A strategy was developed for implementation and management of multisector urban infrastructure projects. The strategy includes risk-based analytical hierarchy process ͑AHP͒ for project prioritization that is based on project deliverables and project life-cycle and implementation guidelines. The expert-opinion elicitation process used for this study consists of a variation of the Delphi technique, scenario analysis, civil works, and nuclear industry recommendations. The AHP methodology utilizes a multicriteria decision-making technique that allows the consideration of both objective and subjective factors in obtaining cardinal priority ranking of infrastructure projects. The methodology, which deals with different fields of infrastructure, can incorporate uncertainty in the process and can be implemented using simple spreadsheet format. The methodology was developed for a group of players ͑methodology implementers͒ involved in implementation and management of urban infrastructure projects. These include the decision makers, the stakeholders who can influence the decision and/or be affected by it, and the analysts. The methodology was demonstrated in this paper using real-life applications for effectiveness in prioritizing infrastructure projects from mixed infrastructure sectors in Palestine.

No abstract

No abstract

The provisions for flexural design contained in BS 8110 have been reviewed in the context of introducing improvements in the level of ductility that can be achieved in structural concrete sections. Increased ductility will lead to corresponding enhancements in the flexural behaviour of members. Accordingly, changes to the present approach to flexural design in this code have been put forward. Design equations have been developed and compared to those present in the code. The proposed approach permits a section to be designed regardless of its longitudinal reinforcement ratio and also allows the amount of stirrups required to achieve the increased level of ductility to be determined. A test programme comprising 21 beams has been carried out to investigate the validity of the proposed design approach. The test results have confirmed the validity of the proposed approach. All of the beams exhibited enhanced flexural behaviour even though their longitudinal reinforcement ratios were significantly in excess of the maximum limit allowed in the code.

No abstract