The durability of asphalt concrete is highly dependent on the geometry and mineralogy of coarse aggregates, yet their combined influence on mechanical and moisture resistance properties is still not fully understood. This study evaluates the effects of coarse aggregate geometry, specifically flat and elongated particle ratios and angularity, as well as mineral composition (quartz versus calcite), on asphalt mixture durability. The durability of mixtures was evaluated through Marshall properties as well as moisture susceptibility indicators, including the tensile strength ratio (TSR) and index of retained strength (IRS). Statistical analyses (ANOVA and t-tests) were also conducted to confirm the significance of the observed effects. Results showed that mixtures containing higher proportions of flat and elongated particles exhibited greater void content, reduced stability, and weaker moisture resistance, with the 1:5 flat-to-elongated ratio showing the most adverse impact (TSR 73.9%, IRS 69.2%). Conversely, increasing coarse aggregate angularity (CAA) enhanced mixture performance, with TSR values rising from 63.5% at 0% angularity to 81.2% at 100% angularity, accompanied by corresponding improvements in IRS. Mineral composition analysis further demonstrated that calcite-based aggregates achieved stronger bonding with asphalt binder and superior resistance to stripping compared to quartz-based ones. These findings confirm that aggregate geometry and mineralogy exert a decisive influence on asphalt mixture durability. They also highlight the need to revise current specifications that permit the use of uncrushed coarse aggregate in asphalt base courses, particularly when such layers may serve as surface courses in suburban or low-volume roads, where long-term resistance to moisture damage is critical.
A simple and rapid spectrophotometric method for the determination of sulphite SO3-2 is described. The method is based on the rapid reduction of known amount of chromate CrO4-2 in the presence of sulphite in acidic medium of 2N H2SO4. The amount of excess of chromate was measured after it reactions with 1,5-diphenylcarbazide which finally gives a pink-violet, water soluble and stable complex, which exhibit a maximum absorption at 542 nm. Beer's law was obeyed in the concentration range from 0.004-6.0 µg of sulphite in a final volume of 25 ml with a molar absorbtivity of 4.64×104 l.mol-1.cm-1, Sandal's sensitivity index of 0.001724 ?g .cm-2 and relative standard deviation of ±0.55 - ±0.83 depending on the concentration level. The present
... Show MoreTin dioxide (SnO2) were mixed with (TiO2 and CuO) with concentration ratio (50, 60, 70, 80 and 90) wt% films deposited on single crystal Si and glass substrates at (523 K) by spray pyrolysis technique from aqueous solutions containing tin (II) dichloride Dihydrate (SnCl2, 2H2O), dehydrate copper chloride (CuCl2.2H2O) and Titanium(III) chloride (TiCl3) with molarities (0.2 M). The results of electrical properties and analysis of gas sensing properties of films are presented in this report. Hall measurement showed that films were n-type converted to p- type as titanium and copper oxide added at (50) % ratio. The D.C conductivity measurements referred that there are two mechanisms responsible about the conductivity, hence it possess two act
... Show MoreSensing insole systems are a promising technology for various applications in healthcare and sports. They can provide valuable information about the foot pressure distribution and gait patterns of different individuals. However, designing and implementing such systems poses several challenges, such as sensor selection, calibration, data processing, and interpretation. This paper proposes a sensing insole system that uses force-sensitive resistors (FSRs) to measure the pressure exerted by the foot on different regions of the insole. This system classifies four types of foot deformities: normal, flat, over-pronation, and excessive supination. The classification stage uses the differential values of pressure points as input for a feedforwar
... Show MoreRemoval of heavy metal ions such as, cadmium ion (Cd 2+) and lead ion (Pb 2+) from aqueous solution onto Eichhornia (water hyacinth) activated carbon (EAC) by physiochemical activation with potassium hydroxide (KOH) and carbon dioxide (CO2) as the activating agents were investigated. The Eichhornia activated carbon was characterized by Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) techniques. Whereas, the effect of adsorbent dosage, contact time of pH, and metal ion concentration on the adsorption process have been investigated using the batch process t
The Cu(II) was found using a quick and uncomplicated procedure that involved reacting it with a freshly synthesized ligand to create an orange complex that had an absorbance peak of 481.5 nm in an acidic solution. The best conditions for the formation of the complex were studied from the concentration of the ligand, medium, the eff ect of the addition sequence, the eff ect of temperature, and the time of complex formation. The results obtained are scatter plot extending from 0.1–9 ppm and a linear range from 0.1–7 ppm. Relative standard deviation (RSD%) for n = 8 is less than 0.5, recovery % (R%) within acceptable values, correlation coeffi cient (r) equal 0.9986, coeffi cient of determination (r2) equal to 0.9973, and percentage capita
... Show MoreEndophytic fungi live inside plants or any part of them without creating any visible pathogenic signs. Endophytic fungi are found within medicinal plants and have shown strong biologic activity, such as anticancer and antioxidant activities, as well as producing extracellular enzymes. In this study, different fungal strains were isolated from the leaves of the medicinal plant Ziziphus spina, including Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, Cladosporium sp., Rhizopus sp., and Mucor sp. Extracellular enzymes have been quantified using agar plate-based methods in which fungi were grown in specified growth media to detect the enzymes produced. The results showed that A. niger has the highest ability to produce amy
... Show MoreThis research presents the possibility of using banana peel (arising from agricultural production waste) as biosorbent for removal of copper from simulated aqueous solution. Batch sorption experiments were performed as a function of pH, sorbent dose, and contact time. The optimal pH value of Copper (II) removal by banana peel was 6. The amount of sorbed metal ions was calculated as 52.632 mg/g. Sorption kinetic data were tested using pseudo-first order, and pseudo-second order models. Kinetic studies showed that the sorption followed a pseudo second order reaction due to the high correlation coefficient and the agreement between the experimental and calculated values of qe. Thermodynamic parameters such as enthalpy change (ΔH
... Show MoreStatic Synchronous Series Compensator (SSSC) is a well known device for effectively regulating the active power flow in a power system. In this paper, the SSSC linearized power flow equations are incorporated into Newton-Raphson algorithm in a MATLAB written program to investigate the control of active poweer flow and the transient stability of a five bus and a thirty bus IEEE test systems, during abnormal conduction (three phase fault near buses). A comparison of the results obtained for the base case without SSSC and with it to investigate the effectiveness of the device on both of the active power flow and the transient stability.