The paper presents studies on experimental investigation of beam-to-column joint behavior in standard and exceptional events situations. This assessment is done to form a picture of the general the behavior of full scale frameworks at both the level of the global behavior of the framework, in terms of its load-displacement characteristic, and of the local behavior of joints in terms of their moment-rotation characteristics, and evaluates details about the interaction of the joint elements and how they work together in a balanced manner, during exceptional events, this study concerns the joints which are subject to the collapse and also includes the behavior of joints in the neighborhood of the collapse. The intricacy of such investigations appear from nonlinear effects associated with the outlook of joint behavior or functioning, such as structural shortcomings, large displacements and rotations, inelastic properties of steel and concrete materials, the effects between steel and concrete, and slip between concrete and structural steel, through others. The paper addresses these problems using two types of joints flush and extended end-plate with four and eight bolts and provides recommendations and reasoning for the behavioral techniques for the evaluation of joint moment-rotation response when exposed to negative and positive moments together.

The paper presents studies on experimental investigation of beam-to-column joint behaviour in standard and exceptional events situations. This assessment is done to form a picture of the general the behavior of full scale frameworks at both the level of the global behavior of the framework, in terms of its load-displacement characteristic, and of the local behavior of joints in terms of their moment-rotation characteristics, and evaluates details about the interaction of the joint elements and how they work together in a balanced manner, during exceptional events, this study concerns the joints which are subject to the collapse and also includes the behavior of joints in the neighborhood of the collapse. The intricacy of such investigations appear from nonlinear effects associated with the outlook of joint behavior or functioning, such as structural shortcomings, large displacements and rotations, inelastic properties of steel and concrete materials, the effects between steel and concrete, and slip between concrete and structural steel, through others. The paper addresses these problems using two types of joints flush and extended end-plate with four and eight bolts and provides recommendations and reasoning for the behavioral techniques for the evaluation of joint moment-rotation response when exposed to negative and positive moments together.

This work is a continuation of a design of a phase radio navigation system for aircraft blind landing in case of nonequipped runways proposed in [1], where, the proposed system is based on measuring the phase shifts of signals received from four ground transmitters (antennas), placed on corners of the runway strip, which provide distance measurements accuracy in millimeters. However, there are two important points that need serious consideration. First, the phase measurement is going to give the total phase () ϕ ρ−

0, while the actual phase shift of interest is ‘ϕ’, 0 ρ is the transmitter initial phase. The second problem is that, the measured phase angle () ϕ ρ− 0 between the transmitted and the received signal can only be measured in the interval from 0 to π 2 radians, this problem is called phase ambiguity. The answer of these problems lies in the use of more than one frequency (signal). Two sinusoidal signals with different frequencies (1f and 2f) but the same initial phase can be used. Taking the difference of the measured phases, the initial phase 0 ρ can vanish. To get around phase ambiguity would be to make sure that the actual phase difference 12 ϕ∆ does not exceed π 2, this technique called equivalent or synthetic wavelength.

A new radio navigation system for aircraft blind landing is proposed. This system is based on measuring the phase shifts of signals received from four ground transmitters (antennas), placed on corners of the runway strip. The received signals phase shifts provide distance measurements accuracy in millimetres. The reception of these signals is made on the onboard antenna located on the aircraft. Three ground antennas out of the four will be sufficient for determining the location of the aircraft. As a result of the analysis, the coordinates of the onboard antenna, the coordinates of the centre of mass of the aircraft, and axis coordinate of the aircraft determined with respect to the runway coordinate system.

This work describes the architecture and design of an onboard digital receiver of the phase radio-navigation system for aircraft blind landing proposed in [1]. The proposed onboard digital receiver is a special case of a multi-channel narrowband digital receiver concept. The purpose of this receiver is to receive eight different RF frequencies (in four pairs) range from 960 MHz to 963.003749941 MHz, carry on them the required analogue and digital signal processing techniques to evaluate their phase shifts and then the difference phase shifts between each pair of them. The phase measurements lead to determination of the location of the aircraft with respect to the touch point on the runway with accuracy in millimetres.

In this work, the estimation capacity of the response surface methodology (RSM), in the catalytic naphtha reforming to enhance the octane number of reformats via isomerization reaction pathway and minimize the aromatization activity over tri-metallic modified Pt-Re/Al2O3 catalyst were investigated by applying Design of experiment (DOE). The parent bimetallic catalysts were modified using a relatively inactive metal (Sn) by means of employing non-conventional method of anchoring technique called controlled surface reaction (CSR) method in order to favor the intimate contact of Sn with the active phase to suppress the metallic character of Pt metal. The correlations between RON, aromatization and isomerization activities with three reaction variables namely temperature (480-510oC), pressure (10-30 bar) and space velocity LHSV (1.2-1.8 h-1) were presented as empirical mathematical models via reforming of a complex mixture (80oC -185oC). Numerical results indicated that the minimum aromatization activity was 20% when reaction temperature was 460oC and pressure of 35 bar. Results also show that maximum isomerization activity of 58% was achieved when pressure is 30 bar and space velocity is 1.8 h. it has been found that optimum value of RON = 89 was attained at 449.9oC, 32 bar and 1.7 h-1. However, high operating pressure and low reaction temperature significantly decrease the aromatization activity coupled with substantial decrease in RON which can be enhanced by producing high yield of isomers.  

This paper presents the findings of the investigation of ERP implementation. It highlights the challenges and experiences of Libyan Companies in ERP implementation. The success factors, failures are analyzed and have proposed recommendations to improve ERP implementation. The adopted research approach covers both quantitative and qualitative methods. The data collection methods used were questionnaires, 75 out of 100 questionnaires were returned sufficiently completed. The paper contributes to discussion based on literature review and ERP implementation in developing economics. The results of the study revealed that the majority of the respondents are aware of what ERP is all about, and they are also aware about critical issues in the implementation of ERP. The findings revealed that: failure to select committees needed for the successful implementation of ERP, an inadequate financial budget and resources, and failure to make knowledgeable input at the planning stage can be problems to successful implementation of ERP. The conclusions suggest for addressing challenges and problems in the ERP implementation. Enough time should be provided to project team, show leadership in change management and sufficient resources should be allocated for the proper implementation of ERP.

The effect of a relatively inactive metal on the texture properties and catalytic performance of bi-metallic platinum–rhenium (Pt–Re)–S/Al2O3–Cl catalyst was investigated. The concentration of introduced tin (Sn) varied between 0.06 and 0.32 % (weight basis). The parent and modified catalysts were characterized using the following techniques; BET, X-ray diffraction, SEM–EDX, and atomic absorption spectroscopy/inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy. The bi-metallic and tri-metallic catalysts were also screened for their activity and selectivity in the reforming of n-octane under the following conditions: T = 480 °C, p = 10 bar, WHSV = 3.3 h⁻¹ and H2:HC = 4.5. Results showed that, on n-octane conversion, selectivity have changed favorably i.e., low selectivity to aromatics but high selectivity to iso-paraffins and olefins. In addition, less cracking products were detected and high liquid yields (LYs) were obtained. However, there is a strong and closely linear correlation between aromatics and octane number. The results of this work showed that catalyst with Sn >0.14 and <0.32 performed the best catalyst i.e., no major effect on research octane number, LY and selectivity with the addition of more Sn.

This work is focused on nucleation stages during isothermal austenite transformation in two types of Vanadium micro-alloyed steels. Isothermal treatment was carried out in the temperature range 350 to 600οC. Metallographic evaluation using optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) enabled determination of the nucleation curves of isothermally decomposed austenite. Three curves are found to be relevant to this initiation stage of transformation: first curve is related to grain boundary nucleated ferrite (GBF), second curve is related to intra-granularly nucleated ferrite (IGF) and the third to pearlite (P) curve. GBF and IGF curves are divided into two regions, which represents the high temperature and the low temperature segments as consequence of either displacive nature of transformation or diffusion transformation. Addition of Ti to V – micro-alloyed steel in this work seems to be balanced by a slightly higher C and Mn content, leading to limited effect on nucleation stage of austenite decomposition.