Major Infrastructure Development Research Articles

Prevention of flash floods in the town of Kokrajhar through efficient drainage network design

Flash floods are common in the town of Kokrajhar in north-eastern Indian state of Assam. Many areas in the town of Kokrajhar are submerged in water almost every year due to floods during rainy season. These floods cause heavy damage to roads, agricultural production and halt the progress of major infrastructural development projects. Hence, prevention of floods has become an important concern in the town of Kokrajhar. This study investigated the causes of floods and offered a solution for their elimination. The investigation showed that inadequate and inefficient network of storm drains was the reason for the flash floods. A new drainage network for the town of Kokrajhar has resulted from studying the shortcomings of the existing network of storm drains. The new network is designed in accordance with the recommendations stated in the “Manual on storm water drainage systems” prepared by the Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organization in 2019.

Deformation characteristics and reactivated failure modes of the massive Baimu ancient landslide deposit on the northern margin of the East Himalayan syntaxis

AbstractIn the Eastern Himalayan syntaxis, massive Quaternary loose deposits represent a typical product of abrupt topographic changes. Influenced by the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau uplift and rapid river incision, the partial or complete failure of these deposits is a recurrent phenomenon in alpine‐gorge regions, posing substantial threats to major infrastructure development. Through topographic interpretation and field investigation, this study clarifies the geological features and genetic mechanisms of the Baimu ancient landslide deposit (BALD), located on the northern margin of the East Himalayan syntaxis. The surface deformation time series spanning October 2017 to December 2019 was estimated using employing multitemporal synthetic aperture radar interferometry. Then, the spatiotemporal deformation characteristics of the BALD was analysed by superposing terrain factors, and hazard division was implemented. The results indicate that high‐hazard zones are mainly distributed on high and steep free faces of the BALD. Deformation evolution and rainfall time series showed obvious correlation. Lastly, a generalized failure model is established for the BALD, which will serve as a valuable reference for disaster prevention and is applicable to the study of similar deposits in the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau.

Wellbeing Impact Study of High-Speed 2 (WISH2): Protocol for a mixed-methods examination of the impact of major transport infrastructure development on mental health and wellbeing.

Although research has demonstrated that transport infrastructure development can have positive and negative health-related impacts, most of this research has not considered mental health and wellbeing separately from physical health. There is also limited understanding of whether and how any effects might be experienced differently across population groups, whether this differs according to the stage of development (e.g. planning, construction), and how changes to planned infrastructure may affect mental health and wellbeing. This paper presents a protocol for the Wellbeing Impact Study of HS2 (WISH2), which seeks to address these questions using a high-speed rail development in the UK as an applied example. WISH2 is a 10-year, integrated, longitudinal, mixed-methods project using general practices (primary medical care providers in the UK) as an avenue for participant recruitment and for providing a geographically defined population for which aggregated data on mental health indicators are available. The research comprises: (i) a combined longitudinal and repeated cross-sectional cohort study involving multiple waves of survey data collection and data from medical records; (ii) longitudinal, semi-structured interviews and focus groups with residents and community stakeholders from exposed areas; (iii) analysis of administrative data aggregated at the general practice population level; and (iv) health economic analysis of mental health and wellbeing impacts. The study findings will support the development of strategies to reduce negative impacts and/or enhance positive mental health and wellbeing impacts of high-speed rail developments and other large-scale infrastructure projects.

Integrated Macroeconomic Variables and Financial Growth of the Real Estate Sector in Kenya

The real estate sector has been growing over the years because of major infrastructural developments and high population growth in Kenya. However, the sector has been facing some challenges that have been affecting its growth. This research aimed to assess how macroeconomic factors influence Kenya’s real estate financial success. The research primarily focused on determining inflation, interest rates, exchange rates’ impact and economic growth on Kenya’s real estate sector. The study was underpinned by demand-pull inflation theory, the classical/neo classical theory for interest rates, the classical growth theory and purchasing power parity. The study employed causal research design and targeted three main Kenyan real estate developers in Kenya; Cytonn Investments, Hass Consult, and Knight Frank. In light of the small target population, a census approach was used and the research employed secondary data. As a result, secondary data from the property developers’ yearly market reports from 2016 to 2022 was gathered. Pearson’s correlation and panel data analysis methods were also employed. The findings revealed that the relationship between inflation, interest rates, exchange rates and economic growth revealed R-squared value of 0.8057, implying that the macroeconomic variables explains around 81% of the variation in financial growth within the real estate sector. The study also found that inflation had positive and significant effect on financial growth (β =0.0045187, p=.048<.05), interest rate had positive and significant effect on financial growth (β =0.044177, p=.011<.05), exchange rate had negative but insignificant effect on financial growth (β =-0.0178337, p=0.227>.05), economic growth had positive and significant effect on financial growth (β =0.0980943, p=0.007<.05). The study recommends that financial institutions, policy makers, and developers should implement measures to mitigate the adverse effects of high inflation on the real estate sector. Keywords: Inflation, Interest rates, Exchange rates, Economic growth, Macroeconomics factor.

Exploring the public sentiment of local community on major infrastructure development: Evidence from media news and Twitter data

ABSTRACT This study analyzes public sentiment on news sites and Twitter concerning the development of the Trans-Sumatra Toll Road (JTTS). Applying a lexicon-based approach to calculate sentiment scores, this study found a predominance of positive sentiments in news articles and tweets regarding the JTTS development. Employing multinomial logit estimation to examine the determining factors, this study however found no specific relationship between JTTS segment completion and public sentiment on news sites or Twitter. Nonetheless, the association changed and became noticeable on Twitter after controlling the effects of socioeconomic characteristics on sentiment scores. The development status of the JTTS segment influenced public sentiment considerably. This study highlights the potential of social media to facilitate public engagement and inform government decision making. Furthermore, it offers a comprehensive analysis of public sentiment regarding toll road infrastructure development by incorporating multiple stakeholders, including government agencies, business actors, community organizations (via news articles), and local communities (via Twitter data), and highlights various interests, concerns, and conflicts surrounding toll road projects. The investigation of socioeconomic and demographic factors in relation to public sentiment further contributes to our understanding of the underlying influences and dynamics that shape opinions on toll-road infrastructure through sentiment analysis and quantitative methods.

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This review examines the reported impacts of three major linear infrastructure developments, namely railways, roads and power lines on avifauna. These infrastructures are proliferating worldwide posing serious threats to wildlife including avifauna. The major impacts involved with linear infrastructures are habitat degradation, fragmentation, direct mortality by collision and electrocution. The factors affecting collision mortality can be divided into intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The intrinsic factors include species morphology and species behavior whereas the extrinsic factors are the external factors such as weather, landscape features and the technical aspects of the infrastructure. Power lines affect a large number of birds, killing more than one billion birds globally each year. Studies suggest the implementation of anti-collision devices such as wire markers; flight diverters and physical barriers like trees, diversion poles or noise barriers are effective mitigation measures to reduce bird mortality due to the linear infrastructures. Therefore, understanding the overall impact of linear infrastructures is crucial for effectively managing their impacts on avifauna and helping make future developments less destructive and more sustainable.

Employee Perceptions of the COVID-19 Pandemic Management in Construction Sector: A Survey-Based Study of Bangladesh

Purpose This article aims to signify the influences of the COVID-19 outbreak on the construction sector which resulted in project setbacks, labor shortages, work cuts, time and expense overruns, and financial uncertainty that significantly disrupted major infrastructure development programs worldwide. Approach In order to assess the current perception of the construction sector fighting with COVID-19, an online-based semi-structured and self-reported questionnaire survey was conducted from November 23 to November 30, 2020, involving the Project Manager, Managing Director, Project Engineer, Architect/designer, and Site Engineer. Therefore, raw data were documented (edited, sorted, and coded) by using Microsoft Excel 2019 which was later imported to IBM SPSS version 25.0 to analyze frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, ANOVA, and chi-square tests. Findings The majority of the respondents claimed that they have experienced financial and mental difficulties in the forms of losing their job, temporary suspension, deduction in salary, no festival bonus, delayed payment, etc. Participants demanded strict monitoring systems, sufficient medical facilities, and exact pandemic mitigation policies in both the workplace and nationwide. Furthermore, it is vital that the policy-makers should review the strategies and make the necessary adjustments to address any potential problems that arise once in a while like COVID-19. Originality This research will contribute to refined personnel management by analyzing the insight impacts of this pandemic prior to precarious shutoff. Policymakers will surely find it helpful enough for reviewing the current and longer-term impacts of this crisis to organize the plans and implementations regarding effective pandemic management.

The Geopolitical Implications of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a major infrastructure and economic development project that has attracted significant interest due to its geopolitical implications. This article examines the many facets of CPEC and its impact on the region. The introduction summarizes CPEC and provides the article statement, emphasizing the research focus on geopolitical implications. The historical context section examines the origins of CPEC and details the motivations and goals that led to its creation. The economic impact of the CPEC is examined, highlighting the corridor's benefits, challenges and infrastructure development projects. In addition, the article examines the geopolitical implications of the CPEC and assesses its impact on the balance of power in South Asia and the wider Indo-Pacific region. Perspectives and responses from neighbouring countries and international organizations are also taken into account. The article concludes by summarizing the important findings and emphasizing the policy implications for Pakistan, China and other stakeholders. Future prospects and situations are examined and recommendations for further research are given.

Dengue Fever: A Case Study

Dengue is a pandemic that is brought on by the Dengue Virus (DENV), which is a single-stranded RNA (ribonucleic acid) virus. Dengue is also brought on by the bite of species in the Aedes family. Dengue, which is caused by the Dengue Virus, is the most common arboviral illness in the world and is a member of the Flaviviridae family. I present a study based on Dengue as a pandemic which outbreak on City Hospital of Delhi in the year 2010. Examining the clinical characteristics of dengue posi-tive cases, the prevalence of dengue diagnosis among patients with suspected dengue, and the effects of the aforemen-tioned on the environment and infectious illnesses. 4480 blood samples from clinically probable dengue fever patients were used in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent test (ELISA) to find dengue virus-specific IgM antibody protection. On 55 samples of C6/36 cell monolayers, virus isolation was carried out. The patient's application or the doctor might provide medical and public information about the patient. Results: Of the 4,480 blood samples tested, 1,800 blood samples (40.17%) were de-tected to be positive for the DENV with particular antibodies known as IgM antibodies. The most common group of single species of microorganism detected was DENV type 2. The conditions which were profusely detected were thrombocytopenia in which the blood platelet count observed is low and along with this Myalgia was also detected in which pain in the muscles is observed. In 32.4% and 17.9% of the 1,800-dengue fever IgM positive patients, respectively, low platelet count (thrombo-cytopenia) and muscle discomfort (myalgia) were noted. Together, these conditions accounted for 3% of the cases. Addition-ally, dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), which affects 10.3% of the 1,800 persons, has a fatality rate of 0.08%. Conclusions: Increased reporting due to changes in disease outbreaks, unprecedented rainfall, major infrastructure developments and improved medical facilities contributed to the shortage of dengue patients in 2010.

Impact assessment of Belt and Road Initiative on Chinese economy and society

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a major infrastructure and economic development project launched by the Chinese government in 2013. This review paper examines the economic and social impact of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) on the country and makes recommendations. The Belt and Road Initiative has contributed to China’s economic growth and expansion, but also faces challenges such as corruption and environmental concerns. In terms of society, the Belt and Road Initiative has both positive and negative impacts and hidden risks. It creates jobs and infrastructure, but to a certain extent increases pollution and destroys the ecological balance. The conclusion of this study is that the development of the „Belt and Road” should take its essence and discard its dross, criticize inheritance, make the past serve the present, and all countries should work together to realize a community of shared future.

The effect of toll road operation on national road performance in Central Java province

One of the major infrastructure development programs of the Indonesian government is the construction of toll roads, such as the Trans-Central Java toll road. The construction of these toll roads subsequently affects various aspects of the country, including the capacity and performance of the national road network. However, the government needs to analyze the effect of the toll road network on the performance of the national road network both in the existing and the coming years. Therefore, this study aims to determine the effect of the Trans Java toll road network on the performance of national roads. The study area used was the Central Java Province with a specific focus on toll roads and national roads. The analysis was processed on the EMME/3 software to form a road network with Gravity Model. The findings showed that the largest movement between 2022 and 2048 is in internal zones. It was also discovered that the Volume-Capacity Ratio value of the road network in 2022 was stable while 512 roads were projected to be unstable in 2048. Moreover, the average travel speed on national road sections in 2022 with toll roads was found to be stable up to 2030 but the speeds started reducing from 2035 to 2048 where the value was recorded to be less than 40 km/hour.

Using single-beam bathymetric data technique to estimate dredging: a case study in Lake Manzala (Egypt)

Marine dredging is an excavation activity carried out worldwide. Dredging is a critical component of most major infrastructure developments of the lakes. This research work was conducted, using two epoch data (year 2016 and year 2022), to investigate changes in the morphometry of Lake Manzala. Data acquisition was done using depth sounding with an echo sounder and GPS, and further processing was done using ArcGIS 10.7.1 software. Results obtained for dredging activities in Lake Manzala were as follows: a slight change in its surface area, the most aquatic macrophytes were removed, the inside fish farms have been completely removed, the appearance of mud islands, and a high amount of removed sediment. The total removed area is estimated at 524.94 million m3 from Lake Manzala. With a continuous dredging process, the results of the manuscript serve as good reference material for decision and policy formulation relating.

Impact of Human Imposed Pressure on Pheasants of Western Himalayas, Pakistan: Implication for Monitoring and Conservation

Pheasants play a distinctive and significant role in high altitudinal ecosystems. These are good indicators of environmental changes, and their presence determines the health and balance of the bio-network. Recent human pressure continues to degrade their populations, and some pheasant species are already extinct. Therefore, the current study focuses on pheasant abundance and emerging conservation issues. The pheasant population was assessed using “Call count methods” and analyzed by DISTANCE software. The results revealed that the valleys where human interference is minimum had significantly higher encounter rates and densities of pheasants. At the same time, the pheasant population was severely affected, whether found at lower or higher altitudes, showing seasonal migration toward human settlements. The habitat suitability modeling was performed using the MaxEnt model and showed that human activities overlap with the suitable natural habitats of pheasants. The threats were identified using a systematic questionnaire survey from the nearest villages of the potential habitat, and particular attention was paid to valleys where human pressures were found to be high. Major infrastructure development projects, illegal hunting, and deforestation were identified as the major threats to the pheasant population. The study concluded that proper conservation measures are required to protect pheasants in their potential habitats.

Urban governance and the implementation of major infrastructure projects in Kumasi, Ghana

ABSTRACT This paper explores power dynamics among stakeholders in the Kejetia/Central Market Redevelopment Project in Kumasi, Ghana. It adopts a case study approach and draws on multiple qualitative data collection methods, including in-depth interviews of 62 representatives of evicted traders and project officials. The study reveals the use of participatory approaches that ignored many informal stakeholders of the project. These stakeholders also adopted varied strategies to engage city authorities with myriads of outcomes. We argue that the major infrastructure development projects in emerging African cities should have built-in mechanisms for identifying and including stakeholders at all stages of their implementation process.

Building Bridges: The Effect of Major Infrastructure Development on Trade

Building Bridges: The Effect of Major Infrastructure Development on Trade

Analisis Dampak Ekonomi dan Sosial Pembangunan Infrastruktur di Indonesia

Infrastructure projects are expected to deliver positive economic and social impact to the community. However, the model to analyze the economic and social impact is still limited. Therefore, this study aims to develop an economic and social impact model to be used for study the impact of infrastructure projects. The research focuses on several case studies of infrastructure projects which guaranteed by Indonesia Infrastructure Guarantee Fund (IIGF) both PPP (Public-Private-Partnership) Scheme and non-PPP Scheme on telco, water, tourism Sector. These sectors are believed to represented the major infrastructure development that cover both local, national, and international perspectives. The analytical method used to measure economic impacts from infrastructure development is a quantitative approach by using following attributes: Sectoral Economic Analysis, Potential Economic Analysis, Growth Accounting, Input-Output Table Analysis, and Statistical Forecasting. While, to analyse the social impact of infrastructure development, quantitative and qualitative approaches are used by In-depth Interview through questionnaire filling technique and Social Impact Assessment (SIA) method. In addition, this study also used legal approach method. The results show various economic impacts of project investment development, both in terms of potential and realization. Meanwhile, in terms of social impacts, there are various community responses to the realization of project development.

Comparative Analysis of Spatial Disparities Based on Infrastructure Development and Socioeconomic Indices: A Case Study of Lahore

Infrastructure development and socioeconomic factors are directly related to the opulence and economic growth of any region. Disparity in the allocation of resources within a city has a huge influence on the socioeconomic factors of the population. Cities in developing countries manifesta vast disparity in the provision of infrastructural facilities and it leads to curbing the socioeconomic development of their residents. The current research aims to study the impact of disparity in infrastructure development on the socioeconomic factors has been assessed in the city of Lahore. Two towns of the city, that is, Johar town and Shalamar town were selected based on two different criteria to examine the impact of disparity in infrastructure development on the prevailing socioeconomic conditions. Primary data was collected with the help of a questionnaire encompassing major infrastructure development factors and socioeconomic indicators. Surveys were conducted in these towns with the disproportionate technique of stratified sampling. Data was analyzed through SPSS. Statistical Linear Regression Model was applied to determine whether a relationship exists among the infrastructural and socioeconomic indicators or not. The results showed that the town with better infrastructure development has far better socioeconomic conditions as compared to the less developed town within the same city.
         Keywords: inequality, infrastructural development, socio-economic indices, spatial disparities

Impacts of loss of free-flowing rivers on global freshwater megafauna

The fragmentation of free-flowing rivers (FFRs) through major infrastructure development remains a pivotal threat to global freshwater biodiversity. More than 3400 large hydropower dams (>1 MW) are either planned or under construction, posing threats to freshwater megafauna (i.e., freshwater animals that can reach 30 kg). Here, we investigate the global patterns of river connectivity within distribution ranges of freshwater megafauna and explore how these patterns could change in the future. We found that the susceptibility of freshwater megafauna to reduced river connectivity in different dimensions depends on their life history. Freshwater megafauna taxa with a short accumulated length or low percentage of FFRs in their distribution ranges are more likely to be threatened. On average, there is higher freshwater megafauna richness in FFRs with proposed dams than in rivers that would remain free-flowing in the future or that are already fragmented. If all the proposed dams were built, 94 (18.9%) out of 497 remaining FFRs >500 km that provide habitat for freshwater megafauna would lose their free-flowing status. Our results highlight the reduced connectivity of rivers currently inhabited by freshwater megafauna and the future intensification of river fragmentation in megafauna-rich basins. Research and conservation efforts, including life-history studies, identification of critical habitats, updates of IUCN Red List assessments, advanced communication of the potential impacts on ecosystem services and livelihoods of affected communities, and strategic siting, design, and operations of proposed dams are urgently needed to safeguard freshwater megafauna and overall freshwater biodiversity.

Driving factors for adopting public-private partnership in Ethiopia and comparison with other countries

PurposeThe extensive public financing for infrastructure guided by the state-led development policy has crowded out private sector participation for infrastructure development in Ethiopia. Although public-private partnership (PPP) has been used by many countries, the Government of Ethiopia has started to adopt it for major infrastructure development recently. Thus, it is important to investigate the reasons that motivated the government to adopt the PPP model to provide insights to the sector players. This paper aims to explore the driving factors for adopting PPP for infrastructure development focusing on the energy sector of Ethiopia and compared it with other countries.Design/methodology/approachThe study used a comprehensive literature review of previous research outcomes and a purposively sampled questionnaire survey of professionals in Ethiopia.FindingsThe results of the study revealed that the five top driving factors perceived by the experts for adopting PPP in the energy sector of Ethiopia include the private sector has the ability to raise funds for project, facilitate creative and innovative approaches, save time in delivering the project, accelerate project development and private sector possess better mobility. The comparison of the driving factors with other countries also suggests that each county has its own reason and preference for adopting the PPP model.Originality/valueThe research result contributes to the development of PPP in Ethiopia and other developing countries at the early stage of PPP implementation. It also provides information to policymakers, sponsors, financiers and developers of PPP projects to understand the government's motivations to implement PPP in Ethiopia.

Systemic Issues Influencing Technical Certainty in Social Housing Programmes in a Small Island Developing State

Underestimating costs in major public sector social infrastructure development projects is a highly contested and problematic issue. Several gaps exist in the identification of root causes of cost overruns. Behavioural science academics advocate political and psychological explanations as root causes for cost overruns against technical factors, such as errors and omissions by engineers, practitioners and scientists. Most studies in this field primarily concentrate on developed countries. Although some studies have been undertaken in developing countries, very little attention is given to the Small Island Developing States (SIDS). This paper presents a case study of public sector social housing construction programmes in a Caribbean SIDS to further understand the root causes of cost overruns. Primary and secondary data spanning across two different political cycles were collected to test the concepts of whether political influences or technical influences are the true root causes of cost overruns. It was found that political explanations based on the psycho-strategic concept are the leading sources of cost risks on the final estimated contract price. This study strengthens the argument and discusses how strategic decisions emanating from the political directorate outweigh and influence informed technical decisions formulated during the planning stages.