Site Management Research Articles

Advanced Image Processing for Archaeological Site Identification, Management, and Conservation

Advanced Image Processing for Archaeological Site Identification, Management, and Conservation

A modular framework to assess biological resource utilization impacts (BIORIM)

The strong influence of biological processes and site conditions, the large diversity in management, compositional changes of agricultural produce, and the circularity of processes challenge the assessment of environmental impacts of the bioeconomy. This paper introduces a novel sustainability assessment and material flow model to study biological resource utilization impacts (BIORIM) which aims to address these challenges. The model represents important bioeconomic production systems (e.g. arable land, dairy farm, biogas plant) and considers input properties, production parameters such as site conditions or management, and different emission factors when calculating products and emissions. For this reason, the functions that represent the conversion processes need to be executed in the correct order when analysing larger production networks. The model keeps full track of mass, carbon and nitrogen flows, and therefore allows assessing how much is lost during processing, ending up in the produce and is recycled. The modelling approach is illustrated at the example of a dairy farm where dairy manure is used as an organic fertilizer for fodder crop production in the following year. This is compared to a scenario that includes a biogas plant. The comparison of manure storage to biogas production reveals that this change does not only affects direct emissions. Biogas production leads to higher carbon losses and thus negatively affects the humus balance. The manure storage, on the other hand, leads to higher nitrogen losses, which result in a lower fertilization value of the manure, and therefore a higher amount of mineral fertilizer is required in the following year. Together with the emission savings from the energy production, this results in a lower global warming effect of the biogas scenario. The study shows that it is important to consider the interplay of processes when assessing impacts of bioeconomic production systems.

Primary Closure of External Fixator Pin Sites Is Safe After Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery.

To determine if rates of pin site infection and surgical site infection among patients managed with primary closure after external fixator removal were similar to those allowed to heal secondarily. Retrospective cohort. Urban/Suburban Academic Level I Trauma Center. Patients who had received a lower extremity external fixator for provisional management before definitive fixation of lower extremity fractures were included with pin site wounds closed primarily or allowed to heal by secondary intention. The rate of pin tract infection and surgical site infection following primary closure of external fixator pin sites relative to patients whose pin sites were allowed to heal through secondary intention. In total, 256 patients were evaluated: 143 patients (406 pin sites) in the primary closure group and 113 patients (340 in sites) in the secondary closure group. The average age was 49 ± 16 years. Sixty-five percent of included patients were male. There was no difference in pin tract infections between cohorts (primary = 0.5%, secondary = 1.5%, P = 0.26). External fixator duration in the primary closure group was 11.5 ± 8.4 days and 13.0 ± 8.1 days in the secondary closure group (P = 0.15). There was a greater rate of surgical site infections in the secondary intention cohort (15.9% vs. 7.7%, P = 0.047). There was no difference in pin site infection rate after primary pin site closure relative to patients who were allowed to heal through secondary intention. Furthermore, there was a lower rate of surgical site infection after primary closure. These results challenge the dogma of secondary closure for ex fix pin sites, suggesting that debridement and primary closure is a safe option for management of external fixator pin sites and may impart benefit in decreasing infection risk. Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT PLAN AT A PREHISTORIC ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE: THE CASE OF THE NIAH CAVES IN SARAWAK, MALAYSIA

The Niah Caves are an important archaeological site that supports a resident population and is host to a large and growing number of visitors. Close monitoring, strict regulations, and careful management will be required in the long term to avoid pressures and threats from urban expansion, plantations, resource use, village growth, excessive tourist infrastructure and use, and service development. However, the absence of a formally written conservation and management plan prior to 2022 has left the heritage conservation and management of the Niah Cave site insufficient in addressing its management challenges. Hence, this paper analyses the conservation and management plan for the site through systematic observation, site analysis, and stakeholder interviews. The research focuses on documentation and recording, assessing the site’s importance, identifying all factors and issues, defining management policy, selecting management strategies, and monitoring and reviewing the plans for the site. The study aims to contribute to the conservation and preservation of the Niah Caves as a national park in Sarawak. Emphasis is placed on prioritising the preservation and management of archaeological sites and advocating for comprehensive planning and sustainable management practices for the conservation of cultural heritage.

Urban morphology and identity: The dock spaces of melaka on the maritime silk road

Background: This research investigates the intricate relationship between historical docks and the urban development of Melaka, a significant maritime entrepot along the Maritime Silk Road. Focusing on the physical connections and urban morphological performance, this study explores how these docks have influenced the urban morphology and architectural typology of Melaka from its earliest settlement to the present. Method: Utilizing a multidisciplinary approach that combines urban planning, architectural analysis, historical research, and extensive fieldwork, this research identifies key dock spaces along the Melaka River and examines their connections to the city's inland areas. Through historical mapping and analysis of lost docks and market spaces, as well as religious buildings, the study reveals the complex interactions between these maritime infrastructures and urban development. Result: The findings highlight numerous challenges in preserving these historical nodes, including issues related to modern urban integration and conservation. Conclusion: The research concludes with recommendations for the conservation and management of these historical sites, emphasizing their importance in preserving Melaka’s historic urban landscape. By safeguarding these cultural heritage nodes, Melaka can maintain its urban identity and continue to honor its rich maritime history. Novelty/Originality of this study: The development of a comprehensive and adaptive maritime heritage integration model in modern urban planning, which combines urban morphology, historical mapping, and socio-economic impact assessment, provides a multidimensional framework for urban planners to preserve and revitalize infrastructure nodes while accommodating contemporary urban development needs, thereby creating a balance between heritage preservation and urban progress.

건설현장의 스마트 안전보건활동 요소에 관한 중요도 분석

The purpose of this study is to analyze the importance of smart safety and health activity elements in order to increase the execution power and effectiveness of smart safety and health activities at construction sites. To this end, in this study, the elements of smart safety and health activities were derived from the technical, educational, and management levels, and AHP(Analytic Hierarchy Process) survey data were collected and analyzed for safety-related experts at construction sites. As a result of the relative importance analysis of the elements of smart safety and health activities, the priority of smart experience education programs was the highest, and smart risk assessment system, smart safety control system operation, smart worker safety management, smart work site management, smart technology specialized training instructors, smart risk area access management, safety and health management system, smart education certification system, smart equipment management, and smart non-face-to-face education were sequentially high. The results of this analysis can be evaluated as the most effective way to prevent and act on safety accidents in construction sites and situations using Augmented Reality(AR) and VR(Virtual Reality), and it needs to be introduced first. In addition, in order to prevent and reduce various industrial accidents at construction sites, it suggests that smart safety and health activities at the enterprise level, such as smart experience education, risk assessment, and integrated safety management systems, are needed rather than smart safety and health activities at the individual level.

ARM4CH: A Methodology for Autonomous Reality Modelling for Cultural Heritage.

Nowadays, the use of advanced sensors, such as terrestrial, mobile 3D scanners and photogrammetric imaging, has become the prevalent practice for 3D Reality Modeling (RM) and the digitization of large-scale monuments of Cultural Heritage (CH). In practice, this process is heavily related to the expertise of the surveying team handling the laborious planning and time-consuming execution of the 3D scanning process tailored to each site's specific requirements and constraints. To minimize human intervention, this paper proposes a novel methodology for autonomous 3D Reality Modeling of CH monuments by employing autonomous robotic agents equipped with the appropriate sensors. These autonomous robotic agents are able to carry out the 3D RM process in a systematic, repeatable, and accurate approach. The outcomes of this automated process may also find applications in digital twin platforms, facilitating secure monitoring and the management of cultural heritage sites and spaces, in both indoor and outdoor environments. The main purpose of this paper is the initial release of an Industry 4.0-based methodology for reality modeling and the survey of cultural spaces in the scientific community, which will be evaluated in real-life scenarios in future research.

GREEN SITE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN THE MALAYSIAN CONSTRUCTION SITES

This study intends to explore the available green site management practices for construction stakeholders. Green site management practices have been introduced to the construction industry to mitigate the negative impacts of construction activities if construction stakeholders start to implement them. Therefore, green site management practices such as land control, construction site waste management, dust, noise, and vibration control, and a green and conducive environment shall be explored to promote green development in the construction industry. A qualitative method was employed since this study focused on the views of construction stakeholders on green site management practices. Five contractors were randomly selected from the construction sites in Malaysia based on the convenience sampling method. All respondents were qualified to give opinions as they hold management posts. The process collecting of opinions from the respondents stopped when no new issues were found in their feedback. The results reveal that land control, construction site waste management, dust, noise, and vibration control, and a green and conducive environment were considered green development in the construction industry. However, these practices were not systematically practised as there were no clear guidelines to lead the practitioners. The results also showed that the government has the power to enforce green practices on construction sites. Green site management practices will bring another new era to the construction industry, which is intended to protect the environment while ensuring that the practitioners can be financially sustainable. The results will shed light on green construction development, whereby these green practices can be promoted to construction sites.

Unbalanced or Absent: Assessing Indigenous Representation in Interpretive Materials at Government Administered Heritage Sites in Cascadia and Hawai‘i

ABSTRACT Unbalanced or absent Indigenous representation in interpretive materials at government administered heritage sites in settler-colonial contexts can create contention and perpetuate a misinformed or one-dimensional visitor experience and historical narrative. This research therefore examines representation in interpretive materials accessible in 2019 at heritage sites with Indigenous ancestral connections in settler-colonial contexts. This study uses 10 U.S. case study heritage sites and two supplementary sites in Washington, Idaho, and Hawai‘i. Researchers utilized participant observation and systematic photography during two 2019 research phases to document interpretive materials. Quantification generated 731 analytic units which were subsequently assessed for the presence of inductively and deductively generated codes. The assembled empirical results illustrate three overarching themes: (1) controlled historical narrative; (2) absence of shared authority; and (3) challenges in representing and/or integrating different ways of knowing. This research contributes to heritage studies and practical heritage site management in two ways: (1) offering a timely multi-sited and multicultural sample of settler-colonial heritage site interpretive materials comparable to other sites; and (2) illustrating empirical trends in interpretive materials that privilege settlers over Indigenous peoples. This research suggests that future interpretation could benefit from a more balanced multivocal approach that recognizes ancestral and contemporary Indigenous homelands and the complexity of Indigenous-settler interactions.

Building Digital Twins to Overcome Digitalization Barriers for Automating Construction Site Management

Construction sites are highly unpredictable environments involving a wide variety of stakeholders with complex information exchanges, which lead to the well-known inefficiencies and unproductivity of the construction sector. The adoption of Building Digital Twins (BDT) in the construction site is a promising solution to this issue, by automating data acquisition and knowledge extraction processes and providing what-if scenario simulation capabilities. Furthermore, the current research sets the principles to define, replicate, and scale-up the architecture of a Building Digital Twin Platform (BDTP), conceived as a scalar ecosystem, which allows to seamlessly manage on-site construction processes, integrating cross-cutting domains for the construction site optimization (Progress monitoring, Quality control, Operational Health and Safety, Equipment control, and Production planning). The starting point of the research is a comprehensive diagnosis of on-site process inefficiencies and the barriers to its digitalization leading to the user requirements, which have been underpinned by questionnaires and interviews addressed within an open innovation user-centered approach around Living Labs. The research has been conceived following the Design Science Research (DSR) methodology and based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) analysis for the continuous improvement of the construction process. By means of the adoption of the standard Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN), based on the BDTP architecture, the research has resulted in BPMN workflows stemmed from the Digital Twin (DT) where the DT itself is an actor in a service-oriented data-exchange workflow. Moreover, the use of a BDTP can pave the way for the transition from user-driven construction management to hybrid management, coexisting with both human and digital actors and merging expert knowledge with artificial intelligence techniques.

Revitalizing Indonesian Tourism: Insights from Gunungkidul Regency's Communication Strategy

Tourism is a crucial part of Indonesia's economy, thanks to the country's natural beauty and attractions. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented significant challenges to the sector, requiring innovative strategies to revive it. This study examines the communication strategy of the Gunungkidul Regency Tourism Office, focusing on how it navigates the complexities of the new normal era. The study uses a qualitative descriptive approach and centers on the Gunungkidul Regency Tourism Office. Data was gathered through observation and documentation of tourist sites and interviews with tourism officials, site management personnel, and tourists from June to July 2021. The study found that the Gunungkidul Regency Tourism Office diligently adopted key communication strategy phases, including audience profiling, message formulation, method selection, and media choice. They also provided fundamental components of tourism development, such as attraction, accessibility, amenities, and ancillary, to cater to tourist demands. The strategy emphasizes effective communication to engage diverse stakeholders, using audience segmentation and engagement and multimedia platforms to ensure maximal outreach and resonance. The findings highlight the importance of crisis communication best practices, audience segmentation, and evaluating tourism community resilience, which are essential for crafting a resilient and sustainable tourism ecosystem.

Overlooked carbon sinks in the house building industry and the influential factors

The study aims to establish a carbon sink measurement model for the house building industry and analyze the time-varying characteristics of influential factors. China's house building industry exhibited an increasing trend in carbon sink, from 0.336 billion tons in 2000 to 234.1 million tons in 2020. This study defines the carbon sink coefficient of the house building industry to understand its carbon sink capacity. From 2000 to 2020, the average carbon dioxide absorption per square meter of floor space annually, throughout its life cycle, is 2.09 kg. Factors influencing the carbon sink were analyzed using Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) model. The most influential factor was resource consumption intensity, followed by value dependence level and output scale effect. Employing Time-Varying Parameter Vector Autoregression (TVP-VAR), this study examines the impact of macro factors on carbon sinks at various lead times and specific points. Resource consumption intensity exhibits significant time-varying effects. Value dependence level negatively influences, primarily in the medium and long terms, while the output scale effect consistently shows a positive influence, mainly in the long term. Scenario forecasting suggests that by 2035, under low-carbon transition scenarios, carbon sinks could increase by 8.28% and 17.26% compared to baseline and high-carbon crude scenarios, respectively. To foster this growth, prolonging the service life of houses, enhancing construction site management and waste treatment, and employing higher value-added production factors are recommended.

Impact of Vineyard Fallow Practices on Reducing Meloidogyne hapla Population Densities

The northern root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne hapla) is a common plant-parasitic nematode in northern grape production regions. This nematode induces small galls on roots, which restricts water and nutrient uptake, resulting in poor vine establishment or exacerbated decline in stressed vines. A study was conducted to explore the impacts of site management practices on M. hapla population densities following removal of wine grape (Vitis vinifera) vineyards in Washington State. Soil was collected from 38 fields, M. hapla second-stage juvenile densities in soil were determined, and to assist in identifying M. hapla in potentially low-population density samples, an eight week-long tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) bioassay was conducted. Vineyard managers also provided information on site management techniques. Of the 20 total management techniques and combinations explored (e.g., fallow duration, cover crops, mowing, irrigation, herbicide applications), only one component resulted in lower M. hapla population densities: duration of vine-free period. A duration of at least one-year post vineyard removal showed a decline in M. hapla population densities in the sampled former vineyard sites. These results suggest that a fallow period could be useful as a non-chemical management tool for M. hapla in vineyard replant soils. However, consideration of additional site management factors such as weed management, soil series and amendments, interim crop planting, and irrigation or accumulated rainfall that may support M. hapla development is necessary.

A Reconstruction Methodology of Dynamic Construction Site Activities in 3D Digital Twin Models Based on Camera Information

Digital twin technology significantly enhances construction site management efficiency; however, dynamically reconstructing site activities presents a considerable challenge. This study introduces a methodology that leverages camera data for the 3D reconstruction of construction site activities. The methodology was initiated using 3D scanning to meticulously reconstruct the construction scene and dynamic elements, forming a model base. It further integrates deep learning algorithms to precisely identify static and dynamic elements in obstructed environments. An enhanced semi-global block-matching algorithm was then applied to derive depth information from the imagery, facilitating accurate element localization. Finally, a near-real-time projection method was introduced that utilizes the spatial relationships among elements to dynamically incorporate models into a 3D base, enabling a multi-perspective view of site activities. Validated by simulated construction site experiments, this methodology showcased an impressive reconstruction accuracy reaching up to 95%, this underscores its significant potential in enhancing the efficiency of creating a dynamic digital twin model.

WORLD HERITAGE SUSTAINABILITY: OMBILIN COAL MINING HERITAGE OF SAWAHLUNTO

Ombilin Coal Mining Heritage of Sawahlunto (OCMHS) is a World Heritage originating from Indonesia, which was designated by UNESCO at its 42nd session in Baku, Azerbaijan. This World Heritage achievement has made Sawahlunto City known nationally and even internationally. OCMHS has extraordinary universal value that must be protected and preserved, because it represents multi-component technology starting from mines, mining towns, railways and ports that are well designed and integrated. This research uses historical methods, namely 1) Heuristics, namely looking for data that is relevant to the research; 2) Source Criticism, namely testing the truth and accuracy of the data obtained; 3) Interpretation, namely the stage of classifying data and facts, synthesizing facts, so that historical reconstruction can be carried out; 4) Historiography is a stage of writing like an academic work. In the course of 4 (four) years after the establishment of OCMHS, various problems emerged, starting with the resolution of 16 (sixteen) notes from the World Heritage secretariat that had not been fulfilled, a management body that had not yet been formed, the absence of adequate budget support, unclear distribution duties between the West Sumatra Provincial Government and the Central Government, regional governments run their own course in managing OCMHS assets. The management of the OCMHS World Heritage site is about joint efforts to harmonize and equalize frequencies. This is still a challenge and homework for the Central Government, Regional Government and various parties involved in it, with the aim of preserving OCMHS as a World Heritage.

Migration of humans fleeing conflict in the Lake Chad region may increase pressures on natural resources in Lake Fitri (Chad): A case study on waterbirds

Abstract Sustainable harvest of wildlife is a major food security and conservation issue. In Africa, where wildlife is harvested mainly for subsistence, this remains a challenge. In this study, using waterbirds as model for natural resources, we assessed the sustainability of harvest through fishing bycatch on Lake Fitri (Chad). We estimated the abundance of 24 target taxa through aerial distance sampling over four consecutive years (2018–2021) and in parallel estimated the number of birds harvested through interviews of a sample of 105 out of approximately 5500 fishermen. By modelling their potential excess growth, we found a high risk of overexploitation for four species, including the world‐threatened Black Crowned Crane Balearica pavonina, likely due to an influx of fishermen to Lake Fitri fleeing the Boko Haram security crisis. Synthesis and applications: This work is likely the first quantitative approach of bird harvest sustainability in Africa. It should contribute to fill a methodological and an information gap in the strategic planification of several multilateral environmental agreements like the African‐Eurasian Waterbird Agreement and the Ramsar Convention. In particular, this work could help implementing adaptive management of natural resources (including birds) in Ramsar site management plans. African wetlands such as Lake Fitri may not be able to provide enough natural resources in the medium term for movements of displaced civilians forced by armed conflict into such biodiversity strongholds.

A modified geographical weighted regression model for better flood risk assessment and management of immovable cultural heritage sites at large spatial scales

With the increase in extreme climatic events globally in recent years, the increased frequency of flood hazards has had a great impact on immovable cultural heritage sites (ICHs) due to their prolonged exposure to the disaster environment. This poses a risk management challenge, especially on large scales. Most existing flood risk assessment models for ICHs are determined using common natural hazard methods directly and focus less on the characteristics of ICHs. In this paper, we propose a modified geographical weighted regression (MGWR) model to assess flood risk at ICHs, and this model considers the spatial and age properties of the ICHs. These two properties were used for the construction of the weight matrix in the MGWR model. Eleven selected indices and loss survey data with 417 sample points, including 5 types of ICHs, were utilized for model training and testing in Shanxi Province, China. The results showed that the MGWR model had good accuracy with an R2 of 0.928. A comparison between the MGWR and normal GWR models indicated that the accuracies of the older ICHs improved more in the MGWR than in the GWR. We also found that the proposed model performed better than the normal GWR model using age as an index. Moreover, in comparison with three machine learning methods (decision tree, logistic regression, and random forest), the MGWR model still performed better and was less limited by the number of training samples. This paper provides evidence that the characteristics of ICHs are crucial in the construction of flood risk assessment models, and the proposed model can benefit the risk management of various types of ICHs at large spatial scales.

Tourism index evaluation of exposed coast, Bangladesh: A modeling approach

Over recent decades, coastal and marine tourism has significantly contributed to the degradation of coastal features and ecosystems. This study employs the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services (ES) and Trade-offs (InVEST) software to assess the impact of nature-based tourism activities over 13-year periods, particularly focusing on the exposed coast of Bangladesh where most touristic activities occur. The visitation rate from the InVEST model showed a gradual increase from 2005 to 2012, followed by a decline until 2017. The western coast recorded a visitation rate ranging from 1 to 72 (low to moderate), while the eastern coast ranged between 16 and 343 (moderate to high). The real-time data of visitation rate (RTD) for the Sundarbans generally aligns with the model outputs, although occasional irregularities exist in certain years, attributed to local geomorphological inaccessibility and technological limitations. Along the central coast, the visitation rate varied from 2 to 50 (low rate) Photo-User Day (PUD) index. The findings offer valuable insights for future policymaking, facilitating the effective management of tourist sites and promoting sustainable blue economic development in this diverse and vulnerable exposed coastal zone.

Forecast Uncertainties Real-Time Data-Driven Compensation Scheme for Optimal Storage Control

This study introduces a real-time data-driven battery management scheme designed to address uncertainties in load and generation forecasts, which are integral to an optimal energy storage control system. By expanding on an existing algorithm, this study resolves issues discovered during implementation and addresses previously overlooked concerns, resulting in significant enhancements in both performance and reliability. The refined real-time control scheme is integrated with a day-ahead optimization engine and forecast model, which is utilized for illustrative simulations to highlight its potential efficacy on a real site. Furthermore, a comprehensive comparison with the original formulation was conducted to cover all possible scenarios. This analysis validated the operational effectiveness of the scheme and provided a detailed evaluation of the improvements and expected behavior of the control system. Incorrect or improper adjustments to mitigate forecast uncertainties can result in suboptimal energy management, significant financial losses and penalties, and potential contract violations. The revised algorithm optimizes the operation of the battery system in real time and safeguards its state of health by limiting the charging/discharging cycles and enforcing adherence to contractual agreements. These advancements yield a reliable and efficient real-time correction algorithm for optimal site management, designed as an independent white box that can be integrated with any day-ahead optimization control system.

Exploring medical first responders’ perceptions of mass casualty incident scenario training: a qualitative study on learning conditions and recommendations for improvement

ObjectiveDespite participating in scenario training, many medical first responders (MFRs) perceive themselves as inadequately prepared to respond to mass casualty incidents (MCIs). The objective of this study was to conduct...