Civil and Environmental Engineering

1] Implementation of conservation programs are perceived as being crucial for restoring and protecting waters and watersheds from nonpoint source pollution. Success of these programs depends to a great extent on planning tools that can assist the watershed management process. Herein a novel optimization methodology is presented for deriving watershed-scale sediment and nutrient control plans that incorporate multiple, and often conflicting, objectives. The method combines the use of a watershed model (SWAT), representation of best management practices, an economic component, and a genetic algorithm-based spatial search procedure. For two small watersheds in Indiana located in the midwestern portion of the United States, selection and placement of best management practices by optimization was found to be nearly 3 times more cost-effective than targeting strategies for the same level of protection specified in terms of maximum monthly sediment, phosphorus, and nitrogen loads. Conversely, for the same cost, the optimization plan reduced the maximum monthly loads by a factor of 2 when compared to the targeting plan. The optimization methodology developed in this paper can facilitate attaining water quality goals at significantly lower costs than commonly used cost share and targeting strategies. Citation: Arabi, M., R. S. Govindaraju, and M. M. Hantush (2006), Cost-effective allocation of watershed management practices using a genetic algorithm, Water Resour. Res., 42, W10429,

This paper deals with the application of digital three-dimensional representations and the creation of virtual environments that enable one to consult and understand in a single platform all components of an historic building, such as its history and its actual state of conservation.

In Architectural Design and Education, it is common to refer to prior design cases. This is apparent in a teaching context, where students study existing projects, but also in a professional context, where reflection on existing design examples can inform the designer about possible solutions or as historic reference. With the increased usage of 3D techniques in visualization, simulation and Building Information Modelling, architects nowadays produce more and more designs as 3D models. While these models provide new means to visualize and interrogate the design, much of this potential is left unused, as the models are seldom shared to exchange design information. This article discusses results from the 3D reconstruction of exemplary building projects and sites from recent history. The reconstructions used widely differing techniques, from regular 3D modelling using CAD and visualization software, to extensive measuring and surveying techniques. These examples illustrate the added value 3D models enable, compared to traditional drawings or photographs. Even the structure and presentation of recent design projects can be improved using diagrams and overlays, capitalizing on the results of the 3D modelling efforts. In parallel, it is possible to improve and increase information about the design, by adding additional metadata to the 3D model. The "enrichment" of the 3D models make better structured information available, which can in turn, facilitate the retrieval and recovery of such models, when searching or browsing for design information through online repositories. The combination of these diverse techniques enables an increased accessibility of the inherent design information, which would not be established using each technique as such.

This paper deals with the application of digital three-dimensional representations and the creation of virtual environments that enable one to consult and understand in a single platform all components of an historic building, such as its history and its actual state of conservation.

this paper presents the objectives, activities, and achievements of an on going international initiative in the field of heritage documentation for conservation. This partnership was established by the Raymond Lemaire International Centre for Conservation (Belgium) and English Heritage (United Kingdom) it has developed to include the work of The Getty Conservation Institute (USA), University of Pennsylvania (USA), and Public Works (Canada).

This paper describes UNESCO's World Heritage Centre initiative for the Development of a World Heritage Information Management capacity in the Arab States', focusing on providing information management capacity building to young professionals in the Arab region in the application of Information technologies in protection of World Heritage Sites. This project is financed by the Flemish Funds-in-trust for the support of UNESCO's activities.

Three-dimensional laser scanning offers advantages for the recording and mapping of our built environment without entering in contact with the fabric and surfaces of objects. This is in particular interesting to fields where capturing the three-dimensional shape is of paramount importance, such as the industry, heritage and environment prediction.

This paper discusses the concept of a global portal to heritage and its first manifestation in the UNESCO World Heritage website. For more than eight years at VSMM and similar venues, scholars have been advocating the need for a virtual portal to the growing body of heritage information and research. Born out of these discussions, the non-profit Virtual Heritage Network (VHN) was established in the year 2000 with the goal of building a shared repository at the international level, particularly to rich media content.

The Raymond Lemaire International Centre for Conservation (RLICC) organises an advanced interdisciplinary and international study programme in architectural conservation, aimed mainly at architects, architectural engineers, civil engineers, art historians and archaeologists who intend to specialise in the field of the protection of monuments and sites.

This paper describes a multidisciplinary initiative for the preparation of educational material for the appropriate use of terrestrial laser scanning techniques for risk characterization of our built environment. This project, supported by the European Leonardo Da Vinci project throughout its Flemish Agency involves 8 partners from 6 different countries with members of the industry, as well as academic institutions. The project's website: http://www. 3driskmapping. eu.