The aim of this investigation is to determine how different weight percentages of alumina nanoparticles, including 0.02, 0.04, and 0.06 percent wt, affect the physical characteristics of Poly Acrylamide (PAAM). Using a hot plate magnetic stirrer, 10 g of poly acrylamide powder was dissolved in 90 g of di-ionized distillate water for 4 hours to produce PAAM with a concentration of 0.11 g/ml. Four sections of the resulting solution, each with a volume of 20 ml, were created. Each solution was added independently with alumina nanoparticles in different ratios 0.0, 0.02, 0.04, and 0.06 to create four nano fluid solutions with different alumina nanoparticle contents based on each weight percent. The hand casting process for nanocomposites samples, which entailed pouring the prepared solution into an appropriate plastic mold, allowing it to cure for 24 hours, and then cutting the resulting thin film according to each test, was used to create the nano composited membranes. The tensile test was used to study tensile strength, Young's modulus, elongation, and toughness. Additionally, a test using Fourier transition infrared radiation (FTIR) was conducted to examine the chemical and physical connections between polyacrylamide and alumina nanoparticles. The morphology of the materials was examined using scan electron microscopy. The contact angles of samples were tested to limit the hydrophilicity behavior of these samples. To control the hydrophilicity behavior of these samples, the contact angles of the samples were evaluated. The results showed that including alumina nanoparticles into the PAAM matrix improves the mechanical characteristics of the resulting nanocomposites. Tensile strength increases from 1 GPa to 2.5 GPa with an increase in alumina nanoparticle content from 0 to 0.06 percent wt. For the same prior ratios, Young's modulus likewise increased, rising from 1.3 to 2 GPa. For the higher weight ratio of alumina nanoparticles (0.04 percent wt), toughness rises to 240 J/cm2. On the other hand, the addition of alumina nanoparticles increased the PAAM surface's contact angle from 55 degrees to 67 degrees, and it exhibited hydrophilic behavior
This study expands the state of the art in studies that assess torsional retrofit of reinforced concrete (RC) multi-cell box girders with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) strips. The torsional behavior of non-damaged and pre-damaged RC multi-cell box girder specimens externally retrofitted by CFRP strips was investigated through a series of laboratory experiments. It was found that retrofitting the pre-damaged specimens with CFRP strips increased the ultimate torsional capacity by more than 50% as compared to the un-damaged specimens subjected to equivalent retrofitting. This indicated that the retrofit has been less effective for the girder specimen that did not develop distortion beforehand as a result of pre-loading. From
... Show MoreGeotechnical engineers have always been concerned with the stabilization of slopes. For this purpose,
various methods such as retaining walls, piles, and geosynthetics may be used to increase the safety factor of slopes prone to failure. The application of stone columns may also be another potential alternative for slope stabilization. Such columns have normally been used for cohesive soil improvement. Most slope analysis and design is based on deterministic approach i.e a set of single valued design parameter are adopted and a set of single valued factor of safety (FOS) is determined. Usually the FOS is selected in view of the understanding and knowledge of the material parameters, the problem geometry, the method of analysis and the
Reinforced concrete (RC) slabs strengthened with carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) and subjected to flexural actions may experience many types of failure, including FRP debonding, FRP rupture and concrete crushing. Of these different types of failure modes, FRP debonding stands out as the most predominant type of failure because of its dependence on the relatively weak bond interface between the soffit of the RC member and the FRP sheet attached to it. Many anchorage systems have been developed to enhance the performance of strengthened systems, one of which is the hybrid anchor, which combines the effects of patch anchors and spike anchors. Hybrid anchors have shown significant enhancement when used with RC members subjected to shear
... Show MoreA series of experiments have been taken out to test the validity of the effect of Aluminum hydrate on its interaction with Aluminum during sintering of aluminum metal matrix. The approach has been shown to be valid and several compositions have been fabricated. The alumina hydrate particle size and the amount of alumina hydrate in the composites are also shown to have an influence on the extent of densification.
The densities for all sintered specimens were measured. It was found that density increases as compaction pressure increases, the density decreases as particles size increases. At 400 MPa there is an optimum particles size which is (90-125) µm to reach maximum density and the density decreases as volume fraction increase
... Show MoreConcrete filled steel tube (CFST) columns are being popular in civil engineering due to their superior structural characteristics. This paper investigates enhancement in axial behavior of CFST columns by adding steel fibers to plain concrete that infill steel tubes. Four specimens were prepared: two square columns (100*100 mm) and two circular columns (100 mm in diameter). All columns were 60 cm in length. Plain concrete mix and concrete reinforced with steel fibers were used to infill steel tube columns. Ultimate axial load capacity, ductility and failure mode are discussed in this study. The results showed that the ultimate axial load capacity of CFST columns reinforced with steel fibers increased by 28% and 20 % for circular and square c
... Show MoreThis study reveals the results of a numerical simulation performed using the ABAQUS/CAE finite element program. The study aimed to provide a simulation model that can forecast the shear behavior of reinforced concrete beams confined with reinforcing meshes. Limited numerical studies have been conducted using geogrid or FRP mesh as shear reinforcement, with limited representation accuracy and limited material quality. The results were compared to published experimental findings in the literature. The finding of the finite element model and the experimental results were highly comparable; consequently, the model was determined to be valid. Following this, the domain of numerical analyses was broadened to include the investigation of m
... Show MoreThis paper presents an analytical study on the serviceability of reinforced concrete gable roof beams with openings of different sizes, based on an experimental study which includes 13 concrete gable roof beams with openings under static loading. For deflection and crack widths under static loading at service stage, a developed unified calculation procedure has been submitted, which includes prismatic beams with one opening subjected to flexure concentrated force. The deflection has been calculated with two methods: the first method calculated deflections via relevant equations and the second was Direct Stiffness Method in which the beam is treated as a structural member with several segments constituting the portions with solid sec
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