This book highlights various designs for urban green spaces and their functions. It provides an interesting meeting point between Asian, European and North America specialists (researchers, planners, landscape architects) studying urban biodiversity; urban biodiversity and green space; relations between people and biodiversity. The most important feature of this book is the unique point of view from each contributor towards "the relationship between nature and people in urban areas", in the context of the ecosystem and biodiversity in urban areas and how to manage them. All chapters explore and consider the relationship between humans and nature in cities, a subject which is taking on increasing importance as new cities are conceptualized and planned. These discussion and examples would be useful for urban ecology researchers, biologists, city planners, government staff working in city planning, architects, landscape architects, and university instructors. This book can also be used as a textbook for undergraduate and postgraduate city planning, architecture or landscape architecture courses.

This book provides detailed descriptions of big data solutions for activity detection and forecasting of very large numbers of moving entities spread across large geographical areas. It presents state-of-the-art methods for processing, managing, detecting and predicting trajectories and important events related to moving entities, together with advanced visual analytics methods, over multiple heterogeneous, voluminous, fluctuating and noisy data streams from moving entities, correlating them with data from archived data sources expressing e.g. entities' characteristics, geographical information, mobility patterns, mobility regulations and intentional data. The book is divided into six parts: Part I discusses the motivation and background of mobility forecasting supported by trajectory-oriented analytics, and includes specific problems and challenges in the aviation (air-traffic management) and the maritime domains. Part II focuses on big data quality assessment and processing, and presents novel technologies suitable for mobility analytics components. Next, Part III describes solutions toward processing and managing big spatio-temporal data, particularly enriching data streams and integrating streamed and archival data to provide coherent views of mobility, and storing of integrated mobility data in large distributed knowledge graphs for efficient query-answering. Part IV focuses on mobility analytics methods exploiting (online) processed, synopsized and enriched data streams as well as (offline) integrated, archived mobility data, and highlights future location and trajectory prediction methods, distinguishing between short-term and more challenging long-term predictions. Part V examines how methods addressing data management, data processing and mobility analytics are integrated in big data architectures with distinctive characteristics compared to other known big data paradigmatic architectures. Lastly, Part VI covers important ethical issues that research on mobility analytics should address. Providing novel approaches and methodologies related to mobility detection and forecasting needs based on big data exploration, processing, storage, and analysis, this book will appeal to computer scientists and stakeholders in various application domains.

This book reflects the latest research trends, methods and experimental results in the field of electrical and information technologies for rail transportation, which covers abundant state-of-the-art research theories and ideas. As a vital field of research that is highly relevant to current developments in a number of technological domains, the subjects it covered include intelligent computing, information processing, Communication Technology, Automatic Control, etc. The objective of the proceedings is to provide a major interdisciplinary forum for researchers, engineers, academicians as well as industrial professionals to present the most innovative research and development in the field of rail transportation electrical and information technologies. Engineers and researchers in academia, industry, and the government will also explore an insight view of the solutions that combine ideas from multiple disciplines in this field. The volumes serve as an excellent reference work for researchers and graduate students working on rail transportation, electrical and information technologies.

The design of tall buildings and complex structures involves challenging activities, including: scheme design, modelling, structural analysis and detailed design. This book provides structural designers with a systematic approach to anticipate and solve issues for tall buildings and complex structures. This book begins with a clear and rigorous exposition of theories behind designing tall buildings. After this is an explanation of basic issues encountered in the design process. This is followed by chapters concerning the design and analysis of tall building with different lateral stability systems, such as MRF, shear wall, core, outrigger, bracing, tube system, diagrid system and mega frame. The final three chapters explain the design principles and analysis methods for complex and special structures. With this book, researchers and designers will find a valuable reference on topics such as tall building systems, structure with complex geometry, Tensegrity structures, membrane structures and offshore structures.

This book explores the planning knowledge that can be gleaned from the experiences of the urban poor, a group frequently affected by floods. Further, it examines the relationship between lifeworld analysis and adaptation planning through the sociology of knowledge, which plays a significant part in determining the adaptation pathway of the urban poor. The book brings together empirical data to translate self-reflective planning theory into the practical context, examines community planning, and enriches the discourse on urban adaptation. Lastly, it provides an adaptation-planning model that can benefit academics, practitioners and policymakers who wish to provide more socially accepted plans.

This book presents the preservation principles and the current environmental challenges relating to monitoring heritage sites and buildings under the effects of climate change. It provides a clear overview of conservation action levels and the importance of participation and cooperation between them, and discusses evaluation and management methods, thermal comfort for the common usages, and conceptual methods for enhancing the built heritage. The research presented employed the "Zoom In, Zoom Out" approach for monitoring the Syrian coastal heritage sites threatened by the direct and indirect effects of climate change. Lastly, the book establishes the basic principles and conservation strategies for preserving the coastal heritage sites and buildings. As such, it is a valuable reference resource for researchers, developers, architects, and conservators involved in protecting the architectural heritage in coastal areas. It can also be used as a guidebook on preserving and monitoring built heritage sites at both macro and micro levels.

Corrosion and its Consequences for Reinforced Concrete Structures serves as an indispensable guide for engineers, scientists and researchers, exploring the fundamental aspects of corrosion in reinforced concrete. Its originality lies in the coupling between the reinforcement corrosion of reinforced concrete and its mechanical behavior.The authors describe the specific theoretical foundations of the corrosion of steel in concrete and its interactions with the structural aspects, including service cracking and defects in the placement of concrete. The book contains a study of the mechanisms of degradation of the mechanical behavior of reinforcements and the reinforced concrete composite, such as reduction of ductility, bearing capacity, redistribution of efforts by formation of plastic hinges and increase in the beam deflection in service. A diagnostic method based on corrosion-induced crack detection is presented in the book, and then paired with a recalculation method which allows us to predict the different aspects of the residual mechanical behavior. Several end-of-life ELS and ELU criteria are described, and the authors propose an approach to estimate the residual lifetime. Finally, the book presents the cathodic protection that allows the progression of corrosion to be contained within the corroded structures. As well as academics, this book is aimed at civil engineers who are faced with the issue of corrosion in aging structures.

< p=""> This highly informative and carefully presented book focuses on the fields of ergonomics/human factors and discusses the future of the community vis-a-vis health problems, productivity, aging, etc. Ergonomic intercession must be seen in light of its effect on productivity because ergonomic solutions will improve productivity as the reduction of environmental stressors, awkward postures and efforts lead to a reduction in task execution time. The book provides promising evidence that the field of ergonomics continues to thrive and develop deeper insights into how work environments, products and systems can be developed to meet needs, demands and limitations of humans and how they can support productivity improvements. Some of the themes covered are anthropometry and workplace design, biomechanics and modelling in ergonomics, cognitive and environmental ergonomics, ergonomic intervention and productivity, ergonomics in transport, mining, agriculture and forestry, health systems, work physiology and sports ergonomics, etc. This book is beneficial to academicians, policymakers and the industry alike. ^

This book comprises select peer-reviewed papers presented at the International Conference on Sustainable Development through Engineering Innovations (SDEI) 2020. It presents recent advances, new directions, and opportunities for sustainable and resilient approaches to design and protect the built-environment through engineering innovations & interventions. The topics covered are highly diverse and include all civil engineering and construction-related aspects such as construction and environmental Issues, durability and survivability under extreme conditions, design of new materials for sustainability, eco-efficient and ultra-high performance cementitious materials, embedded structural and foundation systems and environmental geomechanics. The book will be of potential interest to the researchers and students in the fields of civil engineering, architecture and sustainable development.

This book focuses on modelling and simulation, control and optimization, signal processing, and forecasting in selected nonlinear dynamical systems, presenting both literature reviews and novel concepts. It develops analytical or numerical approaches, which are simple to use, robust, stable, flexible and universally applicable to the analysis of complex nonlinear dynamical systems. As such it addresses key challenges are addressed, e.g. efficient handling of time-varying dynamics, efficient design, faster numerical computations, robustness, stability and convergence of algorithms. The book provides a series of contributions discussing either the design or analysis of complex systems in sciences and engineering, and the concepts developed involve nonlinear dynamics, synchronization, optimization, machine learning, and forecasting. Both theoretical and practical aspects of diverse areas are investigated, specifically neurocomputing, transportation engineering, theoretical electrical engineering, signal processing, communications engineering, and computational intelligence. It is a valuable resource for students and researchers interested in nonlinear dynamics and synchronization with applications in selected areas.

This book gathers the latest advances, innovations, and applications in the field of sustainable energy systems, as presented by researchers and engineers at the International Conference Sustainable Energy Systems: Innovative Perspectives (SES), held in Saint-Petersburg, Russia, on October 29-30, 2020. It covers highly diverse topics, including applications of renewable energy sources, recycling of solid municipal and industrial waste, circular economy based on agricultural waste, energy-efficient and sustainable buildings, innovation management and technologies of sustainable cities, sustainable construction, creative construction technology and materials, construction simulation and virtual construction, BIM and rapid prototyping for construction, consumption practices in the digital era, sustainable operations management, and supply chain management in the digital era. The contributions, which were selected by means of a rigorous international peer-review process, highlight numerous exciting ideas that will spur novel research directions and foster multidisciplinary collaborations.

This multivolume handbook is the most comprehensive and updated reference of advanced geospatial techniques for water resource and watershed management. It addresses complex solutions that appear in individual articles but require an exhaustive search for assimilation. By assembling these tremendous advances in an expertly curated resource and making it available in depth to professionals and the water research community worldwide, this successful vehicle will help readers in elevating the quality and variety of water research and solutions. A broad range of authors, specialties, sources, institutions, countries, and continents showcase exemplary approaches and capabilities for the 21st century.

This book presents the latest findings on train operation theories and methods in the context of emergencies. It examines and assesses a range of aspects-including the definition of a railway emergency, transport organization modes in emergencies, calculating railway transport capacity in emergencies, line planning in emergencies, train re-pathing in emergencies and train re-scheduling in emergencies-that are urgently needed in the railway transportation field, which faces the serious challenge of dealing with emergencies worldwide. The book highlights the latest research results in an integrated and systematic way, and the methodology presented is oriented on real-world problems, allowing it to be used not only directly in railway operational management, but also as the point of departure for further applications or theoretical research. As such, the book will be of considerable interest to graduate students and researchers in the field of traffic and transportation engineering.>

Preface. The Interaction of Wear and Rolling Contact Fatigue; J.H. Beynon, A. Kapoor. Reliability Assessment of Randomly Loaded Critical Components; M. Bily. Fitness for Purpose Assessment of Structural Integrity; J.G. Blauel. Part-Through Cracked Structures Under Cyclic Loading; A. Carpinteri, et al. Multiaxial Fatigue Life Prediction Methods for Engineering Components; T.D. Liebster, G. Glinka. Assessment of Fatigue in High-Duty Engineering Components; J.F. Knott. Material Characterization Required for the Reliability Assessment of Cyclically Loaded Engineering Structures: Part 1: Fatigue and Failure of Materials; A.J. Krasowsky, L. Toth. Non-Linear Deformation and Fatigue Fracture in Engineering Design; N.A. Makhutov, M.M. Gadenin. Gaseous Atmosphere Influence on Fatigue Crack Propagation; J. Petit, et al. Crack Propagation of Semi-Elliptical Surface Cracks: A Literature Review; T. Boukharouba, et al. Fatigue of Ceramics and Intermetallics: Application to Damage Tolerance and Life Prediction in Cyclically-Loaded Brittle Materials; R. Ritchie, et al. Fatigue Problems in Transport Applications; R.A. Smith. High Nitrogen Steels Behaviour Under cyclic Loading; S. Vodenicharov. Energy-Based Approach to Damage Cumulation in Random Fatigue; T. Lagoda, E. Macha. Application of a Probabilistic Approach of Durability Analysis to Gust Loaded Structures and Some Possible Extensions; A. Pieracci.

This is the proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Strain-Hardening Cement-Based Composites (SHCC4), that was held at the Technische Universitat Dresden, Germany from 18 to 20 September 2017. The conference focused on advanced fiber-reinforced concrete materials such as strain-hardening cement-based composites (SHCC), textile-reinforced concrete (TRC) and high-performance fiber-reinforced cement-based composites (HPFRCC). All these new materials exhibit pseudo-ductile behavior resulting from the formation of multiple, fine cracks when subject to tensile loading. The use of such types of fiber-reinforced concrete could revolutionize the planning, development, dimensioning, structural and architectural design, construction of new and strengthening and repair of existing buildings and structures in many areas of application. The SHCC4 Conference was the follow-up of three previous successful international events in Stellenbosch, South Africa in 2009, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2011, and Dordrecht, The Netherlands in 2014.

This book focuses on the generalization of map features, providing descriptions and classifying groups of map objects into six categories: point clusters, groups of contours, road networks, river networks, continuous areal features and discrete areal features. Discussing the methods and algorithms in map generalization in equal measure, it also describes the approaches for describing map features. The book is a valuable reference for graduates and researchers who are interested in cartography and geographic information science/systems, especially those in automated map generalization and spatial databases construction.

This book discusses vehicular communication systems, IoT, intelligent transportation systems and the Internet of Vehicles, and also introduces destination marketing in a structured manner. It is primarily intended for research students interested in emerging technologies for connected Internet of Vehicles and intelligent transportation system networks; academics in higher education institutions, including universities and vocational colleges; IT professionals; policy makers; and legislators. The book can also be used as a reference resource for both undergraduate and graduate studies. Written in plain and simple language, it describes new concepts so that they are accessible to readers without prior knowledge of the field.

Fire safety is a major concern in many industries, particularly as there have been significant increases in recent years in the quantities of hazardous materials in process, storage or transport. Plants are becoming larger and are often situated in or close to densely populated areas, and the hazards are continually highlighted with incidents such as the fires and explosions at the Piper Alpha oil and gas platform, and the Enschede firework factory. As a result, greater attention than ever before is now being given to the evaluation and control of these hazards.

In a comprehensive treatment of the subject unavailable elsewhere, this book describes in detail the applications of hazard and risk analysis to fire safety, going on to develop and apply quantification methods. It also gives an explanation in quantitative terms of improvements in fire safety in association with the costs that are expended in their achievement. Furthermore, a quantitative approach is applied to major fire and explosion disasters to demonstrate crucial faults and events.

Featuring:

Full international coverage and a review of several major fires and explosion disasters.Presentation of the properties and science of fire including the latest research.Detailed coverage of the performance of fire safety measures.

This is an essential book for practitioners in fire safety engineering, loss prevention professionals, technical personnel in insurance companies as well as academics involved in fire science and postgraduate students. This book is also a useful reference for fire safety officers, building designers, engineers in the process industries, safety practitioners and risk assessment consultants.

This book gathers 23 papers by top experts from 11 countries, presented at the 3rd Houston International Forum: Concrete Structures in Earthquake. Designing infrastructures to resist earthquakes has always been the focus and mission of scientists and engineers located in tectonically active regions, especially around the "Pacific Rim of Fire" including China, Japan, and the USA. The pace of research and innovation has accelerated in the past three decades, reflecting the need to mitigate the risk of severe damage to interconnected infrastructures, and to facilitate the incorporation of high-speed computers and the internet. The respective papers focus on the design and analysis of concrete structures subjected to earthquakes, advance the state of knowledge in disaster mitigation, and address the safety of infrastructures in general.

This book presents a new approach to building renovation, combining aspects of various professional disciplines, integrating green building design, structural stability, and energy efficiency. It draws attention to several often-overlooked qualities of buildings that should be comprehensively integrated into the context of building renovation. The book presents an overview of the most important renovation approaches according to their scope, intensity, and priorities. Combining basic theoretical knowledge and the authors' scientific research it emphasizes the importance of simultaneous consideration of energy efficiency and structural stability in building renovation processes. It simultaneously analyses the effects of various renovation steps related to the required level of energy efficiency, while it also proposes the options of building extension with timber-glass upgrade modules as the solution to a shortage of usable floor areas occurring in large cities. This book offers building designers and decision makers a tool for predicting energy savings in building renovation processes and provides useful guidelines for architects, city developers and students studying architecture and civil engineering. Additionally, it demonstrates how specific innovations, e.g., building extensions with timber-glass modules, can assist building industry companies in the planning and development of their future production. The main aim of the current book is to expose various approaches to the renovation of existing buildings and to combine practical experience with existing research, in order to disseminate knowledge and raise awareness on the importance of integrative and interdisciplinary solutions.

This book gathers peer-reviewed contributions presented at the 3rd RILEM Spring Convention and Conference, held at Guimaraes and hosted by the University of Minho, Portugal, on March 9-14, 2020. The theme of the Conference was "Ambitioning a Sustainable Future for Built Environment: comprehensive strategies for unprecedented challenges", which was aimed at discussing current challenges and impacts of the built environment on sustainability. The present volume is dedicated to the topic "Strategies for a resilient built environment", which covers the current and emerging approaches that lead to an optimized design and maintenance of constructions and systems. It includes the development of service life models and life cycle design, in order to maximise longevity and level of service while minimising the environmental impact of constructions and systems. It also includes the analysis and design of larger systems, such as communities, cities or regions, aiming at reducing risk and increasing resilience. The following subtopics are included: resilience and robustness of the built environment and communities at local and global scales; risk based inspection and maintenance; life cycle analysis and service models; performance based design; improved design strategies by integrating materials and structures.

This book offers a comprehensive introduction to novel absorption heating technologies for improving the energy efficiency of heating systems. The proposed low-temperature heating systems, based on an air source absorption heat pump (ASAHP), significantly increase heating efficiency and reduce pollution emissions. As the performance of ASAHPs deteriorates at lower ambient/driving temperatures, a series of advanced cycles is used to extend their applicability, with the compression-assisted ASAHP being the most outstanding example. The book discusses the generator-absorber-heat-exchange ASAHP as a promising solution to make the best of high driving temperatures, an aspect that can be improved further via compression. Further, it addresses the ground source absorption heat pump (GSAHP), which eliminates the soil thermal imbalance of the conventional ground source electrical heat pump (GSEHP), and also reduces the number of boreholes . Various hybrid GSAHP systems are proposed to further enhance applicability, efficiency, and economy: these include a combined GSAHP and GSEHP system, as well as ASAHP and GSAHP systems that incorporate design optimizations. In closing, the book explores the merits of novel working fluids and highlights recent advances concerning waste heat and renewable energy utilization.