Master curves (MC) of mixtures and asphalt binders are typically implemented in the linear viscoelastic range for assessing their rheological behavior. Although there are several theoretical models to represent the MC of mixtures and asphalt binders, their performance is variable. The use of MC to model the binder’s phase angle has received less attention compared to the MC of the complex modulus. Thus, this paper investigates the possibility of using several predictive equations to represent the phase angle (δ) of neat asphalt (virgin asphalt and sulfur-extended asphalt, SEA) and modified asphalt [recycled polyethylene-modified asphalt and recycled polyethylene-modified SEA (PMSEA)]. The investigated models include the standard sigmoidal (SS) model, generalized logistic sigmoidal (GLS) model, Christensen (CA) model, and Anderson and Marasteanu (CAM) model. The viscoelastic properties of these

The rice straw burning in all the Egyptian governorates is seasonally occurring, an environmental disaster called the "Black Cloud". This study's main goal is to conduct the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Building Information Modeling (BIM) methods. Thus, the LCA of four brick types: (1) fired clay, (2) cement, (3) sand, and (4) rice straw has been compared. The BIM has been used to gather the building construction components to build the four LCA scenarios using the PRe SimaPro. The results have been presented by the single score and weighting method using the IMPACT 2002+ method with midpoint and endpoint (Pt) results. (1) Regarding the midpoint results, the fired clay brick has recorded the worst environmental impact with 30.10 Pt. In contrast, the rice straw brick has verified the lowest effects with 1.31 Pt. (2). Regarding the endpoint results, the highest value of human health has been assigned to the fired clay brick type with 11.4 Pt and the rice straw brick with 0.633 Pt. The highest resource depletion impacts have been pointed out the fired clay and cement brick with 7.29 Pt and 6.53 Pt, respectively. A novel framework for integrating LCA and BIM has been conducted on a proposed building during the early phases. The article has also introduced an approach to eliminating the Egyptian life cycle inventory database shortage as the LCA applications in Egypt are scarce. Moreover, it can help the concerned legislative bodies and the decision-makers.

Although the buildings have many benefits, the construction industry represents a significant barrier to implementing strategic environmental plans. Specifically, in Egypt, as one of the developing countries, the building construction sector consumes around 40% of the global raw material extraction (World Resources Institute, 2015). Furthermore, the manufacturing industries and construction processes have 23% of all fuel combustion activities and have 22% of all GHG emissions according to the BIENNIAL update report (Ministry of Environment, 2018). This paper is a set of scientific papers that will be introduced to apply the integration methodology of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Building Information Modelling (BIM) on a health clinic as a proposed building in Assiut University Hospital. The results have revealed that the significant harmful environmental impacts are respiratory inorganics, global warming potential, and non-renewable energy as the midpoint method and human health and resource depletion as an endpoint method. In particular, the GWP results of the steel, concrete, brick, and tiles are (3.4E5), (2.55E5), (9.67E4), and (4.31E4) kg 〖CO〗_2 equivalent, respectively, as a midpoint result. For the endpoint method, the weighting results showed that human health and resource depletion recorded the largest figures and the steel, concrete, brick, and tiles industries have massive environmental burdens. Additionally, the paper has summarised that there is an urgent need to introduce sustainable alternatives for building materials, mainly since these industries emit many of emissions such as 〖CO〗_2, P.M2.5, 〖SO〗_2 and C_2 H_4. Ultimately, the paper has introduced future recommendations for both proposed and existing buildings.

The present study presents two techniques of Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) via DC/DC converter to enhance the performance of the grid-connected Photovoltaic (PV) generation system to participate effectively within microgrids. The two techniques of MPPT are Perturb-Observe (P&O) and Incremental Conductance (IC). The variation of the solar radiation and temperature is considered during employing the two MPPT techniques. Besides, the performance of the system under the random variation of solar radiation was investigated. The authors used two types of controllers at the three-phase inverter, Proportional Integral (PI) and H-infinity Control (H∞C). The output voltage, current, and power at each type of inverter controller are compared along with the two techniques of MPPT. The effectiveness of the developed controllers together with MPPT techniques is demonstrated by comparing the obtained results with some previously reported research in the literature. In the case of MPPT via P&O and IC techniques along with the H∞C controller, the results show that the technique of IC is more robust, and the obtained output power is well matched with the references one as compared with the P&O technique which records a 7% error from MPP. Besides, the P&O technique has a high voltage and current ripple with a percentage of 20% at the starting time of the simulation.

The present study presents two techniques of Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) via DC/DC converter to enhance the performance of the grid-connected Photovoltaic (PV) generation system to participate effectively within microgrids. The two techniques of MPPT are Perturb-Observe (P&O) and Incremental Conductance (IC). The variation of the solar radiation and temperature is considered during employing the two MPPT techniques. Besides, the performance of the system under the random variation of solar radiation was investigated. The authors used two types of controllers at the three-phase inverter, Proportional Integral (PI) and H-infinity Control (H∞C). The output voltage, current, and power at each type of inverter controller are compared along with the two techniques of MPPT. The effectiveness of the developed controllers together with MPPT techniques is demonstrated by comparing the obtained results with some previously reported research in the literature. In the case of MPPT via P&O and IC techniques along with the H∞C controller, the results show that the technique of IC is more robust, and the obtained output power is well matched with the references one as compared with the P&O technique which records a 7% error from MPP. Besides, the P&O technique has a high voltage and current ripple with a percentage of 20% at the starting time of the simulation.

The present study presents two techniques of Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) via DC/DC converter to enhance the performance of the grid-connected Photovoltaic (PV) generation system to participate effectively within microgrids. The two techniques of MPPT are Perturb-Observe (P&O) and Incremental Conductance (IC). The variation of the solar radiation and temperature is considered during employing the two MPPT techniques. Besides, the performance of the system under the random variation of solar radiation was investigated. The authors used two types of controllers at the three-phase inverter, Proportional Integral (PI) and H-infinity Control (H∞C). The output voltage, current, and power at each type of inverter controller are compared along with the two techniques of MPPT. The effectiveness of the developed controllers together with MPPT techniques is demonstrated by comparing the obtained results with some previously reported research in the literature. In the case of MPPT via P&O and IC techniques along with the H∞C controller, the results show that the technique of IC is more robust, and the obtained output power is well matched with the references one as compared with the P&O technique which records a 7% error from MPP. Besides, the P&O technique has a high voltage and current ripple with a percentage of 20% at the starting time of the simulation.

This paper is intended to determine the space-charge-free field on the stressed discharge wires’ surface, the corona-onset voltage of wire-duct electrostatic precipitators (ESP) as influenced by the variation of the velocities of the incoming flow gases. The corona current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of wire-duct ESP is calculated under varying velocities of incoming flow gases. The calculation is made using the improvement of Deutsch’s Method. The method is endorsed by an iterative process to determine an estimate for the underlying dissemination of the charge density close to the surface of the stressed discharge wire(s). The electric potential, field, space-charge density in the interelectrode spacing, corona onset voltage and current-voltage characteristics of the precipitator are considered. Besides, the effect of gradually increase of the velocities of incoming flow gases, changing the number of stressed wires and changing the wire radius of wire-duct ESP are investigated. An experimental set-up has made in the Laboratory of High Voltage Engineering, Czech Technical University (CTU) in Prague, Czech Republic to investigate the accuracy of mathematical/simulation analyzed of the corona-onset voltage as well as the validation of the developed Deutsch’s Method in modeling the I-V characteristics of wire-duct ESPs. The experimental results reasonably agree with the theoretical analysis.

This paper is intended to determine the space-charge-free field on the stressed discharge wires’ surface, the corona-onset voltage of wire-duct electrostatic precipitators (ESP) as influenced by the variation of the velocities of the incoming flow gases. The corona current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of wire-duct ESP is calculated under varying velocities of incoming flow gases. The calculation is made using the improvement of Deutsch’s Method. The method is endorsed by an iterative process to determine an estimate for the underlying dissemination of the charge density close to the surface of the stressed discharge wire(s). The electric potential, field, space-charge density in the interelectrode spacing, corona onset voltage and current-voltage characteristics of the precipitator are considered. Besides, the effect of gradually increase of the velocities of incoming flow gases, changing the number of stressed wires and changing the wire radius of wire-duct ESP are investigated. An experimental set-up has made in the Laboratory of High Voltage Engineering, Czech Technical University (CTU) in Prague, Czech Republic to investigate the accuracy of mathematical/simulation analyzed of the corona-onset voltage as well as the validation of the developed Deutsch’s Method in modeling the I-V characteristics of wire-duct ESPs. The experimental results reasonably agree with the theoretical analysis.

The main purpose of this paper to compare and analyze three types of controllers in the three phases DC–AC inverters in hybrid renewable energy source (HRES) systems. To achieve this, two modern controllers are developed and compared based on sliding mode control (SMC) and artificial neural network techniques. The HRESs comprise photovoltaic (PV), wind turbines, battery storage systems, and transmission lines connected to infinite bus bars via a step-up transformer. The developed controllers at the inverter side utilize both voltage control and current regulation. A DC–DC boost converter is employed to set up a voltage demand at the point of common coupling (PCC). Then, the formulation of an HRES with the developed controllers is presented. The developed controllers are considered to operate under various solar radiations, temperatures, and wind speed loading conditions. The HRESs with the developed controllers are simulated via MATLAB/ Simulink to verify the effectiveness of the developed controllers. The obtained results demonstrate that adaptive SMC and artificial ANN control techniques give better results in terms of input power, output power, current, and voltage when compared to classic PI control.

The main purpose of this paper to compare and analyze three types of controllers in the three phases DC–AC inverters in hybrid renewable energy source (HRES) systems. To achieve this, two modern controllers are developed and compared based on sliding mode control (SMC) and artificial neural network techniques. The HRESs comprise photovoltaic (PV), wind turbines, battery storage systems, and transmission lines connected to infinite bus bars via a step-up transformer. The developed controllers at the inverter side utilize both voltage control and current regulation. A DC–DC boost converter is employed to set up a voltage demand at the point of common coupling (PCC). Then, the formulation of an HRES with the developed controllers is presented. The developed controllers are considered to operate under various solar radiations, temperatures, and wind speed loading conditions. The HRESs with the developed controllers are simulated via MATLAB/ Simulink to verify the effectiveness of the developed controllers. The obtained results demonstrate that adaptive SMC and artificial ANN control techniques give better results in terms of input power, output power, current, and voltage when compared to classic PI control.