Search Results (47)

The advancement of large-scale marine infrastructure demands increasingly accurate prediction of settlement in deep-water foundations. The caisson is an important type of deep-water foundation whose additional settlement induced by superstructure construction directly impacts the overall safety of the project. This study focuses on the main tower foundation of the Changtai Yangtze River Bridge, recognized as the world’s largest deep-water caisson foundation. A three-dimensional finite element model was developed using the hardening soil model with small-strain stiffness (HSS) constitutive model to simulate the settlement response of the caisson foundation throughout the entire superstructure construction process. The model’s reliability was verified through systematic comparison with field monitoring data. Furthermore, an inversion analysis was conducted on the initial shear modulus ($G_0^{\mathrm{ref}}$), the most sensitive parameter of the HSS model, based on the measured data. The results reveal that its optimal value exhibits significant load dependency, varying according to the construction stage. Accordingly, practical strategies for parameter determination are proposed: a fixed-value method ($G_0^{\mathrm{ref}}$ = 2$E_{\mathrm{ur}}^{\mathrm{ref}}$) suitable for conventional design and a more precise stage-specific value method. Both approaches markedly enhance the settlement prediction accuracy, particularly under high-load conditions. The findings offer valuable insights for the refined design and safety assessment of similar deep-water mega-foundation projects. Full article

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) plays a critical role in ensuring sustainable development by identifying and mitigating the adverse effects of major construction projects. However, current EIA practices, especially in developing countries, often lack a systematic approach to identifying risks and evaluating and selecting mitigation strategies, leading to suboptimal environmental protection. This is coupled with a lack of data, inconsistencies in the quality of reports, and a low compliance rate with environmental management plans, which characterize mega infrastructure projects. In this regard, the research aims to develop a structured digital framework for identifying, assessing, and prioritizing mitigation strategies in EIAs for large-scale construction projects. The research method combines a review of the existing literature and case studies of past EIAs to gather insights into common mitigation measures and their effectiveness. Based on this, key environmental impacts are analyzed and potential mitigation strategies are categorized. A multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) framework is proposed to evaluate mitigation strategies using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to rank and select optimal mitigation approaches. Eventually, the research develops an EIA Risk and Mitigation Management framework (EIA-RMMS), which is a digital system developed to facilitate EIA implementation, indicating standardized risk types and potential mitigation measures. The EIA-RMMS links to project management and enables integration with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. The proposed framework is applied to three case study metro line projects in Egypt to prove its effectiveness in data analysis, decision-support and report structuring. The findings are valuable for EIA practitioners and project developers seeking to align infrastructure development with ecological and social sustainability goals. Full article

Coastal zones in arid regions are particularly vulnerable to climate change because of their limited sediment supply and high sensitivity to marine and aeolian forces. This study provides probabilistic projections of coastal evolution for a 130 km segment of the Duba shoreline, Saudi Arabia, a rapidly developing region that includes the NEOM mega-project. An integrated modeling framework was developed by combining a four-decade (1985–2024) diachronic analysis of shoreline evolution from Landsat imagery with a cascade of numerical models. Specifically, climate projections from CMIP6 (under SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5 scenarios) were dynamically downscaled using the regional climate models COSMO-CLM and RegCM, which provided boundary conditions for the SWAN hydrodynamic model to simulate the wave dynamics. The SWAN outputs were then used to force the Delft3D morphodynamic model to project future shoreline evolution. A Bayesian framework was applied to systematically quantify and integrate the uncertainties across all modeling steps, enabling robust probabilistic forecasts. Results indicate an accelerated trend of shoreline retreat, with mean Net Shoreline Movement (NSM) by 2100 ranging from −8.1 m under the low-emission SSP1-2.6 scenario to a critical −25.6 m under the high-emission SSP5-8.5 scenario, with 95% confidence intervals reaching −47.9 m. This erosion is mainly driven by a projected relative sea-level rise of up to 48.3 cm (±15.8 cm) and an increase in significant wave height of up to 40% (mean of 1.95 m). By delivering probabilistic rather than deterministic results, this study provides a solid scientific basis to guide sustainable coastal management, inform the design of risk-sensitive infrastructure, and support the development of climate-resilient adaptation strategies in one of the world’s most rapidly transforming coastal regions. Full article

As a pivotal ecological–economic nexus in China, the Yangtze River Basin (YRB)’s spatiotemporal evolution of habitat quality (HQ) profoundly influences regional sustainable development. This study establishes a tripartite analytical framework integrating remote sensing big data, socioeconomic datasets, and ecological modeling. By coupling the InVEST and PLUS models with Theil–Sen median trend analysis and Mann–Kendall tests, we systematically assessed HQ spatial heterogeneity across the basin during 2000–2020 and projected trends under 2030 scenarios (natural development (S1), cropland protection (S2), and ecological conservation (S3)). Key findings reveal that basin-wide HQ remained stable (0.599–0.606) but exhibited marked spatial disparities, demonstrating a “high-middle reach (0.636–0.649), low upper/lower reach” pattern. Urbanized downstream areas recorded the minimum HQ (0.478–0.515), primarily due to landscape fragmentation from peri-urban expansion and transportation infrastructure. Trend analysis showed that coefficient of variation (CV) values ranged from 0.350 to 2.72 (mean = 0.768), indicating relative stability but significant spatial variability. While 76.98% of areas showed no significant HQ changes, 15.83% experienced declines (3.56% with significant degradation, p < 0.05) concentrated in urban agglomerations (e.g., the Wuhan Metropolitan Area, the Yangtze River Delta). Only 7.18% exhibited an HQ improvement, predominantly in snowmelt-affected Qinghai–Tibet Plateau regions, with merely 0.95% showing a significant enhancement. Multi-scenario projections align with Theil–Sen trends, predicting HQ declines across all scenarios. S3 curbs decline to 0.33% (HQ = 0.597), outperforming S1 (1.07%) and S2 (1.15%). Nevertheless, downstream areas remain high-risk (S3 HQ = 0.476). This study elucidated compound drivers of urbanization, agricultural encroachment, and climate change, proposing a synergistic “zoning regulation–corridor restoration–cross-regional compensation” pathway. These findings provide scientific support for balancing ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yangtze Economic Belt, while offering systematic solutions for the sustainable governance of global mega-basins. Full article

The research aims at studying land use changes, the environmental impact and socio-economic effects from the construction of major road transport infrastructure projects. The methodology adopted herein includes a review of the relevant literature to examine the relationship between infrastructure provision and associated positive or negative impacts on land, environment, society and economy. Statistical data mainly from the Hellenic Statistical Authority and useful informational data from relevant research and recent studies were collected and processed in order to evaluate the overall effect of the two major road projects Gefyra “Charilaos Trikoupis” (Rio–Antirio Bridge) and Ionia Odos (Ionian Road) in the Regions of Dytiki Ellada (Western Greece), Ipeiros (Epirus) and Ionioi Nisoi (Ionian Islands). The descriptive statistical analysis indicates that positive impacts include the following: transport time savings and road safety improvement; increased commercial imports/exports activity; increased private building activity and tourist traffic/employment; and intensified truck traffic at the port of Igoumenitsa. Conversely, negative impacts involve: less arable agricultural land; increased whilst tolerable environmental pollution; and a general reduction in all types of traffic activity at the port of Patras. From the quantitative analysis using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), it emerged that the most overall benefitted region is the Ionian Islands, followed by Epirus and Western Greece. The general conclusion from the research seems to support the theoretical approaches and related studies: transport infrastructure is an important condition but not a guarantee of regional development. Full article

The pursuit of economic growth in developing countries like Tanzania often intensifies environmental degradation, posing significant sustainability challenges. This study examined the interrelationships between globalization, economic growth, and environmental degradation in Tanzania from 1970 to 2022, using World Bank data and the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model. The findings reveal a strong long-run positive relationship between GDP per capita and CO₂ emissions, partially supporting the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis. Specifically, the analysis identifies an EKC threshold where emissions peak at 3 metric tons per capita and GDP per capita reaches approximately USD 1200 (TSH 3,120,000), after which further increases in emissions are associated with a decline in GDP per capita. In the short run, GDP per capita shows a weak negative association with CO₂ emissions, indicating temporary environmental benefits during growth phases. Foreign direct investment (FDI) exhibits no significant short-term impact on emissions, mostly due to delays in the implementation of mega development projects and changes in the country’s economic policies as the result of change in the political regime. Additionally, trade openness is a significant driver of long-run emissions, emphasizing the environmental costs of globalization. To address these challenges, this study recommends that Tanzania attract sustainable FDI for integrating eco-friendly technologies, promote green trade practices by embedding environmental safeguards into trade agreements, and invest in renewable energy infrastructure to decouple growth from emissions. Strengthening environmental regulations, enhancing institutional capacity, and fostering international collaboration are crucial to achieving long-term sustainability. These measures can help Tanzania balance economic development and environmental preservation, aligning with the goals of Tanzania Development Vision 2025 (TDV 2025) and paving the way for a sustainable growth trajectory. Full article

Globally, the forced displacement of socially vulnerable communities causes significant contestation, irrespective of whether that occurs for mega-projects or smaller infrastructural, agricultural, urban renewal, or property developments. Despite multilateral guidelines for “socially inclusive” development, it is difficult to avoid the marginalization of evicted, local communities. Grounded on the credibility thesis, this article provides a new, theoretical basis for understanding the “social function of property” and how this may be used as a criterion to assess whether development-induced and resettlement projects should be given the go-ahead. Methodologically, this article employs the FAT (Formal, Actual, and Targeted) Institutional Framework to unpack the social function of property. To this end, it analyzes the acquisition and privatization of the common property of Indigenous Peoples to construct the Malaysian Bakun Hydroelectric Project, purportedly Asia’s second-largest dam. The FAT analysis ascertains the following three conditions on which basis projects should be halted: (1) the property of the evicted communities fulfills a critical role in providing social welfare; (2) the said function is disregarded by the expropriating agency; (3) the power divides between the expropriator and expropriated prevent meaningful participation by the latter. This study demonstrates that the social function of property can be effectively measured and validates the FAT Framework as a viable tool to analyze development-induced projects (and policies), with particular reference to expropriation, privatization, and formalization. Full article

The implementation of a circular economy (CE) in the construction sector faces several challenges that hinder its progress. Research on the awareness, key enablers, and potential benefits of CE in Saudi Arabia’s construction of mega-projects that could contribute and promote a successful transition is still at its early stages and remains limited. This study delves into CE awareness and understanding, identifying the key enablers that could support its successful adoption in Saudi Arabian mega-projects and the potential benefits associated with it. To achieve this, a comprehensive literature review was conducted, followed by 18 semi-structured interviews across three case studies, which involved the main stakeholders in building, urban development, and infrastructure projects. The findings, which are thematically analysed, revealed that CE awareness mostly focuses on reuse, recycle, and waste reduction. A significant gap in the knowledge of circularity throughout projects’ lifecycles has been identified. As such, this study concludes that the key enablers for CE include establishing regulatory frameworks, enhancing professionals’ awareness and education, promoting the use of advanced technology, ensuring a mature market, and supporting CE initiatives. Moreover, the potential environmental and socio-economic benefits of CE, such as cost reduction, environmental impact reduction, and better-improved quality of life are crucial for encouraging a wider implementation of CE in the construction of mega-projects in Saudi Arabia. Full article

Egypt’s quota of Nile River water has been constant since the 1950s, despite the continual agricultural land expansion. To facilitate land reclamation, Egypt has reallocated Nile water from downstream users, mostly smallholders in the ‘old lands’ of the Delta. As water demands have grown, more attention has gone to the reuse of waste/drainage water as a reliable source for irrigated agriculture in the “old lands”. Recently, new mega plants for drainage water treatment have been built to promote reclamation of ‘new lands’ in desert-front governorates located outside the Nile Delta. Through these plants and the related water conveyance infrastructure, drainage water from the ‘old lands’ is now being collected, treated, and reallocated to these newly reclaimed areas. This article scrutinizes this transformation of access to drainage water, examining who benefits and what implications it holds for smallholder farmers in the old lands. The analysis suggests that waste/drainage water reclamation schemes do not tap into unused water but actually risk depriving smallholders in the Nile Delta of water access. It argues that more attention should be given to existing informal reuse arrangements and that smallholders’ access to water is guaranteed in light of new drainage water reuse projects. Full article

The “trillion-dollar era” of megaprojects has increased the demand for the scope of mega infrastructure. To address the requirement for high-quality “investment, construction, and operation” integration, the EPC and PPP models must be combined. The complexity of megaprojects has resulted in the complexity of project risk variables under the new model. However, few existing studies have undertaken in-depth studies on the risk of EPC + PPP megaprojects. The interplay and dynamic evolution of risk factors, in particular, have not been taken into account. This research intends to fill this gap by systematically identifying and modeling the risk variables associated with the adoption of the EPC + PPP model for mega infrastructure projects. In this study, the Bayesian network is used to detect decision-making risk variables for large infrastructure projects in China. The findings indicate that (i) 22 influencing factors of megaproject decision making are identified, including organizational decision making, PPP investment and financing, EPC construction, operations management, and policy and law. (ii) Considering the real project decision-making process, a model based on a dynamic Bayesian network is built, and associated governance techniques and early warning protection mechanisms are designed for the decision-making process. (iii) Using the Yiwu Mall Avenue project as an example, the Bayesian simulation model of decision-making risks is applied to a typical case to validate its feasibility and correctness. These findings have significant theoretical and practical implications for research on the identification and governance of decision-making risks in megaprojects using the EPC + PPP model in China. Full article

In scholarly construction management, “program” denotes terminologies like “mega-project” and “infrastructure project”. Within this framework, the Construction Program Delivery (CPD) system is an indispensable mechanism affecting the entire lifecycle of these complex endeavours. The CPD system harmonises an arrangement of crucial delivery attributes to achieve successful outcomes, rendering the elucidation of these attributes a scholarly imperative. Numerous studies have identified multiple attributes that impact delivery strategies in the construction industry. However, only a limited number of studies have focused explicitly on the CPD attributes. Hence, the study aims to explore the main drivers of CPD methods based on a systematic review, including a bibliometric analysis over the current century in existing literature. It also addresses current research trends and gaps in the delivery context concerning mega projects. The two major-step research methodology involves a bibliometric assessment and determining key delivery attributes. A bibliometric analysis was conducted using 639 journal articles focused on CPD. Ultimately, the analysis of the findings and existing knowledge of the CPD literature have revealed that researchers, as well as construction agencies, have emphasised regulatory and technical aspects embedded within a socio-economic context conveying normative and cultural attributes when addressing CPD. These triple aspects of the delivery strategy have been considered by scholars simultaneously for a successful construction program. Full article

Background: This study investigates the potential of digital construction to enhance the planning competence of project managers in dealing with the complexities of mega construction projects. Traditional project strategies often struggle to adapt in dynamic situations, particularly evident in mega construction endeavours. Drawing inspiration from successful digital strategies in manufacturing, this research proposes that adopting digital techniques could bolster project managers’ ability to navigate complexity during construction, leading to improved infrastructure delivery within budget and on schedule. Methods: Employing a quantitative approach, this study utilized an online questionnaire to gather insights from project managers. The proposed hypothesis was assessed using a one-sample t-test. Additionally, Pearson’s correlation coefficient was employed to gauge the strength of the relationship between various constructs. This approach aimed to determine the extent to which digital construction can support effective complexity management during mega construction projects. Results: The results indicate that digital construction equips project managers with enhanced capabilities to efficiently coordinate and allocate resources in real-time within complex construction environments, thereby optimizing overall project performance. Despite these advantages, the findings also reveal that managers continue to encounter challenges overseeing numerous participants during infrastructure construction. This suggests that while digital construction contributes to improved planning against complexity, addressing the management of multiple stakeholders remains an ongoing challenge. Conclusions: This study presents a novel contribution to the construction industry by demonstrating the potential of synergizing various digital tools throughout construction processes to empower project managers in effectively addressing the complexities inherent in mega construction planning. Furthermore, it underscores how digital construction confers a dynamic advantage for project managers in navigating complexities and enhancing overall project performance. Full article

Social responsibility strategies are indispensable for the sustainable development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Nonetheless, the application of social responsibility (SR) policies in such mega infrastructure projects remains a pressing concern since a number of barriers impede the effective integration of SR practices. Therefore, this paper seeks to identify these barriers and determine the interrelationships among them. A list of barriers was first identified from a literature review and expert consultation. Subsequently, a survey was designed to collect experts’ views on the interrelations among these barriers. The Fuzzy DEMATEL method was employed to analyze these barriers’ causal relationships and interdependencies. Subsequently, the ISM approach was used to develop a hierarchical structure and establish the driving and dependence relationships among them. The classification of barriers, based on driving power and dependence power, was accomplished using the MICMAC analysis. The results reveal that barriers such as “The diverse institutions, cultures, and social conditions among BRI countries”, “Lack of robust social responsibility laws and regulations in the host countries”, “Lack of stringent and legally binding BRI policies and guidelines governing social responsibility”, “The diverse environmental and social frameworks and standards among BRI countries”, “The diverse international, national, and private funds for BRI projects”, and “Lack of customer awareness and knowledge of CSR” are the most critical barriers and have the greatest influence on social responsibility implementation. Identifying these key barriers and their interrelationships will assist decision-makers, policymakers, and other stakeholders involved in BRI mega infrastructure projects in minimizing or overcoming them, hence increasing the chances of successfully integrating social responsibility practices within these projects. Full article

The construction of mega infrastructure projects has the characteristics of repeatability, long duration, and high complexity. Therefore, it is particularly important to implement dynamic decision-making in projects. This study takes data-driven decision-making mechanisms as the entry point and constructs a dynamic decision-making system for mega infrastructure projects consisting of an information collection subsystem, an information processing and transformation subsystem, a human–computer collaborative decision-making subsystem and an evaluation and feedback subsystem. On this basis, we established a system dynamics model of dynamic decision-making for mega infrastructure projects. Vensim PLE 9.3.5 software was used to simulate and analyze the operation law of dynamic decision-making for mega infrastructure projects from a data-driven perspective, and the sensitivity of the application rate of information management technology, the application rate of data analysis methods, the participation rate of experts in decision-making, the historical case information on this project, and the information on similar projects on the effectiveness of program implementation were simulated and analyzed. The results of the study showed that all five key influencing factors have a positive impact on the effectiveness of program implementation. In addition, the application rate of information management technology and the application rate of information analysis methods have a higher sensitivity to the effectiveness of program implementation, the participation rate of experts in decision-making and historical case information on this project have average sensitivity to the effectiveness of program implementation, and information on similar projects has lower sensitivity to the effectiveness of program implementation. This study provides some ideas and suggestions to promote the effective use of information technology and digital technology by each participant in the construction of mega infrastructure projects while improving their dynamic decision-making efficiency, scientificity, and accuracy. Full article

Mega projects delivering rail infrastructure are constantly seeking cost-effective and efficient technologies to sustain the growing population. Building information modeling (BIM) and BIM for cost management (5D-BIM) have shown great potential in the building industry and have been adopted widely. However, 5D-BIM implementation in rail infrastructure is still in its infancy. This paper presents a systematic literature review of 380 publications related to cost overrun, cost management and 5D-BIM for rail infrastructure, including rail projects. The review identified knowledge gaps and synthesized existing research on cost overrun in rail projects, cost estimation models, and the current use of 5D-BIM. The review revealed that there is no current study integrating 5D-BIM into the rail project lifecycle. This paper highlights the importance of integrating 5D-BIM systematically in the rail project life cycle to avoid/minimize cost overrun. The review provides researchers and practitioners with crucial information for deploying 5D-BIM to minimize cost overruns in rail projects. Full article