This research aims to improve the radiation shielding properties of polymer-based materials by mixing PVC with locally available building materials. Specifically, two key parameters of fast neutron attenuation (removal cross-section and half-value layer) were studied for composite materials comprising PVC reinforced with common building materials (cement, sand, gypsum and marble) in different proportions (10%, 30% and 50% by weight). To assess their effectiveness as protection against fast neutrons, the macroscopic neutron cross-section was calculated for each composite. Results show that neutron cross-section values are significantly affected by the reinforcement ratios, and that the composite material PVC + 50% gypsum is an effect

This research aim to exploring the positive psychological capital concept (PsyCap) which drawn from positive psychology and applying it at workplace. PsyCap emerged as extending for recent another types of capital, such as human capital and social capital. It has been defined as “an individual’s positive psychological state of development". The PsyCap consist of four core constructs (self- efficacy, optimism, hope, and resilience). Each of the four components has considerable theorizing and researching that can contribute to developing an integrative theoretical foundation for PsyCap. But their combined motivational effects will be broader and more impactful than any one of t

To maintain a sustained competitive position in the contemporary environment of  knowledge  economy,  organizations  as an open social systems must have an ability to learn and know  how to adapt to rapid changes  in a proper fashion so that organizational objectives will be achieved efficiently and effectively.  A multilevel approach is adopted proposing that organizational learning suffers from the lack of interest about the strategic competitive performance of the organization. This remains implicit almost in all models of organizational learning and there is little focus on how learning organizations achieve sustainable competitive advantage . A dynamic model that captures t

Infrastructure projects take a long time, are complex, multidisciplinary, use different materials and products, and have high risk. These characteristics affect the process of supplying materials. The current paper studies the ability to improve the supply chain process and decrease its cost by identifying the factors that affect it. These factors are used as variables in the mathematical model, which is working under uncertain conditions when the consumption rate of materials is not constant. The information used in this model is obtained from Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques and the genetic algorithm is utilized to determine the optimal supplier and the quantities of supplies

The purpose of this study is to avoid delays and cost changes that occur in emergency reconstruction projects especially in post disaster circumstances. This study is aimed to identify the factors that affect the real construction period and the real cost of a project against the estimated period of construction and the estimated cost of the project. The case study is related to the construction projects in Iraq. Thirty projects in different areas of construction in Iraq were selected as a sample for this study. Project participants from the projects authorities provided data about the projects through a data collection distributed survey made by the authors. Mathematical data analysis was used to construct a model to predict change