Journal of Engineering

This research on architecture examines the challenges faced by individuals with visual
impairments as they navigate schools and other built environments. It highlights the idea of
"architectural visual bias," which favors sight over other sensory experiences. The study
promotes architectural designs that go beyond visual considerations to enhance sensory
interactions, ultimately aiming to make spaces more accessible to those with visual
impairments. The objective is to identify the requirements of visually impaired individuals
in the built environment, propose design principles and recommendations for inclusive
architecture, and create a design for Pacelli School for the blind and partially sighted that
embodies inclusive architectural design principles. A qualitative approach, including
observations, interviews, and case studies, demonstrated how tactile surfaces, auditory
signals, and olfactory cues enhance spatial awareness, stressing the importance of refining
urban and architectural designs to support independent mobility in everyday activities for
the visually impaired. The research indicates that such designs should employ strategies
such as tactile feedback, sound indicators, and careful consideration of form and function to
improve safety, mobility, and orientation for students. It illustrates why designers should
integrate multisensory architectural principles to promote inclusivity. The study wraps up
by urging professionals to follow universal design principles and other relevant guidelines
that accommodate a range of abilities, ensuring that designs are not just accessible but
inclusive for everyone.

Polypropylene (PP) capillary microtubes hold strong potential for use in advanced liquid
cooling systems, but their internal flow behavior remains insufficiently understood. Critical
factors—such as capillarity, flow regime, and pressure drop—directly influence their
thermal performance and practical applicability. Despite their relevance, detailed studies on
these parameters in PP hollow fiber microtubes are lacking. This study addresses that gap
through a combined mathematical and microscopic investigation of water flow inside PP
microtubes with a 0.6 mm inner diameter. Results show that capillary effects are negligible
across all tested conditions, contributing only ~0.2% to ~2.7% to the total pressure drop.
Moreover, capillary pressure remained largely unaffected by changes in water temperature.
The extremely low Knudsen number (~4×10⁻⁷) confirms continuum flow behavior,
justifying the use of classical models like the Reynolds analogy. These findings deepen our
understanding of flow dynamics in PP microtubes and support their integration into micro
scale thermal management systems.

The implementation of Design-Build contracts within Iraq's Standard Bidding Document
(SBD) framework is essential for the enhancement of road and bridge infrastructure. This
study assesses the effectiveness of the SBD for Design-Build contracts in reducing cost
overruns and schedule delays using a mixed-methods approach that includes a
questionnaire survey of 65 professionals, case study analysis of five completed projects, and
expert interviews. Survey data revealed agreement on the SBD's efficacy in improving
procurement transparency and cost control; however, its ability to address design
modifications gained less approval. Case studies validated these findings, indicating that
projects with major design changes encountered significant schedule growth, although cost
parameters remained consistent in all instances. Interviews identified unforeseen
infrastructure conflicts and iterative design adjustments as critical delay factors,
highlighting gaps in the SBD's adaptability provisions. The study concludes that while the
SBD provides robust financial governance, its rigid structure impedes responsive design
management. Future revisions to Iraq's SBD framework must prioritize the integration of
dynamic adaptability frameworks, improve risk allocation, and incorporate design-review
methods to systematically mitigate emergent complexities and optimize infrastructure
delivery outcomes. The findings provide practical insights for infrastructure policy in Iraq,
particularly for the Ministry of Planning, responsible for organizing and updating the SBDs,
as well as for implementing agencies such as the Ministry of Construction, Housing and
Public Municipalities, Roads and Bridges Directorate, and Mayoralty of Baghdad. These
findings support reviewing key provisions to ensure effective management of design
changes, reduce delays, and enhance project implementation efficiency.

The main objective of this laboratory study was to produce environmentally friendly,
sustainable roller-compacted concrete (SRCC) that meets the required strength by utilizing
waste building materials such as waste thermostone block as a partial volume replacement
of fine aggregate by two percentages (15% and 30%) and filler by 50%. Along with standard
curing, three different curing regimes were tested: spray-water, liquid-membrane
compound (Sika Antisol-WB), and damp-burlap. Regarding the curing methods, the liquid
membrane compound achieved the best results compared to standard-curing, followed by
damp-burlap. On the other hand, spray-water resulted in the poorest performance, yielding
lower results than standard-curing. The results showed that the SRCC mixture containing
waste thermostone block (by 15% substitute of fine aggregate and by 50% substitute of
filler) improved the compressive, flexural, and tensile strengths by 1.66%, 1.51%, and
1.68%, respectively, after 28 days of standard-curing compared to the reference-mixture.
While the SRCC mixture containing waste thermostone block (by 30% substitute of fine
aggregate and by 50% substitute of filler) deteriorated the compressive, flexural, and tensile
strengths by 4.97, 4.24, and 3.98%, respectively, after 28 days of standard-curing compared
to the reference-mixture.

With the evolution toward 6G wireless networks, ensuring secure communication has
become increasingly important due to persistent risks of eavesdropping and unauthorized
access. Beyond Diagonal Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (BD-RIS) enhance control over
wireless channels by independently manipulating both the phase and magnitude of reflected
signals, thereby improving the physical-layer security of wireless communication systems.
This paper investigates the performance of a BD-RIS-assisted uplink multi-user MIMO
system operating under Nakagami-m fading conditions in the presence of a passive
eavesdropper. Specifically, we analyze and compare the achievable sum rate and secrecy
rate in scenarios both with and without a direct link between the users and the base station.
Through detailed simulations, we demonstrate that BD-RIS achieves an improvement of
8.33% in secrecy rate than conventional diagonal RIS under comparable system parameters.
Furthermore, we show that the amount of this enhancement is influenced by key system
parameters, including the transmit power, the distance of the eavesdropper from the BD
RIS, and the density of active users within the network.

The research evaluates the influence of load eccentricity on square shallow foundation
behavior when embedded in dry sandy soil at a relative density of soil =30% with and
without skirts. Laboratory model tests analyzed a 10 × 10 cm foundation under one central
load condition (E/B = 0, where E is the load eccentricity and B is the foundation width) and
three eccentric load conditions (E/B = 0.04, 0.08, and 0.16). Three skirt lengths were
examined: 0.5B, 1B, and 1.5B. The results showed that skirted foundations significantly
enhanced bearing capacity and reduced settlement compared to unskirted ones. The
maximum improvement in bearing capacity occurred under central loading with a skirt
length of 1.5B, where the Bearing Capacity Ratio (BCR) reached 4.4 times. Under the highest
eccentricity (E/B = 0.16), the BCR decreased to 3.95 times. Settlement was also effectively
reduced, with the Settlement Reduction Factor (SRF) reaching 0.921 under central loading
and remaining as high as 0.85 under eccentric loading. The results confirm that skirted
foundations improve the bearing capacity and reduce settlement of shallow foundations on
sandy soils under both central and eccentric loads.

This research aims to evaluate the levels of some air pollutant gases, namely sulfur dioxide
(SO2), carbon dioxide (CO2), and radon (Rn222) in the residential areas surrounding the Dora
refinery, south of Baghdad. Several locations were selected from residential areas
representing different directions relative to the refinery, taking into account the distance
from the emission source and the environmental characteristics of the site. In this study, gas
detection techniques were applied, using a multi-gas detector in the areas surrounding the
Dora refinery. Concentrations were collected over three consecutive months, with 89
readings taken at 14 locations in the areas surrounding the Dora refinery. The results
showed that the average value of sulfur dioxide (SO2) was 0.8 ppm, equivalent to 2.288
mg/m3, with the highest reading at 2.8 ppm, equivalent to 8.008 mg/m3 recorded at the
Jadriya intersection. While the lowest reading was recorded at Al-Zafaraniya intersection,
which reached 0.3 ppm, which is equivalent to (0.8580 mg/m3), which is less than the limit
recommended by the World Health Organization. As for carbon dioxide gas (CO2), the
highest reading was recorded in the Jadriya area, site 4, which reached 888.6 ppm. The
lowest reading was recorded in the Dur Al-Masafie area, site 3, which reached 234.7 ppm. As
for radon gas (Rn222), the highest reading was recorded at 317.834 Bq/m3 in the Al-Saydiya
area, site 1, and the lowest reading was recorded in the Al-Taama/Al-Dawra area, where it
reached 13.542 Bq/m2. No value higher than the internationally recommended values was
recorded. This study highlights the importance of periodic monitoring of the concentrations
of polluting gases in the air, especially in areas adjacent to oil facilities, due to their direct
environmental and health impacts on the population.

With the escalation of environmental challenges and financial constraints worldwide, and
the development of the construction industry that has a wide impact on environmental and
economic aspects, sustainable design has become increasingly important, especially in
developing countries like Iraq. The construction industry has witnessed significant
technological advancements in digital tools that enhance sustainability and maintain
performance at all stages of project design, management, implementation, and operation.
One of the most prominent of these technologies is Building Information Modeling (BIM).
This research paper examines the direct role of BIM in enhancing environmental and
economic sustainability in administrative building projects, focusing on the Iraqi context and
the new Central Bank of Iraq project designed by the famous architect Zaha Hadid. The paper
addresses the definition and dimensions of BIM, its development, and its applications in
sustainable design. It presents a theoretical framework that explains the role of BIM in
reducing emissions and improving resource efficiency, as well as financial and time
management. It also addresses the most prominent challenges and opportunities that affect
BIM adoption in Iraq, followed by an in-depth study of the environmental and economic
strategies of BIM in the Central Bank of Iraq project. The study demonstrates the great
potential of BIM in reducing costs, carbon footprint, and energy consumption, which
enhances environmental and economic resilience in the long term. The research highlights
practical lessons learned and develops a roadmap for the adoption and implementation of
BIM on a comprehensive scale, with a special emphasis on administrative building projects.

The integration of nanomaterials in asphalt modification has emerged as a promising
approach to enhance the performance of asphalt pavements, particularly under high
temperature conditions. Nanomaterials, due to their unique properties such as high surface
area, exceptional mechanical strength, and thermal stability, offer significant improvements
in the rheological properties, durability, and resistance to deformation of asphalt binders.
This research reviewed the application of various nanomaterials, including nano silica, nano
alumina, nano titanium, nano zinc, and carbon nanotubes in asphalt modification. The
incorporation of these nanomaterials into asphalt mixtures has shown potential to increase
the stiffness and high-temperature performance, thereby reducing rutting potential and
improving the overall lifespan of the pavement. The mechanisms by which nanomaterials
enhance the thermal and mechanical properties of asphalt were explored. Furthermore, the
challenges associated with their implementation were examined, as effective utilization is
hindered by agglomeration, inconsistent dispersion, and dosage sensitivity, compounded by
the absence of standardized guidelines and the variability in reported contents. The findings
indicate that while nanomaterials hold considerable potential for improving high
temperature asphalt performance, further research is needed to optimize their use and fully
realize their benefits in large-scale applications.

With the rapid advancement of construction technologies, the architectural envelope of a
building has evolved beyond a mere structural element into an integrated system designed
to achieve comprehensive environmental comfort by controlling thermal, lighting, and
acoustic factors within architectural spaces. This research focuses on the technological
activation of building envelopes through modern innovations such as smart glass, adaptive
walls, natural ventilation systems, and advanced insulation technologies, all of which
contribute to enhancing building performance and promoting sustainability. The study
explores key concepts and strategies related to the performance of building envelopes and
examines how artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and smart materials can enhance
energy efficiency while improving user comfort. Additionally, it reviews contemporary
architectural applications that have successfully implemented innovative solutions in smart
envelope design. Findings indicate that integrating dynamic shading technologies, smart
ventilation systems, and phase-changing materials significantly reduces energy
consumption and enhances indoor environmental quality. These strategies offer a
sustainable solution for achieving environmental comfort in future buildings.

In recent times, environmental conservation has become a critical factor in the success of
industries worldwide, particularly in the construction sector, which has a significant
environmental footprint. In response, Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) provides a
strategic approach to integrating sustainability into procurement practices. This study
proposes a structured framework for green procurement within GSCM, aligning
sustainability principles with project management standards in accordance with ISO
10006:2017. A thorough literature review was conducted to identify main factors
influencing green procurement. These factors were then refined through an open-ended
questionnaire administered to industry professionals. Based on their feedback, a closed
ended questionnaire was developed and distributed to 73 experts in procurement and
supply chain management. The responses were analyzed using a five-point Likert scale. The
results identified the most influential factors for effective green procurement: quality
control of material, certified supplier, purchasing non-toxic material, supplier audits,
supplier selection, specifications for suppliers, purchasing eco-labeled material and
suppliers must have ISO 14001 certification to take part in tenders. Based on these findings,
a comprehensive framework was developed by linking each factor to the relevant project
stakeholders and phases outlined in ISO 10006:2017. This framework aims to enhance
procurement performance and promote sustainable, interoperable supply chain practices.

This study investigates the performance of a single pile and a (2×2) pile group located near
saturated clayey slope under cyclic lateral loading using Finite Element Analysis (FEA). The
simulations were conducted using Plaxis 3D with the Hardening Soil Model (HSM), which
allows for a more accurate representation of soil behavior, especially in cyclic loading
conditions. The model considered clayey soils with parameters derived from the official
geotechnical report prepared by the Consulting Engineering Bureau (CEB) Laboratories of
the University of Baghdad's College of Engineering. Both the single pile and pile group were
placed at a distance of (4D) from an (8m) high slope with a (1:4) gradient. The loading
conditions included static vertical loads and cyclic lateral loads. The most important results
reached, pile groups reduced lateral displacement by 30-50% versus single piles, which
suffered 20-40% greater displacement near slopes due to uneven soil support. One-way
cyclic loading caused larger than two-way cyclic load permanent displacements, while two
way loading increased fatigue risks, with both degrading clay strength by up to 50%. Peak
bending moments occurred at pile heads and slope crests, but group piles lowered these
stresses by 30%