Digital Commons Network^™

Morphological Determinants Of Multiple Courtyard Configurations In Contemporary Urban Housing: A Quantitative Analysis Of Plot Area And Frontage Width, Maha Khalaf Hammad, Hasan Abdulrazzaq Hasan

AUIQ Technical Engineering Science

In modern cities with small plots and narrow frontages, courtyard-based housing has come back as a flexible way to use space. This study seeks to quantitatively examine the impact of residential plot area and frontage width on the diversity and functional distribution of courtyards in modern urban housing. A quantitative morphological approach was used by looking at the shapes of 121 modern residential plans that included internal courtyards. Using AutoCAD, we got spatial data, and then we used Microsoft Excel to look at the relationships between plot morphology, courtyard number, area, and functional role. The results show that the courtyard …

Spatial Analysis Of The Environmental And Climatic Explanatory Relationship Of Photovoltaic Potential For Sustainable Shrimp Farming, Dyah Lestari Widaningrum, Roikhanatun Nafi'ah, Religiana Hendarti, Alexandra Catherine Djunaedi, Evaristus Didik Madyatmadja

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

Sustainable shrimp aquaculture requires reliable and affordable energy, particularly for coastal pond aeration. However, identifying suitable locations for photovoltaic (PV) deployment remains challenging because ground-based solar-resource measurement is expensive, spatially limited, and difficult to maintain across large coastal regions. This study develops a village-level spatial framework to evaluate PV potential for shrimp aquaculture using open geospatial datasets. The analysis covered villages across Central Java, Special Region of Yogyakarta, and East Java. PV power potential (PVout), Global Horizontal Irradiation (GHI), and Direct Normal Irradiation (DNI) were obtained from the Global Solar Atlas; land surface temperature (LST) and precipitation were derived from …

Emergent De Sitter Expansion And Closed Topology From The Cosmic Fabric Model As An Open Thermodynamic System: Resolving The Negative Bulk Modulus Paradox, T G. Tenev, C B. Ward, T F. Tenev, M F. Horstemeyer

Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Cosmic Fabric Model establishes a continuum-mechanics isomorphism to General Relativity by representing physical space as an elastic three-dimensional hyperplate embedded in a four-dimensional spatial bulk. Reproducing vacuum kinematics requires a vanishing P-wave modulus, which in turn implies a negative bulk modulus—an apparent thermodynamic instability in a closed system. This paradox is resolved by recasting the framework as an open system: the instability is not pathological but instead drives cosmic expansion. In this interpretation, the observable universe is a lower-energy solid formed through continuous solidification from a higher-dimensional precursor fluid. Using multiplicative kinematics from finite-growth mechanics, the model shows that …

Modeling Of Air-Water Filled Rubber Dam Under Hydrostatic Conditions, Qusay Khaleel, Thair Khayyun, Khudhayer Abdullah

Engineering and Technology Journal

Inflatable dams, also called rubber dams, are flexible cylindrical inflatable and deflatable structures attached to a rigid base; these dams are basically cylindrical tubes made of rubberized material and inflated by air, water, or a combination of the two. In this paper, the air/water inflatable dam was studied and analyzed numerically using ANSYS software. The 3-parameter Mooney-Rivlin Model was used to model the rubber material of the dam. At first, a physical model from literature was used to calibrate the results of the ANSYS software, and then a new model was analyzed with different dimensions and conditions. Thirty-six simulations were …

Comparison Between Theoretical And Experimental Behavior Of Shallow Foundation In Cohesive Soil, Baraa Al-Dawoodi, Mohaned Waheed, Falah Rahil

Engineering and Technology Journal

This paper discusses a finite element analysis of shallow footing subjected to axial loading rested on different types of cohesive soil by using a computer program called PLAXIS-3D (V.20) software. The behavior of cohesive soil is simulated using several constitutive models (Mohr-Coulomb model, Hardening soil model, and Hardening soil with small strain stiffness model in order to find the best match between theoretical and experimental results).Two cases are considered square and rectangle. Moreover, some parameters that affect the load settlement relation curve; such as internal friction angle and soil modulus elasticity were investigated. It was found that the simulation by …

Assessing The Effect Of Eating As A Distraction Factor While Driving On Drivers' Performance, Zinah Saihood, Ahmed Abdul Jabbar, Rasha Al-Rubaee

Engineering and Technology Journal

The increase in the number of traffic accidents, deaths, and injuries is a major concern for traffic and safety professionals. Distraction from the road is common, but increases safety concerns. Drivers engage in many behaviors that are a distraction from the task of driving, and these sources may be inside or outside the vehicle. The driver may not have a clear idea of the negative impact of such activities on achieving safe driving. The paper focused on one type of distraction that occurs inside the car, the factor of eating while driving in order to address the question of whether …

Effect Of Inclination Of Rectangular Reinforced Concrete Short Columns On The Confinement, Eyad Sayhood, Bassman Muhammed, Ahmed Hatem

Engineering and Technology Journal

The main objective of this paper is to study the confinement of the rectangular reinforced concrete short inclined columns. This paper was based on theoretical analysis using the MATLAB program according to Universal Codes, and variables that were carefully selected to be the most influential factor. The angle of the inclination (α) was taken as a major variable in the paper, in addition other variables which in turn affect directly on the behavior of inclined columns such as the percentage of reinforcing steel in the concrete section of the column (ρ), the compressive strength of the concrete (fʹc), yield strength …

Effect Of Dynamic Earth Vibration On The Behavior Of Laterally Loaded Single Pile Embedded Within Unsaturated Soil, Maha Abood, Mahmood Mahmood, Nahla Salim

Engineering and Technology Journal

Most of the studies of laterally loaded piles focused on the behavior for piles subjected to static or cyclic lateral loading embedded within dry or saturated soils, few studies investigate the behavior of piles embedded within partially saturated soils and subjected to dynamic loads. In this research, an experimental study presents an aluminum pile model embedded within dry, fully saturated and partially saturated soils, subjected to dynamic load with the El Centro 1940 NS acceleration data (0.05g, 0.15g, and 0.32g) accelerations. Three different lowering levels of the water table for fully saturated soils model is achieved to get partially saturated …

Numerical And Experimental Study Of Hybrid Composite Body Armor, Iftikhar Saleem, Mayyadah Abed, Payman Ahmed

Engineering and Technology Journal

Kevlar is widely used in ballistic applications to protect against hand pistols, due to its high strength, lightweight, and high impact resistance. Compared to other fabrics, Kevlar is considered a typical material due to its strength properties for bullet-proof vests. This project aims to develop a hybrid composite and investigate its behavior under ballistic impact both experimentally and theoretically. Ceramic/woven fabric reinforced epoxy/polycarbonate multilayered armors were developed. The initial layer of defense against the bullet is silicon carbide (SiC). The intermediate composite is made up of aramid fabric (Kevlar) reinforced epoxy (KEV/EPX). The rear layer was made of polycarbonate (PC). …

Distinguish The Textures Of Grasped Objects By Robotic Hand Using Artificial Neural-Network, Hassan Salman, Mohsin Hamzah, Sadeq Bakhy

Engineering and Technology Journal

The object identification properties with tactile sensing are valuable in  interaction with the environment for both humans and robots, and it is the core of sensing used for exploration and determining properties of objects that are inaccessible from visual perception. Object identification often involves with rigid mechanical grippers, tactile information and intelligent algorithms. This paper proposes a methodology for feature extraction techniques and discriminates objects for different softness using adaptive robotic grippers, which are equipped with force and angle sensors in each four fingers of an underactuated robot hand. Arduino microcontroller and the Matlab program are integrated to acquire sensor …

An Experimental Investigation Of The Dynamic Effects In Upper Drum Boiler Under Steam Mass Flow Rate Variation, Russul Mohammed, Hashim Hussein, Ali Numan

Engineering and Technology Journal

The dynamic effects in the “upper“ drum of the boiler (mechanical’s effects) are very complex problems and critical due to the pressure disturbance in the upper drum of the boiler. This work deals with an experimental investigation of the dynamic behavior of the boiler drum level system is reported from plant data (Al-Quds power plant) in Baghdad / Iraq under a particular condition of operating, and the mathematical equations of the boiler model variables explained and defined. The dynamic effects are investigated with increasing steam mass flow rate (10% and 20%) at the outlet of the boiler. The results showed …

Effect Of Growth Time On The Structural, Optical And Electrical Properties Of The 1%Fe Doped Tio2 P-Type Synthesized By Hydrothermal Technique, Sattar Hashim, Odai Salman, Khaleel Hassoon

Engineering and Technology Journal

In this work, a hydrothermal technique is employed to prepare titanium dioxide films on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates. A low-cost homemade autoclave was used to fabricate iron-doped -TiO2 films (1at. %Fe) at different reaction times from 1 to 4 hours.  X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns showed that the predominant phase is rutile (R-TiO2) with peaks at (101), (002), and (112). The XRD results showed that with increasing reaction time the peaks become sharper and narrowed. The images of the field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) showed that with increasing reaction time the films appeared to have vertically aligned TiO2 nanorods. …

Investigating The Effect Of Magnetite (Fe3o4) Nanoparticles On Mechanical Properties Of Epoxy Resin, Ehab Kaadhm, Khansaa Salman, Ahameed Raja

Engineering and Technology Journal

In this paper, study the effects of magnetite nanomaterial Fe3O4 on the mechanical properties of epoxy. Dispersion of Fe3O4 nanoparticles in the epoxy resin was performed by ultrasonication. The samples of the nanocomposites were prepared using the casting method. The nanocomposites contain epoxy resins as a matrix material incorporated by different weight percentages of magnetite Fe3O4 that varies from 0wt.% to 15wt.% as a reinforcing material. The epoxy with the additive reinforcement materials Fe3O4 was slowly mixed in a sonication bath for 15 minutes, then the mixture poured into silicon molds. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy FESEM and X-ray diffraction …

An Experimental Study Of Porous Hydroxyapatite Scaffold Bioactivity In Biomedical Applications, Auday Mehatlaf, Alaa Atiyah, Saad Farid

Engineering and Technology Journal

Hydroxyapatite is one of the most bioactive materials used in tissue engineering due to its excellent biocompatibility and chemical composition which is equivalent to the mineral element of bone. In this study, polymer sponge replication method was used to fabricate porous hydroxyapatite scaffolds. Pure phase of hydroxyapatite scaffolds and the chemical bonding were verified via Fourier Transform Infrared and X-ray diffraction. Emission scanning electron microscopy (F E S E M) examination showed that the proposed scaffold has high interconnected pores that were achieved just after sintering at temperatures 1350 ºC for 2 hours. The percentage porosity values were estimated to …

The Effect Of The Waste Of Materials And Carbon Nanotube On The Concrete Incorporated With Steel Fibers, Mayada Saleem, Farhad. Othman, Alla Abdul-Hameed

Engineering and Technology Journal

The addition of agricultural and industrial solid wastes and nanomaterials to concrete combined with steel fibers to improve the mechanical and electrical properties of concrete was investigated. This approach could be used in advanced applications in electromagnetic shielding and conductive concrete. Steel fibers were used at 2%wt. of sand and (induction furnace slag (EIF), carbon nanotube (CNT), steel wool fibers, prepared corn husks) at 0.5 and 1 wt.%. of cement. Obtained results of using 1% for both carbon nanotube and steel wool with steel fibers in the mixture 4 and 6, respectively, showed the highest rates of compressive strength. A …

Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis Of The Seismic Retrofitting Of Existing Buildings, Shirin Abdulla, Mohammed Hamood, Mohammed Al Hamdani

Engineering and Technology Journal

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is a helpful tool for finding solutions to civil engineering problems. In this paper, the numerical analysis was performed by simulating an experimental test by using FEA tools, Abaqus /CAE2019 was used to develop and retrofit solutions to sustain existing structures for seismic hazard. The 3D building was modeled, and nonlinear analysis was adopted. This experimental building was tested at the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the ELSA facility that is in Ispra-Italy. This model was a building of a full-scale four-story tested using the pseudo-dynamic (PsD) techniques.The retrofitting model was done by adding new RC …

Indices-Based Evaluation Of Spatiotemporal Distribution Of Drought Within Derbendkhan Dam Watershed, Mahmoud Saleh Al-Khafaji, Rusul Al-Ameri

Engineering and Technology Journal

Drought is one of the most significant natural disasters in Iraq. It has a strong impact on the water resources in Iraq. Consequently, it causes massive environmental damage, economic deficiency, and social problems to the country. Therefore, more considerations towards the study and management of drought has become of vital importance in recent decades.In this paper, three drought indices (DIs) were computed for evaluation of the spatiotemporal of drought within Derbendikhan Dam Watershed (DDW) in the Diyala River Basin, Iraq. Based on the monthly weather data for the period (1984 – 2013) downloaded from the Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) …

Slope Stability Analysis Of Haditha Dam After Earthquake Using Geo-Studio Software, Mohammed K. Malik, Ibtisam R. Karim

Engineering and Technology Journal

The current study is designed to analyze theslope stability of Haditha damwhich is an earth-fill dam constructed on the Euphrates River in the middle-west of Iraq. Finite element modeling was used in the present study to analyze the combined seepage and post-earthquake slope stability of Haditha earth dam. The maximum water level of a steady seepage case was considered to evaluate seepage. - Three different water levels (maximum, normal, and minimum) were applied, and nine different equilibrium slope stability limits were used to analyze the upstream and downstream slopes of the dam with three horizontal maximum accelerations.The input data given …

Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis Of Fiber Reinforced Concrete Slabs, Saad A. Al-Taan, Ayad A. Abdul-Razzak

Engineering and Technology Journal

This paper presents a study on the behavior of fiber reinforced concrete slabs using finite element analysis. A previously published finite element program is used for the nonlinear analysis by including the steel fiber concrete properties. Concrete is represented by degenerated quadratic thick shell element, which is the general shear deformable eight node serendipity element, and the thickness is divided into layers. An elastic perfectly plastic and strain hardening plasticity approach are used to model the compression behavior of concrete. The reinforcing bars were smeared within the concrete layers and assumed as either an elastic perfectly plastic material or as …

Determination Efficient Classification Algorithm For Credit Card Owners: Comparative Study, Raghad A. Azeez

Engineering and Technology Journal

Today in the business world, significant loss can happen when the borrowers ignore paying their loans. Convenient credit-risk management represents a necessity for lending institutions. In most times, some persons prefer to late their monthly payments, otherwise, they may face difficulties in the loan payment process to the financial institution. Mainly, most fiscal organizations are considered managed and refined client classification systems, scanning a valid client from invalid ones. This paper produces the data mining idea, specifically the classification technique of data mining and builds a system of data mining process structure. The credit scoring problem will be applied using …

Performance Evaluation Of Photovoltaic Panels By A Proposed Automated System Based On Microcontrollers, Mustafa Q. Ali, Monaf S. Tapoub, Hayder A. Dhahadc

Engineering and Technology Journal

In this paper, an automated test setup for PV panels using LabVIEW and several microcontrollers (μCs) based embedded systems has been designed, tested, and implemented. This PV testing system has been characterized as fully automated and the only human intervention required is to install the PV panel and to set the required testing conditions. Several PV panels were evaluated and tested, the obtained results showed a high degree of accuracy and conformity with several testing schemes that have been carried out numerically, manually and manufacturer specifications. The designed system is characterized by a high-performance standard with accuracy, precision, and resolution …

Eyolov8-Msaff: An Enhanced Object Detection Algorithm With Multi-Scale Attention And Feature Fusion For Small And Dense Object Detection In Uav Applications, Mohammed Hasan Mutar, Morteza Valizadeh, Alaa Hussein Abdulaal, Mehdi Chehel Amirani

Iraqi Journal for Computer Science and Mathematics

The proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has necessitated the development of sophisticated object detection algorithms capable of handling the unique challenges posed by aerial imagery. Traditional detection methods often struggle with small object sizes, dense distributions, and complex backgrounds characteristic of UAV-captured scenes. This research presents EYOLOv8-MSAFF (Enhanced YOLOv8 with Multi-Scale Attention and Feature Fusion), a novel deep learning architecture specifically engineered for superior performance in UAV-based object detection tasks. The proposed methodology integrates four innovative components: a Hybrid Spatial-Channel Attention Mechanism (HSCAM) that processes attention information in parallel rather than sequentially, an Adaptive Multi-Scale Feature Fusion Module (AMSFFM) …

Integrated Construction Uncertainty Quantification Framework Icuqf, Felix Delmonte

Mechanical and Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

This study develops ICUQF, an integrated uncertainty framework for digitally instrumented construction megaprojects that unite probabilistic simulation, fuzzy reasoning, Bayesian networks, AI-driven anomaly detection, BIM-linked digital twins, and organizational learning into a single operational architecture. The framework classifies uncertainty into aleatory variability, epistemic gaps, data-centric and model-centric risks, and cognitive or cultural sources, mapping each class to computational treatments such as Monte Carlo engines for stochastic variability, fuzzy intervals and p-boxes for imprecise expert judgments, and hierarchical Bayesian models for coherent evidence aggregation and online updating. ICUQF specifies data pipelines that connect IoT sensing, edge processing, cloud storage, and Common …

Mapping And Modeling Threat-Evoked Brain States After Early Life Adversity, Taylor W. Uselman

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Early life adversity (ELA) increases lifelong neuropsychiatric vulnerability. Yet how ELA reorganizes brain-wide activity and circuit coordination across later experience remains unclear. This dissertation tests the hypothesis that ELA alters adult brain-wide activity and responses to threat through disrupted coordination among neural systems that regulate emotional experience, including prefrontal-limbic and monoaminergic systems. Longitudinal manganese-enhanced MRI of adult mice exposed to standard or fragmented early care, combined with computational processing and statistical modeling, quantified brain states before, during, and long after innate predator threat. These studies established that acute threat evokes large-scale, distributed brain activity that evolves over time. ELA potentiates …

Mechanisms Of Advanced And Energy Efficient Wastewater Treatment Technologies, Derek Belka

Civil Engineering ETDs

This dissertation combines meta-omics, microbial ecology, and hydrodynamic analysis to explore mechanisms of enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) and aerobic granular sludge (AGS) in municipal wastewater treatment. Metagenomic and functional gene profiling of a laboratory sequencing batch reactor fed with amino acids and proteins, and with a low abundance of known polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs), revealed abundant Herpetosiphonaceae and Dermatophilaceae families possessed key PAO metabolic traits, including phosphate scavenging, anaerobic carbon pathways, and ppk2 gene variants aligned with established PAOs. These findings suggest amino acid-driven EBPR can occur via previously unrecognized taxa, challenging current engineering assumptions and highlighting the need for …

Algorithmic Sculpting Of Complex Fused Silica Surfaces For Nondestructive, Mode-Matched Cavity Quantum Electrodynamics: Adaptive Co2 Milling And Simulation-Guided Ultrafast Inscription, From Fiber Fabry-Perot Cavities To Monolithic Architectures, Meagan E. Parker

Optical Science and Engineering ETDs

Quantum sensors achieve exceptional measurement sensitivity through coherent, well-isolated quantum systems, but practical deployment is hindered by destructive readouts that require repeated state preparation and create long system dead times. Optical cavities enable continuous, nondestructive measurements with minimal back-action, yet integrating high-finesse cavities into scalable quantum devices remains limited by existing fabrication methods. To overcome these constraints, an adaptive CO₂ laser-milling platform was developed. Guided by glass thermodynamics and melt dynamics, this closed-loop system uses in-situ phase-shifting interferometry to sculpt complex fused-silica surfaces with sub-nanometer root-mean-square roughness. The platform was validated by fabricating extended-length fiber Fabry–Pérot cavities and monolithic micro-cavity …

Enhanced Computational Modeling Of Photoionization And Streamer Formation, Anahita Alibalazadeh

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Photoionization is a key mechanism governing the formation and propagation of streamer discharges in air by generating electron-ion pairs ahead of the streamer front. Accurate and computationally efficient modeling of this non-local process is essential for reliable plasma simulations. However, the widely used Zheleznyak photoionization model relies on empirical assumptions and requires computationally expensive domain-wide integration.

This dissertation advances photoionization modeling in three ways. First, the classical integral model is enhanced by incorporating experimentally measured vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) emission spectra together with photoabsorption and photoionization cross-section data, enabling direct calculation of the photoionization source term as a function of pressure …

Multi-Robot Cooperative System For Complex Aerospace Manipulation Tasks: Theory And Application, Longsen Gao

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Multi-robot systems can extend manipulation capabilities beyond the limits of a single robot, particularly for tasks involving large, flexible, delicate, or free-floating payloads. Reliable cooperative manipulation, however, remains difficult when payload dynamics, contact geometry, compliance properties, deformation-induced forces, and external disturbances are only partially known, and when safety constraints must be enforced during physical interaction. This dissertation develops a two-layer control framework for resilient multi-robot manipulation under uncertainty, with emphasis on space servicing, satellite stabilization, aerial transportation, and cooperative manipulation of free-floating structures.

A Multidimensional Conceptual Framework For Supportive Outdoor Environments In Healthcare Settings, Mona Ali, Dalia A. Beheiry, Rowaida Kamel, Hammam Serageldin

HBRC Journal

The integration of supportive outdoor environments (SOEs) in healthcare settings has gained increasing attention for their potential to enhance patient recovery, support staff well-being, and contribute to holistic therapeutic outcomes. This scoping review examines design recommendations for inclusive outdoor environments in healthcare settings that impact user health and experience. Guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) framework for scoping reviews, a comprehensive search was conducted across five databases (Google Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, JSTOR, Sage), yielding 697 records. Following screening and applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 18 articles were selected for analysis. This scoping review identified consistent evidence linking outdoor …

Integrated Construction Risk Assessment Framework, Felix Delmonte

Mechanical and Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

An integrated risk assessment architecture for construction projects synthesizes data governance, BIM, Digital Twins, and hybrid analytics into a continuous feedback loop that links sensing, semantic modelling, probabilistic simulation, and organizational learning. The framework distinguishes aleatory from cognitive uncertainty and prescribes layered methods: Monte Carlo and Bayesian updating for measurable variability; fuzzy inference and consensus aggregation for linguistic and expert judgements; and graph-based discovery for dynamic cyber-physical topologies represented as time-varying graphs 𝐺𝑡. Governance primitives, aligned with ISO 19650, enforce provenance, interoperability, and staged readiness thresholds that prevent premature prescriptive outputs until model convergence criteria are met. BIM and GIS …