Please wait a minute...
Shopping Cart Email List Chinese
Advanced Search Fig/Tab
Frontiers of Engineering Management

ISSN 2095-7513

ISSN 2096-0255(Online)

CN 10-1205/N

Postal Subscription Code 80-905

Featured Articles  |  Most Downloaded  |  Most Reading
Online Submission Subscribe to Our RSS Content Feed
Front. Eng    2018, Vol. 5 Issue (1) : 17-29    https://doi.org/10.15302/J-FEM-2018080
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Coupling and evolution mechanism of infrastructure mega-projects complex ecosystem: Case study on Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge
Zebin ZHAO1(), Xiaolong XUE1, Xinglin GAO2, Gang LIU2, Hengqin WU1
1. School of Management, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
2. Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Authority, Zhuhai 519015, China
 Download: PDF(573 KB)   HTML
 Export: BibTeX | EndNote | Reference Manager | ProCite | RefWorks
Abstract

Infrastructure mega-projects (IMP), which involve complex interactions and feedback, have more significant impact on economic, social, and other systems. This paper proposes a concept—the IMP complex ecosystem—to analyze IMP from a broad perspective of organic links across engineering, social, economic, and resource environments. Moreover, this paper proposes the theoretical concept, framework, and functions for the IMP complex ecosystem based on complex ecosystem theory. First, the coupling process between IMP complex ecosystem subsystems is analyzed through material flows, energy flows, information flows, and value streams. Second, a logistic model of the IMP complex ecosystem is proposed by analyzing the evolution conditions and motivations. Third, the evolution pattern of the IMP complex ecosystem is determined. Fourth, the positive evolution strategy of the IMP complex ecosystem based on dissipative structure theory and the influencing factors of the evolutionary process is introduced. Finally, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and Sousa chinensis are used as the case study. This paper also analyzes the coupling structure on the complex ecosystem of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and investigates the coupling and evolution mechanism application of the IMP complex ecosystem on Sousa chinensis protection for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge project.
Keywords infrastructure mega-projects (IMP)      Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge      complex ecosystem      coupling relationship      evolution mechanism     
Corresponding Author(s): Zebin ZHAO   
Just Accepted Date: 26 January 2018   Online First Date: 08 March 2018    Issue Date: 21 March 2018
 Cite this article:   
Zebin ZHAO,Xiaolong XUE,Xinglin GAO, et al. Coupling and evolution mechanism of infrastructure mega-projects complex ecosystem: Case study on Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge[J]. Front. Eng, 2018, 5(1): 17-29.
 URL:  
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fem/EN/10.15302/J-FEM-2018080
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fem/EN/Y2018/V5/I1/17
Fig.1  Basic relationship of IMP complex ecosystem
Fig.2  Structure of IMP complex ecosystem
Subsystem Basic description Function
Engineering subsystem Infrastructure artificial systems for IMP. Main body of IMP complex system; main outputs of activities in the social, economic, and resource environments
Economic subsystem Stakeholders conduct economic activities in the construction and operation of IMP, which include the production, distribution, exchange, and consumption. This condition forms a new system in which the value, energy, and information exchange are transformed and conveyed in different entities. Construction and operation are the main processes to form the IMP ecosystem
Social subsystem Social subsystem mainly considers the stakeholders, such as engineering administration, construction enterprises, and public and maintains the economic activities in the construction and operation. Social subsystem provides management, control, human resource, and intelligence for the IMP complex ecosystem.
Resource environment subsystem The system provides atmosphere, water, soil, biology, minerals, and energy in the construction and operation of IMP. The system provides materials and energy in the construction and operation of IMP, which are regarded the limitations and foundations of the IMP complex ecosystem.
Tab.1  Subsystem composition and function of IMP complex ecosystem
Fig.3  Coupling relationship between the subsystems of IMP complex ecosystem
Fig.4  Coupling modes within subsystems of IMP complex ecosystem
Stage The main subject The subsystem Main coupling flow
Preliminary planning stage Government administration, experts, and the public Social subsystem Information transmission
Design stage Government administration, design units, experts, and the public Social, economic, and resource environmental subsystems Information transmission
Construction stage Government administration, construction units, experts, and the public Engineering, social, economic, and resource environmental subsystems Material cycles, value transformation, energy flow, and information transmission
Operation stage Government administration, operation units, experts, and the public Engineering, social, economic, and resource environmental subsystems Value transformation, material cycles, energy flow, and information transmission
Tab.2  Analysis of coupling flows between the subsystems of different IMP stages
Fig.5  Simple form of evolutionary process of IMP complex ecosystem
Fig.6  Evolution process of IMP complex ecosystem
Fig.7  Coupling relationship analysis of the complex ecosystem of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge
Time Phase Investigation
Feb. 2005–Jan. 2006 Engineering feasibility study stage Conduct Sousa chinensis and fishery resource survey
Aug. 2010–Jan. 2011 Before the main construction project Conduct Sousa chinensis and fishery resource background investigation and evaluation
2011–present During the construction on the main project of the bridge Conduct the monitoring of Sousa chinensis
Aug. 2015–Aug. 2016 Construction of mid Conduct a mid-term investigation and assessment of Sousa chinensis and fishery resources
Tab.3  Survey on Sousa chinensis for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge IMP (2005–2016)
1 Bossel H (2001). Indicators for Sustainable Development: Theory, Method, Applications. Winnipeg: International Institute for Sustainable Development
2 Calvano C N, John P (2004). Systems engineering in an age of complexity. Systems Engineering, 7(1): 25–34
https://doi.org/10.1002/sys.10054
3 Castejon-Limas M, Ordieres-Mere J, Gonzalez-Marcos A, González-Castro V (2011). Effort estimates through project complexity. Annals of Operations Research, 186(1): 395–406
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-010-0776-0
4 Christian A, Holmberg J, Lindgren K (1996). Social-ecological indicators for sustainability. Ecological Economics, 18(2): 135–140
5 Fan Y H, Lu Z H, Cheng J L (2003). Key ecological environment and ecological reconstruction technology of coal mining area of China. Ecological journal, 23(10): 2144–2152
6 Guo C Q (2007). The social responsibility and historical mission of China management science academe. Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 22(2): 132–136
7 Hao X, Qin S S (2003). Complexity and sustainable development of compound ecosystem. Journal of Systematic Dialectics, 10: 23–26
8 Levitt R E (2007). CEM research for the next 50 years: Maximizing economic, environmental, and societal value of the built environment. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 133(9): 619–628
https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9364(2007)133:9(619)
9 Ma S J, Wang R S (1984). Social-economic-natural complex ecosystem. Journal of Ecology, 4(1): 1–9
10 Odum H T (1983). System Ecology. New York: John Wiley and Sons
11 Ottino J M (2004). Engineering complex systems. Nature, 427(6973): 399
https://doi.org/10.1038/427399a pmid: 14749808
12 Qin S S (2008). Study on self-organization characteristics of compound ecosystem. Journal of Systems Science, 16(4): 45–49
13 Sahely H R, Kennedy C A, Adams B J (2005). Developing sustainability criteria for urban infrastructure systems. Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, 32(1): 72–85
https://doi.org/10.1139/l04-072
14 Sauser B, Boardman J (2008). Taking hold of system of systems management. Engineering Management Journal, 20(4): 3–8
https://doi.org/10.1080/10429247.2008.11431782
15 Shen P, Yang H (2007). Research on coordination of traffic and transportation system by compound system theory. Railway Transport and Economy, 29(7): 4–6
16 Shen X F, Hu G, Jiang L (1987). Theory of Dissipative Structure. Shanghai: Shanghai People’s Publishing House
17 Sheng Z H, You Q Z (2007). Meta-Synthesis management: Methodology and paradigms–the exploration of engineering management theory in Sutong Bridge. Complex Systems and Complexity Science, 4(2): 1–9 (in Chinese)
18 Tansley A G (1935). The use and abuse of vegetational concepts and terms. Ecology, 16(3): 284–307
https://doi.org/10.2307/1930070
19 Tian H Y, Chen L D, Lv Y H (2006). Multi-objective system and method of ecosystem management. Chinese Journal of Ecology, 25(9): 1147–1152
20 Wang G C, Li P F (2014). Study on complex ecosystem of coal mining area and its coupling mechanism. Ecological Economics, 30(2): 139–142
21 Wang R S, Ouyang Z Y (2012). Social-economy-natural complex ecosystem and sustainable development. Journal of Chinese academy of sciences, 27(03): 337–345
22 Wang R S, Zhao J Z, Zhao Q T (1989). Regeneration, self-birth, symbiosis—Ecological control of three principles and sustainable development. Ecology, 8(5): 33–36
23 Yuan X M, Han W X (1998). Coordination and sustainable development of composite system. China Population, Resources and Environment, 8(2):51–55 (in Chinese)
24 Zhang Q P, Hu Y Q (1995). Discussion on the complex logistic development mechanism of urban ecological economic system. Journal of Harbin Institute of Technology, 27(2):131–135 (in Chinese)
25 Zhang X C, Xue C Z (1995). Systematization of large-Scale project management. Metallurgical Economy and Management, (4): 21–26
Viewed
Full text


Abstract

Cited
  Shared   
  Discussed