Search Results (786)

The Rif Mountains in northern Morocco are highly exposed to geohazards, particularly earthquakes and mass movements. In this context, the Zoumi region is most affected, showing various mass movement types involving both unconsolidated and solid materials. This study evaluates the region’s susceptibility to mass movements using logistic regression (LR), applied for the first time in this area. The model incorporates eight key predisposing factors known to influence mass movement: slope gradient, slope aspect, land use, drainage density, elevation, lithology, fracturing density, and earthquake isodepths. Historical mass movements were mapped using remote sensing and field surveys, and statistical analysis calculation was conducted to analyze their spatial correlation with these environmental conditioning factors. A mass movement susceptibility (MMS) map was produced, classifying the region into four susceptibility levels, ranging from low to very high. Landslides were the most frequent movement type (36%). The LR model showed strong predictive performance, with an AUC of 88%, confirming its robustness. The final map reveals that 42% of the Zoumi area falls within the high to very high susceptibility zones. These results highlight the importance of using advanced modeling approaches to support risk mitigation and land use planning in environmentally sensitive mountain regions. Full article

High-rise building facades offer an alternative site for installing photovoltaic panels, which are traditionally placed on rooftops. The unique spatial configuration of high-rise buildings, characterized by a small footprint area relative to their height, supports the application of vertical facades for this purpose. Photovoltaic panels installed in these areas not only generate electricity but also enhance the aesthetic dimension of the urban landscape. The proposed methodology uses the EnergyPlus software to simulate the electricity generation of photovoltaic panels mounted on the walls of high-rise buildings in the city of Kragujevac, Serbia. A technical, economic, and environmental analysis was conducted for two scenarios: (1) photovoltaic panels installed on two facade areas with the highest solar potential, and (2) photovoltaic panels installed on all four available facade areas. In Scenario 1, the annual reduction in electricity consumption, annual cost savings in electricity consumption, and investment payback period range from 13 to 38%, 11 to 31%, and 8.4 to 10.6 years, respectively. In Scenario 2, these values range from 23 to 58%, 18 to 47%, and 10.9 to 12.9 years, respectively. The results indicate that southeast and southwest facades consistently achieve higher levels of electricity generation, underscoring the importance of prioritizing high-performing orientations rather than maximizing overall surface coverage. The methodology is particularly efficient for analyzing the solar potential of numerous buildings with comparable shapes, which is a characteristic commonly found in Eastern European architecture from the late 20th century. The study demonstrates the applicability of the proposed methodology as a practical and adaptable tool for assessing early-stage solar potential and providing decision support in urban energy planning. The approach addresses the identified methodological gap by offering a low-cost, flexible framework for assessing solar potential across diverse urban contexts and building typologies, while significantly simplifying the modeling process. Full article

This study analyses employment in the tourism sector and seeks to identify trends in the evolution of worker profiles and transformation of the structure and working conditions in Portugal’s tourism sector from 2012 to 2022. It aims to understand how profiles, qualifications, and working conditions relate to the spatial distribution among Portuguese tourist regions and the typology and scale of tourism businesses, contributing valuable insights to defining sector strategies. It applies a quantitative approach based on statistical data from the Portuguese Ministry of Labour, Solidarity, and Social Security, disaggregated by the three segments of economic activity in the tourism sector: accommodation and food services, recreational and cultural activities, and transport and logistics. Descriptive statistics, MANOVA, and ANOVA tests analyse differences based on establishment size, tourist regions, and activity segments. The results show significant employment growth, regional variations, high turnover, and an increase in fixed-term contracts. Weak but significant correlations link education, nationality, gender, and working hours, indicating potential inequalities. The study highlights gender and educational differences among workers, as well as disparities related to employment status and nationality. Full article

Amphorae are a significant type of Roman pottery, serving as both transport containers and indicators of economic and technological practices across the Empire. Despite their importance in interpreting local economic dynamics in Roman Lusitania, the production origins, technological characteristics and functional roles of amphorae from Conímbriga in Portugal remain poorly understood. Previous research has focused primarily on typological comparisons with imported forms, providing limited insight into whether these vessels were produced locally or how they were incorporated into regional trade and agricultural systems. This study takes a multi-analytical approach to examine a group of ten amphorae dating from the 1st to the 5th century AD. While these vessels formally resemble well-known types from Gaul and Hispania, they appear to have been manufactured locally using fabrics consistent with those found in regional common wares. To examine the raw materials, production techniques and possible contents, the analysis integrates a typological assessment with a range of archaeometric methods, including optical microscopy (OM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). Recent gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) results contextualise these data further, enabling an exploration of how specific technological choices may have influenced or reflected the intended function of the amphorae. The findings shed new light on local ceramic production and contributed to broader debates concerning Roman provincial economies and material culture. Full article

To address the challenge of effective tracking of weather-induced power fluctuation trends in daytime PV power forecasting, this paper proposes a joint forecasting framework oriented to weather classification. For the weather classification module, a spectral clustering method incorporating multivariate feature fusion-based evaluation is introduced to address the limitation that conventional clustering models fail to effectively identify power fluctuations caused by dynamic weather variations. Simultaneously, to tackle non-stationary fluctuations and local abrupt changes in PV power forecasting, a non-stationary Transformer-BiLSTM model optimised using the Differentiated Creative Search (DCS) algorithm (DCS-NsT-BiLSTM)is proposed. This model enables the co-optimisation of global and local features under diverse weather patterns. The proposed method takes into consideration the climatic typology of PV power plants, thereby overcoming the insensitivity of traditional clustering models to high-dimensional non-stationary data. Furthermore, the approach utilises the novel intelligent optimisation algorithm DCS to update the key hyperparameters of the forecasting model, which in turn enhances the accuracy of day-ahead PV power generation forecasting. Applied to a photovoltaic power station in Jilin Province, China, this method reduced the mean root mean square error by 4.63% across various weather conditions, effectively validating the proposed methodology. Full article

Following World War II, the rapid expansion of construction led to intensive use of natural resources, leading to resource depletion and accelerating climate change. Prioritising sustainability in structural design has therefore become essential. This study investigates three reinforced concrete (RC) slab systems typical of office buildings: flat slab, beam and slab, and two-way joist slab, using Eurocode 2 design principles. A 3 × 3 bay model with spans from 4 m to 14 m and three concrete grades (C25/30, C32/40, C40/50) was analysed through nonlinear finite element modelling. The methodology uniquely combines structural optimisation with embodied carbon and cost assessments across multiple slab typologies and span configurations, an approach rarely addressed in prior research. Results show that two-way joist slabs achieve the most favourable balance, reducing embodied carbon by 25–35% and construction cost by up to 15% compared to flat and beam and slab systems. This advantage is particularly evident at spans of 10 m or more, where the ribbed geometry significantly reduces concrete volume. Flat slabs are cost-efficient for short spans of up to 8 m but incur up to 40% higher carbon at longer spans due to increased thickness and punching shear reinforcement requirements. Beam and slab systems consistently recorded the highest cost and carbon values, offering limited environmental benefits despite their structural stiffness. The findings provide practical guidance for span-sensitive slab selection in early design, enabling the delivery of reinforced concrete buildings that are both cost-effective and environmentally responsible. Full article

Building sustainable cities and communities is an important part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The construction and development of Urban Governance Communities is a Chinese program to respond to this goal. Drawing upon the extant national cases of innovative social governance spearheaded by People’s Daily and analogous organizations, this study elucidates the developmental process and continuous operational mechanism of urban governance community through the grounded theory (GT) approach. The explanatory framework under consideration comprises three aspects. First, it contains the precise identification and typology of traditional governance dilemmas. Secondly, it refines the core element system of “Coupling Dilemma-Cracking Path-Dependent Tools” of urban governance communities. The third objective is to provide a synopsis of the operational and developmental model of the Urban Governance Communities, which is predicated on co-construction, co-governance, and co-sharing. This model of urban governance can be selectively applied in the light of the differentiated resource endowments of the location, thus providing an operational and realistic sample for building sustainable cities and communities. Full article

Indoor air pollution (IAP) has emerged as a critical yet underrecognized threat to public health, particularly in non-industrial environments such as homes, schools, and healthcare facilities. As individuals spend approximately 90% of their time indoors, exposure to indoor pollutants—such as particulate matter, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and microbial contaminants—can lead to significant health risks. These risks disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, including children, the elderly, and individuals with pre-existing conditions. The effects range from mild respiratory symptoms to severe outcomes like asthma, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. This review investigates the sources, typologies, and health effects of indoor air pollutants, with a focus on their implications for maternal and child health. In particular, children’s developing systems and higher metabolic intake make them more susceptible to airborne toxins. The study also explores the legal and regulatory frameworks surrounding indoor air quality (IAQ), emphasizing how increased awareness and scientific evidence are expanding the scope of medical–legal responsibility. Legal liabilities may arise for property owners, designers, or manufacturers when poor IAQ leads to demonstrable health outcomes. Despite growing concern, there remains a significant research gap concerning the long-term health effects of chronic low-level exposure in residential settings and the efficacy of mitigation strategies. The evolution of smart building technologies and green construction practices offers promising avenues to improve IAQ while maintaining energy efficiency. However, standards and regulations often lag behind scientific findings, highlighting the need for updated, enforceable policies that prioritize human health. This work underscores the urgency of a multidisciplinary and preventive approach to IAQ, integrating public health, environmental engineering, and legal perspectives. Future research should focus on real-time IAQ monitoring, targeted interventions for high-risk populations, and the development of comprehensive legal frameworks to ensure accountability and promote healthier indoor environments. Full article

This paper explores how Lean Accounting (LA) is implemented in manufacturing firms by identifying tool packages and the typologies of companies applying them. Despite growing interest in LA, prior research has focused primarily on individual tools or case studies, leaving the configuration of management accounting practices across organizations underexplored. The study aims to identify coherent packages of Lean Accounting tools used in practice and to determine how these packages correspond to different levels of implementation among manufacturing firms. An online questionnaire was used to collect data from 128 enterprises. Exploratory factor analysis was applied to identify tool groupings, followed by clustering to classify firms by their LA adoption profiles. The analysis resulted in three tool packages and three types of firms that differ in the advancement of LA implementation. The results show that firms at higher stages of implementation report greater awareness of cultural and technical barriers to LA transformation. This paper contributes to the literature by empirically identifying Lean Accounting tool packages and by proposing a typology of firms based on their implementation profiles. The novelty of this study lies in combining factor- and cluster-based approaches to explore management accounting practice configurations within the Lean paradigm—an area previously dominated by case studies. The findings enrich current knowledge on how different firms adopt Lean Accounting and how they perceive the challenges of its implementation. Full article

This paper presents a comparative mathematical analysis of electrode configurations used in active fog water harvesting systems based on electrostatic ionization. The study begins with a brief overview of fog formation and typology. It also addresses the global relevance of fog as a decentralized water resource. It also outlines the main methods and collector designs currently employed for fog water capture, both passive and active. The core of the work involves solving the Laplace equation for various electrode geometries to compute electrostatic field distributions and analyze field line density patterns as a proxy for potential water collection efficiency. The evaluated configurations include centered rod–cylinder, symmetric parallel multi-rod, and asymmetric wire–plate layouts, with emphasis on identifying spatial regions of high field line convergence. These regions are interpreted as likely trajectories of charged droplets under Coulombic force influence. The modeling approach enables preliminary assessment of design efficiency without relying on time-consuming droplet-level simulations. The results serve as a theoretical foundation prior to the construction of electrode layouts in the portable HygroCatch experimental harvester and provide insight into how field structure correlates with fog water harvesting performance. Full article

Understanding the diversity of avocado production systems is crucial for developing effective agricultural policies and extension strategies. This study examined the Colombian avocado variety “Lorena” in the Colombian lowlands of Casanare through spatial typology analysis to inform sustainable agricultural development strategies. We employed spatial autoregressive modeling and clustering techniques to analyze data from 45 production systems, revealing heterogeneity despite small-scale operations with productivity (2.9 ton ha⁻¹) below regional (8 ton ha⁻¹) and national averages (11.03 ton ha⁻¹). Five distinct typologies emerged: transitional traditional (n = 15), intensive technical management (n = 4), experience-based traditional (n = 5), balanced management (n = 10), and comprehensive technical systems (n = 11). In contrast to conventional assumptions about economies of scale, productivity was not primarily determined by farm size, as smaller intensive technical management systems achieved the highest yields (3375 kg) despite having the smallest size (162.50 trees), followed by experience-based traditional systems (3280 kg). The spatial autoregressive model effectively captured spatial dependence in yield patterns, demonstrating the importance of geographic context in agricultural system analysis. Technology/practice adoption patterns varied markedly, with high adoption of established practices (>90%) but low foliar analysis adoption (17.78%). High organic fertilization adoption (93.33%) reflected a commitment to environmental sustainability but may partially explain productivity gaps, highlighting trade-offs between sustainability and short-term yield optimization. Socioeconomic analysis revealed characteristics of part-time farming systems, with 91.11% of producers having additional income sources and 95.56% using hired labor, suggesting evolved livelihood strategies that may enhance resilience. These findings challenge one-size-fits-all development approaches and demonstrate the need for tailored, spatially targeted interventions that account for specific production system characteristics, multiple pathways to sustainable intensification, and the complex interactions between productivity, sustainability, and socioeconomic factors in smallholder agriculture. Full article

This study provides a comparative analysis of noise exposure and its occupational implications for two types of vessels operating in the Strait of Gibraltar: a conventional steel roll-on/roll-off passenger ferry (Ro-Pax) and an aluminium high-speed catamaran (HSC). A mixed-methods approach was employed, integrating objective acoustic measurements with subjective assessments of fatigue, workload, and circadian typology using validated survey instruments. The comparative framework is based on International Maritime Organization (IMO) Resolution A.468(XII), which establishes design-based noise limits for both vessel types. This framework is supported by the High-Speed Craft (HSC) Code and European Union (EU) Directive 2003/10/EC, both of which address occupational exposure. While both vessels comply with IMO design standards, the HSC consistently exceeds the noise limits set out in the HSC Code and European regulations in the accommodation and bridge areas. These elevated noise levels correlate with higher fatigue and workload scores among HSC crew, particularly in the engine and deck departments. In contrast, the Ro-Pax ferry demonstrates better acoustic insulation due to its steel construction, resulting in lower overall exposure and improved rest conditions. The results highlight the inadequacy of applying uniform noise standards to structurally distinct vessels, emphasising the importance of vessel-specific acoustic management strategies. Crucially, the study reaffirms the importance of maintaining compliance with both IMO design standards and EU occupational health regulations to ensure the comprehensive protection of seafarers’ well-being and safety. Full article

This study dives into the interactive functions of the palm-up across four language ecologies drawing on comparable corpus data from American Sign Language (ASL)-American English and French Belgian Sign Language (LSFB)-Belgian French. While researchers have examined palm-up in many different spoken and signed language contexts, they have primarily focused on the canonical forms and its epistemic variants. Work that directly compares palm-up across modalities and language ecologies remains scarce. This study addresses such gaps by documenting all instances of the palm approaching supination in four language ecologies to analyze its interactive functions cross-linguistically and cross-modally. Capitalizing on an existing typology of interactive gestures, palm-up annotations were conducted using ELAN on a total sample of 48 participants interacting face-to-face in dyads. Findings highlight the multifunctional nature of palm-up in terms of conversational dynamics with cross-modal differences in the specific interactive use of palm-up between spoken and signed language contexts. These findings underscore the versatility of the palm-up and reinforce its role in conversational dynamics as not merely supplementary but integral to human interaction. Full article

Chimneypieces, washbasins, well heads, and sinks by Andrea Palladio represent refined design works following architectural systems on a reduced scale, even if systematic documentation and analysis of them is still limited. This paper introduces the custom knowledge-based Information System (IS) developed to study the design patterns and proportional relationships of these microarchitectures, after their digitization. The research employed smartphone-based photogrammetry to replicate fifty-seven chimneypieces and additional microarchitectures across twenty historical buildings; digital models were collected and organized into the IS enabling systematic typological and dimensional analysis. Proportional deepening revealed recurring ratios consistent with Renaissance treatise recommendations, alongside systematic variations suggesting design flexibility within theoretical frameworks. The IS integrates 3D architectural models by metadata attributes, providing a replicable framework for heritage documentation that combines scholarly rigor with technological accessibility. This approach offers new insights into Palladian design principles while establishing a scalable model for architectural heritage documentation and analysis. Full article

Multimodal transportation systems, particularly those combining metro and bikesharing, have become central to addressing the first- and last-mile connectivity challenges in urban environments. This study presents a comprehensive data-driven framework to analyze the spatiotemporal interplay between metro and dockless bikesharing usage using real-world data from Tianjin, China. Two primary methods are employed: K-means clustering is used to categorize metro stations and bike usage zones based on temporal demand features, and non-negative Tucker decomposition is applied to a three-way tensor (day, hour, station) to extract latent mobility modes. These modes capture recurrent commuting and leisure behaviors, and their alignment across modes is assessed using Jaccard similarity indices. Our findings reveal distinct usage typologies, including mismatched (misalignment of jobs and residences), employment-oriented, and comprehensive zones, and highlight strong temporal coordination between metro and bikesharing during peak hours, contrasted by spatial divergence during off-peak periods. The analysis also uncovers asymmetries in peripheral stations, suggesting differentiated planning needs. This framework offers a scalable and interpretable approach to mining multimodal travel patterns and provides practical implications for station-area design, dynamic bike rebalancing, and integrated mobility governance. The methodology and insights contribute to the broader effort of data-driven smart city planning, especially in rapidly urbanizing contexts. Full article