Asphalt roads are one of the most important elements of infrastructure in any country, as they play a vital role in achieving comprehensive development and economic growth. They provide safe and reliable means of transportation for citizens and companies, which develops trade, contributes to the development of industry, and expands the investment base. In addition, asphalt roads contribute to enhancing tourism and developing the infrastructure of cities and rural areas. Therefore, it is necessary to invest heavily in the construction and maintenance of asphalt roads to ensure economic growth and social stability.The Superpave system is an important development in the field of paving, as it contributes to improving the design of hot asphalt mixes and evaluating the performance of paving facilities. This system relies on precise standards to evaluate the quality of asphalt mixes, which leads to improving the durability of the pavement and its efficiency in withstanding different traffic loads. This system is also the result of field and laboratory research and studies included in the Strategic Highway Research Program in the United States of America. Due to the importance of this system, we present this study to examine previous studies on the classification of asphalt binders in the high-performance asphalt paving system (Superpave) and to identify the significance of classifying the binder in this system.

Resonance occurs when the operating frequency of a system aligns with its natural frequency, resulting in amplified vibration amplitudes. To prevent potential damage and ensure optimal performance of a compressor's base frame at Souq Al-Khamis Cement Factory, researchers found the resonance in has been occurred when both the natural frequencies and rotating frequency were overlapped. Resonant Vibration in the base frames arises when the rotating vibration frequency aligns with the frame’s natural modes that leads to structural instability, fault unplanned shutdowns and production losses. This study analyzes resonant vibration in a cement factory compressor base frame and proposes a redesign using finite element methods to mitigate this issue. Four distinct modifications were made to the base frame on its shape, weight and boundary conditions: the first introduces fixed points to enhance rigidity, the second adds supports for increased stability, the third incorporates elements to improve durability, and the fourth enhances the thickness of the compressor. The results indicate that the redesigned configuration most effectively mitigates resonance and improves the system's natural frequency response.

The progressive deterioration of flexible pavements, driven by increasing traffic loads, environmental influences, and material aging, necessitates the implementation of effective structural reclamation strategies to restore functional performance and extend service life. This study focuses on a critical segment of the Libyan coastal road network, specifically the 27.5 km part from Tripoli Street Bridge to Al-Krarim Gate. An analytical and quantitative investigation is undertaken to evaluate the structural condition and rehabilitation potential of the existing flexible pavement system, with particular attention to distress mechanisms, material degradation, and the effectiveness of various rehabilitation techniques. The assessment integrates field investigations, laboratory testing, based on AASHTO 1993, and to evaluate pavement distress, base soil strength, and asphalt concrete layers performance; Pavement Condition Index (PCI) values and core sample analyses are employed to determine the extent of structural failure. Visual distress surveys supplement the data to provide a comprehensive understanding of surface and sub-surface conditions. Analytical modeling, based on layered elastic theory is used to simulate pavement response under rehabilitated conditions and forecast long-term performance under loading. The study examines several rehabilitation methods, including full-depth reclamation (FDR), cold in-place recycling (CIR), and mechanical stabilization using cementitious additives. Each method is evaluated based on structural capacity enhancement, cost-efficiency, and service life extension. Results demonstrate that the selection of reclamation techniques tailored to subgrade conditions and traffic loads significantly improves structural performance and minimizes maintenance needs. The study concludes that full-depth repaving offers the most sustainable and economically viable solution for restoring the targeted roadway section.

Countries located in temperate, hot and arid climates, such as Libya, face the critical need to cool houses whose internal temperatures rise due to these climatic conditions. This can be achieved by employing proper insulation techniques to prevent heat gain from solar radiation (insolation). This paper addresses the impact of not implementing thermal insulation for the roof of a building, in contrast to other external parts of the structure. The temperature distribution in a single-story building was studied using finite element analysis (FEA), along with how the building absorbs heat from its surroundings during a sunny day. The thermal analysis was conducted on a 3D concrete building with walls made of concrete masonry blocks, a floor height of 3.20 meters, and a total area of 40 square meters, using ANSYS 2020 R2 software. The building model includes thermal insulation for the external envelope, but the roof and openings remain uninsulated (as is often the case with home insulation practices in Libya). The finite element method is widely used due to its high effectiveness in simulation and achieving accurate results. The analysis results demonstrated the heat distribution gained from insolation, as well as variations in the rates of heat transfer from the building's exterior to its interior. The findings showed that neglecting the thermal insulation of the roof and window openings leads to an approximate 70% increase in the building's internal temperature. Furthermore, the results clearly indicated that insulating the building's walls alone is insufficient to prevent overheating. This provides a sufficient understanding of the prioritization required in applying insulation layers for buildings located in hot climates.

Abstract:

The construction of residential buildings in the state of Libya has become increasingly expensive, necessitating cost-effective design solutions. Structural engineers play a critical role in reducing construction costs while ensuring safety and efficiency. One approach to achieving an optimal design is minimizing the dimensions of structural elements ,a critical factor influencing structural performance and economy is the rigidity of beam-to-column connections, which significantly affects deformations and then internal forces. According to beam bending theory, bending moments and shear forces are directly proportional to deformation. Therefore, reducing primary curvature leads to a decrease in design moments, allowing for more economical structural sections. This study investigates the impact of considering partial rigidity in beam-to-column connections within reinforced concrete (RC) frame, particularly for single-story buildings. In conventional structural design, connections are often assumed to be either fully rigid or fully pinned, neglecting partial rigidity effects. This oversimplified modeling approach results in overdesign and increased material consumption, deviating from sustainability principles. The research use SAP2000 structural analysis software to assess various degrees of connection rigidity and their influence on member deformation. The findings indicate that incorporating realistic connection rigidity can reduce beam deformation by up to 20% (at 0.7 rigidity) , leading to smaller and more cost-effective frame sections. Furthermore, common construction methods in the state of Libya inherently provide a certain degree of rigidity at beam-to-column interfaces, yet current design practices often overlook this advantage. This study underscores the importance of optimizing beam-to-column connection rigidety to enhance structural performance, reduce material usage, and align with sustainable design principles. The findings contribute to improving cost efficiency in RC frame construction, providing valuable insights for engineers seeking to optimize structural design in residential buildings

Keywords:Beam-to-Column,Connection, Sustainability, Optimum Design , Rigidety

The electric power system network has become more self-sufficient and less dependent on fossil fuel-based units due to the increasing integration of renewable energy resources. It is crucial to have an efficient method or technology for managing the system’s economics, security, reliability,  environmental damage, and the un- certainties that come with fluctuating loads. In this context, this paper utilizes a framework based on probabi- listic simulation of a demand-side management approach and computational intelligence to calculate the optimal value of saving utility cost (SUC). Unlike traditional methods that dispatch peak-clipped resource blocks sequentially, a modified artificial bee colony (MABC) algorithm is employed. The SUC is then reported through a sequential valley-filling procedure. Consequently, the SUC is derived from the overall profitability of the gen- eration system and includes savings in energy costs, capacity costs, and expected cycle costs. Further investi- gation to obtain the optimal value of SUC was conducted by comparing the SUC determined directly and indirectly, explicitly referring to the peak clipping energy of thermal units (PCETU). The comparisons utilized the MABC algorithm and a standard artificial bee colony, and the results were verified using the modified IEEE RTS- 79 with varying peak load demands. The findings illustrate that the proposed method demonstrated robustness in determining the global optimal values of SUC increments, achieving increases of 7.26 % for 2850 MW and 5 % for 3000 MW, compared to indirect estimation based on PCETU. Moreover, SUC increments of 18.13 % and 25.47 % were also achieved over the conventional method.