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This paper examines engineering philosophy in relation to the renewal of aging or outdated infrastructure. The authors test hypotheses concerning standardisation, obsolescence and operational risk using option-pricing models. The results of our study indicates engineering for infrastructure renewal that: • is standardised, • remains relevant for the longest period and • has the lowest operational risk profile when implemented, has a higher inherent value than engineering that does not follow such principles when all other factors remain the same. We conclude that infrastructure renewal guided by the principles of standardisation, obsolescence reduction and operational risk mitigation has a higher value than that without such guidance. We also demonstrate evidence of synergy between the three guiding principles through some examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major infrastructure component required to develop an underground mine is a decline, which is a system of tunnels used for access and haulage. In this paper we study the problem of designing a decline of minimum cost where cost is a combination of development and haulage costs over the life of the mine. A key design consideration is that the decline must be navigable to trucks and mining equipment, hence must satisfy a gradient and turning circle constraint. The decline is modelled as a mathematical network that captures the operational constraints and costs of a real mine, and is optimised using geometric techniques for constrained path optimisation. This procedure to find the optimal decline has been automated in a new version of a software tool, Decline Optimisation Tool, DOT™. A case study is described comparing this version with the earlier one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides information on social capital. Concept of social capital; Information on the Social Matters program of the Centre for Independent Studies in Sydney, New South Wales; Discussion on the implications of social capital.

Provides information on the qualitative research on social capital conducted by the ACNielsen company, as commissioned by the Centre for Independent Studies in Sydney, New South Wales. Research background and objectives; Social capital stories; Importance of trust as a component of social capital; Roles of friendship, families and the workplace in providing social capital; Perceived changes in the role of social capital in society.