Search Results (131)

The diffusion of intelligent construction technologies has improved construction efficiency and information integration, while also increasing the complexity and uncertainty of governance decisions in megaprojects. In particular, selecting an appropriate Engineering Transaction Mode (ETM) under intelligent construction involves multiple conflicting criteria, expert judgments, and loss-averse risk preferences, which are not fully captured by conventional multi-criteria decision-making methods. This study proposes a decision-making model that combines Pythagorean fuzzy sets (PFSs) and prospect theory to support ETM selection for megaprojects under intelligent construction. The model constructs an ETM evaluation system grounded in a systematic literature review and questionnaire evidence, encodes expert judgments using PFSs, determines expert and criterion weights via information-utility and fuzzy-entropy measures, and aggregates perceived gains and losses relative to positive and negative ideal solutions through prospect theory. A mega-pumping station project with four ETM alternatives is used for validation. Results indicate that “Self-management + Network-based integrated application + Consultant assistance” achieves the highest prospect value and is consistently ranked first; the same ordering is obtained using TOPSIS and a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method, demonstrating robustness. The study contributes to theory by coupling hybrid fuzzy representation with loss-aversion-based behavioral aggregation for ETM governance under intelligent construction and provides practitioners with a transparent, replicable decision tool to support ETM selection in complex, uncertainty-laden megaprojects. Full article

As a strategic core of the Western Land–Sea New Corridor, the Pinglu Canal Economic Belt (PCEB) is undergoing unprecedented landscape restructuring due to canal construction. This mega-project serves as a critical case for understanding how intense human intervention reshapes regional ecosystem service (ES) patterns. Integrating complex network analysis with Generalized Additive Models (GAMs), this study examines the spatiotemporal evolution of human activity intensity (HAI) and ES networks (2000–2020) and their nonlinear responses. Research findings: the PCEB’s ES network evolution reflects a “policy–terrain coupling” mechanism. While HQ remains the structural anchor for regulating services, FP drives key trade-offs. The network has transitioned from coexisting trade-offs and synergies to synergy dominance, driven by ecological engineering and spatial zoning. We identified HAI 0.10–0.15 as a critical threshold where moderate disturbance promotes service integration. However, excessive intensification leads to functional simplification. Future governance should move beyond rigid zoning, employing dynamic spatial policies and adaptive agroforestry to mitigate FP’s pressure and activate the ecological potential of transition zones. This study provides a framework for understanding nonlinear socio-ecological responses to human–policy–terrain feedback. This study provides a scientific basis for optimizing land-use management and enhancing ecosystem sustainability in the PCEB. 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

The South-to-North Water Diversion Project (SNWDP), the world’s largest water transfer initiative, is designed to address northern China’s acute water scarcity by diverting approximately 45 km³ of water annually from the south through three major routes, with completion targeted for 2050. This review demonstrates that the SNWDP has already improved water security for over 150 million people, stabilized groundwater, and supported agricultural and urban development, but also presents significant challenges, including escalating costs, large-scale resettlement, and substantial environmental concerns such as ecosystem alteration, salinity intrusion, pollutant transfer, and risks to biodiversity and water quality. While mitigation and adaptive management efforts are ongoing, their long-term effectiveness remains uncertain. Notably, the SNWDP’s influence extends beyond China: by enhancing food production self-sufficiency, it can help stabilize global food markets during concurrent droughts and serves as a model—albeit a debated one—for large-scale water management and governance. The project’s hydropolitical and geopolitical dimensions, especially regarding the planned western route and potential transboundary impacts, underscore the need for international dialog and monitoring. Overall, the SNWDP exemplifies both the opportunities and dilemmas of 21st-century megaprojects, with its legacy dependent on balancing economic, environmental, and social trade-offs and on transparent, participatory governance to ensure sustainable outcomes for China and the global community. Full article

In the environment of modern climate uncertainty, institutional uncertainty, and digital disruption, resilience along the supply chain has become a strategic imperative for organisations operating in large-scale, high-risk infrastructure ecosystems. According to the dynamic capabilities’ theory, the current study examines the degree to which big data analytics management capability (BDMC) supports supply chain resilience (SCR) through three intermediary mechanisms, including fintech adoption (FTA), circular economy activities (CEA), Internet of Things (IoT), and environmental dynamism acts as a moderating factor to determine the effect that external volatility conditions have on such associations. This study addresses several notable research gaps: (1) the insufficient theorization of how digital tools such as BDMC, FTA, IoT, and CEA interact in building SCR; (2) a lack of empirical clarity on the mediating mechanisms that link digital capabilities with resilience; and (3) limited understanding of the moderating role of environmental dynamism in volatile contexts like the CPEC. A survey was conducted among 441 mid and senior level professionals residing in Pakistan and working in industries related to the China-Pakistan economic corridor (CPEC). Structural equation modelling (SEM) revealed that BDMC has a significant, positive impact on SCR, as well as a mediated influence in this direction. Among mediating sets, the significant pathway discovered CEA supported by the next important pathway IoT and FTA, which also explained the layered (complementary) nature of both digital and sustainability targeting skills. Moreover, the factor of environmental dynamism was also found to have a positive moderating effect on the relationship between BDMC and SCR, indicating that the factor of dynamic capabilities becomes more significant in an environment where environmental uncertainty is high. The research questions driving this study are: (1) How does BDMC enable SCR in the CPEC context? (2) What are the mediating roles of FTA, CEA, and IoT in this relationship? (3) How does environmental dynamism moderate the BDMC-SCR nexus? Theoretically, this study extends DCT to an emerging megaproject context and conceptualizes BDMC as an orchestrating capability. The main innovation lies in integrating digital technologies and sustainability practices into a unified capability system, especially within high-risk, underdeveloped regions. The study provides a practical resilience roadmap for policymakers and firms, outlining the strategic integration of digital and circular practices, rather than merely adopting them. However, this study is limited by its cross-sectional survey design and its focus on a single geographic context, which may affect generalizability. Findings offer timely insights for resilience-building strategies in unstable organisational environments. Full article

The complexities of megaprojects, particularly major transportation infrastructure projects (MTIs), require technological innovation that advances economic, social, and ecological objectives. Traditional engineering innovation emphasizes economic gains while neglecting sustainability. Therefore, implementing green innovation (GI) in MTIs is essential. This research examines key factors and correlations influencing MTI-GI to strengthen theoretical understanding and guide effective implementation. First, literature and interviews are used to identify MTI-GI influencing factors through the technology–organization–environment (TOE) framework. Second, an intuitive fuzzy number approach reduces subjectivity in expert scoring and, combined with the DEMATEL method, constructs a fuzzy DEMATEL model to quantify factor importance and identify critical drivers. Critical factors are then analyzed to formulate GI promotion strategies. Results reveal that MTI-GI influencing factors span technology, organization, and environment dimensions. Prioritizing green technological innovation and feedback mechanisms, optimizing organizational structures, and aligning with regional environmental characteristics are crucial for successful MTI-GI implementation. These findings support GI expansion in MTIs and offer targeted strategies for managing complex systems. Full article

This case study of the Văcărești area in Bucharest documents what happened to an abandoned communist urban megaproject, which had been undertaken in a typical tabula rasa manner, applying the dictatorial politics of the communist regime. A significant monastic complex was razed, and a massive riverine holding basin was partially constructed in the 1980s. The area then experienced several decades of rewilding of the basin and of uncontrolled urban development around it until its recent designation as a Natural Urban Park (NUP). This study uses local observations, desktop research and the results of 48 semi structured interviews with planning and other specialists. It considers the impacts of tabula rasa and laissez-faire (i.e., uncontrolled and essentially market-driven) planning regimes on the local landscape from the viewpoint of Văcărești’s current and potential levels of ecological and cultural resilience and sustainability. The research addresses three questions: (a) what is the study area’s sustainability potential? (b) what, if any, physical interventions to recover the study area’s place memory might be feasible? and (c) how might the resilience of its new urban landscape be improved? The findings from this study have both local and general importance, demonstrating to urban communities why they need to define and act in time in order to capitalize on their natural potential and to recover cultural values which may have been destroyed or damaged. It notes the long-term inaction and lack of coherent urban renewal policies for this study area and concludes that these have magnified the challenges that it currently faces. Full article

Professor Hong Chaosheng, as the founding figure and pioneer of China’s hydrogen and helium cryogenic technology, played a pivotal role in advancing this field from its inception to global competitiveness. This paper systematically reviews the seven-decade-long cryogenic research trajectory of the Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, CAS (formerly the Cryogenic Technology Experimental Center), with particular emphasis on milestone scientific achievements and their significant applications. In the 1960s, the Institute’s breakthrough in long-piston-expander-precooled helium liquefaction technology provided critical support for China’s space technology and superconductivity research. Since the 21st century, building upon Professor Hong’s academic legacy, the Institute has successively overcome core technological challenges in developing high-speed helium turbine expanders, high-efficiency oil-flooded screw compressors, and superfluid helium temperature refrigeration systems. These innovations have yielded a complete series of large-scale cryogenic equipment with independent intellectual property rights. These advancements have been successfully applied in national megaprojects such as neutron sources and superconducting magnet testing facilities, with some technical parameters reaching internationally leading standards. Looking ahead, with the rapid development of quantum computing and fusion energy, China’s hydrogen–helium cryogenic technology will continue to optimize equipment performance while expanding application frontiers through enhanced international collaboration, thereby making greater contributions to cutting-edge scientific research and clean energy development. Full article

This study critically examines the rapid proliferation of megaprojects across the Arab region, with a focus on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, where large-scale developments are strategically deployed to reshape global economic influence and enhance geopolitical positioning. Megaprojects, characterized by their vast scale, substantial financial investment, and long-term impact, remain a subject of intense academic debate. While much of the literature questions their economic viability, citing frequent cost overruns and misalignment with localized urban priorities, megaprojects continue to emerge worldwide. Governments and developers promote megaprojects as catalysts for foreign investment, tourism growth, and enhancing the global stature of host countries and regions. Beyond financial and economic imperatives, megaprojects are fundamentally shaped by socio-spatial, socio-political, and capital accumulation dynamics, each playing a critical role in their justification and implementation. These interconnected forces influence the prioritization of large-scale developments, often reinforcing their persistence as dominant urban and infrastructural strategies despite well-documented uncertainties and risks. The study employs a comparative case study approach to analyze two high-profile megaprojects: Masdar City in Abu Dhabi and The Line in NEOM, Saudi Arabia. By examining their underlying motivations, political, social, and economic dynamics, and projected success factors, the study aims to provide an evidence-based assessment of the forces driving these large-scale developments and their potential for completion and long-term viability. This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on megaproject development by offering a nuanced, evidence-based analysis of the socio-political and economic forces shaping large-scale urban initiatives in the Arab region. By critically evaluating the motivations and viability of Masdar City and The Line, this research provides valuable insights that can inform future scholarly inquiries into the governance, planning, and long-term sustainability of megaprojects. The Study offers a strategic framework for policymakers, urban planners, and investors to make more informed, balanced decisions that align large-scale developments with broader economic and social priorities, mitigating risks associated with cost overruns, feasibility challenges, and socio-spatial disparities. Full article

In the context of green development and digital transformation, the technological innovation cooperation in megaprojects requires a spanning from policy guidance, technological breakthroughs, and localized pilot projects to driven demand, integrated innovation (i.e., collaborative innovation across sectors, stages, and stakeholders), and comprehensive promotion. Despite the potential benefits, many megaprojects face challenges related to complex relationships, behavioral uncertainties, low performance, and technological innovation risks. A question of practical and theoretical significance is how to facilitate technological innovation cooperation in megaprojects. This study proposes the 3C Theory, which integrates cooperative relationships, behaviors, and performance, and investigates how technological innovation risks moderate these interactions. Using data from 19 megaprojects, we employ a mixed-methods approach involving hypothesis testing through regression analysis. The findings reveal that strong cooperative relationships positively influence cooperative performance through cooperative behaviors and that technological innovation risks play a significant moderating role. This study offers several practical recommendations for megaproject managers, including enhancing cooperative relationships, promoting effective behaviors, managing innovation risks, and developing cooperative innovation platforms. This study introduces the 3C Theory to megaprojects and provides novel insights into how collaboration and risk management can drive sustainable innovation. Full article

This study investigated the intangible value transferred from urban megaprojects to surrounding residential property markets, focusing on Brisbane’s transformative urban regeneration projects currently in the development pipeline. The research objectives were twofold: first, to empirically investigate the dynamics of property markets influenced by urban megaprojects and second, to assess the impact of a specific case study on these markets through a longitudinal analysis of residential sales data. Drawing from environmental economics, the concept of willingness to pay (WTP) is used to quantify externalities associated with urban megaprojects. The research constructs a comprehensive dataset integrating geospatial and property-specific data. Through revealed preference methods, the intangible value transferred from mixed-use developments is identified and quantified via residential transaction prices. Utilising hedonic price modelling, this study systematically analysed residential transaction data to estimate implicit prices associated with spatial proximity to megaprojects. A comprehensive dataset integrating property-specific attributes, geospatial proximity measures, and temporal dynamics of project development phases underpins this analysis. This research and its findings advance the existing literature in several important dimensions. That is, this research represents the first microeconomic assessment of the property market’s impacts resulting from mixed-use megaprojects in Brisbane, offering novel empirical insights for both academic and practical applications, how urban megaprojects shape residential property values, and informing stakeholders involved in urban planning, policymaking, and real estate investment decisions. Practitioners and policymakers can leverage these insights to inform policy frameworks and strategic decisions. At the governmental level, the results offer applicable insights for urban revitalisation strategies, particularly relevant to central business districts undergoing similar developments. Private sector stakeholders can utilise these outcomes to anticipate market adjustments, managing supply and demand fluctuations more effectively. Full article

The penetration of renewable energy, especially solar and wind, is increasing globally to promote a sustainable environment. However, in the Middle East, this momentum is slower compared to other regions, primarily due to abundant local fossil fuel reserves and historically low energy prices. This trend is shifting, with several countries, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), setting ambitious goals. Specifically, KSA’s Vision 2030 aims to generate 50% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030. Due to favorable conditions for solar and wind, various mega-projects have either been completed or are underway in KSA. This study analyzes the potential and reliability impact of these projects on the power system through a three-step process. In the first step, all major projects are identified, and data related to these projects, such as global horizontal irradiance, wind speed, temperature, and other relevant parameters, are collected. In the second step, these data are used to estimate the solar and wind potential at various sites, along with annual averages and seasonal averages for different extreme seasons, such as winter and summer. Finally, in the third step, a reliability assessment of power generation is conducted to evaluate the adequacy of renewable projects within the national power grid. This study addresses a gap in the literature by providing a region-specific reliability analysis using actual project data from KSA, which remains underexplored in existing research. Sequential Monte Carlo simulations are employed, and various reliability indices, including Loss of Load Expectation (LOLE), Loss of Energy Expectation (LOEE), Loss of Load Frequency (LOLF), Energy Not Supplied per Interruption (ENSINT), and Demand Not Supplied per Interruption (DNSINT) are analyzed. The analysis shows that integrating renewable energy into KSA’s power grid significantly enhances its reliability. The analysis shows that integrating renewable energy into KSA’s power grid significantly enhances its reliability, with improvements observed across all reliability indices, demonstrating the viability of meeting Vision 2030 targets. Full article

To implement the “Green Transition” in civil engineering, this study provides a new critical perspective analyzing the sustainability measures adopted by two European megaprojects. Government regulations and legislation, reward mechanism, technological innovations, the carbon evaluation system as well as tracking and monitoring systems are further discussed in this research to manage megaprojects in a more sustainable way. Document reviews, field trips (both exhibition area and construction sites), and in-depth interviews with relevant stakeholders were conducted regarding two European megaprojects, namely the A16 Ring Road in the Netherlands and Fehmarnbelt Tunnel in Denmark, when it comes to sustainability transitions. Notwithstanding the regional limitations of the selected case studies, the results illustrate that the implemented policies and regulations promote the sustainability transitions in projects and lead to environmental and societal benefits. Among the others, the requirement to quantify the carbon emissions is a central step during the tendering and execution phases of the megaprojects. Future studies need to comprehensively address the challenges related to project management and sustainable transitions as well as delve into other possible practices implemented locally in different locations. Local policies and regulations, innovation in technology and materials as well as the quantification of environmental impacts are key aspects to accelerate such change towards carbon neutrality. Full article

A megaproject is a complex technological-social-natural system, and its “double-edged sword” effect raises significant attention in research on system sustainability. However, prior studies often overlook the long-term characteristics of megaprojects, while paradox provides an effective lens for explaining their long-term evolution. Guided by a “context-cognition-action” analytical frame, this study employs an inductive and longitudinal case study approach to investigate the value creation process of a typical megaproject, focusing on paradoxical cognition, adaptive strategies, and core drivers of system sustainability. The findings reveal that “macro demand-tension cognition-adaptive governance” is an efficient pathway for value creation under dynamic contexts. Importantly, paradoxical cognition uncovers multi-level tensions (macro, meso, micro) in value creation, with a complex shift from a single layer to a nested structure as macro demands intensify. Correspondingly, adaptive strategies exhibit distinct logic: from reactive strategies to proactive strategies. This shift drives the evolution from the “Project–City–Environment” composite system to the “Project–City–Environment–Region” complex giant system. Furthermore, the evolution of responsibility is the core driver of system sustainability, characterized by a transition from intragenerational equity to intergenerational obligations driven by technological advancements. This study advances theoretical understanding of value creation and provides practical insights into the sustainable development of future megaprojects. Full article

The construction industry continues to generate vast volumes of waste, which harm the environment and negatively impact socio-economic sustainability, especially in a developing country like Saudi Arabia. Prior to investigating effective approaches for managing waste, we must identify the main drivers of construction waste. This paper develops metrics and criteria for identifying and ranking the waste cause factors (WCFs) in the construction of mega-projects in Saudi Arabia. The methodology adopted includes a thorough literature review and a survey ranking waste factors based on a five-point Likert-scale. Data collected from 239 participants across three distinct construction mega-projects were analysed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with its corresponding post hoc tests, and the identified waste factors were ranked according to their relative importance index (RII). The findings of this study indicate that the main sources of waste in Saudi Arabia involve design changes and complexity, poor project coordination, inefficient waste management systems, lack of supervision, drawing errors, low skill levels among workers and designers, and procurement mistakes. The results and discussions derived from the investigation aim to deepen the understanding of the causes of waste in large-scale construction, which could inform researchers, policymakers, and professionals, whose joint contributions should enable effective waste management strategies in large construction projects. Full article