This paper aims to investigate the flexural behavior of reinforced concrete beams considering fire resistance by adding Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregates (LECA) to the concrete mix as partial coarse aggregate replacement. LECA is a type of porous clay with a uniform pore structure with fine, closed cells and hard, tightly sintered skin. The experimental work comprised four reinforced self-compacted concrete beams. All the specimens were identical in their geometrical layout of 1600×240×200 mm, reinforcement details, and support condition (simply supported). For all the beams, the main reinforcement was provided by two bars, each having a diameter of 12 mm, while a bar of 6 mm diameter was employed for the top and shear reinforcement. Each beam had a different replacement ratio of LECA for coarse aggregates (0, 10, 20, and 30%). All the specimens were tested under static two concentrated loads after being exposed to the fire of steady-state temperature (500 oC), 1 hr duration, and sudden cooling process. The results showed that adding LECA reduced the number and width of the generated cracks due to fire and reduced the deterioration of the ultimate load capacity and beam rigidity (stiffness).
Humanity is confronted with a growing array of environmental challenges that demand immediate attention and cannot be disregarded. One of the issues the world faces is air pollution, which presents a significant risk to both the environment and human well-being. The capitalist system has a great impact on the exacerbation of air pollution and environmental deterioration. This impact is reflected in Caryl Churchill’s post-apocalyptic play Not Not Not Not Not Enough Oxygen (1971). The play presents a futuristic scenario in which humanity faces grave consequences due to the polluting practices of capitalism and the unsustainable exploitation of natural resources. It depicts a future in which environmental degradation drives people
... Show MoreABSTRACT. A new three metal complexes of La(III), Ce(IV) and UO2(II) ions have been synthesized based on a Schiff base derived from the condensation of L-histidine and anisaldehyde. All prepared compounds were characterized by different spectroscopic techniques and Density-functional theory (DFT) calculations. The complexes were proposed to have an octahedral structure based on the investigated results. The optimized shape, numbering system, and dipole moment vector of Ligand and La, Ce, and UO2 (1:1) chelates were investigated. The Schiff base ligand and complexes exhibit moderate action against all of the bacteria tested, with P. aeruginosa, Klebsiella sp., and E. faecalis respectively being the order of inhibition.
... Show MoreThe behavior corrosion inhibition of aluminum alloy (Al6061) in acidic (0.1 M HCl) and saline (3.5% NaCl) solutions was investigated in the absence and the presence of expired diclofenac sodium drug (DSD) as a corrosion inhibitor. The influence of temperature and was studied using electrochemical techniques. In addition, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to study the surface morphology. The results showed that DSD acted as a powerful inhibitor in acidic solutions, while a moderate influence was observed with saline one. Maximum inhibition efficiency was 99.99 and 83.32% in acidic and saline solutions at 150 ppm of DSD, respectively. Corrosion current density that obtained using electrochemical technique was increased with temperat
... Show MoreIn addition to the primary treatment, biological treatment is used to reduce inorganic and organic components in the wastewater. The separation of biomass from treated wastewater is usually important to meet the effluent disposal requirements, so the MBBR system has been one of the most important modern technologies that use plastic tankers to transport biomass with wastewater, which works in pure biofilm, at low concentrations of suspended solids. However, biological treatment has been developed using the active sludge mixing process with MBBR. Turbo4bio was established as a sustainable and cost-effective solution for wastewater treatment plants in the early 1990s and ran on minimal sludge, and is easy to maintain. This
... Show MoreAl2O3 and Al2O3–Al composite coatings were deposited on steel specimens using Oxy-acetylene gas thermal spray gun. Alumina was mixed with Aluminum in six groups of concentrations (0, 5, 10,12,15 and 20% ) Al2O3, Specimens were tested for corrosion using Potentiodynamic polarization technique. Further tests were conducted for the effect of temperature on polarization curve and the hardness tests for the coated specimens. At first, Modelling was carried out using MINITAB-19, least square method, as a 2nd degree nonlinear model, bad results were achieved because of the high nonlinearity. Better result w
Water has a great self-generating capacity that can neutralize the polluting interventions carried out by humans. However, if human activities continue this uncontrolled and unsustainable exploitation of this resource, this regenerating capacity shall fail and it will be jeopardized definitively. Shatt Al-Arab River in South of Iraq. It has an active role in providing water for irrigation, industry, domestic use and a commercial gateway to Iraq. in the last five years Shatt Al-Arab suffered from a rise in pollutants due to the severe decline in sewage networks, irregular networks and pesticide products, as well as the outputs of factories and companies that find their way to water sou
Natural Bauxite (BXT) mineral clay was modified with a cationic surfactant (hexadecy ltrimethy lammonium bromide (BXT-HDTMA)) and characterized with different techniques: FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The modified and natural bauxite (BXT) were used as adsorbents for the adsorption of 4- Chlorophenol (4-CP) from aqueous solutions. The adsorption study was carried out at different conditions and parameters: contact time, pH value, adsorbent dosage and ionic strength. The adsorption kinetic (described by a pseudo-first order and a pseudo-second order), equilibrium experimental data (analyzed by Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherm models) and thermodynamic parameters (change in s
... Show MoreIn order to investigate the presence of methicillin or multidrug resistant Staphylococcus aureus in food-chain especially Cows raw milk and white raw soft cheese and its whey, a total of 30 samples were collected randomly from different markets in Baghdad Province during December 2012 till February 2013, in which samples were analyzed by a standard isolation protocols of food microbiology with some modification processing by new, modern and rapid technology tools such as chromogenic medium Baird-Parker agar, Electronic RapIDTM Staph Plus Code Compendium Panel System (ERIC®) Dryspot Staphytect Plus and Penicillin Binding Protein (PBP2') Plus assays; as well as, studying the susceptibility of isolates to different selected antibiotics. The r
... Show MoreThis paper tries to understand the poetic reference in the images of woman, she-camel, horse and their manifestations in Tarafah-ibnulAbd's poetry. There has got my attention the fact that these three images have their own distinct taste which is characterised by a clear rhythm, let alone the lively nature that is filled with liveliness and activity to be in harmony with the poet's youth. For these three images represented the best manifestations of his psychological and artistic poetics. The paper adopts an artistic analysis to arrive at the psychological aspects of these experiences-the woman, the she-camel, and the horse- and to understand the functions of their images and symbolic reference.