Tikrit Journal of Engineering Sciences

Iraq and many countries are currently facing complex challenges concerning desertification and scarcity of water resources due to the increased demand for water and climate change. This study proposes establishing a water reservoir to address Iraq's water resource deficit, focusing on selecting the optimal location along the Upper Zab River. This river supplies approximately 26.6% of the Tigris River's water, yet it lacks any existing dams or reservoirs in its Iraqi stretch. The study has two main parts: First, it identifies the ideal dam reservoir location using GIS and other tools, determining a minimum capacity of 5.5 billion cubic meters. The study's second part involves gathering extensive meteorological and hydrological data from the upstream basins of the reservoir. This data supports the choice of the dam location as it is ideal for a water reservoir. The study also factors in the local population and nearby villages and essential data on multi-year water discharge and seasonal variations to determine dam filling time and create suitable management plans. At a water level of 372.5 meters, there is a significant change in positive lake areas and volumes. The positive volume increased substantially from 4.1 to 23.75 million cubic meters compared to 370 meters. Similarly, the positive surface area expanded notably from 1.22 to 2.28 million square meters. This trend is also seen in the positive surface area, which shifts from 1.23 to 2.54 million square meters at the same water levels. The current study considered the support of water management strategies in accordance with the principle of balance between the needs of society, the protection of the ecosystem, and the economic system. It also ensured insignificant population displacement and harm to agricultural lands in the dam basin area.

Carbon steel is widely used in industrial applications due to its mechanical properties and high availability. Zinc phosphate conversion coating is commonly used in industry for surface pretreatment. It enhances corrosion resistance and improves adhesion between metal surfaces and subsequent treatments. The practical aspect of the study involved treating carbon steel samples with zinc phosphate at 90 °C using nitric acid, zinc oxide, phosphoric acid, and sodium carbonate. Then, nickel carbonate was added to the same metal samples for phosphating. The results revealed that adding nickel carbonate effectively improved the corrosion resistance of the samples, evaluated using weight loss, potentiodynamic polarization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. Furthermore, surface properties, particularly surface roughness, were assessed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The samples were tested before and after exposure to three corrosive media, including hydrochloric acid with pH 3, seawater with 3.5% sodium chloride, and sodium hydroxide with pH 11. The SEM showed the effect of the corrosive solutions on the zinc phosphate coating layer, in the HCl solution dissolving it and exposing carbon steel. Also, there was localized corrosion with pits and erosion. 3.5% NaCl exposure made the surface rough and deposited pitting corrosion products. NaOH immersion for 15 mins formed a uniform, dense, crystalline corrosion-resistant layer. The coating transformed to light gray, indicating improved properties. Also, incorporating nickel carbonate in treating carbon steel can substantially enhance its corrosion resistance.

Crumb rubber (CR) as a modifier has been used by many for asphalt binders and asphalt concrete (AC) mixtures production. Nevertheless, the engineering properties of AC mixtures containing CR as aggregate replacement still need to be determined. Nevertheless, it is essential to ascertain the engineering qualities of AC mixtures that incorporate CR as a replacement for aggregates. This study investigates the durability and mechanical attributes of conventional AC mixtures and CR/AC mixtures. The assessment involves analyzing various properties, such as Marshall stability, static creep compliance, indirect tensile strength (ITS), tensile strength ratio (TSR), and deformation strength in the Kim test. One AC control mixture and four CR combinations were created. The CR contents of four CRAC mixes were 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0% wt. of aggregates. Optimum asphalt content increased and bulk specific gravity decreased with increasing crumb rubber content. The AC mixture with 0.5% CR content showed approximately similar Marshall stability, moisture resistance, deformation strength, and static creep compliance to those of the AC mixture without CR. Whereas, AC mixture with 1.0% CR content showed higher plastic flow. The stability and TSR values remained higher than the ASTM specification's minimum values, which cap CR up to 1.0%. This study introduces a design methodology for crumb rubber-asphalt mixtures, which determines the appropriate amount of CR by considering the durability and mechanical properties of the asphalt mixture. According to this study, 0.5–1.0% of the CR by weight of aggregates can be replaced as aggregates for paving applications.

In the latest development, a solar hybrid system maintains the outdoor pool at a constant 30°C year-round. Solar energy, a crucial renewable energy source, is harnessed through a novel collector design emphasizing the importance of tourism designs and heating concepts with environmental considerations. The technology, widely used in homes, involves measuring unglazed flat solar collectors (3.12 m2) for outdoor dome swimming pools in winter. A 2 m2- collector was integrated into a building and studied for seven daily hours over three months (December, January, and February). The internal heating system relied on a fan for electrical energy, reaching peak efficiency in February. Operating at 700 W/m2 radiation intensity and a 0.16 kg/sec flow rate, parameters such as sun intensity, ambient temperature, pond water conditions, solar output, water flow, and humidity were recorded. Thermal losses from the pool were calculated using a flat, oval-shaped tube solar collector, along with the room temperature after the pool had stabilized. The results showed a 0.16 kg/s flow rate optimized collector efficiency, prioritizing these findings for achieving thermal comfort, effective building heating, and preserving indoor pool temperature.

This paper discusses the efficiency of using the Pattern Search (PS) tool to optimize the design of RC beams strengthened with externally bonded (EB) fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) materials. The study considers shear strengthening (three-sided or two-sided configurations), flexure strengthening, and coupled shear-flexure strengthening. The design process involved an objective function that represents the cost function of the optimum solution and design variables that define the optimum dimensions of the beam and FRP material, such as beam width, effective beam depth, FRP strip thickness, FRP strips spacing, and FRP strip width, according to the design constraints of the ACI 440-2R-17 code. To achieve the goal of this paper, different examples were conducted under shear, flexure, and coupled shear-flexure strengthening. In each case, the PS technique resulted in more compact designs with a faster convergence rate, reducing costs compared to the original dimensions of the design variables. In this context, an extensive parametric study was conducted to determine the ability to redesign the FRP material dimensions compared to previously published data. The results showed that the pattern search technique could save costs in designing RC beams strengthened with externally bonded FRP under similar loading conditions.

Each year has seen the high intricacy utilized of natural fiber/polymer-based composites in most engineering sectors due to the good mechanical performance and low cost. In this work, three layers of jute fiber mats were examined as reinforcement for thermosetting-based composite materials prepared by the hand lay-up process. An alkali chemical treatment with different types of solutions (NaOH, KOH, and LiOH) and concentrations (2%, 4%, and 6% wt) was used to treat jute fibers with the point of enhancing the ability of adhesion between the surface of the jute mat and epoxy resin. Various mechanical tests like tensile and flexural have been studied by comparing the results and performance of different types of alkali treatment. The experimental results indicated that alkali treatments were more efficient for flexural behavior than tensile. The highest tensile and bending strengths were shown in the concentration of 6% wt NaOH 31% and 90%, respectively, better than the untreated composite.

Bridges are constructed to facilitate transport between riverbanks. These bridges are supported by piers of varying geometric shapes that differ from one bridge to another. The interaction between these piers and the flowing water generates different types of vortices, forming a scour hole around the piers. This local scour around the foundation of bridge piers is a major cause of bridge failure. This study experimentally investigated using a curved bed sill as a clear water scour countermeasure at a complex bridge pier. The investigation included three locations of the curved bed (at the upstream edge of the piles cap, 5cm, and 10cm toward the downstream), three elevations of the curved bed sill, and four elevations of the piles cap ranging from 0% to 75% of the pile cap thickness covered by bed materials. The results indicated that using a curved bed sill can reduce the scour depth in all cases with the relative piles cap elevations to its thickness up to 50%. Among those in this study, the most effective location was at the upstream edge of the pile cap, and its effectiveness increased directly with its elevation. This case recorded a scour depth reduction of up to 41%. Placement curved bed sill at the upstream edge of the piles cap can serve as an efficient scour countermeasure around the complex piers that will be constructed in the future and for existing piers, as it does not interfere with the pier foundation location.

A commercial sheet of pure Copper (Cu) and an Aluminum alloy sheet (AA 6061-T6) were joined at a thickness of 2 mm using Friction Stir Spot Welding with an intermediate layer (IL-FSSW) with a pinless tool. The present work was conducted according to various parameters in terms of rotation speed, feed rate, soaking time, the stability of the plunge depth (2 mm), and the diameter of the welding tool (12 mm). The welding process parameters were optimized based on the Taguchi method, using the design of experiments (DOE). The results proved that the utmost shear force was fulfilled at a rotating speed of 1800 RPM, feed rate of 15 mm/min, soaking time of 20 sec, and shear force of 3908 N (Cu above Al sheet). Under the same arrangement of sheets, the maximum microhardness was 157Hv at 1120 rpm, 15 mm/min feed, 10 s soaking time, and 10 sec preheating in the stir zone (SZ). There was a change in the microstructure of the Weld spot and the base metal. The pictures showed the difference in the size of the crystalline grains of the cross-section of the weld joint and different zones. The microstructure was analyzed using light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy SEM, EDS, and XRD examination to determine the phases. The results showed a change in the grain size according to regions and that intermetallic compounds (IMCs) led to a brittle fracture in the welded samples.

In this paper, two types of loads have been applied at the same time, the first one was one-way cyclic, and the second was dynamic load from the machine. These loads are applied in a group of piles of (2x2) with the spacing of S/D= 3, 5 and 7. Closed to practical situations, the loads are applied simultaneously at frequency rates of (15, 20, and 25HZ) for dynamic load and different rates of cyclic loading of (0.6, 0.8, and 1) calculated from critical load rate CLR. These parameters have been used. The relative density of sand is 70%. The machine load can reduce the lateral pile displacement, especially in case of large spacing. In addition, the increase of CLR usually influenced pile group performance, and the displacement rise up to 75% for closed-spaced piles.

The present study models the dispersion of air pollutants from Kirkuk Oil Refinery to Kirkuk City. The study considers the impact of pollution type, wind speed, and wind direction on the dispersion patterns. The simulated pollutants concentrations were in μg/m3 to provide valuable knowledge of the pollution levels. The Gaussian plume model was used to simulate various pollutants’ air pollution concentrations produced by the refinery. The results showed a wide concentration range, i.e., from 1.19×10-28 μg/m3 to 11.26 μg/m3. The mean concentration was 0.46 μg/m3. Different wind directions caused a minimum concentration of 0 μg/m3, i.e., negligible or low pollution levels away from the emission source. The mean concentration slightly varied with the wind direction, i.e., from 8.37×10-3 to 8.56 ×10-3 μg/m3. In other words, the mean pollution levels remained adequately low regardless of the wind direction. On the other hand, the wind direction impacted the maximum concentration. At 235°, the highest maximum concentration was 23.807 μg/m3, and at 174°, the lowest maximum concentration was 9.28569 μg/m3. Also, the results regarding the pollutant revealed that Co2 showed the highest mean concentration, i.e., 5.321 μg/m3, and the highest maximum concentration, i.e., 6734.623 μg/m3. Gases, e.g., Co, No2, and So2, showed higher concentrations than PM1, PM2.5, PM5, and PM10, implying that atmospheric behavior and emission sources differ. These results expand understanding of the air pollution dispersion patterns and provide a clear vision for policymakers and environmental managers. Future works should focus on refining modeling approaches and utilizing real-time data to obtain accurate pollutant dispersion pattern predictions.

Nano powder mixed electrical discharge machining (NPMEDM) is one of the non-traditional machining processes employed to machine metals, which can be tough to machine using traditional processes. It is accomplished by adding conductive powders to dielectric fluid to enhance the performance of the process. In this paper, several experiments were conducted to enhance the process performance in terms of white layer thickness (WLT), heat affected zone (HAZ), surface roughness (SR), and material removal rate (MRR) of the Inconel 718 alloy, machined using Nano SiC powder added to soybean oil, used as a dielectric fluid. The chosen process variables were discharge current, pulse on time, powder concentration, and magnetic field. Experimental outcomes revealed that adding 2 g/l Nano SiC to soybean oil improved the white layer thickness by about 55.16% compared to 0 g/l and 4 g/l additions, while the thickness of heat affected zone increased. Surface roughness and MRR improved when adding 4 g/l of NanoSic to the dielectric fluid; the improvements were approximately 5.54% and 53.99%, respectively.

One of the typical and significant components of large structural superstructures, such as offshore structures, bridges, and large multistory buildings, is the reinforced concrete deep beam. A deep beam is mostly used to transfer load foundations, girders, bending and pile caps, and some walls. Numerous studies have been done on the deep beams’ behavior under stresses because of the significance of deep beams. Even there are specifications for fiber-reinforced Polymers (FRP) reinforced deep beam in some codes, along with suggestions for the method prediction of load failure, strut-tie method (STM) method, included in most codes. It should be noted that many studies are still re-evaluating the factors utilized in the analysis method. The paper offers deep beam analysis methods of the shear models proposed by the codes and searcher for some published research. The survey database of 120 FRP-reinforced deep beams tested in shear was used to conduct the study. All specimens simply supported beams under three or four points load and rectangular cross-section. The specimens studied included different web shear reinforcement (horizontal and vertical), compressive strength, shear span-to-depth ratio a/d, and fiber volume fraction. Models combining steel and FRP reinforcement were excluded. The models predicting the shear capacity of FRP reinforced deep beams evaluated in this study were STM of CSA S806-12, Shear capacity V_c of ACI 440-11-22 and CSA S806-12, Zhang et al. [31] model, and Nehdi et al. [32] model. The models predicting the shear capacity of FRP reinforced deep beam evaluated in this study were either unsafe or inaccurate. The shear strength prediction of STM CSA S806 was most appropriate; however, it is conservative, making it uneconomical. Zhang et al. [31] presented a shear strength prediction model for FRP-reinforced deep beams without web reinforcement. No method is recommended for calculating the effect of fiber volume fraction on the shear capacity of FRP-reinforced concrete deep beams.

Refrigerant R134a has been widely utilized in automotive air conditioning systems (AACSs); R134a has a high global warming potential (GWP) of 1430 despite having zero ozone depletion potential (ODP). Coming refrigeration systems must include refrigerants with low GWP and zero ODP. The aim of this experimental study is to evaluate the thermal performance of an (AAC) with different values of compressor speeds, i.e., (1000, 1700, and 2400 rpm) and two thermal loads, i.e., (500 and 1000 Watt) with the absence and presence of liquid suction heat exchanger (LSHX) using R134a. The results showed that adding LSHX enhanced the COP cycle by 7.18%, 10.7%, and 3.09% for the first, second, and third speed, respectively, at 500 Watt, while the enhancements were 10.27 %, 23.3 %, and 11.5 % for the first, second, and third speed, respectively, at 1000 Watt. Increasing the compressor speed decreased COP due to a reduction in RE and increased the compression effect, increasing the work done by the motor on the compressor that caused a reduction in COP. The compressor exergy destruction (X des. Comp.) decreased when LSHX was added by 6.13%, 2.22%, and 18.8% for the first, second, and third speed, respectively. However, X des. comp. increased with compressor speed due to the system’s pressure difference rise because of decreasing evaporation and increasing condensation pressures. As a result, the entropy generation increased. The increase in discharge temperature and pressure of the compressor led to a high friction force between the moving part of the compressor and the refrigerant, so the energy losses increased. Increasing the compressor speed decreased the total exergy performance of the cycle by 5.8 %, 7.5 %, and 16.7 % for the first, second, and third speed, respectively, due to increasing the compressor discharge temperature, increasing the X des. comp. and thermostatic expansion device and decreasing condenser and evaporator. Increasing X des. comp was higher than the destruction in the condenser and evaporator, which canceled the effect of others, so the total exergy performance of the cycle decreased.

Soil stabilization with tiny particles is a newly investigated topic that has mostly been studied in the laboratory and requires additional investigation before it can be applied in the field. The present study studies nano-calcium carbonate, an almost unknown nanomaterial addition for swelling soil stability. The study ascertains the ideal proportion of nano-calcium carbonate to improve soil. Soil samples were divided into three groups. The first group only mixed genuine soil with 4% lime, the second group mixed only natural soil with different percentages of nano-calcium carbonate (0.3%, 0.7%, 1.1%, and 1.5%), the third group was outfitted by changing the percentages of nano-calcium carbonate, i.e., 0.3%, 0.7%, 1.1%, and 1.5%, added to the mixture (soil plus 4% lime). Several tests were performed on this mixture, with all samples exposed to time for cure at 1, 7, and 28 days. The results showed an improvement in the Atterberg’s limits, as they decreased with increasing the percentage of lime and nano-calcium carbonate addition. It also showed an improvement in the unconfined Compression Strength (UCS). The ideal dosage for improving UCS was 0.7% nano-calcium carbonate and lime addition, which generated a UCS at 28 days of curing, nearly five times more than untreated soil.

The sustainable production of self-compacting geopolymer concrete (SCGPC) is eco-friendly and has less carbon footprint than normal concrete. On the other hand, nanoparticles have been added to SCGPC in previous studies to enhance its characteristics. However, limited studies have concentrated on using nano-alumina and nanocalcium carbonate in SCGPC. Hence, in the present study, self-compacting geopolymer concrete was developed from locally available calcined kaolin clay (CKC) using two types of nanoparticles: nano alumina (NA) and nano calcium carbonate (NC), in light of the evaluation of its fresh and hardening properties. All SCGPC mixes were formulated with the total binder amount was 484 kg/m3 and a constant ratio of alkaline liquid to binder (AL/B) of 0.50. These mixes were divided into two systems, namely binary and ternary mixture systems. 100% of CKC was used in the control mix, while a combination of (98%CKC+2%NA) and (98%CKC+2%NC) was used separately in the first system (binary) and the second system (96%CKC +2%NA+2%NC) were mixed (ternary). Microsteel fibers (SF) were added to all SCGPC mixtures (SCGPCs) with a constant content of 0.5% of the volume of concrete. To evaluate the fresh properties of these mixtures, several tests were conducted. The tests were slump flow, L-box test, and flow time via V-Funnel. Also, the mechanical performance of SCGPCs was evaluated in light of the compression and splitting tensile strength tests. The results of fresh properties indicated a reduction in workability for all binary and ternary mixes compared to the control mix. However, the workability test results of all SCGPCs were in the required range determined by EFNARC. Moreover, incorporating NC and NA in binary and ternary mixes improved mechanical properties for all ages. However, the compressive and splitting tensile strengths were considerably enhanced up to (15.8% and 14.66%) for NA and (14.3% and 12.83%) for NC in the binary mixes, respectively. Meanwhile, the improvement reached (28.34% and 25.92%) in the ternary mixture at the age of 28 days.

Solvent-based enhanced oil recovery has received greater attention lately. Besides solvents, nanoparticles, due to their unique characteristics have also been widely used for enhanced oil recovery techniques to help extract the trapped oil left underneath the surface. This work investigated the effects of nano-silica (SiO2) and xylene, as a nanoparticle (NP) and solvent, respectively, on the viscosity of heavy crude oil. Several variables were considered to obtain a large reduction in the oil viscosity to improve oil production, including temperature, shear rate, the weight fraction of xylene as a diluent, and concentration of SiO2 NPs. A Brookfield viscometer was applied to assess the viscosity of crude oil, and it was found that integrating NPs with solvent significantly reduced the total viscosity of the oil to 32 cP when NPs were used vs. 65 cP when the solvent was added alone.

This paper suggests a nature-inspired optimization technique, the Cheetah Optimizer (CO), to achieve optimal Directional Overcurrent Relays (DOCRs) coordination. The main contribution of this work is proposing a recent effective optimization technique (CO) for optimal coordination of DOCRs to clear the faults in the power system as soon as possible. CO strategy can solve nonlinear, non-convex complex coordination problems to achieve a fast and selective protection system. CO has advanced features overcoming other strategies, such as fast convergence, lower computational time, moderate exploration and exploitation modes, and attaining the optimal solution, avoiding stuck in local optima. Three test systems were used in this work. The standard IEEE-3, IEEE-9, and IEEE-30 bus test systems were used to confirm the performance of the proposed technique. The results yielded by the proposed algorithm were compared with other recently established counterparts, such as the Chimp Optimization Algorithm (ChOA), Osprey Optimization Algorithm (OOA), Coati Optimization Algorithm (COA), Seagull Optimization Algorithm (SOA), and Pelican Optimization Algorithm (POA). The proposed technique's reliability, stability, and consistency were recognized by inclusive statistical analysis. The proposed approach offered high-quality and robust solutions with lower computational processing times. In addition, it has a remarkable convergence, giving a benefit over adaptive coordination tendency by improving monitoring, communication, and grid control.

The primary purpose of this research is to discover new supercapacitor electrode materials to anticipate future requirements for achieving higher-performing materials for energy storage applications. Therefore, iron cobalt oxide was investigated as a more practical and affordable technique to generate multicationic oxide materials for use as supercapacitor electrodes. In this context, one-dimensional nanostructured binary metal oxides have garnered significant attention in the field of supercapacitor (SC) applications due to their exceptional capability for fast-charge transportation. In particular, high-performance pseudocapacitor electrodes could now be made using highly aligned nanospherical arrays directly grown on conducting substrates. The iron cobalt oxide (FeCo2O4 (FCO)) electrodes on carbon fiber cloth (CFC) have porous structures constructed from several small building blocks of primary nanospherical, contributing to the nanospherical-like morphology. With a surface area of 130.04 m2 g-1, the FCO-CFC nanocomposite electrode considerably increased the pseudocapacitors’ electrochemical activity. Moreover, the FCO-CFC nanocomposite electrode demonstrated exceptional cyclic stability, i.e., 66% retention of capacitance at a current density of 10 mA g-1 after a process of 1000 cycles and a current density of 10 mA g-1 at a surprisingly high specific capacitance of 225 F g-1 for a nanocomposite electrode. In addition, the unique porous nanospherical texture, the good conductivity, and the high effectiveness can be credited to the asymmetric supercapacitor employing FCO-CFC electrodes that achieved acceptable electrochemical efficiency due to the synergistic interaction between the FCO and the CFC.

Solar energy devices have acquired growing attention to developing friendly-environment techniques. Linear Fresnel collector is preferred due to its low thermal losses. The present work numerically studied the impact of a linear Fresnel receiver geometry and utilizing TiO2 on the performance of the collector. Circular and isosceles receivers were investigated. Three TiO2 volume fractions were utilized: 0%, 2%, and 4%. The tested Reynolds number range was between 100 and 900. COMSOL Multiphysics 6.1, i.e., based on the Finite Element method, was used to solve the present problem. The circular receiver had significantly better comprehensive evaluation criteria than the triangular. The Nusselt number improved by 2.64% at Reynolds number 900 as 4% TiO2 was added to the pure water. The triangular receiver friction factor was up to 16.7% lower than the circular for Reynolds number<300 and 4% TiO2.

The radio frequency signal is important for improving the connection among patients, hospitals, and healthcare ambulances. Emergency specialists significantly monitored global healthcare in real-life conditions during the previous century, depending on telecommunications. 5G mobile telecommunication networks have increased smart navigation with 3D dimensions' position for drones, unmanned aerial vehicles, and ambulance vehicles. Ambulances equipped with the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) enabled smart antennas are the subject of this research. The article's objective is to improve the performance of medical ambulances in real-time and safe health zones by employing the beamforming technique of 5G with advanced MIMO technologies and using vehicles for everything (V2X). Critical components like patient care, delay, and road traffic are analyzed and considered for various smart connections between ambulances and patients to hospitals. The results will help reduce the time delay in transferring data to healthcare systems, which profoundly impacts transferring patient care data faster, enabling healthcare providers to access medical information about the patient. Simulations are used to confirm theoretical results.

One way to strengthen beams with transverse openings is by adding material, such as steel plates or braces, around the openings. This addition helps distribute the load more evenly and reduces stress concentration at the weak points. In this study, experimental investigations were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of using steel pipes of different sizes and thicknesses to improve the torsional behavior of reinforced concrete beams with different sizes of transverse openings. Another goal is to investigate the impact of different steel pipe orientations on the final twisting moment and twist angle. The experiment involved casting and testing fifteen rectangular reinforced concrete beams under pure torsion. The dimensions and reinforcement of all beams were similar. The specimens were divided into four groups, the first of which had a control beam made of a single beam cast without any openings. Using 4 mm diagonal reinforcement applied to each face of the beam and rounding the opening with PVC pipe from the second group, two beams with varying opening diameters (75 and 100) mm were strengthened. The third group consists of four beams that were strengthened using steel pipe welding at a double angle (32×32×3) mm to form a T-section with two orientations (45o and 90o). These beams were cast with transverse apertures. Six beams were cast as the fourth group to study the thickness effect on steel pipe (2, 3, and 4) mm, representing 50%, 75%, and 100% of stirrups’ nominal diameter. The results revealed that diagonal reinforcement with small openings did not affect torsional behavior. On the other hand, the diagonal reinforcement did not substitute for the missing torsional strength of the large opening in the beam. The ultimate torsional loads that result from the two orientations of steel pipes (450 and 900) were almost identical. Also, internal pipe deformation is prevented by utilizing a steel pipe at least 3 mm thick (0.75 of the stirrups' diameter), increasing protection for this area. Hence, beams with small openings and beams with a pipe thickness of 4 mm (1.0 of the stirrups diameter) are similar in toughness and initial stiffness.

Membrane technologies have been widely applied in water purification and wastewater treatment. This work describes and demonstrates two different membrane flat sheet modes, which are forward osmosis (FO-HTI Cartridge and Pouch) and nanofiltration (NF-90 and thin film NF-DL) for the treatment of oily wastewater (OWW). These membranes’ performance efficiency and reliability for reuse were investigated, especially when operated for a period under initial load conditions. Experiments were conducted in FO and NF mode to determine the water flux, the reverse salt flux, membrane wettability, and oil rejection. It was found that about 100% oil rejection could be achieved for oily treatment by FO at a pH of 6.7 to 7.3. The water flux was found to change slightly at feed initial concentration up to 30 mg L-1, indicating that the basic separation properties and the structure of the FO membrane have not been were unaffected. A less stable permeate flux was obtained for oil content ranging from 30 to 300 mg L-1. The average water fluxes for the FO-HTI Cartridge and Pouch membrane were ~ 8.5 and ~ 5 L.m-2 h-1, respectively, using 0.5 M NaCl as a draw solution. It was observed that this flux decreased rapidly with increasing oil-content concentration of the feed solution due to concentration polarization. The hydrophilicity and wetting behavior of NF membrane with average contact angles of a range (49.6° to 52.7°) were slightly higher hydrophilic than that of FO membranes with a range of contact angles approximately (64.82° to 67.27°).

Iraq was one of the first developing countries to specify standard limits on drinking water quality. In 1967, (Law No. 25/1967) was issued. In 2001, new standard specifications of drinking water quality were issued (IQS/ 417/2001) and revised in 2009. These revisions did not significantly change the numerical limit values of major water quality parameters to reflect any major technological advancement in water quality sciences and epidemiological studies. The aim of this study is to set a numerical limit value for the drinking water temperature parameter to be promulgated and added to law IQS/ 417. Field water samples were collected from different sites in Baghdad. The water source in this study was the Tigris River from three water treatment plants and customer taps at selected districts whose water supplies were fed from these three water treatment plants. These samples’ temperatures were measured by a good-grade mercury-filled Celsius thermometer on site. A literature survey on drinking water temperatures was conducted to collate as much relevant information as possible from countries in the Middle-Eastern region and Europe to compare them with the present results. It was found that the drinking water supply temperature in Baghdad was impacted by the temperature of the water supply source and the pipe distribution network. High averages of drinking water temperature prevailed during the summer season. It is recommended that a temperature limit value for potable water at customer taps should be below 25 ºC, based on health aspects. This recommendation should be promulgated and included in law (IQS/ 417), depending on the public health requirements.

Addressing water and energy shortages in Iraq is of critical importance. In recent years, the country has faced challenges in energy supply due to a decrease in hydroelectric station production caused by several factors, such as high temperatures, lack of rainfall, and water evaporation. Installing floating solar panels is a modern technique to mitigate low energy production and reduce water evaporation. This study examines the feasibility of implementing this technique at Haditha Dam Station in Iraq using practical data obtained from simulation environments. The results showed that it is possible to preserve the water reserve and increase the production efficiency of the station by installing floating panels. The paper discusses various aspects of floating solar panel installations, including orientation, inclination angles, supporting structures for different environments, materials used, and modeling techniques through software applications like Homer.

This study presents an optimization approach for batch extraction of aromatics from reformed heavy naphtha, provided by Al-Dora refinery in Iraq, using furfural solvent. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based on Box–Behnken design (BBD) was employed to design the experiments to optimize the extraction efficiency and reduce energy consumption in the range of study. The effects of such variables as solvent-to-feed (S/F) ratio (0.5-2.5 vol/vol), stirring speed (200-1000 rpm), and contact time (1-5 h) at an ambient temperature of 20 °C were investigated. Following a (BBD), fifteen experimental runs systematically optimized the extraction efficiency and determined the interactive effects of these variables on extraction efficiency. Experimentally, the percentage efficiency of extraction ranged between 42.77% and 98.01%, pointing to an effective extraction process using furfural solvent. The maximum experimental extraction efficiency of 98.0127% was achieved at an S/F ratio of 0.5, a stirring speed of 1000 rpm, and a contact time of 3 hours. The resulting model was a quadratic polynomial that accurately captured the relationship between process variables and the extraction concentration of aromatics. Statistical analysis demonstrated that the S/F ratio and its squared term significantly influenced the actual concentration. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed excellent agreement between experimental and predicted aromatics concentrations. The results obtained by batch experiments will be used later in an intensified continuous extraction operation.

Seepage through earth dams causes seepage forces, pore water pressures, and hydraulic gradients. These forces could create piping, sloughing, or sliding, which could fail an earth dam if not kept within the allowable ranges. Consequently, seepage analysis is critical in the design of any hydraulic construction. In this study, the finite element modeling method by SEEP/W software was used to examine seepage characteristics through earth dams with the central core at an angle of (α=90°,50°, and 30°) for different dam materials and geometries under steady-state conditions. The results indicated that the reduction of seepage through the earth dam body increased as the core slope decreased, while it increased with increasing the permeability ratio and the upstream head. The core slope angle of 30° was the most effective of those evaluated in decreasing seepage discharge, exit gradient, and top seepage line at the core's faces. Also, using the statistical analysis program SPSS to develop empirical equations, to estimate seepage through the earth dam with a central core and top seepage intersecting core slope. The correlation coefficient (R2) was greater than 0.95 and 0.98 for the suggested seepage and top seepage equations line, respectively.

This novel study objective is to utilize Taguchi experimental design to investigate the optimal preparation parameters of the MgO/Fe3O4/ functionalized activated carbon (MgO/Fe3O4/AC) by modified coprecipitation method aided by ultrasonication. The parameters and their levels were coprecipitation pH (8-10), ultrasonic power (195-455) Watt, and precursors loading wt.% of metals salts (33.4-66) %. The prepared carbon supported with magnetic metals oxides was used as a direct and new step to remove oil from oil/water emulsion, dominating Basra\'s oil and gas industry pollutants. The study examines the effects of various factors, surface morphology changes, and modifications on the performance of batch adsorption of diesel drops from synthetically oil/water emulsion. The significant parameters for experimental design response were recognized from the regression analysis. The optimal preparation conditions for (MgO/Fe3O4/AC) for adsorption of diesel drops from oil/water emulsion were achieved using a pH of 10, 325watt ultrasonic power, and 50% precursor loading. The outcomes gave evidence of the capacity of the MgO/Fe3O4/AC to remove diesel drops, and the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent has been influenced by coprecipitation preparation parameters. The results showed that 54.8 mg/g of diesel adsorption capacity was achieved at statistically optimized parameters. Characterization methods included FESEM, EDS, and FTIR. The resulting (MgO/Fe3O4/AC) had a BET surface area of 345 m2/g. The experimentally measured correlation coefficient of 0.999 was found to agree with the expected values from the model strongly.

Rapid drawdown loading condition is a critical state that can cause failure of the upstream slope in earthen dams. Applying upstream horizontal drains has been a prevalent solution to prevent such potential failure. However, existing literature tends to focus on the drains’ geometric and material properties, neglecting the impact of the drawdown rate and geotechnical properties of the dam on the upstream drainage systems’ effectiveness. The present research employs a Finite Element Method, utilizing GeoStudio software, to comprehensively assess the performance of upstream horizontal drains in enhancing slope stability of a homogeneous embankment during rapid drawdown scenarios under varied rates of drawdown and dam properties. The stability analysis results indicated that the factors of safety of the upstream slope at a drawdown rate of 1 m/d and a permeability rate of 10–2 m/d satisfy the minimum safety limits. Notably, introducing upstream drains substantially increased the factors of safety, particularly in scenarios involving faster drawdown rates and slower permeability rates. It was found that the required number of horizontal drains for ensuring the stability of the upstream slope primarily depended on drawdown and permeability rates. However, the presence of upstream drains increased seepage through the upstream face and dam bodies.

Seepage is the main problem of earth dams; most failures occur due to excessive amounts of seepage. In zoned earth dams, clay core minimizes seepage quantity, and its dimensions and shape influence seepage quantity. The shape and location of the core impact on the seepage were investigated in this paper, as sand, a percentage of bentonite clay, and gravel were used to build the physical model inside the hydraulic conductivity device to calculate the amount of seepage through the dam body and to specify the seepage phreatic line. Four core shapes were considered: rectangular, wedge-shaped, forward inclined, and backward inclined with (25%) percent amounts of bentonite clay and various core dimensions and lateral inclinations. A numerical model is adopted using the Geo Studio program to simulate the experimental models and compare results, which showed high agreement in results with (r2=99.4%) correlation factor. The results showed that the trapezoidal core shape was the most effective in reducing drainage, as it reduced drainage by about (62% - 79%) compared with the rectangular core shape at various core side slopes. In addition, the inverse proportions for the core crest to dam crest width ratio affected seepage discharge for all core shapes. There was a direct proportion for the core side slope effect for the trapezoidal core shape and an inverse proportion for the forward and backward-inclined core shapes.

Phenol is one of the most common organic pollutants discharged from many industries in wastewater. Its presence in wastewater causes many environmental and health issues. Phenol can be removed using various technological methods, including photocatalytic techniques. A photocatalytic reactor was designed to investigate the kinetics of photocatalytic degradation of phenol in petroleum refinery wastewater by an iron-doped zeolite catalyst. The present study revealed the best conditions for the total removal of 200 mg/L of phenol using iron-doped zeolite 0.7 g/L as a catalyst with an ultraviolet irradiation time of 60 min at the hydrogen power of 3 and temperature of 40 ℃. The efficacy of the iron-doped zeolite photocatalytic reactor was determined by analyzing the kinetics of phenol decomposition in the aqueous solution. The kinetic model was derived using a quasi-steady state approach to obtain essential kinetics parameters. The kinetics findings showed that the phenol degradation data fit with a first-order kinetic model. The Thiele modulus, effectiveness factor, and Wagner-Weisz-Wheeler modulus values were calculated at different reaction temperatures. The results indicated that the influence of mass transfer on the total reaction rate can be disregarded. The Arrhenius equation was used to calculate the activation energy for phenol oxidation via photocatalytic reaction, and it was 47.54kJ/mol.

According to the fact that the practical method for finding the working fatigue life is very expensive and takes a longer time with a huge amount of samples till the failure initiation of the die. So, the present research describes the main purpose of predicting the fatigue life of the die numerically based on the highest loading factors getting from the experimental work, indicating how many numbers of product samples can be produced during the whole life of this designed die depending on these loading or over. This fatigue life analysis and assessment were adopted by ANSYS Workbench 2019 R3 software depending on the loading factors (axial extrusion load and friction temperature difference) affecting the die strength and fatigue life during the experimental extrusion process. These factors were generated according to the variation of extrusion speed and changing product materials. The extrusion die was used to convert a cylindrical bar with (19) mm diameter into a square bar with (13 × 13) mm with an extrusion rate of 1.67. The results showed that the highest stress intensity factor reached about (251.4 MPa) at the critical converge-diverge section due to the die profile design, and the die is safe and has an infinite life reaching up to (10^9 cycles), using Lead or Aluminum products taking the maximum extrusion load of (90 kN) and temperature difference of (2 ℃) at 150 mm/min extrusion speed. While changing the product billet into harder materials, the die life decreased and might fail later.

According to the latest research, renewable energies currently take precedence because they used to make up 1% of the global energy supply but now account for a higher amount. In order to develop a new wind turbine design that is more effective than existing designs, the inventors were forced to construct a wind turbine. The wind turbine described in this article utilizes the wind's energy more efficiently and only depends on the vanes' active surface. A vane wind turbine maximises a wind turbine's kinetic energy harvesting capacity. Due to their shape and construction, ordinary three-blade propellers practically have an efficiency of wind energy utilisation of about 20%. Renewable power sources are leading the way toward a more democratic energy distribution system, and they are increasingly competing with fossil fuels on an equal footing without government support. Renewable energy is considered cost-effective in many applications, ensures its ongoing availability and presence, produces fewer heat emissions associated with power generation, and does not contribute to gaseous emissions that degrade the environment.