This study expands the state of the art in studies that assess torsional retrofit of reinforced concrete (RC) multi-cell box girders with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) strips. The torsional behavior of non-damaged and pre-damaged RC multi-cell box girder specimens externally retrofitted by CFRP strips was investigated through a series of laboratory experiments. It was found that retrofitting the pre-damaged specimens with CFRP strips increased the ultimate torsional capacity by more than 50% as compared to the un-damaged specimens subjected to equivalent retrofitting. This indicated that the retrofit has been less effective for the girder specimen that did not develop distortion beforehand as a result of pre-loading. From experimental observations, when the girder specimen was cracked and the transverse steel reinforcement bars started straining, the CFRP strips started to work more effectively and contributed together with the transverse steel reinforcement to resist torsion load. Additionally, Finite Element (FE) simulations were developed using Abaqus to model the torsional behavior of the retrofitted girders, the results of which were validated with the experimental data. With the numerical model, the effect of concrete compressive strength, transverse reinforcement spacing, and CFRP strip spacing were examined. The effectiveness of the CFRP strips in enhancing the torsional strength of the girder was found to increase with increasing the spacing between the transverse reinforcement.
Rainfall in Nigeria is highly dynamic and variable on a temporal and spatial scale. This has taken a more pronounced dimension due to climate change. In this study, Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) and Mann-Kendall test statistical tools were employed to analyze rainfall trends and patterns in Gombe metropolis between 1990 and 2020 and the ARIMA model was used for making the forecast for ten (10) years. Daily rainfall data of 31 years obtained from Nigerian Meteorological Agency, (NIMET) was used for the study. The daily rainfall data was subjected to several analyses. Standard precipitation index showed that alternation of wet and dry period conditions had been witnessed in the study area. The result obtained showed that there is an u
... Show MoreAn experiment was conducted in a greenhouse - research station B - College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad, during the fall season of 2018 with the aim of propagating and initially studying the field performance of 18 and 20 potential potato lines derived from Rivera and Arizona cv. after in vitro exposure of nodal segments to different dosages of gamma rays (0, 10, 20, and 30 Gray) and EMS (0, 10, 20, and 30 mM). Each control cultivar and their derived lines were independently cultured in plastic bags according to the RCBD, with three replications. The results showed that the highest plant height and number of leaves were obtained from Arizona derived lines which gave 60.11 cm and 25.30 leaves.plant-1 in
... Show MoreThe antidiabetic thiozolidinediones (TZDs) a class of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor (PPAR) ligands has recently been the focus of much interest for their possible role in regulation of inflammatory response. The present study was designed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of pioglitazone in experimental models of inflammation in rats. The present study was conducted to evaluate the anti inflammatory effect of TZDs (pioglitazone 3mg/Kg) on acute, sub acute and chronic model of inflammation by using egg-albumin and formalin–induced paw edema in 72 rats, relative to reference drugs Dexamethasone 5mg/Kg and Piroxicam 5mg/Kg. In each inflammation model, 24 rats wer
... Show MoreIn this article, we developed a new loss function, as the simplification of linear exponential loss function (LINEX) by weighting LINEX function. We derive a scale parameter, reliability and the hazard functions in accordance with upper record values of the Lomax distribution (LD). To study a small sample behavior performance of the proposed loss function using a Monte Carlo simulation, we make a comparison among maximum likelihood estimator, Bayesian estimator by means of LINEX loss function and Bayesian estimator using square error loss (SE) function. The consequences have shown that a modified method is the finest for valuing a scale parameter, reliability and hazard functions.
A field experiment was conducted in Yusufiya sub-district - Mahmudiya township/Baghdad governorate in silty loam texture soil during the spring season of 2020. The experiment included three treatments with three replicates, as the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) was used according to the arrangement of the split design block. The treatments are in the irrigation system, which included surface drip irrigation (T1) and sprinkler irrigation (T2). Secondly, the Irrigation levels including the irrigation using 0.70 Pan Evaporation Fraction PEF (I1), irrigation using 1.00 PEF (I2), and irrigation using 1.30 PEF (I3). Coupled with, Pota
... Show MoreWater stress has a negative impact on the yield and growth of crops worldwide and consequently has a global impact on food security. Many biochemical changes occur in plants as a response to water stress, such as activation of antioxidant systems. Molybdenum (Mo) plays an important part in activating the expression of many enzymes, such as CAT, POD, and SOD, as well as increasing the proline content. Mo therefore supports the defence system in plants and plays an important role in the defence system of mung bean plants growing under water stress conditions. Four concentrations of Mo (0, 15, 30, and 45 mg·L−1) were applied to plants, using two approaches: (a) seed soaking and (b) foliar application. Mung bean plants were subject
... Show MoreBackground: Poly propylene fibers with and without silane treatment have been used to reinforce heat cure denture base acrylic but, some mechanical properties like transverse strength, impact strength, tensile strength, hardness, wear resistance and wettability. Which are related to the clinical use of the prosthesis are not evaluated yet. The aim of the study is to identify the influence of incorporation of treated and untreated fibers on these properties Materials and methods: Eighty four heat cure acrylic specimens were constructed by conventional flasking technique. They were divided into six groups according to the tests and each group was subdivided into two subgroups control and experimental groups (seven samples for each subgroup
... Show MoreThe present study is concerned with studying the effect of aquatic plant Hydrella vorticellata with the concentration of 10 and 20 gm/2 K gm soil on percentage and growth rate of germinating seeds of Hordeum vulgare and Vicia faba. More overs, the quantitative amount of NPK in both tested plants and Hydrella vorticellata, are estimated as an organic fertilizer. It has also been find the total number of root cells, the number of dividing cells, and stages of mitosis. The study reveales, that there are no significant differences between the concentration of hydrella used in germination percentage, growth rate, wet and dry weight. While there are differences in the plants containing NPK. The number of cells dividing stages and number of divid
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