Mesopotamian Journal of Civil Engineering

Casa Bloc: Social Housing Project in Spain

Bashar Al Shahrabi — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

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.

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

Karam Raad Abdulkareem NAWRES, ERİNÇ ONBAY — Sun, 11 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000

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.

Assessment of Cyber Security Risks in Electrical Engineering System of Georgia

Maka Jishkariani — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

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.

Essence and proposals of organic architecture

Karam Raad Abdulkareem — Sun, 18 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

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 — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

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.

An Empirical Review of Innovative Soil Improvement Techniques in Geotechnical Engineering

Prerana M. Bhagatkar, Akshit Lamba — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

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.

BUILDING INFORMATION MODELLING: OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES, AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Ali Hasnain — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

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, Narmeen Adil — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

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.