In this study, the response of ten composite post-tensioned concrete beams topped by a reinforced concrete deck with adequate reinforcing shear connectors is investigated. Depending on the concrete compressive strength of the deck slab (20, 30, and 40 MPa), beams are grouped into three categories. Seven of these beams are exposed to a fire attack of 700 and 800 °C temperature simultaneously with or without the presence of a uniformly distributed sustained static loading. After cooling back to ambient temperature, these composite beams are loaded up to failure, using a force control module, by monotonic static loading in a four-point-bending setup with two symmetrical concentrated loads applied in the middle third of the effective span. The objectives of this study include investigating the behavior of the composite prestressed concrete beams under and after the exposure to a direct fire flame, as well as finding their residual load-carrying capacity. Tests demonstrate significant deteriorations caused by exposure to high temperatures associated with the increase of the member’s camber. The increase of the midspan camber after heating exposure reached approximately 200%. On the other hand, the 1-h steady-state exposure of test specimens to temperatures of 700 and 800 °C led to reduce the load-carrying capacity of the heat-deteriorated beams up to 45% and 54%, respectively.
Covalent modification of protein by drugs may disrupt self-tolerance, leading to lymphocyte activation. Until now, determination of the threshold required for this process has not been possible. Therefore, we performed quantitative mass spectrometric analyses to define the epitopes formed in tolerant and hypersensitive patients taking the β-lactam antibiotic piperacillin and the threshold required for T cell activation. A hydrolyzed piperacillin hapten was detected on four lysine residues of human serum albumin (HSA) isolated from tolerant patients. The level of modified Lys541 ranged from 2.6 to 4.8%. Analysis of plasma from hypersensitive patients revealed the same pattern and leve
Stealthy intracellular bacterial pathogens are known to establish persistent and sometimes lifelong infections. Some of these pathogens also have a tropism for the reproductive system, thereby increasing the risk of reproductive disease and infertility. To date, the pathogenic mechanism involved remains poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that
This experimental research was conducted to quantify the combined effect of the external bonded Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) plate width and prestressing on the flexural performance of reinforced concrete (RC) beams in terms of strength improvement. Seven beams (one control and six strengthened) were subjected to two-point loading tests. The experimental methodology consisted of the testing of three different widths of the CFRP plates (25, 40, and 60 mm) in non-prestressed and prestressed conditions. Prestressing was accomplished by tensioning the plates to 23% of the CFRP tensile strength using a novel, locally developed mechanical anchorage system, which is one of the key experimental contributions that distinguishes thi
... Show MoreBackground: Dental caries is one of the most significant problems in world health care. Restoring carious primary teeth is one of the major treatment goals for Children, and the light activated resin restoration materials like composite, resin-modified glass ionomer and polyacid-modified which was introduced in dentistry in 1970, widely used in clinical dentistry but its application increased dramatically in recent years because of its biocompatibility, color matching, good adhesive properties of its resemblance in physical and mechanical aspects to tooth. The aim of this study: To evaluate the microleakage of Polyacid-Modified Composite resin Compared to Flowable Hybrid Composite and Resin-Modified Glass ionomer cement. Materials and me
... Show MoreThe Maxwell equations have been formulated for a composite slab waveguide at x-band wave propagation. The eigenvalues of the system equations are obtained by using MATLAB program. These eigenvalues are used to obtain the wave propagation constant and a number of modes inside the slabs. A good correspondence was seen between the number of modes and the cut off thickness. The parameter that affects the performance of waveguide is the slab thickness. The propagation constant is usually adopted to characterize this type of waveguide and show how the cutoff frequency of the mode in the slab is increased dramatically by decreasing the frequency.
Our study focused on lower modes, the results for the transmission coefficient are then used to
Interest has largely centered on the use of plant fibers to reinforce plastics, because these fibers are abundant and cheap. Carrot fibers (Curran) have been extracted from carrot, left over from carrot juice manufacture. The fibers of two sizes fine (50<µm) and coarse (100-150 µm) have been mixed with epoxy in four levels of loading (10, 20, 30, 40 wt %) respectively. Impact test, shore d hardness test and three point bending test of epoxy and carrot fiber-epoxy composites samples have been determined. The impact strength values of samples prepared with fine and coarse fibers increased as compared with pure epoxy sample. Hardness values increased, and the Young’s modulus values decreased with fiber content of both sizes.
This research aims to investigate the thermal performance of different thermal composite insulators, wrapped around a closed-loop copper pipe (CLP). To achieve this aim a system was designed and manufactured. It is consisted of closed water tank insulated by Rock Wool, and supplied with two electric heaters, two thermostat, a flow meter, a water pump, digital temperature scales, and four series of (CLP).
Six insulators were prepared namely; composites of Impregnated Fiberglass with Elastoclad and foaming Rubber (FER), Impregnated Fiberglass with Elastoclad resin and Polymeric Membrane (FEM), Impregnated Fiberglass with Polyurethane thermoset resin and Foaming Rubber (FUR), Impregnated Fiberglass with Polyurethane thermoset resin and P