Fine aggregates used for concrete works in Sulaymaniyah city frequently fail to meet the standard requirements for gradation and fineness modulus in cement concrete. This paper aims to critically evaluate gradation, fineness modulus, and clay contents of various natural sands produced and used for concrete work in the region.  Sixteen field sand samples were collected from various sites in Darbandikhan (5 samples), Qalat Dizah (5 samples), Koysinjaq (5 samples), and Piramagroon (1 sample) confirming to ASTM D75. The field samples were parted into test specimens based on ASTM C702. Then, sieve analysis was carried out on the oven-dry test specimens in compliance with ASTM C136. The test results of fine aggregates wer

A substantial percentage of the world’s energy consumption (almost 40%) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions (around 37%) come from the construction industry, especially schools. This work presents a new hybrid artificial intelligence (AI) engineering model that aims to maximize energy performance on campuses in a holistic way. Modules for data-driven forecasting, metaheuristic optimization, and real-time adaptive control are all part of the concept. A thorough energy simulation of a university campus building is used in conjunction with the AI model to assess its performance through a co-simulation framework. Findings show that yearly peak electricity demand may be reduced by 18.7% and total site energy consumption by 22.4% when co

The present work aims to study the removal of dyes from wastewater by reverse osmosis process. Two dyes were used direct blue 6, and direct yellow. Experiments were performed with feed concentration (75 – 450 ppm), operation temperature (30 – 50 oC) and time (0.2 – 2.0 hr). The membrane used is thin film composite membrane (TFC). It was found that modal permeate concentration decreases with increasing feed concentration and time operating, while permeate concentration increases with increasing feed temperature. Also it was found that product rate increase with increasing temperature, but it decrease with increasing feed concentration and time. The concentration of reject solution showed an increase with increasing feed concentratio

In the knowledge society, artificial intelligence (AI) forms a cornerstone of global education. This quasi-experimental study examines the impact of an Intelligent Adaptive Learning Strategy (IALS) on flexible thinking (FT) and academic achievement among 60 3rd-year undergraduate students at the College of Education/University of Baghdad (experimental n = 30; control n = 30). The IALS was implemented via an AI-supported educational platform, while the control group received conventional instruction. Post-test intervention assessments included an FT test (10 items, content validity = 0.89, Cronbach’s α = 0.87) and an achievement test (10 objective items, α = 0.85). Results revealed statistically significant superiority of the exp

Due to severe scouring, many bridges failed worldwide. Therefore, the safety of the existing bridge (after contrition) mainly depends on the continuous monitoring of local scour at the substructure. However, the bridge's safety before construction mainly depends on the consideration of local scour estimation at the bridge substructure. Estimating the local scour at the bridge piers is usually done using the available formulae. Almost all the formulae used in estimating local scour at the bridge piers were derived from laboratory data. It is essential to test the performance of proposed local scour formulae using field data. In this study, the performance of selected bridge scours estimation formulae was validated and sta

The presented work shows a preliminary analytic method for estimation of load and pressure distributions on low speed wings with flow separation and wake rollup phenomena’s. A higher order vortex panel method is coupled with the numerical lifting line theory by means of iterative procedure including models of separation and wake rollup. The computer programs are written in FORTRAN which are stable and efficient.

      The capability of the present method is investigated through a number of test cases with different types of wing sections (NACA 0012 and GA(W)-1) for different aspect ratios and angles of attack, the results include the lift and drag curves, lift and pressure distributions along the wing s

In order to promote sustainable steel-concrete composite structures, special shear connectors that can facilitate deconstruction are needed. A lockbolt demountable shear connector (LB-DSC), including a grout-filled steel tube embedded in the concrete slab and fastened to a geometrically compatible partial-thread bolt, which is bolted on the steel section's top flange of a composite beam, was proposed. The main drawback of previous similar demountable bolts is the sudden slip of the bolt inside its hole. This bolt has a locked conical seat lug that is secured inside a predrilled compatible counter-sunk hole in the steel section's flange to provide a non-slip bolt-flange connection. Deconstruction is achieved by demounting the tube from the t

Dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis (SD) are common skin disorders affecting the scalp and extending to other body sites in the case of SD. They are associated with pruritus and scaling, causing an esthetical disturbance in the population affected.   Treatment of such conditions involves using a variety of drugs for long terms, thus optimizing drug formulation is essential to improve therapeutic efficacy and patient compliance. Conventional topical formulations like shampoos and creams have been widely used but their use is associated with disadvantages. To overcome such effects, novel topical nanotechnology-based formulations are currently under investigation. In the following article, we highlight recently published formulatio