A ‘locking-bolt’ demountable shear connector (LBDSC) is proposed to facilitate the deconstruction and reuse of steel-concrete composite structures, in line with achieving a more sustainable construction design paradigm. The LBDSC is comprised of a grout-filled steel tube and a geometrically compatible partially threaded bolt. The latter has a geometry that ‘locks’ the bolt in compatible holes predrilled on the steel flange and eliminates initial slip and construction tolerance issues. The structural behaviour of the LBDSC is evaluated through nine pushout tests using a horizontal test setup. The effects of the tube thickness, strength of concrete slab, and strength of infilled grout on the shear resistance, initial stiffness, and ductility of the LBDSC are assessed. The experimental results show that the LBDSC can achieve higher shear resistance and similar initial stiffness as compared to traditional welded studs. In addition, all tested LBDSCs exhibited slip capacities ranging from 14 to 32 mm and can be classified as ductile shear connectors according to Eurocode 4. A detailed finite element model was also created and found to be reliable to reproduce the experimental behaviour. Parametric studies were subsequently conducted using the validated model to study further parameters and generalise the experimental results. Due to the specific test setup, non-negligible uplift forces were generated in the connector and the potential implications are discussed.
Objective: Comprehending microbial diversity and antibiotic resistance patterns is essential for efficient treatment protocols. This study sought to determine the incidence of bacterial and fungal pathogens responsible for burn and wound infections and their antibiotic susceptibility profiles. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 140 patients with burn or wound infections. Sterile swabs and pus aspiration were employed to collect samples, which were subsequently processed using standard microbiological procedures. Antibiotic resistance was determined using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method, following Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Data was analysed using IBM SPSS version 25.0, and the Chi-
... Show MoreBackground: Relapse of previously moved teeth, is major clinical problem in orthodontics with respect to the goals of successful treatment. This study investigated the effect of orthodontic relapse on the proliferation of fibroblast and epithelial rests of Malassez cells in periodontal ligament of rat molars. Materials and Methods: Sixteen ten-week- old male Wister rats were randomly divided into four groups composed of four animals each: Group I received no orthodontic force (control). In both Group II and Group III, uniform standardized expansive springs were used for moving the maxillary first molars buccally for periods of one and three weeks respectively. The spring initially generated an average expansive force of 20 g on each side.
... Show MoreThe sport of polo, the game of kings and sultans, is one of the traditional sports that has defied time throughout its long history. It has preserved its historical roots and been able to adapt to contemporary requirements, societal transformations, and temporal and spatial variables. It has moved from an aristocratic sport practiced as a form of entertainment to a professional competitive sport. It attracts many players and millions of viewers, so it is a living model of how sports develop and transform from a local tradition into global sports with organized rules managed by international institutions and with many championships worldwide. Through this, the research objectives were formulated, including exploring sports' origins. Polo in
... Show MoreThere are significant differences between the pre and post-tests in favor of the post-test in the tests) stroke volume (S.V), cardiac thrust (C.O.P), left ventricular volume, maximum oxygen consumption Vo2max), which indicates the effect of the proposed training approach.There are significant differences between the pre and post-tests in favor of the post-test in the achievement level test with air rifle shooting for young female shooters, which indicates the effect of the proposed training curriculum.There are no significant differences between the pre and post-tests in the tests (heart rate (HR) before exercise, heart rate (HR) after exercise, systolic blood pressure rate before exercise, systolic blood pressure rate after exercis
... Show MoreCustomers' creditworthiness standards are the key means employed by private commercial banks in assigning a suitable credit assessment for each customer. Accordingly, it had an instrumental role in indicating the degree of solvency of the potential customer before granting the required credit. The research problem reveals the nature of the relationship between the criteria of customer’s creditworthiness and banking liquidity. The most critical objectives of the study shed light on the role of using creditworthiness criteria as a tool for credit analysis of customers by banks that help reducing credit risks and thus increase banking liquidity. The questionnaire that was distributed to bank employees, the research sample, which w
... Show MoreThe TV plays an active role in building the general culture of the recipients, which calls for emphasizing its contemporary mission in rebuilding the values that support the development and modernization of diverse societies. Such importance is necessary to explore the challenges facing the cultural invasion, The space opening, which had its cultural returns to the societies, produced a space for alternative values and antagonisms in the cultures and traditions of these societies in the midst of a psychological / social conflict behind a clash with the peculiarities of Muslim societies. Cultural Adtha.
From these points of view, and because the universities are an important stage to announce the demands of the advocates of change and
Several million tons of solid waste are produced each year as a result of construction and demolition activities around the world, and brick waste is one of the most widely wastes. Recently, there has been growing number in studies that conducted on using of recycling brick waste (RBW) to produce environmentally friendly concrete. The use of brick waste (BW) as potential partial cement or aggregate replacement materials is summarized in this review where the performance is discussed in the form of the mechanical strength and properties that related to durability of concrete. It was found that, because the pozzolanic activity of clay brick powder, it can be utilized as substitute for cement in replacement level up to 10%. Whereas,
... Show MoreWorldwide, enormous amounts of waste cause major environmental issues, including scrap tires and plastic, and large waste, a consequence of the demolition of buildings, including crushed concrete, crushed clay bricks, and crushed thermo-stone. From that point, it’s possible to consider that the recycling processes for these materials and using them in the manufacturing field will reduce the adverse effects on the environment of these wastes and the consumption of natural resources. Sustainable concrete blocks can be considered as one of the products produced by using these materials as partial volume replacement of the coarse, fine aggregate, or cement content, considering their dry density, workability, absorption, co
... Show MoreBackground: Vitamin D deficiency/ insufficiency is common in different age groups in both genders especially among pregnant women and neonates where it is associated with several adverse outcomes including preeclampsia and preterm delivery. Objectives: To assess the extent of vitamin D deficiency/ insufficiency among mothers and their neonates and some factors related to it and identify some adverse outcomes of the deficiency/ insufficiency on neonates (preterm birth and low birth weight). Subject and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 88 Iraqi pregnant women and neonates admitted to “Al-Elwiya teaching hospital for maternity” in Baghdad- Al-Rusafah from 1st of June 2019 to 31st of August 2019. Dat
... Show MoreIn their cross-sectional study, Al-Rubaye et al studied the extent of vitamin D (VD) deficiency/ insufficiency, factors affecting its degree, and the adverse outcomes of the altered VD status among a group of mothers and their neonates from Baghdad, Iraq. They found that 96.6% of the mothers had VD deficiency/ insufficiency compared to 86.4% in their neonates. Maternal VD levels and neonatal weights were significantly correlated with neonatal VD levels. We believe that the study results need to be revised. This is based two points listed in this letter to editor