Reflection cracking in asphalt concrete (AC) overlays is a common form of pavement deterioration that occurs when underlying cracks and joints in the pavement structure propagate through an overlay due to thermal and traffic-induced movement, ultimately degrading the pavement’s lifespan and performance. This study aims to determine how alterations in overlay thickness and temperature conditions, the incorporation of chopped fibers, and the use of geotextiles influence the overlay’s capacity to postpone the occurrence of reflection cracking. To achieve the above objective, a total of 36 prism specimens were prepared and tested using an overlay testing machine (OTM). The variables considered in this study were the thickness of the overlay (40, 50, and 60 mm), temperature (20, 30, and 40 °C), mix type (reference mix and mix modified with 10% chopped fibers by weight of asphalt cement), and the inclusion of geotextile fabric at two positions (one-third of the depth from the base and at the bottom). The research outcomes revealed that a decreased temperature and thicker overlay led to a higher resistance to crack initiation and full propagation, as indicated by the values of critical fracture energy (Gc) and crack progression rate (CPR). Furthermore, the study observed the enhanced crack resistance of overlays in the presence of geotextiles, whether at the bottom or one-third of the depth from the bottom, with superior performance of the former. Despite a slight enhancement in certain properties, the incorporation of chopped fibers in the overlays did not substantially improve the overall performance compared to the reference specimens. Overall, the study provides valuable insights into the variables that influence the ability of AC overlays to mitigate reflection cracking. These findings will aid engineers and designers in making informed decisions regarding overlay design and construction.
Many isolated rural communities are located in regions where there is an abundant and reliable supply of solar energy, but where the distance to the nearest power station is many tens or even hundreds of kilometre. It is therefore mainly in these areas that rural electrification is now being provided by PV generators. since Stand-Alone PV generator can offer the most cost-effective and reliable option for providing power needed in remote places. Accordingly these isolated rural canters are fitted with PV for lighting, a refrigerator, a television and socket to supply kitchen appliances
The present paper addresses cultivation of Chlorella vulgaris microalgae using airlift photobioreactor that sparged with 5% CO 2 /air. The experimental data were compared with that obtained from bioreactor aerated with air and unsparged bioreactor. The results showed that the concentration of biomass is 0.36 g l -1 in sparged bioreactor with CO2/air, while, the concentration of biomass reached to 0.069 g l -1 in the unsparged bioreactor. They showed also that aerated ioreactor.with CO2/air gives more biomass production even the bioreactor was aerated with air. This study proved that application of sparging system for ultivation of Chlorella vulgaris microalgae using either CO2/air mixture or air has a significant
... Show MoreThe effective insulation design of the stress grading (SG) system in form-wound stator coils is essential for preventing partial discharges and excessive heat generation under pulse-width modulation excitation. This paper proposes a method to find the optimal insulation design of the SG system aimed at reducing the dielectric and thermal stresses in the machine coil. The non-uniform transmission line model is used to predict the voltage propagation along the overhang, SG, and slot regions considering the variation in the physical properties of the insulation layers. The machine coil parameters for different insulation materials are calculated by using the finite element method. Two optimization algorithms, fmincon and particle swarm optimiz
... Show MoreHypertension is identified as one of the most significant risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). There is growing evidence showing that oxidative stress plays a major role in hypertension. Increased production of reactive oxygen species and decrease bioavailability of antioxidant have been demonstrated in experimental and human hypertension. The present study was directed to determine the beneficial effect of the antioxidant vitamin C in patients with essential hypertension treated with the calcium channel blocker (amlodipine) or with the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (enalapril). Ninety six patients (50 females and 46 males) with essential hyp
... Show MoreCoronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in United State (U.S.). Controlling of modifiable risk factors such as smoking, hypertension (HT), diabetes mellitus (D.M.), dyslipidemia, physical inactivity & obesity will prevent other serious cardiovascular complications
Transgenic plants offer advantages for the manufacture of recombinant proteins with terminal
mannose residues on their glycan chains. So plants are chosen as source of pharmaceutical products and for
the development of alternative expression systems to produce recombinant lysosomal enzymes. In the
present study the sequence of the natural cDNA encoding for the human lysosomal enzyme
glucocerebrosidase (GCD) was modified to enhance its expression in soybean plants. The glucocerebrosidase
gene signal peptide was substituted with that signal peptide for the Arabidopsis thaliana basic endochitinase
gene to support the co-translational translocation into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and the storage
vacuol