In this study, the effect of fire flame on the punching shear strength of steel fiber reinforced concrete flat plates was experimentally investigated using nine half-scale specimens with dimensions of 1500×1500 mm and a total thickness of 100 mm. The main investigated variables comprised the steel fiber volume fraction 0, 1, and 1.5% and the burning steady state temperature 500 and 600 °C. The specimens were divided into three groups, each group consists of three specimens. The specimens in the first group were tested with no fire effect to be the reference specimens, while the others of the second and third groups were tested after being exposed to fire-flame effect. The adopted characteristics of the fire test were; (one hour) b

A novel demountable shear connector for precast steel‐concrete composite bridges is presented. The connector uses high‐strength steel bolts, which are fastened to the top flange of the steel beam with the aid of a special locking nut configuration that prevents slip of bolts within their holes. Moreover, the connector promotes accelerated construction and overcomes typical construction tolerances issues of precast structures. Most importantly, the connector allows bridge disassembly, and therefore, can address different bridge deterioration scenarios with minimum disturbance to traffic flow, i.e. (i) precast deck panels can be rapidly uplifted and replaced; (ii) connectors can be rapidly removed and replaced; and (iii) steel beams can b

Castellated columns are structural members that are created by breaking a rolled column along the center-line by flame after that rejoining the equivalent halves by welding such that for better structural strength against axial loading, the total column depth is increased by around 50 percent. The implementation of these institutional members will also contribute to significant economies of material value. The main objectives of this study are to study the enhancement of the load-carrying capacity of castellated columns with encasement of the columns by Reactive Powder Concrete (RPC) and lacing reinforcement, and serviceability of the confined castellated columns. The Castellated columns with RPC and Lacing Reinforcement improve com

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the effect addition of polyester fibers on the some mechanical properties of heat cured acrylic resin (implant strength, flexural strength and hardness) Materials and methods: Ninety specimens were used in the study. Thirty specimens were used for impact strength measurements (80mm X 10mm X 4mm) length, width and thickness respectively. The specimens divided into three test groups (n=10), first group formed from heat cure acrylic resin without fiber reinforcement. Second group was formed from heat cure acrylic resin was reinforced with 2 mm length polyester fiber and third group was formed from heat cure acrylic resin reinforced with 4mm length polyester fiber, impact strength measured by impact test

Composite steel-concrete sections have a broad benefit through increasing structural strength as well as minimizing the self-loads. All past researches were concerned with pre-installed shear connectors (PRSC) in the manufacturing of composite sections. A new fabrication technique for steel-concrete-steel composite sections were presented in the current study by the post-installation shear connectors (POSC) passed-through an embedded polymerizing vinyl chloride (PVC) pipes. The performance of normal strength concrete prisms with a specified strength of 32 MPa connected to square steel tubes (SST) was investigated. Six specimens were fabricated in both methodologies, PRSC and POSC were experimentally tested by Push-out test. The spac

This study investigates self-perception and self-branding on Instagram among young Arab women in the UAE, focusing on how they curate, negotiate and perform their digital identities and whether their digital self-presentation in any way compromises their sense of authenticity. The study is based on 11 interviews with young women in the UAE, between the ages of 20 and 30, in addition to online observation to follow the participants’ activities on Instagram. The study demonstrates that while social and digital media platforms may play a role in “empowering” Arab women, women tend to set their boundaries of authenticity shaped according to their audience’s expectations and their in-groups. This confirms the r

The implementation of technology in the provision of public services and communication to citizens, which is commonly referred to as e-government, has brought multitude of benefits, including enhanced efficiency, accessibility, and transparency. Nevertheless, this approach also presents particular security concerns, such as cyber threats, data breaches, and access control. One technology that can aid in mitigating the effects of security vulnerabilities within e-government is permissioned blockchain. This work examines the performance of the hyperledger fabric private blockchain under high transaction loads by analyzing two scenarios that involve six organizations as case studies. Several parameters, such as transaction send ra

The silicon carbide/carbon fiber (SiC/CF) hybrid fillers were introduced to improve the electrical and thermal conductivities of the epoxy resin composites. Results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that the peaks at 3532 and 2850 cm⁻¹ relate to carboxylic acid O–H stretching and aldehyde C–H stretching appearing deeper with an increased volume fraction of SiC. Scanning electron microscopic image shows a better interface bonding between the fiber and the matrix when the volume fraction of SiC particles are increased. As frequency increases from 10² Hz to 10⁶ Hz, dielectric constants decrease slightly. Dissipation factor (tan δ) values keep low a

Frequently, Load associated mode of failure (rutting and fatigue) as well as, occasionally, moisture damage in some sections poorly drained are the main failure types found in some of the newly constructed road within Baghdad as well as other cities in Iraq. The use of hydrated lime in pavement construction could be one of the possible steps taken in the direction of improving pavement performance and meeting the required standards. In this study, the mechanistic properties of asphalt concrete mixes modified with hydrated lime as a partial replacement of limestone dust mineral filler were evaluated. Seven replacement rates were used; 0,0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3 percent by weight of aggregate. Asphalt concrete mixes were prepared at their

Steel–concrete–steel (SCS) structural systems have economic and structural advantages over traditional reinforced concrete; thus, they have been widely used. The performance of concrete made from recycled rubber aggregate from scrap tires has been evaluated since the early 1990s. The use of rubberized concrete in structural construction remains necessary because of its high impact resistance, increases ductility, and produces a lightweight concrete; therefore, it adds such important properties to SCS members. In this research, the use of different concrete core materials in SCS was examined. Twelve SCS specimens were subjected to push-out monotonic loading for inspecting their mechanical performance. One specimen was constructed from co