Journal of Engineering and Sustainable Development (JEASD)

This paper discusses the structural behavior of reinforced concrete rectangular beams which have transverse opening in the web under the effect of single point loading. The location of the openings is the major variable adopted in this paper, while, the other variables are kept constant for all tested specimens. The experimental part includes poured and test of four (100x150x750mm) beam specimens with different locations openings. The experimental results indicated that the ultimate strengths are decreased (12%), (22%) and (41%) for beams containing opening at distance (L/2), (L/3) and (L/6) from the edge respectively. Also, the change in openings locations from center toward the edge lead to decrease the carrying capacity for about (29%). In order to study more thoroughly the performance of tested beams, a nonlinear analysis using ANSYS (Version-11) finite element program is used. The analytical results indicated that the load-deflection response, ultimate loads, and crack pattern are in good agreement with the experimental results.

An experimental investigation was conducted to investigate the behavior of modified reactiveconcrete (MRPC) columns before and after strengthening with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheetsjacketing under eccentric axial load. Twelve columns were tested up to failure, strengthened and retested toexamine strengthening efficiency and to evaluate the effects of variation of the concrete type (normal or MRPC), presence of steel fibers and main steel reinforcement ratio. Experimental results showed that CFRP jacketingincreases the ultimate failure load of strengthened columns up to 185%, highly stiffens them (reduces lateraldisplacements) and allow more ductile failure than the original columns. Also, inclusion of steel fibers in MRPCcolumns increases failure loads up to 83% prevents spalling of the concrete cover and increase the ductility.

The plasticity properties of soil are sufficiently variable to offer a simple but practical aid toidentification. This can be done by using their Atterberg limit values as parameters for an identification chart.This paper attempts to identify and evaluate major soil types encountered within the areas of Badrah, Shatra andNassirya Cities based on a large number of laboratory test results conducted to determine its index and physicalproperties. A new line on plasticity chart was established and corresponding to the mean of more than threehundred plasticity tests. The swelling characteristics of investigated soil were evaluated using the classificationsystem developed by Savage (2007). Savage original chart was modified and new chart established at which theestimated gross plasticity index, using an advanced statistical analysis software package named "NumberCruncher Statistical System (NCSS)", with assistance of resulting functional relation and LL and PL can be usedto asses the suspect soil to swell quickly with no need to conducted sieve analysis test. New chart developed toidentify the collapsibility of the investigated soil according to Holtz and Hilf method. The LL and w were usedto evaluate the collapsibility of soil from the established limiting curves.

The aim of this paper is to verify the treatment process design of Shourqat wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), taking into account the high yearly average temperature that occurs in Iraqi territory. An experimental observed yield (Yobs) has been detected in the laboratory and verified at different temperatures by application of GPS-X model. This paper described the equations of the process design for WWTP. Sludge age (θc) has been correlated to the observed yield (Yobs) and to the mixed liquor suspended solid (MLSS) showing that a valid correspondence has been found between the θc calculate by dividing the total biomass present in the oxidation basin by the total biomass wasted and the θc calculated with taking into account Y, MLSS and BOD removed. An experimental value of the observed yield (Yobs) has been detected, with high values ranging from 0.56 to 0.75.

This study focuses on the evaluation of liquefaction of Baghdad soil. Seven sites have been chosen along Tigris River. Various procedures were followed to evaluate liquefaction susceptibility of Baghdad soil. The variation of safety factor with depth had been investigated. The liquefaction-induced lateral spreading and settlement had been studied. The study revealed that the NCEER, 1997 workshop procedure is recommended for assessment of liquefaction of Baghdad soil while the Japanese highway bridge method is not convenient.A new proposed chart for preliminary assessment of liquefaction for Baghdad soil had been developed. This chart will be helpful in saving cost and time in liquefaction assessment of Baghdad soil.

Biometrics are the measurable biological (anatomical and physiological) or behavioral characteristics used for identification of an individual. The most common biometric form is fingerprints. In this paper, a fingerprint and password are combined using an effective algorithm to protect fingerprint. This algorithm can provide better security to ID card information. The proposed system provides strong backbone for its security and enhances the security of data. The final result of power signal to noise ratio (PSNR) is 44dB.The programming language MATLAB is used for implementing the proposed algorithm.

In this paper, an efficient technique for initial condition estimation of chaotic map in binary phase shift keying initial condition modulation (BPSK-ICM) scheme is proposed. This technique is named maximum autocorrelation estimation (MACE). The proposed scheme reduces the complexity of the chaotic demodulator thereby minimizing the hardware implementation cost. Simulation results confirm that the proposed technique outperforms the conventional technique used in direct sequence spread spectrum (DS-SS) system. In AWGN channel and at bit error rate (BER) of 10-3, the results showed that the proposed BPSK-ICM scheme achieves a gain in Eb/N0 of 1.5 dB over DS-SS system with the same value of the processing gain for both systems.

In this paper a new rectangular microstrip patch antenna for wireless communication systems is designed and tested practically. The rectangular patch is modified by changing the basic parameters, adding triangular pieces to the bottom patch ,making L slots in the edge of the patch and etching rectangular slot in the ground plane .The optimized antenna (final modification) give a band of (2.26-20) GHz in which the return loss S11 is less than -10dB and a gain of (0.8-8)dBi . The slotted rectangular antenna is fabricated on FR4 having relative dielectric constant of €r=4.3 and loss tangent of 0.02.The dimension of the patch is (42×40×1.6)mm3 .The slotted rectangular patch is tested practically using the Vector Spectrum Analyser (VNA) for insertion loss (S11),voltage standing ratio(VSWR), and input impedance . It is found that the simulation results agrees(mostly) with the practical results. The antenna is fed by 50Ω transmission line.

This paper presents an experimental investigation on shear behavior of Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) reinforced high strength concrete beams externally strengthened in shear using Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) with various configurations: full side sheets, U-strips, vertical side strips and diagonal side strips; and three steel fiber ratios (0%, 0.5% and 1%). Results show that using GFRP bars as tension reinforcement instead of traditional steel bars slightly increases ultimate load but shows lower stiffness. Although internal steel stirrups are still the most effective way to enhance shear capacity of concrete beams, externally bonded CFRP U-strips can also be an effective alternative for durability and/or architectural considerations with about 85% strength efficiency and comparable load-deflection behavior. A combination of U-strips and sufficient amount of steel fiber is shown to perform better than steel stirrups in terms of increasing carrying capacity and decreasing deflections of GFRP reinforced concrete beams.

This research deals with the elastic behavior of thick plates resting on nonlinear Winkler foundation. Mindlin’s thick plate theory is extended to include the effect of nonlinear elastic foundation. Finite differnce program was developed to solve the differential equations for bending of thick rectangular plate on nonlinear foundation. The finite element (ANSYS program v12.1) method was used to analyze thick plates ANSYS program is used through the element SHELL 281 to represent the plate. The element has eight nodes with six degrees of freedom at each node. COMPIN39 element with two nodes was used to represent nonlinear soil behavior. The element has three translation degree of freedom at each node to represent the linear soil behavior COMBIN14 element was used, the element has two nodes with three translation degree of freedom at each node to represent linear soil behavior. The results obtained from finite difference technique are compared with the finite element results to check the accuracy of the solution. Good agreements between them are obtained.

This research deals with the design, simulation and Implementation of a 60kW variable voltage, current source, DC power supply suitable for induction heating purposes composed of three-phase fully controlled full-wave rectifier (3-Ph FCFWR) with a smoothing reactor. It is suitable to supply a current-fed parallel inverter (CFPI) frequency converter (built on Transistors), feeding a high quality factor resonating induction heating load. Such a source must verify two main objectives for achieving safety start up, those are: (a) achieving an aperiodic dynamic behavior during starting, since it may result in overvoltage across different elements of the converter, (b) assuring continuous current mode operation to achieve safety start up. A high inductance smoothing reactor is usually connected with the input of the inverter to perform these objectives. In this research the theoretical derivation is modified to reach the suitable formula to determine the value of the self-inductance of the smoothing reactor for the required power supply. Also, the smoothing reactor is designed and implemented. The designed power supply is simulated using (MAT LAB) package. The practical measurements of load voltage and current waveforms at the starting angle of the implemented power supply satisfying the above two main objectives and are in a good agreement with the simulated waveforms at that angle.

This study is concerned with investigating the advantages of using prefabricated vertical drains (PVD) to improve the foundation soft soil under an embankment. PVD combined with staged construction of embankment is considered as a common technique to reduce both the time for full consolidation and the excess pore water pressure. Rocscience Settle 3D software was used to analyze the embankment and the underlying soft soil which is chosen to be at Basra region. The numerical analysis showed that the PVD is very effective in accelerating the consolidation process and increasing the long term stability of the embankment. It is interesting to note that installing the PVD with spacing (1m) leads to a rapid dissipation of most of the excess pore water pressure at the end of each stage. The length of PVD sheets can significantly accelerate the consolidation more than the spacing.

This work presents the fabrication, characterization and performance analysis of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) and Palladium doped Zinc Oxide (Pd-ZnO) thin films based Extended-Gate Field-Effect Transistor (EGFET) pH sensor. The Pd-doped ZnO thin films with different molar concentrations (Pd = 0%, 2% and 4%) were deposited onto p-type Si<111> substrate by sol-gel method. The EGFET pH-sensor has been prepared by linking the fabricated sensing devices to the gate terminal of a commercial Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor (MOSFET CD4007UB). The fabricated sensing devices were immersed in buffer solutions with pH range of (pH 3 ‒ pH 11). The pH sensing characteristics of ZnO and Pd-ZnO/silicon EGFET devices were studied using Semiconductor Characterization System (SCS-Keithley 4200). The undoped ZnO EGFET sensor exhibits current sensitivity and linearity of 46.17 µA/pH and 97.81% with pH range of (pH 3 - pH 11) and the current sensitivity and linearity of Pd-doped ZnO (with 4% molar concentration of Pd) EGFET sensor with pH range of (pH 5 - pH 11) are 44 and 96.22%, respectively.

Concrete wastes are generally delivered to the landfill sites for disposal. Due to increase charges of landfill and shortage of natural coarse aggregate (NA), recycled coarse aggregate (RA) (resulting from concrete wastes) is growing interest in Building Engineering. It is sustainable to use recycled construction materials to preserve the natural resources and maintain the environmental of cities. In the present study, RA was used as a full replacement of NA in some specimens of beams to produce normal concrete (NC). The experimental work consists of casting and testing eight rectangular simply supported reinforced concrete beams of (1200*180*250) mm with concentric point load as well as tests for control specimens to determine the mechanical properties of NC. Four of each eight beams for flexural and the other four beams for shear behavior. The present research also includes the following main variables: transverse reinforcement (stirrups spacing, 50 mm and 100 mm), coarse aggregate (RA and NA) and steel fibers of (Vf = 0.5%). All beams have constant longitudinal steel reinforcement ratio=0.008. Experimental results have generally showed that ultimate loads (Pu) of beams made with RA are approximately close to the results of beams made with NA by percentages (6.2% and 10.1%) for flexural and shear behavior respectively. RA can be used as a full replacement in the future construction industry. The presence of steel fibers increases the maximum deflection of beams by 38.55% for flexural and 31.70% for shear

: In this research different mixes were prepared with Cement-Sand ratio (1:3) and Water- Cement (0.5) by weight. Four sets were prepared by partially or full replacing the sand with crumb rubber tire to fabricate the Crumb Rubber-Mortar (CRM) mixtures. The first two sets include fine crumb rubber with particles size (0.3-1 mm), The other set include coarse crumb rubber with particles size (1.18-2.36 mm).The third and fourth sets were prepared as the same first sets but with the addition of (7%) Styrene–Butadiene Rubber (SBR) latex by weight of cement. Each set was consist of different percentage of replacing the sand by crumb rubber (10,30,50,100%) by volume. Tests were conducted, including water absorption and compressive strength. Several results obtained before and after the addition of Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR) which shows an increase in crumb rubber percentage cause decrease in compressive strength and water absorption; while as the density increases the compressive strength and water absorption increased before the addition of SBR. After the addition of SBR to the crumb Rubber-Mortar the compressive strength and water absorption are improved. In general fine crumb Rubber-Mortar have better properties than coarse crumb Rubber-Mortar.

Tramway system is the issue of this research project. Tramway can be defined as a system of transport used wholly or mainly for the carriage of passengers, which employs parallel rails that provide support and guidance for vehicles carried on flanged wheels, and has been designed to have a significant element which operates on line-of-sight on a highway.The main objective of this research project is focused on the determination of the best route for proposed tramway into Ramadi city. It also focuses on the other important design considerations. Origin-destination stations and four proposed routes have been selected based on navigation, surveying, and specifications by using GPS device, total station device, Civil 3D program and GIS software. Six main criteria with their sub criteria have been chosen, which are: accessibility, safety, economic, environment, population density and trips, and security. A comparative form for these criteria has been designed to facilitate the comparison process to select the best proposal among the four proposals.Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) method has been used to evaluate the proposals. The results of the analysis explained that the proposal1 is the best alternative among four alternatives to be an acceptable tramway route at Ramadi city.