In this study, the effect of fire flame on the punching shear strength of steel fiber reinforced concrete flat plates was experimentally investigated using nine half-scale specimens with dimensions of 1500×1500 mm and a total thickness of 100 mm. The main investigated variables comprised the steel fiber volume fraction 0, 1, and 1.5% and the burning steady state temperature 500 and 600 °C. The specimens were divided into three groups, each group consists of three specimens. The specimens in the first group were tested with no fire effect to be the reference specimens, while the others of the second and third groups were tested after being exposed to fire-flame effect. The adopted characteristics of the fire test were; (one hour) burning time duration and 500 and 600 °C steady state temperature with sudden cooling process (water sprinkling directly after burning). The test results proved that exposing to direct fire effect for one hour caused a reduction in the punching shear strength with an increase in the ultimate mid-span deflection. Also, it was noticed that using steel fiber in the concrete mix leads to a significant increase in the punching shear strength for both the unburned and burned specimens. The ultimate punching load increased by about 11 and 16.6% for the unburned specimens with 1.0 and 1.5% steel fiber volume fraction, respectively, and by about 22.4 and 19% for the burned specimens at 500 °C with 1.0 and 1.5% steel fiber volume fraction, respectively. While, it was increased by about 29.2 and 21.5% for the burned specimens at 600 °C with 1.0 and 1.5% steel fiber volume fraction, respectively, as compared with the reference specimen of each group. Doi: 10.28991/cej-2021-03091751 Full Text: PDF
Concrete structures is affected by a deleterious reaction, which is known as Alkali Aggregate Reaction (AAR). AAR can be defined as a chemical reaction between the alkali content in the pore water solution of the cement paste and reactive forms of silica hold in the aggregate. This internal reaction produces expansion and cracking in concrete, which can lead to loss of strength and stiffness. Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) is one of the methods used to suppress further AAR expansion and rehabilitate and support damaged concrete structures. In this research, thirty-six cylindrical specimens were fabricated from non-reactive and reactive concrete, which contained fused silica as
The reality of the field of construction projects in Iraq refers to needing for the development of performance in order to improve quality and reduce defects and errors and to control the time and cost, so there is needing for the application of effective methods in this area, one of the methods that can be applied in this area is the manner of Six Sigma. This research aims to enhance the performance and quality improvement for the construction projects by improving performance in the work of the implementation of the concrete structure depending on the Six Sigma methodology, and for the purpose of achieving the aim of the research, the researcher firstly depends on the theoretical study that include the concepts of qual
... Show MoreThis manuscript studied the effect of U-CFRP wrapped sheet anchorage on the flexural performance of unbonded post-tensioned PC members subjected to partial strand damage and strengthened using CFRP Near-Surface Mounting techniques. The program includes six girders as a control girder, a girder with strand damage of 14.2%, and four girders strengthened by CFRP laminates using the NSM technique with and without U-CFRP wrapped sheet anchorages. The testing results show that the strand damage of 14.2% has reduced the flexural strength of the girder by 5.71%. The NSM-CFRP laminate has a significant effect on flexural strength by 17.4%. On the other hand, the application of end U-CFRP wrapped sheet anchorages improves flexural
... Show MoreThis study was prepared to investigate the performance and behavior of concrete thrust blocks supporting pipe fittings. In the water distribution networks, it is always necessary to change the path of the pipes at different degrees or to create new branches. In these regions, an unbalanced force called the thrust force is generated. In order to counter this force, these regions are supported with concrete blocks. In this article, the system components (soil, pipe with its bend and thrust blocks) have been numerically modeled and simulated by the ABAQUS CAE/2019 software program in order to study the behavior and stability of the thrust block with different burial conditions (several b
The building of Basrah University located in a rural area at Gramat Ali, its consist of seven colleges and very high number of students, lecturers ,and employers. Therefore, the intersections which leading to university building suffer congestion at morning peak hour (8-9) A.M and evening peak hour (2-3) P.M. In this study we collected the data in intersections which leading to university building at peak hour at same time, then we had analysis this data by using the highway capacity manual (HCM) and program (HCS). Also, we collected that data in University entries with classification of vehicles according to types and number of passengers at peak hour. Then we studied the number of proposals to riddance the congestion, such as the effe
... Show MoreThe impact of exposure to different sizes of particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5, PM7, and PM10) was evaluated in Babylon concrete plant workers who had been exposed to concrete dust for at least 10 years. The effects of these particles on the hematological parameters, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and antioxidant enzymes (catalase and glutathione peroxidase ) were examined. The results exhibited that the levels of PM2.5 and PM10 were higher than the acceptable limits approved by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The blood parameters, namely white blood cells (WBC), red blood cell (RBC) and platelets counts, demonstrated non-significant differences between workers exposed to the PM as compared to the control gro
... Show MoreThrust blocks and restraint joints are the two most popular methods of counteracting the thrust force that generated at pipe fittings (bends, Tee, wye, reducers, dead ends, etc…). Both systems perform the same function, which is to prevent the joints from separating from the pipes. The aim of the study is to review previous studies and scientific theories related to the study and design of thrust blocks and restraint joints to study the behavior of both systems under thrust force and to study the factors and variables that affect the behavior of these systems. The behavior of both systems must be studied because they cannot be abandoned, as each system has conditions whose use is more feasible, scientific, and economic
... Show MoreFlexible pavements are subjected to three main distress types: fatigue crack, thermal crack, and permanent deformation. Under severe climate conditions, thermal cracking particularly contributes largely to a considerable scale of premature deterioration of pavement infrastructure worldwide. This challenge is especially relevant for Europe, as weather conditions vary significantly throughout the year. Hydrated lime (HL) has been recognized as an effective additive to improve the mechanical properties of asphalt concrete for pavement applications. Previous research has found that a replacement of conventional limestone dust filler using hydrated lime at 2.5% of the total weight of aggregates generated an optimum improvement in the mec
... Show MoreJumping ability is a fundamental variable in many sports, as its execution requires an integration of muscular strength Q1 and certain biomechanical variables. This is particularly evident in gymnastics jumping events and jump shots in ball games, both of which rely on a high level of vertical resistance. Vertical resistance serves as an indicator of an athlete’s ability to overcome their body weight while counteracting gravitational force to achieve optimal performance. As such, it is considered one of the key factors in movements that demand explosive power and speed. The researchers believe that despite the significant relationship between vertical resistance, speed-strength of the arms and legs, and certain biomechanical varia
... Show MorePermanent deformation, fatigue and thermal cracking are the three typical distresses of flexible pavement. Using hydrated lime (HL) into the conventional limestone mineral additive has been widely practiced, including in Europe, to improve the mechanical properties of hot mix asphalt (HMA) concrete and as the result the durability of the constructed pavement. Large number of experimental studies have been reported to find the optimum addition of HL for the improvement on HMA concrete mechanical properties, moisture susceptibility and fatigue resistance. Pavement in service is under complex thermomechanical stress-strain conditions due to coupled atmospheric and surrounding environment temperature variation and the traffic loading. To predic
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