The aim of this paper is to design suitable neural network (ANN) as an alternative accurate tool to evaluate concentration of Copper in contaminated soils. First, sixteen (4x4) soil samples were harvested from a phytoremediated contaminated site located in Baghdad city in Iraq. Second, a series of measurements were performed on the soil samples. Third, design an ANN and its performance was evaluated using a test data set and then applied to estimate the concentration of Copper. The performance of the ANN technique was compared with the traditional laboratory inspecting using the training and test data sets. The results of this study show that the ANN technique trained on experimental measurements can be successfully applied to the rapid est

In order to take measures in controlling soil erosion it is required to estimate soil loss over area of interest. Soil loss due to soil erosion can be estimated using predictive models such as Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). The accuracy of these models depends on parameters that are used in equations. One of the most important parameters in equations used in both of models is (C) factor that represents effects of vegetation and other land covers. Estimating land cover by interpretation of remote sensing imagery involves Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), an indicator that shows vegetation cover. The aim of this study is estimate (C) factor values for Part of Baghdad city using NDVI derived from satellite Image of Landsat-7

This research is carried out to investigate the externally post-tensioning technique for strengthening RC beams. In this research, four T-section  RC beams having the same dimensions and material properties were casted and tested up to failure by applying two mid-third concentrated loads. Three of these beams are strengthened by using external tendons, while the remaining beam is kept without strengthening as a control beam. Two external strands of 12 mm diameter were fixed at each side of the web of the strengthened beams and located at depth of 200 mm from top fiber of the section (d_ps). So that the depth of strands to overall depth of the section ratio (d_ps

In this paper, the bowtie method was utilized by a multidisciplinary team in the Federal Board of Supreme Audit (FBSA)for the purpose of managing corruption risks threatening the Iraqi construction sector. Corruption in Iraq is a widespread phenomenon that threatens to degrade society and halt the wheel of economic development, so it must be reduced through appropriate strategies. A total of eleven corruption risks have been identified by the involved parties in corruption and were analyzed by using probability and impact matrix and their priority has been ranked. Bowtie analysis was conducted on four factors with high score risk in causing corruption in the planning stage. The number and effectiveness of the existing proactive meas

     The goal of the research is to develop a sustainable rating system for roadway projects in Iraq for all of the life cycle stages of the projects which are (planning, design, construction and operation and maintenance). This paper investigates the criteria and its weightings of the suggested roadway rating system depending on sustainable planning activities. The methodology started in suggesting a group of sustainable criteria for planning stage and then suggesting weights from (1-5) points for each one of it. After that data were collected by using a closed questionnaire directed to the roadway experts group in order to verify the criteria weightings based on the relative importance of the roadway related impacts

The presented study investigated the scheduling regarding  jobs on a single machine. Each  job will be processed with no interruptions and becomes available for the processing at time 0. The aim is finding a processing order with regard to jobs, minimizing total completion time , total late work , and maximal tardiness  which is an NP-hard problem. In the theoretical part of the present work, the mathematical formula for the examined problem will be presented, and a sub-problem of the original problem of minimizing the multi-objective functions  is introduced. Also, then the importance regarding the dominance rule (DR) that could be applied to the problem to improve good solutions will be shown. While in the practical part, two

Infrastructure projects take a long time, are complex, multidisciplinary, use different materials and products, and have high risk. These characteristics affect the process of supplying materials. The current paper studies the ability to improve the supply chain process and decrease its cost by identifying the factors that affect it. These factors are used as variables in the mathematical model, which is working under uncertain conditions when the consumption rate of materials is not constant. The information used in this model is obtained from Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques and the genetic algorithm is utilized to determine the optimal supplier and the quantities of supplies

      The main problem when dealing with fuzzy data variables is that it cannot be formed by a model that represents the data through the method of Fuzzy Least Squares Estimator (FLSE) which gives false estimates of the invalidity of the method in the case of the existence of the problem of multicollinearity. To overcome this problem, the Fuzzy Bridge Regression Estimator (FBRE) Method was relied upon to estimate a fuzzy linear regression model by triangular fuzzy numbers. Moreover, the detection of the problem of multicollinearity in the fuzzy data can be done by using Variance Inflation Factor when the inputs variable of the model crisp, output variable, and parameters are fuzzed. The results were compared usin

The problems of urban historic centers are considered some of the subjects which are widely dealt with in urban studies since the middle of the 20th century. literature of urban development have raised it , beside the fact that large number of urban development projects of the historical centers in many cities of the world ,and emerged from the application of these new problems projects added their original urban problems , because these projects have dealt with the physical structures with the neglect of the social and economic sides, which are the base in sustainable development nResearch problem was elaborated as : The unclearly of knowledge of the potentials of the sustainable development in solving the urban problems of historic cen