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Introduction and backgroundThere is a high risk of losing talented youngsters at an early stage of their athletic career due to poor injury management. The purpose of the study was to describe the patterns and factors associated with sports-related injuries. MethodologyA descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among young (aged below 18 years) athletes in Kurunegala, Sri Lanka. A validated questionnaire via a panel of experts and injury management clinical notes were used for data collection. ResultsFrom the population of athletes, 42.1% had a high frequency of injuries (> 5 times per year) and 23.4% suffered from a major injury (ligament/tendon injury). There were eight separate factors that appear to be associated with an increased risk of injury. An inadequate level of endurance (AOR= 2.1(CI=1.23–3.58) and strength (adjusted odds ratio AOR=1.58, CI=1.21–1.85) training was associated with a high frequency of injury. Based on the external factors a lack of coaching qualification (AOR=3.7, CI=1.12–7.28), a high level of intrateam competition (AOR=3.29, CI=1.06–5.92), and lack of special diet regimens (AOR=1.15, CI-1.05–1.35). Sports participation was also associated with injury; those with fewer years of sports engagement (AOR=1.3, CI=1.12–1.77) a reduced number of games in the previous year (AOR=1.43, CI=1.26–1.74), lack of safety equipment (AOR=1.53, CI=1.31–1.91). A high frequency of injuries (AOR=1.84, CI=1.1–3.1) and severity of injury (AOR=1.53, CI=1.3–1.92) appear to be determining factors for anxiety for continued engagement in sports. When considering the management of the injuries, it was found that only 47.8% had access to a specialized sports unit for treatment and only 34.1% had access to physiotherapy-associated management options. ConclusionsThe findings of the current study indicate that it is imperative that professional guidance for school-aged athletes in terms of training load, qualified coaching, dietary regimens, and sports injury management at specialized units are required to mitigate injury potential.

Over the last decade, concern has increased about the deterioration of groundwater quality in coastal aquifers due to salinization processes resulting from uncontrolled abstraction and the impacts of global climate change. This study investigated the groundwater geochemistry of a narrow sandy peninsula bounded by the ocean and brackish water lagoons in northern Sri Lanka. The population of the region has grown rapidly over the last decade with increasing agricultural activities, and therefore, the use of groundwater has increased. To investigate the effects of seawater intrusion and anthropogenic activities, selected water quality parameters and water isotopes (δ2H and δ18O) were measured in 51 groundwater samples. The results showed that selected shallow groundwater wells are vulnerable to contamination from anthropogenic processes and seawater intrusion, mainly indicated by Cl/Br ratios. Iron-rich groundwater (0.11 to 4.2 mg/L) could represent another problem in the studied groundwater. According to Water Quality Index calculations, 41% of shallow wells contained poor and unsuitable water for domestic and irrigation purposes. Most of the groundwater in the region was saturated with Ca and Mg containing mineral phases such as calcite, dolomite, magnesite and gypsum. Water isotopes (δ2H and δ18O) showed that about 50% of the groundwater samples were scattered near the local meteoric water line. This indicates sufficient rainwater infiltration. However, some samples exhibit elevated isotope values due to seawater admixture and secondary evaporation under semi-arid conditions. This study showed the utility of Cl/Br ratios as indicators for distinguishing anthropogenic sources of Cl contributions to groundwater in shallow, permeable aquifer systems.

The occurrence of voltage violations is a major deterrent for absorbing more rooftop solar power into smart Low-Voltage Distribution Grids (LVDGs). Recent studies have focused on decentralized control methods to solve this problem due to the high computational time in performing load flows in centralized control techniques. To address this issue, a novel sensitivity matrix was developed to estimate the voltages of the network by replacing load flow simulations. In this paper, a Centralized Active, Reactive Power Management System (CARPMS) is proposed to optimally utilize the reactive power capability of smart Photovoltaic (PV) inverters with minimal active power curtailment to mitigate the voltage violation problem. The developed sensitivity matrix is able to reduce the time consumed by 55.1% compared to load flow simulations, enabling near-real-time control optimization. Given the large solution space of power systems, a novel two-stage optimization is proposed, where the solution space is narrowed down by a Feasible Region Search (FRS) step, followed by Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). The failure of standalone PSO to converge to a feasible solution for 34% of the scenarios evaluated further validates the necessity of the two-stage optimization using FRS. The performance of the proposed methodology was analysed in comparison to the load flow method to demonstrate the accuracy and the capability of the optimization algorithm to mitigate voltage violations in near-real time. The deviations of the mean voltages of the proposed methodology from the load flow method were: 6.5×10−3 p.u for reactive power control using Q-injection, 1.02×10−2 p.u for reactive power control using Q-absorption, and 0 p.u for active power curtailment case.

Damage assessment of corroded steel members due to severe exposure conditions, has been a vital component for determining the strengthening requirements of existing deteriorated structures, to overcome possible devastating failures. This article mainly focuses on steel angle members, which are mostly used as axially loaded members in different types of applications. In this study, the strategy of thickness reduction at corroded locations was demonstrated as a simple, convenient, and accurate method to represent the corrosion-equivalent properties of steel angles under axial compression. Further, the viability of the thickness reduction approach was evaluated in code-based and numerical approaches. Four standards, BS 5950-1:2000, BS EN 1993-1-1:2005, ASCE 10-15 and ANSI/AISC 360-16 were investigated to identify their applicability to obtain the residual compression capacities of corroded members. The capacity estimations of codes were compared with experimental data to demonstrate that the estimations of codes are not accurate when the level of corrosion is high. Finally, 39 corroded steel angle members of 10 different corrosion patterns were numerically modeled and analyzed to demonstrate the impact of different corrosion patterns on the compression capacity.

This study assessed the responses of four local Spanish cultivars of Phaseolus lunatus (lima bean) to moderate salinity. For three weeks, plants were exposed to increasing salinity (50–150 mM NaCl) under greenhouse conditions. At the end of the experiment, several growth and biochemical parameters were determined. Salt stress reduced the fresh weight of aerial organs, allowing us to rank the four genotypes according to their tolerance to salinity. The concentration of most photosynthetic pigments remained unaltered, except carotenoids that were reduced in the least salt-tolerant cv. (cultivar) VPH-79. Leaf Na+ and Cl− concentrations increased with increased salt concentration of irrigation water, but K+ either remained constant, as in the most tolerant ‘BGV-15410’, or increased in the other cultivars, resulting in an unchanged K+/Na+ ratio under stress in two of the selected cultivars. Moreover, proline increased in all cultivars, most notably in cv. VPH-79, with the highest absolute concentrations registered in the more salt tolerant cultivars. Interestingly, these cultivars already had a relatively higher proline concentration in non-stressed plants. These findings indicate that P. lunatus is moderately salt tolerant and that its main mechanisms to adjust to salinity stress are the maintenance of high concentrations of K+ and proline accumulation in leaves.

Purpose This study aims to evaluate the coastal disaster resilience and the disaster management framework of Sri Lanka, by conducting a case study in a few coastal areas in the district of Matara which were majorly affected in 2004 by the Indian Ocean Tsunami. Although it has been 15 years since the disaster struck the country, Sri Lanka is still struggling in building back better. This reveals the need to strengthen the action plan toward coastal disaster management by identifying the barriers and challenges that still exist in policies and frameworks, the use of technology in evacuation planning, implementation of evacuation plans and capacity building of the community. Design/methodology/approach This study was conducted through structured and in-depth interviews among the general public and government officials targeting the eventual outcome as to ascertain barriers incorporated with the disaster management framework and then possible improvements to the framework were identified and suggested. Findings The findings showed that the practice of an administrative-oriented disaster management framework was a key element in creating a welfare-oriented community that is still building back better in Matara, which was one of the worst affected cities in the country during the 2004 Tsunami. Originality/value This paper facilitates resilience development by identifying the overall development of the system after 2004. The required modifications needed to strengthen the system have thereby been identified through the developed output which was produced by analyzing the barriers and challenges.

Incorporating recycled plastic waste in concrete manufacturing is one of the most ecologically and economically sustainable solutions for the rapid trends of annual plastic disposal and natural resource depletion worldwide. This paper comprehensively reviews the literature on engineering performance of recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE) incorporated in concrete in the forms of aggregates or fiber or cementitious material. Optimum 28-days’ compressive and flexural strength of HDPE fine aggregate concrete is observed at HDPE-10 and splitting tensile strength at HDPE-5 whereas for HDPE coarse aggregate concrete, within the range of 10% to 15% of HDPE incorporation and at HDPE-15, respectively. Similarly, 28-days’ flexural and splitting tensile strength of HDPE fiber reinforced concrete is increased to an optimum of 4.9 MPa at HDPE-3 and 4.4 MPa at HDPE-3.5, respectively, and higher than the standard/plain concrete matrix (HDPE-0) in all HDPE inclusion levels. Hydrophobicity, smooth surface texture and non-reactivity of HDPE has resulted in weaker bonds between concrete matrix and HDPE and thereby reducing both mechanical and durability performances of HDPE concrete with the increase of HDPE. Overall, this is the first ever review to present and analyze the current state of the mechanical and durability performance of recycled HDPE as a sustainable construction material, hence, advancing the research into better performance and successful applications of HDPE concrete.

Purpose The lessons learned from the 2004 tsunami phenomenon fueled the government and other local authorities to strengthen the legitimate background to mitigate such devastation in future events. This study aims to propose a standardized tsunami-resilient construction guideline for Sri Lanka by integrating existing local and international standards. Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive literature survey was carried out to undertake the study, with a wide-ranging content and thematic analysis of existing tsunami-resilient construction aspects in Sri Lanka. Integrating all existing guidelines with international standards, finally, a consolidated guideline with significant tsunami-resilient building aspects was proposed for stakeholders involved with the resilient built environment in tsunami-prone areas, particularly during the building construction in the coastal belt. Findings The existing tsunami-resilient guidelines in Sri Lanka follow similar aspects but in different dimensions. Compared to the international standards, few significant aspects create a gap in local guidelines. Thus, the findings demonstrated that the existing local guidelines must be modified and strengthened by mainstreaming into international practices. Research limitations/implications Existing guidelines are more concerned with structural aspects. Nevertheless, proper integration of local and international guidelines would be more favorable to minimizing existing local guidelines’ gaps. Further, a standardized tsunami-resilient building guideline would be a referring document for all stakeholders in tsunami-resilient constructions. Practical implications By aligning local guidelines with international standards, the reliability of the guidelines will be increased and direct the built environment to quality disaster-resilient constructions. Social implications Through a standardized guideline, the community can rely on tsunami-resilient construction in coastal cities. Originality/value The consolidated guideline further contains the essentials of city resilience in tsunamis and would be an excellent reference for relevant stakeholders than aligning with several guidelines.

Purpose The current National Early Warning System for Sri Lanka (NEWS: SL) was established after the devastations of the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004. Although early warning (EW) systems and evacuation procedures are in place, several areas which need improvements have been emphasized in recent studies carried out in the country. Therefore, this paper aims to outline the gaps in existing EW and EP related to tsunami and other coastal hazards with a special focus on the use of social media for disaster communication based on age groups. Design/methodology/approach This study has drawn on a review of past studies carried out by the same research team to identify the scope of the study. In addition to that, a conceptual framework was developed for the use of social media in the event of a disaster. Based on this conceptual framework, an online questionnaire was administered to identify the current status of the use of social media in Sri Lanka during a disaster situation. In total, 408 responses were collected and analyzed using the binary logistic regression method to evaluate the variation of different predictors associated with the use of social media for disaster communication. Findings Findings of the study revealed that the use of social media for disaster communication depends on the previous experience of users and their age. The gender of users does not affect the use of social media for disaster communication. Therefore, the accuracy and timeliness of disaster information distributed via social media should be improved further to enhance the use of social media for disaster communication. Moreover, the findings have highlighted unaddressed issues in areas such as governance; communication of technical agencies; evacuation and shelters; and response of the community. Originality/value This paper has identified key areas that need attention in the process of enhancing the use of social media for disaster communication. More use of technological platforms such as social media for receiving disaster-related information can address issues such as bottlenecks in communication, poor awareness and lack of last-mile dissemination. Furthermore, this paper has proposed recommendations for addressing the identified gaps in the overall EW mechanisms and EP pertaining to tsunamis and other coastal hazards to enhance the coastal disaster resilience in Sri Lanka.

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to mainstream the disaster risk reduction (DRR) and disaster resilience measures into the GreenSL® building rating system in Sri Lanka to demonstrate a more holistic approach in achieving sustainability with resilience.Design/methodology/approachFirst, a comprehensive literature review was carried out on green building practices and rating tools, natural hazards and DRR and global and local frameworks. Next, criteria were developed incorporating the disaster resilience aspects through eight expert committee meetings and included the rating tool in three levels. Finally, 11 green-certified buildings from the Green Building Council of Sri Lanka were reevaluated using the new disaster resilient GREENSL® rating system for built environment as a validation for the new tool and to analyze the new certification levels.FindingsAll the green-certified buildings in hazard-prone areas dropped their certification by one level while the buildings in nonhazard-prone areas remained in the certification after being evaluated by the new DRR-incorporated rating system, which recommends the use of new tool for the buildings in hazard-prone areas. But due to the rapid changes in climate and the unpredictable trends of natural hazards, the use of new DRR incorporated GREENSL® rating system for built environment for the certification of buildings is highly endorsed.Originality/valueThis is the first research study based on the GREENSL rating system. And it is the first effort to incorporate DRR aspects to any rating tool in Sri Lanka. The projects that were evaluated for the validation of the new tool are the actual projects which obtained green building certification. Also, it is apparent that this study has gone some way towards enhancing the understanding of blending the sustainability and resilience in rating systems for built environment.