Hard-grade asphalt binders, such as AC 20–30, offer excellent resistance to permanent deformation but are inherently brittle, making them highly susceptible to fatigue and low-temperature cracking. While polymer modification addresses these issues, virgin polymers remain expensive. Despite the growing interest in recycled plastics, the rheological impact of complex waste streams, specifically polyvinyl chloride (PVC) derived from flex banners containing plasticizers, on excessively stiff binders within the complete Superpave Performance Grading (PG) framework remains critically underexplored. This study introduces a novel valorization approach by utilizing solvent-extracted flex banner waste (WPVC) as a dual-action modifier. It leverages

In this work, pure and Ag-doped nickel oxide (NiO) thin films were deposited on glass substrates with different dopant concentrations (0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 wt.%) by pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) technique at room temperature. These films were annealed at temperature of 450 °C. The structural and optical properties of the prepared thin films were studied. It was found that annealing process has lead to increase the transmittance of the deposited films. Also, the transmittance was found to increase with doping concentration of silver in the deposited NiO films. The optical energy gap was decreased from 3.5 to 3.2 eV as the doping concentration was increased to 0.4 %.

Background: Lateral sinus augmentation and simultaneous insertion of dental implants is a highlypredictable procedure and associated with high rate of implants success.Aims: To evaluate implant stability changes following maxillary sinus augmentation utilizing deproteinizedbovine bone alone or mixed with platelet-rich fibrin.Materials and Methods: A total of 34 lateral sinus augmentation procedures were performed and 50 dentalimplants simultaneously installed. The lateral sinus augmentation cases were allocated randomly into 3groups: Group A comprised 13 procedures and 21 dental implants utilizing solely deproteinized bovine bone.Group B involved 10 cases and 16 dental implants using deproteinized bovine bone mixed with leukocyteand

In this work, silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) thin films were deposited on metallic substrates (aluminium and titanium sheets) by the DC reactive sputtering technique using two different silicon targets (n-type and p-type Si wafers) as well as two Ar:N₂ gas mixing ratios (50:50 and 70:30). The electrical conductivity of the metallic (aluminium and titanium) substrates was measured before and after the deposition of silicon nitride thin films on both surfaces of the substrates. The results obtained from this work showed that the deposited films, in general, reduced the electrical conductivity of the substrates, and the thin films prepared from n-type silicon targets using a 50:50 mixing ratio and deposited on both

This article presents the results of an experimental investigation of using carbon fiber–reinforced polymer sheets to enhance the behavior of reinforced concrete deep beams with large web openings in shear spans. A set of 18 specimens were fabricated and tested up to a failure to evaluate the structural performance in terms of cracking, deformation, and load-carrying capacity. All tested specimens were with 1500-mm length, 500-mm cross-sectional deep, and 150-mm wide. Parameters that studied were opening size, opening location, and the strengthening factor. Two deep beams were implemented as control specimens without opening and without strengthening. Eight deep beams were fabricated with openings but without strengthening, while

Incorporating the LiDAR sensor in the most recent Apple devices represents a substantial development in 3D mapping technology. Meanwhile, Apple's Lidar is still a new sensor. Therefore, this article reviews the potential uses of the Apple Lidar sensor in various fields, including engineering and construction, focusing on indoor and outdoor as-built 3D mapping and cultural heritage conservation. The affordable cost and shorter observation times compared to traditional surveying and other remote sensing techniques make the Apple Lidar an attractive choice among scholars and professionals. This article highlights the need for continued research on the Apple LiDAR sensor technology while discussing its specifications and limitations. A

A low-cost, effective green porous composite was prepared and used for the sorption of Zn+2 ions from aqueous solutions. The effect of contact time, sorbent dosage, initial ion concentration, solution pH, and temperature on the sorption of Zn+2 ions was investigated. The results showed higher removal efficiency of Zn+2 ions (83%), which was achieved at a contact time of 120 minutes, a normal pH of 6.4, and a temperature of 313 K. The Langmuir isotherm model successfully described the experimental results of the sorption process with a theoretical maximum sorption capacity of 4.819 mg/g. The kinetics of sorption showed that the pseudo-second-order model fitted the experimental results better than the pseudo-first-order model. The int

The paper presents a novel method of reinforcing concrete columns using small-diameter steel tubes instead of traditional steel bars. The researchers conducted experimental investigations on twelve mid-scale circular concrete column specimens, which were divided into two groups consisting of six specimens each: short and long columns. Two of the specimens in each group were reinforced with steel bars, while the remaining four were reinforced with steel tubes filled with cementitious grouting material. The study proposed two concepts for cementitious grouted steel-tube reinforcement. The first concept utilized steel tubes with equivalent net areas to the steel bar areas used in the reference column, while the second concept used stee