scholarly journals A GIS-based model to estimate flood consequences and the degree of accessibility and operability of strategic emergency response structures in urban areas

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
pp. 2847-2865 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Albano ◽  
A. Sole ◽  
J. Adamowski ◽  
L. Mancusi
Keyword(s):  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Urban Area ◽  
Emergency Response ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Emergency Services ◽  
Urban System ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Proposed Model

Abstract. Efficient decision-making regarding flood risk reduction has become a priority for authorities and stakeholders in many European countries. Risk analysis methods and techniques are a useful tool for evaluating costs and benefits of possible interventions. Within this context, a methodology to estimate flood consequences was developed in this paper that is based on GIS, and integrated with a model that estimates the degree of accessibility and operability of strategic emergency response structures in an urban area. The majority of the currently available approaches do not properly analyse road network connections and dependencies within systems, and as such a loss of roads could cause significant damages and problems to emergency services in cases of flooding. The proposed model is unique in that it provides a maximum-impact estimation of flood consequences on the basis of the operability of the strategic emergency structures in an urban area, their accessibility, and connection within the urban system of a city (i.e. connection between aid centres and buildings at risk), in the emergency phase. The results of a case study in the Puglia region in southern Italy are described to illustrate the practical applications of this newly proposed approach. The main advantage of the proposed approach is that it allows for defining a hierarchy between different infrastructure in the urban area through the identification of particular components whose operation and efficiency are critical for emergency management. This information can be used by decision-makers to prioritize risk reduction interventions in flood emergencies in urban areas, given limited financial resources.

scholarly journals Improving the accessibility to public schools in urban areas of developing countries through a location model and an analytical framework

PLoS ONE ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. e0262520
Author(s):  
Jesica de Armas ◽  
Helena Ramalhinho ◽  
Marta Reynal-Querol
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Location Model ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
New Schools ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
School Network

The location of primary public schools in urban areas of developing countries is the focus of this study. In such areas, new schools and modification of the current schools are required, and this process should be developed using rational and broad supporting tools for decision makers, such as optimization models. We propose a realistic coverage location model and a framework to analyze the location of schools. Our approach considers the existing schools and their resizing, the best locations of the new schools that may have different capacities, population coverage, walking distances and budget provisions for building and updating schools. As a case study, we assess the current primary school network in Ciudad Benito Juarez to provide managerial insights. Through the proposed framework, we analyze the current locations of schools and decisions to be made by considering future scenarios in different time periods. The proposed model is quite flexible and easy to adapt to new considerations, allowing it to be applied to regions in developing countries under similar conditions.

scholarly journals A GIS based urban flood risk analysis model for vulnerability assessment of critical structures during flood emergencies

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 2405-2441
Author(s):  
R. Albano ◽  
A. Sole ◽  
J. Adamowski ◽  
L. Mancusi
Keyword(s):  
Risk Analysis ◽  
Urban Area ◽  
Flood Risk ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Quantitative Estimation ◽  
Urban System ◽  
Analysis Model ◽  
Urban Flood ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Flood Risk Analysis

Abstract. Risk analysis has become a priority for authorities and stakeholders in many European countries, with the aim of reducing flooding risk by considering the priority and benefits of possible interventions. Within this context, a flood risk analysis model was developed in this study that is based on GIS, and integrated with a model that assesses the degree of accessibility and operability of strategic emergency response structures in an urban area. The proposed model is unique in that it provides a quantitative estimation of flood risk on the basis of the operability of the strategic emergency structures in an urban area, their accessibility, and connection within the urban system of a city (i.e., connection between aid centres and buildings at risk) in the emergency phase. The results of a case study in the Puglia Region in Southern Italy are described to illustrate the practical applications of this newly proposed approach. The main advantage of the proposed approach is that it allows for the defining of a hierarchy between different infrastructures in the urban area through the identification of particular components whose operation and efficiency are critical for emergency management. This information can be used by decision makers to prioritize risk reduction interventions in flood emergencies in urban areas.

scholarly journals Consequences of Promoting Less-Populated Rural Areas to Urban Areas: A Case Study, Bushehr Province

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-100
Author(s):  
Ali Bastin
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Urban System ◽  
Population Data ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
Negative Consequences

The modified law of Iranian Administrative divisions has greatly altered the pattern of settlement in recent decades. The promotion of rural areas to urban areas has shifted from mere population standard to combined population-administrative standards. However, all censuses suggest that many rural areas reported as smaller than the minimum population standard have been promoted to urban areas. In the last two decades, this is a clearly prominent phenomenon in the urban system of Iran. This paper evaluates the effects and consequences of promoting small and sparsely populated rural areas to urban areas in the Bushehr province. The used methodology is analytic-descriptive using a questionnaire distributed among 380 members of the target population. Data analysis is conducted in physical, economic, social and urban servicing domains using one-sample T-test and the utility range. The results show that promotion of rural areas to urban areas has positive outcomes such as improved waste disposal system, improved quality of residential buildings, increased monitoring of the construction, increased income, prevented migration and improved health services. However, the results of utility range show that the negative consequences of this policy are more than its positive outcomes, which have been studied in detail.

Cordaid’s Post-Disaster Shelter Strategy in Haiti: Linking Relief and Development

2014 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 77-85
Author(s):  
Harmen Janse ◽  
Kees van der Flier
Keyword(s):  
Urban Area ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Life Support ◽  
Comparative Case Study ◽  
Urban Context ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
Post Disaster

Haiti was struck by a heavy earthquake in 2010 and international aid poured into the country. News reports in 2011 were not very positive about the results of post-disaster reconstruction: “The relief efforts are only putting Haiti on life-support instead of evolving into the next stage of development”. One of the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) involved in Haiti was Cordaid, implementing a ‘transitional shelter strategy’ to support the transformation of neigh-bourhoods from a state of life-support into a state of self-sustaining development. The strategy was implemented in both a rural and an urban area. The main feature of the strategy was the provision of structures that could be adapted from simple shelters to permanent houses. Since the results of the strategy were mixed and ambiguous, a comparative case study was conducted to evaluate the shelter strategy in both areas. The objective was to draw lessons about what has to be taken into account when formulating future urban shelter strategies. The case study is discussed in this article. The main finding from the case study is that producing the intended number of shelters within the financial and time budgets that were set (efficiency), was more difficult in the urban area than in the rural area. But the conditions for linking relief and development (effectiveness) are more favourable in the urban context. NGOs may achieve long-term (effective) results in the urban context when a lower efficiency can be justified. That is why NGOs need to engage in a debate about the extent to which they are able to focus on long-term shelter or housing strategies. The important element in the debate is communication with the donors who are often focused on short-term relief measures. However urban areas cannot be rebuilt with only short-term interventions. The link between relief and development has to be made by a process-orientated approach focusing on capacities of local participants.

An integrated fuzzy SWARA and fuzzy AD approach for outsourcing provider selection

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 531-552 ◽  
Author(s):  
Selçuk Perçin
Keyword(s):  
Evaluation Criteria ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Ratio Analysis ◽  
Functional Requirements ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Chemical Company ◽  
Order Preference ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Unlike previous literature, this study offers a novel integrated fuzzy approach to the field of outsourcing decisions. The purpose of this paper is to use design ranges of evaluation criteria that satisfy the functional requirements (FRs) of decision makers to solve the outsourcing provider selection problem. Design/methodology/approach In this study, considering the expected significance of outsourcing evaluation criteria, and the FRs of decision makers expressed in linguistic terms, a robust multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) tool based on the integrated use of fuzzy Step-wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis and weighted fuzzy axiomatic design methods is proposed for use in decision process. Findings The proposed method is applied to a Turkish chemical company. A sensitivity analysis is performed and the outcomes of the proposed integrated framework are compared with those of other MCDM methods such as fuzzy-based Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution, fuzzy Vise Kriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje and fuzzy Multi-Objective Optimization on the basis of Ratio Analysis. This validates the usefulness and practicality of the proposed methodology. Practical implications The main contribution of this study is that it defines specific requirements that will assist company managers in eliminating alternatives that do not satisfy the needs and expectations of their company. Originality/value This paper compares the present study with other studies in the field of manufacturing. Additionally, it provides a well-documented case study, which makes the paper of value to researchers interested in the practical applications of MCDM methods.

scholarly journals Impact of Prioritization on the Outpatient Queuing System in the Emergency Department with Limited Medical Resources

Symmetry ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 796 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ao Zhang ◽  
Xiaomin Zhu ◽  
Qian Lu ◽  
Runtong Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Emergency Services ◽  
Service System ◽  
Queuing System ◽  
Hospital Service ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Queuing Model ◽  
Medical Resources ◽  
Proposed Model

The emergency department has an irreplaceable role in the hospital service system because of the characteristics of its emergency services. In this paper, a new patient queuing model with priority weight is proposed to optimize the management of emergency department services. Compared with classical queuing rules, the proposed model takes into consideration the key factors of service and the first-come-first-served queuing rule in emergency services. According to some related queuing indicators, the optimization of emergency services is discussed. Finally, a case study and some compared analysis are conducted to illustrate the practicability of the proposed model.

scholarly journals The Pleasure of Walking: An Innovative Methodology to Assess Appropriate Walkable Performance in Urban Areas to Support Transport Planning

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 3467 ◽  
Author(s):  
Appolloni ◽  
Corazza ◽  
D’Alessandro
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Governance ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Medium Size ◽  
Suitability Index ◽  
Innovative Methodology ◽  
Governance Process ◽  
Walking Performance

The Walking Suitability Index of the Territory–T-WSI is an innovative methodology to assess walkability. Unlike other methods and tools in this field designed to evaluate walkability on given origin-destination paths, T-WSI is conceived for area-wide assessments, typically at the neighborhood level. This can be achieved by visual surveys to collect data, which are easy to perform at street level, their further process via an algorithm, and their aggregation to assess the walking performance levels of the test area. The paper describes such methodology, which includes the development of 12 indicators associated with four main evaluation categories (Practicability, Safety, Urbanity and Appeal), and its application to a case study in a medium-size town in central Italy. Results are described and elaborated to highlight T-WSI’s contribution to help decision makers in the urban governance process, typically in the fields of land use, mobility management and maintenance, coherently with the research objective to enlarge the potential of walkability methodologies thus far available up to area-level assessment.

A maximal covering facility location model for emergency services within an M (t)/M/m/m queuing system

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Iman Bahrami ◽  
Roya M. Ahari ◽  
Milad Asadpour
Keyword(s):  
Facility Location ◽  
Emergency Services ◽  
Queuing System ◽  
Location Model ◽  
Computational Time ◽  
Nsga Ii ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Maximal Covering ◽  
Proposed Model

Purpose In emergency services, maximizing population coverage with the lowest cost at the peak of the demand is important. In addition, due to the nature of services in emergency centers, including hospitals, the number of servers and beds is actually considered as the capacity of the system. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to propose a multi-objective maximal covering facility location model for emergency service centers within an M (t)/M/m/m queuing system considering different levels of service and periodic demand rate. Design/methodology/approach The process of serving patients is modeled according to queuing theory and mathematical programming. To cope with multi-objectiveness of the proposed model, an augmented ε-constraint method has been used within GAMS software. Since the computational time ascends exponentially as the problem size increases, the GAMS software is not able to solve large-scale problems. Thus, a NSGA-II algorithm has been proposed to solve this category of problems and results have been compared with GAMS through random generated sample problems. In addition, the applicability of the proposed model in real situations has been examined within a case study in Iran. Findings Results obtained from the random generated sample problems illustrated while both the GAMS software and NSGA-II almost share the same quality of solution, the CPU execution time of the proposed NSGA-II algorithm is lower than GAMS significantly. Furthermore, the results of solving the model for case study approve that the model is able to determine the location of the required facilities and allocate demand areas to them appropriately. Originality/value In the most of previous works on emergency services, maximal coverage with the minimum cost were the main objectives. Hereby, it seems that minimizing the number of waiting patients for receiving services have been neglected. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is the first time that a maximal covering problem is formulated within an M (t)/M/m/m queuing system. This novel formulation will lead to more satisfaction for injured people by minimizing the average number of injured people who are waiting in the queue for receiving services.

scholarly journals Assessing flooding impact to riverine bridges: an integrated analysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Pregnolato ◽  
Andrew O. Winter ◽  
Dakota Mascarenas ◽  
Andrew D. Sen ◽  
Paul Bates ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban System ◽  
Hydrodynamic Forces ◽  
Integrated Analysis ◽  
Global Changes ◽  
Flood Events ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics Cfd ◽  
Current Guidance

Abstract. Flood events are the most frequent cause of damage to infrastructure compared to any other natural hazard, and global changes (climate, socio-economic, technological) are likely to increase this damage. Transportation infrastructure systems are responsible for moving people, goods and services, and ensuring connection within and among urban areas. A failed link in this system can impact the community by threatening evacuation capability, recovery operations and the overall economy. Bridges are critical links in the wider urban system since they are associated with little redundancy and a high (re)construction cost. Riverine bridges are particularly prone to failure during flood events; in fact, the risks to bridges from high river flows and bank erosion have been recognized as crucial at global level. The interaction among flow, structure and network is complex, and yet to be fully understood. This study aims to establish rigorous practices of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) for modelling hydrodynamic forces on inundated bridges, and understanding the consequences of such impact on the surrounding network. Objectives of this study are to model hydrodynamic forces as demand on the bridge structure, to advance a reliability analysis of the structure under the modelled loading and to assess the overall impact at systemic level. The flood-prone City of Carlisle (UK) is used as case study and a proof of concept. Implications of the hydrodynamic impact on the performance and functionality of the surrounding transport network are discussed. This research will help to fill the gap between current guidance for design and assessment of bridges within the overall transport system.

scholarly journals MIGRATIONS, POWER AND URBAN SPACES IN SICILIJA THROUGH AN ETHNOGRAPHIC CASE STUDY

2020 ◽  
pp. 7-19
Author(s):  
Daria Settineri
Keyword(s):  
Urban Environment ◽  
Urban Area ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Local Population ◽  
Urban Spaces ◽  
Social Connections ◽  
Ethnographic Case Study ◽  
The Social ◽  
Extra State

In this article, the author, based on concrete factual material, explores the specifics of modern migration processes considered within an urban area localized in Palermo (Sicily). In the context of this complex heterotopic space, resorting to the conceptual apparatus of M. Foucault, this kind of rhizome, if we operate with the concepts of J. Deleuze and F.Guattari, the author analyzes the actions of various actors of power – local and transnational – which dominate in this closed socio-urban environment, outlined by the framework of certain city blocks, – formal and informal, institutionalized and not, state and extra-state, legal and illegal, political, social, ecclesiastical, economic, criminal, the objects of projection and manifestation of which are migrants (primarily illegal) concentrated in these urban areas, who coexist there with the local population. The author also studies reactions of “newcomers” to the factors that affect them, including their ways of understanding and familiarizing with of their new place of residence as a micro- and the macrocosm, in all the diversity and complexity of the social connections that permeate this habitat and the factors that affect it.

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