Project Requirements Research Articles

Using UAVs and Machine Learning for Nothofagus alessandrii Species Identification in Mediterranean Forests

This study explores the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and machine learning algorithms for the identification of Nothofagus alessandrii (ruil) species in the Mediterranean forests of Chile. The endangered nature of this species, coupled with habitat loss and environmental stressors, necessitates efficient monitoring and conservation efforts. UAVs equipped with high-resolution sensors capture orthophotos, enabling the development of classification models using supervised machine learning techniques. Three classification algorithms—Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Maximum Likelihood (ML)—are evaluated, both at the Pixel- and Object-Based levels, across three study areas. The results reveal that RF consistently demonstrates strong classification performance, followed by SVM and ML. The choice of algorithm and training approach significantly impacts the outcomes, highlighting the importance of tailored selection based on project requirements. These findings contribute to enhancing species identification accuracy in remote sensing applications, supporting biodiversity conservation and ecological research efforts.

Risk Prioritization using A FUZZY BASED Approach in Software Development Design Phase

The success of a software project's objective is directly proportional to the degree to which it satisfies all of the stakeholders' concerns regarding the project's requirements, including the budget, schedule, and overall performance. Risks can occur throughout the software development lifecycle (SDLC) phases and affect every phase. The design phase of the SDLC yields an overview of the software and can be defined as the software's blueprint. Different types of software have their own unique design phases and have different types of risks. With the high number of interacting components, complex systems have a greater propensity to be more volatile, which increases the risk. It is necessary to prioritize the risks in order of their severity levels. The issue at hand is the lack of effective methods to prioritize and mitigate the risk. Recent studies have suggested several methods for prioritizing risks, but it is clear that few of these have been implemented. These methods are overly complicated, time-consuming, prone to inconsistency, and challenging to put into practice. This paper proposes a novel Fuzzy-based approach to risk prioritization in the software design phase using MATLAB software. Fuzzy-based models have been shown to be more accurate than other techniques when using standard datasets to prioritize risks. Fuzzy-based methods that have been proposed take into account the characteristics of risks by modelling those characteristics as fuzzy

DEVELOPMENT OF THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FOR IT-PROJECT TEAM CREATION

Team creation is a critical aspect of successful IT project realisation. Implementation of effective project management in modern conditions of dynamic technologies requires the presence of a highly qualified team, taking into account the constraits of the project. Working with such a set of data could be simplified by development of an information technology for creation IT project teams. Such technology simplifies the process of selecting a project team, choosing highly qualified members who meet the unique requirements of IT projects. The implementation of such automatisation helps to solve the issue of distribution of competences, coordination and monitoring of work processes related to the creation of the project team. In addition, taking into account the constant development of technologies, information technology allows users to quickly adapt to changes in market requirements and innovations in the field of IT, which is a key factor for ensuring competitiveness. Therefore, the purpose of this work is the development of information technology for the IT project team creation. An additional goal is to create a web application "Teamform" aimed at the process of creation the IT project team. Information technology uses a method of the IT project team creation previously developed by the authors. The method consists of three stages. At the first stage, a set of candidates is determined, the assessment of whose competences meets the requirements of the project. At the second stage, team options are formed in accordance with project requirements. The third step of the method is the selection of a team in accordance with the chosen statement of the problem. The developed information technology and web-application "Teamform" allow creating an effective team of software developers that meets the requirements of the project.

DEVELOPMENT OF A KNOWLEDGE BASE ON THE INTEGRATION OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGIES

In the context of global disruptions caused by pandemics, massive armed conflicts, and other destructive factors, the economic sector requires a reevaluation of paradigms and the application of new approaches and tools for project management. Risk management, as a component of the management system, is undergoing transformation in a state of perpetual uncertainty and turbulence. Project management methodology, as a means of achieving defined goals, cannot be solely based on predictable attributes and must provide flexibility in response to dynamic changes in the external and internal environment. The rapid pace of digital transformation is shaping a new understanding of the digital space, its content, automation tools, and information support. The rapid development of information technologies based on artificial intelligence and the intensive migration of production and management processes to remote forms necessitate business adaptation to new conditions and effective application by project managers. The information field is overloaded with various project management methodologies, a large amount of derivative and secondary information characterized by a lack of clear structure and low practical value. The continuous transformation of the modern environment requires scientific research to explore the development and adaptation of flexible and hybrid approaches to project management by use of modern information systems. The purpose of this article is to develop a concept of integrating project management methodologies with the resources of a corporate knowledge base. The article explores current knowledge in project management methodology through the genesis and analysis of document interrelationships, which allows for the identification of dependencies and potential synergistic effects of such methodologies. Integration methods and components of these methodologies are analyzed, revealed, and complemented to ensure effective project management. A concept is developed to facilitate a creative approach to project management with an interactive system for accumulation, structuring, implementation, retrospective, and adaptation of accumulated knowledge regarding project management approaches within an enterprise. Principles for constructing a corporate knowledge base on project management methodologies are formulated, and approaches to applying accumulated knowledge are discussed. The proposed tool is implemented with the support of modern information systems, enabling the application of adaptive, valid, and effective project management methods tailored to individual project requirements. The conclusion is drawn that the proposed concept of a corporate knowledge base, combined with existing methods of integrating project management methodologies, is a promising foundational tool for implementing a creative and proactive approach to project management.

Assessment Models for Feasibility Study of Extra Electricity Facilities Investment Projects

Numerous recent researches have revisited the issue of the potential conflicting feasibility method of competing investment projects. This paper provides an example of an assessment models can be built and used for feasibility analysis of electricity investment projects. An overview of feasibility assessment methods is presented, consist of general assessment model, risk analysis methods, and a new optimization method used to estimate strategic and financing requirements of electricity investment projects. This research also examines a new method to predict the optimal year to sell the investment. A case study is used to illustrate the use of a model to assess the feasibility assessment of a extra facilities in electricty project. The conclusion found that Net Present Value, Internal Rate of Return, Modified Internal Rate of Return and Payback Period combining with sensitivity analysis, scenario anaysis and simulation to analye the project risk should be used to assess feasibility model study of extra electricity facilities investment projects.

Research on Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) overlay composite steel deck to repair Thang Long bridge deck

Thang Long bridge, after many years of operation with increasing traffic volume, leads to the steel face plate of the bridge not ensuring the conditions of stiffness and deflection within the allowable limit. After scientific conferences and experimental studies, it was shown that the solution "using Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) technology associated with orthogonal steel decks to form composite lightweight deck slabs" design selection to repair Thang Long bridge deck. In order to successfully apply UHPC coating in this project, it is necessary to determine the technological parameters such as: flow, setting time, rheology and shrinkage according to actual construction conditions at site ( temperature and humidity). In addition, other physical and mechanical properties of UHPC must be determined such as compressive strength, tensile strength, elastic modulus and dry shrinkage. This study has determined the technological parameters for the construction of UHPC coating during the period from August 25, 2020 to December 31, 2020 to meet the technical requirements of the Thang Long bridge deck repair project.

Key drivers for big data adoption in the Dominican Republic construction industry

Construction methods have barely changed since the last industrial revolution, but new project requirements are subject to change every day. Including sustainability and new technologies that produce user and environmentally friendly projects is now a requirement in almost every country. Big data (BD) are mainly characterised by improving the decision making process through data analysis. Adopting BD in the construction industry is expected to impact efficiency positively in design and construction activities. However, it requires a change in the industry’s culture and the adoption of digital approaches to be implemented fully. This paper addresses the key drivers for the adoption of BD in the construction industry of the Dominican Republic. Qualitative research was implemented to explore the topic due to the scarce information available. Twenty-one semi-structured interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. In some cases, the participants provided their points of view based on their experience with similar technologies such as building information modelling and ‘Internet of things’. The data analysis identified nine critical drivers, classified as internal and external. The internal drivers are knowledge of BD benefits to the organisation, impact on competitiveness, technology awareness, solution to company’s needs, organisation’s technology-driven culture and client’s requirements. Similarly, the internal drivers are industry motivation, regulatory framework and technology change adaptability. This paper sheds light on the motivations behind adopting BD and helps understand the industry’s needs. It also delivers evidence on the need for improved training for present and future professionals focused on developing digital skills.

Realization of rule-based automated design for HVAC duct layout

In the traditional process of pipeline design, a designer typically creates a general layout of pipeline based on their experience, and then calculates whether the hydraulic calculation of pipeline meets the requirements. This method of design is both time-consuming and labor-intensive. Furthermore, the results are often suboptimal and prone to errors, which creates a lot of waste of human and material resources. The objective of this paper is to propose a computer-aided method for completely automating the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) duct system design process. This method incorporates all the necessary design processes, such as duct selection and hydraulic calculation, and introduces a rule-based divide-and-conquer method to the pipe routing design (PRD). The research assesses the practical effect of this piping design algorithm in a BIM environment using varied building scenarios. The findings show that the proposed method is capable of meeting the design requirements of actual projects. The automatic piping design technique presented in this paper can significantly reduce labor costs associated with HVAC design while eliminating calculation errors and compressing the design timeline for most of the complex projects to within 5 min.

An Intuitionistic Fuzzy Decision Support for Agile Project Selection Problem

In the early 1990s, organizations started to use information technology and software engineering, which encouraged the companies for employing project management methodologies to survive and then advance in competitive technologic environment. Use of project management methodologies provides efficient planning, budgeting and scheduling processes and high management quality for companies. A lot of different methodologies were developed and used to reach better ways of defining the project requirements, analyzing the problem, and implementing it in a systematic manner. In 2001, agile project management methodology came forward in response to cope with waterfall project methodology’s limitations that arise from unpredictability of technology evolution, customer requirements, and unstable business environments. In this study, intuitionistic fuzzy COPRAS method, which aims to obtain a solution relative to the ideal solution, is used to rank agile project alternatives and identify the best performing one among them. Intuitionistic fuzzy sets are used to deal with loss of information and hesitation in data that may occur in operations with fuzzy numbers. The application of the proposed intuitionistic fuzzy decision-making approach is illustrated by conducting a case study.

Investigation of horizontal alignment data extraction methodologies in terms of cost and time

Lack of coordination between driver and road geometry results in driver errors and crashes. Road geometric data constitute one of the primary requirements for safety analysis and improvement projects. A systematic literature review is presented here to identify existing methodologies for road geometric data extraction. Methodologies based on Global Positioning System (GPS), geographic information system (GIS) maps, AutoCAD digital maps, satellite imagery, inertial measurement unit, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and vision technology were found employing manual, semi-automatic and automatic algorithms for extraction of horizontal alignment features of roads. A multi-criteria analysis in terms of device/software cost, data treatment cost and time acquisition was performed for the methodologies using an expert survey. Survey responses were analysed to rank the methodologies for minimum cost and time using an analytical hierarchical process. GPS- and GIS maps-based methodologies were the most economical, whereas the LiDAR-based methodology was the least economical. Overall, the findings provide valuable insights into components of existing methodologies. These findings could benefit practitioners, policymakers, enforcement authorities, vehicle manufacturers and researchers in the judicious selection of an appropriate methodology. An inventory of road geometric data could also be established to develop an intelligent transportation system by combining vehicle, road and driver in effective communication through information technologies.

Lean-BIM Collaborative Approach for Sustainable Construction Projects in Malaysia

Construction projects always deal with high-risk business activities, facing constant errors, and producing unwanted waste, leading to low productivity and sustainability. Lean Construction (LC) and Building Information Modelling (BIM) approaches have been recognized to resolve those issues. The implementation of both technologies is becoming popular amongst industry practitioners across the globe, claiming that they could also address the sustainability concerns in the construction industry. However, the usage of both innovations is fragmented, mainly, with their tools and processes being manipulated separately. Therefore, this paper aims to explore Lean-BIM collaborative approach towards establishing more sustainable construction projects, focusing on the Malaysian construction industry. The objectives of this paper are to identify the impacts of Lean-BIM collaborative approach on sustainability and to determine its capabilities in impacting the sustainability requirements for construction projects. This study conducted a survey by questionnaire in which 100 responses were successfully gathered from various stakeholders. Using Relative Importance Index (RII) of Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) software, the surveyed results were ranked concerning Lean-BIM impacts and capabilities. The findings acknowledged that the most-ranked Lean-BIM impacts towards sustainability in construction projects are in terms of productivity, quality, and safety and risks management. Whereas the highest-ranked Lean-BIM capabilities highlighted are Lean pull planning approaches, and BIM coordination and virtual mock-up. This paper could assist the construction practitioners’ decision-making in managing sustainability for construction projects to venture competently into Lean-BIM innovation.

Distribution of Benefits and Risks in Inter-Basin Water Transfers: The Case Study of NCT I from Upper Tana Basin to Nairobi City

Inter-Basin Water Transfers (IBWTs) introduce complex socioeconomic, hydrological, ecological, and institutional impacts that are instrumental to decision-making. However, since most studies focus on the hydrological and ecological aspects of IBWTs for the development of sustainable water resources, it is necessary to investigate the distribution of risks (costs) and benefits of IBWTs among stakeholders. This study aimed to identify and categorize stakeholders, their relationships, and the distribution of risks/costs and benefits in the Northern Collector Tunnel phase I (NCT 1) IBWT using a stakeholder analysis method. The Athi Water Works Development Agency (AWWDA) and the Ministry of Water and Irrigation (MoWI) played a central role in the project. However, most stakeholders found the devolved units Water Services Providers (WSPs), Water Resources Authority (WRA), Water Resources Users Associations (WRUAs), and Murang'a County as the most critical institutions. Public participation in NCT1 was not inclusive but only done to meet the statutory project requirements. Significant risks of the project emerged, such as reduced river flows, drying of the springs, and Murang'a residents' ability to meet their water needs. Therefore, it is necessary to compensate for diverted water through a water levy to cover environmental externalities and catchment conservation. The increase in water supply for Nairobi City was perceived as the main benefit for the recipient basin, but an improved water levy with adequate cross-subsidies was pointed out as an instrument to catalyze water savings by the urban water utility.

Study on vegetation restoration technology in ecologically sensitive area of power transmission and transformation project in Sichuan-Chongqing area

In the rapid development of urban construction, China's power transmission and transformation engineering construction scope is more and more wide, in order to better cope with the opportunities and challenges proposed by the development of The Times, the National Grid Co., Ltd. technical research team in the proposed a number of key technologies at the same time, mastered a lot of theoretical knowledge and practical experience, which for the new period of ecological environmental protection laid the foundation. Especially for the Sichuan-Chongqing area, the vegetation restoration technology must be considered in the construction management of power transmission and transformation projects during the construction of ecologically sensitive areas, only in this way can the construction requirements of safe production and green environmental protection be met. On the basis of understanding the construction management requirements of power transmission and transformation projects in Sichuan-Chongqing area, and according to the construction status of ecologically sensitive areas during the construction period, I mainly study the construction identification system and construction evaluation system of projects in ecologically sensitive areas, and propose effective vegetation restoration technology according to the requirements of construction sites, so as to ensure the normal operation of power transmission and transformation projects in Sichuan-Chongqing area.

Performance Analysis of an Improved Gravity Anchor Bolt Expanded Foundation

With the continuous utilization of renewable energy, the number of onshore wind turbines is increasing. Small design improvements can save costs and facilitate the maintenance and repair of the wind turbine foundation. In this paper, an existing gravity expansion foundation with an anchor cage is improved. Our improvements further expand the space inside the foundation and reduce the length of the anchor bolt, which could reduce the costs and facilitate construction. To study the performance of the new foundation, a three-dimensional finite element model of the foundation–soil–anchor bolt was established via a finite element simulation. The damage evolution of the foundation was simulated with the concrete damage plasticity model (CDP). The separation ratio, foundation settlement, inclination ratio, reinforcement stress, foundation stress, and foundation damage of the new foundation under ultimate load conditions were analyzed. The influence of parameters h1 and b3 on the performance of the foundation was further studied. The finite element analysis results show that the tensile stress of concrete can be effectively reduced by appropriately increasing the corbel height and ring beam width of the foundation. The results also show that the improved wind turbine foundation force is reasonable and can meet the use of the actual project requirements on the level of finite element analysis.

An In-Depth Review of Test Automation Frameworks: Types and Trade-offs

As the domain of software development continues to progress in terms of intricacy and magnitude, the integration of automated testing has become a vital element in ensuring the excellence and dependability of software. The implementation of automated testing frameworks assumes a pivotal role in streamlining the testing procedure; nevertheless, the selection of the appropriate framework category presents challenges and necessitates making prudent compromises. This academic paper presents a comprehensive exploration of automated testing frameworks, exhaustively investigating their diverse categories, attributes, and the associated compromises that emerge from their adoption. The paper initiates with a comprehensive examination of the literature, encompassing a concise overview of the current research and industry patterns regarding test automation frameworks. Following this, it presents an intricate evaluation of various types of frameworks, such as keyword-driven, data-driven, and behavior-driven frameworks, clarifying their individual principles and functionalities. One of the main topics explored in this paper concerns the factors that influence the choice of a particular type of test automation framework. By presenting a framework for decision-making, we offer guidance to professionals and organizations in making informed decisions that align with their project requirements, team expertise, and testing goals. Furthermore, this paper critically evaluates the trade-offs and challenges associated with each type of framework, addressing concerns related to different aspects of the framework. To assist professionals and decision-makers, we conclude by providing best practices and recommendations for effectively implementing and managing test automation frameworks. Moreover, we investigate the perspective of test automation frameworks, accentuating emerging patterns and contemplating the consequences of developing technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning. In summary, this paper presents a comprehensive guide to the different types and trade-offs of test automation frameworks, equipping software professionals with the knowledge and insights necessary to make well-informed decisions and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of their testing processes.

Insight into the flexural characteristics of rapid hardening ultra-high performance concrete (RH-UHPC) incorporating C-S-H seeds using acoustic emission technology

With the increasing requirements for emergency repair projects, there is a pressing need for high-quality repair materials. In this work, a series of rapid hardening ultra-high performance concrete (RH-UHPC) were prepared by using C-S-H seeds and SAC as early-strength agents. The effects of these early-strength agents on RH-UHPC’s flexural behaviors, including failure pattern, strength, energy absorption capacity, and toughness index, were investigated. Also, the variations of acoustic emission signals and microstructure were studied to provide a thorough insight into the influence of early-strength agents on RH-UHPC. The results show that C-S-H seeds and SAC exhibited a good effect on improving the 1-day flexural strength of RH-UHPC, but increased the risk of shear failure at 28 days. The flexural strength, energy absorption capacity, and toughness of RH-UHPC at 28 days were reduced by adding C-S-H seeds. However, combining C-S-H seeds with SAC alleviated this reduction. Moreover, incorporating early-strength agents enhanced the ringing counts, AE energy, damage rate, and the proportion of shear cracks. The noticeable increase in r value (i.e., RA/AF) judged the damage stage of RH-UHPC more reliably. Micro-analysis revealed that introducing C-S-H seeds increased the internal cracks and the Ca/Si ratio of C-S-H gel, but the hybrid of C-S-H seeds and SAC partially mitigated above problem. The incorporation of SAC notably increased the AFt content and decreased the CH content. C-S-H seeds presented little effect on the hydration degree of RH-UHPC, but roughened the pore size and enlarged the average pore size.

IoT Programming Toolkits and Frameworks: Building a Foundation for Smart Connectivity at Home

The Internet of Things (IoT) has ushered in a new era of smart connectivity, where devices and systems interact seamlessly to enhance our daily lives. However, the complexity of IoT development necessitates robust toolkits and frameworks to empower developers in building efficient and secure IoT applications. An overview of IoT programming toolkits and frameworks, highlighting their significance in simplifying IoT development is provided. IoT toolkits, such as Arduino and Raspberry Pi, offer a rich ecosystem of hardware and software resources. PlatformIO extends further, providing a unified development environment for various microcontroller platforms, enhancing productivity and collaboration. On the other hand, IoT programming frameworks like Node-RED, AWS IoT Core, Google Cloud IoT, and Microsoft Azure IoT focus on simplifying the creation, deployment, and management of IoT applications. These IoT programming toolkits and frameworks empower developers with the resources and abstractions necessary to navigate the intricacies of IoT development. The choice of toolkit or framework depends on specific project requirements, hardware compatibility, and the desired level of abstraction. Ultimately, the advent of these invaluable resources paves the way for innovative and impactful IoT applications, propelling us further into the era of interconnected devices and smart environments.

A flow cytometry method for safe detection of bacterial viability.

Flow cytometry is a relevant tool to meet the requirements of academic and industrial research projects aimed at estimating the features of a bacterial population (e.g., quantity, viability, activity). One of the remaining challenges is now the safe assessment of bacterial viability while minimizing the risks inherent to existing protocols. In our core facility at the Paris-Saclay University, we have addressed this issue with two objectives: measuring bacterial viability in biological samples and preventing bacterial contamination and chemical exposure of the staff and cytometers used on the platform. Here, we report the development of a protocol achieving these two objectives, including a viability labeling step before bacteria fixation, which removes the risk of biological exposure, and the decrease of the use of reagents such as propidium iodide (PI), which are dangerous for health (CMR: carcinogenic, mutagenic, and reprotoxic). For this purpose, we looked for a non-CMR viability dye that can irreversibly label dead bacteria before fixation procedures and maintain intense fluorescence after further staining. We decided to test on the bacteria, eFluor Fixable Viability dyes, which are usually used on eukaryotic cells. Since the bacteria had size and granularity characteristics very similar to those associated with flow cytometry background signals, a step of bacterial DNA labeling with SYTO or DRAQ5 was necessarily added to differentiate them from the background. Three marker combinations (viability-DNA) were tested on LSR Fortessa and validated on pure bacterial populations (Gram+ , Gram- ) and polybacterial cultures. Any of the three methods can be used and adapted to the needs of each project and allow users to adapt the combination according to the configuration of their cytometer. Having been tested on six bacterial populations, validated on two cytometers, and repeated at least two times in each evaluated condition, we consider this method reliable in the context of these conditions. The reliability of the results obtained in flow cytometry was successfully validated by applying this protocol to confocal microscopy, permeabilization, and also to follow cultures over time. This flow cytometry protocol for measuring bacterial viability under safer conditions also opens the prospect of its use for further bacterial characterization.

Remediation of lead-contaminated groundwater by oyster shell powder-peanut shell biochar mixture.

Groundwater pollution caused by lead ions has become a widespread issue worldwide due to the ever-increasing development of industrial activities. Such pollution poses significant threats to both humans and the environment. Oyster shell powder-peanut shell biochar mixture (OSP-PSB mixture) was used for lead-contaminated groundwater treatment by permeable reactive barrier (PRB) technology. Basic characteristics of materials proved that OSP-PSB mixture has good adsorption properties; OSP with particle sizes ranging from 0.85 to 1.18mm was used in this research; according to engineering and adsorption characteristics, OSP-PSB mixture (5:1) showed excellent permeability (4.35 × 10-4cm/s) and lead adsorption capacity(27mg/g); long-term permeability of the OSP-PSB mixture slightly decreased over time and met the permeability requirements for PRB; the removal mechanisms of lead ions by OSP-PSB mixture include precipitation, surface complexation, ion exchange, and physical adsorption. The experiment results showed that the OSP-PSB mixture fulfills the actual project requirements of PRB.

MODERN FRAMEWORKS FOR WEB-APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT

Currently, web programming technologies continue to develop at a rapid pace and it is important to know about the most popular and effective frameworks that are available today. Frameworks have become an integral part of the web development process due to the growing standards of web applications and the complexity of the technologies used. When choosing the right framework, there are many factors to consider: project requirements, team experience, and ever-changing industry trends. The framework, as a rule, contains only basic software modules, and all project-specific components are already implemented on their basis by the developer. Thus, not only high development speed is achieved, but also high productivity and reliability of solutions. If we compare frameworks with other classes of platforms - SaaS, CMS, or CMF - then frameworks are much more efficient to use in projects with complex business logic and with high requirements for speed, reliability, and security.
 The article discusses the types of popular frameworks, technologies (MVC), and tools designed for developing web applications taking into account modern standards. The characteristics of architectures and the type of frameworks are given. The popular server and client frameworks and programming languages with which they work are considered. The advantages and disadvantages of each of the considered tools are noted.