Geomatics and Environmental Engineering

Valuation Approach for Assessing Efficiency of Agricultural Land Use

Oleksandra Kovalyshyn — 2025-02-07

This article is devoted to studying the peculiarities of applying the valuation approach toward assessing the efficiency of agricultural land use. In particular, it was determined that the main link of the valuation approach was the value of the land use. Value is the basis of quantitative correlation under the equivalent exchange; the value of land use can be determined by applying three common approaches: comparison, cost, and income. The authors of the research present a methodology for assessing the value of the right to manage agricultural land use and its efficiency. The work supplies the calculated book value of land use under the actual status of agricultural lands in Ukraine according to the average indicators (in the present research, this was the period of 2017–2021) and the economic market value of land use while considering innovative investments in land improvement that are focused on establishing the more effective use of agricultural lands. It is stated that the valuation approach toward assessing the efficiency of agricultural land use can be used to specify the value of the right to manage land use in the amount of its general value as well as assess its efficiency. The suggested algorithm and statistical indicators were used to calculate the right and efficiency of agricultural land use management for all categories of farms and, particularly, in terms of agricultural enterprises of the different forms of economic activity.

Carbon Footprint Assessment for Sustainable Spatial Management in Urban Settlements: Study of Polish Cities

Mikołaj Mądzik — 2025-02-07

Urbanization significantly contributes to environmental changes, increasing carbon emissions, and resource consumption. This study quantifies the carbon footprints (CFs) and biocapacities (BCs) of urban settlements in Poland by focusing on household consumption levels in 18 regional cities.
The research assesses CF in categories like waste generation, energy use, mobility, and food consumption, converting it into global hectares [gha] in order to measure the environmental impact. BC is evaluated by land use types in order to understand urban sustainability.
The results showed considerable disparities, with Warsaw having the highest level CF and Zielona Góra the lowest. Mobility, electricity, and food contributed more than 80% of the total CF in our study. All of the cities exhibited ecological deficits, with CF levels exceeding those of BC; this indicated unsustainable resource use. Warsaw, for example, required more than 28 times its BC to support its consumption patterns.
The study emphasizes the need for targeted interventions in transportation, energy efficiency, and public awareness in order to reduce urban environmental impacts. Local governments must prioritize sustainability efforts – especially in high-impact sectors. The research highlights the importance of urban planning strategies that align with sustainability goals in order to achieve a long-term ecological balance and resilience against climate change, thus offering insights that could guide policy development beyond Poland.

Low-Cost 3D Depth Sensors for Mobile Applications and Control Systems – Accuracy Assessments Using Surveying Techniques

Daniel Janos — 2025-02-11

This article focuses on low-cost LiDAR (light detection and ranging) sensors and 3D depth cameras. Particular attention was paid to their accuracy and compliance with the technical specifications that were provided by their respective manufacturers. The following devices were tested: Stereolabs ZED 2i, Stereolabs ZED, and Intel RealSense D435i depth cameras, and the Intel RealSense L515 LiDAR sensor. An experiment was carried out to measure a geometrically diverse environment (which is typical for in-motion imaging) where both the measurement range and the distortion that is generated by each device’s algorithms on edges, folds, planes, and 3D objects could be evaluated. Depth sensors are often used with excessive confidence as to their geometric reliability. The aim of this work is to assess the actual accuracy of such sensors, which may constitute the ground truth for accuracy losses that could result from the operations of autonomous vehicles. Based on the results, the accuracy information that was provided by the respective manufacturers was difficult to obtain under real conditions. It was found that the low-cost devices could be used in industrial projects, but their operations must take place under certain conditions and settings. It was also necessary to know their capabilities and limitations in order to take full advantage of what they offer.

High-Resolution Lithology Detection Using Sentinel-2A, ALOS PRISM L1B Images, and Support-Vector Machines in Tagragra d’Akka Inlier of Western Anti-Atlas, Morocco

Yassine Hammoud — 2025-02-12

Geological mapping faces substantial challenges due to inaccessible terrains, labor-intensive field methods, and potential interpretative errors. This study proposes an innovative approach that leverages automatic lithology classification using multispectral Sentinel-2A (10 m) and high-resolution panchromatic ALOS PRISM L1B (2.5 m) images. Applied to the Tagragra d’Akka inlier of the Anti-Atlas region, the methodology enhances spatial resolution through pansharpening, followed by unsupervised segmentation. The segmented images are classified using support vector machines (SVMs) (supervised learning algorithms) to distinguish the lithological units. Achieving an 86% overall accuracy and an 84% kappa coefficient, the approach demonstrated robust performance and surpassed conventional techniques. The integration of machine learning and remote sensing offers a promising frontier for geological mapping – particularly in regions like the Tagragra d’Akka inlier. This study marks a significant advancement in automating lithological mapping, with implications for geological research, resource management, and hazard assessment. Automated techniques in geological cartography significantly enhance mapping accuracy and efficiency. Future studies should explore additional data sources and machine-learning algorithms to refine lithological classification and validate these methods across diverse geological settings.

Real-Time Building-Damage-Extraction Technology from Ground-Based Video Footage Using Normalized Difference Red/Green Redness Index

Haruhiro Shiraishi — 2025-02-07

When an earthquake occurs, promptly identifying the presence or absence of damage is crucial. This study developed a real-time building-damageextraction technique using ground-based imagery and evaluated its effectiveness. The technique applies the redness index (RI) (which was previously used in remote-sensing corrections for vegetation in arid regions) to identify “building damage” in those cases where buildings are partially or completely destroyed by earthquakes or tsunamis.
To capture near-field and distant perspectives in the images, each image was divided into four quadrants (upper-left, upper-right, lower-left, and lowerright). The lower-left and lower-right quadrants were analyzed to assess the conditions on either side of a road in the near field using image recognition. Since the images contain latitudinal and longitudinal information, mapping the damage along the road can be automated by recording the route. Finally, a comparative analysis with other indices was conducted in order to evaluate RI’s superiority in damage mapping. The EMS-98 damage scale was used for damage assessment, classifying D5 (RI ≥ 0.08) as “building-collapse damage” and D0–D4 as “no building-collapse damage.” The average damage values for D5-classified buildings were significantly higher than others, thus demonstrating that RI provides practical and reliable results. Additionally, the study discussed comparisons with other indices and real-time evaluation methods. The authors sincerely hope this research contributes to life-saving efforts and deliveries of relief supplies in the aftermaths of earthquakes, ultimately saving many lives.