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- 2006 (173) (remove)
Due to economical, technical or political reasons all over the world about 100 nuclear power plants have been disconnected until today. All these power stations are still waiting for their complete dismantling which, considering one reactor, causes cost of up to one Bil. Euros and lasts up to 15 years. In our contribution we present a resource-constrained project scheduling approach minimizing the total discounted cost of dismantling a nuclear power plant. A project of dismantling a nuclear power plant can be subdivided into a number of disassembling activities. The execution of these activities requires time and scarce resources like manpower, special equipment or storage facilities for the contaminated material arising from the dismantling. Moreover, we have to regard several minimum and maximum time lags (temporal constraints) between the start times of the different activities. Finally, each disassembling activity can be processed in two alternative execution modes, which lead to different disbursements and determine the resource requirements of the considered activity. The optimization problem is to determine a start time and an execution mode for each activity, such that the discounted cost of the project is minimum, and neither the temporal constraints are violated nor the activities' resource requirements exceed the availability of any scarce resource at any point in time. In our contribution we introduce an appropriate multi-mode project scheduling model with minimum and maximum time lags as well as renewable and cumulative resources for the described optimization problem. Furthermore, we show that the considered optimization problem is NP-hard in the strong sense. For small problem instances, optimal solutions can be gained from a relaxation based enumeration approach which is incorporated into a branch and bound algorithm. In order to be able to solve large problem instances, we also propose a truncated version of the devised branch and bound algorithm.
Interactive visualization based on 3D computer graphics nowadays is an indispensable part of any simulation software used in engineering. Nevertheless, the implementation of such visualization software components is often avoided in research projects because it is a challenging and potentially time consuming task. In this contribution, a novel Java framework for the interactive visualization of engineering models is introduced. It supports the task of implementing engineering visualization software by providing adequate program logic as well as high level classes for the visual representation of entities typical for engineering models. The presented framework is built on top of the open source visualization toolkit VTK. In VTK, a visualization model is established by connecting several filter objects in a so called visualization pipeline. Although designing and implementing a good pipeline layout is demanding, VTK does not support the reuse of pipeline layouts directly. Our framework tailors VTK to engineering applications on two levels. On the first level it adds new – engineering model specific – filter classes to VTK. On the second level, ready made pipeline layouts for certain aspects of engineering models are provided. For instance there is a pipeline class for one-dimensional elements like trusses and beams that is capable of showing the elements along with deformations and member forces. In order to facilitate the implementation of a graphical user interface (GUI) for each pipeline class, there exists a reusable Java Swing GUI component that allows the user to configure the appearance of the visualization model. Because of the flexible structure, the framework can be easily adapted and extended to new problem domains. Currently it is used in (i) an object-oriented p-version finite element code for design optimization, (ii) an agent based monitoring system for dam structures and (iii) the simulation of destruction processes by controlled explosives based on multibody dynamics. Application examples from all three domains illustrates that the approach presented is powerful as well as versatile.
In this study we introduce a concept of discrete Laplacian on the plane lattice and consider its iteration dynamical system. At first we discuss some basic properties on the dynamical system to be proved. Next making their computer simulations, we show that we can realize the following phenomena quite well:(1) The crystal of waters (2) The designs of carpets, embroideries (3) The time change of the numbers of families of extinct animals, and (4) The echo systems of life things. Hence we may expect that we can understand the evolutions and self organizations by use of the dynamical systems. Here we want to make a stress on the following fact: Although several well known chaotic dynamical systems can describe chaotic phenomena, they have difficulties in the descriptions of the evolutions and self organizations.
For the dynamic behavior of lightweight structures like thin shells and membranes exposed to fluid flow the interaction between the two fields is often essential. Computational fluid-structure interaction provides a tool to predict this interaction and complement or eventually replace expensive experiments. Partitioned analyses techniques enjoy great popularity for the numerical simulation of these interactions. This is due to their computational superiority over simultaneous, i.e. fully coupled monolithic approaches, as they allow the independent use of suitable discretization methods and modular analysis software. We use, for the fluid, GLS stabilized finite elements on a moving domain based on the incompressible instationary Navier-Stokes equations, where the formulation guarantees geometric conservation on the deforming domain. The structure is discretized by nonlinear, three-dimensional shell elements.
Commonly used sequential staggered coupling schemes may exhibit instabilities due to the so-called artificial added mass effect. As best remedy to this problem subiterations should be invoked to guarantee kinematic and dynamic continuity across the fluid-structure interface. Since iterative coupling algorithms are computationally very costly, their convergence rate is very decisive for their usability. To ensure and accelerate the convergence of this iteration the updates of the interface position are relaxed. The time dependent, 'optimal' relaxation parameter is determined automatically without any user-input via exploiting a gradient method or applying an Aitken iteration scheme.
Optimum technological solutions must take into account the entire life cycle of structures including design procedures as well as quality assurance, inspection, maintenance, and repair strategies. Unfortunately, current design standards do not provide a satisfactory basis to ensure expected structural lifetimes. The latter may vary from only a few years for temporary structures to over a century for bridges, water dams or nuclear repositories. Consistent scientific concepts are urgently required to cover this wide spectrum of lifetimes in structural design and maintenance. This was a motivation for a group of scientists at the Ruhr-University Bochum (RUB) to start a special research program supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) within the Cooperative Research Center SFB 398 since 1996. Institutes of the University Wuppertal and of the University Essen-Duisburg joined the research group. The goal of the Center is to study sources of damage and deterioration in materials and structures, to develop consistent models and simulation methods, to predict structural lifetimes and finally to integrate this predictions into new lifetime-oriented design strategies.
Research activities in our center are organised in three Project Groups as follows:
- Modelling of lifetime effects
- Methods for lifetime-oriented structural analyses
- Future lifespan-oriented design strategies.
Mikroelektronik und Mikrosystemtechnik in Kombination mit Informations- und Kommunikations-technik erlauben es mittlerweile, Rechenleistung und Kommunikationsfähigkeit in kleinsten Formaten, mit geringsten Energien und zu günstigen Preisen nutzbringend in unser privates und berufliches Umfeld einzubringen. Beispiele sind Notebook-PC, PDA, Handy und das Navigationßystem im Auto. Aber auch eingebettete Elektronik in Komponenten, Geräten und Systemen ist nunmehr zur Selbstverständlichkeit geworden. Bekannte Beispiele aus der Haustechnik sind Mikroprozeßoren in Heizungs- und Alarmanlagen und aber auch in Komponenten wie Brand- und Bewegungsmelder. Wir nähern uns dem vor einigen Jahren noch als Vision bezeichneten Zustand der überall vorhandenen elektronischen Rechenleistung (engl. ubiquitous computing) bzw. des von Informationsverarbeitung durchdrungenen täglichen Umfelds (engl. pervasive computing). Werden die TGA-Komponenten genau wie die größeren Computerkomponenten (z.B. PCs, Server) über Datenschnittstellen zu räumlich verteilten Netzwerken verknüpft (z.B. Internet, Intranet) und mit einer systemübergreifenden und adäquaten Intelligenz (Software) programmiert, so können neuartige Funktionalitäten im jeweiligen Anwendungsumfeld (engl. ambient intelligence, kurz AmI, [1]) entstehen. Hier liegt bei Gebäuden und Räumen speziell eine große Chance, die bislang einer ganzheitlichen Systemkonzeption unter Einschluß von Architektur, Gebäudephysik, technischer Gebäudeausrüstung (TGA) und Gebäudeautomation (GA) im Wege stehende Gewerketrennung zu überwinden. Es entstehen für div. Anwendungszwecke systemisch integrierte >smart areas< (nach Prof. Becker, FH Biberach). Im vorliegenden Beitrag erläuterte Beispiele für AmI-Lösungen im Immobilienbereich sind Raumsysteme zur automatischen und sicheren Erkennung von Notfällen, z.B. in Pflegeheimen; sich automatisch an die Nutzung und den Nutzer bzgl. Klima und Beleuchtung adaptierende Raumsysteme im Büro- oder Hotelbereich und die elektronische Aßistenz des Bau- und Betriebsprozeßes von Gebäuden. Im Duisburger inHaus-Innovationszentrum für Intelligente Raum- und Gebäudesysteme der Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft wurden in den letzten Jahren erste Lösungen mit diesem neuartigen Ansatz konzipiert, entwickelt und erprobt. Der Beitrag beschreibt nach einer kurzen Skizzierung des Ambient-Intelligence-Ansatzes an Beispielen Möglichkeiten für den Transfer dieser neuen Technologie in den Raum- und Gebäudebereich. Es folgt eine abschließende Zusammenfaßung und eine Einschätzung der Zukunftspotenziale der Ambient Intelligence in Raum und Bau.
In this paper we evaluate 2D models for soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC), that incorporate the hysteretic nature of the relationship between volumetric water content Θ and suction Ψ. The models are based on nonlinear least squares estimation of the experimental data for sand. To estimate the dependent variable Θ the proposed models include two independent variables, suction and sensors reading position (depth d in the column test). The variable d represents not only the position where suction and water content are measured but also the initial suction distribution before each of the hydraulic loading test phases. Due to this the proposed 2D regression models acquire the advantage that they: (a) can be applied for prediction of Θ for any position along the column and (b) give the functional form for the scanning curves.
The quaternionic operator calculus can be applied very elegantly to solve many important boundary value problems arising in fluid dynamics and electrodynamics in an analytic way. In order to set up fully explicit solutions. In order to apply the quaternionic operator calculus to solve these types of boundary value problems fully explicitly, one has to evaluate two types of integral operators: the Teodorescu operator and the quaternionic Bergman projector. While the integral kernel of the Teodorescu transform is universal for all domains, the kernel function of the Bergman projector, called the Bergman kernel, depends on the geometry of the domain. Recently the theory of quaternionic holomorphic multiperiodic functions and automorphic forms provided new impulses to set up explicit representation formulas for large classes of hyperbolic polyhedron type domains. These include block shaped domains, wedge shaped domains (with or without additional rectangular restrictions) and circular symmetric finite and infinite cylinders as particular subcases. In this talk we want to give an overview over the recent developments in this direction.
Digital models of buildings are widely used in civil engineering. In these models, geometric information is used as leading information. Engineers are used to have geometric information, and, for instance, it is state of the art to specify a point by its three coordinates. However, the traditional approaches have disadvantages. Geometric information is over-determined. Thus, more geometric information is specified and stored than needed. In addition, engineers already deal with topological information. A denotation of objects in buildings is of topological nature. It has to be answered whether approaches where topological information becomes a leading role would be more efficient in civil engineering. This paper presents such an approach. Topological information is modelled independently of geometric information. It is used for denoting the objects of a building. Geometric information is associated to topological information so that geometric information “weights” a topology.
The concept presented in this paper has already been used in surveying existing buildings. Experiences in the use of this concept showed that the number of geometric information that is required for a complete specification of a building could be reduced by a factor up to 100. Further research will show how this concept can be used in planning processes.
DECENTRALIZED APPROACHES TO ADAPTIVE TRAFFIC CONTROL AND AN EXTENDED LEVEL OF SERVICE CONCEPT
(2006)
Traffic systems are highly complex multi-component systems suffering from instabilities and non-linear dynamics, including chaos. This is caused by the non-linearity of interactions, delays, and fluctuations, which can trigger phenomena such as stop-and-go waves, noise-induced breakdowns, or slower-is-faster effects. The recently upcoming information and communication technologies (ICT) promise new solutions leading from the classical, centralized control to decentralized approaches in the sense of collective (swarm) intelligence and ad hoc networks. An interesting application field is adaptive, self-organized traffic control in urban road networks. We present control principles that allow one to reach a self-organized synchronization of traffic lights. Furthermore, vehicles will become automatic traffic state detection, data management, and communication centers when forming ad hoc networks through inter-vehicle communication (IVC). We discuss the mechanisms and the efficiency of message propagation on freeways by short-range communication. Our main focus is on future adaptive cruise control systems (ACC), which will not only increase the comfort and safety of car passengers, but also enhance the stability of traffic flows and the capacity of the road (“traffic assistance”). We present an automated driving strategy that adapts the operation mode of an ACC system to the autonomously detected, local traffic situation. The impact on the traffic dynamics is investigated by means of a multi-lane microscopic traffic simulation. The simulation scenarios illustrate the efficiency of the proposed driving strategy. Already an ACC equipment level of 10% improves the traffic flow quality and reduces the travel times for the drivers drastically due to delaying or preventing a breakdown of the traffic flow. For the evaluation of the resulting traffic quality, we have recently developed an extended level of service concept (ELOS). We demonstrate our concept on the basis of travel times as the most important variable for a user-oriented quality of service.
This contribution will be freewheeling in the domain of signal, image and surface processing and touch briefly upon some topics that have been close to the heart of people in our research group. A lot of the research of the last 20 years in this domain that has been carried out world wide is dealing with multiresolution. Multiresolution allows to represent a function (in the broadest sense) at different levels of detail. This was not only applied in signals and images but also when solving all kinds of complex numerical problems. Since wavelets came into play in the 1980's, this idea was applied and generalized by many researchers. Therefore we use this as the central idea throughout this text. Wavelets, subdivision and hierarchical bases are the appropriate tools to obtain these multiresolution effects. We shall introduce some of the concepts in a rather informal way and show that the same concepts will work in one, two and three dimensions. The applications in the three cases are however quite different, and thus one wants to achieve very different goals when dealing with signals, images or surfaces. Because completeness in our treatment is impossible, we have chosen to describe two case studies after introducing some concepts in signal processing. These case studies are still the subject of current research. The first one attempts to solve a problem in image processing: how to approximate an edge in an image efficiently by subdivision. The method is based on normal offsets. The second case is the use of Powell-Sabin splines to give a smooth multiresolution representation of a surface. In this context we also illustrate the general method of construction of a spline wavelet basis using a lifting scheme.
Für das städtische Leben hat die Existenz sich verändernder Personenströme eine grundlegende Bedeutung.
Ein Werkzeug, das solche kollektiven Bewegungsmuster sichtbar machen kann, wäre dabei ein bedeutendes Hilfsmittel für die Stadtplanung. Im Mittelpunkt der vorliegenden Arbeit steht die Auseinandersetzung mit der Space Syntax Methode.
Diese untersucht den Zusammenhang räumlicher Strukturen mit deren Nutzung. Eine wichtige Erkenntnis ist, dass das kollektive menschliche Verhalten im öffentlichen Raum berechenbar ist. Die Tatsache, dass Passanten bestimmte Wege bevorzugen und andere meiden, führt Space Syntax dabei auf stadträumliche Ursachen zurück. Der Begriff des Natural Movement beschreibt den Anteil dieser räumlich bedingten Nutzung.
Die vorliegende Arbeit gliedert sich in einen theoretischen und einen praktischen Teil. Zunächst werden die für das Verständnis der Space Syntax Methode wichtigen Begriffe und Maßgrößen beschrieben. Der methodische Teil wird ergänzt durch eine Gegenüberstellung nutzer-basierter wissenschaftlicher Ansätze mit der räumlich-orientierten Space Syntax Methode.
Im zweiten Teil der Arbeit wird die praktische Anwendung der Space Syntax Methode am Beispiel des Leipziger City-Tunnels vorgenommen. Das Fallbeispiel ist prädestiniert für die Untersuchung, wie die regionale Vernetzung des Schienenverkehrs aktuell betrieben wird. Von Interesse ist dabei sowohl die Konzeption des zukünftigen Liniennetzes als auch dessen stadträumliche Einbindung.
Wolken
(2006)
Komplexität ist ein genuin architektonisches Problem. Der Begriff von Architektur als einer universellen Praxis bzw. ganzheitlichen Erkenntnisweise enthält bereits im Kern den Begriff 'Komplexität'. Beide Konzepte fallen weithin zusammen – Architektur kann damit als spezifische Denkform des Komplexen betrachtet werden. Das in der Arbeit aufgezeigte Dilemma besteht darin, dass der modernen Architektur ihr ursprünglicher Gestaltungsgegenstand – Komplexität – abhanden gekommen ist: 'Nönnig dekonstruiert zu Recht die hoch aggregierten Begriffe des Raumes und des Entwurfs. Die gesamte Arbeit zeigt, dass die modernen Beschreibungsformen von Komplexität gerade nicht in der Architektur entwickelt sind.' (Prof. Gerd Zimmermann, Weimar). Um dieses Defizit zu beheben und Architektur als eigenständige Wissenstechnik ('Technoepisteme') zu etablieren, wird ausgehend von spezifischen 'Praxis- und Diskursdefiziten' ein Theorieszenario entwickelt, mit dem und in dem Architektur sich als komplexe Wissensform verwirklicht (u.a. Komplexe Systeme, Design Sciences, Operationale Heuristik). 'Vorliegende Arbeit ist der Versuch […] die Architektur gewissermaßen wieder in den Stand zu setzen, der ihr im System des Denkens eigentlich zukommt […] Der Komplexitätsdiskurs in der Architektur ist zurück.' (Prof. Gerd Zimmermann, Weimar)
Die Dissertation widmet sich den 'Wiederholungsstrukturen in den Filmen von Jim Jarmusch'. Mit dem Thema soll ein neues Konzept der Filmanalyse vorgestellt werden. In seiner Methodologie beruht es auf dem Element der Wiederholung. Die Wiederholung tritt im Film semiotisch auf. Im modernen philosophischen Denken spielt die Wiederholung eine Rolle, indem sie auf bestimmte Weise differentiell auftritt. Im Film bildet die Wiederholung kennzeichnende Codierungen aus. In unterschiedlicher Hinsicht bietet es sich somit an, das Element als Schlüssel zur Filminterpretation aufzugreifen. Das neue Konzept unterscheidet sich von bisherigen filmischen Methoden dadurch, dass mit ihm über das standardisierte Begriffsinstrumentarium aus der Filmwissenschaft hinausgegangen wird, ohne diesem den Rücken zu kehren. Jedoch wird Filmanalyse anhand des Elements der Wiederholung nun genuin als Akt der semiotischen Interpretation und des philosophischen Lesens von Filmen begriffen. In diesem Rahmen beruht das Verstehen von Filmen auf einzelnen und komplexen Zeichen, die im Film Zeitlichkeit und Räumlichkeit herstellen. In poststrukturaler Hinsicht lässt sich die Wiederholung als das konstitutive Moment im Zeit-Bild von Gilles Deleuze verstehen. In der Philosophie gibt es aber noch andere Denker, bei denen die Wiederholung relevant ist. Wie lässt sich die Wiederholung als materielles Element im Film einerseits, als philosophisch Gedachtes andererseits für die Filmanalyse gewinnbringend einsetzen? In Beantwortung dieser Frage wird in der Untersuchung zu den 'Wiederholungsstrukturen in den Filmen von Jim Jarmusch' versucht, dem Konzept des auteur-structuralisme Rechnung zu tragen. In der Lektüre und Interpretation wird Jarmusch als Autor / auteur mit der Struktur seiner Filme 'identifiziert'. Mit der Verschränkung von Autor / auteur und filmischem Text wird auf Roland Barthes Forderung nach der 'Geburt des Lesers' eingegangen. Filme sind demnach auch dann lesbar, wenn der Autor / auteur selbst (in unserem Fall Jim Jarmusch) für das, was er produziert hat, nicht mehr einsteht. Das theoretische Ziel der Untersuchung liegt darin, Erkenntnisse über die filmische Wiederholung zu gewinnen, sowohl in Bezug auf das philosophische Denken der Wiederholung, als auch hinsichtlich ihrer materiellen Verkörperung. Das Denken der Wiederholung wird fragend behandelt, indem wissenschaftlich untersuchend in die filmische Illusion eingegriffen wird. Mit Blick auf das ganze filmische Schaffen Jarmuschs wird aufgezeigt, wie sich seine filmischen „möglichen Welten“ anhand der Aufschlüsselung der Zeichen interpretieren lassen. Die Untersuchung stellt somit ein bislang noch nicht angewandtes Konzept der Betrachtung von Filmen vor, das auch auf andere Filmautoren / auteurs und ihr jeweiliges künstlerisches Schaffen übertragbar wäre.
The importance of modern simulation methods in the mechanical analysis of heterogeneous solids is presented in detail. Thereby the problem is noted that even for small bodies the required high-resolution analysis reaches the limits of today's computational power, in terms of memory demand as well as acceptable computational effort. A further problem is that frequently the accuracy of geometrical modelling of heterogeneous bodies is inadequate. The present work introduces a systematic combination and adaption of grid-based methods for achieving an essentially higher resolution in the numerical analysis of heterogeneous solids. Grid-based methods are as well primely suited for developing efficient and numerically stable algorithms for flexible geometrical modeling. A key aspect is the uniform data management for a grid, which can be utilized to reduce the effort and complexity of almost all concerned methods. A new finite element program, called Mulgrido, was just developed to realize this concept consistently and to test the proposed methods. Several disadvantages which generally result from grid discretizations are selectively corrected by modified methods. The present work is structured into a geometrical model, a mechanical model and a numerical model. The geometrical model includes digital image-based modeling and in particular several methods for the theory-based generation of inclusion-matrix models. Essential contributions refer to variable shape, size distribution, separation checks and placement procedures of inclusions. The mechanical model prepares the fundamentals of continuum mechanics, homogenization and damage modeling for the following numerical methods. The first topic of the numerical model introduces to a special version of B-spline finite elements. These finite elements are entirely variable in the order k of B-splines. For homogeneous bodies this means that the approximation quality can arbitrarily be scaled. In addition, the multiphase finite element concept in combination with transition zones along material interfaces yields a valuable solution for heterogeneous bodies. As the formulation is element-based, the storage of a global stiffness matrix is superseded such that the memory demand can essentially be reduced. This is possible in combination with iterative solver methods which represent the second topic of the numerical model. Here, the focus lies on multigrid methods where the number of required operations to solve a linear equation system only increases linearly with problem size. Moreover, for badly conditioned problems quite an essential improvement is achieved by preconditioning. The third part of the numerical model discusses certain aspects of damage simulation which are closely related to the proposed grid discretization. The strong efficiency of the linear analysis can be maintained for damage simulation. This is achieved by a damage-controlled sequentially linear iteration scheme. Finally a study on the effective material behavior of heterogeneous bodies is presented. Especially the influence of inclusion shapes is examined. By means of altogether more than one hundred thousand random geometrical arrangements, the effective material behavior is statistically analyzed and assessed.
Virtual studio technology plays an important role for modern television productions. Blue-screen matting is a common technique for integrating real actors or moderators into computer generated sceneries. Augmented reality offers the possibility to mix real and virtual in a more general context. This article proposes a new technological approach for combining real studio content with computergenerated information. Digital light projection allows a controlled spatial, temporal, chrominance and luminance modulation of illumination – opening new possibilities for TV studios.
The main hypothesis of this research is that civil society’s participation is able to improve the planning results in the Chinese city of Qingdao in the contemporary age. Qingdao is a young city developed from a German colony in eastern China. Apart from the powers of the government and the market, the 'third power', including mainly the power of volunteer citizens and the citizens’ organisations, also positively promoted the spatial development in Qingdao’s history. Since 1978’s reform, Qingdao’s great progress in urban housing, historic preservation, public space and urban traffic results mainly from the increasing strength of both the government and the market, while the government has always been the dominant promoter for urban construction. The actual planning mechanism – the government formulates 'what to do' itself and decides 'how to do it' with the market – has much limit in reacting to the rapidly changing situation, serving diversified social interests, and raising sufficient funds for the city’s urgent demands in Qingdao. Searching for new development strategies based on the understanding of civil society in the Chinese context can provide a promising perspective on the urban studies of Qingdao. Chinese civil society can be understood as the intermediate sphere of individuals, families, citizen’s organisations, social movements, public communication, and of the non-governmental body’s non-for-profit involvement for the provision of public services between the state and the market. China has its own cultural tradition of civil society, and the modern civil society in China is showing its great potential in improving social integration and urban life. The Chinese government has started to advocate for civil society’s participation in urban construction, and encouraging the 'bottom-up' mechanism in the planning-related issues through political statements and legislative approaches since the last two decades. The existing planning practice in China is able to demonstrate that civil society’s participation helps improve the quality of Chinese urban planning realistically under present conditions, and that moderation of planning experts and the push of the authority are the key factors for successfully integrating the strength of civil society in planning. However, the power of civil society is not yet sufficiently discovered in Qingdao’s planning. For better planning results, the city of Qingdao needs more initiatives to mobilize civil society in the planning practice, as well as more support to enrich the related studies. This thesis recommends that Qingdao establishes the 'Foundation for Collaborative Urban Solutions' through the joint efforts of the authority and civil initiatives, which aims at moderating and facilitating the strength of civil society. The suggested pilot projects include: a. The Community-based Housing Workshop for regenerating the living environment of the run-down communities, where the residents are willing to collaborate with the foundation with own efforts. b. The Heritage Preservation Workshop for suggesting an efficient supervision mechanism involving civil society which protects the historic heritage from being destroyed in the urban construction. c. The Public Space Forum for improving accessibility, quantity and ecologic function in the development of Qingdao’s urban public space with the knowledge and creativity of both the government and the citizens. d. The Mass Transport Forum for a realistic strategy for funding the rail-based traffic system in Qingdao through enabling the civil society - especially the individual citizens and their households to invest. The 'Foundation of Collaborative Urban Solutions' is able to improve Qingdao’s planning to cope with the urban problems the city are facing in its contemporary development, as well as to provide valuable reference for the further research of civil society’s participation in Chinese urban planning.