This study aims to investigate the behavior and strength of self-compacted ferrocement slabs under punching shear load. Experimental results of thirteen square ferrocement slabs of 500×500 mm simply supported on all edges are presented.  The main parameters investigated include the volume fraction of reinforcement, slab thickness and size of load-bearing plate. The load deflection and cracking characteristics of the tested slabs are studied and compared.  The test results showed that the volume fraction of wire mesh has significant effect on both ultimate load and displacement. The increase of slab thickness leads to decrease in deflection values and increase in stiffness of slabs. Both ductility and stiffness increase as the

The study presents the test results of Completely Decomposed Granite (CDG) soil tested under drained triaxial compression, direct shear and simple shear tests. Special attention was focused on the modification of the upper halve of conventional Direct Shear Test (DST) to behave as free
head in movement along with vertical strain control during shear stage by using Geotechnical Digital System (GDS). The results show that Free Direct Shear Test (FDST) has clear effect on the measured shear stress and vertical strain during the test. It has been found that shear strength
parameters measured from FDST were closer to those measured from simple shear and drained triaxial compression test. This study also provides an independent check on

The conception and experimental assessment of a removable friction-based shear connector (FBSC) for precast steel-concrete composite bridges is presented. The FBSC uses pre-tensioned high-strength steel bolts that pass through countersunk holes drilled on the top flange of the steel beam. Pre-tensioning of the bolts provides the FBSC with significant frictional resistance that essentially prevents relative slip displacement of the concrete slab with respect to the steel beam under service loading. The countersunk holes are grouted to prevent sudden slip of the FBSC when friction resistance is exceeded. Moreover, the FBSC promotes accelerated bridge construction by fully exploiting prefabrication, does not raise issues relevant to precast co

The majority of Arab EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners struggle with speaking English fluency. Iraqi students struggle to speak English confidently due to mispronunciation, grammatical errors, short and long pauses while speaking or feeling confused in normal conversations. Collaborative learning is crucial to enhance student’s speaking skills in the long run. This study aims to state the importance of collaborative learning as a teaching method to EFL learners in the meantime. In this quantitative and qualitative study, specific focus is taken on some of Barros’s views of collaborative learning as a teamwork and some of Pattanpichet’s speaking achievements under four categories: academic benefits, social benefits,

Social interaction is the platform that enables people to connect and practice language. Active listening stimulates them to understand the language they are speaking. The problem of the study highlights that less attention to listening among speaking, reading, and writing skills causes the weakness of collaborative learning. This paper contributes to characterizing the effectiveness of collaborative learning in developing learner’s listening skills. It aims to underscore the role of target language learners as members of the learning groups and of the teacher in the collaborative learning process. 130 Iraqi EFL teachers from different colleges at the University of Baghdad participated in this study. The scores in the statistical data wer

At present, the ability to promote national economy by adjusting to political, economic, and technological variables is one of the largest challenges faced by organization productivity. This challenge prompts changes in structure and line productivity, given that cash has not been invested. Thus, the management searches for investment opportunities that have achieved the optimum value of the annual increases in total output value of the production line workers in the laboratory. Therefore, the application of dynamic programming model is adopted in this study by addressing the division of investment expenditures to cope with market-dumping policy and to strive non-stop production at work.

Background/Aim: Endometrial abnormalities represent a diagnostic challenge due to overlapping imaging features with normal endometrium. Aim of this study was to assess accuracy of dynamic contrast-enhanced and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in evaluation of endometrial lesions in comparison with T2 and to assess local staging validity and degree of myometrial invasion in malignancy. Methods: Forty patients with abnormal vaginal bleeding or sonographic thickened endometrial were recruited. MRI examination of pelvis was per-formed using 1.5 T scanner with a pelvic array coil. Conventional T1-and T2, dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) sequences and diffusion-weighted image (DWI) were performed. Results: Mean age of pa

In this study, an unknown force function dependent on the space in the wave equation is investigated. Numerically wave equation splitting in two parts, part one using the finite-difference method (FDM). Part two using separating variables method. This is the continuation and changing technique for solving inverse problem part in (1,2). Instead, the boundary element method (BEM) in (1,2), the finite-difference method (FDM) has applied. Boundary data are in the role of overdetermination data. The second part of the problem is inverse and ill-posed, since small errors in the extra boundary data cause errors in the force solution. Zeroth order of Tikhonov regularization, and several parameters of regularization are employed to decrease error

Objective : The present study is aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of short wave diathermy and
ultrasound therapy for the management of patients with knee osteoarthritis
Methodology : all patients who referred to the Medical Rehabilitation Unit in Baghdad Teaching
Hospital and Sadr A!-Qanat Center. The period of the study was from October 2004 to April 2005, total
number of patients was 24 (9 male and 15 female). Age range of patients was 42-70 years. Complete
clinical and radiological examinations were achieved on all patients and referred to the Medical
Rehabilitation Unit for physiotherapy. Short wave diathermy and ultrasound therapy were applied on
all patients.
Results : Demographic distribution revealed th

Economic performance is one of the most important indicators of economic activity and with the performance of the economy progress varied sources of output and increase economic growth rates and per capita national income, and to recover the business environment and increase investment rates and rising effectiveness of the financial and monetary institutions and credit market. Which leads to increased employment rates and reducing unemployment rates and the elimination of many of the social problems and improve the average per capita income as well as improve the level of national income.

The input / output tables is a technique mathematical indicates economic performance