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.
Background: Although mammography is a powerful screening tool in detection of early breast cancer, it is imperfect, particularly for women with dense breast, which have a higher risk to develop cancer and decrease the sensitivity of mammogram, Automated breast ultrasound is a recently introduced ultrasonography technique, developed with the purpose to standardize breast ultrasonography and overcome some limitations of handheld ultrasound, this study aims to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of Automated breast ultrasound and compare it with handheld ultrasound in the detection and characterization of breast lesions in women with dense breasts. Objectives: To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of Automated breast ultrasound and compare
... Show MoreBackground: Although mammography is a powerful screening tool in detection of early breast cancer, it is imperfect, particularly for women with dense breast, which have a higher risk to develop cancer and decrease the sensitivity of mammogram, Automated breast ultrasound is a recently introduced ultrasonography technique, developed with the purpose to standardize breast ultrasonography and overcome some limitations of handheld ultrasound, this study aims to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of Automated breast ultrasound and compare it with handheld ultrasound in the detection and characterization of breast lesions in women with dense breasts.
Objectives:<
... Show MoreBackground: Many studies have been conducted to evaluate the effect of using a hot material in the root canal and its potential for causing damage to the tooth supporting structure. Materials and methods: thirty permanent premolars were obturated with thermoplasticized Gutta-Percha using three different obturation techniques: soft core, Thermafil, and obtura to evaluate the rise in temperature on the root surface using a multipurpose digital thermometer. Results: temperature increases was significantly greater for Obtura versus Soft core (p<0.003), not significant for Thermafil versus Soft core (p<0.087), and Thermafil versus Obtura (p<0.125). Conclusions: temperatures rise on the root surface were below the critical level and, therefore, s
... Show MoreBackground: Antimicrobial agents have been considered as having potential for the prevention of dental caries. This study aimed to test the effect of different concentrations of cardamom and black tea extracts on the sensitivity and growth of salivary mutans streptococci in comparison to chlorhexidine gluconate (0.2%) in vitro. Materials and methods: In this study. Mutans streptococci were isolated from saliva of 34 healthy people (aged between 22-40yrs). The bacteria was isolated, purifiedand diagnosed according to morphologicalcharacteristic and biochemical tests. Aqueous extracts of cardamom and black tea were prepared. Different concentrations of extracts were prepared and estimated in gm/ 100ml deionized water. The agar diffusion techn
... Show MoreAfter studying the reality of application to occupational safety in new Iraqi building projects and sampling the situation wilt that in developed and neighboring countries, researcher found that there is a big gap in the level of safety application conditions, this indicates the need fora quick and clear reference for local engineers to use it on site for safety conditions in their projects . As a case study the monitors work the researcher studied a huge project in the United Arab Emirates.This project considered for safety requirements to highest grades. This case study may be far away from the projects in Iraq, but we hope to rise the Iraqi work level in the near future. After seeing the way of administration work and how they were ra
... Show Morethe study aimed to identify the impact of the types of cooking utensils in transition metal elements to food and the effect of acid and storage in the concentration of these elements. used five types of cooking utensils including aluminum. tefal, astainls steel, glass. (pyrex), and ceramic prepared in it the food meal. the same meals were repeated add to them acid. the estimate of mineral elements in the meal prepared before storage and after storage in refrigerator temperature degree. the result shows the increase of aluminum concentration in the meals that prepared in aluminum pot reaching 2.913 pmm while reached less concentration in the meal prepared in astainls pot reaching 0.325 pmm. the highest concentration of iron reached 25.2 p
... Show MoreThe current research aims to study social capital and its effect in enhancing the psychological empowerment of workers through the two variables of social capital within its dimensions (structural, relational, cognitive) and the variable of psychological empowerment within its components (ability, meaning, personal will and influence). The questionnaire was used as a main tool in the collection of data and with data collected from a sample of 168 employees in the Municipality of Samawa Municipality, which is part of the Ministry of Construction, Housing, Municipalities and Public Works. The results of the research (The impact of social capital in enhancing the psychological empowerment of workersApplied research in the Dire
... Show MoreThe effects of scattering and secondary radiation generated inside the material on dose equivalent rate where studied using Co60 and Cs137 sources of activity (199.8 , 177.6) MBq , respectively for different thicknesses of Al , Pb and Pb- glass . The results showed that the equivalent rate increases when the effect of scattering was included for Al and Pb shields with cobalt-60 source of energy 1.25 MeV ; and decreases for Pb shield with Cs-137 source of energy 0.662MeV .The results showed also that the atomic number of The material effects the dose equivalent rate . The Pb-glass shield was found to be more efficient in absorption than other shields.