, strength, corrosion resistance, and high-temperature resistance. Finally, its application prospect and the shortcomings of current research are also summed up.
Research and development of Sialon-Si3N4 gradient nanocomposite ceramic tool and discussion on cutting performance
Authors: Zhang Yang , Wang Bo
Published: December 2022

Nickel-based alloys have excellent mechanical properties and are widely used in the aviation and aerospace industries. However, high-speed cutting of nickel-based alloys has the characteristics of high cutting force, high temperature, and low tool life. Tools with excellent performance are important for the high-quality machining of inner-base alloys in colleges and universities. Many scholars have begun to discuss the use of gradient functional materials and nanocomposite research methods to effectively integrate gradient functional thermal stress relaxation and surface compressive stress characteristics with nano-compliance toughening mechanisms to form Sialon-Si3N4 gradient nanocomposite ceramic tools. Based on this, this paper introduces the high-speed machining technology and its characteristics, establishes the corresponding model, and analyzes its cutting performance through experiments to clarify the application value of the Sialon-Si3N4 gradient nanocomposite ceramic tool.
Macrophage response mediated by extracellular matrix: recent progress
Authors: Xiao Wenlan , Yang Yang , Chu Chenyu , Rung Sheng-An , Wang Zhanqi , Man Yi , Lin Jie , Qu Yili
Published: December 2022

Biomaterials are one of efficient treatment options for tissue defects in regenerative medicine. Compared to synthetic materials which tend to induce chronic inflammatory response and fibrous capsule, extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffold materials composed of biopolymers are thought to be capable of inducing a pro-regenerative immune microenvironment and facilitate wound healing. Immune cells are the first line of response to implanted biomaterials. In particular, macrophages greatly affect cell behavior and the ultimate treatment outcome based on multiple cell phenotypes with various functions. The macrophage polarization status is considered as a general reflection of the characteristics of the immune microenvironment. Since numerous reports has emphasized the limitation of classical M1/M2 nomenclature, high-resolution techniques such as single-cell sequencing has been applied to recognize distinct macrophage phenotypes involved in host responses to biomaterials. After reviewing latest literatures that explored the immune microenvironment mediated by ECM scaffolds, this paper describe the behaviors of highly heterogeneous and plastic macrophages subpopulations which affect the tissue regeneration. The mechanisms by which ECM scaffolds interact with macrophages are also discussed from the perspectives of the ECM ultrastructure along with the nucleic acid, protein, and proteoglycan compositions, in order to provide targets for potential therapeutic modulation in regenerative medicine.
Enhanced nighttime heatwaves over African urban clusters
Authors: Igun Eghosa , Xu Xiyan , Shi Zitong , Jia Gensuo
Published: December 2022

Despite the threat that nighttime heatwave poses to public health and the environment in the developing world, it remains relatively understudied in Africa, especially in its rapidly expanding urban areas with large populations. Using meteorological observations, climate reanalysis, remote sensing datasets, and integrated methodology, we found that during 1981–2020, nighttime heatwaves dramatically increased with early onset dates over Africa. Large scale circulation induced dry conditions over land which explains the major heatwaves across all climate zones. Meanwhile, the increasing trend of nighttime heatwaves in urban areas than rural areas in both tropical and temperate climates is largely due to urbanization, which amplifies heatwaves with urban heat island (UHI) effects. The strongest contribution of urbanization to nighttime heatwaves was observed in temperate climate, leading to a 46% increase in the heatwave duration. In arid climate, urban expansion has a negative impact on nighttime heatwaves, due to the cool island effect of urban greens and weak urbanization. The major contribution of urbanization to the urban-rural contrast of nighttime heatwave trends in temperate climate can be attributed to stronger UHI intensity resulting from lower windspeed and less evapotranspiration. Without appropriate adaptation efforts to reduce heatwave exposure, the risks posed in Africa’s urban areas will continue to increase under future warming.
Strong winds drive grassland fires in China
Authors: Wang Zhou , Huang Ru , Yao Qichao , Zong Xuezheng , Tian Xiaorui , Zheng Ben , Trouet Valerie
Published: December 2022

Accounting for 41.7% of China’s total land area, grasslands are linked to the livelihoods of over 20 million people. Although grassland fires cause severe damage in China every year, their spatiotemporal patterns and climate drivers are not well understood. In this study, we used grassland fire record forms provided by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration and grassland fire location data from the Wildfire Atlas of China to examine the spatiotemporal patterns and and seasonality of fires in China for the period from 2008 to 2020. We found that most grassland fires occurred in Inner Mongolia in northern China, specifically in the Hulun Buir and Xilingol grasslands. We found distinct differences in fire seasonality in northern China, which has a major fire season in April, versus southwestern China, where the major fire season occurs in February, March and April. April grassland fires in northern China are the result of strong winds, typically from the west, and spring drought. A secondary fire season in northern China occurs in October and is also driven by strong winds. The fire season in southwestern China seems to be less shaped by climatic factors such as wind speed, precipitation, and drought. This study provides support for decision-making by fire prevention and fire management authorities in China.
Statistical topology of the streamlines of a two-dimensional flow
Authors: Kamb Mason , Byrum Janie , Huber Greg , Le Treut Guillaume , Mehta Shalin , Veytsman Boris , Yllanes David
Published: December 2022

Recent experiments on mucociliary clearance, an important defense against airborne pathogens, have raised questions about the topology of two-dimensional (2D) flows, such as the proportion of topologically closed and open streamlines. We introduce a framework for studying ensembles of 2D time-invariant flow fields and estimating the probability for a particle to leave a finite area (to clear out). We establish two upper bounds on this probability by leveraging different insights about the distribution of flow velocities on the closed and open streamlines. We also deduce an exact power-series expression for the trapped area based on the asymptotic dynamics of flow-field trajectories and complement our analytical results with numerical simulations.
Systematic review of critical success factors for developing an Afro-centric neighbourhood sustainability assessment framework
Authors: Michell K , Moghayedi A , Tzortzopoulos P , Okundaye B
Published: December 2022

Cities across South Africa are predominantly characterised by multiple forms of poverty, growing inequality, environmental degradation, slums and informal settlements, social and economic exclusion, and spatial segregation. These challenges present significant hurdles in planning for and coping with rapid population growth, urbanisation and protecting communities against natural and human-made disasters. This project aims to address the lack of local neighbourhood sustainability assessment (NSA) frameworks to improve the inclusivity, sustainability and connectivity of communities in South Africa. The existing NSA tools promote a specific type of urban development that effectively excludes marginalised communities and is not entirely suited to South African communities’ economic, socio-cultural, and environmental context. To achieve this, seven major assessment tools across the global North and South are selected and scrutinised using content analysis to identify and catalogue the critical success factors (CSFs) for enabling inclusive, smart, sustainable communities in South Africa using existing knowledge on neighbourhood assessment tools and relevant literature. The result is a proposed structure of four categories and 86 CSFs for the Afro-centric NSA framework that can address the challenges encountered in South African marginalised communities.
Study of Building Vulnerabilities to Forest Fires in Portugal
Authors: Vieira Flávia Nascimento , Almeida Miguel , Rodrigues João Paulo C , Lopes Rúben F R
Published: December 2022

Nowadays with disorderly urban growth into forested areas and climate changes becoming more pronounced, the number of buildings affected by forest fires is increasing. Forest fires are becoming more destructive and socially threatening. However, it is irrefutable that the probability of a forest fire to reach a structure is dramatically reduced by implementing good construction practices and proper fuel management procedures in the environment. Aiming to evaluate the behavior of construction elements of a structure facing a forest fire with testing close to reality, a demonstrative test was performed by the authors in a small house located in a forest environment, in the municipality of Miranda do Corvo, in Portugal. The test consisted of burning a plot of land, with a high forest fuel load, where the house was exposed to a high heat flux originating from the flame front. The separation strip between the fuels and the house was 50cm. With the observation of the results, it was verified that even though the house had an incombustible structure, the construction elements such as window glass, door, thermal insulation and exhaust fans presented vulnerabilities to be considered when it is assumed that a house can serve as shelter in case of fire. It is important to emphasize that the study and research on the vulnerability of buildings in the face of a wildfire at an urban-forest interface must be integrated with all the constraints and variables that surround this theme.
Internet of Things (IoT)-Integrated Embodied Carbon Assessment and Monitoring of Prefabricated Buildings
Authors: Xu Jiayi , Pan Wei , Teng Yue , Zhang Yang , Zhang Qiqi
Published: December 2022

Buildings contribute significantly to carbon emissions over their life cycle. Recently, embodied carbon (EC) accounts for an increasing share of life cycle carbon emissions of new buildings as their energy efficiency is improving. However, traditional methods of data collection and communication from diverse carbon sources such as manual recording lead to low-efficient and prone-to-error estimation of embodied carbon emissions. Therefore, this paper aims to propose an Internet of Things (IoT)-integrated embodied carbon assessment and monitoring system (ECAMS) for prefabricated buildings. This system involves three layers, i.e., of data collection, data communication, and data analysis. To provide a theoretical foundation, the EC assessment model is firstly modified to distribute carbon emissions into twelve construction statuses and at five levels of analysis of prefabricated buildings. IoT sensors including radio frequency identification (RFID), acceleration transducer, and global positioning system (GPS) are employed for automated real-time data collection. IoT data will be communicated with building information modelling (BIM) and carbon assessment software through application programming interfaces (APIs). Laboratory tests were conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of sensor-based data collection and communication. The proposed system facilitates more efficient and accurate estimations of prefabricated buildings’ embodied carbon, which should help practitioners to explore effective carbon reduction strategies.
Optimal UAV Image Overlap for Photogrammetric 3D Reconstruction of Bridges
Authors: Wang F , Zou Y , Del Rey Castillo E , Lim J B P
Published: December 2022

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and photogrammetry have been widely used to reconstruct a photo-realistic 3D model of physical bridges for documentation of cultural bridges or remote bridge inspection. However, the optimal image overlap for photogrammetric bridge reconstruction that can trade off the model quality and overall mission time has not yet been studied. In this paper, a comparative experiment was conducted on a real girder bridge with three typical overlap configurations being implemented to capture corresponding UAV image sets, based on which bridge models were reconstructed using a commercial photogrammetry software package. Time consumption and the quality of reconstructed bridge models of these three experimental cases were compared and analysed. The results showed that the configuration of 66.7% forward overlap and 50% side overlap is the optimal overlap configuration for the reconstruction of a variety of bridge components, which can result in the minimum number of images while saving the overall mission time for image acquisition and processing. The overlap recommendation may also be applicable to the 3D reconstruction of other types of bridges and buildings with similar structural components.
Rethinking the influence of the Intelligent Building Systems on productivity, health, and well-being for enhancing the quality of life during mandatory working from home: Lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Bicer S , Halicioglu F H
Published: December 2022

In the light of the recent global phenomena of the COVID-19 pandemic, there become evident changes in the habits and digital services usage in daily life. At this juncture, working from home (WFH) which is highly in need of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) support for work productivity and occupant well-being, has recently become a popular and almost mandatory way of working due to lockdowns all around the world. The fact remains that providing a better quality of working-life has a potential for using intelligent building technologies that lead to the rapid advancement in global information services when such crises arise. Buildings that integrated with the systems based on intelligent technologies aim to enhance the productivity and well-being flexibly to meet the changing requirements of occupants. Therefore, this study focuses on the mandatory WFH concept emerged during COVID-19 pandemic, and in this context the need for the intelligent building systems in residential buildings. The findings of this study would form a pathway for rethinking the influence of the intelligent building systems (IBSs) into the prevention of health issues that we faced during mandatory WFH.
Prediction on construction industry safety performance based on AHP and grey system
Authors: Zhuo Wen , Zhou Zhipeng
Published: December 2022

With the frequent occurrence of construction safety accidents, it is imperative to improve the safety performance of the construction industry. To predict safety performance scientifically, the number of construction accident fatalities was selected as an indicator of safety performance. This study combined the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and grey relational analysis (GRA) to identify labor productivity, construction area of the house, and the number of construction enterprises and employees of the construction enterprises as the main factors affecting the number of construction accident fatalities. Then, this study used the grey prediction theory to establish a GM(1,5) model to predict the number of safety accident fatalities in 2013-2019. The results showed that the model has great prediction accuracy and can be used to predict future construction safety performance. Through the prediction of safety performance, managers can evaluate the development trends of construction projects. Therefore, they can take timely measures to reduce the occurrence of safety accidents. Meanwhile, the study provides a new optimization method for the development of the GM(1,N) model and the application of real data.
Research on the Regeneration Procedure for Reutilizing Vacant Housing Stock in Japan
Authors: Tajima Noriyuki
Published: December 2022

Since the economic development period in the 1960s and ’70s, old buildings were always considered unsuitable because of the risk of earthquakes or due to new social trends. But new construction finally dropped in the ’90s, and the birth rate also declined and the aging population grew instead. The number of vacant housing stocks have been more than doubled in Japan last 20 years, with 500,000 residences increased every year, and the issue of regeneration and reutilization of old buildings has become a focus. Yet it has not been easy to achieve successful outcomes because of many and complex impediments, interfere, such as legal, social, structural, economic, or tax-related reasons. In this study, through unraveling these complex impediments, effective countermeasures are organized and case examples of regenerated buildings that have overcome these barriers are introduced to clarify how each problem can be surmounted, and these regeneration procedures will be drawn in the shape of process planning that visualizes the steps of measures against each problem. There are five main problems: old housing plans against new social needs; degradation of building structure and materials against new building standards; old technical standards against new technologies; existing legally non-conforming buildings against ever-added new building laws; and old building reliability against possible economic value estimated. These five problems are used to clarify the regeneration procedure in order to propel and increase the fruitful utilization of this stock for the future.
Housing as critical social and economic infrastructure: A decision-making framework
Authors: Kraatz J A , Reid S , Rowlinson L , Caldera S
Published: December 2022

Housing is an important social and economic asset for society. However, increasing costs of living and demand for affordable housing is outpacing supply in Australia. Governments and housing providers, particularly community housing providers, are grappling with these challenges. This paper discusses steps towards building a more rigorous, evidence-based approach for social and affordable housing provision in Australia. It is proposed that housing be considered like other critical social and economic infrastructure such as schools, hospitals and civil infrastructure (i.e., roadways). The paper presents findings of Australian industry-led social and affordable housing research undertaken between 2014 to 2020. Past and current research findings inform the decision-making framework, including: (i) a productivity-based conceptual framework; (ii) the establishment of nine impact domains including meaningful and measurable outcomes and indicators; (iii) a composite return on investment approach which addresses the broader benefits of access to safe and secure housing; and (iv) thirteen elements being used to map the complex and integrated social and affordable housing network. The emergent decision-making framework resulting from this longitudinal study will be a critical tool for government and social and affordable housing providers to achieve economically and socially sustainable outcomes.
The Relationship between Mindfulness and Safety Performance of Building Repair and Maintenance: An Empirical Study in Australia
Authors: Pilanawithana N , Feng Y , London K , Zhang P
Published: December 2022

The importance of building repair and maintenance (R&M) has become more significant in recent years as the volume of building stock has expanded globally. With this growth in building stock coupled with R&M complexity unforeseen safety risks has become an increasing problem to solve. In such complex working environment a type of organisation known as high reliability organisation (HRO) is known to operate successfully. The concept of mindfulness from HRO theory has been identified as a key strategy for addressing unforeseen risks derived from the complexity in socio-technical systems. Therefore, this study aims to examine the relationship between mindfulness and safety performance of building R&M companies. Initially, a comprehensive literature review was conducted on HROs and the concept of mindfulness to develop the research hypothesis. A questionnaire survey was utilised to collect the data from Australian building R&M professionals. A Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between mindfulness and safety performance. This study found that mindfulness has a significant impact on accident prevention in building R&M companies through discovering and managing the unexpected events owing to the complexity. The findings have implications for organisations in the way they train and implement professional development programs for their staff.
Effect of transparency on the development phase of public-private partnership: Analysis of highway projects
Authors: Nayyer Mojahedul Islam , Aravindan Mukkai R , Thillai Rajan A
Published: December 2022

The impact of transparency on large Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects has been a topic of interest for scholars and policymakers. However, empirical evidence of its impact has been limited. Governments from more than 100 countries across the globe have enacted transparency laws in the recent past. The development phase of PPP projects is critical for the success of the subsequent two phases- construction and operation. The objective of this study was to determine the influencing characteristics of projects and the environment in which they operate, as well as the impact of transparency laws on the duration of the development phase. Regression analysis using data of 469 PPP highway projects implemented in India revealed that concession period, length of the road, nodal authority implementing the project, duration of the construction phase, and road density in the region significantly impact the duration of the development phase. Mean comparison and regression analysis showed that the projects implemented after the enactment of the transparency law had a longer development phase. However, the projects with a longer development phase had a shorter construction phase. Understanding the factors affecting the duration of the development phase will help the nodal authority and the concessionaire to develop strategies to complete the project in a reasonably time-bound manner.
Circular Economy in Africa’s Built Environment: A Conceptual Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Ogunmakinde O E , Egbelakin T , Sher W
Published: December 2022

As an alternative to the linear economy concept, the circular economy (CE) is growing in popularity among researchers, governments, and organisations. It is a waste-elimination concept that takes, creates, uses, and regenerates materials. Although the CE concept has been adopted in a variety of industries and countries, its application in Africa, particularly in the built environment sector, is still in its early stages. A lack of adequate research on the subject could be one of the reasons for the slow uptake in the built environment. In this context, the study provides an overview of publications focusing on CE in Africa’s built environment from 2001 to 2021. Through the Web of Science database, this study identifies various key topics and CE implementation methods in Africa using bibliometric analysis. The findings show that 92 publications in Africa focused on CE and the built environment over a 20-year period. Using the VOS viewer software, data analysis focused on the document type, year of publication, journal distribution, top authors, most cited publication, and keywords. In conclusion, the study suggests that vigorous research on the CE concept be conducted, with a focus on waste minimisation, in order to reduce pollution in the long run.
Integrating UAV and BIM for automated visual building inspection: a systematic review and conceptual framework
Authors: Zhang C , Zou Y , Dimyadi J
Published: December 2022

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) has gained popularity in visual building inspection due to its unique advantages of high mobility and low cost. However, it has been a challenge to efficiently manage the large number of images collected by the camera-equipped UAV for analysis and support building condition assessment. One potential solution is to manage the UAV data and building data through the platform of Building Information Modelling (BIM). However, little research has been found that successfully combined UAV and BIM for the visual inspection of buildings. This research explores the state-of-the-art UAV and BIM for visual building inspection through a systematic literature review. A mixed quantitative-qualitative analysis is conducted to provide insights into the application of UAV and BIM in visual building inspection based on identified academic publications (i.e., 48 articles on UAV, 31 articles on BIM, and 4 articles on integrating UAV and BIM). Furthermore, challenges and possible research opportunities are highlighted to guide future research: (1) integrating UAV and BIM to automate the visual building inspection process, including the data collection and data management; (2) considering the safety concern induced by the complex surrounding environment for the BIM-based UAV flight path planning; (3) developing an efficient way for managing UAV images in BIM. In addition, a conceptual framework for integrating UAV and BIM towards automated visual building inspection is proposed to serve as a roadmap.
Resource indicator-oriented building information modeling for the management of infrastructure
Authors: Maibaum J , Block M , König M
Published: December 2022

This paper contributes to increasing resource efficiency by providing a method for calculating the environmental impact in the context of the infrastructure sector. For this purpose, the LCA method is linked to a parametric BIM model for road construction. Municipal existing road structures and characteristics were considered for the development of the approach. The research topic is motivated by the sector of infrastructure construction and especially road construction, which is enormously resource-intensive. Therefore, resource efficiency indicators such as raw material consumption, energy consumption and climate warming must be adequately implemented in the information model for the entire life cycle of a road construction project. The aim of this work was to combine the two areas of resource efficiency calculation and parametric BIM modeling and to generate added value from this combination. In this way, relevant indicators can be extracted that can also be used to define the information needs in terms of resource efficiency and further developed as recommendations for municipal operators. The extension of the methodology to other infrastructure areas has been identified as a further starting point. In the future, it must be ensured that resource flows are recorded holistically to increase resource efficiency.
Research on risk evaluation of logistics park construction project by FMEA based on hesitation environment
Authors: Liang R , Xue Z Z , Wei X , Li R
Published: December 2022

Logistics Park, as a large-scale construction project, has many risk factors that may affect the normal operation of the project in its construction. If the influence of risk factors is ignored, it will bring irreparable losses. Therefore, according to the characteristics of logistics park construction project (LPCP), it is of great practical significance to propose a new risk management model for the risk research of LPCP. Considering the whole project, this paper puts forward a new risk analysis model for construction projects, establishes a risk evaluation index system according to the causes and possible consequences of risks, describes the uncertainty and hesitation of failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) team members’ risk evaluation information based on the uncertainty language Z number, calculates the expert weights by means of dynamic weight adjustment method, and then uses fuzzy C-means clustering algorithm to deal with the risk evaluation of LPCP.
Alignment of Construction Procurement Strategies for the Effective Implementation of BIM in the UAE
Authors: Mostafaio Ahmed , Dulaimi Mohammed
Published: December 2022

The effective diffusion of Building Information Modelling (BIM) presents strong potential to evolve the productivity and performance of the construction industry. Implementing BIM effectively requires significant changes in the construction business practices to improve communication, collaboration and sharing information among team members in design, construction and operating phases. The aim of this paper is to investigate the required reformation of current procurement methods in the UAE to enable the effective diffusion of BIM. The paper will present a conceptual framework which illustrates the needed changes in procurement methods being change in the relationship among participants, change in the contractual agreements, sharing the risks and rewards among stakeholders, early involvement of stakeholders, and involvement of new participants. The paper will report the findings of the analysis of four case studies of companies with vast experience in projects that adopted BIM and how it has impacted the procurement approaches adopted. The research findings have articulated that in order to implement BIM process effectively, it is critical for the UAE construction industry to adopt more collaborative relationships and share the risks and rewards among the participants. The findings show that the most important requisite change is for the key players at design stage to collaborate to create an effective BIM model that will save time and cost. Furthermore, contracts should oblige the participants to adopt BIM, identify the level of development in each stage and determine the responsibilities and intellectual property rights of each stakeholder.
BIM applied to budgeting and quantification for design building companies in Brazil
Authors: Cardoso L R A , Rios T M L , Mognhol T Z , Marostica A V
Published: December 2022

Among the activities of budgeting, quantification is the most manual one, slow and subjected to errors. Errors of quantification may compromise not only the budgeting but also the planning and control of the enterprise. The applications BIM most used by design and building companies (DBC) in Brazil do not provide, in the way in which they are many times used, the quantities needed and enough for budgeting. This paper has as its goal to show the limitations mentioned and propose use alternatives using BIM, aiming to overcome them, increasing the degree of quantification automation in the reality of DBC companies in Brazil. For that, a general conceptualization of budgeting and quantification was made. A case study illustrating usual BIM for design, quantifying the limitations pointed, and the improvements obtained with proposal to overcome them. Results of the work may contribute to widen the knowledge and continuation of researches on the subject.
Blockchain-based framework for a smart supply chain management in construction
Authors: Gomes Ricardo Oliveira , Teles Dos Santos Gisele Cristina , Varela Alberte Elaine Pinto , Carneiro Alex Pires
Published: December 2022

The flow of information in construction supply chain stands out for being inefficient and lacking in automation. Some authors have identified the potential of blockchain technology to solve problems related to the lack of transparency, automation, productivity, and efficiency. This study builds a novel blockchain-based information management framework for a typical supply chain of the construction industry. Using design science research as methodological research strategy, this study presents and analyses a blockchain framework and its development processes. The framework performance was evaluated through its potential to generate organizational knowledge and its impact on the current management context. The challenges of the proposed system are the integration of Hyperledger systems, the development of channels and the layout of the supply chain within the blockchain, as well as the addition and control of members within the network. The main contribution of this study is the proposition of a SaaS (Software as a Service) concept platform with great potential to meet the needs and particularities of the Construction sector.