Most heuristic search method's performances are dependent on parameter choices. These parameter settings govern how new candidate solutions are generated and then applied by the algorithm. They essentially play a key role in determining the quality of the solution obtained and the efficiency of the search. Their fine-tuning techniques are still an on-going research area. Differential Evolution (DE) algorithm is a very powerful optimization method and has become popular in many fields. Based on the prolonged research work on DE, it is now arguably one of the most outstanding stochastic optimization algorithms for real-parameter optimization. One reason for its popularity is its widely appreciated property of having only a small number of par

One of the most important challenges facing the designers of the sewerage system is the corrosion of sewers due to the influence of sewerage contaminates which lead to failure of the main lines of sewers. In this study, a reference mix of 1: 1.5: 3 was used and the 4% Flocrete PC200 by weight of cement was added to the same mixing ratio in the second mixture. Twenty-four samples were tested for each mixture, 12 of which were used to compression strength test in ages (7, 14 and 28) day and six samples were submerged after 28 days of wet treatment at (5 and 10) % concentrations of sulfuric acid. The other six samples were painted after 28 days of wet treatment with coating Polyurethane and after 24 hours were flooded with a concentrat

To accommodate utilities in buildings, different sizes of openings are provided in the web of reinforced concrete deep beams, which cause reductions in the beam strength and stiffness. This paper aims to investigate experimentally and numerically the effectiveness of using carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) strips, as a strengthening technique, to externally strengthen reinforced concrete continuous deep beams (RCCDBs) with large openings. The experimental work included testing three RCCDBs under five-point bending. A reference specimen was prepared without openings to explore the reductions in strength and stiffness after providing large openings. Openings were created symmetrically at the center of spans of the other specimens

Regression analysis models are adopted by using SPSS program to predict the 28-day compressive strength as dependent variable and the accelerated compressive strength as independent variable. Three accelerated curing method was adopted, warm water (35ºC) and autogenous according to ASTM C C684-99 and the British method (55ºC) according to BS1881: Part 112:1983. The experimental concrete mix design was according to ACI 211.1. Twenty eight concrete mixes with slump rang (25-50) mm and (75-100)mm for rounded and crushed coarse aggregate with cement content (585, 512, 455, 410, 372 and 341)Kg/m³.

      The experimental results showed that the acc

Background: Marginal adaptation is critical for long – term success of crown and bridge restoration. Computer aided design / computer aided manufacture (CAD/ CAM) system is gaining more importance in the fabrication of dental restoration. Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of crystallization firing on the vertical marginal gap of IPS. emax CAD crowns which fabricated with two different CAD/CAM systems .Materials and Methods: Twenty IPS e.max CAD crowns were fabricated. We had two major groups (A, B) (10 crowns for each group) according to the CAD/CAM system being used: Group A: fabricated with Imes - Icore CAD/CAM system; Group B: fabricated with In Lab Sirona CAD/CAM system. Each group was subdivided into two s

An experimental study on a KIA pride (SAIPA 131) car model with scale of 1:14 in the wind tunnel was made beside the real car tests. Some of the modifications to passive flow control which are (vortex generator, spoiler and slice diffuser) were added to the car to reduce the drag force which its undesirable characteristic that increase fuel consumption and exhaust toxic gases. Two types of calculations were used to determine the drag force acting on the car body. Firstly, is by the integrating the values of pressure recorded along the pressure taps (for the wind tunnel and the real car testing), secondly, is by using one component balance device (wind tunnel testing) to measure the force. The results show that, the average drag estimated on

loaded reinforced concrete circular short columns. An experimental investigation into the behavior
of 24 short reinforced concrete columns with and without steel fibers was carried out. The columns
had a circular section (200 mm diameter and 900 mm long). Test variables include concrete
strength, spacing of spiral reinforcement, and inclusion of steel fibers. The axial stress and axial
strains were obtained and used to evaluate the effects of the presence of steel fibers. It was found
that the addition of steel fibers slightly improves the load carrying capacity of the tested columns
whereas it significantly enhances the ductility of these specimens. Test results also indicated that for
the same confinement parameter

Existence of these soils, sometimes with high gypsum content, caused difficult problems to the buildings and strategic projects due to dissolution and leaching of gypsum by the action of waterflow through soil mass. In this research, a new technique is adopted to investigate the performance of replacement and geosynthetic reinforcement materials to improve the gypseous soil behavior through experimential set up manufactured loaclally specially for this work. A series of tests were carried out using steel container (600*600*500) mm. A square footing (100*100) mm was placed at the center of the top surface of the bed soil. The results showed that the most effective thickness for the dune sand layer with geotextile at the interface, within

Objective: The objective of the present study was to design and optimize oral fast dissolving film (OFDF) of practically insoluble drug lafutidine in order to enhance bioavailability and patient compliance especially for a geriatric and unconscious patient who are suffering from difficulty in swallowing.Methods: The films were prepared by a solvent casting method using low-grade hydroxyl propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC E5), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (SCMC) as film forming polymers. Polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG400), propylene glycol (PG) and glycerin were used as a plasticizer to enhance the film forming properties of the polymer. Tween 80 (1% solution) and poloxamer407 were used as a surfactant, citri