Stakeholder attributes and approaches in natural disaster risk management in the built environment: the case of flood risk management in transport infrastructure

The increasing number of natural disasters has demonstrated the importance of natural disaster risk management. There is little consensus regarding the role of stakeholder attributes in reducing flood damage and explaining stakeholder approaches. Local Councils are important stakeholders in flood risk management in transport infrastructure. Hence, the characteristics of floods, Local Councils’ stakeholder attributes, and the exposure and vulnerability of the socio-economic and transport infrastructure were contextualised to examine flood damage and Local Councils’ proactive and reactive approaches. This study examines three dominant Local Councils’ stakeholder attributes of power, legitimacy and urgency by focusing on flood damage and Local Councils’ proactive and reactive approaches. Data was collected from historical archive databases and a structured questionnaire survey involving Local Councils in New South Wales, Australia that covered the time period from 1992 to 2012. This data was analysed using multi-attribute decision-making and structural equation modelling with partial least square estimation approaches. The results show that the exposure and vulnerability of Australian states and territories to flood damage depend on both socio-economic and built environment conditions. The greater the flood characteristics such as frequency, severity and type, the greater the flood damage. The exposure and vulnerability of socio-economic and transport infrastructure of a Local Council have mediating effects on the direct relationship between their stakeholder attributes and flood damage. Proactive and reactive approaches by Local Councils are highly affected by stakeholder attributes. The developed stakeholder disaster response index shows that Local Councils have practised more reactive approaches than proactive approaches. Policy makers might use the stakeholder disaster response index through continuous assessment of proactive and reactive approaches to achieve a high level of flood risk management

Stakeholder attributes and approaches in natural disaster risk management in the built environment: the case of flood risk management in transport infrastructure

The increasing number of natural disasters has demonstrated the importance of natural disaster risk management. There is little consensus regarding the role of stakeholder attributes in reducing flood damage and explaining stakeholder approaches. Local Councils are important stakeholders in flood risk management in transport infrastructure. Hence, the characteristics of floods, Local Councils’ stakeholder attributes, and the exposure and vulnerability of the socio-economic and transport infrastructure were contextualised to examine flood damage and Local Councils’ proactive and reactive approaches. This study examines three dominant Local Councils’ stakeholder attributes of power, legitimacy and urgency by focusing on flood damage and Local Councils’ proactive and reactive approaches. Data was collected from historical archive databases and a structured questionnaire survey involving Local Councils in New South Wales, Australia that covered the time period from 1992 to 2012. This data was analysed using multi-attribute decision-making and structural equation modelling with partial least square estimation approaches. The results show that the exposure and vulnerability of Australian states and territories to flood damage depend on both socio-economic and built environment conditions. The greater the flood characteristics such as frequency, severity and type, the greater the flood damage. The exposure and vulnerability of socio-economic and transport infrastructure of a Local Council have mediating effects on the direct relationship between their stakeholder attributes and flood damage. Proactive and reactive approaches by Local Councils are highly affected by stakeholder attributes. The developed stakeholder disaster response index shows that Local Councils have practised more reactive approaches than proactive approaches. Policy makers might use the stakeholder disaster response index through continuous assessment of proactive and reactive approaches to achieve a high level of flood risk management

An Additive Statistical Modeling Approach to the Analysis of Transport Infrastructure Flood Risk-Based Resilience

Australia is a very vulnerable region to flood events, and the frequency of flood events and damage has increased dramatically over the past decades. Although flood has impacted diverse types of buildings and built infrastructure, there has been limited research investigating flood risk management specific to transport infrastructure in Australia and the factors that might influence the resilience of the transport infrastructure to flooding. To develop an appropriate design management system for roads and bridges specific to risk assessment from flooding requires a multitude of factors to be identified and analyzed. In this study, we review the range of critical factors necessary to represent the resilience of bridges to extreme flood events and demonstrate a novel mathematical approach to evaluate the relationship between the bridge resilience and flood risk. We use additive statistical approach in arriving at a framework to evaluate the resilience of bridges. The findings confirm that metrological characteristics such as annual exceedance probability and probable maximum precipitation and structural integrity of the bridge represented by the structural age of the bridge and mechanical properties of the soils have a substantial impact on the resilience of the Australian transport infrastructure, particularly bridges located on main roads

A Highly Efficient Method for Synthesis of Bisarylmethylidenes of Cyclic Ketones in [BMIm]Cl/NaOH System as New and Recyclable Catalyst

An ionic liquid 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazoliumchloride[BMIm]Cl/sodium hydroxide system, was employed as a catalyst for the fast and one-pot crossed aldol-condensation of various aromatic aldehydes and cyclic ketones, to produce a variety of substituted α,α'-bis(benzylidene)-cycloalkanones under neat conditions. This process is simple, efficient and environmentally benign and proceeds in high yield and short reaction times. The ionic liquid can be recycled for subsequent reactions without any appreciable loss of efficiency

The Role of Urban Agriculture Approach in Food Supply and Export Ability (Case Study of Neishabour in Iran)

The growth of cities and the increase of urban population in recent years has caused many problems for the health of the environment and citizens. On the other hand, given that urbanism is inevitable, we must think of ways to reduce the pressure on nature by cities and improve economic and social indicators in cities. Urban agriculture will play an effective role in establishing a logical relationship between urban needs and improving the economic situation. In this research, the study of the role of urban agriculture from an economic point of view, especially in the field of food supply and export ability has been emphasized. The research method is descriptive-analytical and based on collecting survey data (field). The main research tool is a questionnaire. Its validity was confirmed by elites and its reliability was confirmed by completing 30 questionnaires through Cronbach's alpha at a level greater than 0.70. The study population was 264,375 citizens living in Neishabour. The sample size was determined by Cochran's formula equal to 384 people. The results showed that urban agriculture is significant in food supply and export ability at a level of less than 0.05. The city's agriculture can be effective in improving the export of organic products, fruits and vegetables, exports of ornamental and medicinal plants, branding of products, as well as in supplying fresh vegetables, providing healthy food, improving the quality of nutrition and protein. Urban agriculture has a significant level of less than 0.05 in urban development indicators such as improving the urban environment, improving employment, improving citizens' incomes, creating attractive urban spaces, rainwater consumption, etc. From the people's point of view, it is possible to cultivate crops such as peaches, Damask rose, poultry breeding, etc., according to the available spaces. The study of the role of urban agriculture through structural equations shows that the total effect is 0.81 and in total urban agriculture can explain about 56% of the variance of role-playing and two variables of meeting food needs and export ability