Tripartite Social Roles of Urban Underground Pipeline Informatization in China

Abstract

Urban underground pipelines (UUPs) are critical infrastructure, and their safe operation has become a key concern in Chinese society. Currently, the tripartite social roles of the local people’s government, pipeline management departments, and the public are crucial in the informatization of urban underground pipelines. In this study, a survey was conducted among 126 professionals and technical personnel involved in underground pipeline informatization across eight cities in different regions of China. A quantitative weighted evaluation model was established using the Project Quantitative Index (PQI) and principal component analysis (PCA) to investigate the value of the tripartite aforementioned social groups in UUP informatization. The results indicate: (1) There is a significant positive correlation between the tripartite social roles and the promotion of UUP informatization. Moreover, the indicators with the highest PQI value are “Establishment of UUP informatization management departments” and “Support the work of the UUP informatization industry association” under the role of the local people’s government. (2) The informatization work of underground pipelines in different cities is affected differently by the tripartite social roles. This suggests that the local people’s government and professional management departments in different cities can proactively leverage their unique advantages in UUP informatization based on their specific circumstances. (3) PCA results showed that the indicators related to the public carried significant weight, indicating that the public also played an important role in UUP informatization. The degree of UUP informatization in the eight studied cities is ranked as follows: Guangzhou > Beijing > Qingdao > Kunming > Shanghai > Chengdu > Wuhan > Sian. This paper further discusses the unique roles and contributions of the tripartite social groups in UUP informatization, aiming to provide decision support for the future construction, management, and safe operation and maintenance of urban underground pipelines in China.

1. Introduction

Underground pipelines encompass essential systems such as drainage, water supply, electricity, communications, gas, and heating, and they are crucial urban infrastructure [1,2]. Due to rapid urbanization and inadequate maintenance, underground pipeline disasters have frequently occurred in China since 1950 [3]. The explosion of the Qingdao municipal drainage pipeline in November 2013 and the Shiyan City underground pipeline explosion in June 2021 resulted in significant loss of life and property (Figure 1), along with adverse social impacts. On 20 July 2021, extreme rainfall overwhelmed Zhengzhou’s urban underground drainage system, leading to severe flooding that resulted in 380 deaths [4]. These incidents have raised strong societal concerns about the safety of China’s underground pipeline systems. In 2021 alone, 1723 underground pipeline-related accidents were recorded in various cities across China, seriously affecting public safety [5,6]. This issue has become a focal point for social development, making the informatization of urban underground pipelines urgently necessary [7].

The informatization of (UUPs) has become a focal point in smart city development [8], enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of urban management [9]. Currently, cities at or above the county level in China have conducted UUP surveys and established UUP informatization systems, which play a significant role in urban safety, management, and maintenance of municipal facilities [10,11]. However, the current UUP informatization management faces numerous challenges [12], including incomplete specialized management agencies for underground pipelines, with no dedicated departments at the national or provincial levels [13]; limited regulatory constraints on pipeline construction, with regulations not specifically focused on UUP informatization management [14]; inconsistent informatization standards, with new detection technology standards for underground pipelines being chaotic or outdated [15]; lack of funding delaying UUP informatization efforts [16]; increasing demand for urban underground pipeline health assessment as a new norm, yet lagging technologies in new UUP materials, informatization collection, and management [17]; and barriers to informatization sharing in UUP construction, impacting the value of data utilization [18].

These challenges have significantly impacted the informatization of UUPs in China, and different industries have put forward different requirements for UUP informatization research [19]. Numerous scholars have investigated the role of the local people’s government in UUP informatization, emphasizing the importance of their supervision [20,21]. Management departments are key participants in organizing and implementing UUP informatization strategies, as well as in the design and execution of projects [22]. Sustainable UUP informatization can only be achieved by considering standardized management, legal and regulatory constraints, and public input [23]. Consequently, the critical roles of various social entities in pipeline maintenance and monitoring are gaining increased attention [24]. However, few studies have simultaneously considered the roles and impacts of the local people’s government, pipeline management departments, and the public in UUP informatization.

As a guarantee for the normal operation of modern society, the UUP system is a municipal infrastructure extensively used by the public [25,26]. This paper examines the roles of three social groups involved in the informatization of urban underground pipelines in China through case studies. Using policy research, industry surveys, and personnel questionnaires, it analyzes the social roles in the construction and management of urban underground pipelines. The study categorizes and divides the roles of government departments, pipeline management departments, and the public in UUP informatization. It provides recommendations for the contributions of various social sectors to the informatization of underground pipelines. The cities of Wuhan, Chengdu, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing, Sian, Kunming, and Qingdao were selected for analysis. The study emphasizes the roles and value of the local people’s government and pipeline management departments in UUP informatization [27,28]. It also discusses how the public can access and use open UUP information resources [29], participate actively or passively in UUP informatization, and enhance social security. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of cities with professional underground pipeline informatization management departments.

2. Literature Review

The informatization of UUPs is a crucial component of digital city development, offering significant economic and social benefits. It can reduce pipeline accidents, lower leakage rates, and prevent duplicate construction [30]. Data-driven planning and management using multi-source data are key components of UUP informatization. Zhou [31] proposed a probabilistic pipeline mapping model that fuses multi-source data to map buried pipelines from transmitted datasets, introducing a novel UUP informatization collection method. Liang [32] introduced a spatial data matching method based on similarity calculations of underground pipeline data, which is highly significant for UUP informatization management. In promoting the high-precision detection of UUPs, multi-source data from ground-penetrating radar [33], point cloud data [34], and underground pipe gallery temperature data [35] are widely used to map pipelines with varying materials, spacings, or depths, thereby improving informatization efficiency. Additionally, to address issues in UUP informatization management such as pipeline relocation [9], mapping, and attribute management [36], scholars have explored integrated multidisciplinary management systems to enhance the quality of pipeline informatization management and maintenance [37]. Integrating informatization and communication technology for managing underground pipelines can effectively adapt to urbanization and maintain UUP systems [38]. Therefore, these studies hold significant potential for the informatization of underground pipelines.

UUP informatization enhances the efficiency of underground pipeline management through advanced technology and effectively reduces the risk of accidents. In pipeline informatization, it is crucial to consider the seismic capacity of joint connections [39] and understand changes in the geological interface during system analysis and design [40]. This ensures the integrity of both the pipeline and the informatization system during an earthquake [41]. Data-driven site clustering [42], similarity evaluation [43], and underground pipeline management based on road information models [44] are widely used to optimize pipeline layout schemes based on similarities between sites. To ensure the uniformity of pipeline information management data and the actual situation, pipeline information management based on BIM technology [45], underground pipeline mapping with multi-location data [46,47], and three-dimensional trajectory measurement based on multi-sensor fusion [48] are widely used to obtain accurate information of underground pipelines. Combining the advantages of multi-source monitoring data [49] with informatization technology and a multi-model supported UUP management platform can enhance the design and management of pipeline information systems, reduce the likelihood of accidents, improve system reliability and efficiency, and promote the development of the underground pipeline industry.

In summary, previous studies on UUP informatization have primarily focused on exploring methods, models, and technologies to ensure pipeline reliability and structural integrity [50,51]. However, the construction of UUP informatization in China faces numerous issues, such as incomplete management systems and outdated standards, which hinder efficiency and management levels. Few researchers have examined the impact of different social roles on UUP informatization from a management perspective. Local governments, pipeline management departments, and the public are the three key social roles influencing UUP informatization. This paper quantifies their impact to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of informatization management.

3. The Tripartite Social Roles of Underground Pipeline Informatization

3.1. The Role of Local People’s Government in the Informatization of Underground Pipelines

3.1.1. Local Government Plays a Leading Role

Since 1990, China’s local governments have played a leading role in the informatization of urban underground pipelines, as evidenced by practical work. Given the current trends in underground pipeline informatization, the role of local governments in China is expected to continue strengthening, mainly because:

(1)

The local government organizes and coordinates the entire process of underground pipeline informatization

Local governments have the ability to coordinate and allocate resources for the collection, updating, maintenance, and management of underground pipeline informatization through budget management [52]. From the experience of cities in China that have implemented UUP informatization, it is evident that successful implementation often requires local governments to take the lead. This leadership enables maximum coordination and promotes the updating, maintenance, and sharing of UUP informatization.

(2)

The local government actively ensures the allocation of funds for the informatization of underground pipelines

Local governments can ensure capital investment for the informatization of urban underground pipelines. Currently, there are three main sources of funding for the informatization of urban underground pipelines in China: first, the local government invests funds upfront to complete the informatization in its jurisdiction; second, local governments raise funds through various channels, such as contributions from enterprises; third, the local government allocates special funds annually to promote informatization updates following the completion of the yearly construction plan for urban underground pipelines.

(3)

The local government leads and promotes the development of regulations related to the informatization of UUPs

Local governments are the leaders and promoters of underground pipeline regulations. A total of 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government), 181 cities (districts), and 2 counties in mainland China (excluding Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan) have formulated underground pipeline (pipe corridor) ordinances. The provinces or cities that have promulgated local ordinances are listed in

Table 1. Formulation of laws and regulations on underground pipeline informatization in some cities in China.

No.	Province/City	Local Regulations for Underground Pipelines	Promulgater	Implementation Date
1	Heibei Province	Regulations of Hebei Province on Urban Underground Pipe Network	Standing Committee of Hebei Provincial People’s Congress	1 September 2015
2	Taiyuan City	Regulations of Taiyuan City on Urban Underground Pipe Network	Standing Committee of Taiyuan Municipal People’s Congress	1 May 2016
3	Nanjing City	Regulations of Nanjing City on Pipeline Management	Standing Committee of Nanjing Municipal People’s Congress	1 September 2018
4	Huaian City	Regulations of Huai’an City on the Administration of Underground Pipelines	Standing Committee of Huai’an Municipal People’s Congress	1 November 2017
5	Hangzhou City	Regulations of Hangzhou on the Administration of Urban Underground Pipeline Construction	Standing Committee of Hangzhou Municipal People’s Congress	1 January 2009
6	Hefei City	Regulations of Hefei on Underground Pipelines	Standing Committee of Hefei Municipal People’s Congress	1 March 2019
7	Qingdao City	Qingdao Municipal Regulations on the Administration of Urban Underground Pipelines	Standing Committee of Qingdao Municipal People’s Congress	1 November 2016
8	Zibo City	Regulations of Zibo City on the Administration of Underground Pipelines	Standing Committee of Zibo Municipal People’s Congress	1 January 2017
9	Changsha City	Regulations of Changsha on the Administration of Urban Underground Pipelines Regulations of Changsha on Archives Management of Urban Underground Pipeline Engineering	Standing Committee of Changsha Municipal People’s Congress	1 January 2017 1 May 2005
10	Zhuhai City	Zhuhai Urban Underground Pipeline Management Regulations	Standing Committee of Zhuhai Municipal People’s Congress	1 August 2009
11	Chongqing City	Chongqing Urban Pipeline Regulations	Standing Committee of Chongqing Municipal People’s Congress	1 January 2017
12	Yibin City	Regulations of Yibin City on the Administration of Urban Underground Pipelines	Standing Committee of Yibin Municipal People’s Congress	1 October 2018
13	Kunming City	Regulations of Kunming on the Administration of Urban Underground Pipelines	Standing Committee of Kunming Municipal People’s Congress	1 March 2013
14	Shaanxi Province	Regulations of Shaanxi Province on the Administration of Urban Underground Pipelines	Standing Committee of Shaanxi Provincial People’s Congress	1 October 2013
15	Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region	Regulations of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region on the Administration of Urban Underground Pipelines	Standing Committee of the People’s Congress of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region	1 September 2017
16	Yinchuan City	Regulations of Yinchuan City on the Administration of Underground Pipelines	Standing Committee of Yinchuan Municipal People’s Congress	1 November 2013

. Local governments can fully utilize the authorization provided by existing ordinances in the construction of urban underground pipeline informatization and make every effort to organize and coordinate relevant departments to implement informatization. Through the construction of ordinances, relevant government departments coordinate and utilize the functions of other departments to solve practical difficulties in UUP informatization, achieving “functional complementarity”. Government departments can also seek support from relevant ordinances to address problems and practical difficulties in UUP informatization. This process promotes the formulation and improvement of underground pipeline regulations, providing comprehensive support for informatization.

(4)

Local governments promote the updating of underground pipeline informatization and scientific research

Local governments can coordinate with relevant functional departments to strictly implement the collection of information on new underground pipelines during the planning, approval, and post-approval management stages, and promulgate corresponding regulations for oversight and management, thereby promoting the updating of underground pipeline informatization. Through project cooperation and other means, local governments can promote scientific research on urban underground pipeline informatization. Collaborations with universities, research institutes, and pipeline surveying and mapping departments can yield continuous advancements in the formulation of standards and the development and application of new technologies, leading to industry progress.

3.1.2. Local Governments in China Are Responsible for the Information Management Departments of UUPs

In recent years, China’s underground pipeline management institutions have become more professional and dedicated. Among the country’s 293 district-level cities, 44 have established comprehensive management for underground pipelines. Notably, 24 cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Nanjing, Guangzhou, and Hefei, have set up dedicated underground pipeline management agencies. Although 23 cities mandate overall management of underground pipelines in their local laws and regulations, they have not established special management agencies. Additionally, 44 cities have not addressed the overall management of underground pipelines in their laws and regulations. The main responsibilities of an underground pipeline management agency (comprehensive management department) include: formulating a unified urban underground pipeline informatization standard; overseeing the departments and management tasks during the survey stage; managing the dynamic aspects, updates, maintenance, and promotion of the urban underground pipeline database after survey completion; and providing authoritative pipeline information to support city construction. The distribution, functions, and responsibilities of various underground pipeline management institutions in China are detailed in Figure 2.

3.2. The Role of the Pipeline Management Departments in the Informatization of Underground Pipelines

China’s underground pipeline management departments include pipeline construction and ownership departments, such as those for urban water supply, drainage, electricity, telecommunications, and gas. Additionally, some government functional departments, state-owned enterprises, and joint ventures undertake pipeline construction tasks, such as urban water departments and urban rail transit construction companies. For decades, these departments have been involved in construction, management, and maintenance, accumulating extensive spatial geographic data and paper engineering records. These records detail construction age, layout paths, material usage, and other key informatization aspects, making these departments crucial in the construction and maintenance of underground pipelines. They play significant roles in urban pipeline surveys, detection, and informatization updates.

The role of pipeline management departments in the informatization of underground pipelines has the following characteristics:

• They place great importance on the commercial confidentiality of their specialized underground pipeline informatization.
• They seek benefits when providing underground pipeline informatization to external parties, acting with profit in mind.
• They have their own professional geographic informatization systems.
• They can provide detailed location data during the informatization process.
• The dynamic update of underground pipeline informatization is synchronized with pipeline construction and has become a routine task. This ensures that completion data meet industry standards, formats, and methods, facilitating sharing and usage within the city.

3.3. The Role of the Public in the Informatization of Underground Pipelines

The informatization of UUPs is crucial for the stability and safety of social operations and is closely related to public life. Public participation in the informatization of underground pipelines is a continuous process. The development of modern informatization technology has created conditions for public involvement. The purpose of public participation has gradually evolved from simple demands, such as avoiding pipeline accidents and reducing construction disturbances, to becoming active contributors and participants in the informatization process. In recent years, the frequent occurrence of urban floods caused by extreme weather has further prompted the public to pay more attention to the safe operation of urban underground pipelines.

In the Internet era, the Chinese public is aware of the importance of participating in the informatization of underground pipelines. They urgently need to understand the construction, operation, and maintenance processes of urban underground pipelines, and they are eager to provide their own suggestions, such as: (1) providing suggestions to assist in the analysis and elimination of underground pipeline operation faults; consulting and discussing urban underground pipeline informatization queries and urban underground space utilization; (2) using interactive platforms such as mobile phone media to respond to various pipeline emergencies promptly, notifying pipeline management departments in time to carry out engineering repairs and minimize losses; (3) providing feedback and suggestions on major underground pipeline construction projects in the city.

In the era of new media, the public receives underground pipeline informatization services primarily through the following means: first, by providing drawings or data with confidentiality permissions via CD-ROMs; second, by releasing news through newspapers, radio, television, and other social media, allowing the public to stay informed about underground pipeline construction and accident updates; third, through the development of a network Geographic Information Science (GIS) service system and interactive platforms such as social media public accounts to engage with the public during underground pipeline construction. Through these means, the goal of serving society with urban underground pipeline informatization is gradually realized, leading to the comprehensive development of underground pipelines and significant improvements in the quality and efficiency of informatization services (Figure 3).

4. Method

To conduct an in-depth study on the social roles of underground pipeline informatization in China, this paper developed a questionnaire on the role and influence of industry in the informatization of urban underground pipelines. The questionnaire was distributed to practitioners and experts in different cities, focusing on the representativeness of informatization work in various regions. It was mainly distributed in Wuhan, Chengdu, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing, Xi’an, Kunming, and Qingdao. Beijing is the capital, Shanghai is a municipality directly under the central government, Guangzhou, Xi’an, Wuhan, and Chengdu are regional central cities, Kunming is the provincial capital, and Qingdao is a separately administered city. These eight cities are all representative. Although there are differences in the level of informatization across various industries, the working methods for different types of pipeline informatization are similar. The responsibilities of the government and enterprises in the construction of pipeline informatization are also largely the same.

After collecting the questionnaires, each sub-project was divided into five grades and converted into scores. The Project Quantitative Index (PQI) was used to exponentially quantify these scores to evaluate the effectiveness of urban underground pipeline informatization in China. By summarizing the PQI values of each sub-project, the utility of different roles in each city’s informatization of underground pipelines was determined. To gain a deeper understanding of the role of each sub-project in promoting urban underground pipeline informatization and its completion across various locations, this paper introduces principal component analysis to extract the internal connections between each sub-project and rank the final results. The technical workflow of this paper is shown in Figure 4.

4.1. Indicator Quantification and Questionnaire Collection

Due to the unique nature of China’s urban underground pipeline informatization work, which differs from that of other countries, this study organized several discussions with experts and practitioners in the field. As a result, 17 sub-projects affecting the effectiveness of urban underground pipeline informatization in China were identified. Among these, the role utility of local governments is subdivided into 10 sub-projects, that of professional management (ownership) departments into 5 sub-projects, and that of the public into 2 sub-projects. Each sub-project is divided into 5 levels, with the specific content and quantitative values shown in

Table 2. Quantification of the content and level of each role sub-item.

Role	No.	Subproject	Level	Score
Local people’s government	X1	Invest special funds to support informatization work such as UUP survey	5 = very obvious; 4 = obvious; 3 = relatively obvious; 2 = average; 1 = not obvious	5 = 1.0; 4 = 0.8; 3 = 0.6; 2 = 0.4; 1 = 0.2
	X2	Coordinate all management (ownership) departments of UUP discipline to carry out informatization work
	X3	Promote the construction of laws and regulations on UUP informatization
	X4	Promote the formulation of industrial standards for UUP informatization
	X5	Establishment of UUP informatization management departments
	X6	Promote UUP informatization sharing among subordinate departments of the local people’s government
	X7	Establish service platform for UUP informatization
	X8	Support the work of the UUP informatization industry association
	X9	Organize UUP detection and informatization construction departments to carry out informatization work
	X10	Support scientific research institutes in universities to carry out research work such as UUP data mining
Professional management (ownership) departments	X11	Organize the UUP detection of the discipline
	X12	Organize the UUP informatization project of the project
	X13	Participate in the formulation of UUP informatization industry standards
	X14	Construction of UUP informatization system
	X15	Promote the scientific and technological progress of UUP in the discipline
The public	X16	Participate in the collection of UUP information
	X17	Provide UUP disaster information

. The questionnaire was distributed to staff and experts who have worked in the pipeline field for many years, whose opinions are highly valuable.

To ensure the quality and effectiveness of the questionnaire, responses were primarily gathered from experts and practitioners in the field of urban underground pipeline informatization, along with some information management personnel and the public. Addressing a special group that includes local governments, pipeline management departments, and the public, these respondents have significant insight into the issues and improvements needed in the informatization of underground pipelines across various Chinese cities, and can identify both achievements and problems.

After distributing the questionnaire, a total of 126 valid responses were collected. The sources and quantities of cities represented in the collected questionnaires are shown in Figure 5. “Others”refers to parts not shown in detail in the results. For cities, this includes those with fewer samples such as Chongqing, Fuyang, and Huzhou. In terms of job titles, it refers to interns and other individuals without an evaluated job title. For majors, it includes environmental engineering, law, urban planning, etc.

4.2. Index Quantification Settings

To quantitatively express the utility of each sub-project in the informatization of urban underground pipelines, this paper defines the calculation formula for the PQI.

$$PQI\left(x\right)=\frac{\sum \left(\omega \cdot S_x\right)}{\Sigma \omega }$$

Here, $\omega$ is the weight value of the questionnaire filler, which is related to educational level, job title, and professional relevance, and the significance of the weight value setting is to highlight the opinions of the interviewees with excellent professional ability, and the specific weight distribution method is shown in

Table 3. Weight setting of questionnaire fillers.

Project	Description	Weight
Education level		${\omega }_e$
	PhD candidate	1.0
	Master’s degree	0.8
	Undergraduate college	0.5
	Junior college or below	0.2
Title		${\omega }_j$
	Senior professional title and above	1.0
	Intermediate professional title	0.8
	Primary professional title	0.6
	Other	0.3
Major		${\omega }_p$
	UUP informatization	1.0
	Surveying and mapping, geophysical prospecting and GIS	0.8
	Other	0.2
$\omega ={\omega }_e\times {\omega }_j\times {\omega }_p$

. $S_x$ quantifies the score of the questionnaire results for sub-item $x$.

After obtaining evaluations of China’s urban underground pipeline informatization from 126 field experts and practitioners, this paper calculates the utility quantitative index (PQI) for each sub-project in different cities. The weight of the PQI calculation is primarily influenced by the respondents’ academic qualifications, professional titles, majors, and the source city. The education levels, professional titles, and majors in the recovered questionnaires are shown in Figure 6.

4.3. Principal Component Analysis

Principal component analysis (PCA) is a multivariate statistical method used to investigate the correlation between multiple variables and to reveal their internal structure through a few principal components. To gain a deeper understanding of the role of each sub-project in promoting the informatization and completion of urban underground pipelines, this paper introduces PCA to extract the internal connections between each sub-project and rank the final results.

To analyze the correlation between sub-projects, the PQI values of each sub-project are used for Pearson correlation analysis. The correlation matrix results are shown in Figure 7. For example, X1 showed a significant correlation with X2, X3, X4, X6, X8, and X9, with correlation coefficients of 0.77, 0.90, 0.87, 0.73, 0.66, 0.84, and 0.92, all of which are greater than 0, indicating a positive correlation between X1 and these variables. There is also a high correlation between other sub-projects, indicating a strong correlation basis between the indicators, making them suitable for PCA.

5. Results and Discussion

5.1. Results

5.1.1. Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Informatization of Urban Underground Pipelines in China

The specific PQI values are shown in Figure 8, and the indicators represented by each number are detailed in Table 2. In Qingdao, X1 (0.71) and X9 (0.73) PQI values showed significant advantages. In Beijing, eight PQI values were notable: X7 (0.71), X8 (0.71), X9 (0.70), X11 (0.74), X12 (0.74), X13 (0.71), X14 (0.74), and X15 (0.70). In Xi’an, the PQI values were slightly lower, with the highest being X1 (0.56) and X11 (0.55). In Kunming, the PQI values were small and concentrated, with the highest being X3 (0.69), X12 (0.69), and X11 (0.68). In Wuhan, there was a large gap in sub-indexes, with significant advantages in X3 (0.78) and X6 (0.76). In Chengdu, the PQI values showed little variation, with the highest being X5 (0.67), X7 (0.67), and X9 (0.67). In Guangzhou, the PQI values for some indicators under the role of “local governments” were significantly higher than in other cities, with the highest being X5 (0.81), X6 (0.80), X8 (0.80), and X9 (0.72). The results show that these sub-projects play a more important role in promoting the informatization of UUPs in the local area.

On the whole, the highest PQI value is X8 (Support the work of the UUP informatization industry association), followed by X5 (Establishment of UUP informatization management departments), and these indicators belong to the evaluation project under the role of the professional local people’s government, which shows the importance of the local people’s government to organize and carry out UUP informatization work.

5.1.2. Comparison of the Utility of Each Role in Different Cities

By summarizing the PQI values of each sub-project, the utility of different roles in underground pipeline informatization in each city is shown in Figure 9. In the five cities of Guangzhou, Shanghai, Qingdao, Wuhan, and Chengdu, the relationship between the PQI values of the tripartite roles is: local people’s governments > professional management (ownership) departments > the public. This shows that in these cities, local governments have played an important role in the informatization of China’s UUPs, followed by the relevant management departments.

In the three cities of Beijing, Kunming, and Xi’an, the relationship between the PQI values of the three roles changes to: professional management (ownership) departments > local people’s governments > the public. This indicates that in these cities, professional management departments can take the initiative to leverage their professional advantages in the informatization of urban underground pipelines and promote the completion of informatization work.

5.1.3. Principal Component Analysis Results

In this paper, the table of variance explanation rate (

Table 4. Table of variance explanatory rates.

No.	Eigenvalue	Variance Explained %	Cumulative %	Eigenvalue	Variance Explained %	Cumulative %
X1	8.871	52.181	52.181	8.871	52.181	52.181
X2	5.255	30.912	83.093	5.255	30.912	83.093
X3	1.427	8.392	91.485	1.427	8.392	91.485
X4	0.643	3.780	95.265	-	-	-
X5	0.426	2.504	97.769	-	-	-
X6	0.271	1.593	99.362	-	-	-
X7	0.109	0.638	100.000	-	-	-
X8	0.000	0.000	100.000	-	-	-
X9	0.000	0.000	100.000	-	-	-
X10	0.000	0.000	100.000	-	-	-
X11	0.000	0.000	100.000	-	-	-
X12	−0.000	−0.000	100.000	-	-	-
X13	−0.000	−0.000	100.000	-	-	-
X14	−0.000	−0.000	100.000	-	-	-
X15	−0.000	−0.000	100.000	-	-	-
X16	−0.000	−0.000	100.000	-	-	-
X17	−0.000	−0.000	100.000	-	-	-

) was obtained by principal component analysis, and the results showed that three principal components were constructed, and the explanation rates of the three principal components (PC1, PC2, and PC3) were 52.181%, 30.912%, and 8.392%, respectively, and the cumulative variance explanation rate was 91.485%.

To comprehensively evaluate the progress of UUP informatization using principal component scores, the “linear combination coefficients” of each indicator are used. Based on standardized data, the relationships between three principal components and various indicators are established. For example, for Principal Component 1: PC1 = 0.254 × X1 + 0.304 × X2 + 0.191 × X3 + 0.291 × X4 + 0.146 × X5 + 0.258 × X6 + 0.309 × X7 + 0.310 × X8 + 0.301 × X9 + 0.298 × X10 + 0.124 × X11 + 0.197 × X12 + 0.197 × X13 + 0.276 × X14 + 0.172 × X15 + 0.202 × X16 + 0.156 × X17. The comprehensive score is calculated by multiplying the variance explanation rates with the component scores and then summing them: (52.181 × PC1 + 30.912 × PC2 + 8.392 × PC3)/91.485, which simplifies to 0.570 × PC1 + 0.338 × PC2 + 0.092 × PC3. The linear combination coefficients and weight results of each indicator are shown in

Table 5. Linear combination coefficients and weights.

Name	PC1	PC2	PC3	Comprehensive Score Coefficient	Weight
Variance Explained %	52.18%	30.91%	8.39%
X1	0.2535	−0.0760	−0.3992	0.0823	3.29%
X2	0.3036	−0.1244	0.0695	0.1375	5.50%
X3	0.1914	−0.3128	0.2464	0.0261	1.04%
X4	0.2906	−0.2087	0.0515	0.1000	4.00%
X5	0.1461	−0.2832	0.4705	0.0308	1.23%
X6	0.2575	−0.2601	0.1042	0.0686	2.74%
X7	0.3094	−0.0420	−0.1458	0.1489	5.96%
X8	0.3104	−0.0793	−0.2211	0.1300	5.20%
X9	0.3012	−0.1749	−0.0165	0.1112	4.45%
X10	0.2977	−0.0250	−0.2992	0.1339	5.36%
X11	0.1236	0.3738	−0.0955	0.1880	7.52%
X12	0.1974	0.3245	−0.2164	0.2024	8.10%
X13	0.1968	0.2831	0.2778	0.2334	9.33%
X14	0.2756	0.2086	−0.0275	0.2252	9.01%
X15	0.1718	0.3511	0.0891	0.2248	8.99%
X16	0.2017	0.2681	0.3258	0.2356	9.42%
X17	0.1557	0.2940	0.3636	0.2215	8.86%

.

Table 5 shows that the indicators with large weights are X13 (Participate in the formulation of UUP informatization industry standards), X14 (Construction of UUP informatization system), and X16 (Participate in the collection of UUP information). These projects significantly promote the informatization of UUPs and emphasize the importance of the roles of professional management departments and the public.

The comprehensive score data are calculated from the output of each principal component, and the final ranking of the informatization degree of underground pipelines in each city is shown in Figure 10.

From the results, it can be concluded that the degree of informatization of underground pipelines in the eight selected cities is ranked as follows: Guangzhou > Beijing > Qingdao > Kunming > Shanghai > Chengdu > Wuhan > Xi’an. This further indicates that the scale of the city affects the centralized and unified development of underground pipeline informatization to a certain extent.

5.2. Discuss

5.2.1. Local Governments Have Achieved Remarkable Results in Conducting Censuses and System Construction, but Sharing and Application Remain Challenging

Underground pipelines involve many industries and enterprises, and local governments play a significant role in the coordination and implementation of underground pipeline informatization. According to the survey results, the relationship between the PQI values of the tripartite roles in five of the study cities is: local governments > professional management (ownership) departments > the public. Local governments have high scores in indicators such as “establishing underground pipeline information management departments” and “supporting the work of underground pipeline information industry associations”, confirming their dominant position in underground pipeline informatization in recent years. Among the indicators under the role of local governments, the score for promoting underground pipeline information sharing is the lowest. This indicates that information sharing and storage are the main challenges and shortcomings of underground pipeline informatization. This issue is also a current problem faced by China’s geographic information industry. It is necessary to address this problem through the top-level design of laws and regulations to break down barriers to underground pipeline data sharing and maintain urban safety.

5.2.2. The Influence of the Pipeline Management Organization and Its Value

In the three cities studied, the relationship between the tripartite social roles of UUP informatization has shifted to professional management (ownership) departments > local governments > the public. This indicates that pipeline management departments in some cities have achieved significant results in underground pipeline informatization. The differences in the scores of the five indicators of the pipeline management organizations are small, with “Organize the UUP informatization project of the project” scoring the highest. This indicates that most pipeline management departments prioritize informatization construction, actively participate in standard development, focus on advanced technology application, take the initiative in underground pipeline detection, and build a full life cycle information management system.

At present, most of China’s urban pipeline management departments are state-owned enterprises. In recent years, they have continued to increase investment in the scientific and technological management of underground pipelines, further enhancing the informatization level and urban security of these pipelines.

5.2.3. The Public Is Highly Motivated to Participate

The survey found that the weights of the two public indicators in the comprehensive principal component score were high, indicating that the public is highly motivated to participate in the informatization construction of underground pipelines. Due to the strong public attributes of underground pipelines, public attention is high, especially regarding hidden dangers and disaster information collection. Frequent urban floods, pipeline deflagration, leakage, and road collapse significantly threaten public safety. These incidents, along with disorderly pipeline construction, have heightened public safety awareness, motivating them to actively participate in the urban underground pipeline informatization process.

6. Conclusions

In recent years, China’s urban underground pipeline informatization has made remarkable achievements, playing a significant role in maintaining the safe operation of the country’s social and municipal sectors. The research results of this paper can provide decision support for the future construction, management, and safe operation and maintenance of urban underground pipelines in China. The research method used in this paper has a certain universality for similar analytical research. Descriptive analysis of the research content is obtained from respondents through questionnaire surveys, then qualitative analysis is converted into quantitative measurement using PQI index quantification. The relationship between the principal components and the research items, established after information condensation, is explored through principal component analysis. Additionally, the results show that:

(1) There is a significant positive correlation between the subordinate indicators of local governments, professional management (ownership) departments, and the public in promoting UUP informatization. Overall, the index with the highest PQI value is X8 (Support the work of the UUP informatization industry association), followed by X5 (Establishment of UUP informatization management departments). These indicators fall under the role of the local government, highlighting its importance in organizing and implementing UUP informatization work.

(2) The informatization work of underground pipelines in different cities is influenced differently by the tripartite social roles. In Guangzhou, Shanghai, Qingdao, Wuhan, and Chengdu, the relationship between the PQI values of the tripartite roles is: local people’s governments > professional management (ownership) departments > the public. In Beijing, Kunming, and Xi’an, the relationship shifts to: professional management (ownership) departments > local people’s governments > the public. This shows that in different cities, local governments and professional management departments can leverage their professional advantages in UUP informatization according to the city’s actual situation, promoting the completion of informatization work.

(3) Principal component analysis shows that the public’s subordinate indicators have a large weight, indicating that UUP informatization work is influenced not only by local governments and professional management departments but also by the public. Among the eight selected cities, the degree of underground pipeline informatization is ranked as follows: Guangzhou > Beijing > Qingdao > Kunming > Shanghai > Chengdu > Wuhan > Xi’an. This further indicates that the scale of the city affects the centralized and unified development of underground pipeline informatization to a certain extent.

The results of this paper show that future UUP informatization efforts need to comprehensively consider the influence and value of the tripartite social roles of local governments, professional management (ownership) organizations, and the public. However, the influence of the tripartite social roles varies across different cities. This indicates that different cities should leverage the advantages of these social roles and promote the completion of informatization work in UUP management based on their own conditions.

7. Limitations

This paper uses a questionnaire survey method, PQI index quantification, and principal component analysis to discuss the unique roles and value contributions of three types of social roles in urban underground pipeline informatization. The research results of this paper can provide decision support and assistance for the future construction, management, and safe operation and maintenance of urban underground pipelines in China. The research method used in this paper has a certain universality for similar analytical research that is difficult to quantify. Descriptive analysis of the research content is obtained from respondents through a questionnaire survey. Qualitative analysis is then converted into quantitative measures using PQI index quantification. Principal component analysis is used to explore the relationships between the principal components established after information condensation and the research objectives.

However, there are some shortcomings in this paper. Although it investigates the roles of the tripartite social roles—local governments, professional management (ownership) organizations, and the public—in the informatization of urban underground pipelines through a questionnaire, the influence of the surveyor’s subjective consciousness introduces a certain level of subjectivity to the research results. Additionally, the respondents selected for this paper are all senior experts in the field of underground pipelines in the corresponding cities. However, due to the limited number of experts, the number of questionnaires is also limited, which may affect the generality of the results.