Search Results (4,022)

Accurately assessing dynamic water resource carrying capacity (WRCC) is essential and challenging, particularly in regions like the Gansu sections of the Yellow River Basin (GSYRB), a core water source protection zone in the arid northwest of China, due to its pressing challenge of balancing water resources for socioeconomic needs and ecological security. This study proposes a novel integrated computational assessment framework named SD-VIKOR to address the complexities arising from nonlinear interactions within the “water resources–socioeconomic–ecological environment” (W–S–E) system. The core of this framework is the tight coupling of a system dynamics (SD) simulation model with a VIKOR multi-criteria evaluation module, where indicator weights are objectively–subjectively determined via an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)–entropy weight method. This integrated SD-VIKOR engine enables dynamic, scenario-based WRCC trajectory simulation. To move beyond simulation and enable mechanistic insight, the framework further incorporates a diagnostic suite: a Geodetector module quantifies dominant drivers and their interactions; an obstacle degree model pinpoints key limiting factors; and a coupling coordination degree model evaluates subsystem synergies. Together, they form a closed-loop “dynamic simulation → multi-criteria assessment → driving mechanism analysis and constraint diagnosis → subsystem coordination analysis” workflow. Applied to the GSYRB from 2012 to 2030 under five development scenarios, the framework demonstrated high efficacy. It successfully captured path-dependent WRCC evolution, revealing that the ecological-priority scenario (B2), which shifts system drivers from economic-scale expansion to resource-efficiency and environmental governance, yielded optimal WRCC and the highest system coordination. In contrast, business-as-usual and single-minded economic expansion scenarios underperformed. Six key obstacle factors were quantitatively identified, linking WRCC constraints to natural endowments, economic patterns, and domestic demand. The results reveal pronounced spatial–temporal heterogeneity in WRCC across the GSYRB, with socioeconomic development, water resource use efficiency, and ecological conditions acting as the primary joint drivers of WRCC evolution. Critically, several key indicators are identified as persistent constraints on regional water sustainability. In contrast to conventional static evaluations, the integrated framework captures the complex dynamics and multi-subsystem interactions governing WRCC, offering a more robust diagnostic of resource–environment systems. These insights provide a transferable analytical basis for designing sustainable water management strategies in arid river basins. Full article

Urban living streets are core venues for promoting public health; however, existing studies often lack a multidimensional quantitative evaluation system that integrates physical, psychological, and social health dimensions. To address this gap, this study constructs a space quality evaluation model comprising 15 indicators across three health dimensions, integrating multi-source data (including Street View Imagery, POI data, and field measurements). Taking six typical living streets in the central urban area of Changsha as a case study, we applied the Analytic Hierarchy Process to determine indicator weights and evaluate space quality. The results reveal significant spatial heterogeneity: (1) The comprehensive quality scores vary markedly, with Cai’e South Road ranking highest (66.62) and Zengjiawan Lane lowest (28.37); (2) key factor analysis indicates that seven indicators—including Street Width, Motorization Level, and POI Functional Diversity—are significantly associated with space quality, among which Sidewalk Width and Relative Sidewalk Width are identified as critical determinants; (3) addressing identified deficits in slow-traffic spaces and service amenities, this study proposes health-oriented micro-renewal strategies. This study provides a transferable analytical framework and practical decision support for the assessment and improvement of urban living street space quality. Full article

This study presents a GIS-driven multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) framework for regional suitability screening of data center (DC) development in the United Kingdom. The methodology integrates spatial exclusion of constrained zones, raster standardization of climate and infrastructure indicators, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) weighting, and Weighted Linear Combination (WLC) to generate a national suitability surface at 1 km resolution. Climate indicators (temperature, air frost days, humidity, and solar radiation) and infrastructure and environmental constraint indicators (grid access, transport proximity, environmental protections, and population distribution) were standardized and combined within a GIS-based decision framework. Hard constraints such as protected areas and flood zones were applied through binary exclusion, while climatic and infrastructure factors were evaluated using weighted suitability scoring. Five candidate regions were identified from the suitability analysis: the Scottish Highlands, Northeast England, Southwest England (Cornwall), Northwest England, and Eastern England. These regions were further evaluated against key requirements including power infrastructure accessibility, workforce and connectivity availability, and exposure to environmental and hydro-climate constraints. The final comparison identified Lincolnshire as the most suitable region due to strong grid accessibility, favorable composite climate suitability, adequate population proximity, and limited overlap with protected areas. The proposed framework demonstrates how climate-driven cooling suitability can be integrated with infrastructure accessibility and environmental constraints within a unified spatial decision model for national-scale digital infrastructure planning. Full article

In home-based elderly care, nursing beds play a crucial role in the daily lives of older adults. However, most existing nursing beds are designed for general patients, neglecting the specific needs of people with disabilities and their caregivers. To enhance user satisfaction with nursing beds, this study proposes a conceptual design approach based on a KANO-AHP integrated model based on behavioral design. First, the needs of caregivers and people with disabilities are identified through behavioral observations and in-depth interviews. The Fogg Behavior Model is then applied to translate these behavioral insights into extractable design elements, which are subsequently classified and prioritized systematically using the Kano model. Subsequently, the Analytic Hierarchy Process is employed to screen the most critical needs from the extracted ones and transform them into key design elements, thereby defining the structural components of the product. This integrated approach enables an accurate mapping from user requirements to design elements, thereby facilitating the development of nursing beds for people with disabilities. This study demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of the KANO-AHP model in design research for the aging population, offering valuable guidance and an innovative perspective for nursing bed design. Full article

The growing urgency of resource-efficient construction in water-stressed and rapidly urbanizing regions necessitates integrated decision support frameworks that move beyond isolated sustainability metrics. This study operationalizes the water-energy nexus within building design evaluation by developing a structured hybrid multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework tailored to the Indian construction context. Unlike conventional sustainability assessments that treat water and energy independently, the proposed approach integrates life cycle-based water consumption, operational and embodied energy demand, environmental impacts, economic feasibility, and project constraints within a unified analytical hierarchy. A Delphi-validated criterion structure comprising five main criteria and twenty sub-criteria is weighted using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), and ranked using the VIKOR compromise solution method. To strengthen methodological robustness, ranking outcomes are validated across three independent MCDM logics including TOPSIS, PROMETHEE, and COPRAS. The framework evaluates four representative building strategies aligned with Indian regulatory and certification systems (NBC, ECBC, IGBC/GRIHA, and net-zero water-energy design). Using expert-informed weights derived from a Delphi–AHP involving a panel of experienced practitioners, the VIKOR compromise ranking consistently identifies the net-zero alternative as the most favorable option within the evaluated framework. The results are therefore interpreted as an expert-informed assessment demonstrating the applicability of the proposed decision support methodology rather than as statistically generalizable priorities for the entire Indian construction sector. The study contributes by (i) embedding nexus-based resource interdependence into building-level MCDM modeling, (ii) enhancing transparency through explicit benefit-cost classification and decision matrix disclosure, and (iii) demonstrating ranking stability across multiple validation techniques. The proposed framework provides a transferable methodological approach that can be adapted to different regional contexts through locally derived expert inputs. Full article

In the field of oil reservoir engineering, the development of large-dip-angle reservoirs poses significant challenges due to their strong heterogeneity, pronounced gravity effects, and inefficient water flooding sweep, all contributing to suboptimal oil recovery rates. This study aims to address these challenges by focusing on the core issue of optimizing water injection development strategies for such reservoirs. A numerical simulation mechanism model is constructed based on actual large-dip-angle reservoir A, and the impact of key parameters—including reservoir dip angle, permeability, injection–production well spacing, water injection intensity, and crude oil viscosity—on oil recovery is systematically analyzed under the “water injection at structural lows and oil production at structural highs” high-pressure water injection development mode. The simulation results reveal that the oil recovery rate increases with higher dip angles, permeability, injection–production well spacing, and water injection intensity; however, excessive water injection intensity or crude oil viscosity can lead to premature water breakthrough, reducing efficiency. Using the analytic hierarchy process, the primary controlling factors are ranked as permeability > crude oil viscosity > reservoir dip angle > water injection intensity > injection–production well spacing. Furthermore, development theory charts are established to guide the selection of appropriate water injection intensities for different injection–production well distances and permeabilities. This study offers valuable theoretical insights for optimizing water injection development in large-dip-angle reservoirs, thereby enhancing oil recovery and economic benefits and laying a foundation for future research and practical applications in similar reservoir settings. Full article

Amid the accelerating waves of global digitalization and the deepening interplay of cultural diversity, urban creative spaces have become pivotal arenas for the digital creative industry—yet a systematic, cross-culturally robust tool for assessing their sustainability remains conspicuously absent. Here, we address this gap by constructing a multi-dimensional evaluation framework derived from a systematic literature review, comprising five primary dimensions—AIGC technology integration, cultural heritage preservation, the economic benefits of the digital cultural industry, ecological synergy and social inclusiveness, and governance and policy support—along with 20 secondary indicators. To enhance methodological rigor, we integrate the Intuitionistic Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (IFAHP) to determine indicator weights while mitigating the subjective biases inherent in traditional approaches and employ the TOPSIS method to quantitatively assess and rank the creative spaces of five representative cities: London, Shanghai, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Berlin. Our findings reveal that London leads in comprehensive sustainability, followed closely by Shanghai, with sensitivity analysis confirming the high robustness of the rankings. The originality of this work lies in reconceptualizing AIGC not as a conventional digital instrument but as a core transformative driver embedded within the evaluation architecture, while the application of IFAHP substantially enhances the scientific validity and methodological reliability of the assessment. This research provides an operational diagnostic tool and actionable optimization pathways for advancing the sustainability of urban creative spaces worldwide, offering practical implications for fostering cultural innovation, bridging the digital divide, promoting social inclusiveness, and informing evidence-based urban governance policies. Full article

Urban flood resilience is an important indicator for measuring a city’s capacity to respond to and recover from flood disasters. However, existing assessments often lack a long-term hydrological baseline. This study establishes the historical water system of Yuan Dadu (1267–1368 CE) as a control scenario to benchmark the flood resilience of modern Beijing. By integrating a historical geographic reconstruction with a hydrological–hydrodynamic simulation and the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP), the research quantifies structural differences in resilience profiles between the nature-adapted historical system and the modern engineering-dominated system. The results indicate that Yuan Dadu’s urban flood resilience index (UFRI) is 3.44 and modern Beijing’s is 3.28. Despite modern Beijing’s significant advantage in drainage facility density (0.61 km/km²) and emergency management, the system exhibits a functional substitution failure, where gray infrastructure has failed to fully compensate for a 26% reduction in the unit area storage capacity (from 6.4 to 4.7 × 10⁴ m³/km²) and a 48.4% decline in the water system structural complexity. The findings indicate that, in rapidly urbanized cities on alluvial plains with high impervious coverage, expanding drainage networks alone may be insufficient to offset losses in a natural hydraulic buffering capacity. Accordingly, planning strategies are proposed that integrate distributed micro-storage and restore topological connectivity to recreate system-level hydraulic buffering functions. Full article

The quantum Mpemba effect (QME) describes the counterintuitive phenomenon where a system initially further from equilibrium relaxes faster than one closer to it. Specifically, the QME associated with symmetry restoration has been extensively investigated across integrable, ergodic, and disordered localized systems. However, its fate in disorder-free ergodicity-breaking settings, such as the Stark many-body localized (Stark-MBL) phase, remains an open question. Here, we explore the dynamics of local $U\left(1\right)$ symmetry restoration in a Stark-MBL XXZ spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ chain, using the Rényi-2 entanglement asymmetry (EA) as a probe. Using an analytical operator-string expansion supported by numerical simulations, we demonstrate that the QME transitions from an initial-state-dependent anomaly in the ergodic phase to a universal feature in the Stark-MBL regime. Moreover, the Mpemba time scales exponentially with the subsystem size, even in the absence of global transport, and is governed by high-order off-resonant processes. We attribute this robust inversion to a Stark-induced hierarchy of relaxation channels that fundamentally constrains the effective Hilbert space dimension. The findings pave the way for utilizing tunable potentials to engineer and control anomalous relaxation timescales in quantum technologies without reliance on quenched disorder. Full article

Addressing the thermal management challenges of prismatic aluminum shell lithium battery modules in electric vehicles under high-rate charge–discharge conditions, this study proposes a multi-objective optimization design method for integrated biomimetic liquid cooling plates. By integrating various highly efficient heat transfer structures from nature, including fractal-tree-like networks, leaf vein branching systems, and spider web radial distribution, a novel biomimetic liquid cooling plate topology was constructed. A multi-physics coupled numerical model considering electrochemical heat generation, thermal conduction, convective heat transfer, and thermal stress deformation was established. The NSGA-II algorithm was employed to globally optimize 12 design variables including channel geometric parameters, operating conditions, and structural dimensions, achieving collaborative optimization objectives of maximum temperature minimization, temperature uniformity maximization, pressure drop minimization, and structural lightweighting. The weight coefficients for the four optimization objectives were determined through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) with verified consistency (CR = 0.02 < 0.10), ensuring rational priority allocation aligned with automotive safety standards. The optimization results demonstrated that compared to the initial design, the optimal solution reduced the maximum temperature under 3C discharge conditions by 9.9% to 34.7 °C, decreased the temperature difference by 31.3% to 3.3 °C, lowered the pressure drop by 24.6% to 2150 Pa, reduced structural mass by 4.0%, and decreased maximum stress by 16.7%. Quantitative comparison with single biomimetic structures under identical boundary conditions showed that the integrated design achieved a 3.3% lower maximum temperature and 25.7% better flow uniformity than the best-performing single structure, demonstrating the synergistic advantages of multi-biomimetic integration. These synergistic performance improvements can be attributed to the hierarchical multi-scale architecture where fractal networks provide macro-scale flow distribution, leaf vein branches ensure meso-scale coverage, and spider web radials achieve micro-scale thermal matching. Long-term cycling tests conducted at 1C/1C rate with 25 ± 1 °C ambient temperature showed that the optimized design maintained a capacity retention rate of 92.3% after 1000 charge–discharge cycles, demonstrating excellent durability. The complex biomimetic channel structure can be fabricated using selective laser melting technology with minimum feature sizes below 0.3 mm, indicating promising manufacturing feasibility. The research findings provide theoretical guidance and technical support for the engineering design of high-performance battery thermal management systems. Full article

The article presents an integrated RACI–AHP–BIM methodology that supports responsibility management, decision-making, and information management in complex construction projects delivered under the design–build model, with particular emphasis on conservation-orientated investments. The approach combines three complementary components: the RACI responsibility matrix, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), and building information modeling (BIM). The methodology is validated on a higher-education conservation project using a BIM execution plan (BEP), scan-to-BIM procedures, and structured decision-making. The integration of RACI with BIM reduced accountability gaps and improved stakeholder coordination, while linking AHP with BIM data enabled data-driven design decisions using the BOCR model. The findings demonstrate measurable benefits, including clearer responsibility allocation, improved interdisciplinary coordination, and more transparent decision-making. The application of laser scanning and scan-to-BIM supported the creation of a digital model of historic elements for both design and future facility management. The main contribution is a holistic integration of RACI, AHP, and BIM into a unified methodology for conservation-orientated projects with high functional complexity, providing a reference framework for public-sector investment management. Full article

Sustainable forest operations require operational planning tools that effectively integrate productivity, environmental conservation, and social acceptability, particularly within complex and environmentally sensitive forest systems. In Mediterranean small-scale forestry, harvesting decisions are frequently guided by expert judgment rather than by systematic and transparent planning frameworks. This reliance on subjective decision making can result in heterogeneous management practices and, in some cases, suboptimal operational outcomes. This study aims to validate a GIS-based Analytic Hierarchy Process (GIS–AHP) decision support system for the selection of harvesting and wood systems in the chestnut coppices of central Italy and to assess the robustness of its recommendations when expert judgments are provided by different stakeholder groups. The methodology integrates spatial data and multi-criteria analysis to evaluate the suitability of three extraction systems (forwarder, cable skidder, and cable yarder) and three wood systems (Cut-To-Length, Whole-Tree Harvesting, and Tree-Length) across 162 Forest Management Units (1332.5 ha), using weights elicited from four stakeholder categories (researchers, technicians, forest owners, and workers; n = 144). Results show statistically significant differences in mean suitability values among stakeholder groups for all systems; however, convergence at the operational decision level is high. The cable skidder is recommended over 94%–100% of the area depending on the stakeholder category, with full agreement among all groups in 87.7% of the Forest Management Units. For wood systems, Whole-Tree Harvesting is selected over 96.1% of the analysed area, with agreement in 95.1% of the Forest Management Units. Divergences are therefore limited and attributable to differences in AHP weighting structures. Overall, the findings demonstrate that the GIS–AHP approach provides stable and transferable recommendations despite variability in expert perspectives, supporting its applicability as a transparent and robust decision support tool for operational planning in chestnut coppices and similar Mediterranean forest systems. Full article

In China’s stock-based renewal agenda, many old residential communities display pronounced intergenerational overlap, in which grandparental childcare becomes a dominant pattern of outdoor-space use. Against the backdrop of age-structure shifts, population ageing, and persistently low fertility, community-level outdoor-space supply, distributive equity, and environmental adaptability have become key concerns in renewal practice. Yet, practitioners still lack a rankable, low-cost, and implementable evaluation-to-decision workflow. Using Xingshe Community in Dalian, China as an empirical case, this study establishes and tests an integrated “NLP–AHP–GBDT” assessment framework. Guided by policy discourse and planning theory, over 50 semi-structured interviews were processed via NLP-based semantic analysis and keyword mining to derive a two-tier indicator set (criterion and indicator layers). Seven specialists then applied the analytic hierarchy process to elicit indicator weights, and a resident survey was administered to generate weighted performance scores for diagnosing deficiencies. In the feedback-validation stage, we adopted both a qualitative Framework Method and a quantitative GBDT approach, first using the Framework Method to conduct feedback validation based on community residents’ open-ended evaluations. Subsequently, gradient boosting decision trees were used for supervised verification with renewal-scenario data, providing empirical backing for the weighting scheme and the resulting priority order for interventions. The findings suggest that outdoor spaces are broadly serviceable but fall short in intergenerational friendliness, reflecting a structural misalignment between intergenerational activity patterns and spatial provision. Based on the validated priorities, the study proposes modular, incremental micro-renewal measures focusing on safety and emergency accessibility, environmental comfort and caregiving–recreation coupling, and place identity with community organizational mobilization. Full article

To fill the research gap of green building assessment theory being underutilized in sports architecture and advance the use of life-cycle assessment (LCA) for complex public building types, this study develops a comprehensive life-cycle green evaluation indicator system specifically for public sports venues. First, the factors influencing green performance were systematically identified across four life-cycle stages—planning and design, construction, operation and maintenance, and end-of-life—leading to the establishment of an initial indicator pool. This pool was subsequently refined through a two-round Delphi expert consultation. The weights of the indicators were then determined using a combined Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Entropy Weight Method (EWM) approach to quantify the relative importance of each indicator. The resulting framework comprises a comprehensive green evaluation indicator system for the whole life cycle of public sports venues, consisting of 4 first-level, 12 second-level, and 28 third-level indicators. The results reveal a pronounced front-loaded influence in the life-cycle weight distribution, indicating that decisions made during the planning and design stage are most critical for the green performance of sports venues. Based on the weight distribution characteristics, this study further delineates a phase-specific governance logic for green development: the planning and design stage should prioritize design optimization to maximize life-cycle green performance potential; the construction stage should focus on controlling resource input and process carbon emissions; the operation and maintenance stage should emphasize energy consumption optimization and resource recycling; and the end-of-life stage should address resource regeneration. This study not only extends green building assessment and life-cycle assessment theories to sports architecture—a complex and under-researched building typology—but also provides stakeholders with a robust decision-support tool to advance the sustainable development of public sports venues. Full article

Waste heat capture and reuse from battery storage systems for cogeneration of heat and power has the potential to both improve their energy efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint. This study performs a comparison of technologies capable of converting the waste heat extracted to a useful purpose. This analysis is accomplished using the literature data as a basis for an analytical hierarchy process (AHP) applying technological efficiency, cost effectiveness, footprint and integration, and safety and environmental concerns as the criteria. Of these, cost effectiveness was found to be dominant, with technological efficiency also showing high importance. Heat pumps were found to be the most effective based on the objective and criteria of this analysis. This study dictates a pathway that allows stakeholders and decision makers to determine a route by which site-specific comparisons may be made, aiding them to navigate the complex interplay of competing objectives. Full article