Expansion Project Research Articles

Worth a Shot: Experience and Lessons From an Unsuccessful Pediatric Immunization Quality Improvement Effort in a Large Health System During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

During the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, routine childhood immunization rates dropped dramatically across the world, and the Military Health System (MHS) was no exception. In the MHS, which is a large, universally covered, low-to-no-cost health system, the immunization rates with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine remain below the rate necessary to prevent community transmission of measles. We aimed to improve childhood immunization rates in the MHS with an expansive quality improvement project. Measles, mumps, and rubella immunization rates served as proxy outcome measures for routine immunization rates tracked by the Center for Disease Control multi-immunization combination measures. The tracked measure was the percentage of 16- to 18-month olds and 6-year olds who had received MMR #1 and MMR #2, respectively. Various countermeasures were implemented throughout the study period, and standard quality improvement analyses informed the effect of countermeasures. By January 2023, the percentage of 16- to 18-month olds and 6-year olds who had received MMR #1 and MMR #2 was 85% and 91%, respectively, with no positive shift in immunization rates despite various countermeasures introduced during the study period. For reference, the MMR immunization rates of commercial health maintenance organization and commercial preferred provider organization for 24-month-old populations were 92% and 90.3%, respectively. On chart review, the most common cause for under-immunization (55%) was vaccine abandonment. MMR #1 rates rose to 92% in 24-month olds. Measles, mumps, and rubella immunization rates within the MHS remained below commercial health system rates and below public health standards required for herd immunity despite various countermeasures throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Immunization rates increased with age, suggesting that children within the MHS eventually catch up despite potential barriers.

Kurgans of Gazanbulag

This article presents the results of rescue archaeological excavations carried out in November 2015 — January 2016 (following the program of archaeological research in new building sites, within the framework of the South Caucasus Pipeline Expansion project) near the Gazanbulag River, in the Borsunli kurgan cemetery, and the samples of material culture of the ancient Azerbaijan population identified within the site. The surveyed area is located about one kilometer north from the village of Veyisli, on the right side of the highway leading to the district center — the city of Goranboy (Goranboy district, the Republic of Azerbaijan), at an altitude of 219 m.a.s.l. During the archaeological exploration work carried out in 2013, about 30 burial mounds were discovered on the territory of the Borsunlu “Camp” and near the Gazanbulag River. In 2015–2016, nine burial mounds were excavated at the “Camp” site. All these mounds had a covering consisting of medium and large stones. The space between the stone rows of mounds was filled with earth. Burial chambers were found in all of them except for kurgans 3 and 8. Despite the fact that mounds 7 and 9 had chambers and equipment, they did not contain human remains. In some mounds (Nos. 6, 7, 9) the burial chambers were located in the center of the mound covering, while in others (Nos. 1, 2, 4, and 5) on its slopes. In the burials, representative archaeological materials were revealed, which shed light on the study of religious beliefs, social status and life of ancient inhabitants of the analysed area of Azerbaijan. Samples of ceramic vessels found in the mounds are characteristic to the Khojaly-Gadabay archaeological culture in their shape and content. Apart from pottery, numerous bronze items of jewellery were found in the graves: bracelets, rings, earrings, diadems, flat buttons, headbands, beads. The discovered iron products are represented by knife blades and iron rod. It can be assumed that persons with a special high social status were interred in the Gazanbulag kurgan cemetery. Based on the type, structure, grave goods recovered, as well as the results of the radiocarbon analysis, the analysed burial mounds are mainly dated to the end of the Bronze Age and the begin-ning of the Early Iron Age, precisely to the 10th–9th c. BC.

Improvement of Traditional Energy-Saving Cold Alley Spaces: Case Study of Shixiangyuan Garden Renovation and Expansion Project in Guangzhou

Traditional cold alleys have the ability to adapt to hot climates with cooling and insulation, which is a traditional design method that conforms to sustainable development. Due to the limited depth of space and the adoption of mechanical ventilation in most contemporary architectural design, this passive energy-saving method is gradually being ignored. In this study, we use ventilation measurement and simulation to explore the characteristics of ventilation performance in the cold alleys of the renovation and expansion project of Shixiangyuan Garden. The research, using anemometers and thermometers for measurement, aims to explore how Shixiangyuan Garden can utilize its existing environment and improve it to adapt to local conditions, and also discusses the methods of increasing the number of air vents to improve the overall ventilation performance of the alleys, as well as the effects of form changes caused by utilizing water and plants to supplement the soft interface. Although many studies have explored the mechanisms of cold alleys in traditional architecture, few have discussed the variance of cold alley forms that could adapt to the limited depths of newly constructed buildings. This study attempts to explore the potential for this through simulation. The purpose is to find new ways to inherit the sustainable advantages of cold alleys in new projects.

Inpatient Corridor Visibility and Care Team Communication.

This article aims to investigate the impact of fine-grained differences in unit layout on care staff corridor communication. Corridor design can be undertaken with greater emphasis on space and cost efficiency or with greater emphasis on affording quality knowledge workspace. Building on prior research on care team communication and inpatient unit design, this study aims to gain a better understanding of how corridor layout properties affect care team communication. This study used space syntax analysis to characterize inpatient unit design, specifically floor-plan layout. Two approaches were used to capture care team communication: behavior mapping with recording of care team member locations and whether they were communicating and the HDR CARE Scale, Inpatient Version. The two units were part of a vertical tower expansion project, and, though constructed at separate times, they maintain the same organizational culture, floor plate, and location of key vertical elements. The newer unit was found to be more visually open using three measures from space syntax. More nursing staff verbal communication was observed on this unit. Across both units, nursing staff were more likely to be observed verbally communicating in locations that were more visually connected (i.e., at locations with larger viewsheds). There were no significant differences between nursing staff self-report on work using the HDR CARE Scale, Inpatient Version. We conclude that care team communication may tend to be encouraged by visual connectivity that can be promoted through floor-plan layout.

Analyzing the Economic Impact of Airport Expansion Projects on Local Communities

Airport expansion projects have significant economic implications for local communities, ranging from job creation and increased tourism to enhanced infrastructure and property development. However, the economic impact of such projects is complex and multifaceted, influenced by factors such as location, scale, and community characteristics. This research paper examines the economic effects of airport expansion on local communities, drawing on empirical evidence and case studies to explore the opportunities and challenges associated with these projects. By analyzing various dimensions of economic impact, including employment, tourism, and infrastructure development, this paper aims to provide insights for policymakers, urban planners, and community stakeholders engaged in airport expansion initiatives.

Analysis of the Impact of the Former Abandoned Dregs of Mountain Highways on the Construction and Safety of New Bridge Pile Foundations

In highway reconstruction and expansion projects, the impact of the abandoned dreg body produced by the original highway on the new bridge project cannot be ignored. If the abandoned dregs are not handled properly, they will cause great threat to the operation of the new highway as well as to the safety of the surrounding environment and personnel. In this paper, based on a South China highway reconstruction and expansion project, a model of the abandoned dreg body, bridge pile and anti-slide pile is established with the help of finite difference software FLAC3D 5.0. The calculation results show that compared with burying the anti-slide pile, slope cutting is more effective for improving the stability of the abandoned dreg body. Under the action of vertical force intensity, the displacement of the top of the pile increases continuously, and the maximum bending moment of the pile body increases firstly and then decreases. The pile displacement and bending moment of the bridge pile increase significantly in the storm condition compared with the normal condition. In addition, the abandoned dreg body hazard prevention and control technical measures are studied. The impacts of different locations of anti-slide pile burial on bridge piles are analyzed and compared, and it is determined that the optimal location of anti-slide pile burial is the middle of the secondary slope.

Development of a graphite pile to produce a neutron thermal field at the CIEMAT - Neutron standards laboratory

The CIEMAT Neutron Standards Laboratory (LPN) is the Spanish national reference laboratory in neutron metrology. Within the framework of the LPN expansion project, it has been planned to incorporate a thermal neutron field based on a graphite pile. A study has been carried out with MCNP 6.2 for a graphite pile with dimensions 180 × 150 × 150 cm3, with a 185 GBq Am–Be source (B = 1.1·107 s−1) and the internal cavity with a section of 40 × 40 cm2 and a depth of 50 cm. The main parameters of the graphite pile and the position and emission rate of the Am–Be neutron source have been varied to determine the fluence rates at several points in the pile, their thermal component and homogeneity. The optimal configuration produces a neutron spectrum with more than 98% of thermal component, fluence rates around 400 cm−2 s−1 inside the cavity and 55 cm−2 s−1 outside, and acceptable homogeneity in this thermal neutron field. From a Radiation Protection point of view it is necessary to incorporate borated high-density polyethylene (HDPE-B) around or at least as a shielding wall, and a Cd window to filter the thermal component.

The Future of Double Consciousness: Epistemic Virtue, Identity, and Structural Anti-Blackness

This paper considers two conceptual expansions of Du Boisian double consciousness—white double consciousness (Alcoff 2015) and kaleidoscopic consciousness (Medina 2013)—both of which aim to articulate the moral-epistemic potential of cultivating double consciousness from racially dominant or other socially privileged positions. We analyze these concepts and challenge them on the grounds that they lack continuity with their Du Boisian predecessor and face problems of practical feasibility. As we show, these expansions obscure structural barriers that make white double consciousness and kaleidoscopic consciousness unlikely antidotes to the kind of racial domination that double consciousness was introduced to illuminate. We conclude that while more intersectional and pluralistic accounts of double consciousness may be desirable, the project of expansion has moral limits. Identifying these limitations, we outline ways in which double consciousness—as a tool for conceptualizing the genealogy of structural anti-Blackness—remains valuable in the absence of ever-expanding revision.

Hard and soft governance mechanisms for large projects. A historical perspective

Purpose Drawing motivation from the greater exposure to uncertainty and condition changes that affect large projects due to their long lifecycle, this paper aims to investigate how the time factor affects the use of governance mechanisms to pursue the success of these projects. Design/methodology/approach To pursue its aim, the article applies the dichotomization between the hard and soft mechanisms of project governance to the analysis of a historical case study, whose findings are organized over the short, medium and long periods. The case selected is referred to the peculiar water system, made up of tunnels named “bottini,” that was in use in Siena (Italy) as the old aqueduct. Specifically, the study focuses on the project of expansion of this water system that was realized during the 14th century for the construction of the “Bottino maestro di Fontegaia.” Findings This article highlights the different relevance that, during the lifecycle of large projects, is assumed by hard and soft governance mechanisms, with the former having main relevance in a short and medium period, and the latter usually emerging in the medium period and, subsequently, playing a growing role for the project success in the long period. Originality/value The article contributes to the literature on large projects by providing novel insights about how the time factor impacts the governance of these projects. Furthermore, the case study, with its unique history, highlights the relevance of combining effectively the hard and the soft dimensions of project governance to pursue success.

Deformation caused by T-shape expansion of existing metro station: complex challenges and strategies

This case study presents an investigation on existing metro station deformation characteristics during T-type expansion in Nanjing, China. A three-dimensional elastic-plastic finite element model is adopted to consider the interaction of soil, retaining structure, horizontal support system and existing station structure. The results indicate that coupling deformation of asymmetric uplift deflection and existing structure rotation occurs on existing structure. Moreover, the sensitivity of influencing factors is analyzed, including the dimension of retaining structure, the support spacing, the excavation method, the soil reinforcement depth in passive area, the width of retaining soil during excavation, the relative position between foundation pit and existing structure, the excavation depth, the existing structure rigidity. Furthermore, based on the analysis of difficulties in the T-shape expansion projects, the controlling measures for the deformation of existing metro station are proposed. The achievements of this case study can be used as a reference for similar underground expansion projects.

Mechanical mechanism of soft soil foundation improved by geosynthetic-reinforced pile-supported technology based on field experiment

Geosynthetic-reinforced pile-supported (GRPS) technology is an effective method for improving soft soil foundations. Conducting field tests is crucial for accurately assessing the mechanical behavior of GRPS technology. Based on the fourth expansion project at Pudong Airport, field tests were conducted to investigate the effects of GRPS technology on soft-foundation treatment. Specifically, the tests examined the changes in the pile and soil settlement, pore water pressure, and pile and soil stress. The results showed that the settlement of the GRPS foundation mainly occurred during the loading period, accounting for approximately 65% of the total foundation settlement. Increasing the pile modulus and reducing the pile spacing decreased the total foundation settlement. The filling load was mainly transferred to the piles through the soil arching effect, resulting in a large excess pore water pressure in the soil layer near the pile tip. In addition, when the filling height was low, the load transfer relied predominantly on the tensile membrane effect of the geogrid, which was more pronounced near the piles. However, as the filling height increased, the soil arching effect surpassed the tensile membrane effect and played a key role in load transfer.

Analysis of the Surrounding Rock Full-Displacement Variation in Large-Span Mudstone Highway Tunnels

Due to the increasing development of highway reconstruction and expansion projects in China, many large-span highway tunnels are being constructed near existing highway tunnels. Tunneling underneath will inevitably cause variation in the surrounding rock displacement and may even lead to collapse. In this study, based on an analysis of extensive field monitoring data from the Gucheng tunnel, the variation law for the surrounding rock full-displacement and the influence of the tunnel-face spatial effect in a large-span mudstone tunnel are analyzed. The change in the full displacement experienced the following sequence: slow pre-displacement growth → rapid increase → slow increase → gradual stability. The displacement released by the excavation of the tunnel construction accounts for 40~60% of the total displacement, and the closer to the excavation contour, the more obvious the displacement release. The final convergence value of vertical displacement is obtained by hyperbolic function regression prediction analysis. Based on this value, Lee and Hoek equations are used for parameter analysis and field-data fitting. It is concluded that the larger the proportion of the early displacement of the surrounding rock before construction to the total displacement, the smaller the influence of the tunnel-face spatial effect on the surrounding rock. The numerical simulation results are compared with actual monitoring results, and good agreement is observed. The larger the burial depth of the tunnel, the smaller the influence range in the tunnel-face spatial effect, and the more concentrated the displacement release. The variation law and the influential range for the surrounding rock full-displacement described in this paper can provide a reference for predicting and controlling the deformation during the construction of future large-span mudstone tunnels.

Rock Breaking Law Under the Condition of Multi-row Drilling of Static Crushing Agent and Its Application in Roadway Expansion

Static crushing agent (SCA) has the advantages of good safety, no harmful gas and no vibration. It is widely used in rock crushing engineering of mine or underground engineering. Aiming at the performance of static crushing agent with different water-cement ratios, based on the engineering and environmental conditions of roadway side protection in a mine of Shanxi coking coal, the stress-time curve of SCA and the fracturing law of SCA on roadway side rock under the condition of multi-row drilling were studied by means of laboratory test and numerical simulation. The results show that: the smaller the hole spacing, the better the fracturing effect of SCA, the smaller the required fracture initiation stress and penetration stress, and the existence of the free surface contributes to the development of the fracture, and the fracture around the hole extends along the direction of the incoming pressure under the peripheral pressure conditions; the porous SCA fracturing can be used for the high efficiency of underground rock fracturing projects such as rocky roadway spreading and other underground rock fracturing projects. The research results of the project provide a new method for non-blasting roadway expansion, roof picking and other rock-breaking projects in underground coal mines.

Digital Twin Model and Its Establishment Method for Steel Structure Construction Processes

At present, the informatization level in the construction process of steel structures is relatively low. Meanwhile, digital twin technology, with better interactive features, provides a new development direction for the intelligent construction of steel structures. Therefore, this paper introduces the concept of a digital twin into the steel structure construction process, analyzes the connotation and characteristics of the digital twin model, and proposes the digital twin model architecture for steel structure construction processes. Furthermore, a method for establishing a digital twin model for steel structure construction processes is presented, which includes three stages: the acquisition and transmission of physical space data, the construction of a digital twin virtual model, and information exchange in the digital twin model. Based on these concepts, this paper describes a digital twin system architecture for the steel structure construction process from the perspective of data flow in the digital twin model. Finally, with the application of information technology in the steel structure construction process of the university park library project in Xiongan New Area and the reconstruction and expansion project of the Nanchong Gaoping airport, the digital twin model and its establishment method methods are analyzed practically and demonstrated effectively in this study.

Design Method for Road Reconstruction and Expansion

This article analyzes the method for designing routes in road reconstruction and expansion projects, using an actual engineering project as an example. This includes an overview of a specific road reconstruction and expansion project, an analysis of the preexisting road, the basic principles of the design road project, and an analysis of the design methods and steps. This study aims to offer some guidance for road reconstruction and expansion design.

Settlement Control Standards of Construction and Expansion for Mountainous Highway Roadbeds

This article analyzes the differential settlement of new and old roadbeds after widening and its characteristics based on a highway reconstruction and expansion project case study. The research proposes a subgrade settlement control standard that states that the maximum differential settlement value should be less than 5 cm when the embankment fill height exceeds 20 m. Similarly, the maximum differential settlement value should be less than 10 cm when the embankment fill height does not exceed 20 m. The findings of the study can provide a useful reference for the design of roadbed widening in highway reconstruction and expansion projects.

Analysis and Comparison of Slope-cutting Widening Schemes in Highway Reconstruction and Expansion Project Based on MIDAS Software

In this paper, the geological condition of the right-side slope of the K114 + 694–K115 + 162 section of Yong-tai-wen Expressway is investigated and analyzed with the results showing that the strength of rock mass is the main contributor to the stability of the slope. Then, two widening schemes are proposed, which are the steep slope with strong support and the gentle slope with general support schemes. The static/slope module of MIDAS GTS finite element analysis software and the strength reduction method were used to compare the two schemes. The results show that the steep slope with a strong support scheme has obvious advantages in land requisition, environmental protection, and safety and is more suitable for reconstructing and expanding the highway slope.

Practicing wujud: A Constellation of sumud in the Fragmented Palestinian Present

The Zionist conception of history and its material project of expansion and land annexation produce a temporality of catastrophe (Nakba) that constantly reiterates violence, dispossession, and displacement in Palestinian lives and experiences. The linear temporality of the colonial process, including the neo-liberal framework of one of its crucial phases—the Oslo Accords (1993), has fragmented Palestinian existence throughout the past decades on multiple levels—economic, political, social, and geographic. Reflecting on Palestinian sumud as a constellation—within an epistemological and methodological relational perspective that aims to counter colonial linear epistemologies and temporalities, this article looks at how three significant Palestinian embodied, material and symbolic practices of wujud (presence) function within collective sumud. On the one hand, such experiences resist colonial annihilation by re-integrating the physical and cultural Palestinian presence in the face of catastrophe. On the other, they embody the diversity of Palestinian ontologies and the multi-vocality of Palestinian epistemologies. Practicing and asserting wujud and reclaiming relationships with the land are refractory Palestinian spaces, in the here and now of a fragmented present, to the Zionist colonial temporality, material and epistemic order. They enable the existence and resistance of the Palestinian people and alternative understandings and imaginations of time, meaning, and presence.

Mechanical Behavior of Secondary Lining in Super Large-Span Tunnels Considering Temperature Effects

Temperature stress has a significant impact on the structural stress of (super) large-span tunnel lining, which can easily lead to structural fatigue damage and premature cracking. With the increasing scale and quantity of super large-span tunnels, the issue of temperature stress in secondary lining has attracted widespread attention. Previous studies have paid little attention to the influence of temperature stress on the structural internal forces of ordinary small–medium-span tunnels, but this influence cannot be ignored for super large-span tunnels. We take the Letuan Tunnel (a double-hole eight-lane tunnel) of the Binzhou-Laiwu expressway renovation and expansion project in Shandong Province as a case study and analyze the mechanical response of the secondary lining through on-site measurement. Moreover, a numerical simulation was conducted to evaluate the effects of self-weight and temperature stress on the secondary lining of the case tunnel. The results indicate that: the stress of the secondary lining concrete and steel bars is greatly affected by seasonal temperature changes. The compressive stress of the concrete and steel bars is significantly greater in summer than in winter, and the tensile stress is greater in winter than in summer. Furthermore, multiple measurement points have shown a phenomenon of transition between tensile and compressive stress states. The stress of concrete and steel bars fluctuates periodically with a sine function over time, with a fluctuation period of one year. The structural stress increases with the increase of summer temperature and decreases with the decrease of winter temperature. The fluctuation amplitude of stress in the inner side of the lining concrete and steel bars is greater than that on the outer side. Among them, the stress amplitudes of the inner and outer sides of the concrete are between 0.77–1.75 MPa and 0.44–1.07 MPa, respectively, and the stress amplitudes of the inner and outer steel bars are between 5–31 MPa and 7–13 MPa, respectively. The safety factors in summer are lower than those in winter. The minimum safety factors for secondary lining in summer and winter are 3.4 and 4.6, respectively, which can meet the safety requirements for service. The average axial forces of the secondary lining under the coupling effects of self-weight and temperature in winter and summer are 528 MPa and 563 MPa, respectively, which are significantly greater than the combined axial forces under their individual effects. The bending moment distribution of the secondary lining at the tunnel vault, inverted arch, wall spring and other positions under the coupling effect of self-weight and temperature is different from or even opposite to the bending moment superposition result under the two individual actions. The achieved results reveal that the influence of temperature stress on the service performance of the lining structure cannot be ignored, and the research results can provide useful reference for similar tunnels and related studies.

Analysis of Bridge Inspection Technology for Highway Reconstruction and Expansion

This article focuses on bridge testing technologies in highway construction and expansion projects. It provides an overview of the inspection process for bridges in highway reconstruction and expansion projects, the main inspections, and strategies for improving the quality of inspections. Relevant units should conduct bridge inspections using appearance inspections, special inspections, and bearing capacity assessments in highway reconstruction and expansion projects. To effectively improve testing quality, relevant units should also focus on establishing and improving testing standards, strengthening material testing, and improving the overall quality of the testing personnel. This research aims to enhance the quality of highway reconstruction and expansion projects by supporting the sensible application of bridge inspection technology.