Effects of advera® warm mix additive on the rheological properties of unaged and short term aged asphalt binders

The performance of asphalt pavement is mainly governed by the properties of the binder. Many asphalt pavement distress are pronounced to be related to the rheological properties of asphalt binder. The oxidation changes the structure and composition of asphalt binder resulting stiffer and brittle of asphalt. This paper described SuperpaveTM binder that was used to characterize the rheological properties of PG64 asphalt binders blended with various Advera® contents subjected to unaged and short term aged. Rotational viscometer (RV) and Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR) were conducted to measure binder properties at higher and intermediate temperature respectively. The results indicated that, the addition of Advera® in the asphalt binder exhibited change in binder rheology which influenced rutting parameteryKeywords: Advera®; Aging; Viscosity; Rotational viscometer; Dynamic shear rheometer

Physical Characterization of Modified Asphalt Binder with Differing Fly Ash Geopolymer Contents

Nowadays, the use of waste material product has gained popularity in the production of asphalt mixes and becomes a cost-effective method of pavement construction that can decrease the consumption of natural resources and to reduce environmental pollution. This research aimed to investigate the possibility of using waste and by-product material namely fly ash geopolymer additive to influence the physical properties of asphalt binder. An experimental matrix of laboratory testing was conducted to study the properties of the 60/70 and 80/100 asphalt binder with modified binder containing 3%, 5%, 7%, 9% and 11% of fly ash geopolymer additive. The physical properties of the binders were determined using the penetration, softening, penetration index, ductility, and rotational viscosity respectively. The results indicated that, the fly ash geopolymer modified binder had improved the physical properties over base binder. The thermal susceptibility also improved by referring to the Penetration Index value. Overall research conclusions are that geopolymer application resulted in a potential enhancement of some of the properties of the asphalt binder and increase the performance of asphalt binder in the pavement application

Physical Characterization of Modified Asphalt Binder with Differing Fly Ash Geopolymer Contents

Nowadays, the use of waste material product has gained popularity in the production of asphalt mixes and becomes a cost-effective method of pavement construction that can decrease the consumption of natural resources and to reduce environmental pollution. This research aimed to investigate the possibility of using waste and by-product material namely fly ash geopolymer additive to influence the physical properties of asphalt binder. An experimental matrix of laboratory testing was conducted to study the properties of the 60/70 and 80/100 asphalt binder with modified binder containing 3%, 5%, 7%, 9% and 11% of fly ash geopolymer additive. The physical properties of the binders were determined using the penetration, softening, penetration index, ductility, and rotational viscosity respectively. The results indicated that, the fly ash geopolymer modified binder had improved the physical properties over base binder. The thermal susceptibility also improved by referring to the Penetration Index value. Overall research conclusions are that geopolymer application resulted in a potential enhancement of some of the properties of the asphalt binder and increase the performance of asphalt binder in the pavement application

Evaluation of diagnostic value of soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor in sepsis

Background: Sepsis is one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality in the intensive care units (ICUs). It is difficult to accurately differentiate sepsis from similar diseases rapidly. Therefore, it becomes critical to identify any biomarker with the ability of differentiation between sepsis and nonsepsis conditions. The urokinase plasminogen activator receptor has been implicated as an important factor in regulation of leukocyte adhesion and migration. Objectives: In this study, we evaluated the value of soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR), erythrocyte sedimentation (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) serum levels in terms of their value for sepsis diagnosis in ICU patients. Patients and Methods: We enrolled 107 ICU patients; 40 with sepsis, 43 with systemic inflammatory response syndrome, and 24 as control group. Serum soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor, ESR, white blood cell (WBC), and CRP levels were measured on the day of admission. Results: The group with sepsis had higher suPAR, ESR, and CRP levels compared with the group with noninfectious systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) (P = 0.01, 0.00 and 0.00, respectively). CRP concentrations and ESR were higher in the sepsis group than in the non-SIRS group (P = 0.00 and 0.00, respectively). In a receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis, ESR, CRP and suPAR had an area under the curve larger than 0.65 (P = 0.00) in distinguishing between septic and noninfectious SIRS patients. CRP, ESR and suPAR had a sensitivity of 87, 71 and 66 and a specificity of 59, 76 and 74 respectively in diagnosing infection in SIRS. Conclusions: The diagnostic values of CRP and ESR were better than suPAR and WBC count in patients with sepsis. © 2015, Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center

Dynamic Creep Performance of Hot Mix Asphalt Mixture Incorporating Fibre

Permanent deformation is one of the distress that develops gradually as the number of load applications increases and appears as longitudinal depressions in the wheel paths and small upheavals to the sides. For this reason, numerous studies conducted on modification asphalt binder or mixture by various fibre. This paper presents the evaluation of creep modulus and permanent deformation of modified asphalt mixture with fibres. In order to envisage the modified asphalt mixture, Forta-fi, Kenaf and PET was blended to estimate the creep properties and rut depth value at different loading pattern. Superpave mix design method was employed with NMAS 12.5mm to obtain the optimum bitumen content established at 4% air void. In the respect, bitumen 60/70 penetration grade with 0.5% of Forta-Fi, 0.1% Kenaf fibre and 0.5% PET by weight of asphalt mixture were prepared. Dynamic Creep Test was performed in accordance to the EN 12697-25:2005 guidelines using the Universal Testing Machine (UTM). As the result, the minimum value of permanent deformation was found at 0.5% of PET. Based on these studies, adding a minimum percent of PET in the asphalt mixture shows a better resistance to rutting deformation and enable a better understanding of the properties in modified asphalt mixtures

Dynamic Creep Performance of Hot Mix Asphalt Mixture Incorporating Fibre

Permanent deformation is one of the distress that develops gradually as the number of load applications increases and appears as longitudinal depressions in the wheel paths and small upheavals to the sides. For this reason, numerous studies conducted on modification asphalt binder or mixture by various fibre. This paper presents the evaluation of creep modulus and permanent deformation of modified asphalt mixture with fibres. In order to envisage the modified asphalt mixture, Forta-fi, Kenaf and PET was blended to estimate the creep properties and rut depth value at different loading pattern. Superpave mix design method was employed with NMAS 12.5mm to obtain the optimum bitumen content established at 4% air void. In the respect, bitumen 60/70 penetration grade with 0.5% of Forta-Fi, 0.1% Kenaf fibre and 0.5% PET by weight of asphalt mixture were prepared. Dynamic Creep Test was performed in accordance to the EN 12697-25:2005 guidelines using the Universal Testing Machine (UTM). As the result, the minimum value of permanent deformation was found at 0.5% of PET. Based on these studies, adding a minimum percent of PET in the asphalt mixture shows a better resistance to rutting deformation and enable a better understanding of the properties in modified asphalt mixtures

Pengaruh Beban Kerja Dan Kompensasi Terhadap Komitmen Organisasional Dalam Upaya Meningkatkan Kinerja Karyawan (Studi Pada Karyawan Tingkat Pelaksana Perum Jasa Tirta I Wilayah Sungai Brantas Dan Bengawan Solo)

The purposes is to determine the effect of workload, compensation and organizational commitment to employee performance. The method is used to explanatory research by collecting information directly from the respondent, technical sampling took by stratified proporsional Random Sampling, which using the formula from Slovin to obtained sample of 116 people from a total population of 163 people. Data was collected by questionnaires designed with Likert scale. Data analysis method used to descriptive statistical analysis and inferential statistical analysis which in this study using path analysis (path analysis). Descriptive analysis show the result (1) the average value of the variable workload of 2:28 ( disagree) with the variable workload statement, its mean that their work is easy, (2) the average value of the variable compensation of 4:13 (agree) the statement of variable compensation , its means that compensation more better, (3) the average value of variable organizational commitment at 4:36 (absolutly agree) to the statement variable organizational commitment , which means that organizational commitment is very high , (4) the average value of the variable performance at 4:19 (agree) with the statement of performance variable , which means that the employee's performance is good. The findings showed that there is a significant and positive effect between work load on organizational commitment (β = 0.434, p = 0.000), there is no significant effect and negative between workload on employees performance (β = -0020, p = 0828), there is a significant and positive effect between compensation for organizational commitment (β = 0234, p = 0.005), there is a significant and positive effect of the compensation on employees performance (β = 0282, p = 0.001), and there is a significant and positive effect between organizational commitment to employees performance (β = 0.351, p = 0.000)

Evaluation of Nigerian public housing performance using occupants’ experience and satisfaction

There is misconception of occupants’ satisfaction and experience in building performance evaluation due to inadequacy of in-depth studies on each, which resulted to insufficiency of facts about their structure, determinant variables, effects of socioeconomic attributes and conditions under which they are connected. Objective of the study were to identify the building performance levels and differences between occupants’ satisfaction and experience, effects of socioeconomic attributes on them and propose a framework to evaluate public housing performance using occupants’ satisfaction and experience. Building Use Studies (BUS) Methodology, UK questionnaire was adapted and used on a license agreement. Systematic random sampling was used to collect data from 300 occupants of four (4) public housing estates in Gombe metropolis Nigeria. Two independent factors of tangible and intangible building features were conceptualised. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used in the pilot survey to identify the factorability of the variables. The Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in AMOS software was used to validate the constructs and develop two structural equation models (SEM) based on occupants satisfaction and experience. The models were subjected to multi CFA moderation method to determine the effects of socioeconomic attributes of the occupants. The results indicated differences in performance of features based on occupants’ satisfaction and experience. The SEM moderation results showed that education and income moderates occupants’ satisfaction, while they does not moderates occupants’ experience. Therefore, the study concluded with emphasis on the importance of occupants experience as an objective measure of building performance against occupants’ satisfaction’s subjectivity. Based on that, a framework to evaluate public housing performance using occupants’ satisfaction and experience was proposed