Digital Commons Network^™

Strength Analysis Of An Aircraft Sandwich Structure With A Honeycomb Core: Theoretical And Experimental Approaches, Sadiq E. Sadiq, Muhsin J. Jweeg, Sadeq H. Bakhy

Engineering and Technology Journal

In this paper, the strength of aircraft sandwich structure with honeycombcore under bending load was evaluated theoretically and experimentallybased on failure mode maps. A failure mode map for the loading underthree-point bending was constructed theoretically to specify the failuremodes and corresponding load. Three point bending test for aluminumhoneycomb sandwich beam has been achieved to measure the peak loadand maximum deflection. The obtained results elucidated a goodagreement between the theoretical solutions and experimental tests, wherethe error ratio was not exceeded 12%. The core height, the cell size andthe cell wall thickness were selected to explore the effect of honeycombparameters on the …

Assessing The Performance Of The Evacuated Tube Solar Collector Using Smart Curtain Through (Pso Based Pid) Controller And Nano Fluids, Hosham S.Anead, Khalid F. Sultan, Sura Abdul Jabbar

Engineering and Technology Journal

This research revealed control on Nano fluid temperature in the evacuated tube solar collector system, where Nano fluids used in ETSC as working fluid to increase heating system thermal efficiency. Smart curtain was used to shadow the evacuated tube solar collector and to control the temperature of the Nano fluid in heating or cooling condition which is moved by the stepper motor which is programmed to move through the Arduino board using an artificial intelligence method such as (PSO based PID) controller method . Where the curtain's main idea is to control the polarization of the sun's radiation, the work …

Treatment Of Iraqi Municipal Wastewater By Up-Flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactor Uasb, Khairi R. Kalash, Majid A. Dixon, Hussein Ir. Sultan, Raad A. Ali

Engineering and Technology Journal

In this work, the Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket “UASB” reactor treated effluent wastewater to investigate the process performance on a pilot plant scale. Municipal wastewater at high and medium strength with different organic load rate OLR (0.6-9) kg COD m-3day-1 with the flow of 20 l/h, up-flow velocity 0.4 m/h, hydraulic retention time HRT 9 h at a temperature of (20-30 ºC) was evaluated. The wastewater concentration, including TSS, COD was measured, and the removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total suspended solid TSS were calculated and summarized as 45-85% and 70-75%, respectively, depending on organic load rate …

A Brief Survey On Modern Iris Feature Extraction Methods, Hanaa M. Ahmed, Mohammed A. Taha

Engineering and Technology Journal

This paper presents a survey of some of the most recent research work on the extraction phase of the Iris recognition system. Iris biometric system has been used for person recognition in wide applications where person identity authentication required for its stability and uniqueness as compared to other biometric systems. Iris based recognition systems consist of stages are Iris localization, normalization, feature extraction, and matching. The extraction of features influences the precision and reliability of the biometric system, so several methods have been used.

Effect Of Pulse Electric Field On Water Characteristics As A Disinfection Function In Filtration Unit, Ghassan Abukhanafer, Alaa H. Al-Fatlawi, Hassan H. Joni

Engineering and Technology Journal

This paper studied the impact of the addition of pulse electric-filed low voltage (PEF-LV) in the filtration process by designing, constructing, and operating a pilot-scale. The Disinfectant process (DP) demonstrated several benefits in terms of efficiency and ease of application, without the use of any chemical additive. This system contains two pairs of silver mesh electrodes inside the filtration column test with a low pulse voltage for killing microorganisms. The parametric effects of DP performance, such as alternating current pulse frequency and the voltage applied were investigated. The effect of PEF-LV on the biological, physical, and chemical characteristic of water …

Influence Of Microfibers Additive On The Self-Healing Performance Of Mass Concrete, Alaa Z. Dahesh, Farhad M. Othman, Alaa A. Abdul-Hamead

Engineering and Technology Journal

Because cracks are the main problem of mass concrete, this paper investigates an experimental study on the effect of polypropylene microfiber (PPMFs) on self -repair behavior of mass concrete, through study the microstructure, workability, physical, and mechanical properties of mass concrete. PPMFs with a diameter of 18 μm add in different percentages (0, 0.5, 1 and 1.5) % of cement weight. Where the prepared mixture ratio was (1:2:4.8) and the water-cement ratio (W/C) was 0.4. Also, 0.6% of Superplasticizer (SP) % of cement weight to all concrete mixtures was added. In this study, an SEM analysis used to observe the …

Parametric Study On Buckling Behavior Of Aluminum Alloy Thin-Walled Lipped Channel Beam With Perforations Subjected To Combined Loading, Dalya S. Khazaal, Hussein M. Al-Khafaji, Imad A. Abdulsahib

Engineering and Technology Journal

The objective of the research presented in this paper is to investigate the buckling behavior of a perforated thin-walled lipped channel beam subjected to combined load. A nonlinear finite element method was used to analyze the buckling behavior of the beam. Experimental tests were made to validate the finite element simulation. Three factors with three levels for each factor were chosen to examine their influence on the buckling behavior of the beam and these factors are: the shape of holes, opening ratio and the spacing ratio of . The finite elements outcome was analyzed by using Taguchi method to identify …

Thermal Investigations Of Double Pass Solar Air Heater With Two Types Of Porous Media Of Different Thermal Conductivity, Jalal M. Jalil, Shrooq J. Ali

Engineering and Technology Journal

This study describes an experimental investigation of the thermal efficiency of stainless steel mesh and steel wool as a porous medium in the lower channel of a double pass solar air heater. An experimental setup was planned and developed. Various types of porous media with high thermal conductivity and with different porosities have been tested. The effects of the porosity of wire mesh, the thermal conductivity of porous media, mass flow rate, and the intensity of radiation have been studied. Experimental results show that thermal efficiency with using porous media is greater than without using porous media. When used steel …

Evaluation Of The Hydrodynamic Pressure Effect Of Cylindrical Liquid Storage Tank On The Granular Soil Behavior Under Seismic Excitation, Ahmed A. Hussein, Mohammed A. Al-Neami, Falah H. Rahil

Engineering and Technology Journal

Many liquid storage tanks around the world have been affected by earthquakes, and the seismic analysis of such tanks is much more complicated due to the Fluid-Structure Interaction. Besides, when the soil properties are taken into the consideration, the analysis with the Fluid-Soil-Structure Interaction becomes very complicated. In this paper, a series of shaking table tests are conducted on a model of the cylindrical water tank rested on dry granular soil and the equivalent load is considered to study the effect of hydrodynamic pressure generated in the storage water tank on the soil behavior. An experimental investigation of (1:100) scale …

Chemical Extraction Process For Producing High Purity Nanosilica From Iraqi Rice Husk, Sami A. Ajeel, Khalid A. Sukkar, Naser K. Zedin

Engineering and Technology Journal

Rice husk is considered a main agricultural waste in Iraq. High purity SiO2 NPs were produced from rice husk by enhanced precipitation and developed leaching processes for the preparation of silica from RH. In this study, pre-treatment for rice husk was with 3N HCl, and calcination at 700°C was achieved, then followed with a leaching process with (1.5, 2, 2.5, 3) N NaOH concentrations. The characterizations of the prepared SiO2 NPs were studied by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results show that the prepared SiO2 NPs have an amorphous structure with a high …

Effects Of Evaporator And Condenser Temperatures On The Performance Of A Chiller System With A Variable Speed Compressor, Ahmed H. Al-Hassani, Alaa R. Al-Badri

Engineering and Technology Journal

The operation and performance of heat-pump systems are affected by indoor and outdoor operating conditions. Power consumption and system efficiency are related to evaporator and condenser working pressures. Intelligent controllers such as a proportional integral (PI) controller improve the performance of variable speed refrigeration systems (VSRs) with electronic expansion valve (EEV). Evaporator and condenser pressures affect the system power consumption and efficiency. In this study, the influence of evaporator and condenser temperatures on the performance of a variable speed refrigeration system with an EEV was experimentally investigated at constant cooling load. The experimental system comprises of a rotary compressor, shell-and-coil …

Experimental Investigation Of Thermosyphon Thermal Performance Using Different Filling Ratio, Talib Z. Farge, Samar J. Ismael, Rawad M.Thyab

Engineering and Technology Journal

The present work investigated the thermal performance of thermosyphon by using distilled water as a working fluid at different filling ratios (50%, 60%, and 70 %). The thermosyphon was manufactured from a copper tube with outer and inner diameters (26 and 24) mm, respectively. The thermosyphon was tested experimentally at different input power (100, 200 and 300) Watt. The operating temperature of the oil was chosen below 85°C. Experimental results revealed that the filling ratio of 60% exhibited the best heat dissipation at the highest operating temperature. While the low operating temperature and 50 % filling ratio show better heat …

Direct Shear Strength Of Rpc Member, Shahad Q. Madhlom, Hussein A. Aziz, Ammar A. Ali

Engineering and Technology Journal

In this research paper, results are obtained from Reactive Powder Concrete (RPC) push-off specimens - double L shape subjected to direct shear loading. Different parameters considered are compressive strength, percentages of steel fiber, presence of aggregate and shear reinforcement. The results show that increasing in steel fiber content starting from 0.0% and ending with 1.5% leads to increases in the shear strength by (261%) and attempt to decrease its brittleness. The presence of steel fiber content enhances and improves the tensile strength and the shear strength. Using RPC in constructing the specimens enhances the shear strength by 29.6% compared with …

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 …

A Review On Microbial Fuel Cells, Baidaa A. Kitafa, Afaf J. Obaid Al-Saned

Engineering and Technology Journal

The Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) is a bioreactor with which the chemical energy in chemical bonds of organic compounds are converted to electricity under anaerobic conditions through catalytic reactions of micro-organisms. It has been familiar for a long time that electricity can be generated directly through using bacteria to break organic matter. A microbial fuel cell can also serve in different wastewater treatment to destroy organic matter. The development of MFC technology requires a greater understanding of the microbial processes for MFCs, and their components, limitations, factors and design this system, to be simpler and large scale system developed; so …

Evaluation Of Gridded Precipitation Products And Machine-Learning Models For Rainfall Prediction In Arid Regions - Case Study In Qassim Region, Ksa, Ragab Rabeiy

Yanbu Journal of Engineering and Science

Receiving rainfall predictions in dry regions such as Saudi Arabia is challenging due to limited observational stations and the temporal and spatial variability of rainfall events. This study explores the performance of nine remote sensing rainfall datasets over the Qassim region of central Saudi Arabia. High-resolution rainfall data from ground-based sources were used to evaluate the accuracy of CHIRPS, TRMM, GPM, PERSIANN, CMORPH, CFSR, TerraClimate, TerraClimate_Monthly, and ERA5 datasets. Performance metrics such as R2, RMSE, MAE, and bias were calculated to quantify the accuracy of each dataset. Analysis revealed that ERA5 generally demonstrated better accuracy than the other datasets with …

Attention-Based Ensemble Deep Learning Model For Arabic And English Fake News Classification, Ameer Alhaq Alshamery

Journal of Intelligent Informatics, Networking, and Cybersecurity

It is difficult to classify articles as fake news since one article may consist of true facts with only some statements being fake. Moreover, classification becomes complicated for the Arabic language owing to its morphology and several ways of spelling, as well as the lack of well-classified and marked data sets. This paper presents an Ensemble Deep Learning Model (EDLM) used for Arabic and English fake news classification. The EDLM consists of CNN, Bi-LSTM with attention, and Bi-GRU with attention networks. Each of them produces one probability of the article, which is then summed up to a final probability via …

Novel Dynamic Batch-Sensitive Adam Optimiser For Vehicular Accident Injury Severity Prediction, Daniel Asare Kyei, Alimatu Saadia-Yussiff, Maame G. Asante-Mensah, Abdul Lateef-Yussiff, Charles Roland Haruna, Derry Emmanuel

Iraqi Journal for Computer Science and Mathematics

The choice of optimiser is important in deep learning, as it strongly influences model efficiency and speed of convergence. However, many commonly used optimisers encounter difficulties when applied to imbalanced and sequential datasets, limiting their ability to capture patterns of minority classes. In this study, we propose Dynamic Batch-Sensitive Adam (DBS-Adam), an optimiser that dynamically scales the learning rate using a batch difficulty score derived from exponential moving averages of gradient norms and batch loss. DBS-Adam improves training stability and accelerates convergence by increasing updates for difficult batches and reducing them for easier ones. We evaluate DBS-Adam by integrating it …

Genpix: A Diverse Dataset For Fake Image Detection, Guessoum Dalila, Benblidia Nadjia, Boumahdi Fatima, Remmide Mohamed Abdelkarim, Nouri Tarek-Amine, Bataouche Azeddine-Lotfi

Iraqi Journal for Computer Science and Mathematics

The rapid advancement of sophisticated generative models has intensified the need for robust fake image detection systems. However, many existing benchmark datasets suffer from limited diversity in content types and generation techniques, constraining the generalization ability of detection models. To address these limitations, we introduce GenPix (Generalized Pixels), a comprehensive dataset encompassing over 80,000 images spanning diverse categories, including faces, objects, and scenes, generated by multiple state-of-the-art models such as Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) and diffusion-based architectures. The dataset includes samples from different generation methods to ensure broad coverage of fake image characteristics.

GenPix provides a realistic evaluation environment that …

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) …

A Novel Hierarchical Multi-Scale Attention Mechanism For Enhanced Yolov8 Performance In Unmanned Aerial Vehicle-Based Small Object Detection, Mohammed Hasan Mutar, Morteza Valizadeh, Alaa Hussein Abdulaal, Mehdi Chehel Amirani

Iraqi Journal for Computer Science and Mathematics

Object detection in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) images presents significant challenges due to the prevalence of small and densely packed objects, as well as variations in scale, orientation, and lighting conditions. This paper introduces a novel object detection algorithm, Hierarchical Multi-Scale Attention YOLO (HMSA-YOLO), which is an improved version of YOLOv8 designed to address these challenges. The proposed method incorporates a novel Hierarchical Multi-Scale Attention (HMSA) module, a Bidirectional Feature Pyramid Network (BiFPN) for enhanced feature fusion, a modified loss function, and an adaptive anchor optimization technique. The HMSA module effectively captures both channel and spatial dependencies at multiple scales, …

Implications Of Similarities And Differences Amongst Media Literacy Skills And Trust Across Communities Of Color, Erica Weintraub Austin, Nadia Ishrat Alamgir, Alexandra Elenitsa Fil, Sultana Ismet Jerin, Di Mu, Albert Junior Nyarko, Folake Racheal Okor, Pearl Omolara Oladele, Hae Yeon Seo, Andrew D. Sutherland

Journal of Media Literacy Education Pre-Prints

A 2020 survey of U.S. adults found that nonwhite respondents tended to report lower levels of media literacy than white respondents. However, their media literacy skills were associated with better COVID-19 knowledge and less acceptance of COVID-19 disinformation. This secondary analysis of the dataset (N=1264) explored how aspects of media literacy and media trust varied across communities of color. No significant differences in online information efficacy were found. White respondents scored higher than Hispanic/Latiné and Native American/Indigenous respondents on media literacy for source, and higher than Black and Hispanic/Latiné respondents on media literacy for content. White respondents also …

Hotter Than The Fire: Analysis Of Indonesia's Forest And Peatland Fire Policy Contention, 2015–2024, Dede Setiono, Nunuk Retnandari, Putri Wulandari

Forest and Society

The catastrophic forest and peatland fires of 2015 served as a critical juncture for Indonesia, catalyzing an unprecedented wave of policy reforms aimed at fire prevention and ecosystem restoration. Despite this, major fire events recurred in 2019 and 2023, exposing a persistent gap between policy ambition and on-the-ground reality. This article investigates the underlying reasons for this continued policy failure. This study employs a qualitative, interpretive approach, drawing on 25 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders across government, the corporate sector, civil society, and local communities conducted between 2023 and 2024. The analysis reveals that Indonesia's fire crisis is not …

Selective Factors Impacting Charter High School Enrollment, Nathan Marshall

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined factors influencing high school choice among Utah families, comparing parent priorities between charter and traditional public high schools. Using one-way ANOVA with Tukey honestly significant difference (HSD) post hoc comparisons, parental priorities were analyzed across personal, school community, and academic factors. Parents choosing traditional public high schools rated personal and school community factors significantly higher, emphasizing relationships and school climate, while charter high school parents rated academic factors significantly higher, favoring rigor and instructional quality. Charter parents' priorities were not uniform, however, but varied significantly by school model, suggesting that the charter-versus-traditional divide masks meaningful differences within …

Matthew Milisits V. Superintendent Benner Township Sci

2026 Decisions

USDC for the Western District of Pennsylvania

Environmental Exposure Risk Education To Enhance Chronic Kidney Disease Prevention And Screening For Nurse Practitioners, Kelsea J. Carrier

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects approximately 36 million adults in the United States, with nearly 90% of individuals unaware of their diagnosis until advanced stages. While diabetes and hypertension remain the primary causes, increasing evidence highlights environmental exposures as significant and underrecognized contributors to CKD onset and progression. Exposures such as heavy metals, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), air and water pollution, microplastics, and heat exposure have been linked to impaired renal function. Despite this growing body of evidence, environmental health content remains limited in nursing education, resulting in gaps in environmental health literacy (EHL) among nurse practitioners (NPs) and …

Unscripted Urban Interior, Paramita Atmodiwirjo, Yandi Andri Yatmo

Interiority

The urban interior has emerged as a site of unscripted performance. The unscripted urban interior can be understood as a dynamic field where spatial conditions, social practices, and temporal change interact to produce emergent and contingent spatial realities beyond the original script. Through unscripted performance, the urban interior becomes a site of transformative potential, where various forms of practices emerge to transform, appropriate, and mediate the situations. The articles in this Interiority issue highlight the indeterminate characters of the urban interior and the possible transformation practices emerging from such urban contexts through various techniques and media that create distinctive values …

Unplanned Public Nature Interiority, Kendra Locklear Ordia

Interiority

This paper advances a theory of urban interiority through the concept of public nature interiority, integrating ecological thinking into the spatial, sensory, and temporal conditions of exterior spaces that feel interior. Drawing on works by Tine Poot, Richard Sennett, Liz Teston, and Suzie Attiwill, it challenges binary distinctions between interior and exterior, emphasising relational and dynamic urban conditions. Using Attiwill's notions of collective individuation and an ecology of subjectivity, interiority is reframed as being shaped not only by human perception and experience with nature but also by biotic relations and multispecies interactions. The theory is situated within terrain vague—indeterminate, overlooked …

Performing Disobedience: Critical Spatial Heritage, Counter-Memory, And The Rewriting Of Medellín’S Public Space, Laura Balán

Interiority

This article examines the radical street performance practice of Bernardo Ángel Saldarriaga in Medellín, Colombia, as a site of political and epistemological transformation. Through ethnographic engagement with Saldarriaga—an ascetic artist who stages trance-based interventions in public space—the study analyses how his performances disrupt dominant narratives of history, identity, and citizenship. Drawing on political ontology, decolonial thought, and critical heritage studies, the article argues that Saldarriaga's work functions as a hybrid forum for negotiating plural knowledges and social imaginaries. His refusal of institutional funding, his embodied critique of state power, and his use of trance and possession rituals generate both affective …

Modern Psychology And The Religious Experience: Faith Or Just Institutionalization?, Darin Challacombe

Psychology Faculty Publications

A literature review of Paloutzian’s (1996) “Religious Experience” chapter in Invitation to the Psychology of Religion is presented by outlining and critiquing works cited. Specifically, the combination of three distinct theories (e.g., schemas, attribution, and attachment) is presented and evaluated. Using these three theories, empirical research that has been done in this field can be explained. However, the main component of these theories has to be present: faith. Faith needs to be seen as being the opposite of institutionalization; rather, events that are religious must have faith and cannot be completely explained by institutionalization concepts of groupthink and manipulation. Further, …