Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW), from the construction, maintenance, renovation and demolition of buildings and structures, represents a large proportion of the waste in industrialized societies. Compared to other forms, such as household waste, more than 90% of CDW can be used as a resource and a substitute for construction materials, especially for primary, natural raw materials. Reuse, recovery and recycling depends on the quality and market for the materials, and the environmental impact of the processes for conversion of CDW from old structures to its use in new structures. However, the utilization today of CDW products as secondary resources is marginal. Most CDW is deposited or used as fill material, and the opportunities of high quality recycling are generally neglected. This book presents the opportunities for the sustainable and resource efficient utilisation of CDW, focusing on recycling of concrete and masonry as the major forms of CDW. The recycling of gypsum, timber, mineral wool, asphalt and other types are also described. Its aim is to present a chain of value and material streams in the transformation of obsolete buildings and structures into new buildings and structures. It takes a holistic view, focusing on the lifecycle economy (the circular economy) and integrated management aspects of various scenarios ranging from high industrial urban renewal to debris removal and management after disasters and conflicts. It is based on the author ́s 35 years of research and development combined with practical international experience within the demolition and recycling area. It addresses students, architects, civil engineers, building owners, public authorities and others working in urban planning, demolition and resource management in the building and construction sector and in the reconstruction of damaged buildings after disasters and wars.

Contextualizing Disaster offers a comparative analysis of six recent "highly visible" disasters and several slow-burning, "hidden," crises that include typhoons, tsunamis, earthquakes, chemical spills, and the unfolding consequences of rising seas and climate change. The book argues that, while disasters are increasingly represented by the media as unique, exceptional, newsworthy events, it is a mistake to think of disasters as isolated or discrete occurrences. Rather, building on insights developed by political ecologists, this book makes a compelling argument for understanding disasters as transnational and global phenomena.

Fundamental Theories of Mega Infrastructure Construction Management: Theoretical Considerations from Chinese Practices is a collection of decades of research and applications of managing megaprojects using theories of complex systems and management sciences. It presents basic (classical) theory of megaproject management and is a showcase of more than 30 years of research of complex system and management sciences on the theory of megaproject management resulting from the integrating of theory and practice of megaprojects. The theory and models have undergone rigorous systematic testing during the management and implementation of megaprojects in China. Megaprojects are huge undertakings, often in infrastructure (bridges, tunnels, airports, etc.) that involve huge levels of investment, often take years to complete, and typically run into delays, cost overruns, and any number of unforeseen problems. Over the last few decades, no one country has undertaken more of these projects than China, and this book presents the fundamental theories underlying the practice of Mega Infrastructure Construction Management as practiced in China. Individual chapters provide a basic definition of Mega Infrastructure Construction and it’s management; an overview of the theories behind it; the Formation Path; basic concepts; fundamental principles; scientific problems; the Method System of Meta-synthesis; specialized methods in research; and intelligent management of Mega Infrastructure Construction. Although the theoretical construction management problems in this book are derived from construction practices in China, they can be applied universally and extended for great fundamental significance.

Great natural disasters are rare, but their aftermath can change the fortunes of a city or region forever. This book and its companion Policy Focus Report identify lessons from different parts of the world to help communities and government leaders better organize for recovery after future disasters. The authors consider the processes and outcomes of community recovery and reconstruction following major disasters in six countries: China, New Zealand, India, Indonesia, Japan, and the United States. Post-disaster reconstruction offers opportunities to improve construction and design standards, renew infrastructure, create new land use arrangements, reinvent economies, and improve governance. If done well, reconstruction can help break the cycle of disaster-related impacts and losses, and improve the resilience of a city or region.

This book scrutinizes the entire disaster trajectory history in the Republic of Korea: evolution, cross-over, and interconnection among natural, technological, and social disasters. Also examined is the government’s dynamic reaction for effective disaster responses in the wake of major disasters, labelled as focusing events, distributed in the long tail of the power law function. Collating one nation’s entire disaster history, its disaster management policies, and its responses to major disasters is a unique journey into that nation’s evolution. Korea rose from devastation in the 1950s to become one of the most economically and politically dynamic nations by the turn of the century. However, with rapid growth has come all types of disasters. Looking at the lessons learned from Korea’s disaster risk management measures, policies, and responses, as well as some of the world’s major disasters, we can gain insight into the future of disaster risk management.This book is intended to lay out developing nations’ potential future disaster risk management path, a theoretical policymaking guide, and desirable institutional and organizational transformations. Effective countermeasures included in this book will guide policymakers, capacity builders, and academics in developing nations to avoid the disaster path in the near future at the cost of rapid economic growth that Korea faced.