The conception and experimental assessment of a removable friction-based shear connector (FBSC) for precast steel-concrete composite bridges is presented. The FBSC uses pre-tensioned high-strength steel bolts that pass through countersunk holes drilled on the top flange of the steel beam. Pre-tensioning of the bolts provides the FBSC with significant frictional resistance that essentially prevents relative slip displacement of the concrete slab with respect to the steel beam under service loading. The countersunk holes are grouted to prevent sudden slip of the FBSC when friction resistance is exceeded. Moreover, the FBSC promotes accelerated bridge construction by fully exploiting prefabrication, does not raise issues relevant to precast construction tolerances, and allows rapid bridge disassembly to drastically reduce the time needed to replace any deteriorating structural component (e.g., the bridge deck). A series of 11 push-out tests highlight why the novel structural details of the FBSC result in superior shear load-slip displacement behavior compared to welded shear studs. The paper also quantifies the effects of bolt diameter and bolt preload and presents a design equation to predict the shear resistance of the FBSC.
Expansive soils are recognized by their swelling potential upon wetting due to the existence of some clay minerals such as montmorillonite. An effective solution was found to avoid the danger of such soils by using piles. A single pile embedded in an elasto-plastic expansive soil has been analyzed by using one of the available software which is ABAQUS to investigate the effect of applied loads on pile’s top and investigate the effect of swelling soils on load carrying capacity of the pile. The result shows that as the pile is axially loaded at its top, the axial force along the pile gradually changes from (tension) to (compression) and the pile tends to move downward. The applied load needed to initiate pile’s settlement depend
... Show MoreMatching between wind site characteristics and wind turbine characteristics for three selected sites in Iraq was carried out. Site-turbine matching for potential wind power application in Iraq has not yet been well reported on. Thus, in this study, five years’ wind speed data for sites located in Baghdad (33.34N, 44.40E), Nasiriyah (31.05N, 46.25E), and Basrah (30.50N, 47.78E) were collected. A full wind energy analysis based on the measured data, Weibull distribution function, and wind turbine characteristics was made. A code developed using MATLAB software was used to analyse the wind energy and wind turbines models. The primary objective was to achieve a standard wind turbine-site matching based on the capacity factor. Another matching
... Show MoreExpired drug Metoclopramide was investigated as an antibacterial corrosion inhibitor for carbon steel in 0.5M H3PO4 solution using the electrochemical method at 30oC and 60oC. The results showed that this drug is an efficient inhibitor for carbon steel and the efficiency reached to 82.244 % for 175 ppm at 30oC and 76.146% for 225 ppm at 60oC. The adsorption of drug on carbon steel surface follows Langmuir adsorption isotherm with small values of adsorption-desorption constant. The polarization plots revealed that Metoclopramide acts as mixed-type inhibitor. Some parameters of inhibition process were calculated and discussed. The surface morphology of the carbon steel speci
... Show MoreOrganic soil is problematic soils in geotechnical engineering due to its properties, as it is characterized by high compressibility and low bearing capacity. Therefore, several geotechnical techniques tried to stabilize and improve this soil type. In this study, sodium silicate was used to stabilize sand dune columns. The best sodium silicate concentration (9%) was used, and the stabilized sand dune columns were cured for seven days. The results for this soil were extracted using a numerical analysis program (Plaxis 3D, 2020).In the case of studying the effect of (L/D) (where ‘’L” and ‘’D’’ length and diameter of sand dune columns) of a single column of sand dunes stabilized with sodium silicate with a diff
... Show MoreSteganography art is a technique for hiding information where the unsuspicious cover signal carrying the secret information. Good steganography technique must be includes the important criterions robustness, security, imperceptibility and capacity. The improving each one of these criterions is affects on the others, because of these criterions are overlapped each other. In this work, a good high capacity audio steganography safely method has been proposed based on LSB random replacing of encrypted cover with encrypted message bits at random positions. The research also included a capacity studying for the audio file, speech or music, by safely manner to carrying secret images, so it is difficult for unauthorized persons to suspect
... Show MoreThe placement of buildings and structures on/or adjacent to slopes is possible, but this poses a danger to the structure due to failures that occur in slopes. Therefore, a solution or improvement should be determined for these issues of the collapse of the structure as a result of the failure of the slopes. A laboratory model has been built to test the impact of some variables on the bearing capacity factor. The variables include the magnitude of static axial load applied at the center of footing, the depth of embedment, the spacing between geogrid reinforcement layer and the numbering of the geogrid sheet under the footing, the inclination angle of slope clayey soil (β), the spacing between the footing's edge and the slope's end (b/H). Th
... Show MoreWith the increase in industry and industrial products, quantities of waste have increased worldwide, especially plastic waste, as plastic pollution is considered one of the wastes of the modern era that threatens the environment and living organisms. On this basis, a solution must be found to use this waste and recycle it safely so that it does not threaten the environment. Therefore, this research used plastic waste as an improvement material for clay soil. In this research, two types of tests were conducted, the first of which was a laboratory test, where the undrained shear strength (cohesion), compression index (Cc), and swelling index (Cr) of the improved and unimproved soils were calculated (plastic was added in pr
... Show MoreThe rising prevalence of obesity-related glomerulopathy (ORG) occurs in accordance with the rising prevalence of obesity worldwide. Clinically ORG is manifested by slowly progressing microalbuminuria that may develop to clinically evident proteinuria. Pathological characteristics of ORG include glomerular hypertrophy in the presence or absence of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). ORG can develop into clinically overt chronic renal insufficiency or even end-stage kidney disease. This article reviews the most important mechanisms for the development of ORG; that are abnormal renal hemodynamics, stimulation of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), impairment of insulin sensetivity, ectopic lipid deposition, adipose tissue cy
... Show MoreBackground: There are so many evidences that there was antimicrobial resistance, and there were many strains that emerged which were difficult to treat. We are living in a situation that the dissemination of multiple drug resistant bacteria can lead us to the situation, in which no treatment could be offered for bacterial infection in future.
Aim of study: Assessment of nurses’ knowledge, attitude, and practices on antibiotic use and resistance in Fatima Al Zahra hospital in Baghdad.
Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study. The study was carried on from 1st of February to 31st of March 2021. A questionnaire was constructed by the research team based on literature review and was adapted to asses
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