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Article
Publication date: 8 February 2023

Xiaojuan Li, Ching-Ter Chang, Yue-Yue Zhu and Lu-Lu Li

The development of urban underground complexes (UUCs) has great positive significance for improving urban safety. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the key factors of the…

Abstract

Purpose

The development of urban underground complexes (UUCs) has great positive significance for improving urban safety. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the key factors of the people's behavior of evacuation route selection (BERS) for fire emergencies and UUCs’ development. This study aims to find out the factors affecting people's BERS in the evacuation process of UUCs.

Design/methodology/approach

This study aims to find out the factors affecting people's BERS in the evacuation process of UUCs. To achieve this goal, the authors conducted a field experiment in F City. Furthermore, the people's BERS are obtained by using a structural equation model and compared with the field test results.

Findings

The authors found that the key factors for people's BERS are lighting conditions, route distance, flow direction guidance and indication. The results of this study contribute to the safety field by providing key factors for fire emergencies. It can also be used to improve fire safety management, evacuation strategies and assist in the development of intelligent evacuation systems.

Originality/value

The results of this study contribute to the safety field by providing key factors for fire emergencies. It can also be used to improve fire safety management, evacuation strategies and assist in the development of intelligent evacuation systems.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 31 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 December 2024

Chengxin Lin, Jieyi Chen, Chao Feng and Xiaojuan Li

Prefabricated building has emerged as a hallmark of modern construction industrialization and a pivotal driver of industrial upgrading. In this new building type, the supply of…

Abstract

Purpose

Prefabricated building has emerged as a hallmark of modern construction industrialization and a pivotal driver of industrial upgrading. In this new building type, the supply of high-quality prefabricated components plays a crucial role in ensuring project quality, cost-effectiveness and on-time completion. Consequently, selecting the optimum suppliers for these components is vital. This study provides valuable insights for construction enterprises, guiding them in the optimal selection of prefabricated component suppliers and thereby contributing to the sustainable development of the construction industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The entropy weight method is used to integrate and rank 19 commonly used evaluation indices, forming a supplier evaluation system from the enterprises perspective. Subsequently, the VIKOR multi-attribute decision model, combined with a comprehensive evaluation method based on cloud modeling, is applied to identify the most suitable suppliers through case study.

Findings

The findings emphasized that product quality, particularly the component compliance rate, is paramount in supplier selection. Additionally, companies should prioritize cost management and fundamental supplier capabilities, such as transportation efficiency and operational flexibility, while fostering strong partnerships with high-quality suppliers. Furthermore, all stakeholders need to enhance the supply chain’s responsiveness and adaptability, ensuring these improvements are achieved without strict cost controls.

Originality/value

This study minimizes the influence of subjective biases from decision-makers’ by integrating quantitative and qualitative analysis methods, thereby enhancing the comprehensiveness and accuracy of evaluations. By effectively addressing the fuzziness and uncertainty inherent in evaluation data, it establishes a robust system for selecting prefabricated building suppliers. This approach offers reliable and practical decision support, providing theoretical backing for enterprises in choosing prefabricated component suppliers and promoting the sustainable development of the prefabricated construction industry.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 October 2024

Xiaojuan Li, Rixin Chen, Weibin Chen and C.Y. Jim

Prefabricated building (PB) uses factory production and onsite assembly, which differs from traditional construction methods. This special construction approach may lead to…

64

Abstract

Purpose

Prefabricated building (PB) uses factory production and onsite assembly, which differs from traditional construction methods. This special construction approach may lead to dissimilar safety risks and challenges. Traditional safety assessment methods may not adequately and accurately assess the safety risks of PB construction. This paper aims to develop a new concept and methodology for targeted improvement in assessing PB safety risks.

Design/methodology/approach

Risk factors and indicators were established based on literature review and expert inputs. A structural equation model (SEM) was developed to investigate the relationships among three main risk categories: objects, workers and management. SEM analyzed the intricate associations between indicators and deepened understanding of safety risks. The model was tailored for China’s PB construction projects to enhance safety-risk management.

Findings

The cloud model evaluation validated the SEM model. A PB case study project tested and verified the model, evaluated its efficacy and quantified its safety performance and grade. We identified significant safety risk impacts across the three risk categories, safety-control level and specific areas that require improvement. The SEM model established a robust safety evaluation indicator system for comprehensive safety assessment of PB construction.

Practical implications

Practical recommendations provide valuable insights for decision-makers to enhance construction efficiency without compromising safety. This study contributed to the conceptual foundation and devised a novel method for evaluating safety performance in PB construction for safer and more efficient practices.

Originality/value

This study departed from the traditional method of calculating weights, opting instead for the SEM method to determine the weights of individual risk indicators. Additionally, we leveraged the cloud model to mitigate the influence of subjective factors in analyzing questionnaire survey responses. The feasibility and reliability of our proposed method were rigorously tested and verified by applying it to the PB case.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 26 March 2024

Xiaojuan Li, Yanping Feng, Cora Un In Wong and Lianping Ren

This paper aims to understand Chinese tourists’ changing shopping experience in Macao. In scrutinizing reviews posted in the pre-COVID and during COVID eras, the study has…

Abstract

This paper aims to understand Chinese tourists’ changing shopping experience in Macao. In scrutinizing reviews posted in the pre-COVID and during COVID eras, the study has identified changing patterns in Chinese tourists’ shopping experiences, including increased leisure components while shopping, decreased luxury pursuits and an improved overall leisure and shopping experience because of decreased prices in accommodation and a less crowded retail and leisure environment. An emergent opportunity to provide “retail-tainment” experience is discussed.

Details

Tourism Critiques: Practice and Theory, vol. 5 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2633-1225

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 June 2022

Xiaojuan Li, Zhou Zhang, C.Y. Jim, Jiyu Lai and Xueqing Chen

This paper aims to establish a model to evaluate the benefits of building information modeling (BIM) from the owners' perspective. The model analyzes the correlation between five…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to establish a model to evaluate the benefits of building information modeling (BIM) from the owners' perspective. The model analyzes the correlation between five secondary benefit indicators and their subsystems: product, financial, organizational, management and strategic. The final key factors of BIM benefits provide a decision-making basis for owners to raise the efficiency of BIM application.

Design/methodology/approach

Firstly, the authors combed 31 BIM-related literature and interviewed experts to identify 15 preliminary benefit indicators. The authors established a BIM benefit evaluation system based on relevant concepts, including two primary indicators, five secondary indicators and 15 tertiary indicators. Secondly, the authors analyzed the indicators by the extension theory of matter element analysis and a questionnaire survey of expert opinion. Finally, the new method was applied to a case study of a large shopping center in east China for empirical verification.

Findings

A BIM benefit evaluation model, including a three-tiered hierarchy of primary, secondary and tertiary indicators, was constructed through literature review and expert opinions. The model determined the critical factors of BIM benefits, enhanced understanding of owner benefits and improved BIM application under the owners' leadership.

Originality/value

At present, most studies focus on specific project stages or benefit indicators. This study developed an integrated BIM benefit evaluation system that targets owners. The findings could foster the development of China's construction industry, promote owner-led BIM application and advocate adopting the benefit evaluation method.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 30 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 August 2015

Xiaoqin Hua, Li Si, Xiaozhe Zhuang and Wenming Xing

Under the new technological environment, academic libraries meet an extremely intense competition in offering information services, and marketing becomes an important means to…

1821

Abstract

Purpose

Under the new technological environment, academic libraries meet an extremely intense competition in offering information services, and marketing becomes an important means to attain the goal of their sustainable development. The purpose of this paper is to get an overview of library marketing in Chinese “985” Project Universities, the authors undertook a survey on each library of “985” Project Universities released on the web site of Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China. And then the authors identified some successful practices based on the survey.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the content of each web site, along with the individual hyperlinks and categories that every library web site has, were browsed to check the availability of the categories. Second, the search function of each library was explored using terms like “blog,” “video” and “tutorial” to retrieve information about services. Third, the Google search engine was used to retrieve information from Renren, microblog and YouTube accounts combining with the name of each library. And then the authors consult reference librarians about marketing methods and tools applied in their libraries with real-time online reference services.

Findings

This paper suggests that 29 libraries are exploiting video marketing, which is the most widely used marketing methods, accounting for 74.36 percent. Mobile library marketing and microblog marketing are another two major application among the 39 “985” Project Universities libraries in China, respectively, accounting for 69.23 and 58.97 percent.

Originality/value

The paper reveals that there are some deficiencies lying in the marketing of these libraries: characteristic resources in really simple syndication (RSS) are insufficient, video themes turn to be traditional and plain, network media marketing is relatively uncommon, and mobile library marketing is limited to mobile messaging services. It may fill in the gap of better understanding the relationship between the traditional information services and modern services from users’ perspective. It is instructive for libraries to systematically summarize success or failure experience of other library marketing, and keep an innovative concept and global vision.

Details

Library Management, vol. 36 no. 6/7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-5124

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 June 2020

Zhe Wang, Xisheng Li, Xiaojuan Zhang, Yanru Bai and Chengcai Zheng

The purpose of this study is to use visual and inertial sensors to achieve real-time location. How to provide an accurate location has become a popular research topic in the field…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to use visual and inertial sensors to achieve real-time location. How to provide an accurate location has become a popular research topic in the field of indoor navigation. Although the complementarity of vision and inertia has been widely applied in indoor navigation, many problems remain, such as inertial sensor deviation calibration, unsynchronized visual and inertial data acquisition and large amount of stored data.

Design/methodology/approach

First, this study demonstrates that the vanishing point (VP) evaluation function improves the precision of extraction, and the nearest ground corner point (NGCP) of the adjacent frame is estimated by pre-integrating the inertial sensor. The Sequential Similarity Detection Algorithm (SSDA) and Random Sample Consensus (RANSAC) algorithms are adopted to accurately match the adjacent NGCP in the estimated region of interest. Second, the model of visual pose is established by using the parameters of the camera itself, VP and NGCP. The model of inertial pose is established by pre-integrating. Third, location is calculated by fusing the model of vision and inertia.

Findings

In this paper, a novel method is proposed to fuse visual and inertial sensor to locate indoor environment. The authors describe the building of an embedded hardware platform to the best of their knowledge and compare the result with a mature method and POSAV310.

Originality/value

This paper proposes a VP evaluation function that is used to extract the most advantages in the intersection of a plurality of parallel lines. To improve the extraction speed of adjacent frame, the authors first proposed fusing the NGCP of the current frame and the calibrated pre-integration to estimate the NGCP of the next frame. The visual pose model was established using extinction VP and NGCP, calibration of inertial sensor. This theory offers the linear processing equation of gyroscope and accelerometer by the model of visual and inertial pose.

Article
Publication date: 6 May 2021

Zhe Wang, Xisheng Li, Xiaojuan Zhang, Yanru Bai and Chengcai Zheng

How to model blind image deblurring that arises when a camera undergoes ego-motion while observing a static and close scene. In particular, this paper aims to detail how the…

Abstract

Purpose

How to model blind image deblurring that arises when a camera undergoes ego-motion while observing a static and close scene. In particular, this paper aims to detail how the blurry image can be restored under a sequence of the linear model of the point spread function (PSF) that are derived from the 6-degree of freedom (DOF) camera’s accurate path during the long exposure time.

Design/methodology/approach

There are two existing techniques, namely, an estimation of the PSF and a blind image deconvolution. Based on online and short-period inertial measurement unit (IMU) self-calibration, this motion path has discretized a sequence of the uniform speed of 3-DOF rectilinear motion, which unites with a 3-DOF rotational motion to form a discrete 6-DOF camera’s path. These PSFs are evaluated through the discrete path, then combine with a blurry image to restoration through deconvolution.

Findings

This paper describes to build a hardware attachment, which is composed of a consumer camera, an inexpensive IMU and a 3-DOF motion mechanism to the best of the knowledge, together with experimental results demonstrating its overall effectiveness.

Originality/value

First, the paper proposes that a high-precision 6-DOF motion platform periodically adjusts the speed of a three-axis rotational motion and a three-axis rectilinear motion in a short time to compensate the bias of the gyroscope and the accelerometer. Second, this paper establishes a model of 6-DOF motion and emphasizes on rotational motion, translational motion and scene depth motion. Third, this paper addresses a novel model of the discrete path that the motion during long exposure time is discretized at a uniform speed, then to estimate a sequence of PSFs.

Details

Sensor Review, vol. 41 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0260-2288

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 January 2023

Xiaobei Liang, Xiaojuan Hu, Eldon Y. Li and Hu Meng

Sustainability-oriented projects are prevalent on crowdfunding platforms nowadays. The relationship between crowdfunding and sustainability has attracted the attention of many…

Abstract

Purpose

Sustainability-oriented projects are prevalent on crowdfunding platforms nowadays. The relationship between crowdfunding and sustainability has attracted the attention of many scholars. This study aims to examine the effects of perceived sustainability orientation on value-co-creation behavior from the perspective of backers and explore the mediation effects of three psychological factors: perceived affective reaction, perceived self-effectiveness and perceived risk.

Design/methodology/approach

The study recruits 455 backers to evaluate 100 projects on a crowdfunding platform. Structural equation modeling based on partial least squares is used to analyze data and test the hypotheses.

Findings

The results show that perceived sustainability orientation influences value-co-creation behavior through perceived affective reaction and self-effectiveness. Furthermore, perceived sustainability orientation impacts participation behavior through perceived risk.

Research limitations/implications

Our study mainly focuses on sustainability-oriented and reward-based crowdfunding projects. Future research can examine other types of projects and other crowdfunding platforms.

Practical implications

These findings can provide implications for project creators to improve the values co-created with backers in future sustainability-oriented projects. Furthermore, the findings can provide implications for backers and help them evaluate crowdfunding projects.

Originality/value

The existing studies are mostly concerned with project creators’ perspectives. This paper is one of the few to investigate how a project’s sustainability orientation influences backers’ psychological factors and value-co-creation behavior.

Article
Publication date: 6 May 2024

Shujing Li, Xiaojuan Huang, Zhiheng He, Yongxiang Liu, Hui Qu and Jing Wu

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a double-stator switched reluctance machine (DS-SRM) for electric vehicles (EVs) and to propose multi-mode operations for this machine.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a double-stator switched reluctance machine (DS-SRM) for electric vehicles (EVs) and to propose multi-mode operations for this machine.

Design/methodology/approach

Analysis of flux linkage distributions and torque characteristics using finite element method (FEM). Building a dynamic simulation model based on electromagnetic characteristics, mathematical equations and mechanical motion equations of the DS-SRM drive system. The paper proposes multi-mode operations (inner-stator excitation mode, outer-stator excitation mode and double-stator excitation mode) based on motor working regions. It also conducts simulation and experimental results to verify the effectiveness of the proposed multi-mode operations strategies and control schemes.

Findings

There is almost no electromagnetic coupling between the inner and outer stators due to the specially designed rotor structure and optimized windings polarity configuration. Analysis of flux linkage distributions and torque characteristics verified the independence of inner and outer stators. Proposal of multi-mode operations and corresponding control rules achieved the smooth switching between different modes.

Originality/value

The paper introduced the DS-SRM for EVs and proposed multi-mode operations, along with control rules, to optimize its performance. The specially designed rotor structure, optimized winding polarity configuration, and the proposed multi-mode operations contribute to the originality of the research.

Details

COMPEL - The international journal for computation and mathematics in electrical and electronic engineering , vol. 43 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0332-1649

Keywords

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