Mesopotamian Journal of Civil Engineering

Casa Bloc: Social Housing Project in Spain

Bashar Al Shahrabi — 2024-04-25

The Casa Bloc is a residential building designed by Josep Lluís Sert, Josep Torres Clavé and Joan Baptista Subirana, opened in 1936 in the Sant Andreu the city of Barcelona, Spain. All the Architects were working in (the Catalan Group of Architects). It is a Re-creation of the le Corbusier proposal for residential housing, formulated in 1922 for an urban area with a density of 300 inhabitants per hectare. The Casa Bloc project, aimed at social housing, the design was drawn as a large building with two hundred dwellings for workers’ families in the industrial field because many of them were homeless at that time and they still lived in shacks, generally in very poor conditions. but The Spanish Civil War suspend the project of the Casa Bloc for three years. Later, the building was used not only for workers but also for other nations. So that the main purpose of the project and its social and cultural function was wasted. because through the time many changes entered the project. Casa Bloc, Apartment 1/11 is a member of the Iconic Houses, the international network connecting architecturally significant houses from the 20^th Century that are opened to the public. Housing policy is governed by the Spanish Housing Ministry with the ‘autonomous regions and their municipalities interpreting and implementing policies at a more local level. A right to housing is guaranteed by the Spanish constitution: All Spaniards have the right to enjoy decent and adequate housing. The public authorities shall promote the necessary conditions and establish appropriate rules to uphold this right.

Shear Strengthening of Recycled Lightweight Coarse Aggregate Concrete Beams Using NSM Technique

Hussein M Issa — 2024-11-25

The NSM technique began to apply as a modern technique to treat defects in structural elements and to increase the shear and flexural strength of structural elements. For this technique to be effective, a series of practical experiments were conducted to characterize the behavior of the element strengthened by the NSM technique for flexure and shear. Shear strengthening with GFRP rods is the focus of this paper for concrete beams that contain 30% coarse aggregate replacement ratio of bonza (volumetric ratio) obtained from the rubble of demolished buildings. A total of 7 beams were loaded under four-point load test, the parameters examined were the angle of inclination and the distance between the GFRP bars, the presence and absence of stirrups and the bonza aggregate replacement ratio. The characterization of the tested beams includes failure mode, load-deflection curves, load-strain curves of stirrups, rebars and GFRP rods and the surface concrete strain in the shear zone of beam. The results showed that the use of GFRP rods used to strengthen concrete beams was relatively effective, especially in the presence of stirrups, where the gain in shear strength was 8.8% and 4.1% when the distance between the vertical GFRP bars was (200 and 300) mm, respectively, with the presence of stirrups. While the gain in shear strength was (5.9%) when the GFRP bars were inclined at 45o with presence of stirrups. The deflection of strengthened beams was greater than the deflection of unstrengthened beam, where the maximum deflection of strengthened beams reaches 29.6mm at 177kN, while the maximum deflection of unstrengthned beam was 18.9mm at 185kN.

Optimizing Space Effeciency in Small Dwellings: A Study of Interior Design Strategies and Solutions

Karam Raad Abdulkareem NAWRES — 2024-02-11

This research focuses on the challenges faced by residents of small homes in Baghdad, Iraq, and what they need to maximize space, protect cultural heritage, and advance sustainability. Through an examination of international interior design approaches, culturally sensitive solutions, efficacy, and practical advice, the study seeks to solve challenges. The concept, literature review, questionnaire creation and distribution, data analysis and discussion, and integration of a case study are the six steps of the quantitative methodology that will be used in this study. We'll look at the subject of tiny homes and the social and psychological effects of living in a small place. The trend of smaller homes in Iraq will be discussed in this essay, along with a case study that offers an engineering solution to optimize space in a compact house. The results of the case study and questionnaire, along with the participant perspectives and the applied design interventions, will be shared. In order to wrap up the study, recommendations will be made for more research in the following areas: comparative studies, public awareness and education, interdisciplinary collaboration, long-term impact assessment, cultural preservation, sustainable materials and practices, accessibility and inclusivity, and policy recommendations.

A Case Study from Karbala, Iraq, of Geospatial Strategies for Optimal Asphalt Concrete Plant Placement

Muhannad Muhsin — 2024-10-27

Having a new capital improvement facility means a significant and lasting commitment and the selection of an actual site is the key factor in success. This decision affects a wide range of undertakings including land use planning and location of industrial structures. The arrangement for asphaltic concrete plants is thus surrounded by several factors that include economic, social, technological and environmental factors. Site selection in a nutshell is the process of choosing sites that have suitable characteristics and within certain parameters to produce a good site from an operational point of view. In this study, we adopt the combination of GIS techniques and cost breakdown methods to overcome the hurdles facing choices of the most appropriate sites to establish asphaltic concrete plants. This research, undertaken in the Karbala Governorate of Iraq, systematically employs tools to map areas optimising economic, environmental and social costs. The study shows that there could be around 120 possible locations for asphaltic concrete plants, on a minimum area of 40,000 square meters. This paper takes GIS modelling and cost breakdown approaches to offer an efficient approach in determining suitable plant locations and thus serves as a useful guideline in decisions of infrastructural investments

Assessment of Cyber Security Risks in Electrical Engineering System of Georgia

Maka Jishkariani — 2024-08-20

Cyber security is an integral part of electrical engineering and covers various aspects such as power grid security, electrical and power equipment security, risk management, standards compliance, and incident response to prevent cyber attacks on power grids. The article examines the probable risks of the electrical system of Georgia. for this purpose a logical graphic tool is used, to identify top-down failures, which cause lower-level system failures. Fault tree analysis consists of "events" and "logic gates", which correlate accidents to determine the cause of the most adverse event. The paper analyzes the causes of possible short-circuiting, violation of the dynamic stability of the network, and harmonic distortion in the networks of the electric system of Georgia and gives recommendations for their reduction.

The impact of poor planning on the duration and cost of the projects

FATIMAH SLAEAT — 2024-09-20

This study explores how inadequate planning affects the duration and cost of projects, based on a questionnaire survey conducted among project management practitioners. The survey aimed to evaluate the impact of poor planning on key project outcomes, including risk forecasting, project success, and overall cost and time efficiency. The results show that 55.8% of respondents believe that poor planning significantly impacts risk forecasting, while 60.4% reported a major negative effect on overall project success. In response to these challenges, project management teams implemented various mitigation strategies, with 34% focusing on enhancing communication and 26.4% reorganizing execution phases and increasing fieldwork.
Additionally, when reflecting on lessons learned for future projects, 77% of respondents recognized that they gained valuable insights, while 23% indicated only partial learning. The findings emphasize the crucial role of effective planning in reducing delays and cost overruns, as poor planning was seen to significantly increase both. This highlights the necessity for better communication, strategic reorganization, and more flexible planning processes to ensure successful project delivery. In conclusion, the study illustrates that effective planning is vital for project efficiency, and failing to plan adequately can lead to heightened risks, extended timelines, and increased costs, making it a key area for ongoing improvement in project management..

Essence and proposals of organic architecture

Karam Raad Abdulkareem — 2024-08-18

The term "organic architecture" describes the use of living or organic elements to design architectural shapes. The goal of organic architecture is to create forms that are more like nature itself than imitations of natural forms. Nature is a source of inspiration for many engineers, designers, and architects. Innovation and the rise of architectural quality are the goals of research on "natural constructions." The use of life sciences language in the context of architecture offers fresh viewpoints on architectural and design innovation. The comparisons between nature and architecture are the main topic of the study. Since the beginning of time, nature and living things have lived in harmony with humans. However, natural species have always been the source of inspiration for people. Sometimes these interactions result in various and incompatible paradigms. As early as 1908, Frank Lloyd Wright used the term "organic" into his architectural ethos. He invented organic architecture to describe his architectural concepts. It was a continuation of his instructor Louis Sullivan's theories, whose phrase "form follows function" became the guiding principle of contemporary architecture. Louis Sullivan was one of the role models Wright looked up to and who influenced him. Wright supported both the natural development of the environment and the adaptation of architecture to the environment. In order to prevent conflicts between architectural designs and the environment, Wright places a strong emphasis on allowing architecture to fit in seamlessly with its surroundings. Wright has embraced the chance to instruct and counsel the architectural community on the value of adhering to the laws of nature in terms of construction practices and the principal architecture.

Strategies For Designing Public Open Spaces in Baghdad City

Bashar Al Shahrabi — 2024-03-20

Urban design has a significant impact on residents' quality of life and overall well-being. With the rapid expansion of urban areas, it has become imperative to meticulously plan and provide open areas. Implementing sustainable urban design strategies can bolster environmental sustainability, foster social fairness, and boost public health. Iraq faces numerous challenges that impede the creation of safe, accessible, and attractive public spaces for its residents. The aim of this study is to enhance a sustainable urban design plan that will enhance the functioning, accessibility, and visual appeal of open spaces in Baghdad. The researcher uses a questionnaire to collect data from specific respondents with the aim of identifying the limitations that exist in the urban design of open spaces in Baghdad. The study results demonstrate evident limitations from urban, transportation, economic, environmental, cultural, and social perspectives. The survey's findings indicate that the most prominent issues are the intricate arrangements resulting from the addition of new nodes, the diversity of pathways, unfavorable traffic conditions, inadequate land usage, and insufficient distribution of green spaces. The researcher utilizes Kevin Lynch's design concepts to analyze the urban characteristics of the studied region. These principles address the major existing urban issues that need to be considered in the urban design concept to improve the features of the urban landscape in the research region. According to the findings, the researcher suggests several alternatives, such as redistributing land use, developing the wave front area, building new nodes and open spaces, increasing green spaces, and developing the Metro, LRT Train, and BRT.

Innovative Approaches to Design Representation in Civil Engineering

Mohammed Sadik Kamel — 2024-11-15

In design and architecture, ‘reality’ exists through sign systems, the structured arrangements of signifying that which previously existed as ideas, beliefs, values, images and events. These representations conform to the philosophical and ideological dispositions that post the philosophical description of the Zeitgeist. An explicit emphasis on representations is characteristic of civil engineering design, which allows for the integration of technological, cultural, and esthetic values and information exchange across the temporal, spatial, and cultural divides. Consequently, it has been identified that, though representation is an important concept in civil engineering, there is no concrete and unambiguous definition of representation in modern civil engineering. This paper fills this gap by providing a theoretical analysis of representation and how it is used in contemporary design professions. From a theoretical viewpoint, the research defines the concept and builds a sound framework to deconstruct and implement representation to a real-life civil engineering model. Representation encompasses imitation and embodiment of prior elements through processes of abstraction or simulation, revealing two key dimensions: generative source (semiotic) and materialization (performed). Representation in civil engineering is present but in two primary dimensions. The first one, which is based on classical procedures, is semantic and realistic, and these works unambiguously express ideologies or technical concepts. The second, non-classical approach, relies on abstraction and subjectivity and here the designs look like an open question – not unique and predetermined by certain context and culture. These dualities place representation as a generative and communicative medium in civil engineering while providing conceptual solutions to structures, city planning and sustainability.

An Empirical Review of Innovative Soil Improvement Techniques in Geotechnical Engineering

Prerana M. Bhagatkar — 2024-07-23

Acquisition of soils made a new dimension in geotechnical engineering due to increased demands on sustainability as well as effectiveness in infrastructure development. The traditional techniques of soil stabilization, ground reinforcement, and grouting have been in widespread use but often come out as not good enough when considered in terms of long-term performance, environmental impact, and adaptability to conditions at complicated sites. Most of the literature reviews concentrate on one or two techniques/advancements without giving an all-round view of the changing landscape of innovative soil improvement techniques. It tries to bridge this gap by conducting a comprehensive review of conventional as well as emerging techniques in soil stabilization, ground reinforcement, and grouting along with practical applications. The review process has been structured around three key categories. Prepare a list of traditional additive-based technologies for soil stabilization: cement, lime, fly ash, etc., along with modern ideas on using industrial by-products and nanomaterials, and added biotechnological methods like microbial-induced calcite precipitation. Methods of ground reinforcement would be compared with geosynthetics, geogrids, and other newer systems like stone columns, vibro-compaction, and soil nailing. Finally, the advancement of grouting is reviewed and the development of cementitious grouting, special grout mixtures, and modern injection techniques. All these will be integrated together to ensure that the review becomes clearer in presenting the advancements of geotechnical engineering by focusing on aspects of efficiency and sustainability within modern methods. In particular, incorporating the practical applications and case studies enhances the review of these techniques to illustrate relevance in practice, their economic and environmental impacts, and aspects of sustainable construction. In this way, this work lays a more solid foundation and contributes toward bridging the gap that lies between traditional and innovative soil improvement methods and thus pushes forward further effective and eco-friendly solutions in geotechnical engineering.

A Comparative Analysis of Bearing Capacity of Pile Foundations Using SPT Measurements for Nasiriyah Soil

Linda Aziz Jawad Alfayyadh — 2024-10-15

Pile foundation is essential in structures including buildings, storage tanks, and bridges especially in geotechnical applications. The bearing capacity of pile foundations must be evaluated, and evaluating this usually involves the use of the static load pile testing method which is however expensive. Another approach is based on data derived from field tests including the Standard Penetration Test (SPT), which is normally conducted during investigation of the site. Nevertheless, there is no common technique to analytically determine the bearing capability of pile foundations because of the complexities in pile-soil-pile interaction. Different empirical methods that are developed from SPT results are widely used for estimation of the bearing capacity but the result using this approach could be different from that of the other methods of design approach. This paper analyses seven empirical equations derived from SPT for the estimation of pile foundation-bearing capacity. The data considered in this work is a part of the site investigation for water intake in Nasiriyah for the water intake project, which is provided by SPT test results of six boreholes. The nature of the subsoil was estimated from SPT data and was categorized according to disturbed and samples. The number of blows from the SPT was adjusted before performing the computational analysis with them. The results confirmed that it expressed the greatest of all bearing capacities consistently when applying it to six of the SPT results. However, other methods resulted in the lowest bearing capacity values for the piles. Some methods produced mid-range values, while others yielded higher values compared to the conservative estimates provided by certain methods. Based on this, it can be concluded that the method with the lowest values serves as a more conservative approach for estimating pile-bearing capacity.

BUILDING INFORMATION MODELLING: OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES, AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Ali Hasnain — 2024-01-15

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a technological revolution that provides civil engineers with a central digital means of managing their design construction and facilities management tasks. The primary objective of this research is to comprehensively analyze the role and impact of BIM in civil engineering. The study highlights the benefits, challenges, and prospects regarding BIM. This study underlines the main implementation issues, which had been identified in the previous research in cross-sectional, qualitative, and quantitative studies related to BIM implementation and approaches for solving them. Additionally, it provides a way of recognizing and explaining the tangible effects of the BIM application on project management, work progress, cost, and cooperation in the construction industry. The results of notable research and case studies are surveyed in order to recognize practical scenarios that can be related to BIM project management.

Interior Decorating for Small Dwellings

Karam Raad Abdulkareem — 2024-06-20

In this research paper, I discuss the interior design of spaces and small houses and the importance of interior design in facilitating the way of living. Also, the organization of space gives us an internal feeling of tranquility and happiness, which helps us to feel the comfort that people need, and this also reflects positively on us, especially since The space is narrow, so it will need thoughtful ideas and organization to put each piece of furniture in its correct place, and also painting the walls plays an important role in narrow and small spaces and homes. Some neglect the importance of interior design, which leads to a state of chaos and inconsistency in the home with a small space. Humanity has become constantly increasing in light of the difficult economic conditions and the high cost of house spaces, which makes them resort to buying or inhabiting small houses or containers and converting them into something mouse or a caravan. Here, the interior designer plays the role of transforming these small spaces from an uninhabitable dwelling into a masterpiece. Technology that facilitates users' lives.