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14 pages, 2024 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimal Project Planning for Public Rental Housing in South Korea

by Jae Ho Park, Jung-Suk Yu and Zong Woo Geem

Sustainability 2020, 12(2), 600; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12020600 - 14 Jan 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4452

Abstract

Although Korea has made notable progress in the availability of public rental housing, Korea’s public rental housing representing 6.3% of the country’s total housing is still below the 8% OECD average from 2016. The Seoul Metropolitan Area (composed of Seoul City, Incheon City, [...] Read more.

Although Korea has made notable progress in the availability of public rental housing, Korea’s public rental housing representing 6.3% of the country’s total housing is still below the 8% OECD average from 2016. The Seoul Metropolitan Area (composed of Seoul City, Incheon City, and Gyeonggi Province) has nearly 50% of the country’s population, but 11% of the nation’s territory, meaning the area suffers from an acute shortage of public rental housing. This is a serious problem which is hampering the sustainability of Korean society in general. We will examine the possibility of improving this public housing problem using certain algorithms to optimize decision making and resource allocation. This study reviews two pioneering studies on optimal investment portfolio for land development projects and optimal project combination for urban regeneration projects, and then optimizes a public housing investment combination to maximize the amount of public rental houses in Gyeonggi province using optimization techniques. Through the optimal investment combination, public rental houses were found to be more efficiently and sustainably planned for the community. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability with Optimization Techniques)

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24 pages, 8826 KiB

Open AccessArticle

GIS Based Novel Hybrid Computational Intelligence Models for Mapping Landslide Susceptibility: A Case Study at Da Lat City, Vietnam

by Viet-Tien Nguyen, Trong Hien Tran, Ngoc Anh Ha, Van Liem Ngo, Al-Ansari Nadhir, Van Phong Tran, Huu Duy Nguyen, Malek M. A., Ata Amini, Indra Prakash, Lanh Si Ho and Binh Thai Pham

Sustainability 2019, 11(24), 7118; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11247118 - 12 Dec 2019

Cited by 43 | Viewed by 5422

Abstract

Landslides affect properties and the lives of a large number of people in many hilly parts of Vietnam and in the world. Damages caused by landslides can be reduced by understanding distribution, nature, mechanisms and causes of landslides with the help of model [...] Read more.

Landslides affect properties and the lives of a large number of people in many hilly parts of Vietnam and in the world. Damages caused by landslides can be reduced by understanding distribution, nature, mechanisms and causes of landslides with the help of model studies for better planning and risk management of the area. Development of landslide susceptibility maps is one of the main steps in landslide management. In this study, the main objective is to develop GIS based hybrid computational intelligence models to generate landslide susceptibility maps of the Da Lat province, which is one of the landslide prone regions of Vietnam. Novel hybrid models of alternating decision trees (ADT) with various ensemble methods, namely bagging, dagging, MultiBoostAB, and RealAdaBoost, were developed namely B-ADT, D-ADT, MBAB-ADT, RAB-ADT, respectively. Data of 72 past landslide events was used in conjunction with 11 landslide conditioning factors (curvature, distance from geological boundaries, elevation, land use, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), relief amplitude, stream density, slope, lithology, weathering crust and soil) in the development and validation of the models. Area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC), and several statistical measures were applied to validate these models. Results indicated that performance of all the models was good (AUC value greater than 0.8) but B-ADT model performed the best (AUC= 0.856). Landslide susceptibility maps generated using the proposed models would be helpful to decision makers in the risk management for land use planning and infrastructure development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability with Optimization Techniques)

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28 pages, 3511 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Proposal to Reuse Rubber Waste from End-Of-Life Tires Using Thermosetting Resin

by Andre Hekermann Buss, João Luiz Kovaleski, Regina Negri Pagani, Vander Luiz da Silva and Jaqueline de Matos Silva

Sustainability 2019, 11(24), 6997; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11246997 - 7 Dec 2019

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 5247

Abstract

Due to the increasing production of motor vehicles, a large amount of waste with different characteristics and compositions is generated, notably end-of-life tires, which are harmful to the environment when not properly disposed. Their composition contains contaminating chemical elements, resulting in negative impacts [...] Read more.

Due to the increasing production of motor vehicles, a large amount of waste with different characteristics and compositions is generated, notably end-of-life tires, which are harmful to the environment when not properly disposed. Their composition contains contaminating chemical elements, resulting in negative impacts on the environment. This research aims to present a process that favors the recycling of rubber waste from end-of-life tires. For the construction of the state of the art and state of the technique, a review of the literature on end-of-life tire rubber, and a search on Google Patents and Espacenet was done using Methodi Ordinatio. For the experimental work, samples were made using concentrations of 20%, 40%, and 60% of end-of-life tire rubber particles, with the addition of thermoset polymeric matrix of isophthalic polyester resin, catalyst, and dyes. In order to evaluate the quality of the mixture, some tests with the material resulting from the mixture were performed: Izod impact strength, Shore D hardness, immersion density determination, flexural strength, and scanning electron microscopy analysis. The results from the tests indicate that the composition with 60% of rubber particles had better mechanical results than samples containing 20% and 40%. The tests also show that end-of-life tire particles promote chemical adsorption (interaction) with the thermoset polymer matrix, favoring the mechanical properties. The final results of this research are: the literature review and the search on granted patents showed that this study is original; the experimental work suggests that practical applications are possible, generating a new product, harder with a proportion of 60% of rubber particles, as indicated by the tests, with a smooth surface that does not require polishing. Thus, this research is characterized as innovative as well as having sustainable characteristics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability with Optimization Techniques)

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18 pages, 5576 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Economic Dispatch Optimization of Multi-Water Resources: A Case Study of an Island in South Korea

by Kapil Gnawali, Kuk Heon Han, Zong Woo Geem, Kyung Soo Jun and Kyung Taek Yum

Sustainability 2019, 11(21), 5964; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11215964 - 26 Oct 2019

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4153

Abstract

Ensuring stable and continuous water supplies in isolated but populated areas, such as islands, where the water supply is highly dependent on external factors, is crucial. Sudden loss of function in the water supply system can have enormous social costs. To strengthen water [...] Read more.

Ensuring stable and continuous water supplies in isolated but populated areas, such as islands, where the water supply is highly dependent on external factors, is crucial. Sudden loss of function in the water supply system can have enormous social costs. To strengthen water security and to meet multiple water demands with marginal quality, the optimized selection of locally available, diversified multi-water resources is necessary. This study considers a sustainable water supply problem of Yeongjong Island, 30 km west from Seoul, South Korea. The self-sufficiency of several locally available water resources is calculated for four different scenarios based on the volume and quality of the various water sources. Our optimization results show that using all the available local sources can address the water security issues of the island in the case of interruption in the existing supply system, which is fed from a single source of mainland Korea. This optimization framework can be useful for areas where water must be secured in the event of emergency. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability with Optimization Techniques)

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19 pages, 435 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimising Decarbonisation Investment for Firms towards Environmental Sustainability

by Trung-Hieu Tran, Yong Mao and Peer-Olaf Siebers

Sustainability 2019, 11(20), 5718; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11205718 - 16 Oct 2019

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3107

Abstract

We develop a mixed-integer non-linear programming model for firms’ decarbonisation investment decision-making towards a sustainable environment. Our model seeks the optimal investment for a firm to achieve maximum profit under constraints derived from its environmental protection awareness and the government’s taxation policy. We [...] Read more.

We develop a mixed-integer non-linear programming model for firms’ decarbonisation investment decision-making towards a sustainable environment. Our model seeks the optimal investment for a firm to achieve maximum profit under constraints derived from its environmental protection awareness and the government’s taxation policy. We use an uncertainty theory to formulate the relationship of a firm’s environmental protection awareness and its investment budget levels. Governments’ taxation policy is modelled by a step-wise linear function, where reduced carbon dioxide emission can help the firm reduce taxation. A linearisation is proposed to solve the non-linear problem efficiently. A case study for a sector of electronic component manufacturers in Nottingham, the United Kingdom, demonstrates the practical implementation of the proposed model. Several large-sized instances, which were randomly generated, were utilised to evaluate the the efficiency of model in terms of computational time. Our model can be used to explore budget options to obtain higher profits under a particular taxation policy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability with Optimization Techniques)

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30 pages, 3205 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on Operation and Financing Strategy of an Emission-Dependent Supply Chain under Variable Transportation Fee Strategy

by Keyong Zhang, Chunxia Li and Jianming Yao

Sustainability 2019, 11(16), 4363; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11164363 - 12 Aug 2019

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3370

Abstract

Under the carbon cap-and-trade mechanism, we consider an emission-dependent supply chain consisting of a supplier, a manufacturer, and a 3PL firm that adopts variable transportation fee strategy. Five models on the basis of the supplier and manufacturer with or without capital constraints are [...] Read more.

Under the carbon cap-and-trade mechanism, we consider an emission-dependent supply chain consisting of a supplier, a manufacturer, and a 3PL firm that adopts variable transportation fee strategy. Five models on the basis of the supplier and manufacturer with or without capital constraints are considered to discuss members’ optimal decisions. The insights are obtained as follows. First, the ordering quantity under 3PL financing service is larger than that under two firms are well-funded when the transportation fee or carbon emission is less than a certain constant. The variable transportation fee strategy and members’ carbon emission reduction behavior are beneficial to each supply chain participant. Second, the carbon emissions of members decide whose capital constraint is more beneficial to 3PL firm, and 3PL prefers to cooperate with a medium rich manufacturer (rich supplier). Third, the external financing modes are analyzed to get the 3PL financing service can create new value for the manufacturer and 3PL if the transportation fee is below a threshold, and this threshold increases with the manufacturer’s carbon emission. When the transportation fee is larger than a threshold, a capital-constrained supplier will choose bank financing, and this threshold decreases with the supplier’s carbon emission. Finally, we demonstrate that the manufacturer’s loss aversion (carbon cap) can increase (decrease) its bankruptcy threshold. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability with Optimization Techniques)

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12 pages, 1405 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Sequential Hybridization of Genetic Algorithm and Particle Swarm Optimization for the Optimal Reactive Power Flow

by Imene Cherki, Abdelkader Chaker, Zohra Djidar, Naima Khalfallah and Fadela Benzergua

Sustainability 2019, 11(14), 3862; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11143862 - 16 Jul 2019

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3363

Abstract

In this paper, the problem of the Optimal Reactive Power Flow (ORPF) in the Algerian Western Network with 102 nodes is solved by the sequential hybridization of metaheuristics methods, which consists of the combination of both the Genetic Algorithm (GA) and the Particle [...] Read more.

In this paper, the problem of the Optimal Reactive Power Flow (ORPF) in the Algerian Western Network with 102 nodes is solved by the sequential hybridization of metaheuristics methods, which consists of the combination of both the Genetic Algorithm (GA) and the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). The aim of this optimization appears in the minimization of the power losses while keeping the voltage, the generated power, and the transformation ratio of the transformers within their real limits. The results obtained from this method are compared to those obtained from the two methods on populations used separately. It seems that the hybridization method gives good minimizations of the power losses in comparison to those obtained from GA and PSO, individually, considered. However, the hybrid method seems to be faster than the PSO but slower than GA. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability with Optimization Techniques)

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18 pages, 1704 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of a Novel Hybrid Optimization Algorithm for Minimizing Irrigation Deficiencies

by Mahdi Valikhan-Anaraki, Sayed-Farhad Mousavi, Saeed Farzin, Hojat Karami, Mohammad Ehteram, Ozgur Kisi, Chow Ming Fai, Md. Shabbir Hossain, Gasim Hayder, Ali Najah Ahmed, Amr H. El-Shafie, Huzaifa Bin Hashim, Haitham Abdulmohsin Afan, Sai Hin Lai and Ahmed El-Shafie

Sustainability 2019, 11(8), 2337; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11082337 - 18 Apr 2019

Cited by 31 | Viewed by 3859

Abstract

One of the most important issues in the field of water resource management is the optimal utilization of dam reservoirs. In the current study, the optimal utilization of the Aydoghmoush Dam Reservoir is examined based on a hybrid of the bat algorithm (BA) [...] Read more.

One of the most important issues in the field of water resource management is the optimal utilization of dam reservoirs. In the current study, the optimal utilization of the Aydoghmoush Dam Reservoir is examined based on a hybrid of the bat algorithm (BA) and particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSOA) by increasing the convergence rate of the new hybrid algorithm (HA) without being trapped in the local optima. The main goal of the study was to reduce irrigation deficiencies downstream of this reservoir. The results showed that the HA reduced the computational time and increased the convergence rate. The average downstream irrigation demand over a 10-year period (1991–2000) was 25.12 × 10⁶ m³, while the amount of water release based on the HA was 24.48 × 10⁶ m³. Therefore, the HA was able to meet the irrigation demands better than some other evolutionary algorithms. Moreover, lower indices of root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) were obtained for the HA. In addition, a multicriteria decision-making model based on the vulnerability, reliability, and reversibility indices and the objective function performed better with the new HA than with the BA, PSOA, genetic algorithm (GA), and shark algorithm (SA) in terms of providing for downstream irrigation demands. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability with Optimization Techniques)

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Review

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34 pages, 7273 KiB

Open AccessReview

Sustainability and Optimization: From Conceptual Fundamentals to Applications

by Ali Sadollah, Mohammad Nasir and Zong Woo Geem

Sustainability 2020, 12(5), 2027; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12052027 - 6 Mar 2020

Cited by 39 | Viewed by 12850

Abstract

In recent years, both sustainability and optimization concepts have become inseparable developing topics with diverse concepts, elements, and aspects. The principal goal of optimization is to improve the overall sustainability including the environmental sustainability, social sustainability, economic sustainability, and energy resources sustainability through [...] Read more.

In recent years, both sustainability and optimization concepts have become inseparable developing topics with diverse concepts, elements, and aspects. The principal goal of optimization is to improve the overall sustainability including the environmental sustainability, social sustainability, economic sustainability, and energy resources sustainability through satisfying the objective functions. Therefore, applying optimization algorithms and methods to achieve the sustainable development have significant importance. This paper represents a considerable review on the employed optimization methodologies to sustainability and the sustainable development including sustainable energy, sustainable buildings, and sustainable environment. Since energy optimization is one of the major necessities of sustainability, sustainable development is investigated from the energy perspective. In addition, the concept, definitions, and elements of the sustainability and optimization have been presented, and the review of the optimization metaheuristic algorithms used in recent published articles related to sustainability and sustainable development was carried out. Thus, it is believed that this paper can be appropriate, beneficial, and practical for students, academic researchers, engineers, and other professionals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability with Optimization Techniques)

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