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.
Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) has been widely known for his special interest in the female characters. In many of his novels, he narrates the conditions, values, and the institutions that surround and control the life of women, leading them to be victims. In “Rappaccini’s Daughter” (1844), the heroine, Beatrice is created to be victimized by her loved ones (her father and lover). This paper focuses on the term “victim,” it shows its aspects through the development of Beatrice’s character. The paper also studies a female character in the male-dominated society, to show the cruelty done to her, and how she is considered to be a second rate person, who is unable to live normally, or at least to save herself from dea
... Show MoreVascular plants that have been identified during the study seasons in the Island. The cultivated plants were 126 species belong to 103 genera and to 49 families of the year 2001-2002 . The natural vegetation in this Island has been subjected to a total disturbance and subsidence due to the comprehensive turbidity of the Island environment.Number of names of that natural vegetation has been mentioned in the study within the weed plants.The results of the study of the period of flowering and their attitudes show clear seasonal differences. During the cold months of winter, the number of the cultivated and the natural plants was at the rate of 15%.These kinds of flowers require high level of care to increase their numbers. While in the spring
... Show MoreThe present study aimed to investigate the histology of the testis in golden hamster during 1, 28 and 60 day of old. Tissue samples were processed, sectioned and subjected to specific stains to reveal histological details. Observation of one day old showed the testicle enclosed by undifferentiated thin layer of testicle capsule which consisted of undifferentiated myoblasts and fibroblasts small size seminiferous tubules appeared, one layer of spermatogonium cells (Type-A) which revealed mitotic figures, at 28 day old the capsule was consisted of thick outer fibromuscular layer and thick inner vascular layer that revealed encouraged blood vessels and cells, Spermatogonial cells type-A & B appeared as large
... Show MoreThe deficiency in the nurse staff in the health organizations consider an important problem that must be studied and solved basically , not only because it affect on the health organization and it's strategic goals , but also it affect the human being and it's health which can't be substituted with anything or delayed in it's treatment ,This research aims to necessary for health organizations to strategically help in maintaining the nurse staff and to keep that in it's strategic orientation and it's mission , moreover , the health organizations must study the reality of the nurse in the health organizations and know the causes beyond leaving the nurse staff the nurse job , and then remove
... Show Morehis study aimed to evaluate the effects of different doses of melatonin on liver function in adult rats. Eighteen Wistar adult albino rats (Rattus norvegicus), approximately 13–16 weeks old and weighing 230 ± 10 g, were randomly divided into three groups (n=6 per group) and treated orally for 30 days as follows: Group A1 received 10 mg/kg body weight (B.W) of melatonin; Group A2 received 20 mg/kg B.W of melatonin; and the control group (Group A) received distilled water. At the end of the treatment period, blood samples were collected via cardiac puncture, and serum was separated for biochemical analysis. Parameters assessed included oxidative stress markers (malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH)) and liver enzymes (aspa
... Show MoreThis research is concerned with the re-analysis of optical data (the imaginary part of the dielectric function as a function of photon energy E) of a-Si:H films prepared by Jackson et al. and Ferlauto et al. through using nonlinear regression fitting we estimated the optical energy gap and the deviation from the Tauc model by considering the parameter of energy photon-dependence of the momentum matrix element of the p as a free parameter by assuming that density of states distribution to be a square root function. It is observed for films prepared by Jackson et al. that the value of the parameter p for the photon energy range is is close to the value assumed by the Cody model and the optical gap energy is which is also close to the value
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