Rutting is a crucial concern impacting asphalt concrete pavements’ stability and long-term performance, negatively affecting vehicle drivers’ comfort and safety. This research aims to evaluate the permanent deformation of pavement under different traffic and environmental conditions using an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) prediction model. The model was built based on the outcomes of an experimental uniaxial repeated loading test of 306 cylindrical specimens. Twelve independent variables representing the materials’ properties, mix design parameters, loading settings, and environmental conditions were implemented in the model, resulting in a total of 3214 data points. The network accomplished high prediction accuracy with an R2 of 0.93 and a mean squared error (MSE) of 0.0039. Results based on the sensitivity analysis and variable importance techniques showed that the percentage of aggregate passing the 4.75 mm sieve and the (rice) theoretical maximum specific gravity (Gmm) were the most significant factors in predicting axial permanent strain (εp). Furthermore, the connection weight method highlighted input variables’ distinct positive and negative impacts on permanent deformation.
Background: To assess the alveolar bone crest level (ABCL) by Cone Beam Computed To-mography (CBCT) and to investigate several variables as predictors for the height of the alveolar bone in adolescents. Materials and methods: Age, sex, and ethnic groups were rec-orded for each patient. CBCT images were used to obtain measurements of the interproximal alveolar bone level from the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) to the alveolar crest. The highest measurement in each sextant was recorded along with any presence of a vertical bone defect or calculus. Results: Total of 720 measurements were recorded for 120 subjects. No vertical bony defects or calculus were observed radiographically. Statistically significant (P< 0.05) differences were observed be
... Show MoreMoisture damage is one of the most significant troubles that destroy asphaltic pavement and reduces road serviceability. Recently, academics have noticed a trend to utilize fibers to enhance the efficiency of asphalt pavement. This research explores the effect of low-cost ceramic fiber, which has high tensile strength and a very high thermal insulation coefficient, on the asphalt mixture's characteristics by adding three different proportions (0.75%, 1.5%, and 2.25%). The Marshall test and the Tensile Strength Ratio Test (TSR) were utilized to describe the impact of ceramic fiber on the characteristics of Marshall and the moisture susceptibility of the hot mix asphalt mixture. The Field Emission Scanning Electron Microsc
... Show MoreRoller compacted concrete (RCC) is a material with no slumps and is made from the same raw materials as conventional concrete. The roller compacted dam method, the high paste technique, the corps of engineers method, and the maximum density method are all ways of designing RCC. The evolution of RCC has resulted in a substantial change in construction projects, most notably in dams, because of the sluggish pace of conventional placement, consolidation, and compacting. The construction process was accelerated by incorporating RCC into dams, resulting in a shorter construction period. Research shows that the dams that used RCC had completed one to two years sooner than the dams that used regular concrete (Bagheri an
... Show MoreBackground: This study aimed to assess the effect of tooth width in malocclusion in relation to normal, crowding, and spacing dentition. Materials and methods: The sample included dental casts of some dental students and orthodontic patients; their age was (18-25) years and having three groups normal, crowding, and spacing dentition groups. The sample was equally divided to three groups normal, crowding, and spacing dentition groups, each group contained 50 maxillary and 50 mandibular casts that were further subdivided by gender; all the stone casts were measured by highly sensitive digital vernier. Results and Conclusions: Non-significant side difference was found in both dental arches in the three studied groups. Males had higher mesiodis
... Show MorePortland cement is considered the most involved product in environmental pollution. It is responsible for about 10% of global CO2 emissions [1]. Limestone dust is a by-product of limestone plants and it is produced in thousands of tons annually as waste material. To fulfill sustainability requirements, concrete production is recommended to reduce Portland cement usage with the use of alternative or waste materials. The production of sustainable high strength concrete by using nanomaterials is one of the aims of this study. Limestone dust in 12, 16, and 20% by weight of cement replaced cement in this study. The study was divided into two parts: the first was devoted to the investigation of the best percentage of replacement of waste
... Show MoreThe problem of internal sulfate attack in concrete is widespread in Iraq and neighboring countries.This is because of the high sulfate content usually present in sand and gravel used in it. In the present study the total effective sulfate in concrete was used to calculate the optimum SO3 content. Regression models were developed based on linear regression analysis to predict the optimum SO3 content usually referred as (O.G.C) in concrete. The data is separated to 155 for the development of the models and 37 for checking the models. Eight models were built for 28-days age. Then a late age (greater than 28-days) model was developed based on the predicted optimum SO3 content of 28-days and late age. Eight developed models were built for all
... Show More<p>Vehicular ad-hoc networks (VANET) suffer from dynamic network environment and topological instability that caused by high mobility feature and varying vehicles density. Emerging 5G mobile technologies offer new opportunities to design improved VANET architecture for future intelligent transportation system. However, current software defined networking (SDN) based handover schemes face poor handover performance in VANET environment with notable issues in connection establishment and ongoing communication sessions. These poor connectivity and inflexibility challenges appear at high vehicles speed and high data rate services. Therefore, this paper proposes a flexible handover solution for VANET networks by integrating SDN and
... Show MorePulsed liquid laser ablation is considered a green method for the synthesis of nanostructures because there are no byproducts formed after the ablation. In this paper, a fiber laser of wavelength 1.064 µm, peak power of 1 mJ, pulse duration of 120 ns, and repetition rate of 20 kHz, was used to produce carbon nanostructures including carbon nanospheres and carbon nanorods from the ablation of asphalt in ethanol at ablation speeds of (100, 75, 50, 10 mm/s). The morphology, composition and optical properties of the synthesized samples were studied experimentally using FESEM, HRTEM, EDS, and UV-vis spectrophotometer. Results showed that the band gap energy decreased with decreasing the ablation speed (increasing the ablation time), the mi
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