Braces in straight bridge systems improve the lateral-torsional buckling resistance of the girders by reducing the unbraced length, while in horizontally curved and skew bridges, the braces are primary structural elements for controlling deformations by engaging adjacent girders to act as a system to resist the potentially large forces and torques caused by the curved or skewed geometry of the bridge. The cross-frames are usually designed as torsional braces, which increase the overall strength and stiffness of the individual girders by creating a girder system that translates and rotates as a unit along the bracing lines. However, when they transmit the truck’s live load forces, they can produce fatigue cracks at their connections to the girders. This paper investigates the effect of using different details of cross-frames to girder connections and their impacts on girder stresses and twists. Field testing data of skewed steel girders bridge under various load passes of a weighed load vehicle incorporated with a validated 3D full-scale finite element model are presented in this study. Two types of connections are investigated, bent plate and pipe stiffener. The two connection responses are then compared to determine their impact on controlling the twist of girder cross-sections adjacent to cross-frames and also to mitigate the stresses induced due to live loads. The results show that the use of a pipe stiffener can reduce the twist of the girder’s cross-section adjacent to the cross-frames up to 22% in some locations. In terms of stress ranges, the pipe stiffener tends to reduce the stress range by 6% and 4% for the cross-frames located in the abutment and pier skew support regions respectively.
<p>In the mobile phone system, it is highly desirable to estimate the loss of the track not only to improve performance but also to achieve an accurate estimate of financial feasibility; the inaccurate estimate of track loss either leads to performance degradation or increased cost. Various models have been introduced to accurately estimate the path loss. One of these models is the Okomura / Hata model, which is recommended for estimating path loss in cellular systems that use micro cells. This system is suitable for use in a variety of environments. This study examines the comparison of path loss models for statistical analysis derived from experimental data collected in urban and suburban areas at frequencies of 150-1500 MHz
... Show MoreBackground The appropriate disposal of medication is a well-recognized issue that has convened growing recognition in several contexts. Insufficient awareness relating to appropriate methods for the disposal of unneeded medicine may result in notable consequences. The current research was conducted among the public in Iraq with the aim of examining their knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding the proper disposal of unused and expired medicines. Methods The present study used an observational cross-sectional design that was community-based. The data were obtained from using an online questionnaire. The study sample included people of diverse genders, regardless of their race or occupational status. The study mandated that all pa
... Show MoreSubstance use disorders are a widely recognized problem among hepatitis C-infected patients; moreover, substance abuse by intravenous injection is a common mode of transmission of the hepatitis C virus worldwide. The frequency of substance use disorders and their relation to hepatitis C infection are still unknown in Iraq. This cross-sectional study, conducted among a sample of hepatitis C- infected patients attending the Gastrointestinal Tract Center in Baghdad Medical City, aimed to examine the prevalence of substance use disorders, the sociodemographic characteristics of the abusers, and the relation between intravenous
Metabolic syndrome has emerged as an important health concern globally, especially in developing countries where urbanization and lifestyle changes are rapidly increasing. No reliable epidemiological information regarding the prevalence and risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome is available among Iraqi adults in primary health care (PHC) clinics. This study was designed to determine the prevalence rate of metabolic syndrome and identify potential risk factors among adults attending PHC centers in Baghdad. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study design was used, targeting 412 adult subjects selected randomly from multiple PHC centers in Baghdad. Sociodemographic, lifestyle, anthropometric, and biochemical data were col
... Show MoreAbstract
Oil is considered a commodity and is still an important and prominent role in drawing and shaping the Iraqi economic scene. The revenues generated from the export of oil are considered the main source of the general budget in cash flows.
Since the revenues consist of quantity and price and the latter is an external factor which is difficult to predict, The effect of any commodity on its price, which is proven in the theory of micro-economic, but it is observed through the research that the response is slow, which means not to take advantage of the rise in prices, by increasing the quantity exported, the result of several facto
... Show MoreIn this paper an estimator of reliability function for the pareto dist. Of the first kind has been derived and then a simulation approach by Monte-Calro method was made to compare the Bayers estimator of reliability function and the maximum likelihood estimator for this function. It has been found that the Bayes. estimator was better than maximum likelihood estimator for all sample sizes using Integral mean square error(IMSE).
The thermal performance of a flat-plate solar collector (FPSC) using novel heat transfer fluids of aqueous colloidal dispersions of covalently functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes with β-Alanine (Ala-MWCNTs) has been studied. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with outside diameters of (< 8 nm) and (20–30 nm) having specific surface areas (SSAs) of (500 m2/g) and (110 m2/g), respectively, were utilized. For each Ala-MWCNTs, waterbased nanofluids were synthesized using weight concentrations of 0.025%, 0.05%, 0.075%, and 0.1%. A MATLAB code was built and a test rig was designed and developed. Heat flux intensities of 600, 800, and 1000 W/m2; mass flow rates of 0.6, 1.0, and 1.4 kg/min; and inlet fluid temperatures of 30, 40, an
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