An Integrated Approach to Mitigation Wetland Site Selection:  A Case Study in Gwacheon, Korea

Due to irregular and uncontrolled expansion of cities in developing countries, currently operational landfill sites cannot be used in the long-term, as people will be living in proximity to these sites and be exposed to unhygienic circumstances. Hence, this study aims at proposing an integrated approach for determining suitable locations for landfills while considering their physical expansion. The proposed approach utilizes the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) to weigh the sets of identified landfill location criteria. Furthermore, the weighted linear combination (WLC) approach was applied for the elicitation of the proper primary locations. Finally, the support vector machine (SVM) and cellular automation-based Markov chain method were used to predict urban growth. To demonstrate the applicability of the developed approach, it was applied to a case study, namely the city of Mashhad in Iran, where suitable sites for landfills were identified considering the urban growth in different geographical directions for this city by 2048. The proposed approach could be of use for policymakers, urban planners, and other decision-makers to minimize uncertainty arising from long-term resource allocation.

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Evaluating Life Cycle of Buildings Using an Integrated Approach Based on Quantitative-Qualitative and Simplified Best-Worst Methods (QQM-SBWM)

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13084487 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. 4487

Author(s):

Maghsoud Amiri ◽

Mohammad Hashemi-Tabatabaei ◽

Mohammad Ghahremanloo ◽

Mehdi Keshavarz-Ghorabaee ◽

Edmundas Kazimieras Zavadskas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle ◽

Computer Software ◽

Integrated Approach ◽

Comfort Level ◽

Combination Method ◽

New Combination ◽

Numerical Examples ◽

Environmental Consequences ◽

Time Required

Evaluating the life cycle of buildings is a valuable tool for assessing sustainability and analyzing environmental consequences throughout the construction operations of buildings. In this study, in order to determine the importance of building life cycle evaluation indicators, a new combination method was used based on a quantitative-qualitative method (QQM) and a simplified best-worst method (SBWM). The SBWM method was used because it simplifies BWM calculations and does not require solving complex mathematical models. Reducing the time required to perform calculations and eliminating the need for complicated computer software are among the advantages of the proposed method. The QQM method has also been used due to its ability to evaluate quantitative and qualitative criteria simultaneously. The feasibility and applicability of the SBWM were examined using three numerical examples and a case study, and the results were evaluated. The results of the case study showed that the criteria of the estimated cost, comfort level, and basic floor area were, in order, the most important criteria among the others. The results of the numerical examples and the case study showed that the proposed method had a lower total deviation (TD) compared to the basic BWM. Sensitivity analysis results also confirmed that the proposed approach has a high degree of robustness for ranking and weighting criteria.

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A Unique Transdisciplinary Engineering-Based Integrated Approach for the Design of Temporary Refugee Housing Using Kano, HOQ/QFD, TRIZ, AD, ISM and DSM Tools

Designs ◽

10.3390/designs5020031 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 31

Author(s):

Daniel Moran ◽

Atila Ertas ◽

Utku Gulbulak

Keyword(s):

Rural Areas ◽

Social Issues ◽

Integrated Approach ◽

Interpretive Structural Modeling ◽

Design Problems ◽

Design Structure ◽

Function Design ◽

Complex Engineering ◽

Design Conflicts

The continued displacement of refugees from their homes and homelands (now greater than 50 million people worldwide) places increased focus and attention on evolving the designs of temporary housing that is available to be provided to the refugee population, especially in rural areas where housing does not already exist and must be constructed in very little time. Complex engineering problems involving social issues, such as this case study, benefit from the use of Integrated Transdisciplinary (TD) Tools (ITDT) to effectively and efficiently address the design questions related to them. The integrated use of TD Tools such as Kano Analysis, KJ Diagrams, Critical to Quality (CTQ), House of Quality (HOQ)/Quality Function Design (QFD), Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ), Axiomatic Design (AD), Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM), and Design Structure Matrix (DSM) through an end-to-end unique design process leads to innovation and elimination of design conflicts for especially complicated design problems. The objective of this study is to examine the design of temporary refugee housing using integrated TD tools mentioned above. This research concludes that the use of the ITDT approach provides an innovative, decoupled design.

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Teacher Perspectives on Teaching the STEM Approach to Educational Coding and Robotics in Primary Education

Education Sciences ◽

10.3390/educsci11020064 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 64

Author(s):

Christian García-Carrillo ◽

Ileana María Greca ◽

María Fernández-Hawrylak

Keyword(s):

Primary Education ◽

Classroom Practice ◽

Integrated Approach ◽

Practical Training ◽

Training Process ◽

Integrated Stem ◽

Teaching Learning ◽

And Robotics ◽

Insight Into

An analysis is presented in this study that provides insight into a practical training process and its impact on teachers and their viewpoints toward the integrated STEM approach used in that training process, together with educational coding and robotics, over the first years of compulsory primary education, where STEM implementations are relatively new. A case study was developed by two teachers following the practical training course, including pre- and post-interviews and nonparticipative observation of their classroom practices during the teacher-training sessions. The results revealed the positive perspectives that the teachers held toward the STEM-integrated approach and educational coding and robotics, despite the difficulties that arose in classroom practice. It was concluded that the STEM approach and its methods were beneficial both to pupils and to teachers alike for improving the teaching–learning process.

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Infectious diseases in oyster aquaculture require a new integrated approach

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.2015.0213 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 371 (1689) ◽

pp. 20150213 ◽

Cited By ~ 60

Author(s):

Fabrice Pernet ◽

Coralie Lupo ◽

Cédric Bacher ◽

Richard J. Whittington

Keyword(s):

Integrated Approach ◽

Emerging Diseases ◽

Protective Measures ◽

Oyster Aquaculture ◽

The Pacific ◽

Holistic Understanding ◽

Key Issues ◽

Ostreid Herpesvirus 1 ◽

Bivalve Aquaculture

Emerging diseases pose a recurrent threat to bivalve aquaculture. Recently, massive mortality events in the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas associated with the detection of a microvariant of the ostreid herpesvirus 1 (OsHV-1µVar) have been reported in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Although the spread of disease is often viewed as a governance failure, we suggest that the development of protective measures for bivalve farming is presently held back by the lack of key scientific knowledge. In this paper, we explore the case for an integrated approach to study the management of bivalve disease, using OsHV-1 as a case study. Reconsidering the key issues by incorporating multidisciplinary science could provide a holistic understanding of OsHV-1 and increase the benefit of research to policymakers.

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