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19 pages, 913 KB  
Article
Decision-Making Model for Risk Assessment in Cloud Computing Using the Enhanced Hierarchical Holographic Modeling
by Auday Qusay Sabri and Halina Binti Mohamed Dahlan
Computers 2025, 14(11), 491; https://doi.org/10.3390/computers14110491 - 13 Nov 2025
Viewed by 376
Abstract
Risk assessment is critical for securing and sustaining operational resilience in cloud computing. Traditional approaches often rely on single-objective or subjective weighting methods, limiting their accuracy and adaptability to dynamic cloud conditions. To address this gap, this study provides a framework for multi-layered [...] Read more.
Risk assessment is critical for securing and sustaining operational resilience in cloud computing. Traditional approaches often rely on single-objective or subjective weighting methods, limiting their accuracy and adaptability to dynamic cloud conditions. To address this gap, this study provides a framework for multi-layered decision-making using an Enhanced Hierarchical Holographic Modeling (EHHM) approach for cloud computing security risk assessment. Two methods were used, the Entropy Weight Method (EWM) and Criteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation (CRITIC), to provide a multi-factor decision-making risk assessment framework across the different security domains that exist with cloud computing. Additionally, fuzzy set theory provided the respective levels of complexity dispersion and ambiguities, thus facilitating an accurate and objective participation for a cloud risk assessment across asymmetric information. The trapezoidal membership function measures the correlation, rank, and scores, and was applied to each corresponding cloud risk security domain. The novelty of this re-search is represented by enhancing HHM with an expanded security-transfer domain that encompasses the client side, integrating dual-objective weighting (EWM + CRITIC), and the use of fuzzy logic to quantify asymmetric uncertainty in judgments unique to this study. Informed, data-related, multidimensional cloud risk assessment is not reported in previous studies using HHM. The different Integrated Weight measures allowed for accurate risk judgments. The risk assessment across the calculated cloud computing security domains resulted in a total score of 0.074233, thus supporting the proposed model in identifying and prioritizing risk assessment. Furthermore, the scores of the cloud computing dimensions highlight EHHM as a suitable framework to support and assist corporate decision-making in cloud computing security activity and informed risk awareness with innovative activity amongst a turbulent and dynamic cloud computing environment with corporate operational risk. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cloud Computing and Big Data Mining)
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25 pages, 2140 KB  
Article
A Bearing Fault Diagnosis Method for Multi-Sensors Using Cloud Model and Dempster–Shafer Evidence Fusion
by Lin Li, Xiafei Zhang, Peng Wang, Chaobo Chen, Tianli Ma and Song Gao
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(21), 11302; https://doi.org/10.3390/app152111302 - 22 Oct 2025
Viewed by 534
Abstract
This paper proposes a bearing fault diagnosis method based on the Dempster–Shafer evidence fusion of cloud model memberships from multi-channel data, which provides an explicable calculation process and a final result. Firstly, vibration signals from the drive end and fan end of the [...] Read more.
This paper proposes a bearing fault diagnosis method based on the Dempster–Shafer evidence fusion of cloud model memberships from multi-channel data, which provides an explicable calculation process and a final result. Firstly, vibration signals from the drive end and fan end of the rolling bearing are used as dual-channel data sources to extract multi-dimensional features from time and frequency domains. Then, cloud models are employed to build models for each feature under different conditions, utilizing three digital characteristic parameters to characterize the distribution and uncertainty of features under different operating conditions. Thus, the membership degree vectors of test samples from two channels can be calculated using reference models. Subsequently, D-S evidence theory is applied to fuse membership degree vectors of the two channels, effectively enhancing the robustness and accuracy of the diagnosis. Experiments are conducted on the rolling bearing fault dataset from Case Western Reserve University. Results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves an accuracy of 96.32% using evidence fusion of the drive-end and fan-end data, which is obviously higher than that seen in preliminary single-channel diagnosis. Meanwhile, the final results can give suggestions of the possibilities of anther, which is benefit for technicists seeking to investigate the actual situation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Control and Security of Industrial Cyber–Physical Systems)
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20 pages, 2482 KB  
Article
Safety Risk Evaluation of Water and Mud Inrush in Karst Tunnel Based on an Improved Weighted Cloud Model
by Baofu Duan, Anni Chu, Liankai Bu, Zhihong Li and Keyan Long
Sustainability 2025, 17(20), 9328; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17209328 - 21 Oct 2025
Viewed by 384
Abstract
Frequent water and mud inrush accidents during karst tunnel construction severely impact tunnel construction safety, environmental sustainability, and the long-term use of infrastructure. Therefore, conducting practical risk assessment for karst tunnel water and mud inrush is crucial for promoting sustainable practices in tunnel [...] Read more.
Frequent water and mud inrush accidents during karst tunnel construction severely impact tunnel construction safety, environmental sustainability, and the long-term use of infrastructure. Therefore, conducting practical risk assessment for karst tunnel water and mud inrush is crucial for promoting sustainable practices in tunnel engineering, as it can mitigate catastrophic events that lead to resource waste, ecological damage, and economic loss. This paper establishes an improved weighted cloud model for karst tunnel water and mud inrush risk to evaluate the associated risk factors. The calculation of subjective weight for risk metrics adopts the ordinal relationship method (G1 method), which is a subjective weighting method improved from the analytic hierarchy process. The calculation of objective weight employs the improved entropy weight method, which is superior to the traditional entropy weight method by effectively preventing calculation distortion. Game theory is applied to calculate the optimal weight combination coefficient for two computational methods, and cloud model theory is finally introduced to reduce the fuzziness of the membership interval during the assessment process. This study applied the established risk assessment model to five sections of the Furong Tunnel and Cushishan Tunnel in Southwest China. The final risk ratings for these sections were determined as “High Risk,” “High Risk,” “Medium Risk,” “High Risk,” and “Moderate Risk”, respectively. These results align with the findings from field investigations, validating the effectiveness and reliability of the cloud model-based mud and water outburst risk assessment using combined weighting. Compared to traditional methods such as fuzzy comprehensive evaluation and entropy weighting, the evaluation results from this study’s model demonstrate higher similarity and reliability. This provides a foundation for assessing mud and water outburst hazards and other tunnel disasters. Full article
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29 pages, 17619 KB  
Article
Fusing Historical Records and Physics-Informed Priors for Urban Waterlogging Susceptibility Assessment: A Framework Integrating Machine Learning, Fuzzy Evaluation, and Decision Analysis
by Guangyao Chen, Wenxin Guan, Jiaming Xu, Chan Ghee Koh and Zhao Xu
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(19), 10604; https://doi.org/10.3390/app151910604 - 30 Sep 2025
Viewed by 392
Abstract
Urban Waterlogging Susceptibility Assessment (UWSA) is vital for resilient urban planning and disaster preparedness. Conventional methods depend heavily on Historical Waterlogging Records (HWR), which are limited by their reliance on extreme rainfall events and prone to human omissions, resulting in spatial bias and [...] Read more.
Urban Waterlogging Susceptibility Assessment (UWSA) is vital for resilient urban planning and disaster preparedness. Conventional methods depend heavily on Historical Waterlogging Records (HWR), which are limited by their reliance on extreme rainfall events and prone to human omissions, resulting in spatial bias and incomplete coverage. While hydrodynamic models can simulate waterlogging scenarios, their large-scale application is restricted by the lack of accessible underground drainage data. Recently released flood control plans and risk maps provide valuable physics-informed priors (PI-Priors) that can supplement HWR for susceptibility modeling. This study introduces a dual-source integration framework that fuses HWR with PI-Priors to improve UWSA performance. PI-Priors rasters were vectorized to delineate two-dimensional waterlogging zones, and based on the Three-Way Decision (TWD) theory, a Multi-dimensional Connection Cloud Model (MCCM) with CRITIC-TOPSIS was employed to build an index system incorporating membership degree, credibility, and impact scores. High-quality samples were extracted and combined with HWR to create an enhanced dataset. A Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model was then applied with 20 variables spanning natural conditions, social capital, infrastructure, and built environment. The results demonstrate that this framework increases sample adequacy, reduces spatial bias, and substantially improves the accuracy and generalizability of UWSA under extreme rainfall. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Resilient Civil Infrastructure, 2nd Edition)
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25 pages, 471 KB  
Article
Mitigating Membership Inference Attacks via Generative Denoising Mechanisms
by Zhijie Yang, Xiaolong Yan, Guoguang Chen and Xiaoli Tian
Mathematics 2025, 13(19), 3070; https://doi.org/10.3390/math13193070 - 24 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1424
Abstract
Membership Inference Attacks (MIAs) pose a significant threat to privacy in modern machine learning systems, enabling adversaries to determine whether a specific data record was used during model training. Existing defense techniques often degrade model utility or rely on heuristic noise injection, which [...] Read more.
Membership Inference Attacks (MIAs) pose a significant threat to privacy in modern machine learning systems, enabling adversaries to determine whether a specific data record was used during model training. Existing defense techniques often degrade model utility or rely on heuristic noise injection, which fails to provide a robust, mathematically grounded defense. In this paper, we propose Diffusion-Driven Data Preprocessing (D3P), a novel privacy-preserving framework leveraging generative diffusion models to transform sensitive training data before learning, thereby reducing the susceptibility of trained models to MIAs. Our method integrates a mathematically rigorous denoising process into a privacy-oriented diffusion pipeline, which ensures that the reconstructed data maintains essential semantic features for model utility while obfuscating fine-grained patterns that MIAs exploit. We further introduce a privacy–utility optimization strategy grounded in formal probabilistic analysis, enabling adaptive control of the diffusion noise schedule to balance attack resilience and predictive performance. Experimental evaluations across multiple datasets and architectures demonstrate that D3P significantly reduces MIA success rates by up to 42.3% compared to state-of-the-art defenses, with a less than 2.5% loss in accuracy. This work provides a theoretically principled and empirically validated pathway for integrating diffusion-based generative mechanisms into privacy-preserving AI pipelines, which is particularly suitable for deployment in cloud-based and blockchain-enabled machine learning environments. Full article
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24 pages, 1323 KB  
Article
Safety Resilience Evaluation of Deep Foundation Pit Construction Based on Extension Cloud Model
by Xiaojian Guo, Jiayi Mao, Luyun Wang and Jianglin Gu
Buildings 2025, 15(17), 3216; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15173216 - 5 Sep 2025
Viewed by 838
Abstract
Deep foundation pit construction faces significant safety challenges—including frequent accidents and severe disaster consequences—due to inherent complexity and uncertainty. Conventional risk assessment methods cannot adequately evaluate these complex engineering systems. This study introduces the concept of resilience to analyze safety issues during the [...] Read more.
Deep foundation pit construction faces significant safety challenges—including frequent accidents and severe disaster consequences—due to inherent complexity and uncertainty. Conventional risk assessment methods cannot adequately evaluate these complex engineering systems. This study introduces the concept of resilience to analyze safety issues during the deep foundation pits construction process and develops a safety resilience evaluation model based on the extension cloud model theory. First, based on the characteristics of the deep foundation pit construction process and the four stages of safety resilience, a safety resilience curve for deep foundation pit construction is plotted. Then, using multi-text analysis, an evaluation indicator list for deep foundation pit construction safety resilience is constructed, comprising 4 primary indicators and 24 secondary indicators. Next, based on the extension cloud model theory, the IF-AHP and entropy weight methods are combined to calculate the cloud membership degrees, systematically constructing a safety resilience evaluation model for deep foundation pit construction. Taking the Nanchang HH Center deep foundation pit project as an example, the model’s effectiveness and accuracy are validated. The results indicate that the safety resilience level of this deep foundation pit project is Grade IV, consistent with the actual engineering conditions, thereby validating the scientific validity of this method. This study innovatively applies the concepts of safety resilience and the extension cloud model to deep foundation pit construction assessment, providing a suitable method for evaluating safety risks in deep foundation pit construction projects. The model assists decision-makers in appropriate risk classification and scientific risk prevention strategies, enhances the safety management system for deep foundation pit construction, and even promotes the sustainable development of the construction industry. Full article
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22 pages, 2953 KB  
Article
Risk Assessment Model for Railway Track Maintenance Operations Based on Combined Weights and Nonlinear FCE
by Rui Luan and Rengkui Liu
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(13), 7614; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15137614 - 7 Jul 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1295
Abstract
Current risk assessment in railway track maintenance operations faces challenges (low spatiotemporal accuracy, limited adaptability to various scenarios, and tendency of linear fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE) methods to underestimate high-risk factors). To address these, this study proposes a novel risk assessment model that [...] Read more.
Current risk assessment in railway track maintenance operations faces challenges (low spatiotemporal accuracy, limited adaptability to various scenarios, and tendency of linear fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE) methods to underestimate high-risk factors). To address these, this study proposes a novel risk assessment model that integrates subjective–objective weighting techniques with a nonlinear FCE approach. By incorporating spatiotemporal information, the model enables precise localization of risk occurrence in individual maintenance operations. A comprehensive risk index system is constructed across four dimensions: human, equipment, environment, and management. The game theory combined weighting method, integrating the G1 method and entropy weight method, is employed; it balances expert judgment with data-driven analysis. A cloud model is introduced to generate risk membership matrices, accounting for the fuzziness and randomness of risk data. The nonlinear FCE framework enhances the influence of high-risk factors. Risk levels are determined using the combined weights, membership matrices, and the maximum membership principle. A case study on the Lanzhou–Xinjiang Railway demonstrates that the proposed model achieves higher consistency with actual risk conditions than conventional methods, improving assessment accuracy and reliability. This model offers a practical and effective tool for risk prevention and control in railway maintenance operations. Full article
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18 pages, 809 KB  
Article
Identity-Based Broadcast Proxy Re-Encryption with Dynamic Functionality for Flexible Data Sharing in Cloud Environments
by Huidan Hu, Huasong Jin and Changlu Lin
Symmetry 2025, 17(7), 1008; https://doi.org/10.3390/sym17071008 - 26 Jun 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 962
Abstract
Cloud computing has witnessed widespread adoption across numerous sectors, primarily due to its substantial storage capacity and powerful computational resources. In this context, secure data sharing in cloud environments is critically important. Identity-based broadcast proxy re-encryption (IB-BPRE) has emerged as a promising solution; [...] Read more.
Cloud computing has witnessed widespread adoption across numerous sectors, primarily due to its substantial storage capacity and powerful computational resources. In this context, secure data sharing in cloud environments is critically important. Identity-based broadcast proxy re-encryption (IB-BPRE) has emerged as a promising solution; however, existing IB-BPRE schemes lack dynamic functionality—specifically, the ability to support user revocation and addition without updating re-encryption keys. Consequently, data owners must frequently reset and distribute these keys in response to user membership changes, leading to increased system complexity and communication overhead. In this paper, we propose an identity-based broadcast proxy re-encryption scheme with dynamic functionality (IB-BPRE-DF) to address this challenge. The proposed scheme utilizes a symmetric design of re-encryption keys to enable dynamic user updates while preserving a constant re-encryption key size. Furthermore, IB-BPRE-DF is constructed under the (f,g,F)-GDDHE assumption and achieves semantic security in the random oracle model. Performance evaluations demonstrate that IB-BPRE-DF significantly reduces both the communication overhead (by maintaining a constant size for the re-encryption key and re-encrypted ciphertext) and the computational burden (with near-zero computational cost for generating the re-encryption key) for resource-constrained users. This work provides a practical and scalable cryptographic solution for secure and efficient data sharing in dynamic cloud environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Computer)
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18 pages, 1849 KB  
Article
A Cloud Model-Based Evaluation of Renovation Decisions for Old Urban Communities from the Perspective of Resilience—A Case Study of a Community in Nanjing, China
by Xisheng Li, Xiang Zhang and Jiaying Zhang
Buildings 2025, 15(12), 1985; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15121985 - 9 Jun 2025
Viewed by 778
Abstract
The renovation of old communities is a major measure taken to promote urban development and transformation and can improve the quality of urban space and the living environment of residents, as well as promote economic development and bring new economic growth to the [...] Read more.
The renovation of old communities is a major measure taken to promote urban development and transformation and can improve the quality of urban space and the living environment of residents, as well as promote economic development and bring new economic growth to the city. Decision-making regarding the updating of old communities is the starting point of the whole renovation process, and can be classified into two aspects: resilience assessment and renewal-potential evaluation. In order to standardize the retrofit evaluation index system, enhance the guidance of renovation decision plans for community renewal practices, and consider the randomness of evaluation indicators and the visualization of evaluation results, this paper proposes a method for evaluating the potential of old-urban-community renovation from the perspective of resilience. Based on an analysis of the relationship of the PSR (pressure–state–response) model and community resilience, as well as literature statistics, an evaluation index for the potential of old-community renovation according to the PSR model is established. Furthermore, vague set theory is applied to reduce the initial evaluation index system; then, entropy weight and the g1 method are used to determine objective and subjective weights, respectively, before determining the combination weight value. And the cloud model comprehensive evaluation method is applied to determine the membership degrees of resilience levels for the indicator, sub-criteria, criteria, and target layer in sequence. Finally, taking Nanjing Yinlun Garden Community as an example, the proposed method is adopted to identify the community’s resilience and renovation priorities, verifying the applicability of the method. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Architectural Design, Urban Science, and Real Estate)
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28 pages, 18246 KB  
Article
Forecasting Cumulonimbus Clouds: Evaluation of New Operational Convective Index Using Lightning and Precipitation Data
by Margarida Belo-Pereira
Remote Sens. 2025, 17(9), 1627; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17091627 - 3 May 2025
Viewed by 2353
Abstract
Deep convective clouds, such as towering cumulus and Cumulonimbus, can endanger lives and property, also being a major hazard to aviation. This study presents the convective index (IndexCON) used operationally at the Portuguese Meteorological Watch Office. Moreover, IndexCON is evaluated against [...] Read more.
Deep convective clouds, such as towering cumulus and Cumulonimbus, can endanger lives and property, also being a major hazard to aviation. This study presents the convective index (IndexCON) used operationally at the Portuguese Meteorological Watch Office. Moreover, IndexCON is evaluated against lightning and precipitation data for two years, between January 2022 and December 2023, over mainland Portugal and its surrounding areas. This index combines several European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) prognostic variables, such as stability indices, cloud water content, relative humidity and vertical velocity, using a fuzzy-logic approach. IndexCON performs well in the warm season (May–October), with a probability of detection (POD) of 70%, a false alarm ratio (FAR) of 30% and a probability of false detection (POFD) less than 5%, leading to a Critical Success Index (CSI) above 0.55. However, IndexCON performs worse in the cold season (November–April), when dynamical drivers are more relevant, mainly due to overestimating the convective activity, resulting in CSI and Heidke Skill Score (HSS) values below 0.3. Optimizing the membership functions partially reduces this overestimation. Finally, the added value of IndexCON was illustrated in detail for a thunderstorm episode, using satellite products, lightning and precipitation data. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cloud Remote Sensing: Current Status and Perspective)
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25 pages, 7868 KB  
Article
A Fault Identification Method for Ferroresonance Based on a Gramian Angular Summation Field and an Improved Cloud Model
by Bo Chen, Cheng Guo, Jianbo Dai, Ketong Lu, Hang Zhou and Xuanming Yang
Symmetry 2025, 17(3), 430; https://doi.org/10.3390/sym17030430 - 13 Mar 2025
Viewed by 716
Abstract
Due to the broad frequency domain and nonlinear characteristics of ferroresonance signals, traditional time–frequency analysis methods often face challenges such as misjudgment, difficulty in threshold setting, and noise interference when extracting features from ferroresonance overvoltage signals. A fault identification method for ferroresonance based [...] Read more.
Due to the broad frequency domain and nonlinear characteristics of ferroresonance signals, traditional time–frequency analysis methods often face challenges such as misjudgment, difficulty in threshold setting, and noise interference when extracting features from ferroresonance overvoltage signals. A fault identification method for ferroresonance based on the Gramian Angular Summation Field (GASF) and an improved cloud model is proposed to address the identified problems. Firstly, this paper employs Symplectic Geometric Mode Decomposition (SGMD) to denoise the ferroresonance overvoltage signal, extract its characteristic modal components, and reconstruct the signal. Secondly, the reconstructed one-dimensional signal is transformed into a two-dimensional image using GASF. Subsequently, we extract texture features of GASF images with different resonance types by grey-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) and establish the corresponding cloud distribution model to characterize these textures. Finally, we calculate the membership degree between the standard cloud for the signal to be identified and the index cloud in the cloud distribution model, enabling accurate identification of the type of ferroresonance based on this membership degree. Simulation and actual measurement data analyses validate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method. Full article
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30 pages, 11936 KB  
Article
Research on the Health Evaluation of a Pump Turbine in Smoothing Output Volatility of the Hybrid System Under a High Proportion of Wind and Photovoltaic Power Connection
by Yan Ren, Haonan Zhang, Lile Wu, Kai Zhang, Zutian Cheng, Ketao Sun, Yuan Sun and Leiming Hu
Energies 2025, 18(5), 1306; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18051306 - 6 Mar 2025
Viewed by 874
Abstract
With the high proportion of wind and photovoltaic (PV) power connection in the new electricity system, the system output power volatility is enhanced. When the output fluctuation of the system is suppressed, the pumped storage condition is changed frequently, which leads to the [...] Read more.
With the high proportion of wind and photovoltaic (PV) power connection in the new electricity system, the system output power volatility is enhanced. When the output fluctuation of the system is suppressed, the pumped storage condition is changed frequently, which leads to the vibration enhancement of the unit and a decrease in the system safety. This paper proposes a pump turbine health evaluation model based on the combination of a weighting method and cloud model in a high proportion wind and PV power connection scenario. The wind–PV output characteristics of the complementary system in a year (8760 h) and a typical week in four seasons (168 h) are analyzed, and the characteristics of frequent working condition transitions of pumped storage units are studied against this background. A five-level health classification system including multi-dimensional evaluation indicators is established, and a multi-level health evaluation based on cloud membership quantification is realized by combining the weighting method and cloud model method. The case analysis of a pumped storage power station within a new electricity system shows that the system as a whole presents typical cloud characteristics (Ex = 76.411, En = 12.071, He = 4.014), and the membership degree in the “good” state reaches 0.772. However, the draft tube index (Ex = 62.476) and the water guide index (Ex = 50.333) have shown a deterioration trend. The results verify the applicability and reliability of the evaluation model. This study provides strong support for the safe and stable operation of pumped storage units in the context of the high-proportion wind and PV power connection, which is of great significance for the smooth operation of the new electricity system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Planning, Operation, and Control of New Power Systems)
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20 pages, 2742 KB  
Article
Impact of Parameters and Tree Stand Features on Accuracy of Watershed-Based Individual Tree Crown Detection Method Using ALS Data in Coniferous Forests from North-Eastern Poland
by Marcin Kozniewski, Łukasz Kolendo, Szymon Chmur and Marek Ksepko
Remote Sens. 2025, 17(4), 575; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17040575 - 8 Feb 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 983
Abstract
The accurate detection of individual tree crowns and estimation of tree density is essential for effective forest management, biodiversity assessment, and ecological monitoring. The precision of tree crown detection algorithms plays a critical role in providing reliable data for these applications, where even [...] Read more.
The accurate detection of individual tree crowns and estimation of tree density is essential for effective forest management, biodiversity assessment, and ecological monitoring. The precision of tree crown detection algorithms plays a critical role in providing reliable data for these applications, where even slight inaccuracies can lead to significant deviations in tree population estimates and ecological indicators. Various algorithmic parameters, such as pixel size and crown segmentation thresholds, can substantially impact tree crown detection accuracy. This study aims to explore the influence of tree stand features and parameters on the effectiveness of the individual tree crown detection method based on a watershed algorithm, leading to identifying optimal configurations that enhance the reliability of forest inventories and support sustainable management practices. Our analysis of the algorithm results shows that the features of the tree stand, such as tree height variance and tree crown size variance, significantly impact the algorithm’s output in precisely estimating tree count. Consequently, adjusting the pixel size of a canopy height model in the context of tree stand features is necessary to minimize error. Additionally, our findings show that there is a need to carefully assess the criterion of membership of a detected tree crown in a circular sample plot, which we based on the point cloud. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Forest Remote Sensing)
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27 pages, 1393 KB  
Article
Research on the Evaluation of Chinese Prefabricated Building Strategic Partners Based on Cloud Model and Improved Evidence Theory
by Sunmeng Wang, Chengjun Wang and Wenlong Li
Buildings 2025, 15(3), 373; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15030373 - 25 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 848
Abstract
In recent years, prefabricated buildings have developed rapidly in China. Compared with traditional buildings, prefabricated buildings require higher capabilities from partners in various aspects. However, due to the early stage of development of prefabricated buildings in China, the level of various enterprises varies [...] Read more.
In recent years, prefabricated buildings have developed rapidly in China. Compared with traditional buildings, prefabricated buildings require higher capabilities from partners in various aspects. However, due to the early stage of development of prefabricated buildings in China, the level of various enterprises varies greatly. How to evaluate partners scientifically and objectively is a realistic problem that needs to be solved urgently. In order to achieve economies of scale and promote the sustainable development of prefabricated buildings, this study proposes a novel evaluation model for strategic partner selection based on the cloud model and improved Dempster–Shafer (D-S) evidence theory. First, using a literature review and field research method, a strategic partner selection index system is developed that can reflect the characteristics of prefabricated buildings. To address the fuzziness and randomness of the traditional membership function, the cloud model is applied to calculate the membership value between the test samples and the benchmark cloud, which is subsequently transformed into basic probability distribution in the evidence theory. Furthermore, to mitigate the paradox of evidence fusion often encountered in traditional evidence theory, this model combines both the subjective and objective weights of evidence by game theory, and the conflicting evidence is corrected and fused according to the combination weight. Additionally, the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method is used to further optimize the strategic partners of prefabricated buildings. Finally, the optimal order obtained from the case analysis is S1 > S2 > S4 > S3 > S5, and the evaluation results are consistent with the actual situation, which verifies the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed model in resolving the evidence conflict and selecting strategic partners. The research results have certain reference significance for optimizing the selection mechanism of prefabricated building strategic partners and guiding partners to establish long-term and stable cooperative relations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Building Structures)
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29 pages, 23715 KB  
Article
Forecasting In-Flight Icing over Greece: Insights from a Low-Pressure System Case Study
by Petroula Louka, Ioannis Samos and Flora Gofa
Atmosphere 2024, 15(8), 990; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15080990 - 17 Aug 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2377
Abstract
Forecasting in-flight icing conditions is crucial for aviation safety, particularly in regions with variable and complex meteorological configurations, such as Greece. Icing accretion onto the aircraft’s surfaces is influenced by the presence of supercooled water in subfreezing environments. This paper outlines a methodology [...] Read more.
Forecasting in-flight icing conditions is crucial for aviation safety, particularly in regions with variable and complex meteorological configurations, such as Greece. Icing accretion onto the aircraft’s surfaces is influenced by the presence of supercooled water in subfreezing environments. This paper outlines a methodology of forecasting icing conditions, with the development of the Icing Potential Algorithm that takes into consideration the meteorological scenarios related to icing accretion, using state-of-the-art Numerical Weather Prediction model results, and forming a fuzzy logic tree based on different membership functions, applied for the first time over Greece. The synoptic situation of an organized low-pressure system passage, with occlusion, cold and warm fronts, over Greece that creates dynamically significant conditions for icing formation was investigated. The sensitivity of the algorithm was revealed upon the precipitation, cloud type and vertical velocity effects. It was shown that the greatest icing intensity is associated with single-layer ice and multi-layer clouds that are comprised of both ice and supercooled water, while convectivity and storm presence lead to also enhancing the icing formation. A qualitative evaluation of the results with satellite, radar and METAR observations was performed, indicating the general agreement of the method mainly with the ground-based observations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Numerical Weather Prediction Models and Ensemble Prediction Systems)
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