Most of the recent works related to the construction industry in Iraq are focused on investigating the validity of local raw materials as alternatives to the imported materials necessary for some practical applications, especially in thermal and sound insulation. This investigation includes the use of limestone dust as partial substitution of cement in combination with foam agent and silica fume to produce sustainable Lightweight Foam Concrete (LWFC). This study consists of two stages. In the first stage, trial mixes were performed to find the optimum dosage of foam agent. Limestone dust was used as a partial replacement for cement. Chemical analysis and fineness showed great similarity with cement. Many concrete mixes were prepared with the content of lime dust powder being 10%, 14%, and 18% as partial replacement of cement by weight. The results indicate that the compressive strength at 7, 28, and 90 days of age was increased for specimens with 14% limestone dust. The best results in compressive strength show an increase at 7 days and a decrease at 28 and 90 days for concrete specimens with 14% limestone dust. In addition, the results show a decrease in dry density for concrete containing 14% lime dust. In the second stage, different percentages of Polypropylene Fibers were added to the concrete, all mixes, containing a constant content of limestone dust of 14% by weight of cement, were modified using different percentages of Polypropylene Fibers (1%, 1.5 %, and 2% by volume) and the best percentage was found to be 1%. The addition of Polypropylene Fibers enhances splitting tensile and flexural strength at 28 days by 14.55% and 55% respectively.
Abstract his study involved evaluation of side effects of two weight reduction pills that had been widely distributed in the last period. Two weight reduction compounds are studied, Reductil (containing chemical substances) and Chinese’s weight reduction herbs (containing natural substances). Two doses for each compound are used in this research; 5mg/ml and 0.5mg/ml for Reductil, while 30mg/ml and 10mg/ml for Chinese weight reduction herbs. To evaluate the toxic effects of these compounds, the following parameters were determined which include mitotic index (cytogenetic analysis), serum FSH and LH hormones level (follicles stimulation hormone/FSH and lutenising hormone/LH) and histological examination of female mice ovaries. Control group
... Show More
The varied applications of polystyrene in various fields of life led to examining the cause of radiation influence on some rheological behavior of commercial Polystyrene (PS) solution in the chloroform (CHCl3) solvent. Polystyrene grains shape samples were irradiated using the radioactive element Cesium- 137 with (9 µci) activity for 10, 20, and 30 minutes. The viscosity of the polymer solution depends on the concentration and size (i.e. molecular weight) of the dissolved polymer. Experimental data showed that the radiation dose affected the value of viscosity (shear, relative, specific, and reduced). The viscosity value significantly reduced at 10 min radiation dose and when increasing the dose, the viscosity value increased
... Show MoreBackground: Neonatal Septicemia (NNS) is generalized microbial symptomatic infection during the first 28 days of life.It>s the most serious complication in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) that demand urgent diagnosis and accurate treatment.Objective: To reveal the relationship of neonatal septicemia with birth weight (one of the neonatal risk factors).Patients and Methods: Blood sample was obtained from 76 neonates aged 1 hour-28 days who were diagnosed clinically (poor feeding, respiratory distress, fever, hypothermia, gastrointestinal and/or central nervous system symptoms)and bacteriologically to have neonatal septicemia.Results:One of the most important neonatal factor predisposing to infection is low birth weight, signi
... Show MoreOilwell cementing operations are crucial for drilling and completion, preserving the well's productive life. However, weak and permeable formations pose a high risk of cement slurry loss, leading to failure. Lightweight cement, like foamed cement, is used to avoid these difficulties. This study is focused on creating a range of foamed slurry densities and examining the effect of gas concentration on their rheological properties. The foaming agent and foam stabilizer are tested, and the optimal concentration is determined to be 2% and 0.12%, respectively, by the weight of the cement.
Furthermore, the construction of samples of foam cement with different densities (0.8, 1.0, 1.2, 1.4, and 1.6) g/cc is performed to f
... Show MoreThis study aimed to investigate the influence of longitudinal steel embedded tubes located at the center of the column cross-section on the behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) columns. The experimental program consisted of 8 testing pin-ended square sectional columns of 150×150 mm, having a total height of 1400 mm, subjected to eccentric load. The considered variables were the steel square tube sizes of 25, 51 and 68 mm side dimensions and the load eccentricity (50 and 150) mm. RC columns were concealed steel tubes with hollow ratios of 3%, 12% and 20% depending on tube sizes used. The experimental results indicated an improvement in the overall behavior of eccentric columns when steel embedded tubes are used. The maximum gain in
... Show MoreThe effect of using grinded rocks of (quartzite and porcelanite) as powder of (10 and 20) % replacement by weight of cement for self-compacting concrete slabs was investigated in this study. Five slabs with 15 concrete cubes were tested experimentally at 28 days to study the compressive strength, ultimate load, ultimate deflection, ductility, crack load and steel strain. The test results show that, the compressive strength improvement when replacement of local rock powder reached to (7.3, 4.22) % for (10 and 20) % quartzite powder and (11.3, 16.1) % for (10 and 20) % porcelanite powder, respectively compared to the reference specimen. The ultimate load percentage increase for slabs with (10 and 20) % rep
... Show MoreA long-span Prestressed Concrete Hunched Beam with Multi-Quadrilateral Opening has been developed as an alternative to steel structural elements. An experimental program was created and evaluated utilizing a single mid-span monotonic static load on simply supported beams, which included six beams with openings and the solid control beam without openings, to investigate the performance of such beams. The number and height of the quadrilateral openings are the variables to consider. According to test results, the presence of openings in the prestressed concrete hunched beam with multi-quadrilateral opening did not considerably affect their ultimate load capacity with respect to a contro
Test results of six half-scale reinforced concrete flat plates connections with an opening in the vicinity of the column are reported. The test specimens represent a portion of a slab bounded by the lines of contraflexure around the column. The tests were designed to study the effect of openings on the punching shear behavior of the slab-column connections. The test parameters were the location and the size of the openings. One specimen had no opening and the remaining five had various arrangements of openings around the column. All specimens were cast with normal density concrete of approximately 30 MPa compressive strength. The openings in the specimens were square, with the sides parallel to the sides of the column. Three sizes of ope
... Show More