FUZZY LOGICS AND FUZZY SET THEORY BASED, MULTI OBJECTIVE DECISION-MAKING, MODELING TOOL FOR SUSTAINABLE WATER
SUPPLY
DR. JAGDISH SINGH
"Monitoring for Water Supply Systems in Urban Areas, Bhopal" shall
be conceded by analyzing the physical parameters/ indicators/ factors/
attributes/ determinants studied and covered from Global, National,
Regional to Local level. Monitoring system mechanism, findings on water
supply for shaping up urban planning, Perception of Monitoring system
from Global to local level by eminent scholars should lead to finalize
the attributes. This analysis model has been developed as the inferences
carried out from Global, National, Regional and local level Bhopal, in the
form of parameters/ indicators/ factors/ attributes/ determinants to make
decisions for monitoring sustainable water supply. The input determinants
have been determined by using GIS, GPS, and Remote Sensing both in
the form of vector and raster analysis and finally using Fuzzy Logics
as an interface tool has developed the analysis model. The multi level
fuzzy logics model gives the results both in the form of linguistic as
well as numerical calculations the reason being the computers gives the
results only in binary forms where as the monitoring decisions taken
at site includes Linguistic decisions viz. for example, excellent, very
good, good, fair, poor and unsatisfactory. The other information required
for multi level fuzzy logics model includes alternatives and preferences
of experts.
The multi level fuzzy logics model shall be applicable to any city from
local, regional, National to Global level. The results derived from this
model are decisions for monitoring taken by administration for sustainable
water supply to particular city based on available water resources.
The multi level fuzzy logics model developed by Fuzzy logics is based
on the weight-ages and rankings with establishment of benchmark and
finally gives the results for sustainable water supply, by fuzzy decision
making.
The model developed by this research paper is a one-point scale. The
possible alternative, factors & preferences are from 0, 0.1,0.2,0.3,0.4…1,
so that the instant decisions should be made based on preferences of
expert or respondent. The possible alternatives, factors and preferences
are rated from 0,0.1,0.2,0.3,0.4…1 so that the appropriate decisions
should be finalized to carry out field monitoring for sustainable water
supply systems. After experiencing Industrial age the present age is
information age and the information available to us can be used as
interpretation of data for sustainable use of resource.
Water supply systems, Monitoring, Fuzzy, Model, Preferences, Alternatives,
Decisions
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Research Articles
SIMULATION AND OPTIMIZATION OF BREAKWATER CONSTRUCTION
MR. RAKESH KADARKARAI
DR. ASHWIN MAHALINGAM
MR. SATYAKI BASU
Breakwaters are offshore structures that protect a harbour or a
beach from the force of waves. Breakwater construction is highly
equipment intensive and complex since work is done through both
land and sea. In order to efficiently construct breakwaters, project
planners need to optimize equipment selection and synchronize the
deployment of construction equipment. Conventional project planning
tools such as the Critical Path Method are often inadequate to
analyze the various combinations by which equipment can be
deployed, in order to generate an optimal project plan. Breakwater
construction is repetitive in nature since the cross-section is
composed of relatively similar materials and layers across its length.
This repetitive nature of construction operations makes the breakwater
construction process an ideal candidate for description and analysis
through the use of simulation. While a large amount of literature
exists in the area of simulating construction processes, very little
literature focuses on simulating the construction of breakwaters.
In this paper, we develop a discrete event simulation system that
models the construction of a breakwater. This model is then
validated against data from a real-world breakwater construction
project in India. The simulation's macro as well as micro-process
outputs match with the data from the project site. The paper then
demonstrates how project planners can optimize their project plan
and requirements using Genetic Algorithms to determine the optimal
combination of equipment to be deployed. The paper also demonstrates
how the simulation can be used to conduct 'what-if' analysis to
evaluate and decide between multiple project scenarios. The paper
concludes with a brief discussion on the simulation, its applicability
towards current practice and suggested avenues of future research.
Breakwater, Simulation, Genetic Algorithms, Optimization, Construction
Equipment
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Research Articles
CAUSES AND IMPLICATIONS OF VARIATIONS AND DEVIATIONS IN CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS
DR. N. B. CHAPHALKAR
MS. SMITA K. PATIL
Construction projects are inevitably subjected to variations and
deviations due to the influence of highly changing variables and
unpredictable factors arising from different sources. This leads to
claims and ultimately disputes. The delay in settlement of disputes
through litigation hampers project progress and damages relationship
between parties of contract apart from contributing to the cost
and time overruns.
The study identifies the causes of variations in a construction
project and its implications on the same. A study of various court
cases and arbitration awards related to variations and deviations
in construction contracts is carried out. The paper also highlights
the various claims arising out of the variations and deviations in
a construction project.
Construction Contract, Construction Disputes, Dispute Resolution,
Contract Administration
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Research Articles
AFFORDABLE HOUSING - AVENUES FOR INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENT - A CASE STUDY
Dr. Sudhi Mary Kurian
The Government often promotes various
housing schemes with an ultimate objective
of providing home to the homeless. In many
cases, the statistics reveals that this objective
is not fully met. Affordability plays a
significant role in making any housing
schemes fruitful. While affordability has a
direct relation to the cost, there exist several
other factors which directly or indirectly
influence the buyer in his/her decision for
investment. Therefore organizations
responsible for implementation of housing
schemes should re-orient themselves to offer
maximum satisfaction to the buyer. At the
same time, the organization should equip
itself to sustain its own development. Nirmithi
Kendras which had their origin in Kerala was
playing a pivotal role as an institutional
arrangement in providing affordable housing
to the needy till late nineties. However, there
was a decline in its popularity thereafter.
This study attempts to identify various factors
that can make the functioning of Nirmithi
Kendra more effective.
Housing, Customer expectation, Quality
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Research Articles
PLANNING AND MONITORING OF ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR
HANUMANTHA RAO
M. KISHORE KUMAR
K. R. RAMANA
Project management employed in the construction circles though relatively new dating back to early '90s, is flooded with lots of
techniques mainly borrowed from the industrial set up. The learned readers are well aware of the peculiar unorganized scenario
of the construction industry exposed to the vagaries of climate/nature unlike controlled manufacturing in factories thus the implications
of employing such tested techniques in the construction arena. Moreover Project management is confined to just one aspect of
time planning through CPM/Barchart and totally ignoring the related cost & resource factors. The lack of enthusiasm in their applications
amongst the practitioners is mainly attributed to non-availability of sophisticated tools which have the potential of integrating the
management techniques incorporating all the related criteria for successful completion of any project. This paper highlights the
immense advantages of integrated project management brought in by the existing software packages like MS Project, Primavera etc.
NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING METHODS FOR CONCRETE STRUCTURES
DR. A. K. GARG
MR. ARUN CHOUDHARY
MR. ABHINANDAN BAISHYA
It is often necessary to test concrete structures after the concrete
has hardened to determine whether the structure is suitable for
its designed use. Ideally such testing should be done without
damaging the concrete. The tests for concrete range from the
completely non-destructive, where there is no damage to the
concrete, to partially destructive tests, such as core tests, probe
penetration test pullout and pull off tests, where the surface has
to be repaired after the test. The range of properties that can be
assessed using non-destructive tests and partially destructive tests
is quite large and includes such fundamental parameters as density,
elastic modulus, strength as well as surface hardness and surface
absorption, and reinforcement location, size and distance from the
surface. In some cases it is also possible to check the quality of
workmanship and structural integrity by the ability to detect voids,
cracking and delamination.
Non-destructive testing can be applied to both old and new
structures. For new structures, the principal applications are likely
to be for quality control or the resolution of doubts about the
quality of materials or construction. The testing of existing structures
is usually related to an assessment of structural integrity or
adequacy. In either case, if destructive testing alone is used, for
instance, by removing cores for compression testing, the cost of
coring and testing may only allow a relatively small number of
tests to be carried out on a large structure which may be misleading.
Non-destructive testing can be used in those situations as a
preliminary to subsequent coring. This paper aims to highlight the
drawbacks of traditional methods of concrete testing, need for
non destructive testing, situations where used and detailed explanation
of important non destructive testing methods and their limitations.
Non-destructive Testing, Concrete Structure, Quality Control
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Research Articles
STUDY ON THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF COPPER SLAG CONCRETE
DR. PAZHANI K. C.
In India most of the construction activities are made with concrete
as it is easily available and the moulding can be done even by
unskilled labour. The growth of industries has been observed from
the past decade. As industries grow, their waste product generation
increases. Copper slag is one of the waste products generated by
chemical industries. Copper slag is creating some environmental
problems in the surrounding areas if it is not properly disposed.
Presently it is utilized in cement manufacturing, sand blasting, and
reclamation. In this study an attempt has been made to utilize the
copper slag in concrete as a replacement to sand.
The strength and durability properties of copper slag concrete are
studied in detail by conducting the following tests with varying
percentage replacement (0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100%) of fine
aggregate by copper slag. In each percentage replacement 3 specimens
were prepared and tested at the age of 28 days, 56 days and 91
days for strength tests and 28 days for durability tests.
Strength tests:
1. Compressive Strength 2. Flexural Strength
3. Bond Strength 4. Splitting tensile strength
Durability tests:
1. Water Absorption
2. Chloride Penetration
This study gives us a clear picture about the optimum proportion
of replacement of fine aggregate for the best performance. We
can observe that for 100% replacement of the fine aggregate with
copper slag has a good improvement in the parameters studied
here.
Research & Publications Department 