Model-Based Systems Engineering Approach to Design a Human Settlement to Better Serve Displaced People

The challenge of transitioning from temporary humanitarian settlements to more sustainable human settlements is due to a significant increase in the number of forcibly displaced people over recent decades, difficulties in providing social services that meet the required standards, and the prolongation of emergencies. Despite this challenging context, short-term considerations continue to guide their planning and management rather than more integrated, longer-term perspectives, thus preventing viable, sustainable development. Over the years, the design of humanitarian settlements has not been adapted to local contexts and perspectives, nor to the dynamics of urbanization and population growth and data. In addition, the current approach to temporary settlement harms the environment and can strain limited resources. Inefficient land use and ad hoc development models have compounded difficulties and generated new challenges. As a result, living conditions in settlements have deteriorated over the last few decades and continue to pose new challenges. The stakes are such that major shortcomings have emerged along the way, leading to disruption, budget overruns in a context marked by a steady decline in funding. However, some attempts have been made to shift towards more sustainable approaches, but these have mainly focused on vague, sector-oriented themes, failing to consider systematic and integration views. This study is a contribution in addressing these shortcomings by designing a model-driving solution, emphasizing an integrated system conceptualized as a system of systems. This paper proposes a new methodology for designing an integrated and sustainable human settlement model, based on Model-Based Systems Engineering and a Systems Modeling Language to provide valuable insights toward sustainable solutions for displaced populations aligning with the United Nations 2030 agenda for sustainable development.

A Systems Approach to Assessing Sustainability Capacity in Kalobeyei Refugee Settlement in Turkana County, Kenya

Refugee settlements face several challenges in transitioning from a temporary planning approach to more sustainable settlements. This is mainly due to an increase in the number of forcibly displaced people over the last few decades, and the difficulties of sustainably providing social services that meet the required standards. The development of refugee settlements assumed that forcibly displaced people would return to their places or countries of origin. Unfortunately, displacement situations are prolonged indefinitely, forcing these people to spend most of their lives in conditions that are often deplorable and substandard, and therefore unsustainable. In most cases, the establishment of refugee settlements is triggered by an emergency caused by an influx of forcibly displaced people, who need to be accommodated urgently and provided with some form of international assistance and protection. This leaves little or no time for proper planning for long-term development as required. In addition, the current approach to temporary settlement harms the environment and can strain limited resources with ad hoc development models that have exacerbated difficulties. As a result, living conditions in refugee settlements have deteriorated over the last few decades and continue to pose challenges as to how best to design, plan, and sustain settlements over time. To contribute to addressing these challenges, this study proposes a new methodology supported by Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and a Systems Modeling Language (SysML) to develop a typical sustainable human settlement system model, which has functionally and operationally executed using a Systems Engineering (SE) approach. To assess the sustainability capacity of the proposed system, this work applies a matrix of crossed impact multiplication through a case study by conducting a system capacity interdependence analysis (SCIA) using the MICMAC methodology (Cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification) to assess the interdependency that exist between the sub-systems categories to deliver services at the system level. The sustainability analysis results based on capacity variables influence and dependency models shows that development activities in the settlement are unstable and, therefore, unsustainable since there is no apparent difference between the influential and dependent data used for the assessment. These results illustrate that an integrated system could improve human settlements’ sustainability and that capacity building in service delivery is beneficial and necessary.

Foundations and Applications of Information Systems Dynamics

Although numerous advances have been made in information technology in the past decades,there is still a lack of progress in information systems dynamics(ISD),owing to the lack of a mathematical foundation needed to describe information and the lack of an analytical framework to evaluate information systems.The value of ISD lies in its ability to guide the design,development,application,and evaluation of largescale information system-of-systems(So Ss),just as mechanical dynamics theories guide mechanical systems engineering.This paper reports on a breakthrough in these fundamental challenges by proposing a framework for information space,improving a mathematical theory for information measurement,and proposing a dynamic configuration model for information systems.In this way,it establishes a basic theoretical framework for ISD.The proposed theoretical methodologies have been successfully applied and verified in the Smart Court So Ss Engineering Project of China and have achieved significant improvements in the quality and efficiency of Chinese court informatization.The proposed ISD provides an innovative paradigm for the analysis,design,development,and evaluation of large-scale complex information systems,such as electronic government and smart cities.

Hybrid Energy Systems and the Logic of Their Service-Dominant Implementation: Screening the Pathway to Improve Results

The transition of the global economy to a low-carbon development path has led to dramatic changes in the organization and functioning of energy markets around the world,where hybrid energy systems(HESs)are one of the decisive active agents.At the same time,a number of problems facing the modern HESs are primarily due to the stochastic nature of the renewable energy they use,require further profound changes not only in the technologies they use and how they manage them,necessary to meet the needs of end consumers and interact with the unified energy system,but also to preserve the ability of the environment to self-heal.In order to make the process of changes more efficient and eco-deep,the article proposes to use and discusses the approach based on service dominant(SD)logic,which opens up new opportunities for solving the problems of HESs.First of all through:the implementation of closer service interaction with other participants in the energy markets,as well as with the environment;a systemically organized process of transforming the“product”economic activity of HESs into a service-dominant one;developing the generalized and engineering models for solving the problems of optimizing the technical and economic indicators of HESs,operation in steady-state and transient modes.The calculations confirm the effectiveness of the proposed approach and its ability to reduce the average daily costs for the system as a whole by 14.7%compared to the costs with a uniform distribution of power between the modules.

Evolution process of rock mass engineering system using systems science

The rock mass engineering system （RMES） basically consists ofrock mass engineering （RME）, water system and surroundingecological environments, etc. The RMES is characterized by nonlinearity,occurrence of chaos and self-organization （Tazaka, 1998;Tsuda, 1998; Kishida, 2000）. From construction to abandonmentof RME, the RMES will experience four stages, i.e. initial phase,development phase, declining phase and failure phase. In thiscircumstance, the RMES boundary conditions, structural safetyand surrounding environments are varied at each phase, so arethe evolution characteristics and disasters （Wang et al., 2014）.

Development and Application of Systems Science and Systems Engineering

Systems science and systems engineering, as a new science and technology domain in modern science and technology, is developing rapidly, and showing greater and greater vitality. QIAN Xuesen is recognized as the pioneer and founder of systems science and systems engineering in China. His whole innovation process from systems thinking to systems practice has made pioneering contributions at different levels from engineering, technology, science to philosophy. These achievements and contributions have very important scientific value and practical significance. Presenting QIAN Xuesen's contribution in systems science and practice, this paper elaborates the development and application of systems science and systems engineering.

Status and Perspectives of Process Systems Engineering

The definitions, methodology, applications, and perspectives of process system engineering are discussed from a strategic point of view. The focal points in future development of process systems engineering are to break through in methodology, to expand application fields, and to develop a new generation of process simulation systems.

Journal of Systems Engineering and Electronics

The Journal of Systems Engineering and Electronics is a comprehensive academic periodical jointly sponsored by Defense Technology Academy of China Aerospace Science ＆ Industry Corporation, Chinese Society of Astronautics, System Engineering Society of China, and Chinese Association for System Simulation. It started publication in 1990, and now is published bimonthly.

A Preliminary Study on Systems Engineering-Based Method for the Evaluation of Allelopathic Potential in Crops and Its Application

The objective of this study was to develop a method to assess and analyze the total allelopathic potential of crop germplasm and to test this method on four winter wheat accessions commonly planted in the Loess Plateau. A systems engineering model was developed and used to evaluate the total allelopathic potential of crop cultivars. In addition, a method for quantifying the total allelopathic potential in crop accessions was presented. Total allelopathic potential of four winter wheat accessions from the Loess Plateau was estimated and compared using a systems theory approach. The model assessed allelopathic potential in different parts of the plants from the time wheat turned green in spring until maturity. Results from these models indicated that the four wheat accessions had very weak allelopathic potential. Allelopathic potential declined in the order Xiaoyan 22 〉 Ningdong 1 〉 Fengchan 3 〉 Bima 1. This system engineering evaluation method allows for the assessment of allelopathic potential among crop varieties. It will help plant breeders to select and develop allelopathic crop accessions that combine weed suppression properties with agronomic traits related to yield and quality.

Journal of Systems Engineering and Electronics

The Journal of Systems Engineering and Electronics （English Edition） is a comprehensive academic periodical jointly sponsored by the Second Academy of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, the Chinese Society of Astronautics, the Systems Engineering Society of China and the Chinese Association for System Simulation. It started publication in 1990, and now appears six times a year, distributed at home and abroad.

CHINESE JOURNAL OF SYSTEMS ENGINEERING AND ELECTRONICS

This journal is devoted to the advancement of the science and technology of systems engineering and electronics through the dissemination of original archival research papers disclosing significant technical knowledge, exploratory developments, and applications in astronautics, aeronautics, and related fields. In addition, the journal also publishes survey, expository and tutorial papers. Both theory and applications will be equally emphasized. The scope of the Journal is broad and multi-disciplinary. It covers systems science, modelling and simulation, aero-space system analysis, vehicle control, communication, radar, optoelectronic detector, information acquisition and processing, target and environmental features, remote sensing,

Journal of Systems Engineering and Electronics

The Journal of Systems Engineering and Electronics(English Edition) is a comprehensive academic periodical jointly sponsored by the Second Academy of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, the Chinese Society of Astronautics,the Systems Engineering Society of China,and the Chinese Association for System Simulation.It started publication in 1990,and now appears six times a year, distributed at home and abroad.

Journal of Systems Engineering and Electronics

The Journal of Systems Engineering and Electronics （English Edition） is a comprehensive academic periodical jointly sponsored by the Second Academy of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, the Chinese Society of Astronautics, the Systems Engineering Society of China, and the Chinese Association for System Simulation. It started publication in 1990, and now appears six times a year, distributed at home and abroad.