Volume 7, Issue 2 (7-2017)
Abstract
A method for spatial analysis in architecture and urban planning for more than three decades, which has been widely used in graph theory, is the method of analyzing convex space. In contrast, one of the methods of this theory, which is less used in architectural analysis, is the analysis of the intersection point. Although the intersection point method has several potential advantages to old methods in graph theory, there has not been a convincing comparison between this method and other methods.
An analysis of the convex space for each plan yields useful information for qualitative visual analysis. The visual analysis allows researchers to quickly identify the spatial structure of a plan and locate important functional spaces in relation to each other. For this purpose, a graph is usually drawn, that a single room or outer point is considered as the root of the graph. Such a graph is called the justified plan graph (JPG). A justified plan graph based on the type of spatial structure of the plan is divided into two sets, if the graph is deep, it is like a tree, if the graph is shallow, it is like a bush. Another common structure found in JPGs is the root-like spatial relationship, which is often seen in circular or looped plans. Root graphs have a very high flexibility or permeability in the building.
Convex space analysis requires simplification of the plan in the form of a set of convex spaces called in the graph as nodes. There are several procedures for this process, which are presented in three stages.
In the first stage, the rooms with four walls, the bedrooms or bathrooms, are defined as convex space. This is the first set of convex spaces that introduces spaces that there is no visual ambiguity in their convexity. According to the contract, convex spaces of a dimension smaller than 300 mm are included in the largest contiguous space adjacent.
The second stage relates to non-convex spaces that are L-shaped or T-shaped. These rooms are divided in such a way that the least number of convex spaces with room function is created. If, after division, the spaces have not the primary function, they must divide so that the convex spaces produced have the lowest ratio of the perimeter to the area. According to Hiller and Hanson’s view, convex space contains the smallest and fattest space. These kind of spaces are more circular and therefore have less ratio of the perimeter to the area.
In the final stage, the division of other spaces that are not convex is done according to the previous step.
After these steps, the convex map is ready to enter the Depthmap software. In this software, convex space tools are used to draw spaces and create graph nodes. Then the linking tool is used to add graph edges. The Depthmap software calculates the dimension of the graph theory for use in future analyzes.
Although the speed of the convex map production process is a significant advantage for some studies, it may not accurately analyze the location of a more precise points of the plan. For this purpose, an alternative process is needed to summarize the plan and convert it into a graph. This method, called visibility graph, is applied to a grid that is placed on the plan so that each square of the grid represents a node of the graph. Graph edges connect both squares that are able to see each other. Thus, a straight line from the center of each square of the network is drawn to the center of each other visible square. This method is also an efficient method, but only when computer software is used. A kind of interaction between these two techniques - the visibility and convex space - is seen in another rarely used method. This method is called intersection analysis method in a axial map.
The process used in this paper to produce axial maps is a protocol for linking multiple classes in which the axial lines are defined as the lines of movement instead of the lines of vision. In this way, a line may begin from a point in a floor, move horizontally down the floor, and then go to the end of the floor, without passing through the stairs, but there is not necessarily a visual connection between the two ends of the lines.
The first stage of the production of the intersection map begins with the identification of the points where the two main lines are interrupted and marked on the map with a circle. Then the file containing the axial map and the intersection points is ready to enter the software. The Depthmap software does not have a preset tool for analyzing intersection points. Therefore, using the convex space tool, each intersection point is considered as a node of the graph as a convex space, and it is manually connected to all points. Each node must be connected with at least two lines and connected directly to each node on which two lines are located. After adding all the connections, the software will be able to calculate the theoretical dimensions of the graph.
The "endpoint" method is a kind of intersection point method that examines the end of each axial lines. To do this, a straight line from the end of each line should be drawn to all the planar visible vertexes. If all of these vertexes are visible from intersection points, the end of the line does not have a unique surveillance feature and is considered an invalid location for the endpoint. Otherwise, the two ends of the axial lines become nodes in the intersection of the graph. For these endpoints, a new node in the software is mapped. After adding all the connections, the software is able to perform the relevant calculations.
In this research, three samples of Kashan's houses are analyzed with convex space analysis method and their results are compared with the analysis of the intersection point. For each of these three houses, first, the convex space analysis is done and the mathematical results are calculated. When map is converted to graph For mathematical analysis of the relationship between intersections, the paths in the original axial map are reversed. During the inversion process, two intersection point graphs can be generated, one that is entirely focused on the position of the intersection points (called the intersection point graph), and the other contains stubs with unique surveillance features (A type of intersection point graph that is called the end node graph). From these two graphs, the intersection point of mathematical values is extracted which can be compared with the results of the convex space analysis. Through these processes, the weaknesses and relative strengths of these three methods are determined for the first time.
The result shows that the intersection point method is more effective in identifying the concept of space from the perspective of movement and routing than the convex space method, and also the inclusion or non-inclusion of stubs have a tangible effect on the integration values. Finally, it can be said that the present research, while mainly applying and evaluating the two methods of graph theory analysis, briefly describes examples of the valuable traditional architecture of Kashan.
Volume 11, Issue 20 (12-2007)
Abstract
In recent decades, organizations have increasingly focused on developing ICTs and introducing new e-services to their customers, so they have largely invested in web development and promotional activities.Therefore, it is essential for them to evaluate their websites and identify how well they are structured.and how web pages are organized. Evaluating web structure requires proper methods and measures.This paper intends to model a website as a graph and introduce new measures to evaluate website link structure.The model is based on the analysis of online behavior of the website's visitors. Thus, a real problem of the website of an Iranian university was described and, its structure was evaluated using this model between September-05 to November 2005.
Dr Mozhgan Moallemi, Dr Yeganeh Moosavi Jahromi, Dr Alireza ُsharif Moghadasi, Maryam Ramezani,
Volume 23, Issue 2 (5-2023)
Abstract
Aim and Introduction
Internal and external economic crises and shocks are inevitable in different countries. Many countries are unable to resist economic crises and witnessed undesirable economic events. On the other hand, some countries are highly resilient to domestic and foreign economic crises. The single-product countries are more vulnerable to economic crises than other countries. Resilience of the economy can help move the economy towards sustainable development.
Sustainable development is a development that meets the current human needs without harming the capabilities of the future generations to meet their needs. For sustainable development, four dimensions including governance, economic, environmental and social dimensions are considered. Analyzing the growth history of countries reveals the fact that international trade has been the engine of economic prosperity and expansion of most advanced and developing societies. In order to achieve sustainable development, it is necessary to have trade relations with other countries of the world.
Also, the country's distance from international trade centers due to specific geographical and political conditions will be an obstacle to the development of the economy. In this way, the peripheral dimension is proposed as the fifth dimension of sustainable development to show the political and geographical isolation of the country. In this article, first, the dimensions of sustainable development and its subgroup variables are determined. Then the impact of sustainable development dimensions on the state of economic vulnerability and resilience of different countries are analyzed. The statistical sample includes two groups of countries including G7 member countries and MENA countries. This study investigates the state of vulnerability and resilience (VR) of these two groups during 2017-2020.
Methodology
In this article, Graph theory and Tarjan's algorithm are used to analyze the relationships within the network of variables influencing sustainable development and to examine the relationship between these variables and economic vulnerability and resilience. Tarjan's algorithm is looking for a strongly connected graph that can identify the fundamental variables affecting economic vulnerability and resilience and finally determine the maximal graph. The final output of Tarjan's algorithm is n* variables for measuring VR. Tarjan's algorithm divides the variables into two general parts; The first group of variables that causes vulnerability and resilience and the second group of variables that is created as a result of resilience and vulnerability. The initial set of variables in the dimensions of sustainable development includes economic, social, environmental, governance and peripheral dimensions. After identifying the relationships between the 43 variables presented, a graph is drawn that expresses the relationships between the desired variables.
Findings
The results of the algorithm reveal the fact that the resilience of the model is due to the economic and governance dimensions. If the "economic" or the "governance” dimension are specifically removed, the capacity of the directed graph which is resilient to the strongly connected feature will definitely be lost. Since governance and economic dimensions directly affect other dimensions, they are called as control dimensions. On the other hand, social, environmental and peripheral dimensions are considered as contingent dimensions.
Therefore, contingent dimensions are directly dependent and influenced by control dimensions. In this research, the Net Vulnerability and Resilience Index (NVRI) is separated in all dimensions and calculated in the range of -1 and 1. The NVRI time series is shown during the period and based on the sample countries. The results indicate that in all periods, the status of the NVRI index of the G7 countries was better than the MENA countries, and all the G7 members had resilient economies.
Discussion and Conclusion
According to the index calculations, the countries are classified into four states of uncontrolled vulnerable, limited vulnerable, unstable resilient and sustainable resilient. The G7 countries are sustainable and resilient, which means that in these countries, resilience has surpassed vulnerability. The countries of Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Occupied Palestine and Bahrain from the MENA group are also sustainable and resilient.
The main strength of MENA countries, which are in the group of sustainable resilient, is focused on the peripheral dimension and how these countries interact with the global economy. Among these countries, the UAE and occupied Palestine have a more suitable situation. MENA countries are mainly in the pure and uncontrolled vulnerable group. The governance dimension and then the economic dimension are the important factors of the vulnerability of these countries.
The temporal analysis of the index for the selected countries shows that the majority of the countries that are in the sustainable resilient group did not change their situation during the period under review. Iran is an uncontrolled vulnerable during the years 2017-2020, and in all periods, the index in governance and economic dimensions has been negative and vulnerability is more than resilience.
The analysis of the NVRI index examines the strengths and weaknesses of MENA and G7 countries with a sustainable development approach. It helps the policymakers to get strategic suggestions to improve the situation in weaker countries by following the example of the countries that have a better VR state. The goal of quantifying the state of vulnerability and resilience is to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth in accordance with international programs.
Keywords: Economic Vulnerability and Resilience, Sustainable Development, Graph Theory, Tarjan Algorithm, Composite Index
JEL Classification: C02, C60, O10