This study investigates the characterization and mechanical performance of Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) mixtures modified with two types of polymers: styrene–butadiene–styrene (SBS) and high-molecular-weight polyethylene (PE). Neat asphalt cement PG 64-16 was modified using a higher content of SBS and PE at concentrations of 6%, 7%, and 8% by weight of asphalt through the dry blending method to produce Highly Modified Asphalts (HiMA). The physical and rheological properties of the modified binders were evaluated using penetration, softening point, rotational viscosity, and dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) tests. Also, their phase compatibility and morphological changes were evaluated using the storage stability testing and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. The mechanical performance of the corresponding SMA mixtures was assessed through Marshall stability and flow, moisture susceptibility, crack tolerance index (CT-index), resilient modulus, and rutting resistance tests. Also, a mechanistic durability analysis was conducted using the KENLAYER software. Results indicated that both polymers enhanced the binder’s stiffness and high-temperature performance, with SBS exhibiting greater overall improvements. SBS-modified binders displayed a relatively low softening point difference (ΔT) of 5.1 °C to 5.8 °C, indicating good thermal stability and uniform polymer dispersion. In contrast, PE-modified binders exhibited significantly higher ΔT values, reaching 13.5 °C with 8% PE content, indicating a greater tendency toward phase separation. Moreover, Marshall stability improved substantially, increasing by 43% for 8% SBS-modified mixes and 28% for 8% PE-modified mixes compared to the neat SMA mix. Flow number (FN) results indicated enhanced rutting resistance, with FN values increasing by 2.45 times for SBS mixes and 2.1 times for PE mixes at 8% polymer content. Additionally, moisture susceptibility was significantly improved, as evidenced by the tensile strength ratio (TSR) values of 97% with 8% SBS and 92% with 8% PE, compared to 81% for the neat mix. Resilient modules increased notably, with a 38% rise for 8% SBS mixes and a 24% rise for 8% PE mixes, reflecting enhanced stiffness and load-bearing capacity. Also, the CT-index significantly improved, reaching values of 154 for the 8% SBS mix and 127 for the 8% PE-modified mix, compared to 86 for the neat mix, indicating enhanced resistance to cracking. Finally, both polymer-modified mixes demonstrated improved durability, where the 8% SBS mix exhibited the longest design life (21.66 years) and the highest number of allowable load repetitions (5.42 × 106), followed by 8% PE (13.98 years and 3.50 × 106 repetitions).
This work targeted studying organogel as a potential floating system. Organgel has an excellent viscoelastic properties, floating system posses a depot property. Different formulations of 12-hydroxyoctadecanoic acid (HOA) in sesame oil were gelled and selecting F1, F3 and F5 HOA organogels for various examinations: tabletop rheology, optical microscopy, and oscillatory rheology studies. Also, the floating properties studies were conducted at in vitro and in-vivo levels. Lastly, the in-vitro release study using cinnarizine (CN) was to investigate the organogel depot property. Based on the results, the selected concentrations of HOA in sesame oil organogels showed temperature transitions fr
... Show MoreBackground: This study aimed to evaluate the effect addition of polyester fibers on the some mechanical properties of heat cured acrylic resin (implant strength, flexural strength and hardness) Materials and methods: Ninety specimens were used in the study. Thirty specimens were used for impact strength measurements (80mm X 10mm X 4mm) length, width and thickness respectively. The specimens divided into three test groups (n=10), first group formed from heat cure acrylic resin without fiber reinforcement. Second group was formed from heat cure acrylic resin was reinforced with 2 mm length polyester fiber and third group was formed from heat cure acrylic resin reinforced with 4mm length polyester fiber, impact strength measured by impact test
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Predicting peterophysical parameters and doing accurate geological modeling which are an active research area in petroleum industry cannot be done accurately unless the reservoir formations are classified into sub-groups. Also, getting core samples from all wells and characterize them by geologists are very expensive way; therefore, we used the Electro-Facies characterization which is a simple and cost-effective approach to classify one of Iraqi heterogeneous carbonate reservoirs using commonly available well logs.
The main goal of this work is to identify the optimum E-Facies units based on principal components analysis (PCA) and model based cluster analysis(MC
... Show MoreAbstract: A home-made dc sputtering is characterized by cathode potential of 250-2500 V and sputtering gas pressures of (3.5×10-2 – 1.5) mbar. This paper studies in experiment the breakdown of argon, nitrogen, and oxygen in a uniform dc electric field at different discharge gaps and cathode potentials. Paschen curves for Argon, Nitrogen, and oxygen are obtained by measuring the breakdown voltage of gas within a stainless steel vacuum chamber with two planar, stainless steel electrodes. The Paschen curves in Ar, N2, and O2 gases show that the breakdown voltage between two electrodes is a function of pd (The product of the pressure inside the chamber and distance between the electrodes). Current-voltage characteristics visualization of the
... Show MoreThe study aims at measuring the dimensions of binding and non-binding social responsibility and its relation to the organizational performance in telecommunication companies in the Republic of Yemen using analytical descriptive approach and questionnaire as a main tool for data collection and comprehensive inventory method.
It has been found that there is a positive effect and significant moral relation between social responsibility with its binding and non-binding dimensions and the organizational performance of telecommunication companies in the Republic of Yemen at a level of significance below (0.05). It has also been found that the correlation between the non-binding social responsibilit
... Show MoreThis study has contributed to understanding a delayed prey-predator system involving cannibalism. The system is assumed to use the Holling type II functional response to describe the consuming process and incorporates the predator’s refuge against the cannibalism process. The characteristics of the solution are discussed. All potential equilibrium points have been identified. All equilibrium points’ local stability analyses for all time delay values are investigated. The system exhibits a Hopf bifurcation at the coexistence equilibrium, which is further demonstrated. The center manifold and normal form theorems for functional differential equations are then used to establish the direction of Hopf bifurcation and the stability of the per
... Show MoreThe azo ligand obtained from the diazotization reaction of 2-aminobenzothiazole and 4- nitroaniline yielded a novel series of complexes with Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) ions. The complexes were investigated using spectral techniques such as UV-Vis, FT-IR, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopic analyses, LC-MS and atomic absorption spectrometry, electrical conductivity, and magnetic susceptibility. The molar ratio of the synthesized compounds was determined using the ligand exchange ratio, which revealed the metal-ligand ratios in the isolated complexes were 1:2. The synthesized complexes were tested for antimicrobial activity against S. aureus, E. coli, C. albicans, and C. tropicalis bacterial species. Additionally, their binding affinities we
... Show MoreIn this work, thiadiazole derivatives were prepared by taking advantage of active sites in (2-amino-5-mercapto-1, 3, 4-thiadiazole) as a starting material base. The main heterocyclic compounds (1, 3, 4-thiadiazole, oxazole) etc, 2-amino-5-mercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole compound (1) was prepared by cyclic closure of thiosemicarbazide compound with anhydrous sodium carbonate and carbon disulfide. Oxidation of (1) via hydrogen peroxide, to have (2) which was treated with chloro acetyl chloride to get (3). Preparation of thiazole ring (4) was from reacting of (3) with thiourea. Synthesis of diazonium salts (5) from compound (4) using sodium nitrite and HCl. Compound (5) reacted with different ester compounds to prepare a new azo compounds (6–8).C
... Show MoreWater samples from a variety of sources in Kelantan, Malaysia (lakes, ponds, rivers, ditches, fish farms, and sewage) were screened for the presence of bacteriophages infecting