Shallow foundations are usually used for structures with light to moderate loads where the soil underneath can carry them. In some cases, soil strength and/or other properties are not adequate and require improvement using one of the ground improvement techniques. Stone column is one of the common improvement techniques in which a column of stone is installed vertically in clayey soils. Stone columns are usually used to increase soil strength and to accelerate soil consolidation by acting as vertical drains. Many researches have been done to estimate the behavior of the improved soil. However, none of them considered the effect of stone column geometry on the behavior of the circular footing. In this research, finite ele

In the present research, the nuclear deformation of the Ne, Mg, Si, S, Ar, and Kr even–even isotopes has been investigated within the framework of Hartree–Fock–Bogoliubov method and SLy4 Skyrme parameterization. In particular, the deform shapes of the effect of nucleons collective motion by coupling between the single-particle motion and the potential surface have been studied. Furthermore, binding energy, the single-particle nuclear density distributions, the corresponding nuclear radii, and quadrupole deformation parameter have been also calculated and compared with the available experimental data. From the outcome of our investigation, it is possible to conclude that the deforming effects cannot be neglected in a characterization o

Despite their potential as a sustainable energy technology, the operation of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) in sub-freezing conditions remains a critical challenge due to the risk of ice formation and performance degradation. This study introduces a new passive thermal management technique using strategically arranged multi-layer phase change materials (PCMs) to address this challenge. A numerical model was developed to evaluate the thermal behavior across various PCM configurations, incorporating one, two, and three layers arranged both in parallel and series with distinct melting points ranging from 55 to 65 ◦C. The results show that multi-layer PCM configurations provide significant improvements over the single-layer base

This work intends to develop an effective heavy metal-free modifier having properties comparable to traditional stabilizers and flame retardants, simultaneously being environmentally friendly and may be superior in many aspects. The important requirement focused on is: how to increase thermal stability and flame retardancy of flexible poly(vinyl chloride). Due to the typical materials now used with poly(vinyl chloride), which increases health and environmental concerns, utilizing a novel heavy metal-free additive will make poly(vinyl chloride) substantially safer. We have used an artificial silicate for this aim, which proved to be an efficient flame retardant and surprisingly showed excellent heat stabilizing effect. Thermal stabi

This study addresses the selection of the optimal site for establishing a waste landfill within the study area by utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques integrated with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methodology and the Weighted Overlay tool for multi-criteria spatial analysis. Six key criteria influencing site suitability were identified, including distance from urban areas, agricultural lands, irrigation canals, roads, villages, and barren (uncultivated and uninhabited) areas, with a focus on potential environmental and health impacts. The results indicate that ideal landfill sites are located at distances exceeding 800 to 1000 meters from agricultural and urban areas, providing effective protection to soil and gr

This paper aimed to investigate the effect of the height-to-length ratio of unreinforced masonry (URM) walls when loaded by a vertical load. The finite element (FE) method was implemented for modeling and analysis of URM wall. In this paper, ABAQUS, FE software with implicit solver was used to model and analysis URM walls subjected to a vertical load. In order to ensure the validity of Detailed Micro Model (DMM) in predicting the behavior of URM walls under vertical load, the results of the proposed model are compared with experimental results. Load-displacement relationship of the proposed numerical model is found of a good agreement with that of the published experimental results. Evidence shows that load-displacement curve obtained fro

The present research deals with the spatial variance analysis in Jwartadistrict and conducting a comparison on the spatial and seasonal changes of the vegetation cover between (2007-2013) in order to deduce the relationship between the vegetation density and the areas which are exposed to the risk of water erosion by using Plant Variation Index  NDVI) C (coefficient and by using Satellite images of Landsat satellite which are taken in 2/7/2007 and Satellite images of Landsat satellite taken in 11/1/ 2013, the programs of remote sensitivity and the Geographic Information Systems.

    The study reveals that there is a variance in the density of vegetation cover of the area under study betwee 2007 and 2013. Howev

The research dealt with the subject of measuring the competitive performance of the National Insurance Company and some of its branches (Basra, Ninwa, Kirkuk and Babil), Depending on the Revenue Growth Index at the activity level, and the Revealed Comparative Advantage Index RCAIAt the branch level,To measure the competitiveness of the company And some branches, As the problem of research in the lack of adoption by some companies in the insurance service sector on scientific indicators to measure their competitive performance, The aims of the research is to measure the competitiveness of the National Insurance Company, as well as the competitiveness of its branches according to the scientific method, One of the main Conclusions of the re