Evaluating Wildlife–Vehicle Collision Hotspots Using Kernel-Based Estimation: a Focus on the Endangered Asiatic Cheetah in Central Iran

The transportation networks within and adjacent to protected areas degrade natural habitats and contribute to a higher risk of mortality through roadkill. Following years of unplanned and unsustainable road network development in Iran, the protected areas of significant biodiversity value have suffered from such phenomenon. Yazd Province, one of Iran’s important biodiversity reservoirs for large mammals, especially the Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus), has witnessed a noticeable rate of road expansion along with an associated anthropogenic development. A large percentage (7 out of 50–70) of Asiatic cheetahs has been lost due to vehicle collisions in the region over the last decade. In this study, we employed a well-known spatially-explicit algorithm for density-based calculation of collision locations, adopting kernel density estimation method. We evaluated the location of 31 wildlife–vehicle collisions (WVCs) from 2007 to 2011, including 12 Persian gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa), 6 Asiatic cheetah, 5 striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena), 5 golden jackal (Canis aureus), 2 caracal (Caracal caracal), and 1 gray wolf (Canis lupus). Our results detected 4 hotspots of vehicle collisions in the Kalmand-Bahadoran Protected Area. The findings of this study could be employed to protect the populations of the Asiatic cheetah and other threatened species in this area. Potential mitigation strategies proposed include: wildlife warning sign usage, increasing public awareness, traffic devices to reduce vehicle speed in dangerous areas, utilization of warning lights for drivers, and improved crossing structures

Cost and emissions analysis of earthmoving operations

Traditionally, earthmoving and like operations have been organised based on a minimum unit cost criterion. However, there is an increasing awareness of the need to reduce carbon emissions due to their negative environmental impacts and the growing presence of carbon trading schemes and carbon taxes. This thesis examines earthmoving and like operations, including loader/excavator-truck and dozer-scraper operations, under two criteria – minimum emissions per production (unit emissions) and minimum cost per production (unit cost), and compares the optima for these criteria. Queuing theory is used for the theoretical evaluation of production for varying operation parameters. Variables considered in the analyses performed include equipment heterogeneity, payload, truck size, haul grade, and travel and load times. Truck dispatching is performed through the linear programming method and the effect of truck allocation on unit emissions and unit costs is established. It is demonstrated theoretically that the optima with respect to unit cost and unit emissions coincide in excavator/loader-truck operations, and this coincidence is invariant with changing operation parameters. To support the theoretical result, data from extensive field studies are used, including time and production measurements, and fuel burn data and its conversion to idling and non-idling emissions. Sensitivity analyses on the underlying parameters also support the conclusion. This thesis also shows that the optimum scraper load time for unit emissions may be the same or slightly less than that for unit cost depending on the scraper type and operation. Yet the optimum fleet size in terms of minimum unit emissions, is slightly higher than or the same as that in terms of minimum unit cost. It is concluded that the traditional way of undertaking earthmoving operations to give minimum unit costs will also result in minimum unit emissions. And that different configurations will lead to unnecessary emissions. In addition, the existing linearprogramming dispatching solution, based on minimising truck numbers and unit costs, accordingly impacts the environment the least in terms of emissions. It is important to know that the most environmentally friendly approach is also the most economical because this will reassure contractors who are concerned about environmental policy impacts on financial operations

Emission and Cost Configurations in Earthmoving Operations

Brief introduction to the problem. The paper examines the influence of varying operation parameters such as equipment heterogeneity, payload, and travel times, on unit emissions and unit costs in earthmoving and like operations. The need to minimise cost and maximise production of earthmoving and like operations has led to such operations being heavily scrutinised. With environmental issues becoming more important, there is now a need to additionally scrutinise and minimise emissions. Cycle times and production were measured in a cut-and-fill case study operation; average fuel burn data are converted to idling and nonidling emission fractions; and queuing theory is used for the theoretical evaluation of production for varying operation parameters. It is demonstrated that the optimum fleet sizes in terms of minimum unit costs and minimum unit emissions coincide in earthmoving operations. The result is independent of any specific operational parameters. The paper concludes that the traditional way of undertaking earthmoving operations, namely configuring to give minimum unit costs, will also result in minimum unit emissions. And that configuring differently to that will lead to unnecessary emissions. The result carries over to quarrying and surface mining operations

Emission and Cost Configurations in Earthmoving Operations

Brief introduction to the problem. The paper examines the influence of varying operation parameters such as equipment heterogeneity, payload, and travel times, on unit emissions and unit costs in earthmoving and like operations. The need to minimise cost and maximise production of earthmoving and like operations has led to such operations being heavily scrutinised. With environmental issues becoming more important, there is now a need to additionally scrutinise and minimise emissions. Cycle times and production were measured in a cut-and-fill case study operation; average fuel burn data are converted to idling and nonidling emission fractions; and queuing theory is used for the theoretical evaluation of production for varying operation parameters. It is demonstrated that the optimum fleet sizes in terms of minimum unit costs and minimum unit emissions coincide in earthmoving operations. The result is independent of any specific operational parameters. The paper concludes that the traditional way of undertaking earthmoving operations, namely configuring to give minimum unit costs, will also result in minimum unit emissions. And that configuring differently to that will lead to unnecessary emissions. The result carries over to quarrying and surface mining operations

5D BIM Applications in Quantity Surveying: Dynamo and 3D Printing Technologies

Digital construction is increasingly introduced to the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. The fifth dimension of Building Information Modeling (5D BIM) has a significant contribution to the AEC industry, such as managing time and costs and resources management. However, 5D BIM has not fulfilled its promise completely. The major challenge of implementing the 5D BIM technology and applications is the interoperability between technologies and the low accuracy of measurement estimations. Dynamo is adopted in this chapter for detailed quantity measurement. Three-dimensional printing (3DP) is one of the additive manufacturing technologies which is recommended to be used in construction. 3DP is aiming to create complex and customized geometries. This chapter demonstrates how to apply the Dynamo scripts of detailed quantity take-off for estimating the volume of elements created by 3DP. Dynamo as a quantity take-off Add-in in Revit is always used for detailed quantity take-off or precise model created. After the detailed quantity take-off from Revit, the data can be exported into Excel extension, which allows the quantity surveyors to insert the price per unit to the file and to generate a Bill of Quantity (BOQ). This chapter will offer a procedure for applying Dynamo through two selected case studies

Recent Development in Electricity Price Forecasting Based on Computational Intelligence Techniques in Deregulated Power Market

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) based techniques for electricity price forecasting (EPF) provides essential information to electricity market participants and managers because of its greater handling capability of complex input and output relationships. Therefore, this research investigates and analyzes the performance of different optimization methods in the training phase of artificial neural network (ANN) and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) for the accuracy enhancement of EPF. In this work, a multi-objective optimization-based feature selection technique with the capability of eliminating non-linear and interacting features is implemented to create an efficient day-ahead price forecasting. In the beginning, the multi-objective binary backtracking search algorithm (MOBBSA)-based feature selection technique is used to examine various combinations of input variables to choose the suitable feature subsets, which minimizes, simultaneously, both the number of features and the estimation error. In the later phase, the selected features are transferred into the machine learning-based techniques to map the input variables to the output in order to forecast the electricity price. Furthermore, to increase the forecasting accuracy, a backtracking search algorithm (BSA) is applied as an efficient evolutionary search algorithm in the learning procedure of the ANFIS approach. The performance of the forecasting methods for the Queensland power market in the year 2018, which is well-known as the most competitive market in the world, is investigated and compared to show the superiority of the proposed methods over other selected methods.© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

Minimum emissions earthmoving and optimum fleet size

Earthmoving operations in construction and mining, using diesel powered equipment, produce large quantities of emissions. There is an increasing public awareness of the need to reduce these emissions due to their negative impacts on the environment. A reduction in emissions can be achieved by, amongst other things, employing different management strategies. This paper examines emissions associated with earthmoving equipment from an operational standpoint. The paper’s results will be of interest to those designing, implementing and managing earthmoving operations and those interested in emissions in the earthmoving, quarrying and open-cut mining sectors. This paper summarizes and evaluates research on emissions associated with earthmoving operations, including research on percentage increases in emissions for equipment working at reduced operational efficiencies. The percentage increase in pollution emitted through variable fleet size in under-and over-trucked operations is analyzed and exampled, and optimum fleet sizes in terms of unit emissions are investigated. The paper's results will give engineers a better understanding of the relationship between emissions and earthmoving operations, and the impact of under-trucking and over-trucking

An Analysis of Relationship between Perceived Value, Perceived Quality, Customer satisfaction and Re-purchase Intention in Tehran Department Stores

Today more than ever customer orientation as the most important competitive advantage has gained an increasing importance. This paper aims to examine the relation between perceived value, perceived quality, customer satisfaction, and re-purchase intention in Tehran department stores. This is a descriptive survey study. The statistical population of the research is composed of customers of the three major chain department stores in Tehran. The sample size estimated to be 491. Data gathering instrument was a self administered questionnaire and structural equation modeling (SEM) is used for the data analysis. Findings indicate that in Tehran department stores perceived quality affects perceived value, customer satisfaction, and re-purchase intention. Also perceived value affects customer satisfaction and repurchase intention. Moreover, customer satisfaction affects re-purchase intention. Finally proposed model identifying relation between perceived value, perceived quality, customer satisfaction, and re-purchase intention in Tehran department stores efficiently

Fear of Wolves in Relation to Attacks on People and Livestock in Western Iran

We evaluated local communities’ fear of wolves in a scenario of wolf attacks on people and livestock in Western Iran. In particular, we investigated the interaction between experiences of wolf attacks (both on people and livestock) and three factors: behavioral action (management action, e.g., livestock carcass management), religious (e.g., the belief that wolves can be a curse if harmed by humans), and cultural norms (e.g., village elders have taught their children not to kill or harm wolves). We surveyed 400 randomly chosen households throughout the villages located in Hamadan province, Iran. Participants (mean age = 48.5 years) reported experiences of wolf attacks on people and on livestock in 40% and 60% of interviews, respectively. The majority of the respondents were afraid of seeing a wolf in the wild (66.5%). The majority of interviewees abandoned their livestock carcasses near agricultural lands, rangelands, and rural areas. Our results suggest that cultural factors play an active role in allaying fear of wolves, and this influence occurs regardless of having or not having experiences of wolf attacks. However, experiences of wolf–livestock attacks did not have a meaningful role in decreasing or increasing the effect of culture, religion, and behavior on fear. Efforts to reduce human fear of wolves should consider minimizing risky encounters for people, particularly focusing on unsupervised children (<12 years old). Training programs on how to properly handle livestock carcasses (e.g., appropriate methods of disposal and not abandoning livestock carcasses close to human settlements) may reduce the frequency of wolf attacks.We thank the National Geographic Society who funded this research under the grant GEFNE128-14 and the UK Wolf Conservation Trust. J.V.L.B. was supported by a Ramon & Cajal research contract (RYC-2015-18932) from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Competitiveness