81 research outputs found

    Metaheuristic Algorithms for Spatial Multi-Objective Decision Making

    Get PDF
    Spatial decision making is an everyday activity, common to individuals and organizations. However, recently there is an increasing interest in the importance of spatial decision-making systems, as more decision-makers with concerns about sustainability, social, economic, environmental, land use planning, and transportation issues discover the benefits of geographical information. Many spatial decision problems are regarded as optimization problems, which involve a large set of feasible alternatives, multiple conflicting objectives that are difficult and complex to solve. Hence, Multi-Objective Optimization methods (MOO)—metaheuristic algorithms integrated with Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are appealing to be powerful tools in these regards, yet their implementation in spatial context is still challenging. In this thesis, various metaheuristic algorithms are adopted and improved to solve complex spatial problems. Disaster management and urban planning are used as case studies of this thesis.These case studies are explored in the four papers that are part of this thesis. In paper I, four metaheuristic algorithms have been implemented on the same spatial multi-objective problem—evacuation planning, to investigate their performance and potential. The findings show that all tested algorithms were effective in solving the problem, although in general, some had higher performance, while others showed the potential of being flexible to be modified to fit better to the problem. In the same context, paper II identified the effectiveness of the Multi-objective Artificial Bee Colony (MOABC) algorithm when improved to solve the evacuation problem. In paper III, we proposed a multi-objective optimization approach for urban evacuation planning that considered three spatial objectives which were optimized using an improved Multi-Objective Cuckoo Search algorithm (MOCS). Both improved algorithms (MOABC and MOCS) proved to be efficient in solving evacuation planning when compared to their standard version and other algorithms. Moreover, Paper IV proposed an urban land-use allocation model that involved three spatial objectives and proposed an improved Non-dominated Sorting Biogeography-based Optimization algorithm (NSBBO) to solve the problem efficiently and effectively.Overall, the work in this thesis demonstrates that different metaheuristic algorithms have the potential to change the way spatial decision problems are structured and can improve the transparency and facilitate decision-makers to map solutions and interactively modify decision preferences through trade-offs between multiple objectives. Moreover, the obtained results can be used in a systematic way to develop policy recommendations. From the perspective of GIS - Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) research, the thesis contributes to spatial optimization modelling and extended knowledge on the application of metaheuristic algorithms. The insights from this thesis could also benefit the development and practical implementation of other Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques to enhance the capabilities of GIS for tackling complex spatial multi-objective decision problems in the future

    Impact of Land Management Practices on Water Balance and Sediment Transport in the Morogoro Catchment, Uluguru Mountains (Tanzania)

    Get PDF
    Tanzania, like other developing countries in the tropics is severely affected by the degradation of water resources owing to improper land management practices. Such practices affect water supply through soil erosion which does not only cause sedimentation of rivers and water bodies but also leads to a reduction in the rainwater infiltration capacity of soils. This thesis seeks to demonstrate how the implementation of proper land management measures can reduce soil erosion and increase water supply in the Morogoro River catchment (Uluguru Mountains). The proper practices referred to are the soil and water conservation (SWC) approaches which include contour farming, fanya juu terracing and bench terracing. The thesis combines social science and geoscience methods in a synergetic manner to address this research problem. To understand how and to what degree SWC methods affect water fluxes and sediment yields, the hydrological model SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) was applied. Before carrying out the modelling procedures, it was necessary to examine the level of SWC adoption among farmers and factors influencing the process so as to establish the baseline. To this end, biophysical and socio-economic factors assumed to affect farmers’ adoption tendency were examined using a household questionnaire. Modelling results indicate that if correctly implemented contour farming, fanya juu terracing and bench terracing would significantly reduce sediment yield at different rates. The reduction would range approximately between 1% - 85% with the highest percentage change achieved by practicing the three SWC methods simultaneously. However, such SWC measures would not increase water flow annually owing to evapotranspiration losses. Nevertheless, according to modelling results groundwater storage would be increased by about 14% and hence contributing to water supply during the dry season. The household questionnaire survey suggests that the adoption of SWC methods in the study area is very low and complex. While age of the head of household, access to extension (professional) services, household annual income and proximity to the farm significantly influenced farmers’ decision to adopt SWC, gender of the head of household, slope characteristics of the farm, number of adults in the household and farmer’s perception on soil erosion effects had no considerable influence on adoption. Therefore, to successfully realize the SWC benefits demonstrated by the modelling results, smallholder farmers upstream of the catchment should be incentivized to implement proper land management practices. Payment for ecosystem services scheme appears to be a suitable strategy. To make this operational, the Tanzanian government should establish a national water fund which will finance watershed management activities. The methodological approach employed in this thesis is transferrable to other sites with problems comparable to the studied catchment

    Computer aided design of 3D of renewable energy platform for Togo's smart grid power system infrastructure

    Get PDF
    The global requirement for sustainable energy provision will become increasingly important over the next fifty years as the environmental effects of fossil fuel use become apparent. Therefore, the issues surrounding integration of renewable energy supplies need to be considered carefully. The focus of this work was the development of an innovative computer aided design of a 3 Dimensional renewable energy platform for Togo’s smart grid power system infrastructure. It demonstrates its validation for industrial, commercial and domestic applications. The Wind, Hydro, and PV system forming our 3 Dimensional renewable energy power generation systems introduces a new path for hybrid systems which extends the system capacities to include, a stable and constant clean energy supply, a reduced harmonic distortion, and an improved power system efficiency. Issues requiring consideration in high percentage renewable energy systems therefore includes the reliability of the supply when intermittent sources of electricity are being used, and the subsequent necessity for storage and back-up generation The adoption of Genetic algorithms in this case was much suited in minimizing the THD as the adoption of the CHB-MLI was ideal for connecting renewable energy sources with an AC grid. Cascaded inverters have also been proposed for use as the main traction drive in electric vehicles, where several batteries or ultra-capacitors are well suited to serve as separate DC sources. The simulation done in various non-linear load conditions showed the proportionality of an integral control based compensating cascaded passive filter thereby balancing the system even in non-linear load conditions. The measured total harmonic distortion of the source currents was found to be 2.36% thereby in compliance with IEEE 519-1992 and IEC 61000-3 standards for harmonics This work has succeeded in developing a more complete tool for analysing the feasibility of integrated renewable energy systems. This will allow informed decisions to be made about the technical feasibility of supply mix and control strategies, plant type, sizing and storage sizing, for any given area and range of supply options. The developed 3D renewable energy platform was examined and evaluated using CAD software analysis and a laboratory base mini test. The initial results showed improvements compared to other hybrid systems and their existing control systems. There was a notable improvement in the dynamic load demand and response, stability of the system with a reduced harmonic distortion. The derivatives of this research therefore proposes an innovative solution and a path for Togo and its intention of switching to renewable energy especially for its smart grid power system infrastructure. It demonstrates its validation for industrial, commercial and domestic applicationsN/

    Towards COP27: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in a Changing Climate in the Middle East and North Africa

    Get PDF
    Due to its low adaptability to climate change, the MENA region has become a "hot spot". Water scarcity, extreme heat, drought, and crop failure will worsen as the region becomes more urbanized and industrialized. Both water and food scarcity are made worse by civil wars, terrorism, and political and social unrest. It is unclear how climate change will affect the MENA water–food–energy nexus. All of these concerns need to be empirically evaluated and quantified for a full climate change assessment in the region. Policymakers in the MENA region need to be aware of this interconnection between population growth, rapid urbanization, food safety, climate change, and the global goal of lowering greenhouse gas emissions (as planned in COP27). Researchers from a wide range of disciplines have come together in this SI to investigate the connections between water, food, energy, and climate in the region. By assessing the impacts of climate change on hydrological processes, natural disasters, water supply, energy production and demand, and environmental impacts in the region, this SI will aid in implementation of sustainable solutions to these challenges across multiple spatial scales

    Linnade laienemine Eestis: seire, analüüs ja modelleerimine

    Get PDF
    Väitekirja elektrooniline versioon ei sisalda publikatsiooneLinnade laienemine, mida iseloomustab vähese tihedusega, ruumiliselt ebaühtlane ja hajutatud areng linna piiridest välja. Kuna linnade laienemine muudab põllumajandus- ja metsamaid ning väikesed muutused linnapiirkondades võivad pikaajaliselt mõjutada elurikkust ja maastikku, on hädavajalik seirata linnade ruumilist laienemist ning modelleerida tulevikku, saamaks ülevaadet suundumustest ja tagajärgedest pikemas perspektiivis. Eestis võeti pärast taasiseseisvumist 1991. aastal vastu maareformi seadus ning algas “maa” üleandmine riigilt eraomandisse. Sellest ajast peale on Eestis toimunud elamupiirkondade detsentraliseerimine, mis on mõjutanud Tallinna ümbruse põllumajandus- ja tööstuspiirkondade muutumist, inimeste elustiili muutusi ning jõukate inimeste elama asumist ühepereelamutesse Tallinna, Tartu ja Pärnu lähiümbruse. Selle aja jooksul on Eesti rahvaarv vähenenud 15,31%. Käesoleva doktoritöö eesmärgiks on "jälgida, analüüsida ja modelleerida Eesti linnade laienemist viimase 30 aasta jooksul ning modelleerida selle tulevikku", kasutades paljusid modelleerimismeetodeid, sealhulgas logistilist regressiooni, mitmekihilisi pertseptronnärvivõrke, rakkautomaate, Markovi ahelate analüüsi, mitme kriteeriumi. hindamist ja analüütilise hierarhia protsesse. Töö põhineb neljal originaalartiklil, milles uuriti linnade laienemist Eestis. Tegu on esimese põhjaliku uuringuga Eesti linnade laienemise modelleerimisel, kasutades erinevaid kaugseireandmeid, mõjutegureid, parameetreid ning modelleerimismeetodeid. Kokkuvõtteks võib öelda, et uusehitiste hajumismustrid laienevad jätkuvalt suuremate linnade ja olemasolevate elamupiirkondade läheduses ning põhimaanteede ümber.Urban expansion is characterized by the low–density, spatially discontinued, and scattered development of urban-related constructions beyond the city boundaries. Since urban expansion changes the agricultural and forest lands, and slight changes in urban areas can affect biodiversity and landscape on a regional scale in the long-term, spatiotemporal monitoring of urban expansion and modeling of the future are essential to provide insights into the long-term trends and consequences. In Estonia, after the regaining independence in 1991, the Land Reform Act was passed, and the transfer of “land” from the state to private ownership began. Since then, Estonia has experienced the decentralization of residential areas affecting the transformation of agricultural and industrial regions around Tallinn, changes in people's lifestyles, and the settling of wealthy people in single-family houses in the suburbs of Tallinn, Tartu, and Pärnu. During this period, Estonia's population has declined dramatically by 15.31%. Therefore, this dissertation aims to "monitor, analyze and model Estonian urban expansion over the last 30 years and simulate its future" using many modeling approaches including logistic regression, multi-layer perceptron neural networks, cellular automata, Markov chain Analysis, multi-criteria evaluation, and analytic hierarchy process. The thesis comprises four original research articles that studied urban expansion in Estonia. So far, this is the first comprehensive study of modeling Estonian urban expansion utilizing various sets of remotely sensed data, driving forces and predictors, and modeling approaches. The scattering patterns of new constructions are expected to continue as the infilling form, proximate to main cities and existing residential areas and taking advantage of main roads in future.https://www.ester.ee/record=b550782

    Sustainable Agriculture and Advances of Remote Sensing (Volume 1)

    Get PDF
    Agriculture, as the main source of alimentation and the most important economic activity globally, is being affected by the impacts of climate change. To maintain and increase our global food system production, to reduce biodiversity loss and preserve our natural ecosystem, new practices and technologies are required. This book focuses on the latest advances in remote sensing technology and agricultural engineering leading to the sustainable agriculture practices. Earth observation data, in situ and proxy-remote sensing data are the main source of information for monitoring and analyzing agriculture activities. Particular attention is given to earth observation satellites and the Internet of Things for data collection, to multispectral and hyperspectral data analysis using machine learning and deep learning, to WebGIS and the Internet of Things for sharing and publishing the results, among others

    Agricultural Structures and Mechanization

    Get PDF
    In our globalized world, the need to produce quality and safe food has increased exponentially in recent decades to meet the growing demands of the world population. This expectation is being met by acting at multiple levels, but mainly through the introduction of new technologies in the agricultural and agri-food sectors. In this context, agricultural, livestock, agro-industrial buildings, and agrarian infrastructure are being built on the basis of a sophisticated design that integrates environmental, landscape, and occupational safety, new construction materials, new facilities, and mechanization with state-of-the-art automatic systems, using calculation models and computer programs. It is necessary to promote research and dissemination of results in the field of mechanization and agricultural structures, specifically with regard to farm building and rural landscape, land and water use and environment, power and machinery, information systems and precision farming, processing and post-harvest technology and logistics, energy and non-food production technology, systems engineering and management, and fruit and vegetable cultivation systems. This Special Issue focuses on the role that mechanization and agricultural structures play in the production of high-quality food and continuously over time. For this reason, it publishes highly interdisciplinary quality studies from disparate research fields including agriculture, engineering design, calculation and modeling, landscaping, environmentalism, and even ergonomics and occupational risk prevention

    Geo-Information Technology and Its Applications

    Get PDF
    Geo-information technology has been playing an ever more important role in environmental monitoring, land resource quantification and mapping, geo-disaster damage and risk assessment, urban planning and smart city development. This book focuses on the fundamental and applied research in these domains, aiming to promote exchanges and communications, share the research outcomes of scientists worldwide and to put these achievements better social use. This Special Issue collects fourteen high-quality research papers and is expected to provide a useful reference and technical support for graduate students, scientists, civil engineers and experts of governments to valorize scientific research

    ESSE 2017. Proceedings of the International Conference on Environmental Science and Sustainable Energy

    Get PDF
    Environmental science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physical-, biological-, and information sciences to study and solve environmental problems. ESSE - The International Conference on Environmental Science and Sustainable Energy provides a platform for experts, professionals, and researchers to share updated information and stimulate the communication with each other. In 2017 it was held in Suzhou, China June 23-25, 2017

    Precision Agriculture Technology for Crop Farming

    Get PDF
    This book provides a review of precision agriculture technology development, followed by a presentation of the state-of-the-art and future requirements of precision agriculture technology. It presents different styles of precision agriculture technologies suitable for large scale mechanized farming; highly automated community-based mechanized production; and fully mechanized farming practices commonly seen in emerging economic regions. The book emphasizes the introduction of core technical features of sensing, data processing and interpretation technologies, crop modeling and production control theory, intelligent machinery and field robots for precision agriculture production
    corecore