Infrastructure Systems Research Articles

Mobility Index Towards Heritage Tourism Area, Case Study: Borobudur, Prambanan, And Ratu Boko

Mobility has become a crucial factor in transportation management, especially in the tourism sector. It is a key indicator of the performance of transportation infrastructure and people's response to it. To evaluate mobility in tourist areas, there is a need for tools to represent its value. In this study, the concept of an index as a measure of performance is applied, gathering information into a simpler and more mutually agreeable form. The cultural heritage sites of Borobudur, Prambanan, and Ratu Boko are chosen as an ideal study location due to their popularity internationally. Given the limitations of previous research on mobility indexes in tourist areas, the Sustainable Urban Mobility Index (I_SUM) framework is used to develop the variables. To avoid bias, this study utilizes expert opinion methods to assess necessary and unnecessary variables in achieving the index. Eight individuals with expertise and experience in transportation and tourism are selected as respondents. Furthermore, the expert evaluation results are processed using the Content Validity Index (CVI). The outcome is 26 variables that meet the validation test out of a total of 32 previous variables, which are divided into five domains, covering accessibility, social aspects, transportation infrastructure, traffic cycle, and transportation systems.

Mobility has become a crucial factor in transportation management, especially in the tourism sector. It is a key indicator of the performance of transportation infrastructure and people's response to it. To evaluate mobility in tourist areas, there is a need for tools to represent its value. In this study, the concept of an index as a measure of performance is

Mobility has become a crucial factor in transportation management, especially in the tourism sector. It is a key indicator of the performance of transportation infrastructure and people's response to it. To evaluate mobility in tourist areas, there is a need for tools to represent its value. In this study, the concept of an index as a measure of performance is applied, gathering information into a simpler and more mutually agreeable form. The cultural heritage sites of Borobudur, Prambanan, and Ratu Boko are chosen as an ideal study location due to their popularity internationally. Given the limitations of previous research on mobility indexes in tourist areas, the Sustainable Urban Mobility Index (I_SUM) framework is used to develop the variables. To avoid bias, this study utilizes expert opinion methods to assess necessary and unnecessary variables in achieving the index. Eight individuals with expertise and experience in transportation and tourism are selected as respondents. Furthermore, the expert evaluation results are processed using the Content Validity Index (CVI). The outcome is 26 variables that meet the validation test out of a total of 32 previous variables, which are divided into five domains, covering accessibility, social aspects, transportation infrastructure, traffic cycle, and transportation systems.

Perioperative capacity and contextual challenges in teaching hospitals of southern Ethiopia: explanatory sequential mixed-methods research

BackgroundPrevious Ethiopian literature on surgical capacity and challenges has focused on quantitative investigations, lacking contextual understanding. This explanatory sequential mixed-methods research (MMR) aimed to assess perioperative capacity and contextual challenges at three teaching hospitals in southern Ethiopia.MethodsA quantitative survey assessed workforce, infrastructure, service delivery, financing, and information systems. The survey findings were explained by qualitative semi-structured interviews of twenty perioperative providers. Descriptive statistics were integrated with qualitative thematic analysis findings using the narrative waving approach. Key findings from both datasets were linked using a joint display table.ResultsThe survey revealed shortages in the specialist workforce (with a ratio of 0.58 per 100,000 population), surgical volume (at 115 surgeries per 100,000 population), equipment, supplies, financing, and perioperative data tracking. Hospitals’ radiology services and blood products were only available 25–50% of the time, while anesthetic agents and essential laboratory services were often available 51–75% of the time. Perioperative management protocols were used rarely (1–25% of the time). Over 90% of patients lack health insurance coverage. Qualitative data also revealed scarcity of perioperative resources and equipment; unaffordable perioperative costs, lack of health insurance coverage, and unforeseen expenses; poor patient safety culture and communication barriers across the perioperative continuum of care; workforce shortages, job dissatisfaction, and concerns of competence; and weak national governance, and sociopolitical turmoil, and global market volatility exacerbating local challenges. These challenges are linked to risks in quality of care and patient safety, according to clinicians.ConclusionThe study identifies deficiencies in the health system and sociopolitical landscape affecting safe surgery conduct. It highlights the need for comprehensive health system strengthening to expand workforce, upgrade facilities, improve safety culture, resilience, and leadership to ensure timely access to essential surgery. Exploring external factors, such as the impact of national governance and sociopolitical stability on reform efforts is also essential.

A latent-based segmentation framework for the investigation of charging behaviour of electric vehicle users

Electrification of transport is deemed by many countries worldwide as one of the key strategies to mitigate CO2 emissions, yet the availability of reliable public charging infrastructure systems represents a potential serious bottleneck to such endeavours. Existing studies exploring battery electric vehicle (BEV) charging behaviour are typically based on either non-representative samples or stated choices experiments. This paper analyses observational data from a representative sample of German BEV owners who provided information on mileage and charging activities over a timeframe of eight weeks. BEV charging patterns, related vehicles kilometres travelled (VKT) and battery charging behaviour are assessed via a multifaceted empirical framework that pairs a hazard survival-based model with a log linear regression approach. A latent class method is also employed to segment BEV owners into different charging segments. The model suggests two types of charging behaviour exist, consisting of regular and irregular chargers. Charging frequencies and patterns are found to be radically different between the two groups under study, with regular chargers estimated to charge their vehicles 1.5 times more than irregular chargers. Lastly, the framework proposed is used to explore how charging behaviour will mutate due to both technology advancements (BEV driving range improvements) and user-centric factors (VKT variations). Neither technological or user factors are predicted to substantially affect the inter-charging duration of irregular chargers, whereas both increasing BEV driving ranges and reducing VKT results in a longer elapsed time between two consecutive charges for regular chargers.

The value of resilience bond in financing flood resilient infrastructures: a case study of Towyn

ABSTRACT As catastrophic events become increasingly frequent, infrastructure systems face rising challenges from the dynamic environment. Enhancing the resilience of the current infrastructure system in advance has emerged as an essential strategy for catastrophe preparedness. This study explores the novel concept of resilience bonds in the context of financing flood-resilient infrastructures, using the Towyn Flood as a case study. It examines the mechanism of resilience bonds in developing infrastructure capable of withstanding floods, analysing the resilience bond value and the factors influencing its valuation. Simulation results indicate that resilience bonds can significantly extend investment resources, enhancing flood resilience and reducing unforeseen flooding risks. A sensitivity analysis provides detailed insights into how various factors impact the resilience bond's pricing model. These findings offer critical guidance for decision-makers considering the implementation of resilience bonds in flood-prone areas, highlighting their potential to improve infrastructure resilience against catastrophic events.

A Seismic Site Factor Adjustment Framework for Sloping Grounds and Its Application to Charleston, South Carolina

ABSTRACT Ground motions and seismic site factors for the design and analysis of infrastructure systems are typically computed based on one-dimensional (1-D) site response analysis, assuming the ground surface is horizontal and the earthquake waves propagate vertically near the ground surface. The 1-D results may not be applicable for sloping ground surfaces and layer interfaces, and therefore, the 1-D results must be adjusted for sloping grounds. In this study, a general framework for developing seismic site factors for sloping grounds and its application for Charleston, SC is presented. The two-dimensional (2-D) site response analysis results of sloping ground were compared with the 1-D horizontal ground results to develop slope adjustment factors. A total of 385 2-D nonlinear finite element simulations of sloping grounds were performed considering seven ground inclinations, 11 shear wave velocity profiles, and five ground motions representative of the area. The results show that the surface responses computed from sloping ground analyses significantly differ from those of horizontal ground analyses. By comparing the 1-D and 2-D results, a set of slope adjustment factors was developed and expressed as an easy-to-use chart. The slope adjustment factor at a project site can be obtained from the proposed chart using site-specific VS30 and ground inclination at a selected period.

Briefing: Closing the climate resilience infrastructure gap

Laura Cunliffe-Hall has been leading the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Policy and External Affairs team’s work on climate resilience and adaptation. She discusses the role of resilience and adaptation in developing a stronger and more innovative infrastructure system.

The principle of cascadic prosilience—Assessment of territorial recovery strategies after disrupted regional infrastructure systems in Iraq

This paper presents an assessment approach to fostering socioeconomic re-development and resilience in Iraqi regions emerging from the destruction and instability, in the aftermath of the war conflict in Iraq. Focusing on the intricate interplay of logistics infrastructure and economic recovery, the present study proposes a novel framework that integrates general resilience insights, data analytics, infrastructure systems, and decision support from Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). We draw inspiration also from historical cases on “creative destruction” or “Blessing in Disguise” (BiD) phenomena, like the post-WWII reconstruction of Rotterdam, so as to develop the notion of stepwise or cascadic prosilience, analyzing how innovative logistics systems may in various stages contribute to economic rejuvenation. Our approach recognizes the multifaceted nature of regional resilience capacity, encompassing both static (conserving resources, rerouting, etc.) and dynamic (accelerating recovery through innovative strategies) dimensions. The logistics aspect spans both the supply side (new infrastructure, ICT facilities) and the demand side (changing transportation flows and product demands), culminating in an integrated perspective for sustainable growth of Iraqi regions. In our study, we explore several forward-looking strategic future options (scenarios) for recovery and reconstruction policy factors in the context of regional development in Iraq, regarding them as crucial strategic elements for effective post-conflict rebuilding and regeneration. Given that such assets and infrastructures typically extend beyond a single city or area, their geographic scope is broader, calling for a multi-region approach. By leveraging the extended DEA approach by an incorporation of a super-efficiency (SE) DEA approach so as to better discriminate among efficient Decision-Making Units (DMUs)—in this case, regions in Iraq—our research aims to present actionable and effective insights for infrastructure investment strategies at regional-governorate scale in Iraq, that optimize efficiency, sustainability and resilience. This approach may ultimately foster prosperous and stable post-conflict regional economies that display—by means of a cascadic change—a new balanced prosilient future.

Design and Development Considerations of a Cyber Physical Testbed for Operational Technology Research and Education.

Cyber-physical systems (CPS) are vital in automating complex tasks across various sectors, yet they face significant vulnerabilities due to the rising threats of cybersecurity attacks. The recent surge in cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure (CI) and industrial control systems (ICSs), with a 150% increase in 2022 affecting over 150 industrial operations, underscores the urgent need for advanced cybersecurity strategies and education. To meet this requirement, we develop a specialised cyber-physical testbed (CPT) tailored for transportation CI, featuring a simplified yet effective automated level-crossing system. This hybrid CPT serves as a cost-effective, high-fidelity, and safe platform to facilitate cybersecurity education and research. High-fidelity networking and low-cost development are achieved by emulating the essential ICS components using single-board computers (SBC) and open-source solutions. The physical implementation of an automated level-crossing visualised the tangible consequences on real-world systems while emphasising their potential impact. The meticulous selection of sensors enhances the CPT, allowing for the demonstration of analogue transduction attacks on this physical implementation. Incorporating wireless access points into the CPT facilitates multi-user engagement and an infrared remote control streamlines the reinitialization effort and time after an attack. The SBCs overwhelm as traffic surges to 12 Mbps, demonstrating the consequences of denial-of-service attacks. Overall, the design offers a cost-effective, open-source, and modular solution that is simple to maintain, provides ample challenges for users, and supports future expansion.

Assessing the Vulnerabilities: Cybersecurity Challenges in Power System Infrastructure in Nigeria

This study examined the Cyber security Challenges in Power System Infrastructure in Nigeria. Four research questions guided the study which employed a survey research design. The population of the study was 46 respondents comprising 23 Technical Units Heads and 23 Heads of Cyber security Units from the (23) power-generating plants in Nigeria. The entire population was used hence, there was no sampling. The instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled: Cyber security Challenges in Power System Infrastructure Questionnaire (CCPSIQ) developed by the researchers. A reliability index of 0.89 was obtained using the Cronbach Alpha reliability method. The mean statistic was used to answer the research questions. The findings of the study revealed that the primary cyber threats targeting power system infrastructure in Nigeria including network-based attacks, insider threats, supply chain vulnerabilities, advanced persistent threats (APTs), physical attacks, zero-day exploits, data breaches, and ransom ware/extortion; it further reveal that cyber-attacks on power grid infrastructure in Nigeria lead to significant service disruptions, financial losses, equipment damage, safety compromises, erosion of customer confidence, regulatory non-compliance, increased vulnerability to future incidents, reputation damage, and prolonged recovery periods, underscoring the multifaceted impact of cyber threats on operational efficiency. The study recommended that: Collaboration among stakeholders, including government agencies, industry partners, and cyber security experts, is paramount to effectively address emerging threats and enhance cyber security resilience. By implementing proactive measures and fostering a culture of cyber security awareness, Nigeria can strengthen its power system infrastructure against cyber threats, safeguarding the reliability and security of critical services for its citizens.

The role of improving the business environment in agriculture in ensuring the country’s food security

Ensuring food security largely depends on a number of factors, including ensuring sustainable economic growth in agriculture and increasing production. Taking all this into account, it should be noted that improving the business environment in agriculture can play a significant role in preventing internal economic threats to food security. In all countries, regardless of the type and nature of the economic system, the state develops economic programs to ensure food security, and the main goal of these economic programs is, first of all, to improve the current situation in agriculture, achieve sustainable economic growth, as well as the implementation of measures aimed at increasing its productivity. In this regard, it should be particularly noted that a number of state programs aimed at providing the population with reliable food products are being adopted on an ongoing basis in the Republic of Azerbaijan. It should be noted that the formation of a favorable business environment in agriculture implies, first of all, free access of economic entities operating independently of their property ownership to the market of capital and investment resources, provision of necessary state support to commodity producers, providing them with a system of production, market and social infrastructure, as well as the ability to meet the needs of agricultural producers in material and technical resources on effective terms. All this also follows from the process of comparative advantages, but despite all this, the formation of a favorable business environment is important for improving the provision of necessary food, and all this makes the choice of the topic and, consequently, the relevance of the study an objective necessity.

Electrifying the Road to Net-Zero: Implications of Electric Vehicles and Carbon Emission Coefficient Factors in European Power Systems

The global trend is shifting towards adopting low-carbon transportation solutions, with electrification emerging as a prominent approach. The effectiveness of this transition in mitigating climate change hinges significantly on the source of electricity used for charging electric vehicles. This study focuses on four European Union countries: Switzerland, Italy, Germany, and Poland, each characterized by varying levels of carbon emissions from their power systems. Assumptions are made for the short-term (10%), medium-term (30%), and long-term (60%) penetration of electric vehicles, aligning with the 2050 net zero emissions targets. The study investigates the impact of these penetration levels on energy demand, exploring scenarios ranging from 100% renewable source-generated electricity to 100% coal-generated electricity for EV charging. Finally, utilizing PSS®E 35.5 simulation software, the study assesses the implications of the electric vehicles’ load on medium-voltage transmission lines. The findings highlight the substantial influence of electrifying the transport sector on both environmental sustainability and the power system infrastructure, underscoring the critical role of regional energy mixes and the power system carbon emissions coefficient factor. Regions with lower carbon emission coefficient factors witness significant benefits even with a modest transition to electric vehicles, whereas regions with high carbon emission coefficient factors experience minimal impact despite large-scale EV adoption. Additionally, densely populated urban areas may encounter challenges related to transmission line congestion to meet the growing demand for electric vehicle charging.

Fusing infrastructure health monitoring data in point cloud

This paper presents a unique approach to data fusion in the condition assessment of civil infrastructure systems. The approach fuses dynamic monitoring sensor data with the visual data collected from a bridge structure. Such a data fusion method, named ModeShapeFuser, enables the visualization of mode shapes of engineering structures in their point cloud, offering a higher spatial resolution model of the dynamic behaviors of existing structures. A bridge case study shows that utilizing this immersive data visualization technique can potentially provide a more intuitive and holistic understanding of the dynamic behavior characteristics of engineering structures. The outputs of ModeShapeFuser, the high spatial resolution models of the bridge, are also presented in a Virtual Reality (VR) environment through a head-mounted display and a VRTable, providing a virtual tour of the bridge in its real environment. The study presented herein is critical for an informed decision-making process in assessing infrastructure systems.

Application of clustering algorithms for dimensionality reduction in infrastructure resilience prediction models

Recent studies increasingly adopt simulation-based machine learning (ML) models to analyse critical infrastructure system resilience. For realistic applications, these ML models consider the component-level characteristics that influence the network response during emergencies. However, such an approach could result in a large number of features and cause ML models to suffer from the ’curse of dimensionality’. A clustering-based method is presented that simultaneously minimises the problem of high-dimensionality and improves the prediction accuracy of ML models developed for resilience analysis in large-scale interdependent infrastructure networks. The methodology has three parts: (a) generation of simulation dataset, (b) network component clustering, and (c) dimensionality reduction and development of prediction models. First, an interdependent infrastructure simulation model simulates the network-wide consequences of various disruptive events. The component-level features are extracted from the simulated data. Next, clustering algorithms are used to derive the cluster-level features by grouping component-level features based on their topological and functional characteristics. Finally, ML algorithms are used to develop models that predict the network-wide impacts of disruptive events using the cluster-level features. The applicability of the method is demonstrated using an interdependent power-water-transport testbed. The proposed method can be used to develop decision-support tools for post-disaster recovery of infrastructure networks.

Parental Involvement in Educating Children with Intellectual Disabilities in India During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comprehensive Review

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically altered the educational landscape globally, with a particularly profound impact on children with intellectual disabilities (ID). In India, where educational infrastructure and support systems for children with ID are already strained, the pandemic exacerbated existing challenges. In India, the sudden shift to remote learning has placed a significant burden on parents, who have had to take on new roles as educators. Parents have had to step into roles traditionally held by educators, therapists, and support staff, making their involvement crucial. This research article explores the multifaceted role parents played in the education of children with intellectual disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic in India, highlighting both the obstacles faced and the resilience demonstrated by families. This article also emphasized the role of parents in educating children with intellectual disabilities during the pandemic, through case studies and community efforts, highlighting both challenges and innovative solutions.

Do Cryptocurrencies Offer Benefits or New Challenges?

Cryptocurrencies have been controversial since their inception, and today there are more than a hundred types of cryptocurrencies. People can trade freely without the control of any person or organization. After a period of development, cryptocurrencies already have a large number of users. The high rate of return also makes people more accepting of cryptocurrencies. However, cryptocurrencies still have many problems. For example, there is a serious conflict between the infrastructure and philosophy of cryptocurrencies and traditional monetary systems. This article identifies the impact cryptocurrencies have on individuals, governments, and the environment. What benefits cryptocurrencies offer and what challenges they face are discussed from different perspectives. This article discusses these controversial points in detail, points out the possible future development trends of cryptocurrencies, and gives relevant recommendations in this regard.

Do Cryptocurrencies Offer Benefits or New Challenges?

Cryptocurrencies have been controversial since their inception, and today there are more than a hundred types of cryptocurrencies. People can trade freely without the control of any person or organization. After a period of development, cryptocurrencies already have a large number of users. The high rate of return also makes people more accepting of cryptocurrencies. However, cryptocurrencies still have many problems. For example, there is a serious conflict between the infrastructure and philosophy of cryptocurrencies and traditional monetary systems. This article identifies the impact cryptocurrencies have on individuals, governments, and the environment. What benefits cryptocurrencies offer and what challenges they face are discussed from different perspectives. This article discusses these controversial points in detail, points out the possible future development trends of cryptocurrencies, and gives relevant recommendations in this regard.

Optimal restoration of power infrastructure following a disaster with environmental hazards

After a disaster, the power grid helps support infrastructure systems that are essential to the recovery effort in addition to the critical services it provides every day. This paper provides an approach for optimal power grid restoration in disaster contexts with environmental hazards. These hazards, such as unstable structures, smoke, chemical hazards, and abnormal radioactivity, may pose acute and accumulating risks to repair workers and impede the restoration process. We therefore formulate a mixed-integer linear program (MILP) that generates an optimal restoration plan with constraints imposed by acute and accumulating environmental hazards. We also develop a heuristic inspired by trends that we observe in optimal restoration strategies, and we compare its performance to that of an optimal restoration strategy. For our case study, we model a stylized disaster that approximates the patterns of a number of disasters including earthquakes, fires, industrial facility explosions, or nuclear reactor incidents. We analyze the performance of the heuristic and optimal restoration strategies on a modified IEEE 123-bus test network. We find that the optimal restoration strategy is able to restore power service more quickly than the heuristic strategy while also exposing repair workers to less acute and cumulative environmental hazards. We also find that as disaster severity increases, the performance difference between the heuristic and optimal restoration strategies grows. Finally, our results show that both the optimal and heuristic algorithms can be useful tools for identifying vulnerable regions of a power grid.

AI Adoption in Jordanian SMEs: The Influence of Technological and Organizational Orientations

This study examines the factors influencing the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Jordan, a key player in the growing Middle Eastern economy. Rooted in the Technology–Organization–Environment framework, we specifically focus on the role of technological capabilities and organizational dynamics in shaping AI adoption within Jordanian SMEs. A comprehensive survey involving 364 SME owner-managers in Jordan serves as the empirical foundation. Findings reveal the significant impact of employee IT knowledge, IT infrastructure, managerial commitment, training initiatives and well-designed reward systems in shaping SME owners’ or managers’ attitudes to AI. These findings provide valuable insights for SME leaders and stakeholders, guiding them in developing strategies to smoothly integrate AI technologies in line with Jordan’s societal needs. The article concludes by emphasizing the study’s contributions, implications and limitations while suggesting potential directions for future research in this field.

Bayesian network-based resilience assessment of interdependent infrastructure systems under optimal resource allocation strategies

Critical infrastructure systems (CISs) play a key role in the socio-economic activity of a society, but are exposed to an array of disruptive events that can greatly impact their function and performance. Therefore, understanding the underlying behaviors of CISs and their response to perturbations is needed to better prepare for, and mitigate the impact of, future disruptions. Resilience is one characteristic of CISs that influences the extent and severity of the impact induced by extreme events. Resilience is often dissected into four dimensions: robustness, redundancy, resourcefulness, and rapidity, known as the “4Rs”. This study proposes a framework to assess the resilience of an infrastructure network in terms of these four dimensions under optimal resource allocation strategies and incorporates interdependencies between different CISs, with resilience considered as a stochastic variable. The proposed framework combines an agent-based infrastructure interdependency model, advanced optimization algorithms, Bayesian network techniques, and Monte Carlo simulation to assess the resilience of an infrastructure network. The applicability and flexibility of the proposed framework is demonstrated with a case study using a network of CISs in Austin, Texas, where the resilience of the network is assessed and a “what-if” analysis is performed.