One of the most severe problems with flexible asphalt pavements is permanent deformation in the form of rutting. Accordingly, the practice of adding fiber elements to asphalt mix to improve performance under dynamic loading has grown significantly in order to prevent rutting distress and ensure a safe and long-lasting road surface. This paper explores the effects of a combination of ceramic fiber (CF), a low-cost, easily available mineral fiber, and thermal insulator fiber reinforced to enhance the Marshall properties and increase the rutting resistance of asphalt mixes at high temperatures. Asphalt mixtures with 0%, 0.75%, 1.5%, and 2.25% CF content were prepared, and Marshall stability and wheel tracking tests were employed to stu

The removal of COD from wastewater generated by petroleum refinery has been investigated by adopting electrocoagulation (EC) combined with adsorption using activated carbon (AC) derived from avocado seeds. The process variables influencing COD removal were studied: current density (2–10 mA/cm2), pH (4–9), and AC dosage (0.2–1 g/L). Response surface methodology (RSM) based on Box–Behnken design (BBD) was used to construct a mathematical model of the EC/AC process. Results showed that current density has the major effect on the COD removal with a percent of contribution 32.78% followed by pH while AC dosage has not a remarkable effect due to the good characteristics of AC derived from avocado seeds. Increasing current density gives be

Terrestrial isopods play an important role in the biodegradation of many wastes which gives agreat importance in the nutrient cycles and ecosystem services , therefore this paper aims to use species Orthodillo chiltoni (Vandel, 1973) as a model organism in bioremediation of urban environment with municipal wastes, agricultural fields, parks and markets wastes. Samples of these wastes included potato peels, orange fruit leaves, thyme plant and sawdust,cardboard residues , the experiments were carried out in laboratory condition similar to the living environment of this species in terms of temperature, humidity and intensity lighting. The applied results have shown that

There are varieties of reasons lead for drilling horizontal wells rather than verticals. Increasing the recovery of oil, especially from thin or tight reservoir permeability is the most important parameter. East Baghdad oil field considered as a giant field with approximately more than 1billion barrel of a proved reserves accompanying recently to low production rate problems in many of the existing wells.    It is important to say that presence of of  horizontal wells in East Baghdad field especially by converting some of already drilled wells by re-entry drilling horizontal sections may provide one of best solutions for the primary development stage in East Baghdad field which may be followed by drilling new horizont

The main objective of this study is to introduce a systematic design procedure for short-span segmental beams following a sophisticated ACI 440.2R-17 design procedure. The general aspects of innovative short-span segmental beams are easy to fabricate, economical and rapidly placed in pre-specified positions. Short-span segmental beams fabricated from individual precast plain-concrete blocks and CFRP plates. Recently, experimental tests performed on short-span segmental beams, by the authors, investigated CFRP plate-bonding, CFRP plate cross-sectional area, the thickness of plate-bonding epoxy resin, surface-to-surface condition of concrete blocks, as well as, interface condition of the bonding surface. The experimental program comprises tes

This study aimed to obtain a local isolation of Aspergillus niger and then studied its ability to produce citric acid from raw materials available locally using solid state fermentation. Six local isolates were collected from different sources including some samples of the damaged fruits such as grapefruit, oranges and sindi. Wheat bran was used as a raw material or as culture medium for the production of citric acid from the collected isolates. The conditions for citric acid production were determined by humidity percentage of 1: 1 (water: culture medium), temperature of 28 C, pH 4 and inoculum dose with 5× 106 spore/ml and for 3 days of incubation. The orange was the best model for citric acid production with a concentration of 12.8 mg/m

In this research, the effect of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on the alumina/chromia (Al₂O₃/Cr₂O₃) nanocomposites has been investigated. Al₂O₃/Cr₂O₃-MWCNTs nanocomposites with variable contents of Cr₂O₃ and MWCNTs were fabricated using coprecipitation process and followed by spark plasma sintering. XRD analysis revealed a good crystallinity of sintered nanocomposites samples and there was only one phase presence of Al₂O₃-Cr₂O₃ solid solution. Density, Vickers microhardness, fracture toughness and fracture strength have been measured in the sintered samples. The results show tha