Gharehbaghi, K; McManus, K; Georgy, M; Farnes, K; Pagliara, F and Myers, M (2024) Verifying the sustainability factors of mega transportation infrastructure: Sydney metro's commissioning through the "significance matrix" methodology. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, 22(1), pp. 22-41. ISSN 1726-0531
Abstract
Purpose: Through the significance matrix, this paper aims to investigate and explore the main sustainability factors of mega transportation infrastructure projects. Sydney’s Metro mega transportation infrastructure is used as a case study. Sydney’s Metro was selected because of its sustainability challenges faced because of the areas' diverse ecological zones. Sydney’s Metro is thus examined as the basis of best practice for the determination of the sustainability factors of transportation infrastructures. Design/methodology/approach: Using the significance matrix as a methodology, this research evaluates the environmental impact assessment and environmental assessment processes, to alleviate the problems of the mega transportation infrastructure. Findings: This research found that a more comprehensive determination is needed to further analyse the sustainability factors of mega transportation infrastructures, use of a significance matrix would further assess the environmental complexities of mega transportation infrastructures and the sustainability factors of mega transportation infrastructures should include a nonlinear and asymmetrical scheme highlighting its components and carefully outlining its integration and consolidation. Originality/value: Although there is concurrent research into sustainability factors of mega transportation, this paper undertakes a new methodology for such infrastructure. While the significance matrix is not a new concept, it has never been used specifically for mega transportation infrastructure. Subsequently, using the significance matrix as a methodology, this research undertakes such environmental analysis and assessment and thus produces a qualitative risk analysis matrix. The findings from this research will ultimately assist the key stakeholders of mega transportation infrastructures to better plan, monitor and support similar projects.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | environmental assessment process; environmental impact assessment; infrastructure sustainability; significance matrix; Sydney Metro |
| Index terms: | environmental impact assessment, infrastructure sustainability, case study, environmental analysis, transportation infrastructure, best practice, sustainability challenge, environmental assessment, complexity, commissioning, qualitative risk analysis, methodology, integration |
| Subjects: | environmental impact, environmental issues, business, research design and methodology, data collection methods, research methods, systems engineering, completion, infrastructure and transport systems, sustainable engineering, organizational analysis |
| Topics: | Engineering Principles, Research Practice, Business Strategy, Sustainability, Quality Management, Organizational Design |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here