Performance evaluation of road pavement green concrete : an application of advance decision-making approach before life cycle assessment

Rigid pavement structures are one of the costly components of the infrastructure development process. It consumes a huge quantity of ingredients necessary for concrete development. Hence, a newly introduced concept of circular economy in combination with waste management was introduced to solve this problem. In this study, three waste products (rice husk ash (RHA), wood sawdust (WSD), and processes waste tea (PWT)) was utilized to develop the concrete for rigid pavement structures by replacing the sand, i.e., a filler material at different percentages. During the testing procedure of compressive (CS), tensile (TS), and flexural strength (FS) properties, RHA and WSD at 5% replacement were found to be a good replacement of sand to develop required concrete. This study will help in the production of eco-friendly rigid pavement structures and a pathway of life cycle assessment in the future

Elastic, Optical, Transport, and Structural Properties of GaAs

One of the major objectives of physics is to understand the physical properties of compound metals. Based on this very objective, in this chapter, we intend to review the physical as well as chemical properties of Gallium Arsenide material

Life-cycle assessment of hydrogen production via catalytic gasification of wheat straw in the presence of straw derived biochar catalyst

The environmental footprints of H2 production via catalytic gasification of wheat straw using straw-derived biochar catalysts were examined. The functional unit of 1 kg of H2 was adopted in the system boundaries, which includes 5 processes namely biomass collection and pre-treatment units (P1), biochar catalyst preparation using fast pyrolysis unit (P2), two-stage pyrolysis-gasification unit (P3), products separation unit (P4), and H2 distribution to downstream plants (P5). Based on the life-cycle assessment, the hot spots in this process were identified, the sequence was as follows: P4 > P2 > P1 > P3 > P5. The end-point impacts score for the process was found to be 93.4017 mPt. From benchmarking analysis, the proposed straw-derived biochar catalyst was capable of offering almost similar catalytic performance with other metal-based catalysts with a lower environmental impact

Burnout among surgeons before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: an international survey

Background: SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had many significant impacts within the surgical realm, and surgeons have been obligated to reconsider almost every aspect of daily clinical practice. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study reported in compliance with the CHERRIES guidelines and conducted through an online platform from June 14th to July 15th, 2020. The primary outcome was the burden of burnout during the pandemic indicated by the validated Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure. Results: Nine hundred fifty-four surgeons completed the survey. The median length of practice was 10 years; 78.2% included were male with a median age of 37 years old, 39.5% were consultants, 68.9% were general surgeons, and 55.7% were affiliated with an academic institution. Overall, there was a significant increase in the mean burnout score during the pandemic; longer years of practice and older age were significantly associated with less burnout. There were significant reductions in the median number of outpatient visits, operated cases, on-call hours, emergency visits, and research work, so, 48.2% of respondents felt that the training resources were insufficient. The majority (81.3%) of respondents reported that their hospitals were included in the management of COVID-19, 66.5% felt their roles had been minimized; 41% were asked to assist in non-surgical medical practices, and 37.6% of respondents were included in COVID-19 management. Conclusions: There was a significant burnout among trainees. Almost all aspects of clinical and research activities were affected with a significant reduction in the volume of research, outpatient clinic visits, surgical procedures, on-call hours, and emergency cases hindering the training. Trial registration: The study was registered on clicaltrials.gov "NCT04433286" on 16/06/2020

An integrated life cycle assessment approach for sustainability. Application to environmental evaluation of water desalination process (in the case of Saudi Arabia)

La rareté de l'eau douce de bonne qualité pour l'humanité est un problème qui devient de plus aiguë (d'actualité). Les populations humaines croissantes ainsi que l'augmentation des activités industrielles et agricoles jouent un rôle majeur dans l'épuisement et la pollution des ressources en eau douce. Cette situation devient de plus en plus grave dans des pays disposant de ressources limites d'eau comme l'Arabie Saoudite qui est le plus grand pays au monde sans ressources naturelles d'eau douce. En même temps, l'Arabie saoudite est le troisième plus grand consommateur d'eau par habitant dans le monde. Pour remédier à cette pénurie d'eau douce, différentes technologies de dessalement d'eau de mer sont utilisées actuellement. Malgré plus de trente-deux usines de dessalement, le pays fait face à un défi de taille pour alimenter sa population avec eau en quantité suffisante (nécessaire). Dans ce contexte, en premier lieu, nous présentons un procédé pour produire la quantité requise d'eau, avec un impact minimum sur l'environnement, tout en maintenant sa bonne qualité. En outre, les possibilités pour l'utilisation des énergies alternatives pour réduire l'impact environnemental des besoins de dessalement sont examinées, ainsi que la pertinence des différents types d'énergie alternative qui pourraient être utilisés dans le cas particulier de l'Arabie Saoudite. L'analyse du cycle de vie (ACV) étant une méthode holistique de l'évaluation des impacts environnementaux des produits, a été utilisée pour évaluer l'impact environnemental du processus de dessalement et en identifier les principales raisons de cet impact. A cet effet, une collaboration avec une usine de dessalement en Arabie Saoudite a été mise en place, soldée par de multiples visites sur place. Ces dernières nous ont permis de comprendre le processus de dessalement, recueillir des données nécessaires et considère les possibilités d'introduire des sources d'énergie alternatives pour alimenter l'usine de dessalement. Afin d'évaluer l'impact environnemental du processus de dessalement une ACV basée sur le logiciel SimaPro a été réalisée. Les résultats de l'étude ont montré que le choix le plus pertinent concernant la technologie de dessalement dans le contexte de l'Arabie Saoudite est l'Osmose inverse (RO). Le modèle LCA a également montré que l'électricité produite à partir de combustibles fossiles a été responsable de 92,8% des dommages environnementaux causés. En outre, l'étude a montré, que les solutions les plus appropriées pour approvisionner en électricité la technologie RO de dessalement sont l'énergie solaire et l'énergie éolienne au lieu du pétrole brut fossile actuellement utilisé. L'ACV a montré également que l'utilisation de l'énergie alternative comme source d'énergie au dessalement peut réduire considérablement l'impact environnemental.The scarcity of fresh water with enough (good) quality for human been is a problem which becomes more acute day by day. The increasing human populations along with increasing industrial and agricultural activities are adding more burden towered the depletion and pollution of fresh water resources. This situation becomes more serious in countries with limit water resources as Saudi Arabia which is the largest country in the world without natural fresh water resources. At the same time, Saudi Arabia is the third-largest per capita water consumer worldwide. To overcome the water shortage, sea water desalination technology has been used so far. Despite more than thirty-two desalination plants, the country faces a significant challenge to supply its population with the required amount of water. In this context, in the first place, this thesis presents a method for producing the required amount of water with minimal environmental impact while maintaining the required water quality need to be developed. Further, the possibilities of alternative energy in reducing the environmental impact from desalination needs are investigated, along with the suitability of different types of alternative energy that could be utilized in the particularly case of Saudi Arabia. Life cycle assessment (LCA) being a holistic method of assessing the environmental impacts of products it was used to assess the environmental impact of the desalination process and identifying the main reasons behind this damages. For this purpose, a collaboration with a desalination plant in Saudi Arabia was set up, which included visiting the plant several times. This allowed us to understand the desalination process, collect the required data and consider the possibilities of introducing alternative energy sources to power the desalination plants. In order to assess the environmental impact of the desalination process a LCA based on SimaPro software was performed. The results of the study showed that the most likely choice of desalination technology within the Saudi Arabian context is Reverse Osmosis (RO) desalination. The LCA model showed also that electricity produced from fossil fuel was the responsible of 92.8% of the environmental damages. Further, the most suitable alternatives to produce electricity to RO desalination are solar energy and wind energy instead of fossil crude oil. The LCA showed that using alternative energy as the source to supply electricity to desalination may substantially reduce the environmental impact

Utilization of self-consolidated green material for sustainable development: An environment friendly waste materials application for circular economy

Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC) is a unique kind of concrete that tends to consolidate in terms of its weight. In this study, the prime target is to investigate the durability properties of SCC developed using eco-friendly economical waste binding materials as partial replacement to costly cement. This circular economy concept will not only help in the development of green concrete but will also help to improve the climatic condition by reducing the use and production of cement. An economical design methodology has been applied to produce environmentally friendly construction material. This research focuses on the application of Alum Sludge (AS) and Brick Dust (BD) in Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC). Both materials are waste materials containing binding properties. Performance of SCC developed using these two materials was tested considering mechanical properties of concrete using the destructive testing technique. Results showed that BD and AS can be utilized for up to 12% and 9% of replacement of cement, respectively, to achieve equal or higher compressive, tensile, and flexural strength. The application of BD and AS has demonstrated a subsequent improvement of SCC’s mechanical properties, i.e., compressive, tensile, and flexural strength. This study will help the production of composite green materials with the help of eco-friendly and economical waste materials for sustainable infrastructure development.publishedVersio

Utilization of Polymer Concrete Composites for a Circular Economy: A Comparative Review for Assessment of Recycling and Waste Utilization

Polymer composites have been identified as the most innovative and selective materials known in the 21st century. Presently, polymer concrete composites (PCC) made from industrial or agricultural waste are becoming more popular as the demand for high-strength concrete for various applications is increasing. Polymer concrete composites not only provide high strength properties but also provide specific characteristics, such as high durability, decreased drying shrinkage, reduced permeability, and chemical or heat resistance. This paper provides a detailed review of the utilization of polymer composites in the construction industry based on the circular economy model. This paper provides an updated and detailed report on the effects of polymer composites in concrete as supplementary cementitious materials and a comprehensive analysis of the existing literature on their utilization and the production of polymer composites. A detailed review of a variety of polymers, their qualities, performance, and classification, and various polymer composite production methods is given to select the best polymer composite materials for specific applications. PCCs have become a promising alternative for the reuse of waste materials due to their exceptional performance. Based on the findings of the studies evaluated, it can be concluded that more research is needed to provide a foundation for a regulatory structure for the acceptance of polymer composites.publishedVersio

Strength Profile Pattern of FRP-Reinforced Concrete Structures: A Performance Analysis through Finite Element Analysis and Empirical Modeling Technique

Limited research work is available in the literature for the theoretical estimates of axial compressive strength of columns reinforced with fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) rebars. In the present work, an experimental database of 278 FRP-reinforced concrete (RC) compression members was established from the literature to recommend an empirical model that can accurately predict the axial strength (AS) of GFRP-RC specimens. An initial assessment of 13 different previously anticipated empirical models was executed to achieve a general form of the AS model. Finally, a new empirical equation for forecasting the AS of GFRP-RC short columns was proposed using the curve fitting and regression analysis technique. The performance of the proposed empirical model over the previous experimental database represented its higher accuracy as related to that of other models. For the further justification of the anticipated model, a numerical model of GFRP-RC columns was simulated using ABAQUS and a wide parametric study of 600 GFRP-RC samples was executed to generate a numerical database and investigate the influence of various parameters using numerical and empirical models. The comparison between theoretical and numerical predictions with R2 = 0.77 indicted that the anticipated empirical model is accurate enough to apprehend the AS of FRP-RC specimens

Machine learning–assisted CO2 utilization in the catalytic dry reforming of hydrocarbons: Reaction pathways and multicriteria optimization analyses

The catalytic dry reforming (DR) process is a clean approach to transform CO2 into H2 and CO-rich synthetic gas that can be used for various energy applications such as Fischer–Tropsch fuels production. A novel framework is proposed to determine the optimum reaction configurations and reaction pathways for DR of C1-C4 hydrocarbons via a reaction mechanism generator (RMG). With the aid of machine learning, the variation of thermodynamic and microkinetic parameters based on different reaction temperatures, pressures, CH4/CO2 ratios and catalytic surface, Pt(111), and Ni(111), were successfully elucidated. As a result, a promising multicriteria decision-making process, TOPSIS, was employed to identify the optimum reaction configuration with the trade-off between H2 yield and CO2 reduction. Notably, the optimum conditions for the DR of C1 and C2 hydrocarbons were 800°C at 3 atm on Pt(111); whereas C3 and C4 hydrocarbons found favor at 800°C and 2 atm on Ni(111) to attain the highest H2 yield and CO2 conversion. Based on the RMG-Cat (first-principle microkinetic database), the energy profile of the most selective reaction pathway network for the DR of CH4 on Pt(111) at 3 atm and 800°C was deducted. The activation energy (Ea) for CH bond dissociation via dehydrogenation on the Pt(111) was found to be 0.60 eV, lower than that reported previously for Ni(111), Cu(111), and Co(111) surfaces. The most endothermic reaction of the CH4 reforming process was found to be C3H3* + H2O* ↔ OH* + C3H4 (218.74 kJ/mol)

Machine learning–assisted CO2 utilization in the catalytic dry reforming of hydrocarbons: Reaction pathways and multicriteria optimization analyses

The catalytic dry reforming (DR) process is a clean approach to transform CO2 into H2 and CO-rich synthetic gas that can be used for various energy applications such as Fischer–Tropsch fuels production. A novel framework is proposed to determine the optimum reaction configurations and reaction pathways for DR of C1-C4 hydrocarbons via a reaction mechanism generator (RMG). With the aid of machine learning, the variation of thermodynamic and microkinetic parameters based on different reaction temperatures, pressures, CH4/CO2 ratios and catalytic surface, Pt(111), and Ni(111), were successfully elucidated. As a result, a promising multicriteria decision-making process, TOPSIS, was employed to identify the optimum reaction configuration with the trade-off between H2 yield and CO2 reduction. Notably, the optimum conditions for the DR of C1 and C2 hydrocarbons were 800°C at 3 atm on Pt(111); whereas C3 and C4 hydrocarbons found favor at 800°C and 2 atm on Ni(111) to attain the highest H2 yield and CO2 conversion. Based on the RMG-Cat (first-principle microkinetic database), the energy profile of the most selective reaction pathway network for the DR of CH4 on Pt(111) at 3 atm and 800°C was deducted. The activation energy (Ea) for CH bond dissociation via dehydrogenation on the Pt(111) was found to be 0.60 eV, lower than that reported previously for Ni(111), Cu(111), and Co(111) surfaces. The most endothermic reaction of the CH4 reforming process was found to be C3H3* + H2O* ↔ OH* + C3H4 (218.74 kJ/mol)