As one type of heating furnaces, the electric heating furnace (EHF) typically suffers from time delay, non-linearity, time-varying parameters, system uncertainties, and harsh en-vironment of the furnace, which significantly deteriorate the temperature control process of the EHF system. In order to achieve accurate and robust temperature tracking performance, an integration of robust state feedback control (RSFC) and a novel sliding mode-based disturbance observer (SMDO) is proposed in this paper, where modeling errors and external disturbances are lumped as a lumped disturbance. To describe the characteristics of the EHF, by using convection laws, an integrated dynamic model is established and identified as an uncertain nonlinear second ord

Two dimensional meso-scale concrete modeling was used in finite element analysis of plain concrete beam subjected to bending. The plane stress 4-noded quadrilateral elements were utilized to model coarse aggregate, cement mortar. The effect of aggregate fraction distribution, and pores percent of the total area – resulting from air voids entrapped in concrete during placement on the behavior of plain concrete beam in flexural was detected. Aggregate size fractions were randomly distributed across the profile area of the beam. Extended Finite Element Method (XFEM) was employed to treat the discontinuities problems result from double phases of concrete and cracking that faced during the finite element analysis of concrete beam. Crac

The preparation of activated carbon (AC) from date stones by using microwave assisted K2CO3 activation was investigated in this paper. The influence of radiation time, radiation power, and impregnation ratio on the yield and methylene blue (MB) uptake of such carbon were studied. Based on Box-Wilson central composite design, two second order polynomial models were developed to correlate the process variables to the two responses. From the analysis of variance the significant variables on each response were identified. Optimum coditions of 8 min radiation time, 660 W radiation power and 1.5 g/g impregnation ratio gave 460.123 mg/g MB uptake and 19.99 % yield. The characteristics of the AC were examined by pore structure analysis, and scan

Melanoides tuberculata (O. F. Müller, 1774), a freshwater snail native to eastern Mediterranean, eastern Africa, southeast Asia, southern Asia, India, and Malaysia, it is an effective invader and is now nearly globally distributed. This snail has been studied with interest because of its rapidly distributed, and because of being can serve as compatible intermediate host for many of trematodes in the world. We have summarized information from many articles in order to highlight the most important aspects of this invader snail life.

Concrete pavements are essential to modern infrastructure, but their low tensile and flexural strengths can cause cracking and shrinkage. This study evaluates fiber reinforcement with steel and carbon fibers in various combinations to improve rigid pavement performance. Six concrete mixes were tested: a control mix with no fiber, a mix with 1% steel fiber (SF1%), a mix with 1% carbon fiber (CF1%), and three hybrid mixes with 1% fiber content: 0.75% steel /0.25% carbon fiber (SF0.75CF0.25), 0.25% steel /0.75% carbon fiber (SF0.25CF0.75), and 0.5% steel /0.5% carbon fiber ((SF0.5CF0.5). Laboratory experiments including compressive, flexural, and splitting tensile strength tests were conducted at 7, 28, and 90 days, while Finite Element Analys

This study synthesized nanocomposite photocatalyst materials from a mixture of Cu₂O nanoparticles, ZnO nanoparticles, and graphene oxide (GO) through coprecipitation and hydrothermal methods. This study aims to determine the optimum composition of Cu₂O/ZnO/GO nanocomposites in degrading methylene blue. The nanocomposite was synthesized in two steps:  1  the synthesis of Cu₂O and ZnO nanoparticles through the coprecipitation method and the preparation of GO through the modified Hummer method.  2  The preparation of Cu₂O and ZnO nanoparticles mixtures with GO through the hydrothermal method to form Cu₂O/ZnO/GO nanocomposites. The adsorption-photocatalysis process of methylene blue

Background: The use of osseointegrated fixtures in dentistry has been demonstrated both histologically and clinically to be beneficial in providing long term oral rehabilitation in completely edentulous individual. Most patients suffer from denture instability; particularly with mandibular prosthesis, the use of dental implant will be benefit significantly from even a slight increase in retention. The concept of implanting two to four fixtures in a bony ridge to retain a complete denture prosthesis appealing therefore, as retention, stability and acceptable economic compromise to the expanse incurred with the multiple fixture supported fixed prosthesis. Materials and methods in this study the sample were eight patients selected from a hosp