Paper waste, corn starch, and sawdust were utilized as pore generating agents to produce a porous ceramic. Kaolin clay, sodium feldspar, and 20% of pore generating agent were mixed, and the samples were formed by mold method, dried at room temperature for about 72 h and in a furnace at 115 ºC for 5 h, and then fired at 1200 ºC with a soaking time of 3 h. The samples were tested for measurement of physical and mechanical properties and the microstructure was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy and mercury intrusion porosimetry. The results showed that the sample prepared with corn starch had the highest porosity, lowest mechanical properties and permeability, and smallest pore size, while the characteristics of the sample prepared with sawdust were contrary; finally, the sample of paper waste had the highest permeability and intermediate values of other properties.

This study investigated a modern composite material, which is a short geopolymer concrete column (GPCC) reinforced by GFRP bars. The structural performances of GPCC subjected to eccentric load were studied and compared to the normal strength concrete column (NSCC) reinforced by steel bars. In this study, the primary experimental parameters were the reinforcement bars types, load eccentricity, and concrete types. Seven short columns were tested: three normal strength concrete columns reinforced by steel bars, three geopolymer concrete columns reinforced by GFRP bars and one normal strength concrete column without reinforcement. The model dimensions chosen in the present study was a square section of 130×130 mm and a total height of 850 mm. It was shown that the steel bars contribute about 16.47% of column capacity under concentric load. Comparing with the normal strength concrete column, a geopolymer concrete column reinforced by GFRP bars showed a little increase in ultimate load (5.17%) under concentric load. Under the load eccentricity of 130 mm, a geopolymer concrete column reinforced by GFRP bars showed a significant increase in the ultimate load (69.37%). Under large eccentricity, a geopolymer concrete column reinforced by GFRP bars has an outstanding effect on the columns' ultimate load capacity. Also, the sine form can be utilized for GPCC to find the lateral deflection along with the column high at different load values up to the failure.

In the present study, the chemical analysis, related to heavy metals (Pb, Ni, Zn, Mn, and Fe) which considered the main source of pollution in soils that come from several sources, was carried out near a three fuel stations to reveal their effect on heavy metals in the nearby soils. Samples were collected from soils which are near to three Fuel stations in Al Hilla city, as a case study, it was found that the concentrations of these metals are all below the value that should be available in average shale, except that for Pb. The average concentration of metals in samples was Pb (25.47 ppm), Ni (86.65 ppm), Zn (84.38 ppm), Mn (96.71 ppm), and Fe (112.38 ppm), and a statistical analysis is done for these results to find correlations coefficients among studied elements, and the results suggested that the fuel station may compromise the nearby soils by increasing Pb concentrations in them.

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