AAU Institutional Repository (AAU-ETD)
Addis Ababa University Institutional repository is an open access repository that collects,preserves, and disseminates scholarly outputs of the university. AAU-ETD archives' collection of master's theses, doctoral dissertations and preprints showcase the wide range of academic research undertaken by AAU students over the course of the University's long history.
How to Submit Your Work
The repository contains scholarly work, both unpublished and published, by current or former AAU faculty, staff, and students, including Works by AAU students as part of their masters, doctoral, or post-doctoral research
- All AAU faculty, staff, and students are invited to submit their work to the repository. Please contact the library at your college.
You may contact digirep@aau.edu.et.with any questions about the repository
Colleges,Institutes in AAU-ETD
Select a college,institute to browse its collections.
Recent Submissions
Urban Water Metabolism for Promoting Water-Sensitive Urban Planning Interventions in Adama City, Ethiopia
(Addis Ababa University, 2025-01-01) Abraha Tesfay Abraha; Tibebu Assefa (PhD)
Urban metabolism quantifies resource flow within urban boundaries focusing on urban water, energy, nutrients and wastes. However, in developing nations, little research has been done to provide a quantitative picture of how water is consumed and transformed in urban landscape, as well as the water sensitive planning interventions needed to improve urban water security. This research was aimed to analyze the urban water metabolism of Adama city, Ethiopia as a foundation for evidence-based decision-making for water sensitive urban planning and enhance urban water security. The study employed a mixed-methods approach combining Material Flow Analysis (MFA) and urban water mass balance to track and trace water inflows, outflows and losses. Geo spatial tools were used to map water supply source locations, distribution networks, consumption patterns and water stress. Water security was quantified using the Integrated Urban Water Security Index (IUWSI). The study applied the Random Forest algorithm in R version 4.0.5. This algorithm was used to identify factors influencing residential water consumption. Key informant interviews and surveys were conducted to collect data on consumption and conservation behaviours across households, commercial, institutional and industrial water users. The data collection was conducted by combining both the bottom-up and top-down data collection systems. Findings indicated that Adama city is located in a water-stressed geographical location that receives less than 1700 m³ of water per person annually. The city's daily per capita water consumption is 69 liters falling short of Ethiopia's standard of 80 liters. The water distribution network covers only 45% of the area outlined in the master plan. The result also indicated a 38% gap between water demand and supply. Furthermore, nearly 30% of households receive water just at most three days a week. The centralized water supply accounts for 61% of the total consumption with 90% sourced from the distant Awash River indicating the city’s dependency on remote sources. Water conservation practices in Adama are limited. This reflects a linear take-make-use-dispose model that overlooks internal alternative water harvestings. The urban water security index of 1.95 revealed that Adama lacks water sensitive planning and strategies to ensure the urban water security. The study also revealed that key factors influencing water consumption are family size, housing quality, income levels, the number of rooms, parcel legal status, supply reliability, climate and topography. In conclusion, Adama is experiencing significant urban water insecurity due to both economic and physical water scarcity along with limited water-sensitive interventions. Adama city is heavily dependent on a centralized water source which lacks internalization and diversification practices coupled with underdeveloped conservation practices. Another conclusion that can be drawn is that as long as the city’s business as usual water consumption practice doesn’t change, the water supply problem will worsen over time. Hence, to strengthen urban water security, Adama city should implement water-sensitive urban planning interventions and strategies that encompass community engagement, the adoption of water-saving technologies, water-sensitive urban land use planning and the establishment of a robust water sensitive legal framework to promote urban water security.
Keywords: Metabolism, water mass balance, water stress, water security, water sensitive, Adama, Ethiopia
Transport Vulnerability and Coping Strategy in Addis Ababa: A Focus on Public Transit Service Users
(Addis Ababa University, 2024-07-01) Eleni Gebremeskel Habtu; Berhanu Woldetensae( Associate Professor)
The exacerbated mobility challenges in many developing cities poses great challenges on planners and policy makers. Cities are increasingly growing and are undergoing rapid changes. As a result, a rising number of urban residents are facing higher cost of transport, traffic congestion, travel time and the resultant increase in their vulnerability. Vulnerability is a concept that has been applied in transport discourse or research in order to address the social dimension of mobility. The objective of this study is to examine the vulnerability, exposure of public transit users to travel difficulties and their coping strategies in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Personal, travel attributes and the contribution of broad factors such as government policies, population growth, physical expansion of the city and motorization rate to transit related vulnerability were considered in the analysis. Based on the pragmatic philosophical stance, the research used a mixed method approach. The analysis is based on a data collected in Addis Ababa from 457 public transit users. The study applied proportions, percentages and cross tabulation of key variables and statistical methods, such as one-way ANOVA, multinomial and binary logistic regression to analyze vulnerability and coping strategies of transit users. The result showed that low- and middle-income groups bear a higher level of travel burden, in terms of total travel time and percentage of income spent on transport than high income groups. The result also revealed that coping strategy use is higher among long distance travelers, middle income groups (regular commuters) and females than other groups. In terms of policy measures, the implementation of Urban Development Policy (UDP), inner-city redevelopment program induced relocation of low-income residents in the outskirts of the city and resulted in significant transit service coverage gap. Therefore, policy efforts that are meant to address social problems such as housing development policies have to properly be integrated with transport planning. This involves facilitating the integration of peoples and homes with employment and other essential infrastructure by mixing housing and job opportunities in the inner city and surrounding areas. From the results obtained by the analysis of desired improvement on public transport service, the first suggested area for improvement is availability followed by safety and security, affordability and comfort. The message is that public transit users are aware of the need for the improvement of the above-mentioned service parameters. Therefore, the research emphasizes the need to improve the current state of public transit service provision in the city by considering the needs and priorities of users.
Keywords: Public transit, Vulnerability, Coping strategy, Addis Ababa
Urban Water Metabolism for Promoting Water-Sensitive Urban Planning Interventions in Adama City, Ethiopia
(Addis Ababa University, 2025-01-01) Abraha Tesfay Abraha; Tibebu Assefa (PhD)
Urban metabolism quantifies resource flow within urban boundaries focusing on urban water, energy, nutrients and wastes. However, in developing nations,little research has been done to provide a quantitative picture of how water is consumed and transformed in urban landscape, as well as the water sensitive planning interventions needed to improve urban water security. This research was aimed to analyze the urban water metabolism of Adama city, Ethiopia as a foundation for evidence-based decision-making for water sensitive urban planning and enhance urban water security. The study employed a mixed-methods approach combining Material Flow Analysis (MFA) and urban water mass balance to track and trace water inflows, outflows and losses. Geo spatial tools were used to map water supply source locations, distribution networks, consumption patterns and water stress. Water security was quantified using the Integrated Urban Water Security Index (IUWSI). The study applied the Random Forest algorithm in R version 4.0.5. This algorithm was used to identify factors influencing residential water consumption. Key informant interviews and surveys were conducted to collect data on consumption and conservation behaviours across households, commercial, institutional and industrial water users. The data collection was conducted by combining both the bottom-up and top-down data collection systems. Findings indicated that Adama city is located in a water-stressed geographical location that receives less than 1700 m³ of water per person annually. The city's daily per capita water consumption is 69 liters falling short of Ethiopia's standard of 80 liters. The water distribution network covers only 45% of the area outlined in the master plan. The result also indicated a 38% gap between water demand and supply. Furthermore, nearly 30% of households receive water just at most three days a week. The centralized water supply accounts for 61% of the total consumption with 90% sourced from the distant Awash River indicating the city’s dependency on remote sources. Water conservation practices in Adama are limited. This reflects a linear take-make-use-dispose model that overlooks internal alternative water harvesting s. The urban water security index of 1.95 revealed that Adama lacks water sensitive planning and strategies to ensure the urban water security. The study also revealed that key factors influencing water consumption are family size, housing quality, income levels, the number of rooms, parcel legal status, supply reliability, climate and topography. In conclusion, Adama is experiencing significant urban water insecurity due to both economic and physical water scarcity along with limited water-sensitive interventions. Adama city is heavily dependent on a centralized water source which lacks internalization and diversification practices coupled with underdeveloped conservation practices. Another conclusion that can be drawn is that as long as the city’s business as usual water consumption practice doesn’t change, the water supply problem will worsen over time. Hence, to strengthen urban water security, Adama city should implement water-sensitive urban planning interventions and strategies that encompass community engagement, the adoption of water-saving technologies, water-sensitive urban land use planning and the establishment of a robust water sensitive legal framework to promote urban water security.
Keywords: Metabolism, water mass balance, water stress, water security, water sensitive, Adama, Ethiopia
Unpacking Urban Resilience: Environmental Management Practices in 'Debre Birhan' City, North Shoa Zone, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia
(Addis Ababa University, 2024-04-01) Tale Mekonnen; Asfaw Mohammed (PhD)
Current research advocates that studies in cities of developing countries need special attention related to environmental management practices. Accordingly, this study aims to investigate the variables affecting environmental management practices and environmental management tools implemented based on household and key informants' opinions and perceptions of the experts on resilience thinking applied to environmental management practices of Debre Birhan City. Data were collected through questionnaires and expert interviews using KoboCollect and site observations. The results are analyzed using Pareto, Best Worst Method (BWM), and land use land cover change analysis using ArcGIS 10.8. The study used both random and purposive sampling techniques. Three hundred ninety-five (395) households and twenty-two (22) experts were contacted to collect data for the study. Accordingly, the result revealed eleven environmental, nine physical, ten social, and four institutional vital variables; Seven, five, four, and six environmental management tools for environmental, physical, social, and institutional factors were identified, respectively; and six resilience principles in the city. The BWM weight values rank waste management and expropration (0.5625) first, urban planning elements (0.3125) second, and lack of urban green and recreation (0.1250) third based on households.In contrast, experts ranked waste management and pollution (0.4838), lack of urban green and recreation (0.3225), and lack of urban planning elements (0.1935) ranked first, second, and third, respectively. Urban amenities and services (0.5932) and poor infrastructures (0.2373) are households' and experts' top physical variables, respectively. The city's most critical social variables are access-related and polluted industries. Promoting urban agriculture, improving road conditions, land use planning and zoning (compatibility), and collaboration among concerned institutions are the most implemented environmental management tools for environmental, physical, social, and institutional factors. Diversity and integration are the principles that are applied the most and least in environmental management practices. The study, therefore, recommends the enforced application of resilience principles as environmental management tools in environmental management policy documents to improve sustainability in the city.
Keywords: Urban resilience; urban factors, Pareto Analysis; Environmental Management practices; Resilience-based management strategies;
Informal Settlements and Their Impacts on Urban Land Use Planning in Burayu City, Ethiopia
(Addis Ababa University, 2024-12-01) Tefera Beyera Bayuma; Birhanu Girma Abebe (PhD)
Informal settlement is one mode of urbanization in developing countries, through which shelter is provided in urban areas such as Burayu City. However, informal settlements continue to create challenges for planned development. The purpose of this study was to analyze informal settlements and their impacts on urban land use planning in Burayu city. This study utilized a case study research design with a combination of quantitative and qualitative research approaches with a range of primary and secondary data sources. Simple random sampling was used to select informal households for the questionnaire survey, while purposive and snowballing sampling was used to select respondents for focus group discussions and key informant interviews. The study also benefited from field observations and documentary reviews. Descriptive statistics and factor analysis were used to determine the satisfaction level, while a Generalized Linear Model was used to analyze predictors of residential satisfaction in terms of the socio-economic and demographic features of the respondents. In the process and factors of informal settlement, qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis, whereas quantitative data were analyzed by descriptive statistics. The interaction among actors was analyzed by social network analysis. Finally, the impact of informal residential use and its conformance with urban land use planning were analyzed based on the conformance analysis method using GIS. The study found that the majority of the residents (54%) were satisfied with their residential areas, as indicated by the positive sustainability indicators. Marital status and occupational type emerged as the main predictors of residential satisfaction. The findings of the study revealed that informal institutions play a decisive support in informal settlement expansion which is reinforced by social networks. The study identified speculation, rural-urban migration, lack of good governance and locational choice as triggering causes for informal settlement development. Moreover, actors use formal institutional ambiguities to participate in informal buildings. Land brokers are the principal actors who play very significant roles in informal land transactions. Furthermore, the findings revealed that 81% of the informal houses occupied more than 140 m2 which is greater than the set standard. The research also found that 69.10% of informal residential land use types iii adhere to the land use plan. In conclusion, the findings of the study indicated that understanding informal settlers' needs, actor interaction networks behaviors and conformance interpretation of informal settlement would not only help to solve this puzzle but would also illuminate the factors driving informal urban expansion. This provides insights for controlling informal development and ameliorating land governance.
Key worlds: Burayu City, Conformance, Informal actors, Informal settlement, Land use plan, Residential satisfaction.