ABSTRACT A utilidor is a ‘system of systems’ infrastructural solution to the ‘subsurface spaghetti’ problem resulting from direct burial of utility transmission infrastructure beneath the public right of way (PROW). The transition from direct burial to utilidors in older, dense American cities has generally not occurred, despite the potential to increase system performance in a long-term, financially

ABSTRACT Policy and technical guidance are only as good as their implementation. Often well-meaning legislation has unintended consequences, as individuals and organisations overlay their own risk perceptions and understanding to an issue. This paper illustrates how behavioural science can be applied to risk-based engineering decisions to improve decision outcomes. It is framed around an analysis of

ABSTRACT This work provides an analysis for the civil engineering community of the practice of participatory modelling (PM), reviewing the advances that environmental researchers and practitioners have made over 20 years, providing key references, case studies, and practical guidelines. Past consultation methods have proven inadequate to build trust with communities, and have led to development of

ABSTRACT In this article, the ability of the artificial neural network-genetic algorithm (ANN-GA) to perform back analysis and predict maximum surface settlement in mechanised tunnelling is investigated. The required data of the ANN meta-model was generated using 150 three-dimensional finite-difference simulations. The global sensitivity analysis was performed on 19 parameters, including 17 geotechnical

ABSTRACT Vibration performance of a one-way simply supported timber-concrete composite (TCC) floor section has been studied using analytical as well as numerical methods. Focal points have been verification and validation of results from analytical and numerical calculations of vibration response based on experimental data. For the analytical calculations, floor bending stiffness and vibrational response

ABSTRACT This paper presents a new conceptual framework of the disaster risk of critical infrastructure systems in terms of societal impacts. Much research on infrastructure reliability focuses on specific issues related to the technical system or human coping. Focusing on the end goal of infrastructure services – societal functioning – this framework offers a new way to understand how those more focused

ABSTRACT The paper presents a simplified vulnerability assessment method for unreinforced masonry buildings based on the evaluation of a few structural parameters, which can be determined from visual inspection and a geometry survey. The authors proposed an empirical approach with the aim to assess the in-plane vulnerability quickly by predicting the damage failure of bearing masonry walls. Field observations

ABSTRACT Artificial intelligence (AI) has been established as a universal language for solving science and engineering problems. Despite the rise of big data, the success of AI in parallel fields, and exciting works published at this frontier, some in the civil engineering community tie AI to a mystique stigma. And yet, there is also ever-growing inertia to embrace AI fully. The mystique of AI arises

ABSTRACT This study applies the philosophy of technological mediation to understand how vision-based systems used for civil structure condition assessment transform input of images from cameras into output of structural response. The objective of this study is to understand the mediating role that a vision-based system plays between their users and properties of civil structures that are unperceivable

ABSTRACT Connectivity refers to the ability of civil engineering system components to transmit/receive data for making strategic, tactical and operational decisions towards enhanced efficiency, effectiveness, and lower costs to the system stakeholders. Automation is the capability of a system or its component to carry out control functions or decisions that are traditionally done by humans. As the

(2021). CEES special issue – the body of knowledge for systems 2020. Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems: Vol. 38, Discussions: What is The Body of Knowledge for Engineers Involved with Civil Engineering Systems? – A 2020 Vision, Guest Editors: Priyan Dias and Paul Jowitt, pp. 247-249.

(2021). Author's reply to: David Blockley's discussion of the special issue. Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems: Vol. 38, Discussions: What is The Body of Knowledge for Engineers Involved with Civil Engineering Systems? – A 2020 Vision, Guest Editors: Priyan Dias and Paul Jowitt, pp. 250-250.

ABSTRACT This reply to David Blockley’s discussion addresses the issue of relevant knowledge, the need for an ability to learn, the distinction between types of system, the need to expand our understanding of uncertainty, implications for education and the incompleteness of the body of knowledge referred to in the BOK Special Issue of Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems.

(2021). BOK and terminology. Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems: Vol. 38, Discussions: What is The Body of Knowledge for Engineers Involved with Civil Engineering Systems? – A 2020 Vision, Guest Editors: Priyan Dias and Paul Jowitt, pp. 257-258.

ABSTRACT Carmichael's discussion considers whether the discipline of Civil Engineering Systems can develop, and whether such development depends on a clear and agreed terminology. The answer to the first point is ‘yes,’ but though clear and well-agreed terminology is desirable, it is not strictly necessary because the underlying issue is the need for mutual understanding of and within the discipline

ABSTRACT The history and philosophy of the growth of engineering knowledge is under-developed – the nearest one can get is the progress of science. That history shows the falsity of Carmichael’s assertion that the absence of an agreed set of meanings for systems terms will hold-back the development of Civil Engineering Systems.

(2021). At one with systems. Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems: Vol. 38, Discussions: What is The Body of Knowledge for Engineers Involved with Civil Engineering Systems? – A 2020 Vision, Guest Editors: Priyan Dias and Paul Jowitt, pp. 265-268.

ABSTRACT Carmichael’s discussion focusses on the education of Civil Engineering Systems practitioners, but any such aim requires a clear idea of the end product. There is an analogy between systems work and creativity. Do they rely on innate skill or can they be taught? I believe they can be taught, but the thinking processes needed require an approach radically different from the normal technique-

ABSTRACT Carmichael’s paper offers a framework for civil engineering systems work. The approach is rigorous. But equally rigorous should be the principles underlying the work, including a clear and unambiguous defining purpose and a careful attention to modelling principles. That is, a rigorous process is just as important as a rigorous framework. Suggested additions to the proposed framework are:

(2021). Author’s reply to: David Elms’ discussion of ‘a framework for a civil engineering BOK’. Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems: Vol. 38, Discussions: What is The Body of Knowledge for Engineers Involved with Civil Engineering Systems? – A 2020 Vision, Guest Editors: Priyan Dias and Paul Jowitt, pp. 276-278.

ABSTRACT Much engineering work requires an outlook which must deal with technical detail within a wider framework of societal and environmental complexities. This calls for multiple points of view ranging from a broad context to localised detail, analogous to the use of a zoom lens. The paper ‘The Systems Stance’ provides an excellent practical way of handling complex system problems needing a range

ABSTRACT Addressing the process of doing systems engineering, Cameron suggests a zoom lens analogy, zooming in from a broad initial view to increasing attention to detail as the work progresses. The process requires a rigorous modelling process at all levels, with careful attention to clarity and balance and an equally careful attention to information quality.

ABSTRACT The writer agrees with the main point of the paper which is to emphasise the need for civil engineering systems engineers to have ‘practical wisdom’. Insofar as this is not clearly defined the discussion offers an example from practice where practical wisdom was lacking. Blockley’s paper lists major challenges, including computerisation. The present discussion suggests others as important

(2021). Author’s reply to David Elms’ discussion of ‘Practical wisdom in an age of computerization' Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems: Vol. 38, Discussions: What is The Body of Knowledge for Engineers Involved with Civil Engineering Systems? – A 2020 Vision, Guest Editors: Priyan Dias and Paul Jowitt, pp. 289-291.

ABSTRACT Research focussing on urban infrastructure is much needed. The original paper reviews a number of initiatives for this. The discussion suggests possible additions such as inclusion of network theoretic ideas, a focus on the importance of clearly defined system boundaries, further developments of resilience theory, and issues related to recovery from, rather than response to, major natural

ABSTRACT We thank Prof Elms for his insightful comments and suggestions. The paper was indeed aimed at setting the future direction for the Centre for Systems Engineering and Innovation (CSEI) at Imperial College London, with the hope that the ideas will inspire others who work in the same or similar area of research. We are pleased to see that Prof Elms enjoyed reading our paper.

ABSTRACT Systems engineers require breadth. Three approaches are discussed. The first is to develop a clear goal in the form of the attributes of a well-educated civil engineering systems specialist (CESS) – what such an engineer would be like. The second, complementary to the first, proposes a goal in terms of what the ideal CESS could do well as a series of tasks or actions. The third is to produce

ABSTRACT The author’s reply to David Elms welcomes the supportive comments and offers a visualisation of the body of knowledge required of a systems engineer, building on the ‘T-shaped' person construct. The systems engineer requires a series of pillars of deep domain knowledge, acquired throughout a lifetime of experience, with serial capstones representing the synthesis and integration of that knowledge

ABSTRACT Jowitt’s paper suggests that civil engineering systems engineers require an ethical imperative and a set of specific attributes. The ethics should include a broad understanding of value and values. Attributes of a successful systems-capable civil engineer are listed in a table stemming from an international workshop. They can be summed up in terms of ASK: Attitude, Skills and Knowledge.

(2021). Response to Discussion by Elms on “Systems and Sustainability”. Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems: Vol. 38, Discussions: What is The Body of Knowledge for Engineers Involved with Civil Engineering Systems? – A 2020 Vision, Guest Editors: Priyan Dias and Paul Jowitt, pp. 309-309.

ABSTRACT Systems thinking and analysis from the civil and environmental engineering communities have been highly successful in mitigating the effects of natural and man-made hazards. Not surprisingly, the United Nations Human Development Index shows steady improvement for every nation since its implementation in 1990. The world has never been healthier, wealthier, or more educated than at the present

ABSTRACT A large proportion of apartment buildings in Europe were built between 1950 and 1990 and many of them are today in need of renovation due to inherently poor quality of design, a lack of subsequent maintenance and the present-day imperative of energy-efficiency. The limited extent of renovation compared with new-build projects suggests that developers find renovation unattractive. The purpose

ABSTRACT The concept of ‘structural connectivity’ is introduced to assess the connectivity of structural trusses and road networks, which are examples of two-dimensional assemblies. Metrics for such connectivity, and also for identifying the least connected members and zones, are derived from an adaptation of the ‘Bristol approach’ (based on joint stiffness), Newman’s method (based on network theory)

ABSTRACT The paper proposes a formulation to select the optimal retrofit strategy for a damaged school under seismic hazard, by applying risk and reliability assessment techniques. The formulation considers the cost-effectiveness of alternative retrofit strategies, including failure consequences, to get adequate balance (CE: Balance is an uncountable noun) between the costs and the gains on reliability

ABSTRACT Critical infrastructure systems are typically managed as isolated systems, however, past events have demonstrated that disruptions to electricity supply can initiate major social and economic impacts on dependent infrastructure. This paper investigates the role of electricity on the functioning of the New Zealand national passenger–transportation sectors, namely: airports, ferries, rail, and

ABSTRACT This study aims to present a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) for comprehensive performance evaluation of the alternative design of timber–concrete composite (TCC) floor system. Considered objectives are serviceability and sustainability performance with associated criterion as (1) comfort class regarding springiness and vibrations, (2) architectural quality with associated criterion

ABSTRACT The selection of appropriate slope repair methods for the restoration of failed slopes is challenging at the early-stage of the decision-making process due to the limited available geotechnical information. At this early-stage, the limited experience of a few maintenance personnel often dominates the selection of slope repair methods to restore failed slopes. Hence, some potential repair methods

ABSTRACT The purpose of the study is to use a social network analysis of a construction project’s participants to identify key participants using centrality measures and identify communities of participants in the network. This article analyses the communication network of a construction project that consists of 34 participants. Analysis of four centrality measures of the network’s nodes showed that

ABSTRACT Traditional disaster response plans are struggling to adapt to the increasingly complex, unique, and uncertain disaster impacts. Decision-making under deep uncertainty suggests the consideration of decision trigger points and adaptive processes to develop plans that are flexible for any oncoming challenge. Two disaster response planning situations are examined here: disaster waste management

ABSTRACT All engineering structures degrade or become damaged in service to some extent. Information collection activities, such as inspection or structural health monitoring can reduce uncertainty in probabilistic models of structural condition. By linking the information that they provide to the improved integrity management strategies that they facilitate, their expected value can be quantified

ABSTRACT This paper proposes a comprehensive analysis framework, combining three-dimensional (3D) numerical modelling and metamodeling, to investigate the probabilistic performance of retrofit actions on coastal bridges subjected to extreme wave forces. Specifically, a 3D Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model is developed to calculate extreme wave load on the bridge superstructure. The established

ABSTRACT The present study implemented an integrative approach facilitated by the developed model called ‘the location-based model of sustainable-development-of-energy' to select the optimal location for deploying Run-of-River (RoR) hydropower plants in Fomanat plain, Gilan, Iran. The suggested model was developed based on a geospatial information system (GIS) and multi-criteria-decision-making (MCDM)

ABSTRACT The structural robustness of buildings in a hospital contributes significantly to its overall robustness. This study describes the development of a structural robustness assessment tool with a focus on natural hazards using a Rapid Visual Screening method. First, robustness attributes were identified, along with well-defined assessment criteria. Then the relative importance of each attribute

(2020). What is the body of knowledge for engineers involved with civil engineering systems? – A 2020 vision. Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems: Vol. 37, What is The Body of Knowledge for Engineers Involved with Civil Engineering Systems? – A 2020 Vision Guest Editors: Priyan Dias and Paul Jowitt, pp. 149-153.

ABSTRACT Systems engineering is a discipline for organising problems and finding better solutions. The approach is ancient and practical in its origins, and has become more formal in the last century. Systems engineering usually involves assembling solutions that consist of diverse components to work effectively together, drawing from mechanics, science, and social science to better achieve explicit

ABSTRACT At a time of system shocks, significant underlying challenges are revealed in current approaches to delivering infrastructure, including that infrastructure users in many societies feel distant from nature. We set out a research agenda on systems approaches to infrastructure, drawing on ten years of interdisciplinary work on operating infrastructure, infrastructure interventions and lifecycles

ABSTRACT The paper outlines the case for a body of knowledge for civil engineering systems engineers to include, alongside its primary focus on engineering and technology, supplementary strands from the liberal arts. A case is made for future thought leaders in civil engineering systems to be exposed to a body of knowledge that goes well beyond current UK engineering undergraduate content, providing

ABSTRACT The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has developed three editions of a Body of Knowledge (BOK) to define the professional practice of civil engineering. The process has taken close to two decades so far and has established a pattern of continuous change and improvement. The development has been accelerated by two events, The Summit on the Future of Civil Engineering – 2025 in 2006

ABSTRACT This Special Issue poses the question ‘What is the Body of Knowledge for Engineers involved with Civil Engineering Systems?’ There are some landmark systems concepts and some characteristic techniques. In that sense, there is a body of knowledge. But is a body of knowledge sufficient? Perhaps not. This paper gives a summary of how Sustainable Development guidelines were developed and embedded

ABSTRACT Mitigation measures such as window shutters can substantially reduce windstorm damage to housing. However, the cost-effectiveness of wind mitigation measures remains unclear when considering influencing factors such as financial protection via insurance, individual risk perceptions and planning time horizons. Economic incentives may also be provided to motivate homeowners to invest in mitigation

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has developed three editions of a Body of Knowledge (BOK) to define the professional practice of civil engineering. The process has taken close to two...

An engineer can be greatly helped in dealing with complex and unusual systems by taking a specific attitude to the world of reality: The Systems Stance. It involves an attitude of personal engageme...

The paper outlines what is believed to be a robust systems framework, suitable for the development of a Body of Knowledge in Civil Engineering Systems (BOK-CES). The proposed framework is structure...

All professions are facing some formidable challenges including the ‘big three’ – climate change, pandemics and increasing computerisation. The potential threats include new uncertainties about une...

I was delighted to see that David Carmichael has once again written on a topic that is both important and sadly neglected. Though I do not always agree what he said, I am glad he said it, and I hop...

ABSTRACT Competitive bidding is the main mechanism for the allocation and price determination of construction services in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction industry. Quantitative bidding methods have received considerable attention in the literature. The validity and reliability of these methods (particularly Freidman and Gates) have been explored using mathematical and statistical analysis

Professor Elms is thanked for his comments. I address here some of Professor Elms’ comments. The components of decision making are given in the paper (Carmichael 2020) as {model; constraints; objec...