Infrastructure Engineering - Research Publications
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ItemImproving Design by Partnering in Engineering-Procurement-Construction (EPC) Hydropower Projects: A Case Study of a Large-Scale Hydropower Project in China(MDPI, 2021-12)Hydropower, as a renewable energy resource, has become an important way to fit for Chinese long-term energy policy of energy transformation. Engineering–procurement–construction (EPC) has been increasingly adopted for improving hydropower project delivery efficiency in the utilization of water resources and generation of clean energy, where design plays a critical role in project success. Existing studies advocate the need to use partnering for better solutions to designs in EPC hydropower projects. However, there is a lack of a theoretical framework to systematically address design-related issues considering different participants’ interactions. This study coherently examined the causal relationships among partnering, design management, design capability, and EPC hydropower project performance by establishing and validating a conceptual model, with the support of data collected from a large-scale EPC hydropower project. Path analysis reveals that partnering can directly promote design management and design capability and exert an effect on design capability through enhancing design management, thereby achieving better hydropower project outcomes. This study’s contribution lies in that it theoretically builds the links between intra- and inter-organizational design-related activities by systematically mapping EPC hydropower project performance on partnering, design management, and design capability. These findings also suggest broad practical strategies for participants to optimally integrate their complementary resources into designs to achieve superior hydropower project performance.
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ItemStructural Health Monitoring of Bridges Using Advanced Non-destructive Testing Technique(Springer, Singapore, 2020-01-01)This paper presents an integrated framework for structural health monitoring of bridges by using advanced non-destructive testing (NDT) technique in conjunction with computational modelling. First, the structural characteristics of the Eltham Trestle Bridge under train loading were monitored using the combination of the 3D optical measurement system and IBIS-S. The results demonstrate that, in conjunction with computational modelling, the NDT can capture the structural health conditions of the bridge by analysing the natural frequencies and deformation profiles of the critical members of the bridges. Then, the developed framework also takes into account the impact of extreme events (e.g. truck impacts and earthquakes) by using a reliability-based model. Finally, using the Montague Street Bridge as a case study, it shows that proposed framework has the capability of predicting the residual life of a bridge subject to both progressive deterioration and extreme events throughout its service life.
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ItemAutomation in structural health monitoring of transport infrastructure(Springer Singapore, 2021-01-01)Roads are among the most important assets in the world. Road structure improvements make a crucial contribution to economic development and growth and bring important social benefits. Automation in structural health monitoring allow the accurate prediction of ongoing damage caused by long-term traffic loading. This permits optimal road structure management and ensures the longevity and safety of road structures. This chapter discusses a variety of advanced automation techniques in structural health monitoring of road structures, such as data acquisition, data processing, and life-cycle assessment. It demonstrates that the implementation of automation in road asset management can increase the productivity and extend the service life of road structures, and enhance the durability of crucial road structures and increase transport infrastructure sustainability.
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ItemA Simplified Methodology for Condition Assessment of Bridge Bearings Using Vibration Based Structural Health Monitoring Techniques(WORLD SCIENTIFIC PUBL CO PTE LTD, 2021-09-01)The mechanical properties of bridge bearings gradually deteriorate over time resulting from daily traffic loading and harsh environmental conditions. However, structural health monitoring of in-service bridge bearings is rather challenging. This study presents a bridge bearing condition assessment framework which integrates the vibration data from a non-contact interferometric radar (i.e. IBIS-S) and a simplified analytical model. Using two existing concrete bridges in Australia as a case study, it demonstrates that the developed framework has the capability of detecting the structural condition of the bridge bearings in real-time. In addition, the results from a series of parametric studies show that the effectiveness of the developed framework is largely determined by the stiffness ratio between bridge bearing and girder ([Formula: see text], i.e. the structural condition of the bearings can only be effectively captured when the value of [Formula: see text] ranges from 1/100 and 100.
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ItemManaging Interfaces in Large-Scale Projects: The Roles of Formal Governance and Partnering(ASCE-AMER SOC CIVIL ENGINEERS, 2021-07-01)Interface management has been viewed as one of the important organizational capabilities to promote coordination and integration among stakeholders in construction project delivery, especially for large-scale projects. This paper examines the role of formal governance, partnering, and organizational boundary activities and their interactions in interface management performance. An integrated framework with consideration of the influence of formal governance, partnering, and boundary activities on interface management performance and associated project outcomes was developed and empirically tested with data collected from 85 large-scale international projects. The results show that formal governance is the dominant determinant of interface management performance and can indirectly influence it through improving partnering and boundary activities. Partnering and boundary activities are also significant antecedents of interface management performance, which, in turn, improves project outcomes of large-scale construction projects. Formal governance and partnering mutually reinforce each other. Interface management performance is positively related to project outcomes in terms of quality, cost, and schedule. This empirical research contributes to the fundamental understanding of the critical factors that govern the interface management performance and, ultimately, the project outcomes. In addition, the outcomes of this study highlighted the broad managerial implications for participants in large-scale projects.
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ItemA Competency Framework for Construction Engineering Graduates: An Industry Perspective(Tempus Publications, 2021-06-20)Engineering education plays a key role in training talent engineers to meet the challenges of sustainable development in the construction industry. To address the requirements of construction engineering and sustainable development, a new competency framework was developed based on a systematic literature review. This framework incorporates five categories of competencies, including interdisciplinary knowledge, technical expertise and innovation, identifying and solving problems, managerial capacity, and ethical and professional responsibilities. The framework was validated using a questionnaire survey and eight rounds of interviews. The results suggest that all the five competencies within the proposed framework are important and should be incorporated in the construction engineering education, and this can help graduates deal with sustainability issues in the future.
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ItemInfrared Thermography for Detecting Subsurface Defects of Concrete Structures(Springer Singapore, 2020-12-23)Delamination is one of the serious types of deterioration in reinforced concrete structures. It could cause concrete spalling, exposed steel bars, and ultimately affects the structural integrity of concrete structures. Infrared thermography (IRT) is a non-destructive technique which could potentially detect the delamination by capturing thermal contrast (∆T) on concrete surface caused by the heat flow disruption within the concrete due to subsurface anomalies. However, the optimum time and environmental conditions for IRT data collection are still unclear. In this study, an experimentally validated numerical model was developed to investigate the effect of a range of environmental conditions and defect characteristics on the IRT inspection outcomes. The results show that, under direct solar irradiation, the total heat flux input plays an important role in the development of thermal contrast ∆T instead of flux rate. Furthermore, delamination depth and size are two critical parameters that affect IRT results.
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ItemEnvironment Management of Hydropower Development: A Case Study(MDPI AG, 2021-04-06)Environment management is one of the key aspects of hydropower development in acquiring sustainable energy. However, there has been limited research demonstrating the overall aspects of environment management of hydropower development with support of sound empirical evidence. In present study, the status of environment management in hydropower development was comprehensively investigated by conducting a case study based on the data collected from a field survey. The results show that, as environment management is largely subject to legal requirements, the environment management system needs to be established by integrating the legal requirements and needs of project implementation. This could potentially reduce the influence of legal restrictions on hydropower development. The main hydropower project environment management processes include identifying key environmental factors, implementation, monitoring, and performance measurement, which deal with environmental issues such as terrestrial and aquatic ecology protection, wastewater treatment, solid waste disposal, and acoustic-environment protection. Project participants should establish partnering relationships to cooperatively deal with environmental impacts of hydropower project development, in which public participation and sufficient resources input into environmental protection are essential for project success. The results of this study provide a sound basis for participants to deal with the key issues of environmental protection such as meeting legal requirements, training for improving environment management process, cost control, and cooperative environment management. The results of this study could help practitioners to tackle the interactions among project delivery, environmental protection, and engagement of local communities in an optimized way with the aim of maximizing effectiveness of the resources of all participants.
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ItemLife-cycle modelling of concrete cracking and reinforcement corrosion in concrete bridges: A case study(Elsevier BV, 2021-06-15)The development of effective life cycle management strategies for transport infrastructure assets is of importance for meeting the defined public policies and levels of service. In the last decades, much progress has been made in assessing the life-cycle performance of bridges using reliability-based approaches. However, the goal of developing a comprehensive life-cycle performance assessment framework for bridges has not been fully achieved. This is due to the uncertainties surrounding model parameters as well as the correlation between these parameters (e.g. the complex correlation between the reinforcement corrosion and the concrete cracking). It becomes more challenging due to the limited access to bridge inspection data by bridge research communities resulting from confidentiality issues. Using a typical highway concrete bridge as a case study, the present study systematically investigated the impact of concrete crack induced reinforcement corrosion on the serviceability of concrete bridges by developing an engineering reliability-based approach involving an auto-regressive crack propagation model and a steel corrosion prediction model. The model parameters were calibrated using the eight-year inspection data of an operating bridge. The influence of different external environments in the reinforcement corrosion, ultimately the residual life of the bridges, was also investigated through conducting a series of parametric studies. Based on the collected bridge inspection data, the model results predict that, although the surface crack of a RC bridge is repairable through periodic maintenance, the corrosion of the steel bars in the bridge still continues over time with a corrosion rate which depends on different maintenance intervention cycle periods (Tcycle). For example, reducing Tcycle from 12 years to 4 years could potentially prolong the service life of the bridge by around 15 years. The developed model could assist bridge managers to estimate the optimal Tcycle to prolong the service life of bridges.
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ItemReliability-Based Decision Support Framework for Major Changes to Social Infrastructure PPP Contracts(MDPI AG, 2020)In the operational phase of public-private partnership (PPP) contracts, undue delay in addressing real needs may lead to poor service outcomes; conversely, commencing variations to a PPP agreement on the whim of end-user runs the risk of reducing the value created by detailed structuring and considerations undertaken in establishing agreement. This difficulty is exasperated as there is generally a lack of understanding by the end-user as to the specifics of service delivery performance requirements contracted. In order to address this question, this study, for the first time, develops a reliability-based decision support framework (RDSF) that incorporates end-user’s perceived service quality (i.e., how satisfied it is with the space, operation and maintenance activities) with those specified in the PPP agreement, and further identifies when the gap between end-user’s expectations and contractual obligations warrants reconsideration. This developed framework is then implemented to test the data gathered from three PPP schools in Australia based on both a current snapshot of performance data, i.e., abatements as gathered through contract documents and end-user’s perception through in-depth interviews, and a projected scenario of the future as well. Reliability analysis used here compares time-dependent risk profiles of current and expected performance and thereby identifies major changes in a PPP contract that would sensibly require reconsideration. The specific results indicate there is no current difficulty between end-user’s perception and the contract. However, the projected long-term scenario demonstrates how the decision framework can identify areas for review and changes if end-users are more dissatisfied with the service being achieved. The RDSF is capable of quantifying current service performance, considering the engagement of the end-user. Thus it enriches theories in the field of performance management system (PMS), and also contributes to knowledge regarding an evidence-based test for justifying possible agreement modifications or additional works in social PPPs operations. In addition, guidance for performance improvement strategies in aspects of the dissatisfied area is also provided. Application of this approach would assist in maintaining the long-term value for money of social infrastructure PPP agreements.