CHARACTERIZATION OF THERMAL TREATED CLAYOBTAINED FROM LEBANESE LOCAL RESOURCES ASSUPPLEMENTARY CEMENTITIOUS MATERIALS

The purpose of this research was to evaluate a kaolin clay obtained from local Lebanese source after being subjected to thermal treatment. A sample of kaolin clay was collected from local resources and subjected to a treatment process for enhancing its pozzolanic properties. The treated sample was characterized through testing procedure as per ASTM C311. It was found that the physical and chemical properties were in compliance with the relevant ASTM C618 standard. This indicates that the proposed treatment succeeded in developing and exhibiting the pozzolanic activity of the end product. The activity index test of the treated samples was investigated to verify the quality and performance of the end product which was found to be satisfactory. Therefore, the treated product is accepted to be classified as natural Pozzolan as per ASTM C618. The potential of producing Metakolin in Lebanon is of high importance due to its availability in large quantities. Moreover, it might be used to replace part of the Portland cement to reduce the CO2 emi ssion and energy consumption resulting from the cement production

BEHAVIOR OF REINFORCED CONCRETE BEAMS CONTAINING LIGHTWEIGHT AGGREGATE IN THE TENSILE ZONE

In reinforced concrete design, the concrete in the tensile zone is assumed to be ineffective and increase the dead load of the structural elements. In order to reduce the self-weight, this paper examines the structural behavior of reinforced concrete beams containing lightweight concrete in the tensile region and normal weight concrete in the rest of the beam. The lightweight concrete was made from waste polystyrene. Four reinforced concrete beams were prepared with different depth of lightweight concrete. The control beam B1 consists of normal concrete. In Beams B2, B3 and B4, the depth of lightweight concrete was 25%, 50% and 75% of the total depth of the beam measured from the bottom surface respectively. A four-point bending test was conducted on all beams. The beams were loaded in increments until failure. At each load increment, the central deflection was determined. Cracks initiation and the mode of failure were observed during the experiment. The failure load was found to decreases with the increase of depth of lightweight concrete. The presence of lightweight aggregate tends to cause brittle failure. In addition, the mode of failure for reinforced concrete beams containing lightweight concrete was a shear failure

FLEXURAL TESTING OF VARIOUS COMPOSITE-BEAMSUNDER QUASI-STATIC LOADS

The successful interaction between concrete and steel has inspired researchers to develop composite structural systems. Steel and concrete are utilized in various configurations to reduce construction costs and assure optimal load-response behavior. Since the response spectrum of the composite system varies from one system to another, adequate understanding of the composite system behavior is essential to guarantee a desired response. Several parameters affect the flexural capacity and failure mode of a composite section, such as geometry, material properties and bond. In practice, advanced material mechanics and numerical modeling can be utilized for simulating section response, however, variability in the material response hinders accurate prediction. To serve as a benchmark and facilitate optimal composite section design, this paper presents a thorough experimental investigation of four types of composite beams under flexural loading. The first type represents reinforced concrete T-shaped beams confined by structural steel members. The second system comprises steel tubes filled with concrete. The third type consists of an open web steel joist encased in reinforced concrete. The fourth system represents rectangular shaped RC beams strengthened by steel plates. The results confirm the diversity of behavior of composite sections and reveal significant enhancement in the failure mode and flexural behavior as compared to control non-composite sections

A portrait of war: a psychosocial analysis of the impact of wars on contemporary visual arts displaying conflicts in Lebanon, Palestine and Syria

This dissertation looks at the impact of wars on contemporary visual arts in Lebanon, Palestine and Syria with a specific focus on the art genre which is characteristic of wars. By examining the relationship between the nature of wars and the artistic outcome, and by investigating the effects of wars on the artists’ identities (collective and personal), I argue that the art scenes of those countries were affected differently according to the specificity of each crisis. While many researchers addressed the issues of war, nation and identity in art, this study takes a psychosocial approach toward analyzing this art genre in the context of the combined influence of psychological factors and the surrounding social environment. This offers a new perspective in viewing this art and contributes in understanding it. I position artworks featuring the war of each country within historical trajectories to illustrate their tight relationship and reveal the diversity of this art among the three scenes. By providing an overview of the histories of the crises, I follow a contextualized method underscoring their role as an essential context that generated different artistic representations and phenomena. I elaborate the depictions of psychological and physical impacts of each war within its social context. I reveal how wars generated the display of national identity through inspecting its various dimensions among the scenes. Furthermore, I propose that artists (re)constructed distinct identities embodied in art as an outcome of war. I find that the nature of the conflict influenced the artist’s aim, targeted audience, (re)constructed identities, portrayal of national identity and modes of representations, thus creating diversities among the scenes. This dissertation demonstrates how the field of visual arts presented a platform for artists in Lebanon, Palestine and Syria to expose the ways in which they were affected by wars. It documents the multi-faceted effects of different conflicts on visual arts and reveals the diverse artistic representations that were created in response

The Maghrib in the Mashriq

This book is about the impact of knowledge produced in the Islamic West on the Mashriq. Topics include the emergence and construction of the concept ‘Maghrib’, the role of travel in the transmission, reception and integration of locally produced knowledge, and the ways in which Maghribis in the Mashriq manifested their identity. The studies are of interest for understanding the complex dynamics between local and global intellectual contexts