Journal Articles

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/7915

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Author: search.filters.author.Elkharboutly MHas files: Yes

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Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
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    Flood risk management in New Zealand: A case study of the Northland urban community
    (IOP Publishing Ltd, 2022-01-01) Auliagisni W; Wilkinson S; Elkharboutly M
    The Northland river is characterised by having a short stream and large catchments. Heavy rains in the region trigger the rapid rise of the water levels and causes flooding, affecting the urban community in the flood plain with flash floods and river overflow as double threats. The government-initiated programs to protect urban communities such as 'predict and mitigate' but primarily focuses on physical infrastructure protection. While providing infrastructure is beneficial, developing a resilient community comprises more holistic strategies. There is a need for improving the local capacity to enhance resilience. A resilient, human-focused mitigation strategy which includes the affected communities, as well as the existing infrastructure, can reduce flood risks more efficiently. This paper explores the ways the Northland communities follow to mitigate existing flood risks, including their perceptions of the current flood protection strategies. This study investigates also the social and cultural elements that influence responses to flood risks. The main recommendation, of the study advocates a community-based risk management plan to complement the government's strategy to efficiently mitigate flood risk in the urban Northland.
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    Contracting challenges in post-disaster reconstruction in developing countries: Evidence from Nepal reconstruction
    (Elsevier Ltd, 2025-04-15) Puri A; Ameer Ali N; Elkharboutly M
    This study aims to identify the challenges of procuring and contracting post-disaster reconstruction projects in developing countries using conventional construction contracts, with Nepal as a case study. After the 7.6 Mw Gorkha Earthquake in 2015, Nepal embarked on extensive reconstruction efforts supported by various foreign governments and agencies. While these efforts were generally hailed as successful, large-scale non-residential reconstruction projects encountered significant challenges. This issue is common globally due to the lack of attention from researchers on large-scale non-residential reconstruction, leading to overlooked issues and the continuous failure of these projects to meet their objectives. One key issue in such projects is using conventional construction contracts not designed for post-disaster scenarios. This study used a qualitative research design that included semi-structured interviews to collect data and thematic analysis to gain insights from individuals involved in Nepal's reconstruction. Fifteen interviews with experts involved in managing construction contracts during the reconstruction were conducted and analysed using Nvivo 14 software. Upon analysis, two main themes emerged: procurement and bureaucratic, and contract-related, each further divided into sub-categories. These themes highlight how Procurement Act and conventional contracts used in reconstruction in Nepal failed to address post-disaster needs. The findings emphasise the necessity for pre-disaster evaluations and updates to procurement laws and contracts to establish more suitable approaches for reconstruction. Aligning contracts with the specific requirements of post-disaster contexts can significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of reconstruction efforts. Future research should focus on developing disaster-focused contracts to enhance global reconstruction practices.
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    Identifying major challenges in managing post-disaster reconstruction projects: A critical analysis
    (Elsevier B.V., 2024-04-23) Puri A; Elkharboutly M; Ali NA
    This paper seeks to identify and categorise challenges encountered in managing post-disaster reconstruction projects. Literature relevant to the topic was identified using keywords from two databases—Scopus and Web of Science, and then filtered using title screening and abstract screening. Subsequently, an analysis of 66 relevant papers between 2000 and 2023 revealed a total of 223 challenges relating to post-disaster reconstruction. These were then categorised into nine groups—quality and workmanship; contractual, legislation and policy; management and collaboration; resources; community engagement and culture; financial; physical/territorial; natural causes; and other challenges. Among these nine categories, resource challenges; management and collaboration challenges; and contractual, legislation, and policy challenges emerged as notably prevalent issues. While acknowledging the unique contextual nuances of post-disaster scenarios, it is important to emphasise that the challenges identified here are general in nature, serving as a foundational resource for government and various implementing agencies to devise context-specific mitigation measures. Additionally, the research findings offer insights and directions for future research aimed at enhancing post-disaster reconstruction management, particularly in addressing gaps in reconstruction legislation, policies, and processes, as well as the lesser-explored domain of non-residential reconstruction projects. Given the increasing incidence of post-disaster projects failing to achieve their objectives, understanding and effectively addressing these possible challenges is paramount. Hence, this paper provides a comprehensive foundation for developing tailored mitigation strategies and refining management practices in post-disaster reconstruction endeavors.
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    Learning from Floods—How a Community Develops Future Resilience
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2022-10-01) Auliagisni W; Wilkinson S; Elkharboutly M
    Settlements close to rivers, the sea, and hills are among those most vulnerable to floods. The hilly terrain region experiences higher rainfall than the lowlands due to the orographic effect. As a result, excessive rains feeding major rivers cause a rapid rise in water level resulting in frequent breaks of the riverbanks. The flood hence covers the inhabited lowlands with water and silt, causing loss of lives and properties. The affected communities need practical coping alternatives to deal with the intensity and the increasing exposure to floods. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG6) identify the sustainable management of water and sanitation as one of their key objectives. This study identifies resilience in practice focusing on how communities create resilience and develop sustainable river catchment management. A qualitative method was used, involving observations, interviews, and community surveys with one of the most flood-prone populations, the New Zealand Northland community. A desktop study containing government publications and flood records compliments the thematic analysis result and strengthens the discussions. Social connections, participation in self-protection training, and maintaining the catchment were among the main findings of the study. This study recommends for community-led response plans integrated with infrastructure improvements and collaboration with councils to reduce the risk of future floods.
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    Using community-based flood maps to explain flood hazards in Northland, New Zealand
    (Elsevier Ltd, 2022-04-01) Auliagisni W; Wilkinson S; Elkharboutly M
    Floods are among the most common and destructive natural disasters in New Zealand, and climate change is anticipated to make them even more frequent and severe. A clear and comprehensive flood map is critical to communicating flood hazard to communities at risk. Mitigation, adapting, and informed decisions making could be efficiently accomplished with the clear flood maps. However, existing flood maps appear to have been developed for professionals, complex, and not easily available for communities living in flood hazard areas. This study examines how, using flood maps, risk communication between local authorities and the communities can be improved. Observational surveys and in-depth interviews were used to acquire descriptive information and in-depth understanding of risks within the communities in the Northland, New Zealand. Thematic analysis of the findings revealed that the current flood maps are not easy to acquire and hard to comprehend. Without knowledge, communities develop a false sense of security, especially where there is inadequate risk communication and engagement with local authorities. This study highlights the need for a greater understanding of integrating community knowledge and experience with the current risk communication plans. Additionally, this study recommends developing more comprehensive and user-friendly flood maps using community-based information.
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    Cyclone resistant housing in Fiji: The forgotten features of traditional housing
    (Elsevier Ltd, 2022-11-01) Elkharboutly M; Wilkinson S
    Fiji housing stock suffers extensive damage during the annual cyclone season, leading to high costs in repairing and reconstructing the damaged properties. Historically Fijian houses were resilient, and the communities could self-recover from natural hazards. The country's more recent disasters have been beyond the country's ability to self-recover. Reasons for this include reliance on international aid, new housing types and materials, population changes and the loss of traditional building methods. Tropical Cyclone Winston in 2016 led to over 30,000 damaged houses, and many villages were totally destroyed. Navala was one of the damaged villages in the inner west, where most of its houses were constructed mainly as traditional houses. In this village, fifty percent of houses survived the cyclone. This study investigates Navala traditional houses, their constructability, and the apparent ability of its houses to resist cyclone hazards. The study's main findings show that traditional knowledge of building traditional houses still exists. Also, traditional houses, especially those with central posts, performed well during the cyclone and complied with the internationally recommended cyclone-resistant structural features. The study analysed the construction of traditional houses and highlighted the unique cyclone-resistant features that could be recommended for regional implementation in future constructed houses.