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21 pages, 2100 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Risk-Based Prioritization of Sewer Pipe Inspection from Infrastructure Asset Management Perspective

by Jeonghun Lee, Chan Young Park, Seungwon Baek, Seung H. Han and Sungmin Yun

Sustainability 2021, 13(13), 7213; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13137213 - 28 Jun 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3271

Abstract

The escalating number of aging sewer pipes necessitates an infrastructure asset management approach to achieve an efficient budget allocation for maintenance. This study suggests a risk-based prioritization framework for sewer pipe inspection considering the predicted condition of sewer pipes and the criticality of [...] Read more.

The escalating number of aging sewer pipes necessitates an infrastructure asset management approach to achieve an efficient budget allocation for maintenance. This study suggests a risk-based prioritization framework for sewer pipe inspection considering the predicted condition of sewer pipes and the criticality of the economic, social and environmental impacts associated with them. The results from both models can be used to evaluate the risk of sewer pipes by classification into risk groups. A risk matrix is used for the classification, and it divides the sewer pipes into five risk groups. The results of this study show an improvement in the accuracy of finding sewer pipes in a bad condition using this framework. The condition prediction model can successfully find sewer pipes with a bad condition with over 70% precision. High-risk sewer pipes are highlighted using the differences in the environmental features as well as in the physical features associated with other sewer pipes. Additionally, through the combination of both the condition and criticality of sewer pipes, the framework systemically prioritizes needed maintenance for sewer pipes with a very bad condition. This prioritization framework is expected to help the process of deciding which sewer pipes should be prioritized within a constrained budget. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Sustainable Technology for Construction, the Civil Sector, and Infrastructure)

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23 pages, 6668 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design, Construction, and Curing Integrated Management of Defects in Finishing Works of Apartment Buildings

by Seogun Yoon, Seunghyun Son and Sunkuk Kim

Sustainability 2021, 13(10), 5382; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13105382 - 11 May 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3748

Abstract

The site analysis performed in the last ten years has found that building defects result from inconsistent decision-making and performance in the design, construction, and curing (DCC) processes. Therefore, for sustainable quality control, DCC integrated analysis and the management of causes by type [...] Read more.

The site analysis performed in the last ten years has found that building defects result from inconsistent decision-making and performance in the design, construction, and curing (DCC) processes. Therefore, for sustainable quality control, DCC integrated analysis and the management of causes by type and response measures should be in place. The objective of this study is to propose DCC integrated management of defects in finishing works of apartment buildings. To this end, the study surveyed 69,944 defects from 3299 apartment households and analyzed the defect types and causes by project stage. As a result, in the case of opening work (WT1), opening and closing (DT1) accounted for the highest proportion at 35.7%. In the case of furnishing work (WT2), floor installation (DT1) has the most defects. Moreover, the proposed integrated defect management technique was applied onsite, which resulted in an improvement where the defect frequency decreased by 56.80%. The results of this study will be used as the basic data for high-quality finishing projects, and the proposed management concept can be used as reference data in the establishment of a defect management system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Sustainable Technology for Construction, the Civil Sector, and Infrastructure)

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14 pages, 1123 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Relative Importance Analysis of Safety Climate Evaluation Factors Using Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP)

by Hyunjin Lim, Sunkuk Kim, Yonggu Kim and Seunghyun Son

Sustainability 2021, 13(8), 4212; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13084212 - 9 Apr 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2379

Abstract

Various studies have confirmed that the increasing quality of safety climate has a positive influence on reducing the occurrence of accidents. The quality of safety climate is comprehensively affected in three domains: management, site, and enterprise. At the company level, it is challenging [...] Read more.

Various studies have confirmed that the increasing quality of safety climate has a positive influence on reducing the occurrence of accidents. The quality of safety climate is comprehensively affected in three domains: management, site, and enterprise. At the company level, it is challenging to manage all areas at a high level due to limited managerial resources. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a strategy that improves the safety climate step by step. For the efficient execution of the strategy, it is necessary to analyze the relative importance of each evaluation factor of the safety climate and allocate managerial resources accordingly. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the relative importance of safety climate evaluation factors using the analytical hierarchical process (AHP) technique. For this study, AHP questionnaire and analysis are conducted, and the relative priorities of safety climate evaluation factors are derived. As a result, (E) workers’ safety priority and risk non-acceptance is the most important dimension among seven dimensions as the weight is 0.1900. In addition, (E1) compliance with safety regulations, even if the process is tight, is the most important one between items as the weight 0.6663. The results of this study will be used as basic data for institutional improvement and policy making for a high-quality safety climate at construction sites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Sustainable Technology for Construction, the Civil Sector, and Infrastructure)

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19 pages, 5222 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Hazard Identification Approach of Integrating 4D BIM and Accident Case Analysis of Spatial–Temporal Exposure

by Si Van-Tien Tran, Numan Khan, Doyeop Lee and Chansik Park

Sustainability 2021, 13(4), 2211; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13042211 - 18 Feb 2021

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 6231

Abstract

Construction sites are considered as complicated work environments. Various concurrent activities may overlap apropos to time and workspace, predisposing them to spatial–temporal exposure and repetitive accidents. Detecting the characteristics of repetitive accidents before the construction stage contributes to prevent injuries and fatalities caused [...] Read more.

Construction sites are considered as complicated work environments. Various concurrent activities may overlap apropos to time and workspace, predisposing them to spatial–temporal exposure and repetitive accidents. Detecting the characteristics of repetitive accidents before the construction stage contributes to prevent injuries and fatalities caused by spatial—temporal conditions at construction job sites. To resolve this problem, this study proposes a novel hazard identification approach through spatial–temporal exposure analysis called HISTEA, which integrated scenario analysis of accident cases into 4D building information modeling (BIM). The proposed approach consists of three modules: (1) spatial–temporal hazard investigation (SHI) to analyze the accident cases and develop the hazard database of the spatial–temporal overlap condition of pair-wise activities; (2) spatial–temporal condition identification (SCI) to determine the conflict among different activities, considering the workspace and time overlap from the 4D BIM model; and (3) safety information integration (SII) to deliver safety knowledge to the project team through a web-based application. To illustrate and validate this approach, a HISTEA prototype for foundation work has been developed to be used at the pre-construction stage. The developed prototype is based on the analysis of 496 accident reports extracted from the integrated management information system (IMIS) of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for the SHI module database. The proposed approach is expected to proactively aid project teams in detecting hazards that ultimately reduce repetitive accidents caused by overlapping activities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Sustainable Technology for Construction, the Civil Sector, and Infrastructure)

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24 pages, 5172 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Preventive Maintenance Model for National School Buildings in Indonesia Using a Constraint Programming Approach

by Shu-Shun Liu and Muhammad Faizal Ardhiansyah Arifin

Sustainability 2021, 13(4), 1874; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13041874 - 9 Feb 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3009

Abstract

The Indonesian government needs to maintain around 231,000 school buildings in active use. Such a portfolio of buildings given the diversity of locations, limited maintenance budget, and deterioration rates varied by different building conditions presents many challenges to effective maintenance planning. Many of [...] Read more.

The Indonesian government needs to maintain around 231,000 school buildings in active use. Such a portfolio of buildings given the diversity of locations, limited maintenance budget, and deterioration rates varied by different building conditions presents many challenges to effective maintenance planning. Many of those schools had been reported to be aging and in a degenerated condition. However, contemporary practice for the planning method of Indonesia’s building maintenance program applies reactive maintenance strategies with a single linear deterioration rate. Such methodology cannot properly guarantee the sustainability of those school buildings. Therefore, this study attempts to examine a different approach to Indonesia’s building maintenance planning by adopting a preventive maintenance strategy using the deterioration rate model proved by historical data from a previous study. This study develops an optimization model with varied deterioration rates and considers the budget limitation, by utilizing a Constraint Programming (CP) approach. The proposed model achieves the minimum maintenance cost for a real case of 41 school buildings under different deterioration rates to ensure adequate building conditions and maintain expected levels of service. Finally, research analysis also proves that this new preventive maintenance model has potential to deliver superior capability for assisting building maintenance decisions in Indonesia’s government. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Sustainable Technology for Construction, the Civil Sector, and Infrastructure)

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16 pages, 2530 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Inflation Rate on CO₂ Emission: A Framework for Malaysian Construction Industry

by Muhammad Ali Musarat, Wesam Salah Alaloul, M. S. Liew, Ahsen Maqsoom and Abdul Hannan Qureshi

Sustainability 2021, 13(3), 1562; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031562 - 2 Feb 2021

Cited by 34 | Viewed by 5861

Abstract

Inflation and CO₂ emission are the two most deleterious elements in the construction industry. However, so far no linkage between the two has been estimated. Therefore, this study examines the relationship between carbon dioxide (CO₂) emission and the inflation rate [...] Read more.

Inflation and CO₂ emission are the two most deleterious elements in the construction industry. However, so far no linkage between the two has been estimated. Therefore, this study examines the relationship between carbon dioxide (CO₂) emission and the inflation rate in the construction industry of Malaysia and proposes a CO₂ emission calculator framework. As it is not possible to calculate the effect directly, therefore, an indirect assessment of the correlation coefficient was performed between the inflation rate (independent variable) and construction rates, i.e., building material prices and value of construction work (dependent variables) along with percentage deviation of each variable. The results show that with a decrease in the inflation rate, the prices of the building materials also decrease, whereas the value of the construction work increases. The relationship looks attractive from an end-user perspective, but it creates a major problem of CO₂ emission. The effect impacts directly on environmental sustainability as it is not suitable for the greenhouse effect because it triggers CO₂ emission. While estimating how much CO₂ emission occurs from the value of construction work of Malaysia, it was revealed that there is no such calculator available to perform the estimation. Therefore, a CO₂ emission calculator framework is proposed, which will be beneficial after its practical implementation for the construction industry stakeholders and government/policy makers to monitor the emissions and control the adverse effects of massive construction work. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Sustainable Technology for Construction, the Civil Sector, and Infrastructure)

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15 pages, 17845 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Embodied CO₂ Reduction Effects of Composite Precast Concrete Frame for Heavily Loaded Long-Span Logistics Buildings

by Seunghyun Son, Kwangheon Park, Heni Fitriani and Sunkuk Kim

Sustainability 2021, 13(3), 1060; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031060 - 20 Jan 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2634

Abstract

For heavily loaded long-span (HLS) logistics buildings, embodied CO₂ (ECO₂) of a structural frame accounts for more than 80% of the CO₂ emissions of the entire building. To realize a sustainable structure from the CO₂ perspective, an innovative [...] Read more.

For heavily loaded long-span (HLS) logistics buildings, embodied CO₂ (ECO₂) of a structural frame accounts for more than 80% of the CO₂ emissions of the entire building. To realize a sustainable structure from the CO₂ perspective, an innovative construction method that reduces ECO₂ of a structural frame is required. Through studies conducted over several years, we have developed a SMART (Sustainable, Measurable, Attainable, Reliable, and Timely) frame that is a steel connected composite precast concrete (CPC) frame that significantly reduces not only construction time and cost but also ECO₂. If a SMART frame is applied to HLS logistics buildings, ECO₂ reduction effects are expected to be substantial. To prove this, this study aims to analyze ECO₂ reduction effects of the CPC frame for HLS logistics buildings. An HLS logistics building constructed with the existing precast concrete (PC) frame was selected as a case project. Thereafter, the typical PC girder was redesigned using the SMART frame; then, analysis was conducted on the quantity take-off of resources, such as form, rebar, steel, and concrete, as well as on ECO₂ and production cost. As a result of the analysis, in the case of a single typical girder of the SMART frame, 730 kg-ECO₂, which accounts for 9.52% of the CO₂ emissions, was reduced compared to that of the existing PC frame. If only the typical girders of the case project are applied, a relatively larger quantity of 465 ton-ECO₂ will be reduced. The results of this study will contribute in securing structural stability, as well as achieving a sustainable structure that leads to an unprecedented reduction of ECO₂. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Sustainable Technology for Construction, the Civil Sector, and Infrastructure)

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13 pages, 1575 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cost Effective and Sustainable Test Methods to Investigate Vulnerabilities of EMP Attack on Existing Buildings Using Public Frequency Devices

by Chaeyeon Lim, Kyungryeung Min, Kukjoo Kim and Young-Jun Park

Sustainability 2021, 13(2), 570; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13020570 - 9 Jan 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1952

Abstract

High-power electromagnetic pulses are electromagnetic shock waves with strong energy, which can cause the destruction or malfunction of both electrical and electronic systems. The measurement of the electromagnetic wave shielding performance of buildings is effective for determining the level of EMP protection for [...] Read more.

High-power electromagnetic pulses are electromagnetic shock waves with strong energy, which can cause the destruction or malfunction of both electrical and electronic systems. The measurement of the electromagnetic wave shielding performance of buildings is effective for determining the level of EMP protection for each facility. However, it is extremely inefficient to practically measure the electromagnetic wave shielding performance using methods based on various standards for general buildings, in term of testing cost and time. Therefore, cost effective and sustainable test methods to investigate vulnerabilities of electromagnetic pulses attack on existing buildings using public frequency is proposed in this study. The study focuses on a simpler and more reliable method such as the use of broadcast or communication signals. From the results, it was concluded that the shielding performance can be measured approximately −45 dB using broadcast devices, −70 dB using walkie-talkie as simplified measurements of the electromagnetic-wave shielding performance. Therefore, if the test methods which are proposed in this study are allowed for preliminary investigation to find the vulnerabilities of existing buildings, cost and energy in the investigation can be reduced and it is expected to bring out frequency inspection and sustainable EMP protection performance of buildings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Sustainable Technology for Construction, the Civil Sector, and Infrastructure)

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12 pages, 1437 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Blockchain-Based Implementation of Building Information Modeling Information Using Hyperledger Composer

by Widya Nita Suliyanti and Riri Fitri Sari

Sustainability 2021, 13(1), 321; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13010321 - 31 Dec 2020

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 3412

Abstract

With the advancement of Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology, BIM gains more importance and becomes a prerequisite in building projects. BIM is useful throughout a building lifecycle; from building bid, design, construction, completion, operation, and maintenance to building demolition. However, current information exchange [...] Read more.

With the advancement of Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology, BIM gains more importance and becomes a prerequisite in building projects. BIM is useful throughout a building lifecycle; from building bid, design, construction, completion, operation, and maintenance to building demolition. However, current information exchange surrounding BIM is still limited and bound to a single participant or organization and is also limited to a particular phase in the building lifecycle. This paper aims to explore BIM information exchange among many parties involved in a secure manner using a blockchain platform throughout the whole building lifecycle. In this research, many parties involved in the building project will be able to recognize one another through deployment of a permissioned blockchain. This information exchange uses Hyperledger Composer, a permissioned blockchain running on a blockchain platform called Hyperledger Fabric. Our experiment shows that BIM information exchange could be further improved. In this study, BIM information exchange can be implemented not only in one building phase but throughout the whole building lifecycle. It also facilitates BIM information exchange among multiple participants in a secure manner via a permissioned blockchain. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Sustainable Technology for Construction, the Civil Sector, and Infrastructure)

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12 pages, 1119 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Feasibility Study on the Development of a Deployable Tactical EMP Tent for a Sustainable Military Facility

by Kukjoo Kim, Kyung-Ryeung Min and Young-Jun Park

Sustainability 2021, 13(1), 16; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13010016 - 22 Dec 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2617

Abstract

The Korean peninsula is under increasing threat of electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) from neighboring countries; EMP protection facilities are an essential means of ensuring the operational readiness of the military. However, existing EMP protection facilities are manufactured as fixed-weight structures, which limit the mobility [...] Read more.

The Korean peninsula is under increasing threat of electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) from neighboring countries; EMP protection facilities are an essential means of ensuring the operational readiness of the military. However, existing EMP protection facilities are manufactured as fixed-weight structures, which limit the mobility of military operations and lead to the misconception of EMP protection as something only required for higher command. The current military and official EMP protection standards require only a uniform shielding effectiveness of 80 dB. Therefore, this study aims to differentiate the existing uniform level of shielding effectiveness of 80 dB into 80 dB, 60 dB, 40 dB, etc. Further, it seeks to derive the factors to be considered when applying various methods, such as shielding rooms, shielding racks, site redundancy, spare equipment, and portable lightweight protective tents, for recovery of failure, instead of the existing protection facilities that rely on shielded rooms by the Delphi analysis. Then, the applicability of lightweight EMP protection is determined after selecting lightweight materials to build a facility. The electromagnetic shielding performance of 21 types of materials was measured in the 30 MHz–1.5 GHz frequency band using ASTM-D-4935-10. The results showed the possibility of developing a lightweight EMP shielding facility, which would save approximately 316,386 tons of concrete, reducing the CO₂ emissions by approximately 9,972,489 tons. Assuming that the Korean carbon transaction price is USD 50/ton CO₂, the savings are equivalent to USD 49,862,435. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Sustainable Technology for Construction, the Civil Sector, and Infrastructure)

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13 pages, 2144 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Pilot Experiment to Develop a Lightweight Non-Nuclear EMP Shelter Applying Civil-Military Cooperation in a Sustainability Policy

by Kukjoo Kim, Kyung-Ryeung Min and Young-Jun Park

Sustainability 2020, 12(24), 10669; https://doi.org/10.3390/su122410669 - 21 Dec 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4204

Abstract

The goal of future wars is to incapacitate national core infrastructures through cyberattacks and electronic wars. The use of high-tech arms including high-power electronic weapons, laser weapons, and railguns to achieve a precise strike, minimum cost, and neutralization is gradually increasing. Considering the [...] Read more.

The goal of future wars is to incapacitate national core infrastructures through cyberattacks and electronic wars. The use of high-tech arms including high-power electronic weapons, laser weapons, and railguns to achieve a precise strike, minimum cost, and neutralization is gradually increasing. Considering the nuclear provocation and non-nuclear electromagnetic pulse (NNEMP) threats from North Korea, it has become urgent for Korea to expand its EMP protection systems. Hence, the need for developing a protective technology lighter than the conventional EMP protection technology is continuously being raised. However, no facility has applied such a lightweight protection technology thus far. Thus, this study tests the performance of a lightweight electromagnetic (EM) shielding material and evaluates the possibility of building a lightweight NNEMP shelter by installing the material. Among the commercially available EM shielding materials, only those appropriate for lightweight purpose are selected. Accordingly, the EM shielding performances of nine fabric types, five film types, and four wallpaper types are tested. For testing, a pan-type EM shielding room 2.5 m × 3.0 m × 2.5 m was constructed with a shielding performance of 80 dB at 18 GHz. The measurement method was based on the IEEE-STD-299 standard, and 10 frequencies from 14 kHz to 18 GHz were used. The result showed that the shielding performance was the highest in the 100 MHz band in most cases. In the high-frequency band above 1 GHz, the shielding performance was almost equal to, or slightly lower than, that in the 100 MHz band. This study confirms the feasibility of building lightweight NNEMP shelters in major military and civil facilities. If the NNEMP shelters to be constructed in military and civil facilities are replaced with lightweight shelters, approximately 49,862.4 tons of CO₂ emissions due to the concrete saved can be reduced per shelter. Assuming the Korean carbon transaction price to be USD 50/ton-CO₂, the saving amounts to US $2,493,120, contributing to the green growth policy of Korea. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Sustainable Technology for Construction, the Civil Sector, and Infrastructure)

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15 pages, 2112 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Construction Project Change Management in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Status, Causes, and Impacts

by Bauma Frigeant Bitamba and Sung-Hoon An

Sustainability 2020, 12(22), 9766; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229766 - 23 Nov 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3514

Abstract

Changes in construction projects are very frequent and are expected to occur at any stage of the project. These changes modify the original scope of work and affect the project in various aspects. To minimize these effects, there is a need to implement [...] Read more.

Changes in construction projects are very frequent and are expected to occur at any stage of the project. These changes modify the original scope of work and affect the project in various aspects. To minimize these effects, there is a need to implement a systematic change management system during the construction process. This study aimed to investigate the current situation of change management implementation, identify the main causes of change management, and assess their impacts in the Congolese construction industry. A comprehensive literature review was conducted for a thorough understanding of change management, and a structured survey was conducted. The collected survey data were analyzed using the relative importance index (RII), and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) methods. The results conclude that the change management implementation situation in the Congolese construction industry is significantly high, and the project cost and the project type play a major role in the implementation of change management in the construction projects. The study further revealed that the main causes of changes were the project, contractor, materials, equipment, and other causes. These changes impact the project significantly in terms of organization, owner and contractor, project, materials, and equipment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Sustainable Technology for Construction, the Civil Sector, and Infrastructure)

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21 pages, 4218 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Underground-Type Ammunition Magazine Construction in Respect of Civil and Military Coexistence

by Sangwoo Park and Young-Jun Park

Sustainability 2020, 12(21), 9285; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12219285 - 9 Nov 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3222

Abstract

Recently, rapid urban development and changes in the national defense environment have required civil–military coexistence plans. In particular, this is an urgent issue for ammunition magazines, which have the widest range of military protection zones among military facilities because of the safety distance [...] Read more.

Recently, rapid urban development and changes in the national defense environment have required civil–military coexistence plans. In particular, this is an urgent issue for ammunition magazines, which have the widest range of military protection zones among military facilities because of the safety distance standard and their location at transportation hubs. In this study, fundamental research was conducted on underground-type ammunition magazines for the sake of the sustainable civil and military developments. First, the effects of reducing the safety distance for underground-type ammunition magazines, compared to that for ground-type ammunition magazines, were evaluated. Economic and environmental effects expected by substituting underground-type ammunition magazines for ground-type ammunition magazines were analyzed based on the results. Then, design methods of the underground-type ammunition magazine that effectively reduce the safety distance were suggested by performing numerical simulations. The installation of chambers at different depths and the application of technologies to reduce explosion pressure inside the chambers were discussed. Finally, an endowment and concession project method was analyzed based on the previous researches as the most efficient way of implementing the project of an underground-type ammunition magazine. It was concluded that research to specify design methods for underground-type ammunition magazines was urgently required to vitalize future underground-type ammunition magazine projects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Sustainable Technology for Construction, the Civil Sector, and Infrastructure)

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13 pages, 2786 KiB

Open AccessTechnical Note

Selection of Optimized Retaining Wall Technique Using Self-Organizing Maps

by Young-Su Kim, U-Yeol Park, Seoung-Wook Whang, Dong-Joon Ahn and Sangyong Kim

Sustainability 2021, 13(3), 1328; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031328 - 27 Jan 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1855

Abstract

Construction projects in urban areas tend to be associated with high-rise buildings and are of very large-scales; hence, the importance of a project’s underground construction work is significant. In this study, a rational model based on machine learning (ML) was developed. ML algorithms [...] Read more.

Construction projects in urban areas tend to be associated with high-rise buildings and are of very large-scales; hence, the importance of a project’s underground construction work is significant. In this study, a rational model based on machine learning (ML) was developed. ML algorithms are programs that can learn from data and improve from experience without human intervention. In this study, self-organizing maps (SOMs) were utilized. An SOM is an alternative to existing ML methods and involves a subjective decision-making process because a developed model is used for data training to classify and effectively recognize patterns embedded in the input data space. In addition, unlike existing methods, the SOM can easily create a feature map by mapping multidimensional data to simple two-dimensional data. The objective of this study is to develop an SOM model as a decision-making approach for selecting a retaining wall technique. N-fold cross-validation was adopted to validate the accuracy of the SOM model and evaluate its reliability. The findings are useful for decision-making in selecting a retaining wall method, as demonstrated in this study. The maximum accuracy of the SOM was 81.5%, and the average accuracy was 79.8%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Sustainable Technology for Construction, the Civil Sector, and Infrastructure)

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