In this research, experimental and numerical studies were carried out to investigate the performance of encased glass-fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) beams under fire. The test specimens were divided into two peer groups to be tested under the effect of ambient and elevated temperatures. The first group was statically tested to investigate the monotonic behavior of the specimens. The second group was exposed to fire loading first and then statically tested to explore the residual behavior of the burned specimens. Adding shear connectors and web stiffeners to the GFRP beam was the main parameter in this investigation. Moreover, service loads were applied to the tested beams during the fire. Utilizing shear connectors, web stiffeners, and both enhanced the load-carrying capacities of the encased beams by 100.6%, 97.3%, and 130.8%, respectively. Comparisons between the burned and unburned peer beams were presented with losses in the load-carrying capacity of the burned beams. These losses were the highest in the cases of shear connectors and web stiffeners due to the obtained severe damage, which led to more reductions in the residual behavior of the burned beams. Numerical analyses were performed using the general-purpose finite element (FE) ABAQUS package to conduct a parametric study. The investigated parameters included the effect of the exposure duration and the temperature level. The results of the FE analysis showed good agreement with the experimental results. Additional reductions in the residual capacities of the fire-damaged beams were observed due to exposure to longer fire durations. The improvements in the beam capacities due to using shear connectors and web stiffeners relative to the reference beams under the same exposure time decreased as the exposure duration increased. Furthermore, increasing the temperature to 700 °C, 800 °C, 900 °C, and 950 °C caused reductions in the residual capacities by about 25%, 45%, 70%, and 80%, respectively, for the encased beams in comparison to their peers at ambient temperature.
In this study, the use of non-thermal plasma theory to remove toxic gases emitted from a vehicle was experimentally investigated. A non-thermal plasma reactor was constructed in the form of a cylindrical tube made of Pyrex glass. Two stainless steel rods were placed inside the tube to generate electric discharge and plasma condition, by connecting with a high voltage power supply (up to 40 kV). The reactor was used to remove the contaminants of a 1.25-liter 4-cylinder engine at ambient conditions. Several tests have been carried out for a ranging speed from 750 to 4,500 rpm of the engine and varying voltages from 0 to 32 kV. The gases entering the reactor were examined by a gas analyzer and the gases concentration ratio
... Show MoreConvection heat transfer in a horizontal channel provided with metal foam blocks of two numbers of pores per unit of length (10 and 40 PPI) and partially heated at a constant heat flux is experimentally investigated with air as the working fluid. A series of experiments have been carried out under steady state condition. The experimental investigations cover the Reynolds number range from 638 to 2168, heat fluxes varied from 453 to 4462 W/m2, and Darcy number 1.77x10-5, 3.95x10-6. The measured data were collected and analyzed. Results show that the wall temperatures at each heated section are affected by the imposed heat flux variation, Darcy number, and Reynolds number variation. The var
... Show MoreThe earth-air heat exchanger (EHX) has a promising potential to passively save the energy consumption of traditional air conditioning systems while maintaining a high degree of indoor comfort. The use of EHX systems for air conditioning in commercial and industrial settings offers several environmental benefits and is capable of operating in both standalone and hybrid modes. This study tests the performance and effectiveness of an EHX design in a sandy soil area in Baghdad, Iraq. The area has a climate of the subtropical semi-humid type. Ambient air temperatures and soil temperatures were recorded throughout the months of 2021. During the months of January and June, the temperatures of the inlet and outflow air at varying air veloci
... Show MoreTheoretical and experimental investigations of the transient heat transfer parameters of constant heat flux source subjected to water flowing in the downward direction in closed channel are conducted. The power increase transient is ensured by step change increase in the heat source power. The theoretical investigation involved a mathematical modeling for axially symmetric, simultaneously developing laminar water flow in a vertical annulus. The mathematical model is based on one dimensional downward flow. The boundary conditions of the studied case are based on adiabatic outer wall, while the inner wall is subjected to a constant heat flux. The heat & mass balance equation derived for specified element of bulk water within the annulu
... Show MoreBackground: Most adult smokers start smoking regularly some time before 18 years of age. Cigarette smoking is a major ‘preventable’ cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is well-known that smoking has hazardous effect on many systems like pulmonary and cardiovascular system.
Objectives: Study the prevalence of smoking among school pupils according to the mode of smoking, age, school grade, school environment and possible health risk associated with smoking. Type of the study: A cross-sectional study.
Methods: Study was conducted between 1st of March 2014 to 30th of May 2014 at Al-Doura/Al- Kurkh/Baghdad by using convenient sample, including all pupils from 6 schools. The schools were 2 secondary schools, 3 in
... Show MoreObjectives: The study aims to (1) Assess the parents' efficacy for child healthy weight behavior. (2) Identify the difference in parents’ efficacy for child healthy weight behavior between the groups of parent’s gender, family’s socioeconomic status, child’s gender, and child’s birth order, (3) Find out the relationship between parents’ age, child’s age, child’s body mass index, family’s socioeconomic status, the number of children in the family and parents’ efficacy for child healthy weight behavior.
Methodology: A descriptive correlational study is conducted for the period from November 11th, 2018 to March 25th, 2019 to assess the parents' efficacy for child healthy weight behavior. The study was carried-out in (
In this study, the response and behavior of machine foundations resting on dry and saturated sand was investigated experimentally. A physical model was manufactured to simulate steady state harmonic load at different operating frequencies. The effect of relative density, depth of embedment, foundation area as well as the imposed harmonic load was investigated. It was found that the amplitude of displacement of the foundation increases with increasing the amplitude of dynamic force and operating frequency meanwhile it decreases with increasing the relative density of sand, degree of saturation, depth of embedment and contact area of footing. The maximum displacement was noticed at 33.34 to 41.67 Hz. The maximum displacement amplitude respons
... Show MoreIn this study, the response and behavior of machine foundations resting on dry and saturated sand was investigated experimentally. A physical model was manufactured to simulate steady state harmonic load at different operating frequencies. The effect of relative density, depth of embedment, foundation area as well as the imposed harmonic load was investigated. It was found that the amplitude of displacement of the foundation increases with increasing the amplitude of dynamic force and operating frequency meanwhile it decreases with increasing the relative density of sand, degree of saturation, depth of embedment and contact area of footing. The maximum displacement was noticed at 33.34 to 41.67 Hz. The maximum displaceme
... Show MoreRecently, wireless communication environments with high speeds and low complexity have become increasingly essential. Free-space optics (FSO) has emerged as a promising solution for providing direct connections between devices in such high-spectrum wireless setups. However, FSO communications are susceptible to weather-induced signal fluctuations, leading to fading and signal weakness at the receiver. To mitigate the effects of these challenges, several mathematical models have been proposed to describe the transition from weak to strong atmospheric turbulence, including Rayleigh, lognormal, Málaga, Nakagami-m, K-distribution, Weibull, Negative-Exponential, Inverse-Gaussian, G-G, and Fisher-Snedecor F distributions. This paper extensive
... Show More