The moisture sorption isotherms of Mefenamic acid tablets were investigated by measuring the experimental equilibrium moisture content (EMC) using the static method of saturated salt solutions at three temperatures (25, 35, and 45°C) and water activity range from 0.056 to 0.8434. The results showed that EMC increased when relative humidity increased and the sorption capacity decreased, the tablets became less hygroscopic and more stable when the temperature increased at constant water activity. The sorption curves had a sigmoid shape, type II according to Brunauer’s classification. The hysteresis effect was significant along with the whole sorption process. The results were fitted to three models: Oswin, Smith, and Guggenhein - Anderson and de Boer. According to the fitting results, the GAB model was the most appropriate model to describe the sorption behavior of Mefenamic acid; it had a regression coefficient range (0.9803-0.994), %E (0.69-4.06), and low values of SEE (0.85-2.2). The monolayer moisture content was calculated using the GAB model and it was concluded that the tablets should be stored at moisture content equal or slightly higher than (0.2046, 0.1843, and 0.1437 %) for desorption and (0.2073, 0.1269, and 0.1452 %) for adsorption for the three temperatures.
This study evaluates the flexural behavior of ultra-thin (50 mm) one‑way reinforced‑concrete (RC) slabs retrofitted with near‑surface mounted (NSM) carbon‑fiber‑reinforced polymer (CFRP) rods under quasi‑static loading. T300‑grade CFRP rods (≈4 mm diameter) were bonded in pre‑cut 7 mm × 7 mm grooves using a two‑part epoxy. As a proof-of-concept experimental baseline, three simply‑supported specimens (1000 mm × 500 mm × 50 mm) were tested in a six‑point bending configuration (four applied loads + two reactions): two conventional controls and one strengthened slab. A load‑control rate of ~15 kN/min was applied; the controls were cycled twice and the strengthened slab four times. Relative to the average of
... Show MoreCarbon dioxide geo-sequestration (CGS) into sediments in the form of (gas) hydrates is one proposed method for reducing anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere and, thus reducing global warming and climate change. However, there is a serious lack of understanding of how such CO2 hydrate forms and exists in sediments. We thus imaged CO2 hydrate distribution in sandstone, and investigated the hydrate morphology and cluster characteristics via x-ray micro-computed tomography in 3D in-situ. A substantial amount of gas hydrate (∼17% saturation) was observed, and the stochastically distributed hydrate clusters followed power-law relations with respect to their size distributions and surface area-volume relationships. The layer-
... Show MoreIt is commonly known that Euler-Bernoulli’s thin beam theorem is not applicable whenever a nonlinear distribution of strain/stress occurs, such as in deep beams, or the stress distribution is discontinuous. In order to design the members experiencing such distorted stress regions, the Strut-and-Tie Model (STM) could be utilized. In this paper, experimental investigation of STM technique for three identical small-scale deep beams was conducted. The beams were simply supported and loaded statically with a concentrated load at the mid span of the beams. These deep beams had two symmetrical openings near the application point of loading. Both the deep beam, where the stress distribution cannot be assumed linear, and the ex
... Show MoreThis work investigates experimentally the effect of using a skirt with a square foundation of 100 mm width resting on dry gypseous soil (i.e., loose soil with 33% relative density), and subjected to an inclined load. Previous works did not study the use square skirted foundation rested on gypseous soil and subjected to inclined load. The investigated soil was brought from Tikrit city with 59% gypsum content. Standard physical and chemical tests on selected soil were carried out. Model laboratory tests were carried out to determine the effect of using a skirt with a square foundation on the load-settlement behavior of gypseous soil and subjected to inclined load with various Skirt depth (Ds) to foundation width (B) ratio
... Show MoreThis study investigated the shear performance of concrete beams with GFRP stirrups vs. traditional steel stirrups. Longitudinal glass fiber‐reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars were used to doubly reinforce the tested beams at both the top and bottom of their cross sections. To accomplish this, several stirrup spacings were provided. Eight beam specimens, measuring 300 × 250 × 2400 mm, were used in an experimental program to test under a two‐point concentrated load with an equal span‐to‐depth ratio until failure. Four beams in Group I have standard mild steel stirrups of 8 mm diameter, while four beams in Group II have GFRP stirrups with the same adopted diameter. The difference betwe
This study investigated the shear performance of concrete beams with GFRP stirrups vs. traditional steel stirrups. Longitudinal glass fiber‐reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars were used to doubly reinforce the tested beams at both the top and bottom of their cross sections. To accomplish this, several stirrup spacings were provided. Eight beam specimens, measuring 300 × 250 × 2400 mm, were used in an experimental program to test under a two‐point concentrated load with an equal span‐to‐depth ratio until failure. Four beams in Group I have standard mild steel stirrups of 8 mm diameter, while four beams in Group II have GFRP stirrups with the same adopted diameter. The difference betwe
The removal of SO2 from simulated gas stream (SO2 + air) in a fixed bed reactor using Modified Activated Carbon (MAC) catalysts was investigated. All the experiments were conducted at atmospheric pressure, initial SO2 concentration of 2500 ppm and bed temperature of 90oC. MAC was prepared by loading a series of nickel and copper oxides 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 w
... Show MoreIn the current study, wild land plant specimens were collected during the flowering and fruiting period of these plants in February, April, June, August, and October 2023 from the riparian area of the Dujail River, Salahaldin Province, north of Baghdad, Iraq. Identified and the results showed that the number of these species were: 104 species, belong to 29 plant families, Included 26 dicotyledon families with 76 genera and 96 species. The asteraceae family was the most diverse, with 30 species, followed by Brassicaceae with (12) species. Additionally, there were 13 families represented by only one species in Dujail River which included: Apocynaceae, Berberidaceae, Capparaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Convolvulaceae, Geraniaceae, Lythraceae
... Show MoreThe opportunistic multidrug resistance pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa has one or several flagella, and the numbers of these sophisticated machines are regulated by the flagellar regulator gene FleN. The flagellar hook gene FlgE is important for its synthesis, motility and tolerance to antibiotics. Bacteriahave resistance to antibiotics, especially to cephalosporin beta-lactam antibiotics. For the current study, 102 clinical specimens were collected and identified using routine laboratory tests and confirmed by Vitek-2 compact system. A total of 33 isolates of P. aeruginosa were identified. The antibiotic susceptibility test was done by the Vitek 2 Compact system. Flagellar gene detected by conventional PCR revealed that the FleN
... Show MoreTwo‐dimensional buoyancy‐induced flow and heat transfer inside a square enclosure partially occupied by copper metallic foam subjected to a symmetric side cooling and constant heat flux bottom heating was tested numerically. Finite Element Method was employed to solve the governing partial differential equations of the flow field and the Local Thermal Equilibrium model was used for the energy equation. The system boundaries were defined as lower heated wall by constant heat flux, cooled lateral walls, and insulated top wall. The three parameters elected to conduct the study are heater length (7 ≤