Suchergebnisse

The competition for space in urban areas due to an exponential growth of population makes derground engineering plays a crucial role in the development of cities. Urban underground infrastructures deal with variables such as cost, duration, safety, and management; faces political, social, economic and environmental issues; and guarantees future sustainability, maintenance, and energy efficiency. To do so, all these concepts and variables must be kept in mind during the whole construction process: (I) project design, (II) project construction and (III) project exploitation. This thesis aims to demonstrate how the construction cycle deals with the various impacts produced by the interaction of underground constructions with groundwater at each stage of the process, with a view to providing improved processes. During the project design previous data is collected, new data is generated, created and processed, helping to understand the context and to design the infrastructure. There are very advanced tools to store and process hydrogeological data, but most of these tools are not common in infrastructure projects. Often most of the constructions only perform the minimum legal requirement to characterize the ground: a pumping test. Therefore, there is a need to provide the constructors with a set of methods and tools to allow them to increase the quality of their hydrogeological analysis, which will allow early detection problems associated with the groundwater. The interaction of underground constructions with groundwater generates impacts. These impacts can usually be minimized by using mitigation measures. The most common impacts caused by underground constructions are the groundwater barrier effect and the groundwater pressure distribution and limitation under the bottom slab. In the literature there are many examples and designs to mitigate both groundwater barrier effect and groundwater pressure distribution impacts. However, there is no design that integrates both solutions. This thesis presents an innovative groundwater by-pass design that enables the groundwater to flow through the structure and provide a homogenous distribution of the water pressure under the bottom slab. The new integrated design was applied to the largest underground infrastructure of Barcelona: La Sagrera railway station. A hydrogeological model was implemented to test the original and the integrated designs in three different scenarios. This new solution mitigates the groundwater barrier effect and optimizes the bottom slab, considerably reducing the costs and increasing safety during the construction phase. Monitoring is required when dewatering underground constructions in order to anticipate unexpected events and preserve nearby existing structures. The most accurate and spread monitoring method to measure displacements is levelling, a pointlike surveying technique that typically allows for tens of discrete in-situ sub-millimetric measurements per squared kilometer. Another emerging technique for mapping soil deformation is the Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR), which is based on SAR images acquired from orbiting satellites or by ground-based stations (GB-SAR). This remote sensing technique can provide better spatial point density than levelling, more extensive spatial coverage and cheaper acquisitions. Both satellite and ground-based SAR systems have been used and tested in a variety of analyses. However, nobody has applied this technology as a monitoring tool during construction works yet. This thesis contributes to data storing and data analysis software that implies new and significant method developments for increasing the quality of the hydrogeological analysis; it provides new approaches to address the groundwater corrective measures definition during the design stage, and it develops and applies new methods of nfrastructure monitoring using ground-based and satellite SAR sensors during the construction stage. ; Degut al creixement exponencial de la població i tenint en compte que l'espai dins les àrees urbanes és finit és, necessari la construcció d'infraestructures subterrànies. Variables com el cost, la durada, la seguretat i la gestió; els problemes polítics, socials, econòmics i ambientals; garantir la sostenibilitat futura, el manteniment i l'eficiència energètica, han d'estar presents durant totes les fases del procés constructiu: (I) fase de disseny, (II) fase de construcció, i (III) fase d'explotació. Les construccions subterrànies interactuen amb el medi subterrani, el resultat de la interacció són uns impactes en la construcció i en el medi ambient. Tots aquests impactes són avaluats al llarg del procés constructiu per tal de ser corregits o minimitzats. L'objectiu principal d'aquesta tesi és conèixer com s'avaluen els diferents impactes a cadascuna de les fas es del procés constructiu per poder així proposar millores. Durant el disseny del projecte i per tal d'entendre el context i el disseny de la infraestructura es recullen dades històriques i es generen noves dades . L'ús de la majoria d'eines hidrogeològiques no és habitual en els projectes d'infraestructures ja que la majoria caracteritzen el terreny amb una prova de bombament. Per tant, és necessari proporcionar als constructors un conjunt de mètodes i d'eines que permetin augmentar la qualitat dels seus anàlisis, per augmentar així la detecció primerenca de problemes associats a les aigües subterrànies. Els impactes produïts per la interacció de les construccions subterrànies amb les aigües subterrànies es poden minimitzar mitjançant l'ús de mesures de mitigació. Els impactes més comuns causats per construccions subterrànies són l'efecte barrera i la distribució i limitació de subpressions sota la llosa de fons. A la literatura hi ha molts dissenys que permeten mitigar l'efecte barrera i millorar la distribució de les subpressions, però no hi ha cap disseny que integri les dues solucions. Aquesta tesi presenta un disseny innovador per bypassar les aigües subterrànies a través de l'estructura proporcionant una distribució homogènia de les subpressions sota la llosa de fons. Aquesta nova solució minimitza l'efecte barrera de les aigües subterrànies i optimitza la llosa de fons, reduint considerablement els costos i augmentant la seguretat durant la fase de construcció. Quan una construcció rebaixa el nivell freàtic cal auscultar els nivells i la deformació del terreny per tal d'anticipar esdeveniments inesperats i preservar les estructures properes existents. El mètode actual més utilitzat per mesurar desplaçaments és l'anivellament, que permet avaluar in situ desenes de punts discrets amb una precisi ó submil·limètrica. Una tècnica emergent és el Radar d'Obertura Sintètica Interferomètrica (InSAR), que es basa en imatges SAR adquirides des de satèl·lits en òrbita o bé des d'estacions al terra (GB-SAR). Aquesta tècnica de detecció remota proporciona una major cobertura espacial i més econòmica que els mètodes d'auscultació tradicionals. Tot i que la tecnologia SAR s'ha utilitzat i validat en una gran varietat d'anàlisis, ningú ha aplicat encara aquesta tecnologia com a eina d'auscultació durant la construcció d'infraestructures. Aquesta tesi contribueix a: (I) millorar l'emmagatzematge i processament de dades a través de nous desenvolupaments i mètodes que permeten augmentar la qualitat de l'anàlisi hidrogeològica; (II) oferir noves formes d'anàlisi per al disseny de mesures correctores durant l'etapa de disseny; i (III) desenvolupar i aplicar nous mètodes d'auscultació d'infraestructura a través de sensors SAR (terrestres i satèl·lit) durant la fase constructiva. ; La limitación de espacio en áreas urbanas junto al crecimiento exponencial de la población, hace necesaria la construcción de infraestructuras subterráneas. Nuevos conceptos en planificación urbana junto con los avances tecnológicos en la construcción hacen posible la ejecución de infraestructuras más grandes y de más eficiencia. No obstante, variables tales como el coste, la duración, la seguridad y la gestión; los problemas políticos, sociales, económicos y ambientales; y garantizar la sostenibilidad futura, el mantenimiento y la eficiencia energética, hacen de esta ejecución un problema complejo. Por ello, todas estas variables deben estar presentes durante todo el proceso constructivo: (I) diseño del proyecto, (II) construcción del proyecto y (III) explotación del proyecto. Esta tesis tiene como objetivo principal saber cómo el ciclo constructivo (diseño del proyecto, construcción y explotación de proyectos) procesa las problemáticas inducidas por la interacción de las nuevas infraestructuras subterráneas urbanas con las aguas subterráneas para luego mejorarlo. Durante el diseño del proyecto (fase I) se recogen los datos históricos, se generan nuevos datos (pozos, pruebas de campo, muestras químicas .) y se procesa conjuntamente, lo que ayuda a entender el contexto y el diseño de la infraestructura. Existen herramientas muy avanzadas para almacenar y procesar información geológica, hidroquímica e hidrogeológica, aunque la mayoría de estas herramientas no son comunes en los proyectos de infraestructuras subterráneas ya que es común que la mayoría de las construcciones sólo se realice una prueba de bombeo para caracterizar el subsuelo. Por lo tanto, hay una necesidad de proporcionar un conjunto de métodos y de herramientas a los constructores para que puedan aumentar la calidad de su análisis (como pruebas de bombeo), para aumentar así la detección temprana de problemas asociados a las aguas subterráneas. La interacción de las construcciones subterráneas con las aguas subterráneas genera impactos. Estos impactos generalmente pueden minimizarse mediante el uso de medidas correctoras. Los impactos más comunes causados por las construcciones subterráneas son el efecto barrera (impacto en las aguas subterráneas) y la distribución y limitación de subpresiones bajo la losa de fondo (impacto en la construcción subterránea). En la literatura hay muchos ejemplos de diseños para mitigar tanto el efecto barrera y como para mejorar la distribución de las subpresiones bajo la losa de fondo. Sin embargo, no hay ningún diseño que integre ambas soluciones. Es ilógico diseñar una medida correctora sin tener en cuenta todos los factores que intervienen en el problema. Esta tesis presenta un diseño innovador de by-pass para las aguas subterráneas que permite el flujo de agua subterránea a través de la estructura a la vez que proporciona una distribución homogénea de las subpresiones bajo la losa de fondo. El nuevo diseño se ha aplicado en la infraestructura subterránea más grande de Barcelona: la futura estación de tren de La Sagrera. Se ha realizado un modelo hidrogeológico para probar los nuevos diseños en tres escenarios diferentes. Esta nueva solución mitiga el efecto barrera de las aguas subterráneas y optimiza la losa de fondo, lo que reduce considerablemente los costes y aumenta la seguridad durante la fase de construcción. Durante la construcción (fase II) se genera una gran cantidad de nuevos datos. Es necesario auscultar los niveles y la deformación del terreno cuando una construcción rebaja el freático con el fin de anticiparse a acontecimientos inesperados y a preservar las estructuras y / o edificios cercanos existentes. El método actual más usado para medir desplazamientos en el terreno es la nivelación, una técnica que permite evaluar in situ decenas de puntos discretos con una precisión sub-milimétrica. Una técnica emergente para medir la deformación del suelo es el Radar de Apertura Sintética Interferométrica (InSAR), que se basa en imágenes SAR adquiridas o bien desde satélites en órbita o bien desde estaciones en tierra (GB-SAR). Esta técnica de detección remota proporciona una mayor cobertura espacial y más barata que los métodos de auscultación tradicionales. Aunque la tecnología SAR se ha utilizado y validado en una gran variedad de análisis, nadie ha aplicado esta tecnología como una herramienta de auscultación durante la construcción de infraestructuras. Esta tesis contribuye a mejorar el almacenamiento y tratamiento de datos a través de nuevos desarrollos y métodos que permiten aumentar la calidad del análisis hidrogeológico; ofrece nuevas formas de análisis para el diseño de medidas correctoras durante la etapa de diseño; y desarrolla y aplica nuevos métodos de auscultación de infraestructura a través de sensores SAR (terrestres y satélite) durante la fase constructiva ; Postprint (published version)

In this bulletin, a snapshot of remittance inflows into Ukraine pre-COVID will be discussed, followed by its developments in 2020.

In this issue, we explore the challenges and opportunities lower-middle income countries in Asia face in the wake of mass reverse migration movements in 2020, brought about by COVID-19. Can governments respond to the unprecedented number of returned migrant workers in ways that benefit migrant workers and their families, contribute to COVID response and recovery, and build stronger policy frameworks for future migration cycles?

The following bulletin focuses on remittance inflows into Georgia in 2020 and its development in 2021. The social and economic stability of Georgia strongly relies on the money sent from emigrants to their families. Based on World Bank Data1, in 2019, in terms of dependence on remittance inflows, Georgia ranked 21st in the world, with remittance inflows to GDP ratio. Moreover, the study conducted by the State Commission on Migration Issues revealed that in 2016 money sent by every second emigrant to their families accumulated half or 3/4 of family budget, and for the 15% of families remittance was the only source of income in Georgia.

Remittances are considered a lifeline of developing countries and are especially vital for migrants and their families. Digital data technology can help alleviate many of the "pain-points" in the remittances industry. For example, it can significantly enhance the convenience, speed, security, and affordability of sending and receiving remittances. This publication discusses the importance of remittances in Asia and the Pacific, the key challenges faced by the industry, and the impacts of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. It also includes country case studies that demonstrate the benefits of digitization and makes recommendations on how the digitization of remittances across the region can be further advanced.

This paper will focus on the xinyimin in Indonesia, an undertaking that forms part of my larger project on Chinese migration in Southeast Asia. There have been copious descriptions of the diverse nature of Chinese migration into the region, but statistics have been less forthcoming both as a result of the sensitive nature of the subject and the uneven data collection of country-level surveys. However, from scattered information that is available, it is still possible for us to gain a rough picture of the xinyimin in Southeast Asia and to understand their activities (see Table 1). To a limited extent, their impact on the local socioeconomic and political scene can also be assessed.

Remittance inflows, in other words, money sent by migrants to their home countries, provide a lifeline for a sizable share of populations in developing countries. Remittances are especially important due to the ability to act as a countercyclical buffer during the periods of crisis, as migrants tend to send more money when the crisis hits their home economy. However, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the subsequent "Great Lockdown" is different, as it stalled economic activity in nearly every country, resulting in drying up of remittance inflows when they were needed the most. The World Bank estimate for the growth of global remittance flows in 2020 is -20%1, while the IMF forecasts a 15% decline in remittance inflows for Georgia2. In the subsequent analysis, the pre-COVID snapshot of remittance inflows in Georgia will be discussed, followed by the developments of remittance inflows during the first half of 2020.

This research paper describes the many ways that individuals and families living in refugee camps in Bangladesh cope with hardship and life in displacement. It presents new information on family separation as an additional source of hardship, but also as a source of support through which remittances sometimes flow, and often as a risky but hopeful investment in a better future for those who manage to reach a third country beyond Myanmar and Bangladesh. The study also looks at economic hardship and the coping strategies of refugee households, presenting new evidence on the cost of living in the camps, income sources and indebtedness, remittances, and the equivocal role of dowry payments. It includes data on the gendered implications of displacement, mobility, and economic hardship. The study addresses important knowledge gaps by emphasizing the vantage point of camp households. It is based on a representative survey of 1,611 camp households and 50 in-depth interviews with camp residents. Respondents were asked to share information about their family members in other countries and the livelihood circumstances they face in the camps. Field research took place from August 2019 to January 2020.

The catalyst for capitalist growth in Vietnam—often dubbed Asia's next Tiger economy1—is frequently ascribed to market reforms starting in 1986 and subsequent foreign investment flows. But diaspora capital sent from abroad has also contributed significantly to Vietnam's economic growth over the last 30 years. Many of Vietnam's so-called "overseas Vietnamese" left as refugees and migrants after the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. International remittances to Vietnam are estimated at around USD 15 billion annually,2 making it one of the top ten destinations in the world for money sent by diaspora populations back to home communities in the Global South. About 7-8 percent of households in Vietnam receive remittances from abroad.3 International remittance flows are higher than overseas development assistance to Vietnam, of which Vietnam is also a top ten recipient. This article examines developments in Vietnam's remittance sector, including how they are being framed and embedded by new monetary policies, technologies, banking and finance trends, and consumer patterns that both enhance and complicate cross-border mobility. The material is drawn in part from my book, Currencies of Imagination: Channeling Money and Chasing Mobility in Vietnam (Cornell University Press 2018).

Are households with returnee migrants more entrepreneurial relative to household with non-migrants? We explore this question using household survey data from 31 districts in Nepal. Overall effect of returnee migrants on household's business ownership/entrepreneurship depends on result of two opposing forces at work: on one hand returnee migrants can bring savings, experience and skills needed to set up business, however there is loss of social capital (personal networks) when they are out of the country. Estimating this causal effect is challenging because self-selection of household into outward migration at initial stage and into return migration at final stage. We address self-selection of initial outward migration using instrumental variable approach and address the self-selection at return stage by exploiting the circumstances forced return migration to Nepal due to expiration of work permit/work contract and health reasons. We examine the impact of having returnee migrants on household owning business (general) and agri-business (farming and live-stock).Our result shows that having a returnee migrant increases the probability of household owning agribusiness by 0.16. On the other hand, having a returnee migrant on household decreases the probability of owning general businesses by 0.24.

Migrant workers make a critical contribution to Myanmar's economic and social development, however, decades of isolation from the international community and gaps in the policy framework governing labour migration have meant that their situation at places of origin is still inadequately understood. To obtain further information about safe migration knowledge, attitudes and practices, the ILO's GMS TRIANGLE project partnered with the Myanmar Development Resource Institute's Centre for Economic and Social Development to conduct a survey of 625 potential migrant workers at three target sites within Myanmar. The pioneering study will be used to shape the design and evaluate the impact of policy measures, capacity building trainings and support services to protect the rights of migrant workers throughout the migration process.

Financing the Frontline updates the expenditure analysis carried out in Below the Glass Floor (2013) and tests whether the spending patterns emerging in 2009 and 2010 in Papua New Guinea have been sustained or improved in 2011 and 2012. The review also supports a better understanding of the issues that confront frontline service delivery — such as the ambiguity of roles and responsibilities in some rural health functions — and proposes next steps. Concurrently, the National Department of Health performance information on facilities (from the National Health Information System) has been reviewed. The integration of the expenditure analysis, the NHIS performance information and the findings from the Promoting Effective Public Expenditure facility surveys will provide a rich source of information to help sharpen understanding and shape solutions.

This Policy Insight highlights the SOE 2015 chapter, which focuses on Migrant Labour Reforms and analyzes the issues concerning the Family Background Report (FBR) requirement and provides recommendations for its reform.

Myanmar is going through a critical transformation in its development path - from isolation and fragmentation to openness and integration; and from pervasive state control, exclusion, and individual disengagement, to inclusion, participation, and empowerment. This dual shift is happening against a backdrop of broader political reforms that started in 2011 when a new administration took office. The country's transition after the planned elections in 2015 will be a major test of the progress on political reforms. There remain risks of political instability, policy discontinuity, and stalled reforms due to vested interests.

In response to numerous reports and claims of poor quality or fake fertilizer that were extensively reported by farmers, fertilizer dealers, and government officials of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF) over the past three years, the World Bank, in support of the Royal Government of Cambodia and in response to the food crisis through the smallholder agricultural and social protection support development policy operation (DPO) engaged the international fertilizer development center (IFDC) to perform a rapid appraisal of fertilizer quality in Cambodia. A total of 103 samples of fertilizer were collected for analysis of quality from 26 fertilizer dealers and three importers. Six Cambodian farmers were interviewed and three fertilizer manufacturers were visited and interviewed in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. The field investigations involved extensive interviews and discussions with public and private stakeholders and site visits to fertilizer dealer shops and warehouse locations. It is essential that the Department of Agricultural Legislation in Cambodia and the field inspectors have access to reliable and fast fertilizer analytical services as visual inspections cannot detect product adulteration or below-guarantee analysis.