ALMUSTAFA ENGINEERING JOURNAL

Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is a modern approach aimed at using water sustainably and efficiently, taking into account the integration between various sectors such as agriculture, industry, environment, and society. In the agricultural sector, improving water use efficiency through the integration of sustainable irrigation systems and efficient drainage and drainage is the cornerstone of achieving food security, especially in areas suffering from water scarcity or land degradation. Integrated management relies on comprehensive planning that considers all aspects of water use, including the quantity of water available, the timing of its use, and the appropriate distribution methods for each crop. The most prominent sustainable irrigation systems that contribute to this management include drip irrigation, which delivers water directly to the root zone while reducing waste; sprinkler irrigation, which simulates rainfall and provides uniform distribution; and improved surface irrigation, which reduces waste and optimizes the use of heavy soils. Sustainable drainage and drainage systems aim to remove excess water and prevent soil salinization, thus maintaining soil fertility and increasing crop productivity. Integrating sustainable irrigation and drainage is the basis for achieving water use efficiency and improving agricultural production. By implementing these systems, water loss can be reduced, soil moisture levels improved, salt accumulation prevented, and agricultural productivity increased sustainably. Reusing treated wastewater also provides an additional opportunity to save water and reduce pressure on freshwater resources, enhancing sustainable food production. This management is closely linked to achieving food security, which encompasses four dimensions: food availability, food access, food stability, and proper food utilization. Improved water management leads to increased food production, sufficient food supply for the population, and equitable distribution, while preserving the sustainability of natural resources. Linking sustainable irrigation and drainage systems within the framework of integrated water resources management represents an effective strategy for addressing water scarcity and achieving food security. It ensures optimal use of resources, protects the agricultural environment, and improves crop productivity, contributing to the sustainability of agriculture and the provision of food for current and future generations. This approach provides an integrated model that can be applied in multiple regions facing similar challenges, making it one of the key solutions for achieving sustainable food security in light of increasing pressure on water resources.

Thermal management is one such critical parameter dominating the electrical efficiency and reliability of silicon-based photovoltaic (PV) modules, as higher operating temperatures impair the power output and accelerate the degradation rate and cost of energy for PV cells. This review critically summarizes contemporary research trends and literature on the augmentation and enhancement of thermal management for silicon-based PV modules through passive, active, material-based, and combination or innovative approaches involving the integration of photovoltaic and thermal management concepts for silicon-based PV modules. It is clear from the review that passive methods for temperature reduction with reduced cost and system complexities can be achieved to a small extent compared to active methods that promote higher efficiencies and greater system complexities with higher energy requirements. Research on material and nano-technologies can offer improvements for localized heat removal and evacuation with minimal system design and modification interventions on silicon-based PV modules, while combination approaches involving solar PV and solar thermal technologies offer the greatest overall energy conversion efficiency.

Functionally graded materials have emerged as a new horizon in the field of biomaterial research for their capability to offer customized structural as well as biological properties by the continuous variation in their composition and microstructure. The latest developments in the designing, processing, analysis, and application of FGMs for a range of bioapplications have been reviewed critically. A range of topics concerning the optimization of functionality for FGMs has been reviewed in the context of the growing need for the adoption of interdisciplinary research strategies that effectively combine the efficiency of simulation strategies along with the strength of experimentally driven research. Apart from highlighting the need to tackle challenges in the long-term biocorrosivity of FGMs for reaching the regulatory necessities in their application in the healthcare industry, the range of applications that have been reviewed in the article includes the analysis of FGMs in the form of a scaffold for a range of bioapplications, drug delivery carriers, and more.

Hydration Retardation: A Review of Literature relating to Cement-based Materials. Actually, hydration retardation is one of the major methods used to handle fresh as well as hardened properties of cement-based materials. This review would provide a systematic update of literature available regarding methods for hydration retardation with special focus being given to the main types of methods for hydration retardation. This would also include conventional methods of using chemicals such as lignosulfonate compounds, sugar derivatives, as well as organic acids. There is a growing interest in natural and bio-based retarders based on agricultural by-products and plant extracts, which may have lower environmental impact but do not sacrifice a performance that is satisfactory. Moreover, the new alternatives such as bio-based polymers, nanomaterials, and high-level synthetic compounds are also discussed in terms of their effects on the kinetics of hydration, microstructural formation, and long-term stability. The review is also conducted on experimental and analytical methods to assess hydration retardation like calorimetry, spectroscopic methods, and microstructural analysis. The gaps in the existing knowledge are found especially with respect to comparative performance, synergistic effects, standardization, and applicability to fields-of-use. In general, the purpose of the review is to offer a combined insight to researchers and practitioners with regard to the hydration retardation strategies and to aid the creation of more sustainable and reliable cement-based materials.

Concrete reinforced by a high number of steel fibres was developed in the context of this study. An analysis of the effects of different types of fibres, in the form of fine straight fibres and hook-end fibres, either individually or in combination, on the strength characteristics, surface wear resistance, and water absorption is necessary. Several mixtures containing different amounts of steel fibres were developed to determine the effect of the increase in the amount of fibres and the conditions of the concrete fusion mass on the geometric characteristics of the fibres. Laboratory analysis revealed that incorporating steel fibres into the mixtures significantly improved the load-carrying capacity of the concrete mixture and its resistance to surface wear. However, the mixture containing high amounts of fibres caused some difficulties in the fusion of the mass and resulted in a less homogeneous mixture in terms of mass-fibre geometric characteristics. The combination of the two mixtures resulted in the development of a mixture that exhibited high surface wear resistance for both small and large cracks. Mixtures with higher amounts of fibres demonstrated higher water absorption values. This may be related to the presence of minute voids in the mixture, making it difficult to completely fill the space around the fibres.

Due to the enhanced mechanical properties and significant environment-friendliness of reinforced geopolymer concrete (RGPC), it has found a potential alternative for traditional cement formulation-based composites. The properties and features of the materials and reinforcing methods within RGPC were found to be the central focus and various aspects around this subject were dealt with precisely by this review article, providing a detailed account of the recent advancements and trends being pursued within this area. It has been proven and well-verified from previous literature and research studies that when fiber and steel rebar reinforcing elements were incorporated with geopolymer-based materials, the resulting hardened structural materials showed significant improvements and incremental increases within their compressive and tensile strengths and resistance to severe exposure conditions such as corrosion under harsh conditions and exposure to higher temperatures and chemicals. Despite the vast advancements available from research and current potential for expansion within this subject domain and application area, various critical and significant hindrances and gaps exist.

In this research, the influence of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) on the mechanical and durability properties of fly ash blended cementitious mortar is investigated. Six mortar mixes were formulated: reference mix (without TEOS and fly ash), two 25% and 30% fly ash mixes (F25 and F30), and three mixes with constant percentage of fly ash (30%) and varying amounts of TEOS (0.5%, 1%, and 1.5%) labelled as S05, S10, and S15, respectively. The key properties that are tested are indirect tensile strength, impact resistance, rapid chloride permeability (RCPT), and drying shrinkage. Results indicate that the addition of fly ash alone lowered early-age strength to some degree, whereas the addition of TEOS enhanced tensile and impact properties significantly, predominantly at the 1% dosage. TEOS enhanced durability too, as indicated by reduced chloride permeability and reduced shrinkage strains. The optimal performance was observed in the S10 mix, and it is proven that the moderate addition of TEOS enhances microstructure and durability of fly ash-based mortars. These findings suggest that TEOS is a promising contender for an additive to create high-performance, long-lasting, and sustainable cementitious composites.

Metal forming processes are a core category of manufacturing methods commonly used in construction, aerospace, energy, and automotive manufacturing to create components with complicated geometries and custom mechanical properties. These processes are highly controlled by the mechanism which leads to deformation and by important process parameters which include strain rate, temperature, friction conditions, and material properties. In recent years, significant progress has been made in reducing the costs of experiments and increasing the control of processes using a combination of numerical modelling, finite element analysis, and data-driven optimisation methods. The presented review provided a detailed discussion of both traditional and modern metal-forming techniques, such as forging, rolling, extrusion, and sheet metal forming, and focuses on the mechanisms that govern them and the parameters that influence them. The latest advances in computational simulation, process optimisation, and intelligent manufacturing technologies are also discussed critically and have been argued to help in improving the precision of the forming, formability of the material, and efficiency of energy used. Moreover, new issues related to sustainability, environmental efficiency, and the creation of new alloys and new materials are analyzed. Synthesising recent research findings, this review defines the main limitations of the existing models of forming and industrial practices and formulates the future perspectives of research that aims at the integration of artificial intelligence, sustainable manufacturing processes, and adaptive forming technologies. The insights provided are designed to guide researchers and practitioners to enhance more effective, trustworthy, and dependable metal-forming processes that are more environmentally friendly.

Partial differential equations (PDEs) are a fundamental mathematical tool for modeling many physical and engineering phenomena. However, the development and increasing complexity of scientific models have led to the emergence of highly complex PDEs characterized by nonlinearity, multiple spatial and time scales, variable coefficients, and complex boundary and geometric conditions. This complexity makes it difficult to obtain closed analytical solutions, necessitating reliance on numerical algorithms as the primary practical option. However, many traditional numerical algorithms suffer from limitations in accuracy and stability, as well as high computational costs, when applied to this type of equation. This research aims to develop improved numerical algorithms capable of solving highly complex PDEs more efficiently, while maintaining high levels of accuracy and numerical stability, and reducing computation time and resource consumption. The research employs a methodological framework that combines theoretical analysis and numerical experimentation, through studying the properties of high-complexity equations, reviewing spatial and time differentiation methods, and analyzing the concepts of stability, convergence, and error control. The research also explores advanced strategies such as h/p/hp-adaptivity, the use of presets and multigrid methods, and the application of parallel computing to enhance computational performance. The proposed algorithms are tested using a set of standard and applied problems representing different patterns of numerical complexity, and their performance is evaluated according to the criteria of accuracy, stability, convergence order, and computational efficiency.

This study it attempt to explore role of AI technologies for environmental sustainability in Basra City Iraq 2018–2024. Main objective was collect data and numbers also record them about important environmental indicators like air quality PM2.5 green area coverage waste generation and smart project implementation. Basra City was selected because of its economic and environmental importance and it have multiple urban challenges and fast growth. Makes it kind of suitable model to examine how industrial activities urban expansion and AI applications interact with environment even if some data missing or sometimes not available
A phased approach was applied. Phase One focus on data collection and also do statistical description using documents from sources like Basra Environmental Directorate Iraqi Ministry of Environment and urban planning offices. Descriptive statistics showed some improvements in key indicators PM2.5 decreased from 55.0 to 40.5 µg/m³ green area coverage increased from 12% to 18% daily waste slightly increased from 2500 to 3000 tons and smart projects index rise from 1 to 7. Pearson correlation suggested negative relationships between PM2.5 and both green areas and smart projects this indicate that more vegetation and AI interventions may reduce air pollution though sometimes correlations not very clear Phase Two examined AI applications in waste management air monitoring energy efficiency and smart green projects using data from 150 participants across three urban types. Results indicated big growth AI in waste management increased by 305% smart air monitoring coverage grew from 10% to 60% energy monitoring improved consistently and smart green projects increased from 2 to 13 per year. Urban Sustainability Index rose from 35 to 83 137% improvement although some aspects still need review
On the whole, the findings show that the combination of AI technologies and urban environmental management positively influences sustainability, less air pollution, better waste management, and still has certain issues, such as the lack of data (Griffin et al., 2021). The research offer good foundation to further research and modeling. It also emphasises the significance of integrating intelligent technology with urban planning to realise quantitative changes in the environment quality even in rapidly developing and pressurised cities such as Basra, however, the realisation of the practical application may still have certain difficulties.