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a b s t r a c tRecent years have seen a surge of interest in assessing water withdrawal in the agricultural sector which has been experiencing an increasing concern with sustainable environmental requirements. Like other highly water-intensive crops, rice production systems rely on an ample water supply, thus posing a serious threat to water availability. This study estimates the water use of rice cultivated in the off-and main seasons in Malaysia. The water withdrawal of rice was estimated based on the monthly climatic data of 30 y (1983-2013) and a 10-y (2002-2011) average annual crop yield. The water stress index (WSI) of the 16 major watersheds in Malaysia was also derived to assess the water deprivation. We found that the blue water use for rice cultivation in the off-and main seasons ranges between 619 and 1,421 m 3 /t and 504 and 1,031 m 3 /t, respectively. The results also showed that the average WSI for 11 states in Peninsular Malaysia is 0.08 with a total water deprivation of 97 million m 3 H 2 O eq/y. This study can serve as baseline information for the government in identifying the areas that need to be conserved and the recommendations that should be drawn toward sustainable management of water resources in Malaysia.

Finding locations suitable for disposal of solid waste is one of the fundamental challenges facing municipal cities and environmental stability. The present study aims to identify the most suitable solid waste disposal site using Geographic Information System (GIS), remote sensing, and the multi criteria decision-making (MCDM) technique. In addition, the study compares the proposed method for suitability with the traditional analytic hierarchy process (AHP) approach. A new validation approach was applied to evaluate the accuracy of the AHP and Fuzzy logic methods based on the selected solid waste locations. Remote sensing data (ASTER GDEM) and field/reference maps were used to derive 12 conditioning factors required to produce a suitable location for solid waste disposal. The result shows that the accuracy of AHP, based on the consistency index (CI), is acceptable (greater than 0.1). However, Fuzzy logic was shown to be more accurate than AHP. The total surface areas of suitable locations based on AHP and Fuzzy models are 4.4 km² and 13.35 km², respectively. This study showed that AHP, Fuzzy logic and GIS can be integrated for waste management decision issues related to site selection to reduce negative effects on the environment and inhabitants.

Purpose: This study aims to fill up a literature gap related to the sustainable performance in Jordanian SMEs, where the literature focused on limited variables related only to the human capital.   Theoretical framework: The researchers provided a suggested model to be implemented in the SMEs in Jordan as one of the industries that must be activated in the country to help the economy. Management accounting system and digital balanced scorecards were the main variables contributing, while variables like capital forecasting and decision making also were playing the role of the dependents variable for the D.BSC.   Design/methodology/approach: All of the mentioned variable toward sustainable performance in the Jordanian SMEs in this quantitative research tested via randomly distributing questionnaires among the employees of the industry with returned and valid for analysis of 910 surveys. Using SPSS for descriptive analysis and AMOS for the EFA and CFA.   Findings: The results deducted as there is a significant mediation role for D.BSC between MAS and decision making and insignificant mediation role for D.BSC between MAS and capital forecasting.   Research, Practical & Social implications: This research is suggesting a model and variables to be used by the SMEs in Jordan. This model will vast the SMEs industry and support the society by affording further employment chances.   Originality/value: The paper contributes to the body of knowledge and the Jordanian SMEs industry and Jordanian society. This paper targeting the most important industry in the country currently because such third world countries needed the SMEs referring to the previous studies.

The presence of the openings negatively effects on the strength of the beams where they act as a weak point because of the sudden change in the cross-section of the beam, so it becomes necessary to make strengthening for the beams to resist the effect of the openings and improve the strength of the beams, especially if the beams are subjected to repeated loads because of its effect on the strength at the failure. This paper studies the effect of the openings on the beams subjected to repeated loading and determine the extent of the increase in the strength of the beams when strengthened by the NSM technique. The experimental program included casting and testing fifteen RC beams, six of them considered as a control beams (three with strengthening and three without strengthening), and nine of them having circular transverse openings in different locations and strengthened by the NSM technique. Every type of beams is tested under three different types of loads (monotonic, constant repeated load, and incremental repeated load). All of the beams have the same dimensions and same reinforcement. The results show that all the beams with transverse openings are affected by repeated loads where the ultimate torque decreases and the twist angle increases. The existence of openings has a noted effect on reducing the ultimate torque, whereas the percentage of decrease in the ultimate torsional capacity reached 43.83% at the beam where the opening location is closest to the support (at the quarter of the clear span) and subjected to constant repeated loads, and the ultimate torque is significantly improved when the opening position is moved away from the supports. Also, the existence of strengthening reduced or eliminated the influence of openings on the ultimate torque compared with related non- strengthened beams.