GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS FOR CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY: A Review
V. K. BANSAL and MAHESH PAL
Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computer-based tool and being used extensively to solve various engineering problems involving the use of spatial data. In spite of the growing popularity, its complete potential to the construction industry has not been realized. GIS technology provides capabilities to solve problems involving the database management, data integration, visualization and analysis of large volumes of spatial and attributes data. Creation and management of data, integration of information, visualization, E-commerce and cost estimation are some of the major benefits of using GIS in construction industry t o which most of the construction management softwares are lacking. In this paper, a detailed review of the up-to-date work on the applications of GIS technology in construction industry is presented. A methodology to manage the spatial and the non-spatial information of the construction projects in GIS environment is also discussed.
GIS Technology; Construction Projects; Management Softwares.
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Research Articles
THE SPACE-TIME FEATURES OF LAND PRICE IN CHINA
CIFANG WU and JUAN-ER ZHENG
The ongoing economic reform makes China’s land problems particularly interesting. This paper is mainly on the space-time features of land price, which is one of the focuses in China. The task of this paper is to give a brief analysis on how the land price is distributed and give out some advice on land reform in China, and if possible, offer some useful experiences for other countries. By comparing the land price during the past eight years, we find that the land price in China has kept a positive velocity during the past eight years, especially in 2002-2004. Using GIS tools and statistic software, we find that the regional differentiation patterns of land price are consistent with the economy distribution patterns. Further, we test the correlation between the land price and market indices. The results show that the land for general use, commercial use and residential use have close relationship with the market indices while the land for industrial use has no relation with the market indices, at least is not statistically significant. So, we suggest China keep on the market-oriented land reform and take great effort on the management of industry land.
Land price, Space-Time Distribution, Land Market.
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Research Articles
ASSESSMENT OF SCHOOL BUILDING VULNERABILITY FOR EARTHQUAKE DISASTERS
M. NAGESH and DEVANSHU PANDIT
The present study aims at quantifying the vulnerability of a school building against earthquake in particular which can be generalized to any disaster. The study is confined to some parts of Ahmedabad city. This study was done in the aftermath of January 26 2001 earthquake and the school tragedy that followed. The school buildings were compared with the standard codal provisions for compliance. Totally 40 randomly selected schools were surveyed in the study. The non conformance was quantified and graded to get a vulnerability grading. The results show that none of the school buildings are safe against disaster. Ninety percent of the schools come under highly vulnerable category.
Earthquake, Standard Codal Provisions, Vulnerability.
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Research Articles
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES FOR THIRD WORLD
CITY MANAGEMENTS
MS. MONA N. SHAH
Cities have been historically and traditionally acting as powerful magnets attracting
the very best of talent, and resources into its fold. Since times immemorial, cities
have led from the front all development – social, cultural, technological, financial
and human. They were synonymous with liberal thought, and reflected progressive
aspirations of humankind.
Ancient cities provided trading advantages and evolved into centers of commerce.
Athens, Constantinople, Phoenix, were known for their ‘linking advantages’. The
Middle Ages saw cities like Manchester and Liverpool getting pride of place due
to the industrial communities they supported. These cities were not trading
propositions but became producers of goods.
Modern cities are too many and too well –known to enlist. They are distinct as
compared to their ancient and medieval counterparts because their original
‘USPs’ (unique selling propositions) are blurred. Today a city offers an enormous
choice of opportunities. Hence the city struggles to be many things to many
people. These result in insurmountable problems each of which is important,
urgent or critical. City managements are then hard put to satisfy all its stakeholders.
Over a period of time the same people who were attracted to cities for the
opportunity seek them elsewhere. What they take away with them is often debilitating
to the city as it loses valuable capital investment and human talent; further
straining its resources and pushing the city into a vicious spiral of retrogression
and financial crisis.
Who takes responsibility to keep them functional, state-of-art, cutting edge and wealthy?
These are some of the issues that are sought to be raised in this paper. Moreover
the author looks at city managements from the perspectives of a private profit
driven corporation and recommends benchmarking with as many features of
private corporations as are justifiable in order to make cities contemporary and
competitive. In so doing the author is convinced that the issues of sustainability,
self-sufficiency, equal opportunity, quality of life, welfare and so on would be
forthcoming to its citizens.
The author suggests a conceptual case of strategic planning and implementation
social, cultural, technological, financial
and human
Research & Publications Department 