Protecting Seoul from Sinkholes
Protecting Seoul from Sinkholes 1) Topic: As someone who lives in Seoul, I have become alarmed at the occurrences of sinkholes in the city. News reports of depressions in the ground seem to be broadcast with much greater frequency over the past few years; it is evident that sinkholes are now not a “foreign” phenomenon. I understand that the major cause for the sinkholes is part of artificial processes – human constructions and human activity. Rapidly aging infrastructure means that sinkholes will become a greater challenge for the city in alerting the citizens and building reinforcement in time. To help the government tackle this issue, a simple technological tool with which the residents and workers of Seoul upload signs of sinkholes around the city to create a map of possible sinkhole formations would be a tremendous help in making quicker and more informed security measures. I believe that great cities all around the world are currently experiencing aging infrastructure; this is an application that could be not just used in Seoul but in other cities as well. Throughout the past several weeks, I explored ways to help Seoul’s residents and government predict the locations of possible sinkholes to provide safety measures in time. I wish to create a platform allows the online community of Seoul to pinpoint locations that show signs of sinkholes. The aggregation of collected coordinates would create a visual map for the residents, experts and engineers to be notified of possible sinkholes in advance. The key idea is to take advantage of the city’s phenomenally high rates of internet connectivity and smartphone pervasiveness to develop crowdsourcing technology to allow anyone who is concerned about the increasing rates of sinkholes to take part in the city’s preventive measures. 2) What: Firstly, I researched about the phenomenon of sinkholes itself. I kept the following three aspects in mind: the nature of urban sinkholes; the relationship between the city’s on-going construction projects and the location of recently formed sinkholes; and the government’s current efforts in the prevention and management of sinkhole-prone areas. I learned about the main causes for sinkholes – disintegration of water and sewer pipes, expansion of underground facilities, etc. – and why particular areas such as Jamsil in Songpa-gu were more likely to form sinkholes. Secondly, I explored the various types of data to figure out the most relevant type for this application. I learned about geospatial intelligence, sensemaking (the ability to identify, describe, and predict patterns to make sense of an ambiguous situation) and the two types of collection strategies – persistent collection and discontinuous collection. More importantly, I researched extensively on the growing influence of Open Source GEOINT data and Crowdsourcing GEOINT data. Observing the level of efficiency and reliability of crowdsourced data through examples such as mapping Slum Kibera in Nairobi, I have been led to believe in giving the “mapping power” to the people for the wellbeing of our communities. Thirdly, I wished to find the most appropriate form in which to represent the data collected. Deciding that visual representation would be easiest to understand and form conclusions, I decided to incorporate graphs and images. Line graphs would show the trends of sinkhole signs over time in a particular area (ex. The increasing number of observations of long cracks in the concrete near the subway construction site) and bar graphs to compare the number of sinkhole signs observed in each location to establish which area to concentrate preventive and enforcement measures. Inspired Dr. John Snow’s mapping of the Cholera outbreak in London 1854, I decided to use a map as the main representation tool to mark sinkhole signs to help make predictions and observe patterns.
Protecting Seoul from Sinkholes 3) Where: Seoul, South Korea
Map of all reported sinkholes in Seoul as of August 2014 (screenshot provided by SBS News http://news.sbs.co.kr/news/endPage.do?news_id=N1002553808)
Various forms of sinkholes observed in Seoul Photos from Soam Consultant Co., Ltd.
Area surrounding the Seoul City Hall and Gyeong Bok Gung; relationship between subway lines sinkhole locations Image provided by Soam Consultant Co., Ltd.
Screenshot of BBC News reporting of a sinkhole in Seoul, February 2015 – a recovery operation of two pedestrians that fell through the hole (Video found at http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-31602247)
Protecting Seoul from Sinkholes 5) Who: I engaged with residents of Songpa-gu, the region of Seoul where road depressions most frequently occur. Approaching residents apparently in “greatest danger” was very important. I wished to find out the level and extent of concern; this would help me at least predict the level of participation and reliability of crowdsourced data for my project. As I asked them how the frequency of sinkholes affected their lives, I got interesting answers that dealt not only with their way of life but the real estate market. Those who had actually observed the formation of sinkholes were so afraid of the nearby area that they even altered their routes to school or work. Some others were also worried about new construction projects and the stability of the housing market. Real estate agents expressed some concern on fresh reports of sinkholes in the area resulting in declining market prices. Prospective buyers, such as old couples planning on purchasing an apartment for retirement, were worried that they were placing their significant investments where the futures they had pictured were not guaranteed. I later engaged with residents of Gangnam-gu – high school students, housewives, university students – to find out the level and extent of concern in an area with relatively few instances of sinkholes. They seemed slightly less concerned than residents of Songpa-gu; a high school student stated, “I
never actually observed a sinkhole or saw the repair site of a sinkhole; I only saw news reports on television. However, although I can’t feel the urgency of this problem very well, …(omitted)” Other important questions were about the comparison between an internet site and an online application as the ideal platform for the project. The majority reacted more positively towards the latter, stating reasons such as “uploading pictures is generally easier on mobile applications” and “smartphone applications are quicker to access than typing a URL to get to a site”. Although I did not get the chance to interact with residents of other areas or engineers with the relevant expertise, I gained confidence in the level of crowdsourced data. Most seemed concerned about the problem and expressed willingness to contribute to a greater awareness of Seoul’s sinkholes. I also realized that people were more partial towards mobile applications than websites; thus, I decided that a smart device application would be an adequate platform for the project. 6) How: a. Data Analysis: 1) Throughout my work for this project, a question remained: Is crowdsourced data truly reliable? I wanted to make certain that I was choosing an actually useful data source; thus, I began to research some statistics on crowdsourced data itself. I searched for information on whether ordinary users of the Internet made truly meaningful contributions in crowdsourcing and how crowdsourced data was being used by organizations, research teams and companies around the world. Although I have already stated by choice of crowdsourced data earlier in this report, it was through the analysis of the graphs and statistics that I was able to establish that crowdsourced data would be suitable for my project. Crowdsourced data meant that I would have increased availability of data, knowledge from local sources and data points from various sources. There were growing interest in crowdsourced data, increasing use of crowdsourced data. I concluded that the level of participation and quality of the data were adequate. It was through this that I made the final decision of using crowdsourced data for my project. The following are some graphs that demonstrate the growing level of participation and use of crowdsourced data:
Protecting Seoul from Sinkholes
A timeline of uses of crowdsourced data by the world’s major brands (data compiled by Tiki-Toki)
Comparing the rates of crowdsourced data use in 2006 and 2013, there is clearly a tremendously growing rate of crowdsourced data use.
A graph comparing the types of use of crowdsourced data by the world’s major brands; the purple line for ‘Applications’ is at a positive slope. (graph provided by Yannig Roth)
2) I researched on the signs of sinkholes that would be easy to observe and locate without an expertise in the subject. Below are the signs that I found from information provided by Champion Foundation and sinkhole experts in Florida (www.sinkhole.org): Cracks in building exteriors Cracks in walls or ground surface in buildings Sloping or uneven floors Depressions in the ground Cracks in the ground Sediment in pipe water Windows/doors/cabinets harder to open/close Slumping/falling fence posts, trees, etc. Wilting vegetation Sunken/exposed area Cavity beginning to open I decided to use the above signs of sinkholes to create a list for the application; a user would select the sign(s) that he or she had observed.
Protecting Seoul from Sinkholes b. Design: The key elements of this project’s design are the following: 1. GPS The users would be first taken to a map connected to the GPS application in the smart device. They would find their location and this would provide the accurate coordinates of the found sinkhole sign. 2. “Checklist” The users would select the type of sinkhole sign(s) found in the list of sinkhole signs. 3. Image/Picture Upload The users would upload the image or picture of the observed sinkhole sign through the camera application in their smart devices. 4. Comments Box The users would add comments describing the condition of the sinkhole sign. 5. Generated Map The compiled observances of sinkhole signs would be used to generate a map of sinkhole sign locations around Seoul. 6. Bar Graphs Bar graphs would be used to compare the instances of sinkhole sign observances in each region. 7. Line Graphs Line graphs would be plotted to demonstrate the trend of sinkhole sign observances in each area. 7) Final Product: My final product is an overview of how my project would work. My project was not implemented due to lack of technical expertise and shortage of resources, but with the adequate support, my project would incorporate the elements outlined in my final product: How the Application Would Work. This is attached as a separate document. Comment: I believe that this tool’s simplicity would make it very likely to succeed. Internet connection and GPS is all a user needs in order to upload the data onto the platform. South Korea’s Internet pervasiveness*, connection speed, and the hugely popular presence of smartphones** (which usually support GPS applications) are constantly ranked among the highest in the world. This means that there would not be great obstacles in the concerned citizens’ abilities to participate. If the government recognizes the usefulness and efficiency of crowdsourced data, the funding for the development of this tool would not be difficult. Sinkholes are being observed in great cities all around the world. Many are experiencing deteriorating states of urban infrastructure like Seoul. Although the nature of sinkholes is that they are difficult to observe, there are usually signs of sinkholes that could potentially warn us beforehand and allow us to take preventive safety measures. I have high hopes in the possibility of this tool getting implemented soon. *http://www.forbes.com/pictures/eglg45gmmml/the-fastest-web-on-earth-17/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_in_South_Korea http://www.bloomberg.com/slideshow/2013-07-23/top-20-where-to-find-the-world-s-fastest-internet.html#slide19 ** http://blogs.wsj.com/korearealtime/2014/12/12/smartphone-usage-overtakes-pcs-in-south-korea/
Protecting Seoul from Sinkholes 3) Where: Seoul, South Korea
Map of all reported sinkholes in Seoul as of August 2014 (screenshot provided by SBS News http://news.sbs.co.kr/news/endPage.do?news_id=N1002553808)
Various forms of sinkholes observed in Seoul Photos from Soam Consultant Co., Ltd.
Area surrounding the Seoul City Hall and Gyeong Bok Gung; relationship between subway lines sinkhole locations Image provided by Soam Consultant Co., Ltd.
Screenshot of BBC News reporting of a sinkhole in Seoul, February 2015 – a recovery operation of two pedestrians that fell through the hole (Video found at http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-31602247)
Protecting Seoul from Sinkholes 5) Who: I engaged with residents of Songpa-gu, the region of Seoul where road depressions most frequently occur. Approaching residents apparently in “greatest danger” was very important. I wished to find out the level and extent of concern; this would help me at least predict the level of participation and reliability of crowdsourced data for my project. As I asked them how the frequency of sinkholes affected their lives, I got interesting answers that dealt not only with their way of life but the real estate market. Those who had actually observed the formation of sinkholes were so afraid of the nearby area that they even altered their routes to school or work. Some others were also worried about new construction projects and the stability of the housing market. Real estate agents expressed some concern on fresh reports of sinkholes in the area resulting in declining market prices. Prospective buyers, such as old couples planning on purchasing an apartment for retirement, were worried that they were placing their significant investments where the futures they had pictured were not guaranteed. I later engaged with residents of Gangnam-gu – high school students, housewives, university students – to find out the level and extent of concern in an area with relatively few instances of sinkholes. They seemed slightly less concerned than residents of Songpa-gu; a high school student stated, “I
never actually observed a sinkhole or saw the repair site of a sinkhole; I only saw news reports on television. However, although I can’t feel the urgency of this problem very well, …(omitted)” Other important questions were about the comparison between an internet site and an online application as the ideal platform for the project. The majority reacted more positively towards the latter, stating reasons such as “uploading pictures is generally easier on mobile applications” and “smartphone applications are quicker to access than typing a URL to get to a site”. Although I did not get the chance to interact with residents of other areas or engineers with the relevant expertise, I gained confidence in the level of crowdsourced data. Most seemed concerned about the problem and expressed willingness to contribute to a greater awareness of Seoul’s sinkholes. I also realized that people were more partial towards mobile applications than websites; thus, I decided that a smart device application would be an adequate platform for the project. 6) How: a. Data Analysis: 1) Throughout my work for this project, a question remained: Is crowdsourced data truly reliable? I wanted to make certain that I was choosing an actually useful data source; thus, I began to research some statistics on crowdsourced data itself. I searched for information on whether ordinary users of the Internet made truly meaningful contributions in crowdsourcing and how crowdsourced data was being used by organizations, research teams and companies around the world. Although I have already stated by choice of crowdsourced data earlier in this report, it was through the analysis of the graphs and statistics that I was able to establish that crowdsourced data would be suitable for my project. Crowdsourced data meant that I would have increased availability of data, knowledge from local sources and data points from various sources. There were growing interest in crowdsourced data, increasing use of crowdsourced data. I concluded that the level of participation and quality of the data were adequate. It was through this that I made the final decision of using crowdsourced data for my project. The following are some graphs that demonstrate the growing level of participation and use of crowdsourced data:
Protecting Seoul from Sinkholes
A timeline of uses of crowdsourced data by the world’s major brands (data compiled by Tiki-Toki)
Comparing the rates of crowdsourced data use in 2006 and 2013, there is clearly a tremendously growing rate of crowdsourced data use.
A graph comparing the types of use of crowdsourced data by the world’s major brands; the purple line for ‘Applications’ is at a positive slope. (graph provided by Yannig Roth)
2) I researched on the signs of sinkholes that would be easy to observe and locate without an expertise in the subject. Below are the signs that I found from information provided by Champion Foundation and sinkhole experts in Florida (www.sinkhole.org): Cracks in building exteriors Cracks in walls or ground surface in buildings Sloping or uneven floors Depressions in the ground Cracks in the ground Sediment in pipe water Windows/doors/cabinets harder to open/close Slumping/falling fence posts, trees, etc. Wilting vegetation Sunken/exposed area Cavity beginning to open I decided to use the above signs of sinkholes to create a list for the application; a user would select the sign(s) that he or she had observed.
Protecting Seoul from Sinkholes b. Design: The key elements of this project’s design are the following: 1. GPS The users would be first taken to a map connected to the GPS application in the smart device. They would find their location and this would provide the accurate coordinates of the found sinkhole sign. 2. “Checklist” The users would select the type of sinkhole sign(s) found in the list of sinkhole signs. 3. Image/Picture Upload The users would upload the image or picture of the observed sinkhole sign through the camera application in their smart devices. 4. Comments Box The users would add comments describing the condition of the sinkhole sign. 5. Generated Map The compiled observances of sinkhole signs would be used to generate a map of sinkhole sign locations around Seoul. 6. Bar Graphs Bar graphs would be used to compare the instances of sinkhole sign observances in each region. 7. Line Graphs Line graphs would be plotted to demonstrate the trend of sinkhole sign observances in each area. 7) Final Product: My final product is an overview of how my project would work. My project was not implemented due to lack of technical expertise and shortage of resources, but with the adequate support, my project would incorporate the elements outlined in my final product: How the Application Would Work. This is attached as a separate document. Comment: I believe that this tool’s simplicity would make it very likely to succeed. Internet connection and GPS is all a user needs in order to upload the data onto the platform. South Korea’s Internet pervasiveness*, connection speed, and the hugely popular presence of smartphones** (which usually support GPS applications) are constantly ranked among the highest in the world. This means that there would not be great obstacles in the concerned citizens’ abilities to participate. If the government recognizes the usefulness and efficiency of crowdsourced data, the funding for the development of this tool would not be difficult. Sinkholes are being observed in great cities all around the world. Many are experiencing deteriorating states of urban infrastructure like Seoul. Although the nature of sinkholes is that they are difficult to observe, there are usually signs of sinkholes that could potentially warn us beforehand and allow us to take preventive safety measures. I have high hopes in the possibility of this tool getting implemented soon. *http://www.forbes.com/pictures/eglg45gmmml/the-fastest-web-on-earth-17/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_in_South_Korea http://www.bloomberg.com/slideshow/2013-07-23/top-20-where-to-find-the-world-s-fastest-internet.html#slide19 ** http://blogs.wsj.com/korearealtime/2014/12/12/smartphone-usage-overtakes-pcs-in-south-korea/
