Journal of Engineering

This review examines the use of lightweight aggregates, particularly expanded clay aggregate, in concrete production. The study explores the production process, the impact of processing parameters on the physical and mechanical properties of the aggregates, and the effects of incorporating these aggregates into concrete. Benefits such as improved workability, fire resistance, sound insulation, and thermal insulation are highlighted. However, the inclusion of lightweight aggregates also reduces concrete\'s density, strength, elastic modulus, and resistance to freeze-thaw action. The research emphasizes the environmental benefits of using leftover clay from infrastructure projects to produce lightweight aggregates.

This research aims to prepare the maintenance management plan (MMP) for wastewater projects. The objective of the research is to predict the cost and time of maintenance projects by building a model using ANN. The research sample included 15 completed projects in Wasit Governorate, where the researcher was able to obtain the data of these projects through the historical information of the Wasit Sewage Directorate. In this research, artificial neural networks (ANN) technique was used to build two models (cost and time) for the maintenance of wastewater projects. The output shows there is a high correlation (R) between real and expected cost with 95.4%, minimized testing error (8.5%), and training error (19%). The mean absolute present error (MAPE) and Average Accuracy Percentage (AA) are (13.9% and 86.1%) respectively. Also, the results showed a strong correlation (R) between actual and predicted time (99.1%), minimized testing error (8%), and an additional MAPE% and AA% with (11.7% and 88.3%) respectively. These models are in agreement with the real values, as well as give good prediction for future maintenance projects.

This study offers numerical simulation results using the ABAQUS/CAE version 2019 finite element computer application to examine the performance, and residual strength of eight recycle aggregate RC one-way slabs. Six strengthened by NSM CFRP plates were presented to study the impact of several parameters on their structural behavior. The experimental results of four selected slabs under monotonic load, plus one slab under repeated load, were validated numerically. Then the numerical analysis was extended to different parameters investigation, such as the impact of added CFRP length on ultimate load capacity and load-deflection response and the impact of concrete compressive strength value on the structural performance of slabs. This article aims to provide a numerical model for simulating the nonlinear behavior of such slabs, including a trustworthy finite element model approach and constitutive material models. In aspects of load-deflection and cracking patterns, comparisons between computational and experimental models are provided, and a reasonable fit is demonstrated. The average ratio of numerical model ultimate load and deflections to experimentally tested slabs were 0.992 and 0.913, respectively. As a result, finite element analysis may be regarded as a preferred and trustworthy approach for simulating the non-linear behavior of one-way slabs (strengthened or not) in terms of complexity, difficulty, time savings, human effort, and money.

This study investigates the hardness of two underground water sources in Mechroha Province, Algeria: Ain Guilloume and Ain Messai. Using the titration method, the concentration of calcium carbonate was determined. The results showed that Ain Guilloume water spring had a hardness of 6.66 French degrees (°f), while Ain Messai water spring had a hardness of 7 French degrees (°f). Based on these findings, Ain Guilloume water spring is recommended as the preferred drinking water source due to its more favorable composition.

This research investigates the impact of micro steel fibers on geopolymer mortar, which was designed with 50% slag and 50% fly ash. The alkaline solution used was a 2:1 molarity of sodium hydroxide to sodium silicate1. The curing temperature was 240℃, applied for two days, four hours each day. The results showed that the addition of micro steel fibers increased the first crack strength by 40% and the failure strength by 72% compared to the mixture without fibers1. This study highlights the benefits of using micro steel fibers in enhancing the mechanical properties of geopolymer mortar

This study investigates the structural behavior of reinforced concrete beams containing Water Absorption Polymer Spheres (WAPS) subjected to fire flame effects. The research utilized the finite element software ABAQUS to simulate the structural response of the beams at elevated temperatures. The study examined the effects of burning temperatures (500, 600, and 700°C) and fire durations (1 and 2 hours) on the beams' performance. Experimental validation was conducted using four self-compacted reinforced concrete beams with varying percentages of WAPS (0%, 1%, 2%, and 3%). The results indicated that beams with 3% WAPS showed significant improvements in ultimate load and deflection under fire exposure. The findings provide valuable insights into enhancing the fire resistance of reinforced concrete structures using WAPS.

This study investigates the impact of incorporating glass waste into cement mortar used in masonry bricks. Seven different mixes were prepared with varying percentages of white and green glass granules (15%, 20%, 25% for white glass and 5%, 10%, 15% for green glass). The results showed that using 20% white glass granules provided the best compressive and direct tensile bond strength, increasing by 13.08% and 1.4% respectively compared to the control mix. Green glass granules at 10% replacement showed a 3.7% increase in compressive strength and a 1.02% increase in direct tensile strength. However, increasing the glass content decreased the flexural bond strength, with the extent of decrease depending on the chemical composition of the glass

The AlAdhaim Dam, located 133 kilometers northeast of Baghdad, is a multipurpose dam with a storage capacity of 1.5 billion m³. This study investigates the hydrodynamics performance of the dam's ogee spillway and stilling basin under gated conditions using numerical simulation models1. The FLUENT program was used to simulate the flow over the spillway, employing the volume of fluid (VOF) method for free surface calculation and the SST k-ω turbulence model for turbulence. The results indicate that the spillway can handle the designed flood discharge and modified conditions, with hydraulic jumps occurring at various distances in the plunge pool depending on the incoming velocity