Main Infrastructure Research Articles

Reducing carbon emissions through sustainable energy integration at off-grid cellular sites: a case study of Nepal

ABSTRACT Information and communication technology is the key enabler for digitalisation and increased productivity in cross-cutting sectors. Telephone towers are the main infrastructure to enable digital connectivity and renewable energy sources are used to supply power to mobile towers at off-grid areas. In this paper, the economic and environmental aspects of sustainable energy supply in off-grid sites have been evaluated. Three stand-alone sites having solar PV, diesel generators, and hybrid power solutions integrated with battery storage are taken for the study. The result shows the solar PV solution is economically feasible with an energy cost of 0.18$/kWh and environmentally adaptable. The diesel generator power supply has a higher energy cost of 0.59$/kWh and abundant CO2 emission of 421.85tCO2 for a life period. The hybrid power solution has better energy cost(0.38$/kWh) and CO2 emission (213.72tCO2) than the diesel generator. Considering reliability, the hybrid power solution has better performance in terms of energy cost and GHG emission. Solar PV solution has a key role in developing green infrastructure. A solar PV system integrated with a diesel generator and battery storage is a must for an uninterrupted power supply. The outcomes of the study encourage telecom operators to go for green cell towers sustainably.

Corrosion Rate Analysis of Steel Metal Material Against Seawater Intake Time at Port of Tanjung Emas Semarang

This research analyzes the corrosion rate of metal materials consisting of iron, aluminum and copper used in infrastructure materials supporting port operations at the Tanjung Emas port, Semarang, based on the time of sea air sampling. Ports as the main infrastructure in supporting sea transportation have an important and strategic role for economic growth, trade and industry. To support these activities, it is necessary to build supporting infrastructure, most of which is made of metal materials such as steel, aluminum and copper, which are very easily damaged due to corrosion, especially as the port environment is a corrosive environment due to contamination with sea air. With the problem of infrastructure damage due to corrosion, the method used in this writing is a qualitative descriptive method by collecting data in the form of literature studies and observations at the Tanjung Emas port, Semarang. From the research carried out, it is known that the sea water media that has the highest corrosion rate is sea water taken in the afternoon. It is hoped that the results of this calculation will enable maritime industry players in the port environment to predict the useful life of steel, aluminum and copper metal equipment used to support port operational activities and to estimate the age and type of maintenance that will be carried out so that it does not cause more severe damage.

Wartime segmentation: Class, gender, and nation in the marketing of consumers, Sweden 1939–1945

In line with recent research that regards the Second World War as a “defining moment” rather than a temporary disruption to the development of consumer societies, this paper explores how consumers were imagined in nonbelligerent Sweden. The main empirical source material consists of business-to-business advertisements from newspaper and magazine publishers aimed at potential advertisers. There, publishers portrayed their readers as suitable consumers, and, given that the division of the press constituted the main infrastructure for reaching different consumer groups, this is interpreted as a key to understanding market segmentation processes. The findings show how geographical, demographic, and psychological factors were considered in optimizing advertising influence and reaching classed and gendered target audiences. Although the segmentation process consolidated during the war, focusing on stable, large consumer groups, the imagined consumer also underwent fundamental changes, combating anxiety and despair through dreams of both future and present patriotic consumption.

Evaluation of Communal WWTP Management in Supporting the Smart Environment in Mlati District, Sleman Regency

Communal Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) is a solution used in the management and treatment of domestic waste. Mlati District is an area that has 8 active Communal WWTP units spread across four villages. Management by the local community to the type of technology used in each region certainly has differences. This research aims to determine the benchmark for the effectiveness of developing one of the smart city dimensions, that is the smart environment in Mlati District. This research was conducted using qualitative research methods, with data processing and presentation carried out descriptively. The existing conditions of the Communal WWTP were obtained by field observation, the management of the Communal WWTP was then carried out descriptive analysis based on the observations, indepth interviews and secondary data and then continued with descriptive analysis to find out management in supporting the smart environment in the Mlati District. The results of the study show that the management of the Communal WWTP in Mlati District has been going well with minimal risk of damage and obstacles. Communal WWTP is the main infrastructure in domestic waste processing which brings significant changes to the region and society. The existence of a waste water treatment installation unit is considered to be able to meet the community’s needs for waste handling. Although waste treatment is not discussed significantly in the elements of smart city development, centralized domestic waste management in Mlati District has proven to play a role in supporting the realization of a smart environment in the region.

Optimizing Cross-Dock Terminal Location Selection: A Multi-Step Approach Based on CI-DEA–IDOCRIW–MABAC for Enhanced Supply Chain Efficiency—A Case Study

Thedistribution of products stands out as one of the pivotal activities for logistics companies in recent years, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and other geopolitical events. Intense competition compels companies to efficiently execute their logistical processes, with cross-docking emerging as a frequently applied solution. However, the location of cross-dock terminals in urban areas remains a problem insufficiently addressed in the literature, with a dearth of studies and models tackling this issue. This paper introduces a novel and innovative model for locating cross-dock terminals based on the CI-DEA–IDOCRIW–MABAC (Composite Indicators–Data Envelopment Analysis-Integrated Determination of Objective Criteria Weights–Multi-Attributive Border Approximation Area Comparison) methods. In the process of defining input indicators, the following three sources were utilized: relevant literature, practical insights from logistics experts, and the knowledge and experience of the authors. Eight inputs and three outputs were considered (the number of users in the observed channel; the area served by the channel; the average distance a vehicle travels in one delivery; the required number of vehicles; labor availability; competition; construction, and expansion possibilities; proximity to the main infrastructure and traffic facilities; the average number of deliveries; average delivered quantity; and service level). The model underwent testing in a case study analyzing nine distribution channels (areas within the observed urban zone). The results indicated that alternative A4 (in the southwest area) ranked the highest since it was the best-ranked in accordance with the most important criteria, suggesting that the terminal is best located in the southwest zone. The accuracy of the results was confirmed by company management. By developing a completely new model and addressing the identified gap in the literature, this paper provides unequivocal scientific contributions.

Identifying Failure Factors in the Implementation of Residential Complex Projects in Iraq

Residential complexes have witnessed a great demand in most countries worldwide, as they are one of the main infrastructure elements, in addition to achieving a developed urban landscape. However, complex residential projects in developing countries face various factors that could be improved in their implementation, especially in Iraq. Sixty-two experts in residential complex projects were interviewed and surveyed to verify these projects' failure factors,. Fifty-one factors were the main failure factors, divided into four main components (leadership, management system, external forces, and project resources). The Relatively Important Index (RII) is used to determine the relative importance factors and obtain the top twelve factors that cause the optimal failure factors, correspondingly: political interference (87.7%), change in governments (86.5%), partisan politics available (85.6%), Unclear strategic planning (84.3%), inadequate planning (84.3%), lack of materials and equipment (83.3%), the poor obligation for project leaders (82.6%), work suspension due to demonstrations (82.3%), lack of human capacity (81.8%), bureaucracy (81.7%), corruption (81.4%), and misalignment in culture or ethics (81.3%). The achieved RII readings were high for leadership (73.1%), followed by project resources (71.3%), management systems (70.5%), and external forces (69.9%). The study recommended addressing the problems of implementing complex residential projects and solving the crisis to start the state's economic growth phase according to new foundations and standards.

Modern approach in railcar fleet management

The operation of railway transportation has a number of peculiarities. The transfer of the railcar fleet to the ownership of operating companies has obviously led to changes in the management of railway transportation. The analysis of the total freight turnover and the number of managed railcars shows that 20 largest railcar fleet operators are market leaders. Despite a number of advantages, the ownership of rolling stock by private companies causes a number of problems, the most acute of which are surplus and deficit of the railcar fleet, accumulation of “abandoned” trains. Such problems are especially evident in the logistics chains of international transportation corridors. In this regard, it is advisable to analyze the controlling actions of all participants of the transportation process, to assess the degree of participation of each operator. Solving the problems of railcar fleet management using the restrictions of pulling cars on the main infrastructure tracks with seeming advantages leads to the increasing railcar turnover and, as a consequence, the growth of the operating railcar fleet, i. e. potential surplus. Regulation of the railcar fleet should be carried out using the system of technical standardization. However, the system itself is subject to revision, especially with regard to the planning period by reducing the latter. Increasing the dynamics of regulation will make it possible to meet the transportation needs in time, avoid accumulation of “abandoned” trains, specify the operating car fleet managed by companies - operators and bring railway transportation closer to the logistic principles of freight delivery. For this purpose, it is expedient to study in detail the technology of interaction of all railway transportation participants, especially including them in multimodal transport corridors.

Оценка реализации национальных проектов в сфере транспортной инфраструктуры (на примере регионов ЮФО)

The article analyzes the preliminary results of the implementation of the “Safe Quality Roads” and “Comprehensive Plan for the Modernization and Expansion of Main Infrastructure” projects, and identifies the regional features of their implementation for individual regions of the Southern Federal District - the Rostov region, the Krasnodar Territory, the Republic of Crimea. By 2022, the basic values ​​for individual target indicators have been achieved and, in general, given the existing positive dynamics in 2024, the rest will most likely be achieved. At the same time, project passports require revision taking into account regional characteristics. In Crimea, the share of roads that meet regulatory requirements is determined at a fairly low level - 38.8%, and with the current trend towards an increase in freight turnover, motorization, and tourist flow, road safety is significantly reduced, as evidenced by high accident rates. In this regard, target indicators for the quality of the road network should be revised upward. For the Rostov region, the federal project “Road Network” should include a list of agglomerations and for each of them the values ​​of basic indicators should be determined. Particular attention should be paid to the issue of transport support for small isolated settlements in all regional passports. “Safe Quality Roads” and “Comprehensive Plan for the Modernization and Expansion of Trunk Infrastructure” are labor-intensive and capital-intensive projects that require modern equipment and technologies. Infrastructure development will support the overall economic strategy. However, to achieve the assigned tasks, it is necessary to mobilize industrial production so that the modernization and creation of infrastructure is provided with domestic equipment and technologies. Based on the results of 2021, it can be argued that a qualitative transformation of the economy, accompanied by an acceleration in the growth rate of labor productivity, did not occur.

Study of Trans Siginjai shelter coverage on corridor I and II in Jambi City of Indonesia

In order to meet mobility needs and prevent congestion, the government introduced and began operating Trans Siginjai Jambi in 2017. The low load factor value, however, indicates that its utilization is currently not optimal in supporting the mobility of people in Jambi City. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a closed transportation system, which bus shelters is become one of the main infrastructures to support its operation. The lack of bus shelters will influence the bus accessibility and the number of passengers. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine how bus stop services of Trans Siginjai have served community movements in Jambi City’s Corridor I and Corridor II. Comparative descriptive analysis and geographical analysis are utilized in this study to perform coverage analysis. The findings of this investigation demonstrate that up to 8 stops in Corridor I and up to 10 stops in Corridor II fail to adhere to the distance requirements. Trans Siginjai only cover 16.99% of the area and only 21.18% of residential areas along the both corridors. In order to improve the accessibility, more bus stops are required, especially in the dense settlement area.

Soil-structure interaction of Huge RC Box Culvert under High Embankment

Two huge RC concrete box culverts are constructed underneath the Dhoho Kediri airport runway embankment. These multi-cell culverts serve as the main infrastructure facilitating the diversion of two crossing rivers and several irrigation channels, and one of them is under 24-meter-high fill, penetrating the slope at a skewed angle and creating huge unbalanced soil pressure. The seismic design loads for underground structures are characterized in terms of the deformations and strains imposed on the structure by the surrounding soil. Soil-structure interaction plays an important role in defining static and seismic loads. Finite element method with dynamic time history analysis considering three selected and modified ground motions has been performed for the seismic design of the RC box culverts, in addition to the racking deformation method. A comparison of both methods is presented.

Digital Transformations in Mongolia: Challenges and Opportunities

The rapid development of information technology in the world has changed the traditional system of the world economy. The Internet space has become the main infrastructure for the development of finance, economy and trade, which contributes to the rapid socio-economic development of the world’s countries. The article considers the current trends in the development of digital transformation in the world, as well as the state of digital transformation in Mongolia. The challenges, opportunities, advantages, and risks of digital transformation in the country are highlighted. Today, there are no industries in the economy of Mongolia that do not carry out their activities through the tools of digital economy and do not use digital or information technologies. The information and telecommunications industry is becoming one of the main sectors of the country’s economy and has become a driving force for the development of all other sectors of the economy. Cybersecurity issues are of particular importance.

Perancangan PLTS Untuk Sumber Daya Lampu Penerangan Jalan Desa Iringmulyo Metro

The increasing activity of the people at night makes the need for lighting sources also increase, especially in public places. One part that requires lighting is the Iringmulyo Metro village road. Roads are the main infrastructure that must be considered for their condition and use, if the road conditions are good for passage it will certainly reduce the level of accidents and crime, so village roads also need lighting. Public street lighting using solar energy is a cheap and economical alternative to use as a source of lighting electricity because it uses a free and unlimited source of energy from nature, namely solar energy. The Iringmulyo Metro village road lighting system uses a solar cell of 200 wp and a lamp load of 40 watts. When the weather is clear the battery can charge up to 720wh and can run a light load for up to 18 hours. If the solar panel is unable to receive light, the battery still has a power reserve of 240wh/6 hours. Lighting a solar street light using a 40 watt LED lamp produces an illumination of 4.58 lux. The power efficiency of the solar cell module panel is 14.5% determined by the tilt position of the solar cell panel and the intensity of sunlight. The higher the sunlight intensity, the higher the output efficiency of the solar cell module

Analisis Tingkat Kerusakan Jalan Perkerasan Lentur Dengan Metode Pavement Condition Index (PCI) Studi Kasus: Jalan Pelabuhan Talang Duku Muaro Jambi

Road pavement is the main infrastructure in transportation system. The condition of the pavement affects the comfort, security and safety of road users and is a supporting factor for the progress of the economic and social system in an area. This study aims to analyze the type of damage and level of performance in pavement conditions and provide repair solutions based on the 1995 Bina Marga standard method. The PCI method used in this study is an analysis of 3 main factor functions, namely: type of damage, level of damage severity and amount of damage. The result of the PCI method is a numerical index whose value is 0 to 100. Based on the results of research on the Talang Duku Harbor road, Taman Rajo District, Muaro Jambi Regency with a length of 4.7 Km and a width of 6 M, the highest type of damage was found, namely Patches with 65 damage and damage. the lowest is Amblas, Groove, Basin, Cracked Box with 1 damage and the average PCI value of all segments is 57.36%.

Data infrastructures for AI in medical imaging: a report on the experiences of five EU projects

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the field of medical imaging and has the potential to bring medicine from the era of ‘sick-care’ to the era of healthcare and prevention. The development of AI requires access to large, complete, and harmonized real-world datasets, representative of the population, and disease diversity. However, to date, efforts are fragmented, based on single–institution, size-limited, and annotation-limited datasets. Available public datasets (e.g., The Cancer Imaging Archive, TCIA, USA) are limited in scope, making model generalizability really difficult. In this direction, five European Union projects are currently working on the development of big data infrastructures that will enable European, ethically and General Data Protection Regulation-compliant, quality-controlled, cancer-related, medical imaging platforms, in which both large-scale data and AI algorithms will coexist. The vision is to create sustainable AI cloud-based platforms for the development, implementation, verification, and validation of trustable, usable, and reliable AI models for addressing specific unmet needs regarding cancer care provision. In this paper, we present an overview of the development efforts highlighting challenges and approaches selected providing valuable feedback to future attempts in the area.Key points• Artificial intelligence models for health imaging require access to large amounts of harmonized imaging data and metadata.• Main infrastructures adopted either collect centrally anonymized data or enable access to pseudonymized distributed data.• Developing a common data model for storing all relevant information is a challenge.• Trust of data providers in data sharing initiatives is essential.• An online European Union meta-tool-repository is a necessity minimizing effort duplication for the various projects in the area.

Study of the Prospects of Development of the Eastern Polygon on the Trans-Siberian Highway

The modern Russian and world economies pose new challenges for the Russian Railways, in the solution of which the Holding must increase its global competitiveness, make a positive contribution to the socio-economic development of the Russian Federation. The development of the eastern BAM test site and the Trans-Siberian Railway plays a key role in this issue and is especially relevant at the present time, because the sanctions pressure from the EU and the USA have influenced the change in cargo transportation strategies in Russia. The provocations of the West contributed to a new push in the modernization of railway routes. Russian Railways and the government of the Russian Federation are actively working to increase the volume of cargo transported by 110 million tons through the eastern highways. The purpose of this work was to assess the development of the Eastern Polygon to eliminate the shortage of capacity for the carriage of goods by rail, in the implementation of the draft Long-Term Development Program of Russian Railways until 2025 and a comprehensive plan for the modernization and expansion of the main infrastructure for the period up to 2024, approved by the order of the Government of the Russian Federation Federation dated September 30, 2018 No.2101-r.

Non-Hydrostatic Modelling of Coastal Flooding in Port Environments

Understanding key flooding processes such as wave overtopping and overflow (i.e., water flows over a structure when the crest level of the structure is lower than the water level in front) is crucial for coastal management and coastal safety assessment. In port and harbour environments, waves are not only perpendicular to the coastal structure but also very oblique, with wavefronts almost perpendicular to the main infrastructures in the harbour docks. Propagation and wave–structure interaction of such perpendicular and (very) oblique waves need to be appropriately modelled to estimate wave overtopping properly. Overflow can also be critical for estimating flooding behind any coastal defence. In this study, such oblique and parallel waves (i.e., main wave direction is parallel to the structures) are modelled in a non-hydrostatic wave model and validated with physical model tests in the literature. On top, overflow is also modelled and validated using an existing empirical formula. The model gives convincing behaviours on the wave overtopping and overflow.

Comparison of Single-Camera-Based Depth Estimation Technology for Digital Twin Model Synchronization of Underground Utility Tunnels

Digital twin technology can be used for disaster safety management of underground utility tunnels, which are social infrastructures. To verify its efficiency in an underground utility tunnel, it must be implemented and monitored in the real world. Therefore, the state of information about an object and the position of an object in the real world, which can change upon movement, should be correspondingly reflected in the digital model. Underground utility tunnels are monitored through closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras because the main infrastructure facilities are installed in a long and narrow form, which limits access to them. Therefore, synchronization of a digital twin model of an underground utility tunnel requires a method for identifying the location of an object through an installed CCTV camera. This study compares the DenseDepth transfer learning method and the coordinate system conversion method through floor plan projection to estimate depth using a single CCTV camera installed in an underground utility tunnel. The coordinate system conversion method through floor plane projection showed an error of 0.23 m to 1.5 m within a 50 m range. The DenseDepth transfer learning method showed an error of 1 m to 3 m; therefore, it was considered unsuitable for distance estimation. The coordinate system conversion method through floor plane projection showed a smaller error even at a longer distance than the DenseDepth transfer learning method. Therefore, the coordinate system conversion method through floor plane projection was considered more suitable than the DenseDepth transfer learning method for depth estimation using a single camera.

The Implementation of Financial System Information toward The Function of Regional Financial Supervision on Regional Financial Management in Bungo Regency

Utilization of today's technology is something that can't be avoided, because of the need for information very fast, and precisely becomes a necessity major in all aspects. One of the technologies that the most developed is the technology that web-based which is often referred to as Internet. This technology is already in use in various fields of business, government, health, education and so on. Internet technology that is now ingrained meat must be used optimally, the existence of technology is also expected to be the answer to generalize speed of service, an advancement if the government is starting to adopt the technology as the main infrastructure of public services. The application of SIMDA Financial application to the Bungo Regency Regional Financial is based on SIMDA elements such as adequate internet network access, basic infrastructure and applications, all infrastructure in the form of hardware, software, and brain ware is adequate as well as information management and processing organizations and electronic documents that are sufficient. So that, the SIMDA Financial Application has produced financial statement information and other financial information with excellent quality relevance, excellent accuracy, and very good timeliness as well.

Identification of economic risks of investment projects of mainline railway transport infrastructure construction

Study of the issues of identification, analysis, and comparative assessment of the risks of violations of the safety of the main railway transport infrastructure. The aim of the study: is to develop a methodology for the identification of economic risks of investment projects of construction of mainline infrastructure of railway transport. The object of the study: railway transport enterprises involved in all stages of the life cycle of the mainline infrastructure of railroad transport. The subject of the study: tools and procedures for the identification of economic risks of violations of the security of trunk railway transport infrastructure. In the turbulent global economy, the effectiveness of project management is based on the perception of the human factor as the main in the formation of aggregate uncertainty. Large infrastructure companies should pay special attention to the identification, analysis, and assessment of project risks. One of the key figures in Russia's transport communication, influencing not only domestic traffic flows, but also international logistics chains, is JSC "Russian Railways". Disruptions of the transportation process due to the realization of risks at the main infrastructure facilities of JSC "Russian Railways" predetermine economic consequences both for consumers of services, operators, and infrastructure owners.

Энергетические инициативы Шанхайской организации сотрудничества

Sustainable energy supply and the more complex concept of energy security that has developed are a condition and guarantee for ensuring economic growth. The achievement of this task seems possible in the current situation, provided that joint efforts are combined within the framework of integration associations. For Russia, the SCO is chosen as a reliable outpost – a circle of friendly states, the basis of relations with each of which is many years of experience in reliable cooperation. For example, in order to ensure the full realization of Russia’s export potential, on the one hand, and to meet the growing energy demand from Asian partners, on the other hand, programs are being developed and projects are being implemented to create appropriate trunk transport and energy corridors. Thus, in the eastern direction, the construction of the Power of Siberia main gas pipeline has been completed, the design of the Power of Siberia‑2 main pipeline is underway, work continues to increase the capacity of the transport infrastructure, and the task is to modernize and expand the main infrastructure. Recognizing the need to guarantee the right of all states and peoples to energy security while providing access to reliable, sustainable and modern energy sources, and taking into account current energy trends in the use of clean and low-carbon energy sources, the SCO, in a statement issued in 2022, laid the foundation for its own energy course the common and complementary benefits of fossil fuels and clean energy sources, while taking into account the conditions and characteristics of each state. Ways and directions for expanding the energy cooperation of the member states of this integration association, taking into account the identified priorities, will be studied in this article.