Waste Of Resources Research Articles

An Adaptive Dual-Mode Task-Oriented Resource Management Strategy for GEO Relay Systems

With the fierce global competition on satellite networks, the building of satellite constellations grows explosively. Sharply increasing on-orbit data will face the challenge of satellite-ground data transmission. GEO satellites become the top choice for satellite data relay due to their stable satellite-ground link. Most existing spectrum resource management for GEO relays is equipment-oriented and benefit priority, which may lead to a waste of spectrum resources. In this paper, we propose a real-time task-oriented resource allocation strategy for GEO relay systems. We model the spectrum allocation problem as a distributed non-cooperative Stackelberg game process. We prove that when both sides of the game pursue the maximization of personal revenue, the system will enter a Nash equilibrium state, whereas spectrum resources are not fully used. Based on the maximization of individual utilities (U-prior) and spectrum utilization (S-prior) methods, we design an adaptive dual-mode pricing mode to maximize the spectrum resources within a certain loss of revenue. The simulation results show that the S-prior and U-prior have better performance than the baseline method and existing optimization methods. Our proposed dual-mode strategy is making more throughputs and has less delay with little loss of utility values than that of individual utility maximization.

Preoperative cross-matching in major elective surgical procedures in children: An audit of department’s transfusion practices

Abstract: AIMS: To determine the utilization of cross-matched packed red blood cell (PRBC) concentrate in children posted for major elective operative procedures. To evaluate the efficacy of a simple preoperative “screening criteria” for ordering preoperative cross-match. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were retrieved from online surgery scheduling system prospectively over a 4-month period (January–April 2022). The number of units cross-matched and those utilized were assessed. A screening criterion was devised in consultation with stakeholders for ordering blood. The utilization of PRBCs was reassessed after implementation of these criteria and reaudited (July–October 2022). A subset analysis of A1 (tunneled catheter placements) and A2 (core pediatric surgical procedures) groups was done to analyze blood utilization. RESULTS: Initial audit showed poor PRBC utilization with 46 units unused of the 54 cross-matched units, and most of these were from A1 group (3 of 29 units and 5 out of 25 units utilized in A1 and A2 groups, respectively). Reaudit after introducing cutoff criteria showed sharp decline (79.3%) in the number of cross-matched units and the number of units returned (84.6% decrease) in A1 group and the number of units returned unused dropped by 50% in the A2 group. There was visible reversal of indicators of utilization (cross-match to transfusion ratio dropped from 6.75 to 1.73 and TI increased from 0.163 to 0.613), indicating optimal utilization. CONCLUSION: This pilot audit clearly demonstrates the gap between requisition and utilization of cross-matched PRBCs. Formulating an effective screening criterion avoids unnecessary cross-matching and wastage of resources and maximizes utilization.

Towards More Sustainable Aqueous Zinc‐Ion Batteries

AbstractAqueous zinc‐ion batteries (AZIBs) are considered as the promising candidates for large‐scale energy storage because of their high safety, low cost and environmental benignity. The large‐scale applications of AZIBs will inevitably result in a large amount of spent AZIBs, which not only induce the waste of resources, but also pose environmental risks. Therefore, sustainable AZIBs have to be considered to minimize the risk of environmental pollution and maximize the utilization of spent compounds. Herein, this minireview focuses on the sustainability of AZIBs from material design and recycling techniques. The structure and degradation mechanism of AZIBs are discussed to guide the recycling design of the materials. Subsequently, the sustainability of component materials in AZIBs is further analysed to pre‐evaluate their recycling behaviors and mentor the selection of more sustainable component materials, including active materials in cathodes, Zn anodes, and aqueous electrolytes, respectively. According to the features of component materials, corresponding green and economic approaches are further proposed to realize the recycling of active materials in cathodes, Zn anodes and electrolytes, respectively. These advanced technologies endow the recycling of component materials with high efficiency and a closed‐loop control, ensuring that AZIBs will be the promising candidates of sustainable energy storage devices. This review will offer insight into potential future directions in the design of sustainable AZIBs.

Towards More Sustainable Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries.

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are considered as the promising candidates for large-scale energy storage because of their high safety, low cost and environmental benignity. The large-scale applications of AZIBs will inevitably result in a large amount of spent AZIBs, which not only induce the waste of resources, but also pose environmental risks. Therefore, sustainable AZIBs have to be considered to minimize the risk of environmental pollution and maximize the utilization of spent compounds. Herein, this minireview focuses on the sustainability of AZIBs from material design and recycling techniques. The structure and degradation mechanism of AZIBs are discussed to guide the recycling design of the materials. Subsequently, the sustainability of component materials in AZIBs is further analysed to pre-evaluate their recycling behaviors and mentor the selection of more sustainable component materials, including active materials in cathodes, Zn anodes, and aqueous electrolytes, respectively. According to the features of component materials, corresponding green and economic approaches are further proposed to realize the recycling of active materials in cathodes, Zn anodes and electrolytes, respectively. These advanced technologies endow the recycling of component materials with high efficiency and a closed-loop control, ensuring that AZIBs will be the promising candidates of sustainable energy storage devices. This review will offer insight into potential future directions in the design of sustainable AZIBs.

Smart Poultry Farm Automation

Our case-study paper entitled "Smart Poultry Farm Automation" aims to enhance the efficiency and productivity of poultry farming through the application of advanced automation technologies. Poultry farming plays a crucial role in meeting the growing global demand for poultry products. However, traditional farming methods often face challenges related to labor intensity, resource management, and monitoring. This project proposes the design and implementation of a comprehensive automation system for poultry farms. The system will integrate sensors, actuators, and IoT (Internet of Things) technologies to automate various tasks such as environmental control, feeding, watering, and health monitoring of poultry. Real-time data collection and analysis will enable farmers to optimize farm conditions, improve bird health, and minimize resource wastage. Key components of the proposed system include environmental sensors for monitoring temperature, humidity, and ventilation; automated feeders and waterers controlled by IoT devices; and health monitoring systems utilizing image processing or sensor data for early disease detection. The system will be designed to provide farmers with remote access and control through a user-friendly interface, allowing them to monitor farm operations and receive alerts or notifications. The expected outcomes of this project include increased productivity, reduced operational costs, improved animal welfare, and better decision-making for farmers. By leveraging automation and IoT technologies, the proposed system will contribute to the modernization and sustainability of poultry farming practices

Application of Deep Learning Algorithm in Optimization of Engineering Intelligent Management Control

Currently, there are a series of problems in the management of the construction industry, such as resource waste, substandard quality, and low construction efficiency. In response to this phenomenon, the author proposes a multi-objective optimization control method for construction engineering management projects using deep learning algorithms. This method analyzes the relationship between cost, duration, and quality, and constructs an optimization management model for these three factors. At the same time, the improved SULSTM neural network algorithm is used to optimize the model parameters. The experimental results indicate that, when the value coefficient is 0.2211, the total investment cost and quality coefficient are 412700 yuan and 0.99496 yuan, respectively. When the value coefficient is 0.1976, the total cost and quality coefficient are 456300 yuan and 0.98798 yuan, respectively. When the value coefficient is 0.1990, the total cost and quality coefficient are 456300 yuan and 0.99496 yuan, respectively. Proved that the SUSTM neural network algorithm has faster convergence speed and lower loss values compared to the improved LSTM neural network algorithm. The cost of improving quality has a greater impact on the quality coefficient than the duration, and the total investment cost has a greater impact on the value coefficient than the quality coefficient.

A clinical trial termination prediction model based on denoising autoencoder and deep survival regression

AbstractEffective clinical trials are necessary for understanding medical advances but early termination of trials can result in unnecessary waste of resources. Survival models can be used to predict survival probabilities in such trials. However, survival data from clinical trials are sparse, and DeepSurv cannot accurately capture their effective features, making the models weak in generalization and decreasing their prediction accuracy. In this paper, we propose a survival prediction model for clinical trial completion based on the combination of denoising autoencoder (DAE) and DeepSurv models. The DAE is used to obtain a robust representation of features by breaking the loop of raw features after autoencoder training, and then the robust features are provided to DeepSurv as input for training. The clinical trial dataset for training the model was obtained from the ClinicalTrials.gov dataset. A study of clinical trial completion in pregnant women was conducted in response to the fact that many current clinical trials exclude pregnant women. The experimental results showed that the denoising autoencoder and deep survival regression (DAE‐DSR) model was able to extract meaningful and robust features for survival analysis; the C‐index of the training and test datasets were 0.74 and 0.75 respectively. Compared with the Cox proportional hazards model and DeepSurv model, the survival analysis curves obtained by using DAE‐DSR model had more prominent features, and the model was more robust and performed better in actual prediction.

Routine 6-Week Outpatient Radiography and Visit in Patients with Conservatively Treated Multiple Rib Fractures: Valuable or a Waste of Resources?

This study investigated the incidence and clinical consequences of abnormal radiological and clinical findings during routinely performed 6-week outpatient visits in patients treated conservatively for multiple (3 or more) rib fractures. A retrospective analysis was conducted among patients with multiple rib fractures treated conservatively between 2018 and 2021 (Opvent database). The primary outcome was the incidence of abnormalities on chest X-ray (CXR) and their clinical consequences, which were categorized as requiring intervention or additional clinical/radiological examination. The secondary focus was the incidence of deviation from standard treatment in response to the findings (clinical or radiological) at the routine 6-week outpatient visit. In total, 364 patients were included, of whom 246 had a 6-week visit with CXR. The median age was 57 years (interquartile range, 46-70 years) and the median Injury Severity Score was 17 (interquartile range, 13-22). Forty-six abnormalities (18.7%) were found on CXR. These abnormalities resulted in additional outpatient visits in 4 patients (1.5%) and in chest drain insertion in 2 (0.8%). Only 2 patients (0.8%) with an abnormality on CXR presented without symptoms. None of the 118 patients who had visits without CXR experienced problems. Routine 6-week outpatient visits for patients with conservatively treated multiple rib fractures infrequently revealed abnormalities requiring treatment modifications. It may be questioned whether the 6-week outpatient visit is even necessary. Instead, a more targeted approach could be adopted, providing follow-up to high-risk or high-demand patients only, or offering guidance on recognizing warning signs and providing aftercare through a smartphone application.

Smoothing the Phosphorus Resource Stress under the Socioeconomic Development in China.

Phosphorus (P) is the key in maintaining food security and ecosystem functions. Population growth and economic development have increased the demand for phosphate rocks. China has gradually developed from zero phosphate mining to the world's leading P miner, fertilizer, and agricultural producer since 1949. China released policies, such as designating phosphate rock as a strategic resource, promoting eco-agricultural policies, and encouraging the use of solid wastes produced in mining and the phosphorus chemical industry as construction materials. However, methodological and data gaps remain in the mapping of the long-term effects of policies on P resource efficiency. Here, P resource efficiency can be represented by the potential of the P cycle to concentrate or dilute P as assessed by substance flow analysis (SFA) complemented by statistical entropy analysis (SEA). P-flow quantification over the past 70 years in China revealed that both resource utilization and waste generation peaked around 2015, with 20 and 11 Mt of mined and wasted P, respectively. Additionally, rapidly increasing aquaculture wastewater has exacerbated pollution. The resource efficiency of the Chinese P cycle showed a U-shaped change with an overall improvement of 22.7%, except for a temporary trough in 1975. The driving force behind the efficiency decline was the roaring phosphate fertilizer industry, as confirmed by the sharp increase in P flows for both resource utilization and waste generation from the mid-1960s to 1975. The positive driving forces behind the 30.7% efficiency increase from 1975 to 2018 were the implementation of the resource conservation policy, downstream pollution control, and, especially, the circular agro-food system strategy. However, not all current management practices improve the P resource efficiency. Mixing P industry waste with construction materials and the development of aquaculture to complement offshore fisheries erode P resource efficiency by 2.12% and 9.19%, respectively. With the promotion of a zero-waste society in China, effective P-cycle management is expected.

Exploring laccase: a sustainable enzymatic solution for the paper recycling domain.

The global advocacy of resource conservation and waste management emphasizes the significance of sustainable practices, particularly in sectors such as paper manufacturing and recycling. Currently, conventional chemical methods are predominant for paper production, necessitating the use of substantial amount of toxic chemicals. This chemical-intensive approach compromises the recycled fiber quality, generates hazardous effluent causing serious ecological threats which triggers regulatory complexities for the mills. To address these challenges modern research suggests adopting sustainable eco-friendly practices such as employing enzymes. This review aims to explore the applicability of 'laccase' enzyme for paper recycling, investigating its properties and contribution to improved recycling practices. By delving into the potential application of laccase integration into the papermaking process, this article sheds light on the limitations inherent in traditional methods surmounted within both research and translational landscapes. Culture and process optimization studies, supporting the technological improvements and the future prospects have been documented.

The Thermo-Phase Change Reactivity of Textile and Cardboard Fibres in Varied Concrete Composites

The building and construction industry heavily relies on the use of concrete and cementitious composites due to their exceptional attributes, including strength and durability. However, the extensive use of these materials has led to significant environmental challenges, including resource depletion, carbon emissions, and waste accumulation. In response to these challenges, recent advancements in fibre cementitious composites have shown promise in mitigating these detrimental effects. The integration of waste materials to supplement manufactured fibres represents a promising development in reinforced concrete composite materials. Waste materials like textiles and cardboard are emerging as potential fibre supplements in cementitious composites. While these materials have primarily been investigated for their mechanical characteristics, understanding their thermal properties when applied in construction materials is equally crucial. Incorporating fibres within composite designs often requires matrix modification to reduce degradation and enhance fibre longevity. This study aims to investigate the thermo-phase change properties of both textile and cardboard fibres within varied concrete matrices. Additive materials offer a range of advantages and challenges when used in composite materials, with additional complexities arising when incorporating fibre materials. Understanding the thermal reactivity of these materials is crucial for optimizing their application in construction. This study demonstrates the potential of waste fibres used with gypsum, metakaolin, and silica fume as matrix modifiers in concrete. This research provides valuable insights for future studies to explore specific material combinations and investigate complex fire testing methods, ultimately contributing to the development of sustainable construction materials.

Are Lentil (Lens culinaris) Farms Productive, Profitable, and Efficient in Resource Allocation? A Cross‐Sectional Study From Nepal

ABSTRACTThe study was based on primary data from 473 lentil farmers selected randomly to analyze productivity, profitability, efficiency, and sensitivity of lentil farms in Nepal. Methods like benefit–cost, break‐even, margin safety, and sensitivity analysis, scaling technique, Cobb–Douglas type of production function, and stochastic frontier were adopted to derive farm economics, allocative, and cost efficiency levels. With average productivity of 672 kg/ha, lentil farmers in the study area were earning about 41% profit as of gross return with a profitability index of 0.78. About 45% margin of safety and estimates of benefit–cost ratio above one on all sensitivity measures is indicative of low risk and robust enterprise. Resources allocated in lentil production were found inefficient, and to achieve maximum return, expenses on land preparation, seed, nutrient, and plant protection cum irrigation should be increased by 27.6%, 80%, 33.1%, and 97%, respectively. Similarly, expenses on labor and harvesting activities need to be decreased by 30.1% and 23.6%. Labor cost and seed cost were the most important variables, and a 1% increase would surge the total production costs by 0.42% and 0.19%, respectively. The cost efficiency was estimated as 1.137 mean value, meaning that over 13.7% of the costs in lentil farms is wasted while comparing best‐practiced farm. Only about 48% of farms is fairly efficient at efficiency levels 1.0 to 1.09, but the majority is inefficient, which needs to minimize the waste of resources. Although suffering from climatic risks and production‐related problems, lentil enterprise is profitable, less risky, less sensitive, and fairly to inefficient in resource use. Wise attention is need on the part of farm management and resource utilization. Farmers are suggested to maintain farm size around 0.5 ha or below 1 ha, use only improved varietal seed, cut labor expenses with the use of machinery, and perform adequate tillage during sowing followed by effective disease management practices.

Projective synchronisation of bipartite networks with nonlinear couplings via quantised event-triggered control

In this paper, the issue of projective synchronisation of bipartite networks (BNs) with multiple time-varying delays and nonlinear couplings has been studied. To reduce wasted communication resources, the novel quantised event-triggered controllers and the measurement error functions are introduced. In particular, the event-triggered schemes without Zeno behaviour are designed, which can determine whether controllers need to be updated or not. For the purpose of investigating the synchronisation with isolated nodes, comparing to the usual 1-norm and 2-norm, generalised { ξ , 1 } -norm has been utilised to derive sufficient conditions. Furthermore, in the proof of the theorem, constant time-delays and time-varying time delays are dealt with by utilising novel Lyapunov functions, and then some valid criteria are established to achieve different types of projective synchronisation. Lastly, numerical simulations are well provided to confirm the given theoretical results.

Smart housing adaptations register with user matching functionalities for different mobility categories for the social housing sector

PurposeThe lack of a proper register to store, match and display information on the adapted property has led to a waste of resources and prolonged delays in matching the disabled and elderly people with appropriate properties. This paper presents the development of a Housing Adaptations Register with user-matching functionalities for different mobility categories. The developed system accurately captures and documents adapted home information to facilitate the automated matching of disabled/aged applicants needing an adapted home with suitable property using banding, mobility and suitability index.Design/methodology/approachA theoretical review was conducted to identify parameters and develop adaptations register construct. A survey questionnaire approach to rate the 111 parameters in the register as either moderate, desirable or essential before system development and application. The system development relied on DSS modelling to support data-driven decision-making based on the decision table method to represent property information for implementing the decision process. The system is validated through a workshop, four brainstorming sessions and three focus group exercises.FindingsDevelopment of a choice-based system that enables the housing officers or the Housing Adaptations Register coordinators to know the level of adaptation to properties and match properties quickly with the applicants based on their mobility status. The merits of the automated system include the development of a register to capture in real-time adapted home information to facilitate the automated matching of disabled/aged applicants. A “choice-based” system that can map and suggest a property that can easily be adapted and upgraded from one mobility band to the other.Practical implicationsThe development of a housing adaptation register helps social housing landlords to have a real-time register to match, map and upgrade properties for the most vulnerable people in our society. It saves time and money for the housing associations and the local authorities through stable tenancy for adapted homes. Potentially, it will promote the independence of aged and disabled people and can reduce their dependence on social and healthcare services.Originality/valueThis system provides the local authorities with objective and practical tools that may be used to assess, score, prioritise and select qualified people for appropriate accommodation based on their needs and mobility status. It will provide a record of properties adapted with their features and ensure that matching and eligibility decisions are consistent and uniform.

Effects of coffee bean types on the characteristics of carbon dots and their use for manufacturing cellulose nanofibers-based films for active packaging of meat

CDs (carbon dots) were made through a hydrothermal process using three different types of coffee grounds (raw, roasted, and spent), and their physicochemical and optical properties were thoroughly studied. CNF (cellulose nanofibers)-based active packaging films were made and characterized by incorporating the CDs. The introduction of CDs improved the tensile strength of the CNF-based films by 26.1% and provided excellent UV-blocking ability by blocking 98.8% of UV-B and 87.4% of UV-A without sacrificing the film’s transparency. The CD-loaded CNF films showed strong antioxidant properties with ABTS radical and DPPH radical removal rates of 98.2% and 78.8%, respectively. Additionally, these films showed effective antimicrobial potential and significantly reduced the progress of E. coli and L. monocytogenes after 12 h of exposure. Packaging tests were performed at 4 °C for 21 days, which depicted that minced pork packaged with the CD-added CNF films preserves the quality of packaged meat in terms of appearance, pH, total viable colonies, and TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances). It is expected that manufacturing functional fillers (CDs) using waste resources generated in the food industry and developing active packaging films using them will not only extend the shelf life of packaged foods but also help in resource recycling and solving environmental problems.

Vacuum Evaporation Plating Enabling ≤ 10µm Ultrathin Lithium Foils for Lithium Metal Batteries.

Lithium (Li) metal is widely recognized as a viable candidate for anode material in future battery technologies due to its exceptional energy density. Nevertheless, the commercial Li foils in common use are too thick (≈100µm), resulting in a waste of Li resources. Herein, by applying the vacuum evaporation plating technology, the ultra-thin Li foils (VELi) with high purity, strong adhesion, and thickness of less than 10µm are successfully prepared. The manipulation of evaporation temperature allows for convenient regulation of the thickness of the fabricated Li film. This physical thinning method allows for fast, continuous, and highly accurate mass production. With a current density of 0.5mAcm-2 for a plating amount of 0.5mAhcm-2, VELi||VELi cells can stably cycle for 200h. The maximum utilization of Li is already more than 25%. Furthermore, LiFePO4||VELi full cells present excellent cycling performance at 1C (1C = 155mAhg-1) with a capacity retention rate of 90.56% after 240 cycles. VELi increases the utilization of active Li and significantly reduces the cost of Li usage while ensuring anode cycling and multiplication performance. Vacuum evaporation plating technology provides a feasible strategy for the practical application of ultra-thin Li anodes.

Construction of Product Appearance Kansei Evaluation Model Based on Online Reviews and FAHP: A Case Study of Household Portable Air Conditioners

Meeting the personalized needs of users is the key to achieving the sustainable success of a product. It depends not only on the product’s functionality but also on satisfying users’ emotional needs for the product’s appearance. Therefore, researchers have been conducting research focusing on Kansei engineering theory to determine users’ emotional needs effectively. The initial process involves accurately extracting and filtering emotional data and Kansei words from consumers. Thus, we propose an evaluation model to efficiently obtain, screen, and sort these Kansei words based on Kansei engineering, using household portable air conditioners as research subjects. By integrating techniques for online user comment mining methods, users’ Kansei terms related to the product’s appearance can be gathered efficiently. These terms are then combined with image samples and filtered to determine a final set of 16 Kansei word pairs. Subsequently, the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) is utilized to prioritize these terms, and the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE) method is used to validate the results and determine the applicability of the evaluation model. The results showed that Kansei words could be quickly and objectively acquired using existing text mining techniques on online reviews. Moreover, the weights of different Kansei terms of the product’s appearance in the consumer’s perception are accurately produced through the FAHP. This evaluation model marks a significant advancement in accurately obtaining users’ emotional data in Kansei engineering. It offers valuable guidance for designing products that meet users’ personalized needs, enhancing design efficiency and reducing resource wastage at the early stages of designing, and improving the sustainability development of Kansei engineering.

Sustainable ecological pervious concrete (SEPC) based on modified corn-cob coarse aggregate: Crushing morphology, strength, pore properties, and durability

In terms of agricultural products, corn is the most abundant crop in the world, yet a significant portion of its cobs are thrown away each year, which is a terrible resource waste. This study uses modified corn-cob coarse aggregate (MCCA) and recycled aggregate (RA) to prepare sustainable ecological pervious concrete (SEPC). Five different substitution rates (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) are designed to investigate the effect of substitution rate on the crushing morphology, strength, pore properties, and durability of SEPC. The results show that the saturated water absorption of MCCA is 45.4% and its numerical tube pressure reaches 0.9 MPa. The test results show that the mix of MCCA reduces the compressive strength of SEPC but is beneficial to improve the stress state of SEPC by increasing its continuous porosity, planting opening size, frost resistance and resistance to sulfate erosion. At 50% replacement rate, comprehensive performance of SEPC is at its best. Specifically, test group with 50% MCCA substitution rate exhibits the lowest rate of compressive strength loss during freeze-thaw cycles (7.58%) and the best corrosion resistance coefficient (97.97%) when subjected to sulfate erosion. Therefore, MCCA can be used as a sustainable and ecological lightweight aggregate to improve some properties of pervious concrete.

Woven fabric selection and grading for ladies’ winter shawls using multicriteria decision-making approach

Purpose Quality assessment of textile products is of prime concern to intimately meet consumer demands. The dilemma faced by textile producers is to figure out the stability among quality criteria and efficiently deal with target specifications. Hence, the basic devotion is to attain the optimum value product which entirely satisfies the views and perceptions of consumers. Selection of best fabric among several alternatives in the presence of contradictory measures is a disputing problem in multicriteria decision-making. Design/methodology/approach In the current study, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and preference ranking organization method for enrichment evaluation (PROMETHEE) are proficiently used to solve the problem in selection of branded woven shawls. AHP method verifies comparative weights of the criteria selection, while the ranking of fabric alternatives grounded on specific net-outranking flows is executed through PROMETHEE II method. Findings The collective AHP and PROMETHEE approaches are applied for the useful accomplishment of grading of branded shawls based on multicriteria weights, used for effective selection of fabric materials in the textile market. Practical implications In the apparel industry, fabric and garment manufacturers often rely on hit-and-trial methods, leading to significant wastage of valuable resources and time, in achieving the desirable fabric qualities. The implementation of the findings can assist apparel manufacturers in streamlining their fabric selection processes based on multiple criteria. By adopting this method, industry players can make informed decisions, ensuring a balance between quality standards and consumer expectations, thereby enhancing both product value and market competitiveness. Originality/value The methods of Visual PROMETHEE and AHP are assimilated to offer a complete method for the selection and grading of fabrics with reference to multiple selection criteria.

Optimising construction waste management in Sri Lanka through Circular economy strategies: a focus on construction and renovation and use and operate stages

PurposeConstruction and Demolition (C&D) Waste Management (WM) poses significant challenges in Sri Lanka, contributing to environmental degradation and resource depletion. To address these issues, this study explores the application of Circular Economy (CE) strategies in minimising waste generation and optimising resource utilisation in Sri Lankan construction industry. The research focuses on the construction and building renovation and use and operate stages of the building project life cycle, recognising their significance in waste generation and resource consumption.Design/methodology/approachThe research employed a qualitative approach, utilising the Delphi technique through three rounds of expert interviews. Seventeen experts were involved in the first round, followed by fifteen in the second round, and twelve in the final round. The collected data was analysed using manual content analysis methods.FindingsThe research findings revealed fifteen C&D WM issues in the construction and building renovation stage in Sri Lanka, along with suitable strategies to overcome each of them. Similarly, eight C&D WM issues were identified for the use and operate stage of the building, and corresponding strategies were provided to address each issue. By adopting CE strategies such as modular design and material reuse, construction projects can optimise the project's timeline, cost, and quality factors. These strategies enable efficient resource allocation, reduce waste generation, and contribute to the overall sustainability of the project. The impact of CE strategies on mitigating these issues within the project management iron triangle was also discussed.Originality/valueThis paper entails delving into how construction, building renovation, and operation stages of a building's life cycle intersect with CE strategies, which profoundly influence operational efficiency and long-term sustainability. By incorporating principles such as energy efficiency, water conservation, and circular product design, the paper illuminates how these strategies facilitate decreased energy usage, enhanced resource management, and diminished waste production throughout the building's lifespan.