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Transporting hydrogen through natural gas pipelines in blended compositions has been proven to be a highly feasible solution in the short term. However, under hydrogen-rich environments, steel structures are prone to hydrogen-induced damage (HID). Additionally, uncertainties in various parameters can significantly impact the performance evaluation of hydrogen pipelines. Efficient reliability and sensitivity analyses of medium- to high-strength steel pipelines considering HID have become a challenge. Therefore, the primary aim of this study is to address this issue.

This study first establishes reliability analysis models for medium- to high-strength steels, represented by X65 and X80. In these models, the effect of HID is expressed by reduced stress, and its statistical parameters are calculated. Then, a highly efficient enhanced first order reliability method (FORM) is proposed for pipeline reliability analysis. This method overcomes the oscillation and convergence issues of traditional FORM when dealing with certain problems and can compute negative reliability indices. The proposed reliability analysis method is applied to solve the constructed reliability models. Finally, a reliability sensitivity analysis is conducted on the models to identify the key variables affecting the reliability of medium- to high-strength steel pipelines under HID.

First, two reliability analysis examples are used to validate the effectiveness of the proposed enhanced FORM. Then, using this method to solve the constructed reliability models for X65 and X80 steel pipelines under HID reveals that, for both types of steel, the reliability indices decrease significantly when considering HID compared to cases without HID. The decline is more pronounced for X80 steel than for X65 steel. As internal pressure increases, the reliability of both steels drops sharply, showing a concave parabolic trend. Moreover, the reliability sensitivity analysis shows that at a pressure of 10 MPa, for both X80 and X65, internal pressure, pipeline wall thickness and model error are the top three factors influencing reliability. As internal pressure increases, its influence becomes stronger, while the impact of other variables diminishes. Notably, for X80 steel, the presence of hydrogen amplifies the effect of internal pressure on pipeline reliability compared to when HID is not considered, but for X65, this trend is reversed.

Given the urgent need for safety evaluation studies on hydrogen transport through natural gas pipelines, this research provides new insights by constructing reliability models for X65 and X80 pipeline steels under HID and introducing an enhanced FORM method. The results of the reliability and sensitivity analyses of the models offer valuable insights and serve as a reference for engineering design.

The brake pipe system was an essential braking component of the railway freight trains, but the existing E-type sealing rings had problems such as insufficient low-temperature resistance, poor heat stability and short service life. To address these issues, low-phenyl silicone rubber was prepared and tested, and the finite element analysis and experimental studies on the sealing performance of its sealing rings were carried out.

The low-temperature resistance and thermal stability of the prepared low-phenyl silicone rubber were studied using low-temperature tensile testing, differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic thermomechanical analysis and thermogravimetric analysis. The sealing performance of the low-phenyl silicone rubber sealing ring was studied by using finite element analysis software abaqus and experiments.

The prepared low-phenyl silicone rubber sealing ring possessed excellent low-temperature resistance and thermal stability. According to the finite element analysis results, the finish of the flange sealing surface and groove outer edge should be ensured, and extrusion damage should be avoided. The sealing rings were more susceptible to damage in high compression ratio and/or low-temperature environments. When the sealing effect was ensured, a small compression ratio should be selected, and rubbers with hardness and elasticity less affected by temperature should be selected. The prepared low-phenyl silicone rubber sealing ring had zero leakage at both room temperature (RT) and −50 °C.

The innovation of this study is that it provides valuable data and experience for the future development of the sealing rings used in the brake pipe flange joints of the railway freight cars in China.

Amid the increasing water risks faced by firms, external investors are becoming more interested in corporate water disclosure and research on its drivers has become prominent. This paper aims to investigate the impact of water resource tax (WRT) on water disclosure and other related drivers.

This study uses the WRT policy as a quasi-natural experiment and applies the difference-in-differences method.

The results indicate that WRT policy significantly stimulates water disclosure. Improving green innovation and strengthening internal control are potential channels through which WRT works. Moreover, WRT’s effect is more pronounced in firms that face high institutional pressures and have better internal resource support.

The findings suggest that water-sensitive firms should disclose water information to acquire resources from external stakeholders to support their green transition. It also provides implications for governments to incorporate other external forces in shaping the direction and intensity of WRT and consider the resource constraints of small and private firms in green transformation.

This study is of assistance in promoting water environmental protection in areas experiencing water stress and provides an opportunity for external stakeholders (external investors, nongovernmental organizations, governments, consumers, suppliers, communities and media) to advocate the water disclosure of firms with high water risks.

The attempt is novel in the context of considering the water regulation risks and the demands of external stakeholders. It provides new insights into the factors influencing water disclosure from the perspective of political stakeholders.

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) practices on both competitive advantage (CA) and organizational performance (OP) in the manufacturing sector in Ethiopia.

Data for the study were collected from a sample of 221 manufacturing companies operating in the four manufacturing groups/sectors in Ethiopia. In addition, data analysis was performed using the partial least squares method, which is a variance-based Structural Equation Modeling approach in the Smart-PLS software version (SmartPLS 4.0).

Based on the statistical analysis of the collected data, it demonstrates that SSCM has a significant and positive impact on both competitive advantage and organizational performance. Furthermore, statistical findings offer proof of the clear connection between competitive advantage and organizational performance. Moreover, competitive advantage indirectly mediates the relationship between SSCM and OP.

The primary limitation of this research is its reliance on a cross-sectional design. The generalizability of the findings obtained from the present study may be hindered. The variable under investigation in this research assessed organizational performance, a concept that is widely acknowledged to be extremely dynamic.

The study provides managers and researchers with valuable information on Sustainable Supply Chain Management strategies and how they influence competitive advantage and organizational performance in commercial and industrial environments.

This paper adds to the body of knowledge by providing new data and empirical insights into the relationship between SSCM practices and the performance of manufacturing companies in Ethiopia.

This study aims to characterize the lubrication condition under sliding-rolling contact using three indicators, including the oil film thickness and two perpendicular (vertical and tangential) vibrations. The lubrication deterioration can then be detected when sliding occurs in rolling contact.

An experimental study is presented to identify the lubrication deterioration under sliding-rolling contact. Sliding-rolling experiments with controlled loads, slip ratios and speeds are carried out on a roller-ring test rig. The deterioration of lubrication condition is analyzed by the transient oil film thickness and two perpendicular vibration signals, respectively.

The oil film thickness and the vibration signal play different roles in characterizing different lubrication deterioration conditions. Specifically, the degree of lubrication deterioration with slight solid-contact is indicated by the rapid reduction in oil film thickness. The degree of lubrication deterioration with severe solid-contact is reflected by two perpendicular (vertical and tangential) vibrations. Furthermore, the tangential vibration can indicate the occurrence of sliding in rolling contact.

A full characterization of the lubrication deterioration under sliding-rolling contact can be accomplished by integrating both the oil film thickness and two perpendicular vibration monitoring.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-07-2024-0244/

The politically laden nature of postdisaster recovery calls for more research on its governance, especially at the micro-scale. Apart from engineering-oriented frameworks, researchers need new theoretical underpinnings. This paper aims to review the development of the evolutionary resilience theory and use it as an analytical framework to evaluate the governance of post-earthquake reconstruction planning in China.

This paper examines how reconstruction planning is governed in the epicenter town of the 2008 Great Sichuan Earthquake, highlighting three key qualities of evolutionary resilience. The authors draw on site investigations, semistructured interviews and analysis of official and unpublished documents from various sources.

This paper finds that despite the absence of specific resilience statements in reconstruction plans of the time, qualities of evolutionary resilience, including social connectedness, flexibility and innovation, were evident in a hybrid and contradictory reconstruction planning system. In this respect, resilience thinking appears in Chinese planning earlier than generally assumed. This paper suggests that this manifestation of resilience was the result of an instrumental utility in addressing socioeconomic uncertainties in the postdisaster environment and, thus, may not be systematic.

This work enriches the understanding of recovery governance from an evolutionary resilience perspective where existing research is insufficient. It also offers ample practical guidance for similar cases in China and elsewhere.

This paper aims to study the effect of short-term firm-level exposure on managerial change during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Chinese economy. Such a link is not explored in the existing COVID-19 and resource-based theory (RBT) literature.

The logit regression model is utilized to examine the effect of short-term exposure on the probability of managerial change in the Chinese economy. Logit models based on coarsened exact matching (CEM) are also used in the robustness checks part of the study. The results are robust to different specifications.

The obtained findings show that short-term exposure has a significantly positive effect on the probability of managerial change during the pandemic.

Under the RBT approach, this study sheds new light on the relationship between short-term financial exposure and managerial change under uncertainty during the pandemic.

C-Suite executives need to be prepared for short-term sudden shocks. According to the findings of the study, the relationship between short-term sudden shocks and short-term financial exposure is a factor that C-suite executives should pay attention to.

Short-term sudden shocks can support managerial change, pushing society into uncertainty and negatively affecting the private sector. In this context, it has a structure that can amplify uncertainty.

In the existing COVID-19 literature, the effect of short-term exposure on the probability of managerial change is under researched, especially in the emerging markets-based RBT and COVID-19 literature. The present study offers an insight into the link between short-term exposure and the probability of managerial change during the pandemic.

This study aims to examine the impact of urbanization and renewable energy productivity on sustainable development in developing Asia economies. Moreover, it investigates the potential of sustainable urbanization in these economies through the lens of renewable energy productivity.

Using a balanced panel data set of 20 developing Asian economies from 2000 to 2020, this study uses the sustainable development goals score as the dependent variable. Principal explanatory variables include urban population and renewable energy productivity, with globalization and government expenditure as control variables in sustainable development function. This study uses diagnostic tests such as cross-sectional dependence, unit-root test and cointegration to ensure robustness. For the empirical analysis, the pooled mean group autoregressive distributed lag estimation technique is used for both long- and short-run dynamics, supplemented by the panel-corrected standard errors and feasible generalized least squares methods for the robustness check.

The long-run results indicate that urbanization and renewable energy productivity significantly enhance sustainable development. This study also identifies globalization and government expenditure as significant drivers of sustainable development. The long-run results further identify the potential moderating role of renewable energy productivity, thereby helping urbanization in stimulating sustainable development. This study recommends developing policies that promote sustainable urban infrastructure, such as energy-efficient buildings and smart cities, while investing in renewable energy technologies and systems to enhance their integration into urban development plans and maintain sustainable development.

This study contributes to the literature by highlighting the nuanced impact of renewable energy productivity on sustainable development in the context of urbanization. It underscores the synergistic benefits of aligning urban growth with renewable energy initiatives, suggesting strategic fiscal policies and international cooperation as essential components for advancing sustainable development in developing Asian economies.

This study aims to propose a cloud platform architecture considering information sharing based on blockchain to realize the security and convenience of enterprise information sharing in the automotive supply chain.

A bilateral matching model considering enterprises information contribution stimulates information sharing and improves the efficiency and quality of supply and demand matching. Three smart contracts are used to complete the information sharing process and match supply and demand in the automotive supply chain.

The system is tested on the local Ganache private chain, and the decentralized web page is designed based on the architecture prototype.

Solve the problem of information island in automobile supply chain.

This chapter explores the multifaceted relationship between quantum computing (QC) and sustainability, with a focus on the Quadratic Unconstrained Binary Optimisation (QUBO) framework. The manuscript delves into the theoretical underpinnings of QUBO and its formulation as a quantum annealing problem, identifying the quantum principles that facilitate the resolution of such optimisation challenges. It offers a critical analysis of the suitability of QUBO for unconstrained problems and its efficacy in consistently locating the global minimum – a pivotal concern in optimisation tasks. Further, this study provides a nuanced discussion on the intersection of QC and sustainability. It delineates the types of optimisation problems within sustainability initiatives that are amenable to formulation as QUBO problems, while also highlighting sustainability challenges that elude the QUBO framework. It argues for the integration of quantum solutions into business operations, highlighting the potential for QC to play a transformative role in achieving sustainability objectives. The critique of the current hype surrounding QC provides a balanced viewpoint, ensuring a grounded approach to the adoption of quantum technologies in tackling pressing global issues.