When embankment is constructed on very soft soil, special construction methods are adopted. One of the techniques is a piled embankment. Piled (stone columns) embankments provide an economic and effective solution to the problem of constructing embankments over soft soils. This method can reduce settlements, construction time and cost. Stone columns provide an effective improvement method for soft soils under light structures such as rail or road embankments. The present work investigates the behavior of the embankment models resting on soft soil reinforced with stone columns. Model tests were performed with different spacing distances between stone columns and two lengths to diameter ratios of the stone columns, in addition to different embankment heights. A total number of 21 model tests were carried out on a soil with undrianed shear strength ≈ 10 kPa. The models consist of stone columns embankment at spacing to diameter ratio equal to 2.5, 3 and 4. Three embankment heights; 200 mm, 250 mm and 300 mm were conducted. Three earth pressure cells were used to measure directly the vertical effective stress on column at the top of the middle stone column under the center line of embankment and on the edge stone column for all models while the third cell was placed at the base of embankment between two columns to measure the vertical effective stress in reinforced soft soil directly. The embankment models constructed on soft clay treated with ordinary stone columns at spacing ratio equal 2.5 revealed maximum bearing improvement ratio equals (1.21, 1.44 and 1.7) for 200 mm, 250 mm and 300 embankment heights, respectively and maximum settlement improvement ratio equals (0.78, 0.67 and 0.56) for 200 mm, 250 mm and 300 embankment heights, respectively.
Water is necessary for sustainable development and healthy society. Groundwater, often, is not sufficient and protected for direct human consumption. Due to increase in the density of population the requirement of water is increasing. In this work, the assessment of groundwater quality was conducted in the south-west part of Basrah province. Spatial variations in the quality of groundwater in the study area have been analyzed utilizing GIS technique. The geochemical parameters of groundwater samples including pH, EC, TDS, Ca, Mg, Na, Cl, HCO3, SO4, and NO3 were assessed in this study. Information maps of the study area have been actually prepared to make use of the GIS spatial
... Show MoreSewer system plays an indispensable task in urban cities by protecting public health and the environment. The operation, maintenance, and rehabilitation of this network have to be in a sustainable and scientific manner. For this purpose, it is important to support operators, decision makers and municipalities with performance evaluation procedure that is based on operational factors. In this paper, serviceability and performance indicator (PI) principles are employed to propose methodology comprising two enhanced PI curves that can be used to evaluate the individual sewers depending on operational factors such as flowing velocity and wastewater level in the sewers. In order to test this methodology; a case study of al-Ru
... Show MoreThis research explores the themes of identity and alienation in Tsitsi Dangarembga's famous novel, Nervous Conditions, through Kimberlé Crenshaw's intersectionality theory. The story takes place in postcolonial Zimbabwe and delivers a fascinating illustration of the intersecting domains of gender, race, class, and colonial legacies that shape the characters' experiences of identity and alienation. Benefitting from Crenshaw's intersectional paradigm, this article explores the multidimensional interface of societal categorizations and power relations in the novel, revealing the complex dynamics of individuals as they negotiate their identities in a postcolonial context. Through a thorough examination of Tambudzai's journey and the problems o
... Show MoreIn this study, a cholera model with asymptomatic carriers was examined. A Holling type-II functional response function was used to describe disease transmission. For analyzing the dynamical behavior of cholera disease, a fractional-order model was developed. First, the positivity and boundedness of the system's solutions were established. The local stability of the equilibrium points was also analyzed. Second, a Lyapunov function was used to construct the global asymptotic stability of the system for both endemic and disease-free equilibrium points. Finally, numerical simulations and sensitivity analysis were carried out using matlab software to demonstrate the accuracy and validate the obtained results.
This study aimed to determine obesity level of some population in Baghdad by using Bio-electrical impedance analysis (BIA) and compared with anthropometric measurements such as body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). Statistical analysis results of linear correlation coefficients for obesity indicators showed that BIA correlation 0.92 was most significant and reliable for obesity measurement.
Results of BIA method for age group 20-29 years showed that 44.4% of females were healthy body while 37.8% of males suffer from increased body fat. Results of age group 30-39 year showed that 32.6 of females were in healthy body and 42% of males were obese. In case age group 40-4
... Show MoreProfit is a goal sought by all banks because it brings them income and guarantees them survival and continuity, and on the other hand, facing commitments without financial crisis. Hence the idea of research in his quest to build scientific tools and means that can help bank management in particular, investors, lenders and others to predict financial failure and to detect early financial failures. The research has produced a number of conclusions, the most important of which is that all Islamic banks sample a safe case of financial failure under the Altman model, while according to the Springate model all Islamic banks sample a search for a financial failure except the Islamic Bank of Noor Iraq for Investment and Finance )BINI(. A
... Show MoreEnvironmental Tax is deemed as one of the most important tools that can be used to eliminate the problem of oil –based environment pollution resulted out of oil products processes and this has been significantly approved by the experience in those leading countries in the field of protecting the environment against pollution whereas oil-producing countries which are rather awkward in maintaining the environment such as Iraq , suffer from notorious environmental effects pertaining to oil product processes.
The problem of the research is represented the increased and constant rise in the volume of the environmental pollutants resulted from the processes managed by the intern
... Show MoreBuckling analysis of a laminated composite thin plate with different boundary conditions subjected to in-plane uniform load are studied depending on classical laminated plate theory; analytically using (Rayleigh-Ritz method). Equation of motion of the plates was derived using the principle of virtual work and solved using modified Fourier displacement function that satisfies general edge conditions. The eigenvalue problem generated by using Ritz method, the set of linear algebraic equations can be solved using MATLAB for symmetric and anti-symmetric, cross and angle-ply laminated plate considering some design parameters such as aspect ratios, number of layers, lamination type and orthotropic ratio. The results obtained g
... Show MoreIn earthquake engineering problems, uncertainty exists not only in the seismic excitations but also in the structure's parameters. This study investigates the influence of structural geometry, elastic modulus, mass density, and section dimension uncertainty on the stochastic earthquake response of a multi-story moment resisting frame subjected to random ground motion. The North-south component of the Ali Gharbi earthquake in 2012, Iraq, is selected as ground excitation. Using the power spectral density function (PSD), the two-dimensional finite element model of the moment resisting frame's base motion is modified to account for random ground motion. The probabilistic study of the moment resisting frame structure using stochastic fin
... Show MoreRecording an Electromyogram (EMG) signal is essential for diagnostic procedures like muscle health assessment and motor neurons control. The EMG signals have been used as a source of control for powered prosthetics to support people to accomplish their activities of daily living (ADLs). This work deals with studying different types of hand grips and finding their relationship with EMG activity. Five subjects carried out four functional movements (fine pinch, tripod grip and grip with the middle and thumb finger, as well as the power grip). Hand dynamometer has been used to record the EMG activity from three muscles namely; Flexor Carpi Radialis (FCR), Flexor Digitorum Superficialis (FDS), and Abductor Pollicis Brevis (ABP) with different le
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