Concrete structures are exposed to aggressive environmental conditions that lead to corrosion of the embedded reinforcement and pre-stressing steel. Consequently, the safety of concrete structures may be compromised, and this requires a significant budgets to repair and maintain critical infrastructure. Prediction of structural safety can lead to significant reductions in maintenance costs by maximizing the impact of investments. The aim of this paper is to establish a framework to assess the reliability of existing post-tensioned concrete bridges. A time-dependent reliability analysis of an existing post-tensioned involving the assessment of Ynys-y-Gwas bridge has been presented in this study. The main cause of failure of this bridge was corrosion of tendons, making it a relevant case study to evaluate the effect of corrosion on bridge safety. Uncertainties associated with material properties, geometry, loads and corrosion parameters are taken into account. The probabilistic models of the uncertainties are combined with a non-linear finite element analysis to study the effect of tendons pitting corrosion on the post-tensioned concrete bridge. The limit state function considered is flexural strength. The Monte-Carlo simulation (MCS) method is used to compute the statistical parameters of the resisting bending moment through a MATLAB code running ABAQUS. It was found that the reliability index for the first year of bridge service life is below the minimum value acceptable for structures. The study confirmed that this bridge was a high risk structure due to its design and location. The proposed framework can be used by engineers and researchers as a tool to support decision for segmental post-tensioned (PT) bridges maintenance since they need for a regular inspection due to their risk to corrosion.
Both traditional and novel techniques were employed in this work for magnetic shielding evaluation to shed new light on the magnetic and aromaticity properties of benzene and 12 [n]paracyclophanes with n = 3–14. Density functional theory (DFT) with the B3LYP functional and all-electron Jorge-ATZP and x2c-TZVPPall-s basis sets was utilized for geometry optimization and magnetic shielding calculations, respectively. Additionally, the 6-311+G(d,p) basis set was incorporated for the purpose of comparing the magnetic shielding results. In addition to traditional evaluations such as NICS/NICSzz-Scan, and 2D-3D σiso(r)/σzz(r) maps, two new techniques were implemented: bendable grids (BGs) and cylindrical grids (CGs) of ghost atoms (Bqs). BGs a
... Show MoreMolecular dynamics (MD) simulations were carried out in order to investigate the binding mode of axillaridine-A at the active site of human acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme. 2.0 nanosecond of MD simulations was made for the protein and the complex to dynamically explore the active site and the behavior of the ligand at the peripheral AChE binding site. These calculations for the enzyme alone showed that the active site of AChE is located at the bottom of a deep and narrow cavity whose surface is lined with rings of aromatic residues and Tyr72 is almost perpendicular to the Trp286 ring and forms a stable - interaction. The size of the active site of the complex decreases with time due to increase the interaction. Axillaridine-A forms
... Show MoreThe subject of demand on oil derivative has occupied an important position at present time in the daily life context. The fuel of benzene and gas oil and kerosene is one of basic elements of that concern, and on local , regional and international levels. The oil derivatives have played a leading role in determining the course and nature of development since early 1970 to the present time whether in the productive Arab countries or the importing. The researcher set out from the hypothesis that the increase of the local consumer demand on some of the oil derivatives is because of the internal and external factors accompanied by the inability of the productive capability and local production to confront this increase, and the resort
... Show MoreA load flow program is developed using MATLAB and based on the Newton–Raphson method,which shows very fast and efficient rate of convergence as well as computationally the proposed method is very efficient and it requires less computer memory through the use of sparsing method and other methods in programming to accelerate the run speed to be near the real time.
The designed program computes the voltage magnitudes and phase angles at each bus of the network under steady–state operating conditions. It also computes the power flow and power losses for all equipment, including transformers and transmission lines taking into consideration the effects of off–nominal, tap and phase shift transformers, generators, shunt capacitors, sh
This paper deals with two preys and stage-structured predator model with anti-predator behavior. Sufficient conditions that ensure the appearance of local and Hopf bifurcation of the system have been achieved, and it’s observed that near the free predator, the free second prey and the free first prey equilibrium points there are transcritical or pitchfork and no saddle node. While near the coexistence equilibrium point there is transcritical, pitchfork and saddle node bifurcation. For the Hopf bifurcation near the coexistence equilibrium point have been studied. Further, numerical analysis has been used to validate the main results.
ABSTRACT Background: According to Branemark’s protocol, the waiting period between tooth extraction and implant placement is 6–8 months; this is the late placement technique. Achieving and maintaining implant stability are prerequisites for a dental implant to be successful. Resonance Frequency Analysis (RFA) is a noninvasive diagnostic method that measures implant stability. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of treatment protocol and implant dimensions on primary implant stability utilizing RFA. Materials and methods: This study included 63 Iraqi patients (37 male, 26 female; ranging 22-66 years). According to treatment protocol, the sample was divided into 2 groups; A (delayed) & B (immediate). Dental im
... Show MoreA cumulative review with a systematic approach aimed to provide a comparison of studies’ investigating the possible impact of the active form of vitamin D3, calcitriol (CTL), on the tooth movement caused by orthodontic forces (OTM) by evaluating the quality of evidence, based on collating current data from animal model studies, in vivo cell culture studies, and human clinical trials. Methods: A strict systematic review protocol was applied following the application of the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO). A structured search strategy, including main keywords, was defined during detailed search with the application of electronic database systems: Medline/Pubmed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, and
... Show MoreIn this paper, the finite element method is used to study the dynamic behavior of the damaged rotating composite blade. Three dimensional, finite element programs were developed using a nine node laminated shell as a discretization element for the blade structure (the same element type is used for damaged and non-damaged structure). In this analysis the initial stress effect (geometric stiffness) and other rotational effects except the carioles acceleration effect are included. The investigation covers the effect speed of rotation, aspect ratio, skew angle, pre-twist angle, radius to length, layer lamination and fiber orientation of composite blade. After modeling a non-damaged rotating composite blade, the work procedure was to ap
... Show MoreThe study showed significant differences between the average weight lens and the average amount protein in the lens between that Kestrel Falco tinnunculus L. and the Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto F. , also the study electrical migration of lens proteins having one bundle of crystalline –? in Kestrel compared with three bundles in Collared Dove, two bundles of crystalline – ? in both , and crystalline – ? appeared as one bundle in both birds.
The research's aim is to place two teaching methods ( total and analytical method) and to know which one of them is better than the other in teaching the counter-attack with Epee. The researchers have used the experimental method for being considered suitable to solve the problem of the research. The sample of the research includes third –stage female students of college of physical education and sport sciences / Baghdad University in the subject of fencing, their number amounted 60 female students. It has been used SPSS for processing the results. They have concluded that the two groups of the research and the two methods (( total and analytical) have learnt the counter- attack of the two over mentioned groups. they have recommended to c
... Show More