Access to advanced-level hospital care: differences in prehospital times calculated using incident locations compared with patients’ usual residence

Studies estimate that 84% of the USA and New Zealand’s (NZ) resident populations have timely access (within 60 min) to advanced-level hospital care. Our aim was to assess whether usual residence (ie, home address) is a suitable proxy for location of injury incidence. In this observational study, injury fatalities registered in NZ’s Mortality Collection during 2008–2012 were linked to Coronial files. Estimated access times via emergency medical services were calculated using locations of incident and home. Using incident locations, 73% (n=4445/6104) had timely access to care compared with 77% when using home location. Access calculations using patients’ home locations overestimated timely access, especially for those injured in industrial/construction areas (18%; 95% CI 6% to 29%) and from drowning (14%; 95% CI 7% to 22%). When considering timely access to definitive care, using the location of the injury as the origin provides important information for health system planning.

Experimental determination of the critical depth of cutting of blocked soil cutting by cutters and the length of the ploughshare of chain excavators

The development of civil and industrial construction and the growing trend of construction of underground communications have led to an increase in the volume of work on the laying of gas and oil pipelines, water mains, sewerage systems, power cables and communication cables. Much of the excavation work in the construction of these communications is performed by trench excavators.

Sustainable Construction: Improving Productivity through Lean Construction

The objective of this article is to improve building productivity, evolving from traditional construction to industrial construction. The methodology used here consists of analysing the use of materials, the construction design, the design of the spatial distribution programme, the use of auxiliary means and resources and the application of lean tools in construction. The results achieved here include a complete building system that integrates the design, project and execution, wherein the construction process is improved and inconsistencies in the final project are reduced. With the application of an industrial manufacturing methodology, the productivity in construction is improved, reducing costs, materials, execution times and waste. These productivity improvements result in construction being more sustainable. As a conclusion of the previous analysis, the elements that must be integrated into a complete building project and the need to incorporate industrial manufacturing into construction processes in order to achieve sustainable architecture are established.

Modeling the properties of lightweight polymer concrete produced from polyvinyl chloride and combined heat and power plant waste

Although concrete based on mineral binders is most commonly used in construction, polymer concrete is on the rise lately. This is due to the fact that polymer concrete allows to expand concrete usage in civil and industrial construction thanks to its properties. However, there is extensive research on including thermoplastic polymer. Construction polymer concrete materials have high compressive strength, as well as atmospheric, cold and chemical resistance, thus resulting in long term lifetime. This paper suggests a technological process of producing concrete based on polyvinyl chloride and lightweight porous aggregate, e. g. fly ash that comes from Vladimir combined heat and power plant (used to run on coal). There are up to 80 thousand tons of this aggregate in stock. It turns out that technological parameters of this process are strongly intertwined with compound. Research indicates that lightweight polymer concrete based on polyvinyl chloride and fly ash can be achieved under certain technological parameters. A new polymer concrete was created as a result of this research having the following properties: density - 800-830 kg/m3, compressive strength - 12-13 MPa, impact strength -16-18 kg/m2, coefficient of thermal conductivity - 0.16-0.18 Wt/m.K, frost resistance - at least a 100 cycles.

Financial determinants of value based performance of construction firms in India

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to examine the value-based performance of firms in construction sector in India using Tobin's Q and Market Capitalization (MCAP) and then determine their significant financial drivers.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on data from 87 firms engaged in infrastructure, real estate, industrial construction and allied areas in India over a study period of 10 years. Three distinct forms of panel regression models have been developed using Tobin's Q and MCAP as dependent variables. The models developed are using Baltagi's (1981) Error Component 2SLS, Varadharajan-Krishnakumar's (1987) Generalized 2SLS and Arellano – Bower/Blundell – Bond's (1991) dynamic panel.FindingsThe study found that MCAP is a better suited value-based performance measure for construction sector firms in India. The study further reports that the age of the firm, profit after tax, investment in research and development, dividends, leverage and net fixed asset are significant positive drivers, whereas cash flow is a significant negative driver.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is limited to a geographic location; therefore, the findings of this study cannot be generalized.Practical implicationsAs MCAP is a better suited value-based performance measure of a firm in the construction sector, managers should focus on improving profitability, higher research and development activities, higher dividends and higher expenditures on net fixed assets for improvement.Originality/valueThis is an original attempt to examine the value-based performance of firms in the construction sector in India using Tobin's Q and MCAP.