Fine aggregates used for concrete works in Sulaymaniyah city frequently fail to meet the standard requirements for gradation and fineness modulus in cement concrete. This paper aims to critically evaluate gradation, fineness modulus, and clay contents of various natural sands produced and used for concrete work in the region. Sixteen field sand samples were collected from various sites in Darbandikhan (5 samples), Qalat Dizah (5 samples), Koysinjaq (5 samples), and Piramagroon (1 sample) confirming to ASTM D75. The field samples were parted into test specimens based on ASTM C702. Then, sieve analysis was carried out on the oven-dry test specimens in compliance with ASTM C136. The test results of fine aggregates were compared with American, British, and Iraqi specification standards using ASTM C33, BS 882, and IQS No. 45. It was revealed that only three sands satisfy the ASTM gradation limits while others do not comply and are on the coarser side. Also, eight samples meet the requirements recommended by BS 882, whereas five samples meet limits by IQS No. 45. It was found that only three sands have the fineness modulus within the ranges recommended by ACI 211.1 and ACI 211.4, while the others have high values. Furthermore, it was found that all sands include an allowable amount of finer particles passing sieve size 0.075 mm. In order to improve particle size distributions, it is recommended to use the blending method to obtain a suitable fine aggregate from two or more failed sands.
Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) beams have gained attention due to their promising mechanical properties and potential for structural applications. Combining GFRP core and encasing materials creates a composite beam with superior mechanical properties. This paper describes the testing encased GFRP beams as composite Reinforced Concrete (RC) beams under low-velocity impact load. Theoretical analysis was used with practical results to simulate the tested beams' behavior and predict the generated energies during the impact loading. The impact response was investigated using repeated drops of 42.5 kg falling mass from various heights. An analysis was performed using accelerometer readings to calculate the generalized inertial load. The in
... Show MoreThis paper describes a practical study on the impact of learning's partners, Bluetooth Broadcasting system, interactive board, Real – time response system, notepad, free internet access, computer based examination, and interaction classroom, etc, had on undergraduate student performance, achievement and involving with lectures. The goal of this study is to test the hypothesis that the use of such learning techniques, tools, and strategies to improve student learning especially among the poorest performing students. Also, it gives some kind of practical comparison between the traditional way and interactive way of learning in terms of lectures time, number of tests, types of tests, student's scores, and student's involving with lectures
... Show MoreAA3003-H14 aluminum alloy plates were welded by friction stir welding and TIG welding.
Fatigue properties of the welded joints were evaluated based on the superior tensile properties for
FSW at 1500 rpm rotational speed and 80 mm/min welding speed. However, there is not much
information available on effect of welding parameters with evolution of fatigue life of friction stir
welds. The present study experimentally analyzed fatigue properties for base, FSW, and TIG welds
of AA 3003-H14 aluminum alloy. Fatigue properties of FSW joints were slightly lower than the
base metal and higher than TIG welding.
The effect of heat treatment using different annealing temperatures on optical properties of bulk heterojunction blend (BHJ) Alq3: C60 thin films which are fabricated by the spin coating technique were investigated in this study. The films have been coated on a glass substrate with speed of 2000 rpm for one min and treated with different annealing temperature (373, 423 and 473) K under vacuum. The optical properties and the chemical bonds structure of blends as-deposited and heat treated have been studied by UV-Vis spectroscopic and Fourier Transform-Infra Red (FTIR) measurements respectively. The results of UV visible show that the optical energy gap decreasing with increasing the annealing temperature for the ratio (100:1) while decrea
... Show MoreAn experimental model is used to simulate the loss of soil lateral confinement due to excavation nearby an individual axially loaded pile. The effects of various parameters, such as the horizontal distance of excavation, depth of excavation and pile slenderness ratios are investigated. The experimental analysis results showed the effect of excavation is more remarkable as the horizontal distance of excavation becomes closer to the pile than half pile length. The effect of excavation diminishes gradually as the horizontal distance increases beyond that distance for all the investigated pile slenderness ratios and depths of excavation. The pile head deflection, settlement and bending moments along pile increase with decreasing horizontal d
... Show MoreIn the present work, the behavior of thick-walled cylinder of elasto-plastic material (polymeric material) has been studied analytically. The study is based on modified Von-Mises yield criterion (for non metallic material). The equations of stress distribution are obtained for the cylinder under general cases of elastic expansion, plastic initiation and elastic-plastic expansion.
A computer program is developed for evaluating the stress distribution. The solution is carried out for worst boundary conditions when the cylinder is subjected to the combination of pressure load, inertia load, and temperature gradient.
The results are presente
... Show MoreThe present work aims to improve the flux of forward osmosis with the use of Thin Film Composite membrane by reducing the effect of polarization on draw solution (brine solution) side.This study was conducted in two parts. The first is under the effect of polarization in which the flux and the water permeability coefficient (A) were calculated. In the second part of the study the experiments were repeated using a circulating pump at various speeds to make turbulence and reduce the effect of polarization on the brine solution side.
A model capable of predicting water permeability coefficient has been derived, and this is given by the following equations:
Z=Z0 +C.R.T/9.8(d2/D2+1) [Exp. [-9.8(d
An experimental investigation has been made to study the influence of using v-corrugated aluminum fin on heat transfer coefficient and heat dissipation in a heat sink. The geometry of fin is changed to investigate their performance. 27 circular perforations with 1 cm diameter were made. The holes designed into two ways, inline arrangement and staggered in the corrugated edges arrangement. The experiments were done in enclosure space under natural convection. Three different voltages supplied to the heat sink to study their effects on the fins performance. All the studied cases are compared with v-corrugated smooth solid fin. Each experiment was repeated two times to reduce the error and the data recorded after reaching t
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