Journal of Engineering

Recently, the development and application of the hydrological models based on
Geographical Information System (GIS) has increased around the world. One of the most important
applications of GIS is mapping the Curve Number (CN) of a catchment. In this research, three
softwares, such as an ArcView GIS 9.3 with ArcInfo, Arc Hydro Tool and Geospatial Hydrologic
Modeling Extension (Hec-GeoHMS) model for ArcView GIS 9.3, were used to calculate CN of
(19210 ha) Salt Creek watershed (SC) which is located in Osage County, Oklahoma, USA. Multi
layers were combined and examined using the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI)
ArcMap 2009. These layers are soil layer (Soil Survey Geographic SSURGO), 30 m x 30 m
resolution of Digital Elevation Model (DEM), land use layer (LU), “Look–Up tables” and other
layers resulted from running the software.
Curve Number which expresses a catchment’s response to a storm event has been estimated
in this study to each land parcel based on LU layer and soil layer within each parcel. The results
showed that a CN of 100 (dark Blue) means surface water. The high curve numbers (100 -81)
(Blue and light Blue) corresponding to urbanized areas means high runoff and low infiltration;
whereas low curve numbers (77- 58) (Brown and light Brown) corresponding to the forested area
means low runoff and high infiltration. Four classes of land cover have been identified; these are
surface water, medium residential, forest and agriculture.

In this research, Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process technique is applied (Fuzzy AHP) which is
one of multi-criteria decision making techniques to evaluate the criteria for urban planning
projects, the project of developing master plan of Al-Muqdadiyah city to 2035 has been chosen
as a case study. The researcher prepared a list of criteria in addition to the authorized
departments criteria and previous researches in order to choose optimized master plan according
to these criteria. This research aims at employing the foundations of (Fuzzy AHP) technique in
evaluating urban planning criteria precisely and flexible. The results of the data analysis to the
individuals of the sample who are specialists, in this aspect. The land use criteria are more
important than the rest of the criteria in these projects, where it received the relative importance
with percentile (42.1 %).

Self-compacted concrete (SCC) is a highly flowable concrete, with no segregation which
can be spread into place by filling the structures framework and permeate the reinforcement
without any compaction or mechanical consolidation ACI 237R-14. One of the most important
problems faced by concrete industry in Iraq and Gulf Arab land is deterioration due to internal
sulfate attack (ISA) that causes damage of concrete and consequently reduces its compressive
strength, increases expansion and may lead to its cracking and destruction.
The experimental program was focused to study two ordinary Portland cements with
different chemical composition with (5, 10 and 15) % percentage of high reactivity metakaoline
(HRM) as a cement replacement and with W/Cm ratio 0.35. The SCC mixes with AL Shemalia
OPC cement that produced in Saudi Arabia (C3A=7.02%) shows higher resistance to ISA than
mixes with Tasluja OPC cement that is produced in Iraq (C3A=4.13%). The results indicate that
the SCC mixes containing 15% HRM shows higher opposition to ISA. A good correlation was
obtained between concrete splitting tensile strength and compressive strength from the results of
this study.

In this study, the effect of construction joints on the performance of reinforced concrete beams
was experimentally investigated. Seven beam specimens, with dimensions of 200×100×1000
mm, were fabricated. The variables were considered including; the location and configuration of
the joints. One beam was cast without a joint (Reference specimen), two specimens were
fabricated with a one horizontal joint located either at tension, or compression zone. The fourth
beam had two horizontal joints placed at tension, and compression area. The remaining
specimens were with one or two inclined joints positioned at the shear span or beam’s mid-span.
The specimens were subjected to a monotonic central concentrated loading until the failure. The
results of the experimental program indicated that the best location of the construction joint is at
the compression zone. The presence of the horizontal construction joint at tension zone resulted
in a reduction in strength of beams, about 5% - 7.5%, relative to the reference beam. However,
the inclined construction joint had a little effect on the collapse load of beams, about 1.25% -
2.5%.

The goal of the research is to develop a sustainable rating system for roadway projects in
Iraq for all of the life cycle stages of the projects which are (planning, design, construction and
operation and maintenance). This paper investigates the criteria and its weightings of the
suggested roadway rating system depending on sustainable planning activities. The methodology
started in suggesting a group of sustainable criteria for planning stage and then suggesting
weights from (1-5) points for each one of it. After that data were collected by using a closed
questionnaire directed to the roadway experts group in order to verify the criteria weightings
based on the relative importance of the roadway related impacts that each credit addresses.
Statistical analysis for expert's answers have been evaluated by using factor analysis method to
ensure the compatibility and validity of credits selected for the rating system and the actual
weights conducted for each criteria by using the factor analysis method by using SPSS program
V.19. Finally the researcher put the details for each criterion that contain from aim, requirements
and strategies. The researcher reached to that the study of the all life cycle stages is important to
make a clear comparison between the roles of the criteria in different stages.

A load-shedding controller suitable for small to medium size loads is designed and
implemented based on preprogrammed priorities and power consumption for individual loads.
The main controller decides if a particular load can be switched ON or not according to the
amount of available power generation, load consumption and loads priorities. When the
maximum allowed power consumption is reached and the user want to deliver power to
additional load, the controller will decide if this particular load should be denied receiving power
if its priority is low. Otherwise, it can be granted to receive power if its priority is high and in
this case lower priority loads are automatically switched OFF in order not to overload the power
generation. The main idea of the proposed LS controller is to minimize the amount of the
isolated load without overloading the power system. In this paper, three versions of load
shedding controller were implemented using Altera DE2-115 FPGA; with number of loads equal
32, 64 and 128 for each controller.

In recent years and decades, there is a great need for developing new alternative energy sources
or renewable sustainable energy. On the other hand, new technology approaches are growing
towards benefits from the valuable nutrients in wastewater which are unrecoverable by
traditional wastewater treatment processes. In the current study, a novel integrated system of
microbial fuel cell and anoxic bioreactor (MFC-ANB) was designed and constructed to
investigate its potential for slaughterhouses wastewater treatment, nitrogen recovery, and power
generation. The system consisted of a double-chamber tubular type MFC with biocathode
inoculated with freshly collected activated sludge. The MFC-ANB system was continuously fed
with real-field slaughterhouse wastewater, with initial concentrations of COD and ammonium
were 990 mg/L and 200 mg-N/L, respectively. The MFC-ANB system was operated for a total
period of 43 days. Maximum removal efficiencies of COD, ammonium, nitrate, nitrogen
recovery, Columbic efficiency, and power generation were 99%, 99.3%, 100%, 100%, 13.37%
and 162.22 mW/m2, respectively.

An experimental study was performed to estimate the forced convection heat transfer
performance and the pressure drop of a single layer graphene (GNPs) based DI-water nanofluid
in a circular tube under a laminar flow and a uniform heat flux boundary conditions. The
viscosity and thermal conductivity of nanofluid at weight concentrations of (0.1 to 1 wt%) were
measured. The effects of the velocity of flow, heat flux and nanoparticle weight concentrations
on the enhancement of the heat transfer are examined. The Nusselt number of the GNPs
nanofluid was enhanced as the heat flux and the velocity of flow rate increased, and the
maximum Nusselt number ratio (Nu nanofluid/ Nu base fluid) and thermal performance factor was
(1.45) and (1.24) respectively, by using (1wt%) concentration and q=6104W/m2 heat flux.
Finally, an analysis of the thermal performance factor shows that the GNPs nanofluids could
work as a good alternative conventional working fluid in thermal heat transfer applications.

An experimental and computational study is conducted to analyze the thermal performance
of heat sinks and to pick up more profound information in this imperative field in the electronic
cooling. One important approach to improve the heat transfer on the air-side of the heat
exchanger is to adjust the fin geometry. Experiments are conducted to explore the impact of the
changing of diverse operational and geometrical parameters on the heat sink thermal
performance. The working fluid used is air. Operational parameters includes: air Reynolds
number (from 23597 to 3848.9) and heat flux (from 3954 to 38357 W/m2). Conformational
parameters includes: change the direction of air flow and the area of conduction/convection. Six
parallel plate heat sinks are fabricated and tested in small wind tunnel: flat plate, cross-cut,
perforated, perforated cross-cut, zigzag and serpentine. Three-dimensional numerical simulations
using commercial available FLUENT 15 software, based on the Navier–Stokes equations
standard k-ε applied turbulence model and energy equation, are acquired for forced convection
of air in same heat sinks under the same experimental conditions. It is found that the numerical
prediction of base temperature is in good agreement with experimental data. Results show that
the Reynolds number has a significant effect on the thermal performance of the system. With
increasing free stream velocity, the heat transfer coefficient increases and consequently the
thermal resistance decreases. Furthermore, it is found that the heat transfer coefficient and
thermal resistance are depending on heat flux. From the comparison analysis of various
geometries of heat sinks, the perforated-cut heat sink showed the best thermal performance
indicated heights Nusselt number and heat transfer coefficient, lowest thermal resistance.

In this paper, ceramic water filters were produced by using ten mixtures of different ratios of
red clay and sawdust under different production conditions. The physical properties of these
filters were tested. The production conditions include five press pressures ranged from 10 to
50MPa and a firing schedule having three different final temperatures of 1000, 1070, and
1100˚C. The tests results of the physical properties were used to obtain best compatibility
between the hydraulic and the mechanical properties of these filters.
Results showed that as the press pressure and the firing temperature are increased, the bulk
density and the compressive and bending strengths of the produced filters are increased, while,
the porosity and absorption are decreased. As the sawdust content is increased the bulk density
and the compressive and bending strengths are decreased, while, the porosity and absorption are
increased. High hydraulic conductivity is obtained at a firing temperature of 1070˚C when the
sawdust content is less than 10%. Otherwise, it is increased as sawdust content and the firing
temperature are increased. Filters made of mixture 92.5% red clay and 7.5% sawdust formed
under a press pressure of 20MPa and a firing temperature of 1070˚C gave the best compatibility
between hydraulic and mechanical properties. In this case, the hydraulic conductivity was
50mm/day, the compressive strength was 14MPa, and the bending strength was 10.8MPa.

The study was reflection of the impact of the widespread use of polymer Novolak composite
reinforced Glass fiber and Asbestos fiber once again with weight fraction 60% on the physical
properties, which included (Hardness, Compressive deformation, compressive modulus of elasticity, Flexural modulus of elasticity, Resilience modulus, the maximum of Flexural strength,
Flexural strain energy and Shear strength inner layers); it is known how much important the
media as a source of bacterial contamination, which contributes directly or indirectly in the
process of aging of these materials. These Novolak composite reinforced, prepared by weight
fraction of (10%) and (14%) of the Hexamethylene-tetraamine (HMTA) hardener material.
It showed the results of the comparison, the composite prepared to offer bacterial media,
negatively effect on Hardness, Compressive strengths, Flexural strength and Flexural strain
stored energy The research also concluded clear results, which is that there is the possibility to
delay the aging process of the presence of bacterial circles, using glass fibers in the polymer
Novolak composite reinforced, more than it is the use of asbestos fiber. And increase the weight
fraction of hardener material to be 14%, coefficient of resilience reversal less than it is in the rest
of the models, which leads to raise the value of the work done at the end of proportionality.