Journal of Engineering

A model using the artificial neural networks and genetic algorithm technique is developed
for obtaining optimum dimensions of the foundation length and protections of small hydraulic
structures. The procedure involves optimizing an objective function comprising a weighted
summation of the state variables. The decision variables considered in the optimization are the
upstream and downstream cutoffs lengths and their angles of inclination, the foundation length,
and the length of the downstream soil protection. These were obtained for a given maximum
difference in head, depth of impervious layer and degree of anisotropy. The optimization carried
out is subjected to constraints that ensure a safe structure against the uplift pressure force and
sufficient protection length at the downstream side of the structure to overcome an excessive exit
gradient. The Geo-studio software was used to analyze 1200 different cases. For each case the
length of protection (L) and volume of structure (V) required to satisfy the safety factors
mentioned previously were estimated for the input values, namely, the upstream cutoff depth
(S1), the downstream cutoff depth (S2), the foundation width (B), the angle of inclination of the
upstream cutoff (Ɵ1) and the angle of inclination of the downstream cutoff (Ɵ2), H (difference
head), kr (degree of anisotropy) and D (depth of impervious layer). An ANN model was
developed and verified using these cases input-output sets as its data base. A MatLAB code was
written to perform a genetic algorithm optimization modeling coupled with this ANN model
using a formulated optimization model. A sensitivity analysis was done for selecting the cross
over probability, the mutation probability and level, the number of population, the position of the
crossover and the weights distribution for all the terms of the objective function. Results indicate
that the most factors that affects the optimum solution is the number of population required. The
minimum value that gives stable global optimum solution of this parameter is (30000) while
other variables have little effect on the optimum solution.

This study introduces a series of single and pile group model tests subjected to lateral loads in
multilayered sand from Karbala, Iraq. The aim of this study is to investigate: the performance of the
pile groups subjected to lateral loads; in which the pile batter inclination angle is changed; the effect
of pile spacing (s/d) ratio, the influence of using different number of piles and pile group
configuration. Results revealed that the performance of single negative (Reverse) Battered piles with
inclination of 10° and 20° show a gain of 32% and 76 % in the ultimate lateral capacity over the
regular ones. For pile groups, the use of a combination of regular, negative and positive battered
piles in different angles of inclination within the same group shows a significant increase in the
ultimate lateral load carrying capacity. Increasing the spacing between piles in groups of the same
category shows an increase in the group efficiency, also changing the piles number within the group
by using different patterns will influence the ultimate lateral resistance of the pile group.
Key words: Lateral resistance, single pile, pile group, Battered Piles, Regular Piles.

Nanocrystalline ZnO/Zeolite type A composite was prepared by simple method of operation by
the precipitation of zinc oxide and loading on zeolite 5A in one step. Characterization was made by
X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence(XRF), N2 adsorption- desorption for BET surface area,
and Atomic force microscopy (AFM). Results showed that zinc oxide was loaded on zeolite as
noticed by the characteristic peaks and was of nano scale having an average diameter of 88.57nm.
The percentage loading of ZnO on zeolite A was 28.37% and the surface area was 222m2/g. The
activity of the prepared catalyst was examined in the desulfurization of double hydrogenated diesel
fuel. The process was investigated in a controlled autoclave with temperature range studied 100
220oC. Results indicated an oxidation of thiophenic compounds on the surface of the catalyst
coupled with adsorption. About 35% reduction was obtained and the capacity was 10.56 mg S/g
catalyst.

Heat exchanger is an important device in the industry for cooling or heating process. To
increase the efficiency of heat exchanger, nanofluids are used to enhance the convective heat
transfer relative to the base fluid. - Al2O3/water nanofluid is used as cold stream in the shell and
double concentric tube heat exchanger counter current to the hot stream basis oil. These
nanoparticles were of particle size of 40 nm and it was mixed with a base fluid (water) at volume
concentrations of 0.002% and 0.004%. The results showed that each of Nusselt number and
overall heat transfer coefficient increased as nanofluid concentrations increased. The pressure
drop of nanofluid increased slightly than the base fluid because of the low concentration used.

This paper describes the application of consensus optimization for Wireless Sensor Network
(WSN) system. Consensus algorithm is usually conducted within a certain number of iterations
for a given graph topology. Nevertheless, the best Number of Iterations (NOI) to reach
consensus is varied in accordance with any change in number of nodes or other parameters of
graph topology. As a result, a time consuming trial and error procedure will necessary be applied
to obtain best NOI. The implementation of an intelligent optimization can effectively help to get
the optimal NOI. The performance of the consensus algorithm has considerably been improved
by the inclusion of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). As a case study, variable number of
nodes in a network with a random graph topology has been considered. Simulation results show
that significant reduction in the NOI and power consumption has been achieved, where it
decreased the NOI about 40 iteration; when using PSO for different number of nodes in the
specified network.

Finite element method is the most widely numerical technique used in engineering field.
Through the study of behavior of concrete material properties, various concrete constitutive laws
and failure criteria have been developed to model the behavior of concrete. A feature of the Finite
Element program (ATENA) is used in this study to model the behavior of UHPC corbel under
concentrated load only. The Finite Element (FE) model is followed by verification against
experimental results. Some variable effects on the shear capacity of the UHPC corbels are also
demonstrated in a parametric study.
A proposed design equation of shear strength of UHPC corbel was presented and checked with
numerical results.

The thermal performance of three solar collectors with 3, 6 mm holes and without
perforation absorber plate was experimentally assessed. The experimental tests were implemented in
Baghdad during January and February 2017. Five values of airflow rates range between 0.01 – 0.1
m3/s were used through the test with a constant airflow rate during the test day. The variation of the
following parameters was recorded every 15 minutes air temperature difference, useful energy,
absorber plate temperature, and collector efficiency. The experimental data reported that the number
of absorber plate perforations with a small diameters is more efficient than increasing the hole
diameters of the absorber plate with decreasing the perforation numbers. The maximum air
temperature difference throughout the solar collector with 3, 6 mm perforations and without
perforations were 17, 15, and 12 oC, respectively. Also, it can be conclude that the energy gained
from the solar collector with 3 mm perforation absorber plate is 28.2 % higher than the energy
gained from solar collector without holes per day for 0.1 m3/s airflow rate. The maximum values of
the thermal performance curves were 67 %, 64 %, and 56 % for the solar collector with 3, 6 mm,
and without perforations, respectively.

The Research deals with the negative phenomena which appeared in the urban scenes of the Iraqi
cities after 2003, particularly trespassing the architectural design of the urban Individual houses.
Many academic researchers , critics, and cultural circles, drawn attention to the impact of political
and cultural variable change on such phenomena without detailed analysis .
The research problem is set according to central questions : If the phenomena is the trespass , what
are the sides which are being trespassed in the division of the individual house? , If the diagnosis of
the phenomena denotes perceived repetition of the cases , So what's size of this transposes on the
architectural design of the individual house? , and what are its connections socially and
economically ? The research problem diagnosis by: The lack of knowledge about the impact of the
phenomena of trespassing on the architectural design of the individual house specifically?.
The research target is to explain the range of the spreading of trespass in these houses with
objective , social , economical investigation, Then clarify the phenomena's impact on the
architectural design of individual house in Baghdad.
The theoretical frame is built to extract the research indicators ( economic, social and design)
theoretically , then enhance them with the study of the development of the urban house in Baghdad
along the 20th century. The indicators were applied on (12) samples were distributed on (2)
residential districts, (Palestine Street, AL- Sadr City) which they are various in the residential areas
and they different in the social and economic level of the their dwelling, and their houses have
modifications and divisions, then find its impact on the designing level of the individual house in
Baghdad after 2003.
The results showed that both districts in Baghdad houses have this kind of illegal division and (non
efficient , non functional relationship and some of them non ventilation) , the spread of the
phenomenon reflects that there are special details in the methods of division and the modification of
the houses ,That should be a widely reviewed to get to limit this Regulations in precedent
phenomena and regain the residential cultural of the city.

Advertising technology represents a component of elements of the visual attraction in the urban
scape, made its way transmission process of messages between the ends of the source of
information (sender) and the Destination information (receiver) of the final recipient of the
message, It serves as a social marked and a means of cultural expression, It is part of the
inalienable in creating identity and determine the spatial relationships and also is a reflection of
urban culture to the community. This technology has become an increasing feature of the present
era, characterized as the era of the three revolutions: (the information revolution, the technology
revolution, and the media revolution), Where it became an integral part of the visual system surrounding of urban our environment in which we live,, And it worked to change the
contemporary urban experience through the attraction and love to stay and stimulating social
interactions within a decade and urban spaces that contain the contemporary urban forms, and
this is what it will focus the research.
The research’s problem is determined by :there is no clear perception about the definition of
advertisement technology and its impact on the urban scape of the city centers according the
concept of visual attraction.
And clarify the goal of research in : Definition advertising technology and determine the most
important aspects and indicators according the concept of visual attraction of the city centers. To
achieve this goal was adopted the following approach: building a conceptual framework for
technology advertising through definition of the basic concepts of research and review the
historical development of it within the framework of the urban scape, and then a study of the
most important intellectual concepts associated represented by (communication theory) and built
in investigating this technology (communication channel) aims to deliver a message or
information from the sender to the receiver, and then a review of the most important spaces of
the approved city centers on advertising technology in its design in the light of the theoretical
framework found in the research.
The research found the conclusions of the group summed up in the idea: that technology
advertising is part of the urban scape of the centers of contemporary cities, aims to active urban
spaces and create tourist landmarks and attractors elements ,It works to attract the attention of
the public and increase understanding and awareness levels, in addition to its positive role in
enhancing the image of the urban scape through several mechanisms: attractions characteristics
by achieving factor: : (spatial dimension - dynamics content that is (interactively or expressions),
and functional attract (marketing- tourist- social) and depending on a number of effects which :(
effects of consumer culture, influences social, economic effects).

Expansion the engineering consultancy offices in the universities of Iraq, about (14)
offices, leading to increas the competition between them, especially after the great
trends of Iraqi government agencies to use the academic experiences and their
efficiencies in general, due to non-existence of the engineering qualification in the
government institutions to do the engineering designs ,supervision of projects and
other engineering works which are practicing by the engineering consultancy offices
in order to get the best performance of the work.Within this serious competition,
needing a specific approach to enable government agencies to choose the optimal and
alternative consultancy office to meet specific project and not rely on cronyism and
personal relationships that have become prevalent in Iraq and causing administrative
corruption, which will not achieve the owner requirements and thus will affect the
requirements needed in the project .
The researcher used the descriptive analysis to describe and evaluate the results of the
study using the sign test which is a non-parametric test, appropriate in ordinal data.
Decision makers can use the final results to select the suitable engineering office, it subcriteria used in the analysis compiled by a researcher from the International and
Arab refernces as well as a realistic local criteria in Iraq.
can be regarded as an important database through the support of the basic criteria and

Recently, several concepts and expressions have emerged that have often preoccupied the world
around the concept of environment and sustainability. This is due to the negative and
irresponsible impact of man and his innovations in various industrial and technological fields
that have damaged the natural environment. Architecture and cities at the broader level are some
of the man made components that caused these negative impacts and in the same time affected
by them. What distinguishes architectural and urban projects is the consumption of large
quantities of natural resources and production larger amounts of waste and pollution, along the life of these projects. At the end of the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty-first
century, the developed countries presented new concepts and methods that were not previously
familiar with the design and implementation of architectural projects to reflect the growing
interest in urban sectors issues to protect the environment and reduce consumption to reach the
optimal utilization of natural resources. This leads to develop a new term called the Regenerative
City. Here appeared the general research problem concerning the regenerative city and its
objectives and the special research problem concerning urban agriculture and its relationship
with the regenerative city, besides how urban agriculture will affect the city. The hypothesis of
the research is that urban agriculture in its various forms (horizontal or vertical) is an essential
and integral part of the regenerative city, and it will affect the city planning, this will require
including this usage in the city master plan as a new form of land use. The research aims to show
the possibilities of using urban agriculture in its different forms within the urban fabric.