Objective This study aimed to evaluate the effects of disinfectant solutions, namely, the alcoholic extract of Salvadora persica L. (A1 = 10% and A2 = 15%) and chlorhexidine digluconate (A3 = 2%), on the tear strength and hardness of room temperature vulcanizing (RTV) VST50F and heat temperature vulcanizing (HTV) Cosmesil M511 silicone elastomers before and after reinforcement with nanofillers (TiO2) and intrinsic pigment. Materials and Methods: A total of 320 specimens were prepared, with 160 specimens each for RTV and HTV silicone. Forty specimens were evaluated before disinfection and divided into two equal groups, namely, control (without additive) and experimental (with additive) groups, for tear strength and hardness tests. The 120 specimens were divided into three equal groups, with two equal subdivisions for tear strength and hardness tests, and were evaluated after disinfection. ANOVA and Tukey's honest significant difference tests were conducted for group comparisons (significance level set at P < 0.05). Results: The tear strength of all groups decreased after disinfection, with the highest values in the experimental group. Most comparisons showed significant differences. A1 exhibited no significant effect on the tear strength and hardness of the HTV control and the hardness of the RTV experimental specimen. The hardness of the HTV control was not significantly affected by A3. A1 with A3 did not significantly affect the tear strength and hardness of the RTV control and the tear strength of the RTV experimental specimen. The results of comparisons between A1 and A2, and A1 and A3 in the HTV tear strength of the experimental group and the A2 and A3 of the control and experimental groups were not significant. Conclusions: S. persica L. can be used as a natural disinfectant agent. The reinforcement of maxillofacial silicone prosthesis can extend its survival duration.
Concrete filled steel tube (CFST) columns are being popular in civil engineering due to their superior structural characteristics. This paper investigates enhancement in axial behavior of CFST columns by adding steel fibers to plain concrete that infill steel tubes. Four specimens were prepared: two square columns (100*100 mm) and two circular columns (100 mm in diameter). All columns were 60 cm in length. Plain concrete mix and concrete reinforced with steel fibers were used to infill steel tube columns. Ultimate axial load capacity, ductility and failure mode are discussed in this study. The results showed that the ultimate axial load capacity of CFST columns reinforced with steel fibers increased by 28% and 20 % for circular and square c
... Show MoreThis paper presents an analytical study on the serviceability of reinforced concrete gable roof beams with openings of different sizes, based on an experimental study which includes 13 concrete gable roof beams with openings under static loading. For deflection and crack widths under static loading at service stage, a developed unified calculation procedure has been submitted, which includes prismatic beams with one opening subjected to flexure concentrated force. The deflection has been calculated with two methods: the first method calculated deflections via relevant equations and the second was Direct Stiffness Method in which the beam is treated as a structural member with several segments constituting the portions with solid sec
... Show MoreThe present study experimentally and numerically investigated the impact behavior of composite reinforced concrete (RC) beams with the pultruded I-GFRP and I-steel beams. Eight specimens of two groups were cast in different configurations. The first group consisted of four specimens and was tested under static load to provide reference results for the second group. The four specimens in the second group were tested first under impact loading and then static loading to determine the residual static strengths of the impacted specimens. The test variables considered the type of encased I-section (steel and GFRP), presence of shear connectors, and drop height during impact tests. A mass of 42.5 kg was dropped on the top surface at the m
... Show MoreThis study presents experimental and numerical investigations on seven one-way, reinforced concrete (RC) slabs with a new technique of slab weight reduction using polystyrene-embedded arched blocks (PEABs). All slabs had the same dimensions, steel reinforcement, and concrete compressive strength. One of these slabs was a solid slab, which was taken as a control slab, while the other six slabs were cast with PEABs. The main variables were the ratio of the length of the PEABs to the length of the slab (lp/L) and the ratio of the height of the PEABs to the total slab depth (hP/H). The minimum decrease in the ultimate load capacity was about 6% with a minimum reduction in the slab weight of 15%. In contrast, the maximum decrease in the
... Show MoreA field experiment was conducted at Abu-Ghrib during 2013- 2014 season to study the effect of harrowing systems on the decomposition and fermentation on organic matter(OM) when added and mixed with the soil under special technology, as well as its effect on the growth parameters and productivity of (Zea mays L. 5018). The experiment was laid out using factorial randomized complete block design (RCBD) in split-split design with three replications in SCL bare soil with a percent of moisture ranged from 16 – 18 %. The main plots were designated to the two systems of harrowing (Rotary Harrowand Disc Harrow ). The sub main plots were specified for two organic matters ( Sheep manure ,cow manure ) . Data were statistically analyzed, and
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