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Investigation of infiltration rates under different experimental conditions
No full textThis paper presents the results of laboratory experimental studies on soil infiltration rates (IR) using constant-head (CH) and falling-head (FH) methodologies. The study also determined the initial moisture content of the soil and classified the soil in accordance with American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Infiltration characteristics were measured for two different scenarios: Before Irrigation (BI) and After Irrigation (AI). The infiltration results of FH and CH showed that the initial moisture content highly affects the magnitude of the final IR as the infiltration capacity of the tested soils decreases for AI cases. CH final IRs observed were much higher than their FH analogues. This is consistent with other literature though the discrepancy here is larger than reported elsewhere. FH methodology is recommended for application to near surface processes, such as sprinkler irrigation where the measured value of IR is most representative of the actual soil IR
Thermodynamic analysis and optimization of various power cycles for a geothermal resource
No full textIn this study, geothermal resources in Kutahya-Simav region having geothermal water at a temperature suitable for power generation is considered. The study is aimed to yield the method of the most effective use of the geothermal resource and a rational thermodynamic comparison of various cycles for a given resource. Maximum first law efficiencies vary between 6.9 to 10.6% while the second law efficiencies vary between 38.5 to 59.3% depending on the cycle considered. The maximum power output, the first law, and the second law efficiencies are obtained for Kalina cycle followed by combined cycle and binary cycle
Waste to Energy: Plasma Gasification
No full textA poster submitted in ENG 207 taught by Dr. David Prescott for the Fall 2016 semester.In recent years UAE has been experiencing high population growth in parallel to its increase in economic status, to the point that each individual on average produced 2.1 kg of waste per capita per day. The consequences of the disposal of garbage are not direct and immediate. Companies in Dubai are charged high prices per ton of unrecycled garbage in order to try to increase the incentive for recycling
Performance of cementitious materials produced by incorporating surface treated multiwall carbon nanotubes and silica fume
No full textThe outstanding mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) highlight them as potential candidates for cementitious material reinforcement. However, their low surface friction and the Van der Waals forces of attraction between them, cause the CNTs to aggregate with each other rather than bind with the cement matrix. A number of methods have been investigated by researchers to reduce the aggregation, improve dispersion and activate the graphite surface to enhance its interfacial interaction. These methods involve surface functionalization and coating, optimal physical blending, use of surfactant and other admixtures. This research investigates the use of silica fumes (an admixture), surface functionalized CNTs and cement paste to overcome those obstacles. CNTs with polar impurities end groups OH and COOH were examined. Mortar samples with non-functionalized CNTs dispersed in water solution, another with non-dispersed, non-functionalized CNTs, and a third batch with no CNTs (as control) was used also studied. Silica fumes volume fraction was varied from 0 to 30% to determine its effect. Compressive and flexural strengths of the different mixes were measured and compared. Qualitative analysis using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Energy-Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) were carried out to study the morphology of each mix. Results reveal a much higher enhancement in strength both compressive and flexural strengths for the functionalized CNTs with 30% silica fumes over the other samples
Application of eggplant peels powder for the removal of oil from produced water
No full textThe removal efficiency of oil from simulated samples of produced water (SPW) was studied using a low-cost adsorbent eggplant peel powder (EPP). The effects of pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time, and temperature on the removal efficiency were investigated. The optimum conditions for maximum removal of oil from produced water (PW) are found to be: pH 10.00, adsorbent dosage = 1.75 g/L, contact time = 40 min, and temperature = 55°C. The results showed that the removal efficiency increases with increasing adsorbent dosage, salinity, and pH. The maximum removal efficiency of oil on EEP, at the optimum condition, is greater than 90% by weight. The study showed that EPP is a fast and excellent adsorbent for this oil removal. The crude oil adsorption on EPP is found to follow Langmuir adsorption isotherm, whereas the adsorption kinetics is best described by Pseudo-second-order kinetic model
Graphene Use in Wave Powered Desalination
No full textA poster submitted in ENG 207 taught by Dr. David Prescott for the Fall 2016 semester.As the world’s population is predicted to increase, consumption of drinking water will increase. However, the freshwater withdrawals have tripled over the last 50 years and this is predicted to increase even more in the future due to the increase in demand. More sources of water are needed m and two methods of desalination – distillation and reverse osmosis – are being spoken about as viable alternatives
A GIS-based spatiotemporal study of the variability of water quality in the Dubai Creek, UAE
No full textThis paper presentsthe outcomes of a studyon thewater qualityof Dubai Creek which aimed to assess its eutrophication status. Field water quality data from stations along the creek collected in 2012 and 2013 were used. Ordinary least squares (OLS) and spatial autocorrelation analyses were used as part of geographic information system (GIS)-based exploratory regression analysis to study the relationship between chlorophyll-a and nutrients, specifically total nitrogen and phosphate. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to study the vulnerability of the creek to eutrophication. Results showed unique trends of spatiotemporal variability of chlorophyll-a and nutrients. OLS modeling showed high correlation between field and modeled chlorophyll-a values between Al Garhoud Bridge and Sanctuary stations, located about 2 km upstream and downstream of the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) Outfall station. Furthermore, results showed the lower half of the creek was more vulnerable to eutrophication than the upper, which was believed to be due to the location of the STP station, poor flushing, shallow water depth, and irregular circulation patterns in the creek. Accordingly, this study recommends development of a mitigation plan in order to control the levels of nutrients in the creek
Strengthening of thin reinforced concrete slabs with CFRP laminates
No full textOver the years, engineers and researchers have been working continuously to reduce the dead loads on buildings by reducing the sizes of structural elements. Slabs add significant dead load to buildings compared to other structural members. Accordingly, reducing the slab thickness can drastically reduce the dead loads of buildings. Such reduction in dead load will allow engineers to construct taller buildingswith long spans using relatively smaller columns and foundations. The aim of this paper is to study the flexural performance of thin reinforced concrete (RC) slabs cast with high strength concrete when externally strengthened with carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates at their soffit. Two groups of slab specimens having a thickness of 75 mm were cast with a concrete compressive strength of 50 MPa and 100 MPa, respectively. The first group (C50) consists of three specimens strengthened in flexure with one and two layers of CFRP laminates. The second group (C100) consists of two slab specimens. The first slab is the control slab and the second specimen was strengthened with one layer of CFRP laminate. The test results of the first group with one and two layers of CFRP laminates indicated that the flexural strength have been increased by 69% and 126%, respectively over the control un-strengthened slab. However, for the second group, the flexural capacity of the strengthened slab was increased by 48% of that of the control specimen. The preliminary results from this study have shown that, the thin RC slabs can carry significantly higher loads in buildings if externally strengthened with CFRP laminates. It was also observed that as the concrete strength increases, the gain in flexural capacity of RC slabs from CFRP reinforcement decreases. Based on the results of this pilot study, the authors will expand the test matrix in a future study to examine the effect of several parameters including concrete compressive strength, reinforcement ratio, and number of CFRP layers on the performance of thin RC slabs
Food Quality Control using Modern Technology
No full textA poster submitted in ENG 207 taught by Dr. David Prescott for the Fall 2016 semester.The food industry continuously adapts to new technology mainly because of the variety of processes that are involved in the production of foods and beverages, ensuring the sustainability of the quality of the products. “The quality is defined as degree of excellence and this excellence is contributed by nutritional, sensory and hygienic factors which are the real requirement of consumers in the present era”. Newer quality control measures are taking into account green technology in food production
The Translation of Simile in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre
No full textA Master of Arts thesis in Translation and Interpreting MATI (English/Arabic/English) by Saneih A. Mohamad entitled, "The Translation of Simile in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre," submitted in November 2016. Thesis advisor is Dr. Sattar Izwaini. Soft and hard copy available.This thesis examines the translation of similes in Charlotte Bronte's novel Jane Eyre (1847). Data is collected from the original work and two Arabic translations of it by Munir Baalabaki (1985) and Helmi Morad (2003). It uses a critical contrastive analysis to assess the degree of accuracy between this original rhetorical device and its rendition into Arabic. This thesis posits that translation of similes of Jane Eyre suffers from serious mistranslation. Some similes deviated from the intentions of the original text; others violated linguistic and cultural norms of the target text. Consequently, this mistranslation undermines the overall literary value of the novel in Arabic. The nature of similes used in the novel and the translators' overreliance on formal equivalence approach and literalism along with inconsistent translation strategies resulted in mistranslation of a good number of similes.College of Arts and SciencesDepartment of Arabic and Translation StudiesMaster of Arts in English/Arabic/English Translation and Interpreting (MATI