Settlement Problems Research Articles

Comparison Of Regulations For The Approval Of Condominium Developments Before And After The Job Creation Law

Housing development is an effort to meet one of the basic human needs, as well as to improve the quality of the living environment, give direction to regional growth, expand employment and drive economic activities in improving and equitable distribution of people's welfare. The construction of flats is one alternative solution to the problem of housing and settlement needs, especially areas in urban areas where the population continues to increase, because the construction of flats can reduce land use, make urban open spaces more spacious and can be used as a way to rejuvenate the city for slums. Arrangements related to the construction of flats were initially regulated in the Flats Law, one of which regulated the ratification of flats. The Job Creation Law through its omnibus law model amends several provisions including those related to flats, including through implementing regulations. In this paper using normative juridical research methods, the author will compare the arrangement for the ratification of flats before and after the promulgation of the Job Creation Law and explore potential juridical problems.

Experimental Investigation on the Effect of Salt Solution on the Soil Freezing Characteristic Curve for Expansive Soils

With the development of the Belt and Road Initiative in China, high-speed railways are booming and inevitably pass through seasonal frost regions. In Nanyang basin, due to seasonal changes, railway subgrades will undergo frost heaving and thawing subsidence. The freezing characteristics of the soil are characterized by the freezing characteristic curve, and the important factors affecting the freezing characteristic curve are the content of expansive clay minerals in the soil and the salt solution. Therefore, three soil samples with different montmorillonite contents were saturated with salt solutions of different concentrations, and the freezing temperature of the soil samples was controlled by a cold bath. After the temperature equilibrium, the frozen stable soil samples were put into a nuclear magnetic resonance instrument to test the unfrozen water content, and the relationship between the freezing temperature and the unfrozen water content of expansive soil under different salt solution concentrations was obtained. Additionally, a unified model was used to simulate the test results. The results show that SFCC shifts to the left, that is, the sodium chloride salt solution reduces the freezing point of the soil sample so that it has more unfrozen water at the same temperature. At the same time, the soil’s freezing characteristic curves are closely related to content of expansive clay minerals in the soil. The more expansive clay mineral content, the greater the corresponding unfrozen water content. These results provide some basic insights for improving the frost heave and thaw subsidence problems of railway subgrades in seasonal permafrost regions, which will have a positive impact on promoting the management and rational application of land resources and the promotion of sustainable development.

On the Problem of Dian Settlements

This article presents data on the search and study of settlement complexes of the Dian Kingdom in the areas around Lake Dianchi in the Yunnan Province. Several relatively large settlements were identified, with small satellite villages adjacent to them. Their inhabitants were used as a labour resource for growing grain, collecting freshwater shellfish, processing metals and other economic activities to serve the elite, which indicate the existence of a social hierarchy in the Dian Kingdom. However, the problem of finding political and cultural centres (capitals) remains, since powerful defensive structures, monumental religious and palace buildings, market areas, and craft districts have not yet been discovered in any of the studied settlements. The Hebosuo site, located only 750 m from the richest necropolis of Shizhaishan with the graves of the wang-rulers, is supposed to be the most likely capital centre, since seals’ clay impressions of major officials of the Dian state were found on its territory. Among the unique discoveries is a cemetery of ossuaries with infant burials, which seems to be a special section of the Shizhaishan necropolis. Another candidate for capital status is the Shangxihe site, also located just 1.5 km from the Shizhaishan necropolis. There, during preliminary excavations, 42 house foundations, several hundred utility pits, among other things, as well as a defensive ditch were discovered. Undoubtedly, this is quite a large urban-type settlement, but it also lacks the characteristics of a political and economic centre listed above. There is also no exact information about its planography and chronology. Therefore, the final question of the capital status of this or that settlement can only be resolved in the course of further large-scale excavations

ՏԱՎՈՒՇԻ ՄԱՐԶԻ ԳՅՈՒՂԱԿԱՆ ՏԱՐԱԲՆԱԿԵՑՄԱՆ ՇԱՐԺԸՆԹԱՑԻ ԱՐԴԻ ՄԻՏՈՒՄՆԵՐԸ ԵՎ ԱՌԿԱ ՀԻՄՆԱԽՆԴԻՐՆԵՐԸ/CURRENT TENDENCIES AND MAIN PROBLEMS OF RURAL SETTLEMENT DYNAMICS IN TAVUSH REGION

Changes and development tendencies in settlement patterns have direct and indirect effect upon the distinct territories, regions, various economic sectors and territorial organization of the society. These changes are most uniquely manifested in mountainous countries and their individual regions, particularly in Tavush region of the Republic of Armenia. The problems of rural settlement in Tavush region became more relevant especially during the years of independence, when their development, strengthening, stabilization, overcoming socio-economic challenges became a strategic issue for the state. Following the military conflicts in 2020, enhancing the infrastructure of border territories in the Republic of Armenia, particularly the rural areas in the Tavush region, is viewed as a crucial element in fortifying the national security framework. The solution of the existing problems of the rural settlements of Tavush region depends on various factors, with particular emphasis on the development of these settlements, dynamics of rural population number and reproduction, identifying the existing problems and pointing out ways of solution. The analysis of rural settlement pattern formation and development of Tavush region is carried out in the article. The dynamics of rural settlements, population numbers, reproduction indicators, and the associated problems have been discussed. Keywords: Tavush region, rural settlement, rural population and residents, dynamic tendencies, population reproduction, problems.

A finite-element framework to explore the numerical solution of the coupled problem of heat conduction, water vapor diffusion, and settlement in dry snow (IvoriFEM v0.1.0)

Abstract. The poor treatment (or complete omission) of water vapor transport has been identified as a major limitation suffered by currently available snowpack models. As vapor and heat fluxes are closely intertwined, their mathematical representation amounts to a system of nonlinear and tightly coupled partial differential equations that are particularly challenging to solve numerically. The choice of the numerical scheme and the representation of couplings between processes are crucial to ensure an accurate and robust solution that guarantees mass and energy conservation while also allowing time steps in the order of 15 min. To explore the numerical treatments fulfilling these requirements, we have developed a highly modular finite-element program. The code is written in Python. Every step of the numerical formulation and solution is coded internally, except for the inversion of the linearized system of equations. We illustrate the capabilities of our approach to tackle the coupled problem of heat conduction, vapor diffusion, and settlement within a dry snowpack by running our model on several test cases proposed in recently published literature. We underline specific improvements regarding energy and mass conservation as well as time step requirements. In particular, we show that a fully coupled and fully implicit time-stepping approach enables accurate and stable solutions with little restriction on the time step.

Land Subsidence Policy in the Context of Good Governance Principles (Comparing Indonesia and Japan)

Land subsidence poses a significant environmental challenge globally, fueled mainly by anthropogenic activities such as excessive groundwater extraction, rampant overdevelopment, and alterations in soil geological structures. This issue has far-reaching consequences, including infrastructure deterioration, heightened flood vulnerabilities, and severe threats to both the environment and local communities. The city of Jakarta, Indonesia, has experienced a particularly pronounced impact from land subsidence since the 1980s. This study delves into the governmental responses of Indonesia and Japan to address the complex problem of land subsidence, emphasizing their adherence to principles of good governance, including transparency, accountability, and community engagement. The analysis scrutinizes various aspects of policy development, stakeholder participation, funding mechanisms, technological innovations, and the overall efficacy of these measures in mitigating land subsidence. Through a comparative lens, the research seeks to unearth effective strategies and successful policy implementations in both nations. The methodology employed adopts a normative approach, scrutinizing concepts, norms, principles, legal frameworks, and ethical considerations associated with land subsidence policies within the context of good governance. This research contributes to a holistic comprehension of land subsidence management, providing valuable insights into the effectiveness of policies aimed at addressing this critical environmental challenge.

Mechanical Properties and Neural Network Prediction of Cement Fly Ash-Enhanced Roadbed Soil in Seasonal Frozen Zones Under Short-Term Curing

The freezing and thawing of roadbed soils in seasonal frozen zones can cause uneven settlement and other road problems, which puts road operation at risk. This paper focuses on the rapid construction of expressways and analyzes the effects of using fly ash and cement as modifiers on the physical properties and chemical composition of subgrade soil. The study found that cement admixtures can improve soil mechanical attributes and frost resistance, while also increasing the degree of fly ash hydration. And the freeze-thaw cycle process can enhance the mechanical characteristics of soils with higher cement admixture content. This is due to the development of hydrates in cement fly ash-enhanced soils during freeze?thaw cycles, resulting in a denser interior structure. The use of neural network prediction analysis showed that using ANN4-10-3 to forecast soil mechanical property parameters can produce superior results. Therefore, it is recommended to use cement fly ash-enhanced soil for roadbed construction in seasonal freezing areas, and neural network can be used to predict soil mechanical parameters.

Comprehensive assets-based approach for neighborhoods that are under-resourced in Jakarta (case study: Keagungan Sub-district in West Jakarta, Indonesia)

Neighborhoods that are under-resourced are one of the main problems that almost always accompany the growth of big cities, especially in developing countries, including Jakarta. This research aims to examine the application of the Comprehensive Assets-Based Approach (CABA) as an alternative solution to the problem of neighborhoods that are under-resourced in Jakarta. The research was conducted using a descriptive qualitative method by examining one of the structuring concepts as an alternative solution to settlement problems in Jakarta, which is directed at achieving liveable housing variables. Data on houses and settlements were obtained directly from Keagungan sub-districts, including neighborhoods that are under-resourced in Jakarta. The first step is to analyze settlement data to formulate the main problems in the neighborhoods that are under-resourced. The second step is to analyze the application of the CABA method to the problems that have been obtained before. The results of the research found that one of the primary root problems in the neighborhoods that are under-resourced in Jakarta is the interweaving of economic and social problems, which include lack of income, lack of knowledge and adherence to building regulations, as well as the lack of knowledge on the criteria for liveable housing. We, therefore, conclude that it is very likely to apply the CABA method for solving neighborhoods that are under-resourced in Jakarta based on community empowerment.

Stabilization of Sabkha soil using Cement Kiln Dust (CKD)

Roads designers are often faced with the challenge to design a stable solid foundation on top of Sabkha soil, which has high salt content, very low bearing capacity and loosing of its strength upon wetting. Roads constructed on this type of soil are mainly facing problems of settlement due traffic loads and very low bearing capacity of Sabkha soft soil. This type of soil need to be stabilized using one of the stabilization techniques. The aim of this paper is study and evaluate the sabkha soil problem, which exist in North-West of Libya, where the main road connecting Libya with Tunis passed. This paper illustrates the results of using Cement Kiln Dust (CKD) in Sabkha soil stabilization. The results show a considerable improvement of sabkha soil properties based on tests conducted specially CBR values.

Designing a more stable tunnel at PAARI mining syndicate

High fracturing and faulting at Paari Mine syndicate have resulted in weak ground conditions making it difficult to conduct mining operations safely. The hanging walls and the side walls are covered with numerous faults and intersecting striking joints forming wedges which are extremely unstable. The project aims to solve the mines problem of tunnel subsidence. The work performed included studying the rock formations within the mine and determining their properties and response to excavations. The rock mass was then classified according to the rock mass rating and the rock quality index. Support design was done using guidelines according to rock mass rating tables. Ground support practices that are currently used at the mine and analysing vulnerabilities of the system were then studied and the use of systematic rock bolting, 2 meters long with a diameter of 24 mm fully grouted was proposed. In addition, we recommend that a spacing of 1 m to 1.5 m of the bolds should be used on the crown pillars as well the walls and that wire mesh should also be used as an additional support mechanism.

Research on the problems and countermeasures of environmental design of rural residential areas based on deep learning model

Abstract This paper first starts by analyzing the environmental design problems of rural settlements and constructs an evaluation system of environmental design indicators of rural settlements based on the AHP-TOPSIS-POE model. Then the index weights are calculated by using the hierarchical analysis method, the priority ranking of index weights is realized by the TOPSIS method, and the feedback analysis of index evaluation is carried out based on POE theory. Finally, the validity of this paper’s index system is verified and analyzed with the example of a new rural construction and several rural residential area environmental design schemes. The results show that humanistic respect, square space and landscape greenery have weights of 0.5819, 0.5434 and 0.4463, respectively, in the environmental design of rural residential areas, and the index system can rank the advantages and disadvantages of environmental design solutions, and then provide effective environmental design solutions to improve villagers’ happiness.

Increasing Risk of Silent Disaster in Uttarakhand Himalaya: An Example from Higher Himalaya

Land subsidence is an abrupt and silent disaster worldwide caused by various factors such as tectonics, nature of rocks and climatic variability etc. It is directly triggered by anthropogenic activities. The Uttarakhand Himalayan province in India has witnessed several earthquakes, landslides, avalanches, droughts, and flash floods/floods in the recent past. Among these incidences landslides frequently occurs in the Himalayan region, particularly during the monsoon season. Seismically, this region falls in seismic zones V and IV due to which area witnesses frequent earthquakes. An attempt was made for preparation of an inventory of land subsidence across the state of Uttarakhand to determine the key factors that are responsible for land subsidence. Previous studies and field evidences suggests that land subsidence events mainly occur due to several factors such as carbonate rocks, topography, tectonics, seismicity, climate, flash floods/floods and reservoir drawdown effect in this region. Furthermore, anthropogenic activities such as mining, underground water, unscientifically civil constructions, inadequate drainage, heavy load on ground/slope, and modification of slope for infrastructure developments aggravates the problem. This study also highlights the problem of ongoing chronic land subsidence in Joshimath town which is situated over an old landslide mass as well as its proximity to Vaikrita Thrust.

Settlement Characteristics of Urban Underground Comprehensive Pipe Gallery under Different Backfill Conditions

In order to solve the problem of differential settlement of pavement after the backfilling of urban underground comprehensive pipe corridors based on a pipe gallery project in Xiong’an New Area, the mechanical calculation model of the pipe gallery foundation pit backfilling process was simulated by ABAQUS, and the pavement settlement and the change of the pipe gallery model under different construction conditions were simulated and verified. The results show that many external environmental factors have an impact on pavement settlement, and methods such as increasing the compaction degree of backfill soil and the slope of the foundation pit, reducing the width of the pit floor, and controlling the vehicle load after work can avoid the pavement damage caused by uneven settlement.

Challenges in rural Hungary in the post-pandemic period

The social problems of marginalised rural areas have intensified and transformed in recent years, particularly in the context of pandemic and economic crisis. In the countries of the Central and Eastern European region integration of marginalized areas is a major challenge. Unlike in the West, segregation and ghettoisation are problems of small rural settlements far from prosperous centres. In Hungarian countryside, the life of small villages, which are located far from economic centres and lack institutions, continues to be characterised by negative migration trends. In this article, we present the situation of seven small villages in southern Baranya, which are covered by the programme to help the 300 most disadvantageous Hungarian settlements to integration, in the light of the perception of problems of the population living there. Our survey aimed to explore the difficulties related to the pandemic and everyday life at local level. The assessment of subjective perceptions provided an opportunity to structure the disadvantaged rural population from a specific perspective and to analyse the problems of the characteristics of each group.

Climate Change and Urban Migration in Sub-Saharan African Cities: Impacts and Governance Challenges

Abstract Urban informal settlements are rapidly expanding in countries around the world. This is due partly to high birth rates, but also because of growing in-migration driven by climate change impacts affecting rural populations. Urban informal settlements struggle with degraded and sometimes nonexistent infrastructure (such as water, sewage, and drainage systems) and service provision (health, education), and these shortcomings are aggravated by urban climate-related hazards like flooding and heat spikes. As informal settlements expand, their already overburdened infrastructure can lead to urban disasters such as flooding and landfill collapse. These challenges increase the governance and financial problems already faced by cities and create significant problems for climate resilience planning processes. Policy responses at both the national and city levels promise much but deliver little. This article reviews what is known about the environmental problems of informal settlements, particularly those in African cities, and how city governments have responded to those problems. We focus on two inland cities: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Kampala, Uganda. We find that city climate adaptation plans do not incorporate the perspective of migrants, who are both particularly vulnerable to climate change and play a role in exacerbating environmental challenges in cities.

О понятии и правовых средствах обеспечения устойчивого развития городов

Introduction. The concept of sustainable development continues to receive more and more support every year, both at the international and domestic levels. The main reason for its popularity is that this concept has become a qualitatively new strategy for social development, designed to balance the environmental, economic and social interests of a citizen, business, society and the state in the interests of both present and future generations. Theoretical analysis. The movement towards sustainable development of cities within the framework of the overall strategy for achieving the SDGs is ensured by the activities of public authorities and the public to best solve the social, economic and environmental problems of settlements, improve the comfort of life of citizens through the rational use of urban resources, effective urban planning, not exceeding the assimilation potential of urban ecosystems, for the benefit of present and future generations. Results. At the moment, there is no definition of sustainable urban development in the Russian law, and therefore, there is no mechanism for implementing the tasks set in SDG No. 11, including the lack of a system of indicators in the country (social, economic, environmental and others) to assess the degree of achievement of the SDGs. Today we see only separate doctrinal and normative indicators of sustainable development of cities, reflecting only some aspects of the transition of cities to sustainable development (in terms of comfortable housing, etc.). In the scientific doctrine, the relationship between the concept of sustainable urban development and other (related) concepts of interaction between nature and society, including the concept of an eco-city and a “smart” city, is also extremely poorly studied. In this regard, the legal solution to this problem can be the development of the Concept of the transition of the Russian Federation to sustainable development, which includes a clear plan of legislative work, one of the sections of which should include measures to ensure the sustainable development of cities, as well as a number of stages of movement towards this goal and a system of indicators for evaluating these processes.

An Overview of Soil Pollution and Remediation Strategies in Coal Mining Regions

Coal remains a very important source of energy for the global economy. Surface and underground coal mining are the two major methods of coal extraction, and both have benefits and drawbacks. Surface coal mining can have a variety of environmental impacts including ecosystem losses, landscape alteration, soil destruction, and changes to surface and groundwater quality and quantity. In addition, toxic compounds such as heavy metals, radioactive elements, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and other organic contaminants are released in the environment, ultimately affecting the health of ecosystems and the general population. Underground mining has large impacts on underground water supplies and water quality, but generally has less visual surface impacts such as leaving waste and tailings on the surface and subsidence problems. In response to the concern about these environmental issues, many strategies have been developed by scientists and practitioners to minimize land degradation and soil pollution due to mining. Reclamation laws passed in numerous countries during the past 50 years have instituted practices to reduce the impacts of soil pollution including burying toxic materials, saving and replacing topsoil, and vegetating the land surface. While modern mining practices have decreased the environmental impacts, many sites are inadequately reclaimed and present long-lasting soil pollution problems. The current review summarizes progress in comprehending (1) coal mining impacts on soil pollution, (2) the potential risks of soil pollution associated with coal mining, and (3) different types of strategies for remediating these contaminated soils. Research and prospective directions of soil pollution in coal mining regions include refinements in assessing pollutant levels, the use of biochars and other amendments, phytoremediation of contaminated soils, and the release of toxic elements such as mercury and thallium.

Impact of Climate Change on the Performance of Permafrost Highway Subgrade Reinforced by Concrete Piles

Climate change has a detrimental impact on permafrost soil in cold regions, resulting in the thawing of permafrost and causing instability and security issues in infrastructure, as well as settlement problems in pavement engineering. To address these challenges, concrete pipe pile foundations have emerged as a viable solution for reinforcing the subgrade and mitigating settlement in isolated permafrost areas. However, the effectiveness of these foundations depends greatly on the mechanical properties of the interface between the permafrost soil and the pipe, which are strongly influenced by varying thawing conditions. While previous studies have primarily focused on the interface under frozen conditions, this paper specifically investigates the interface under thawing conditions. In this study, direct shear tests were conducted to examine the damage characteristics and shear mechanical properties of the soil-pile interface with a water content of 26% at temperatures of −3 °C, −2 °C, −1 °C, −0.5 °C, and 8 °C. The influence of different degrees of melting on the stress–strain characteristics of the soil-pile interface was also analyzed. The findings reveal that as the temperature increases, the shear strength of the interface decreases. The shear stress-displacement curve of the soil-pile interface in the thawing state exhibits a strain-softening trend and can be divided into three stages: the pre-peak shear stress growth stage, the post-peak shear stress steep drop stage, and the post-peak shear stress reconstruction stage. In contrast, the stress curve in the thawed state demonstrates a strain-hardening trend. The study further highlights that violent phase changes in the ice crystal structure have a significant impact on the peak freezing strength and residual freezing strength at the soil-pile interface, with these strengths decreasing as the temperature rises. Additionally, the cohesion and internal friction angle at the soil-pile interface decrease with increasing temperature. It can be concluded that the mechanical strength of the soil-pile interface, crucial for subgrade reinforcement in permafrost areas within transportation engineering, is greatly influenced by temperature-induced changes in the ice crystal structure.

Similar simulation of overburden movement characteristics under paste filling mining conditions

The method of filling mining can solve the problem of surface subsidence caused by coal mining. Among them, it is crucial to study the mechanism of filler strength improvement timeliness and filler mining to control rock movement for filler mining. In this paper, by combining theoretical analysis and similar simulation experiments, compressive strength is used as the research parameter to conduct proportioning test research on paste filling similar materials such as coal gangue, fly ash, and cement. The results prove that the strengths of the test ratios can meet the strength design criteria and lay the foundation for the requirements of similar simulation experiments. In order to study the characteristics of overburden failure, stress and displacement in the process of filling mining, the key technical parameters of overburden movement are determined. Similar simulation experiments were conducted to study the movement and deformation of overburden rock and the displacement and stress distribution law of overburden rock in the coal mine under different filling rates and filling steps conditions. The results show that the filling rate and filling step are the keys to preventing the overlying rock from rupture and collapse, and the larger the filling rate is, the smaller the stress and displacement of the overburden; the larger the filling step is, the larger the displacement and stress change of the overburden, and vice versa. In addition, the displacement curve along the strike is basically an "arch" type distribution, and the stress variation trend is "large-small-large" with a "Z" type distribution. The research results are of great significance to guide the practice of filling mining and can provide the theoretical basis for its further promotion.

Dynamic Monitoring and Analysis of Mining Land Subsidence in Multiple Coal Seams in the Ehuobulake Coal Mine Based on FLAC3D and SBAS-InSAR Technology

Aiming at the land subsidence problem caused by multiple coal seam mining in the Ehuobulake Coal Mine, this paper, considering the geological conditions of the first and fifth layers of coal, adopts the method of combining FLAC3D numerical simulation and SBAS-InSAR technology to analyze the dynamic evolution law of land subsidence amount and range under multiple coal seam repeated mining conditions. The reliability of the technology is verified by the field GPS monitoring data. The results show that, under the mining condition of multiple coal seams in the Ehuobulake Coal Mine, the land subsidence presents obvious asymmetry, and the size and range of the land subsidence in the mining area further increase due to the mining of lower layer coal. FLAC3D simulation results show that the maximum land subsidence is −211.8 mm. The results of SBAS-InSAR monitoring show that the maximum land subsidence is −225 mm, and the land subsidence obtained by the two methods has a high degree of fitting. The method of combining FLAC3D and InSAR technology can accurately and reliably monitor and analyze the land subsidence under the repeated mining of multiple coal seams in the mining area. It can provide effective guidance for the stability analysis of mined-out areas and the prediction of the influence of repeated mining on ground deformation.