Civil Projects Research Articles

ЄВРОПЕЙСЬКІ ЦІННОСТІ ЯК ЧИННИК КОНСОЛІДАЦІЇ УКРАЇНСЬКОГО СУСПІЛЬСТВА В УМОВАХ РОСІЙСЬКО-УКРАЇНСЬКОЇ ВІЙНИ

The article analyzes the value dimension of the consolidation of Ukrainian society under the conditions of the Russian-Ukrainian war. The author’s attention is focused on the attitude of Ukrainians toward the value foundations of a united Europe. The paper is based on sociological research from 2014–2024 years. The author traces the dynamics of the attitude of Ukrainians toward the European Union, the possibility of joining Ukraine the EU, basic and political European values (freedom, equality, security, democracy, political system, political regime). The article emphasizes the transformation that has taken place in Ukrainian society: from misunderstanding, reticence or denial to mass support for the European perspective of Ukraine and awareness of the civilizational choice. Consolidation is seen as the unity of society based on common values and a common goal. The Russian-Ukrainian war became one of the means of consolidating Ukrainian society around European values to protect Ukraine’s right to exist as an independent democratic state. Any country striving to be a subject of history must rely on a certain level of internal and external consolidation. The article argues that only by relying on the community of its consolidated citizens, the country can realize its own civilizational project, remaining a historical and geopolitical subject. At the same time, to ensure a dignified life and the self-realization of these citizens, the country must economically and politically consolidate with other countries. It has been proven that the consolidation of Ukrainians on the axiological basis of a united Europe in the conditions of the Russian-Ukrainian war is the basis of its stability, the driving force of social development, and the unifying factor in the formation of a political nation and civil society in Ukraine. Summarizing, the author notes that during the post-war reconstruction of the country on the basis of European democratic values, the development of a scientifically based strategy of social consolidation and the involvement of professionals in its implementation acquires practical significance.

Effects of Cultural Factors on Cost Performance of Multinational Construction Organizations

Purpose: This study examines the effects of cultural factors on cost performance of multinational construction project organisations with a view towards identifying the most effective cost performance variables affected by the influence of cultural practices. Purposive sampling technique was adopted in deterring the number of construction professionals identified in construction companies with international market experience involved in the delivery of building, civil, and heavy engineering construction projects within the south-east geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Outline: A well-structured questionnaire was used to sample respondent’s opinion. Data analysis was through frequencies, percentile, and Mean Item Score (MIS). Findings: Research findings proved that irrespective of the positive effects of educational culture which improves cost performance by ensuring that projects are executed at estimated cost and within client’s budget (Mean = 4.34) and the result of effective communication culture which ensures value for money and return of customer as project is designed to suite client’s budget while maintaining standard quality delivery (Mean = 4.16), political culture tends to have mixed effect on cost performance as project design cost, labour, material and equipment cost, profit and overhead cost, etc. (Mean = 4.30) is found to be responsible for cost overruns of construction projects. Research Implication: The study recommends among others that multinational construction organisations pay great attention to the political style practiced in the host community / country in which they operate.

The cost management of civil and agro-industrial construction project in the scope of information model

The necessary conditions for the existence of an effective cost management system of investment and construction projects are established in the article. Stated aim of the study is to develop methodological provisions of the cost engineering using information modeling technologies. The methodological blocks for parameterization, goal-setting and algorithmization of the information model of an investment and construction project are developed by the author. A list of aggregative cost parameters and an aggregative cost function of an investment and construction project, which is based on aggregative cost parameters, are presented. The processes of budgeting, control and managerial decision-making were considered by the author as functional blocks. The tasks of project budgeting in the scope of an information model, the comprehensive budget model of an investment and construction project and its system parameterization are presented in the article. The main provisions of project cost control and a list of basic cost indicators for control purposes are considered. The requirements of information modeling compatibility with the current subject activity and other software are determined. The author has developed the main provisions of project change management in the scope of information model and recommendations for rational making management decision. An algorithm for a decision-making regarding the realization of an investment and construction project is presented. The prospects of adaptive management of investment and construction projects particularly cost is determined and the vector model of the project behavior under the management action is developed. The main customer requirements to the information model of the investment and construction project are presented. The advantages of using the 5D model in the cost management system for the implementation of an investment and construction project are revealed.

Affirming Human Rights against Neoliberal Anthropology: Social Aphasia And Words That Create

All social movements justify their actions, even if not explicitly, on the basis of the notion of human rights, just as every church and religious groups that are active in social struggles justify them in the name of a God who legitimizes human rights. In other words, the notion of human rights is at the basis of all groups' struggles for social justice. We may find different understandings of the origin of these rights - God, nature, or the human essence - but it is, or was, a presupposition of the project or utopia of modern civilization. However, with the hegemony of neoliberalism in economic and cultural globalization, the situation has changed profoundly. What was once a fundamental presupposition has become a matter of dispute? The theme of human rights has increasingly become a central issue in our political and social discussions. This means that we need, first, to better understand what is happening in the world and then to rediscuss the foundation of human rights. To this end, I will divide my article into three parts: a) the end of the consensus around human rights; b) the neoliberal notion of the non-existence or illusion of human rights; c) the social aphasia of the poor and its relations to the word and the revelation of Yahweh.

Image-based 3D reconstruction for Multi-Scale civil and infrastructure Projects: A review from 2012 to 2022 with new perspective from deep learning methods

As a bridge between physical objects and as-built models, image-based 3D reconstruction performs a vital role by generating point cloud models, mesh models, textured models, and eventually BIMs from images. This study provides a quantitative and qualitative summary of image-based 3D reconstruction for civil engineering projects in the last decade. A bibliometric analysis of 286 journal papers suggested that 3D reconstruction is an interdisciplinary field that integrates photogrammetry, 3D point cloud analysis, semantic segmentation, and deep learning. Based on the analysis, we proposed a 3D reconstruction knowledge framework with three dimensions — essential elements, use phases, and reconstruction scales. The “essential elements” dimension is a technical framework of visual geometry and deep learning methods for 3D model generation. The “use phases” emphasize using 3D reconstruction techniques during the construction, operation, and maintenance phases, which are driven by the demands of visual inspection in various contexts. The “reconstruction scales” dimension synthesizes 3D reconstruction applications from the component level to the city scale with highlights of their opportunities and challenges. This 3D reconstruction knowledge framework sheds light on eight future research directions: automated modeling, model fusion, performance optimization, data fusion, enhanced virtual experience, real-time modeling, standardized reference, and in-depth deep learning research. This review can help scholars understand the present status and highlight research trends of image-based 3D reconstruction in civil engineering associated with the integration of deep learning methods.

Comparative Analysis of Data Driven Software Tools in Asian Countries: Advancing the Development of Engineering Projects

A number of software tools are developed to improve the quality of the products developed in various fields of life, including engineering. The main purpose of the data-driven software tools the engineers design is to develop products on time with the requirements and specifications given by the customers. The most famous data-driven software tools specialized for engineering projects are AutoCAD, CATIA, Primavera, and ZW3D, which are widely considered good and appropriate tools in Asian countries for working on civil, electrical, and mechanical projects. Each software tool has unique characteristics; some of them are useful for civil engineering projects, while others are good for mechanical and electrical engineering projects. The main objective of conducting this research is to determine the best data-driven engineering tool. In this research, quantitative research methodology through survey techniques is employed for data collection. Data was collected from the already-existing users of the above-mentioned engineering tools. The resultant data is statistically analyzed. The results of the current study show that CATIA is better and preferable in terms of all identified features. However, with respect to robustness, Primavera is found to be slightly higher than CATIA. The results of this study aim to assist engineers, especially in Asian countries, in selecting appropriate tools for their data-driven engineering projects and thus be more effective and efficient in the engineering process.

Dynamic properties of high-density polyethylene–sand by large-scale direct shear experiments

Recycling and reuse of plastic waste in civil projects is one way to reduce its negative impacts on the environment. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is a highly abundant plastic waste found widely and in high volumes worldwide. Although sand has a relatively high frictional resistance, if its dynamic parameters are improved, it can be used in geotechnical projects that require higher dynamic parameters than those of pure sand. This study aimed to investigate the dynamic properties of sand mixed with crushed HDPE waste and its application to mitigate its negative environmental impacts. Crushed HDPE was added to sand at 0, 4 and 8% by weight. Under three vertical stresses and two shear amplitudes, the dynamic parameters of the mixture, including damping and shear stiffness, were investigated by conducting a large-scale cyclic direct shear test under ten cycles and are discussed. The results showed that with increasing HDPE percentage, the damping ratio rose and the shear stiffness decreased compared with those of pure sand due to the elasticity, deformation, tensile properties and high potential of HDPE for energy absorption. Furthermore, the rise in shear amplitude decreased the dynamic shear stiffness and raised the damping ratio of the mixtures.

A geophysical investigation of the urban-expanding area over the seismologically active Dahshour region, Egypt

Western Desert region between Cairo and Fayoum in Egypt is a geologically interesting area due to its active seismicity status and the continuous bidirectional urban expansions ongoing northward and southward growth. This work aims to develop a geological model of the region by combining magnetic intensity data (aeromagnetic) and potential field data (airborne gravity) with magnetotelluric (MT) data to offer decision-makers an additional evaluation tool for long-term future planning. Applying a number of filters to aerial gravity and magnetic data allowed us to calculate the subsurface density distribution and structure of the area between Cairo and Fayoum. In addition, the surface of the crust was imaged down to a depth of 6 km using a 3-D inversion of gravity data. Magnetotelluric data were gathered at eight locations over the NS-extended Cairo-Fayoum Road profile. MT data were inverted in 2-D to generate a resistivity model that defines the subsurface structure of the researched region. The subsurface geometry in the MT-derived resistivity model agrees with the results of airborne potential measurements, and no consideration was given to any faults that may have been undetected from the potential maps. Long-term seismological observations indicated that the likely active sources of earthquakes are limited to the recognized main faults and that the ongoing “1185 buildings” construction project did not and will not cause unanticipated seismicity. The paper concludes that urban growth is secure so long as the earthquake codes are rigorously considered while planning civil projects. The northern study region must be regularly monitored for induced seismicity. On the Cairo-Fayoum Road's western side, the middle sector of the study area is the safest place for future civil developments.

Application of the deterministic block theory to the slope stability design of an open-pit mine in Morocco

Purpose. Discontinuities in rock masses are natural fractures that delimit various block shapes and sizes, which can fall, slide or topple from the excavation and collapse under their own weight inducing probably severe damage. Thus, it is essential to carry out a block analysis before beginning any surface or underground excavation project. This paper proposes a methodology based on key block theory analysis to select the suitable slope of different discontinuous rock masses of an open-pit mine in Morocco. Methods. At first, the main discontinuities of each bench are determined and projected onto a stereonet with a maximum dip angle of the excavation plane. Then, it is possible to identify the removable blocks by using the theorem of removability according to block theory. After that, a limit equilibrium analysis is performed to determine the failure mode and the friction angle required to stabilize the blocks. When the selected dip angle of the slope plane is found to be unsuitable, it is changed and reduced by one degree, and the same approach is repeated until the maximum safe slope dip angle is obtained. Findings. The results of the proposed methodology based on key block theory analysis have shown that the maximum safe slope angles of the studied benches are in the range of 63-73°. When compared to the slope angles used in the mine, which are between 58-78°, the results of this study are close to in-situ conditions. Originality. In this research, the maximum safe slope angle of fractured rock masses was optimized by eliminating slope angles inducing unstable blocks (key blocks) and by using the stereographic projection method of key block theory. Practical implications. Using this methodology, stability of rock slopes in civil or mining-engineering projects can be designed or assessed when geotechnical data are very limited.

Social license to operate: Social acceptance in the Quebec context

Issues of social acceptance around development projects are widespread in our societies. Whether for exploiting natural resources, constructing an airport, or building a waste treatment plant, public controversies clearly reflect the importance of social acceptance for civil society, public authorities, and project proponents. Several articles have presented frameworks, indices, scales, analytical models, and measurements to synthesise these issues to assess various projects' social acceptance levels. Although helpful, our main contention is that these frameworks and scales have not paid enough attention to the context (social, political, and institutional) in which social acceptance issues emerge and develop. Our article calls for greater contextualization of models to understand the social acceptability of projects. To illustrate our argument, we analyze the socio-historical foundations of social acceptance over half a century in Québec, Canada, which allows us to develop a contextualized analysis framework that considers the specific Québec context. We have developed an analysis grid with three pillars (issues, context, and discourse), seven related categories and 33 social phenomena to observe. Our intention is to help decision-makers at the local and regional levels in places such as Quebec understand controversies in their communities early in developing a project.

CORRELATIONS OF PHYSICAL-MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF THE BOBONARO CLAY IN TIMOR, AND ITS IMPLICATIONS IN GEOTECHNICAL WORK

Many geotechnical problems like slope failures and other infrastructure damage are common in civil and mining projects on the Bobonaro Clay Complex in Timor. Obtaining relevant geotechnical data for a complete engineering analysis is often time-consuming and expensive. Therefore, a study on the relationship between the parameters can be a powerful tool in these situations. Here we used multiple linear regression analysis to determine the correlation between the physical properties (clay content and plasticity index) and mechanical properties (angle of internal friction and cohesion) of the Bobonaro Clay. The data are 53 clay samples from Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara Province. These samples were from geotechnical drilling and Atterberg tests, grain size–hydrometer analysis, and unconsolidated–undrained Triaksial tests. Of all the correlation attempts, we found that only the clay content – plasticity index, and clay content – angle of internal friction exhibited a moderate correlation with a positive trend. The results of the multiple linear regression correlation also failed to express a good model; therefore, it was replaced by simple linear regression analysis. The various factors that need to be considered in a geotechnical correlation study, along with the significance and uniqueness of the Bobonaro clay, are also addressed in this article.

360° IMAGE ORIENTATION AND RECONSTRUCTION WITH CAMERA POSITIONS CONSTRAINED BY GNSS MEASUREMENTS

Abstract. Photogrammetric applications using 360° images are becoming more and more popular in different fields, such as cultural heritage documentation of narrow spaces; civil, architectural, and environmental projects like tunnel surveying; mapping of urban city centres, etc. The popularity of 360° photogrammetry relates to the high productivity of the acquisition phase, giving the opportunity to capture the entire scene around the user in a relatively short time. On the other hand, the photogrammetric workflow needs ground control points (GCPs), well distributed over the survey area, to georeference the produced 3D data. Placing, measuring on-field, and identifying GCP on images is time-consuming and sometimes even not feasible due to environmental conditions. While effective solutions exist for UAV-based projects, direct georeferencing and GNSS assisted photogrammetry is still not fully exploited for ground-based acquisitions. This paper aims at presenting a solution coupling 360° images and high-precision GNSS systems for direct georeferencing of outdoor projects without the need for manually measuring GCPs. Three different acquisition modes for 360° images and GNSS data are presented, and orientation results are compared with manually measured Check Points.

Travelling abroad and geopolitical preferences – case of Kharkiv, Dnipro and Mariupol, Ukraine

The paper investigates the relationship between travel abroad experience and individual geopolitical preferences in three geopolitical fault-line cities in the eastern part of Ukraine. Employing binary logistic regression as a principal research method, we show that travel experience to European countries positively correlates with pro-European attitudes and corresponds to weaker pro-Soviet sentiments. On the contrary, travel experience to Russia is associated with somewhat weaker support for European geopolitical and cultural integration but stronger pro-Soviet sentiments. Travel experience to Russia is less important predictor of geopolitical preferences than visiting European countries. Pro-European attitudes, compared with pro-Soviet sentiments, are much more interlinked with international travel experience. The data on bilateral travellers evidences that possible effect of visiting European countries basically neutralises the effect of visiting Russia in terms of impact on geopolitical preferences. Although the relationship between travel abroad experience and geopolitical preferences is similar in all three cities under investigation, certain variations between them may be explained by different economic, socio-cultural and institutional background. The revealed correlations seem to cover both direct causal effect of travel abroad on geopolitical preferences and a reverse causality, namely self-selection of destination country according to personal pre-existing geopolitical views. The importance of discovered relationships for the integration of Ukrainian society into European civilization project is apparent not only considering visa-free regime between Ukraine and the European Union (EU), but also in view of the Russian military invasion in 2022 as a cause of flows of refugees from Ukraine to Europe.

Evaluation of Factors of Design Change, Material Availability and Labor Productivity Against Cost Performance on Office Building Projects

Good cost performance will result in profit margins for the company, but on the contrary, poor cost performance will certainly result in cost overruns. And this is often and even always the case with every project, both in construction projects and office building projects. Several factors can influence the decline in cost performance so that there is a cost overrun, such as design changes, material availability, work improvements, poor labor relations, incomplete project documents, increase in material prices, labor, equipment, project finances, and project implementation time. With the various causes of decreased cost performance, this research will limit the analysis of factors such as changes in design, material availability and labor productivity, which are indeed very frequent in construction projects, especially in office building projects. Office building projects are not as large as high-rise construction projects or other civil projects, but in terms of the complexity of detailed types of work, it is often a boomerang for cost overruns. This study used a statistical analysis approach using an SPSS device based on questionnaire data for implementing contractors in Jakarta.

Analysis of the Behavioral Aspects of Project Planning and Budgeting at CV Karya Jaya in Surabaya

The success of a budget plan lies in the behavior of the manager or head of the company. CV Karya Jaya is an expansion of a business engaged in construction, such as repairing plumbing (PDAM partners), paving roads, and other construction matters, so that for the aspect of budgeting with capital that is already owned from the profits of several types of ongoing businesses. This study aims to analyze behavioral factors in project planning and budgeting. In addition to knowing the role of budgeting that impacts the behavior of leaders to make decisions and commitments, to increase customer satisfaction, job certainty for employees, and have a good image of partner companies. This study uses a descriptive qualitative method. Sources of data that have been obtained from this study are primary data and secondary data. Civil project services on maintenance in Putat Surabaya get a loss of IDR 1,034,000 because the total amount of the project is IDR 150,649,000. Civil pump house repair project services for three months of work in Surabaya. In the civil construction of the pump house, it suffered a loss of IDR 156,870,900. The Blower Ngagel I civil project experienced a profit of IDR 11,623,500, but payments from vendors for six months will be paid in December 2022. All the work was carried out correctly and according to the completion target, but several projects experienced losses due to improper budget planning.

Editorial

Editorial

Экологическое мышление в формировании цивилизационных ориентаций российского общества цифровой эпохи

In recent years, the problems of the modern civilizational choice of our country have been increasingly discussed. Various civilizational projects are considered from the social, economic, political, geopolitical, ideological, general cultural, confessional and other positions. At the same time, projects that pay attention to natural components that influence the formation of new civilizational orienta­tions take the least part in these discussions. And this is understandable. We live in a growing gap between the scientific and technical, humanitarian and social components of the development of modern society, the rapid formation of a new digital era created by the increased scientific and technical power of man. This era led to the emergence of global information networks that made global com­munications possible, which fundamentally changes the form of organization of modern society. The concept of the formation of such a digital era was compre­hensively developed in the works of D. Bell, E. Toffler, M. Castels, M. McLuhan and many other modern researchers. The paper considers the role of ecological thinking in the formation of civilizational orientations of the Russian society of the digital age. The prospects and risks of such a civilizational development are analyzed. The importance of the formation of environmentally oriented thinking for overcoming the risks and dangers of this path, for significant transforma­tions of the formation of civilizational orientations of our country is revealed. The historical prerequisites for the emergence of ecological approaches are considered. The civilizational perspectives of the functioning of ecological thinking in modern conditions are formulated. It is proved that ecological think­ing, leading to the formation of a broad ecological culture, fulfills the most im­portant strategic task of our time – the formation of an eco-oriented civilizational attitude of its development in our country.

Estimating the volume of civil construction materials by machine learning models

Previous construction project cost models, especially in the project initiation phase, often mainly focused on estimating the total project cost without taking into account their constituent aspects such as materials, labor, machineries and equipment. Therefore, building a material quantity estimation model will have a positive impact on improving the accuracy of the total project cost. There have been many studies related to this issue, but there are few studies on building a model to estimate the quantity of materials for civil projects with reinforced concrete structures and they use specialized software (which is difficult to access for many subjects in the construction industry). The founding of many machines learning software, especially Weka software, helps to model with powerful algorithms with high reliability. In this study, suitable machine learning models will be proposed for estimating the quantity of materials as: concrete, formwork, steel of the components: foundation, column, beam and floor. Suitable machine learning models will be suggested to rank for each different model.

Different Approach for the Structure Inclination Determination

The current engineering and building pace has reached localities where vast civil projects were not considered. The changes of the intravillan area may cause some vacant historical localities to become a boundary or even a part of occupied area. The proximity of designed civil projects to historical structures may have great impact on their stability, and it is recommended or even legislatively set to monitor the possible changes in their shape or position. In case of protected structures, it is convenient to find a non-invasive way to measure and monitor historical structures if possible. Many data acquisition methods used in civil engineering for various purposes have gone through significant technological progress and enable the new ways of data collection. It is needed to focus on these methods from an application and precision point of view.

Alexander Kazantsev vs Alexander Zinovev: Two Intentions in the Views on Soviet Society

The analysis of the views and concepts of A. Zinoviev and A. Kazantsev reveals a number of similarities and common points in their opinions on the key issues of civilizational development. Both thinkers researched the problem of the optimal path of political and ideological development for humanity. The key issue they raised was the essence of the social opposition “collectivism – individualism”. A.A. Zinoviev introduced the sociological concepts of the simple communal individual and complex communal individuals, thus comparing the state with the cellular structure of an organism. A similar view of “social cytology” was demonstrated by the science fi ction author A. Kazantsev. Collectivism was the basis of social justice for both of them. One of the key ideas in the books of A. Zinoviev and A. Kazantsev was the clash between West and East. Both thinkers tried to describe a comprehensive project of the future civilization. The futuristic vision of A. Kazantsev was based on the combination of humanism,technology and communism, while A. Zinoviev denied technocracy as an element of an effi cient society, but recognized the role of maintaining communalism and social justice.