Eco-friendly materials are increasingly used in civil engineering to support sustainable development. Conventional concrete relies heavily on Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), the production of which contributes significantly to the carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS) and fly ash can partially replace OPC, thereby reducing the environmental impact. This study investigates the effect of basalt fiber incorporation on the mechanical properties of geopolymer lightweight concrete. The concrete mixtures consisted of fly ash, slag, pumice aggregate, sand, and an alkaline activator prepared by combining sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate. The mix design included an activator-to-binder ratio of 0.45, sodium hydroxide molarity of 12 M, and a sodium hydroxide to sodium silicate ratio of 1:2.5. Basalt fiber was added at 0.5%, 0.75%, and 1% by volume. All specimens were cured at 80 ºC for 24 h. The mechanical properties evaluated included compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and flexural strength. The results showed that basalt fiber significantly improved all measured properties. At 28 days, the compressive strength increased by 11.67%, 14.85%, and 17.5%, the splitting tensile strength by 20%, 27.5%, and 38.75%, and the flexural strength by 21.6%, 32.14%, and 42.73%, respectively.
Construction joints are stopping places in the process of placing concrete, and they are required because in many structures it is impractical to place concrete in one continuous operation. The amount of concrete that can be placed at one time is governed by the batching and mixing capacity and by the strength of the formwork. A good construction joint should provide adequate flexural and shear continuity through the interface.
In this study, the effect of location of construction joints on the performance of reinforced concrete structural elements is experimentally investigated.
Nineteen beam specimens with dimensions of 200×200×950 mm were tested. The variables investigated are the location of the construction joints
... Show MoreThis work analyzes the impact of MgO nanoparticles on the properties of an epoxy resin solution with uniform structure and particular degree of cure synthesized by the reaction of epoxy resin and pyromellitic dianhydride. Various concentrations of epoxy/MgO nanocomposites were fabricated by mechanical mixing, ultrasonication-based dispersion and casting processes. FTIR results have shown clear differences in the vibrations of C-H, epoxide rings, and main amine N-H groups. This confirms the interaction between MgO particles and the epoxy polymer matrix. X-ray diffraction analysis detected prominent peak at 18.35 degrees, along with additional ones at 43.44 degrees and 62.56 degrees, associated with the (200) and (220) planes of MgO crystal,
... Show MoreEnvironmental sustainability is described as one that avoids the depletion or deterioration of natural resources, while also allowing for the preservation of long-term environmental quality. By practicing environmental sustainability, we may assist to guarantee that the requirements of today’s population are satisfied without risking the capacity of future generations to meet their own needs in the future. Engineers in the field of concrete production are becoming increasingly interested in sustainable development, which includes the utilization of the locally available materials in addition to using the agricultural and industrial waste in construction industry as one of the possib
This research is concerned to investigate the behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) deep beams strengthened with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) strips. The experimental part of this research is carried out by testing seven RC deep beams having the same dimensions and steel reinforcement which have been divided into two groups according to the strengthening schemes. Group one was consisted of three deep beams strengthened with vertical U-wrapped CFRP strips. While, Group two was consisted of three deep beams strengthened with inclined CFRP strips oriented by 45o with the longitudinal axis of the beam. The remaining beam is kept unstrengthening as a reference beam. For each group, the variable considered
... Show MoreThis study demonstrates a sustainable, "trash-to-treasure" approach by synthesizing silica (SiO2) and alumina (Al2O3) nanoparticles (30–80 nm) from local waste materials—specifically bentonite clay and aluminum wire waste—and evaluating their performance as eco-friendly additives in 350 mL water-based drilling fluids at concentrations ranging from 0 to 1 g. Tested under harsh subsurface conditions, the incorporated nanoparticles significantly enhanced the fluids' rheological properties, lubricity, filtration control, and swelling inhibition, with performance scaling alongside nanoparticle concentration. Notably, at a 1 g dosage, the fluid's yield point spiked from a baseline of 9 to 42 for SiO2 and 32 for (Al2O3), while h
... Show MoreNanocomposite was prepared using unsaturated polyester (UP) resin as a matrix and graphene nanoparticles as a reinforcement material in six percentage weights (0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 1 and 1.5%). Mechanical, calorimetric and thermal studies were performed on the (UP) resin/graphene nanocomposite. All tests showed a clear improvement of all mechanical properties examined (hardness, flexural strength (F.S), impact strength (I.S) and tensile strength (T.S)) with increasing graphene percentage. In addition, the temperature of glass transition and thermal conductivity of this composite increased with increasing graphene content.
As asphalt concrete wearing course (ACWC) is the top layer in the pavement structure, the material should be able to sustain stresses caused by direct traffic loading. The objective of this study is to evaluate the influence of aggregate gradation and mineral filler type on Marshall Properties. A detailed laboratory study is carried out by preparing asphalt mixtures specimens using locally available materials including asphalt binder (40-50) penetration grade, two types of aggregate gradation representing SCRB and ROAD NOTE 31 specifications and two types of mineral filler including limestone dust and coal fly ash. Four types of mixtures were prepared and tested. The first type included SCRB specification and
... Show More