This paper aims to investigate the likely effects of geogrid REINFORCEMENT configuration on footings bearing capacity. Using geogrids REINFORCEMENT layers with certain total areas in various uniform and non-uniform arrangements, the bearing capacities of footing models on reinforced sand beds were determined and compared. The first arrangement was the conventional uniform layout in which 3 geogrid layers of equal dimensions were considered. In the second group the same amount of geogrids were used in a trapezoidal profile in which smaller size geogrid were placed at upper layers and the geogrid dimensions increased with embedment depth. The third group consisted of arrangements in which the same amount of geogrids were used in an inverse trapezoidal layout i.e. the layer sizes decreased with embedment depth. The effect of soil density on the footing performance was also investigated. The tests results indicated that in all soil densities, the greatest bearing capacities were obtained for the sand beds reinforced with inverse trapezoidal REINFORCEMENT layouts while the least bearing capacities were determined for trapezoidal arrangements. The improvement ratio of bearing capacity due to geogrid REINFORCEMENT varied from 1.8 to 5.35 depending on the REINFORCEMENT layout and the sand bed density.

Several studies on photovoltaic systems focused on how it operates and energy required in operating it. Little attention is paid on its configurations, modeling of mean time to system failure, availability, cost benefit and comparisons of parallel and series–parallel designs. In this research work, four system configurations were studied. Configuration I consists of two sub-components arranged in parallel with 24 V each, configuration II consists of four sub-components arranged logically in parallel with 12 V each, configuration III consists of four sub-components arranged in series–parallel with 8 V each, and configuration IV has six sub-components with 6 V each arranged in series–parallel. Comparative analysis was made using Chapman Kolmogorov’s method. The derivation for explicit expression of mean time to system failure, steady state availability and cost benefit analysis were performed, based on the comparison. Ranking method was used to determine the optimal configuration of the systems. The results of analytical and numerical solutions of system availability and mean time to system failure were determined and it was found that configuration I is the optimal configuration.

Scaling methods have been developed to describe the spatial variability of soils. Among them, physically based methods are more desirable in which the scaling factors can be estimated from the soil physical properties. Assuming that the pore size distribution of soils is lognormally distributed, Kosugi and Hopmans developed a physically based method to scale the water retention curve. However, similar to the previous methods, application of this method is limited to the similar soils. To alleviate this limitation, in this paper, a physically based method is proposed for DISSIMILAR soils. Using this method, data of a wide textural range of soils can be scaled without the similarity condition and can be represented by a unique exponential reference curve. This method was validated using 487 sets of soil retention curves taken from UNSODA database including all the textural classes from sand to clay. The results showed that the proposed method had a better performance in scaling the retention curves than that of Kosugi and Hopmans. The criteria defined here for scaling error was obtained equal to 0.074 and 0.105 for the proposed and Kosugi-Hopmans method, respectively. In addition, it was shown that, in contrast to the previous methods, the scaling error of the proposed method does not depend on the soil texture and all the soils have an equal chance for being scaled.

The REINFORCEMENT of a tourism destination brand means empowering the cultural identity of the space and locale in the minds of potential tourists. Thus, it is imperative to thoroughly identify and perceive its effective factors to attract tourists. The main purpose of this study is to design and validate the brand REINFORCEMENT model of Fars Province as a tourism destination. Pragmatism shapes the philosophical foundation of the research, aiming to explore and perceive the examined phenomenon. This mixed-methods research is also characterized by its basic-applied orientation, data nature, field data collection method, and utilization of theoretical sampling. It used indepth interviews with 10 tourism industry activists following the grounded theory approach and analyzed the data in the MAXQDA software. In this respect, 222 initial concepts were determined within six main categories and 113 subcategories, and the final paradigm model of the study was designed. Then, in the quantitative phase of the study, 359 questionnaires extracted from the paradigm model were administered among the domain activists for model validation. The results were tested by the structural equations modeling method and LISREL 8. 8. Software. The results, confirming the research hypotheses, show that the REINFORCEMENT of the tourism destination brand is influenced by causal conditions (i. e., the province’, s possession of tourism potentials and the need for benefitting from the cultural and economic advantages of the tourism industry) and intervening factors (i. e., economic, social, cultural, managerial, and infrastructural conditions, as well as beneficiaries’,participation). However, it leads to sociocultural, political, economic, and environmental developments through designing and compiling an inclusive strategic tourism program. Introduction In the modern world, a brand is a robust tool for differentiation, which is an important marketing strategy (Beritelli & Laesser, 2018). Statistics show that Iran has not yet been able to acquire a fair share of national income despite having abundant potential. In the Development Vision Document, Iran is ranked 89th in the world and 12th among the regional countries and is still far from its tourism goals (Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Reports, 2019). Thus, concerning the economic, social, and cultural conditions of Iran and its tourism potentials, it is necessary to address this topic in order to enhance social employment, raise currency circulation, develop transportation, help with the acquisition of the development vision goals, and attract domestic and foreign investors. It also paves the way for increasing international interactions and exchanges, assisting with the better impact of Iran on the branding of other products and services regarding the brand effect of the producer city and attaining sustainable development. Hence, the main question of the current research is developed as below:-What is the brand REINFORCEMENT model of Fars province as a tourism destination? Materials & Methods The methodology of the current research is described below based on the onion model of the study: The primary purpose of this study is to design and validate the brand REINFORCEMENT model of Fars Province as a tourism destination. Pragmatism shapes the philosophical foundation of the research, aiming to explore and perceive the examined phenomenon. This mixed-methods research is also characterized by its basic-applied orientation, data nature, field data collection method, and utilization of theoretical sampling. It used in-depth interviews with 10 tourism industry activists following the grounded theory approach and analyzed the data in the MAXQDA software. In this respect, 222 initial concepts were determined within six main categories and 113 subcategories, and the final paradigm model of the study was designed. Then, in the quantitative phase of the study, 359 questionnaires extracted from the paradigm model were administered among the domain activists for model validation, and the results were tested by the structural equation modeling method and LISREL 8. 8. Software. Discussion and conclusion We can recognize branding as a strategic approach to employing tourism potentials and capacities and promoting a tourism destination so that we can attain the advantages of sustainable development. As discussed earlier, the primary purpose of this paper was to design and validate a brand REINFORCEMENT model of Fars province as a tourism destination using a mixed-methods approach. In explaining the first hypothesis, which was confirmed, we can claim that the causal conditions, including the province’, s possession of tourism potentials, the need for creating a sustainable competitive advantage for the province, and efforts made for enhancing the economic growth, impact the brand REINFORCEMENT of Fars province as a tourism destination. The second hypothesis confirmed that the available resources and facilities, social and cultural conditions, institutional and administrative security, and structures, all as contextual conditions, impacted tourism activists’,compilation of an inclusive strategic tourism plan. To explain the third hypothesis and draw conclusions, we can assert that the brand REINFORCEMENT of the Fars tourism destination, including awareness of the tourism destination brand and brand equity of Fars Province, significantly impacts tourism activists’,strategy adoption (compiling an inclusive strategic tourism plan). Hence, tourism administrators should accentuate macro tourism policies and the potentials and resources of Fars Province to determine the tourism goals of this province and select the target tourism market at the provincial level regarding the tourism goals and policies in this province. The confirmation of the fourth hypothesis shows that the intervening conditions (regional, global, political, economic, and infrastructural conditions, as well as managerial weaknesses) positively impact the adoption of strategies that reinforce tourism destination brands. Finally, the fifth hypothesis illuminates that adopting the strategy of compiling an inclusive strategic tourism plan positively affects the consequences of its application (sustainable development). Thus, in addition to policy-makers, this issue requires the consideration of tourism activists in the private sector, such as travel agencies, hoteliers, and educational centers. The alignment of tourism activists’,practices in the private sector with the national inclusive and strategic plan, identification of the target market and presentation of services commensurate with this market, and active participation in the local society to motivate and empower its residents are parts of the activities and steps that can be influential in the consequences of applying the inclusive strategic tourism plan.

The Discussion of optimization of REINFORCEMENT elements in stabilizing rock slopes, due to the huge cost of such operations and problems caused by landslides and slope instability due to the lack of adequate REINFORCEMENT, has been always considered for researchers in the field of Geomechanic and Geotechnic. Therefore in this study the optimal distribution of REINFORCEMENT elements on the rock slopes which has the risk of instability in this study has been considered and new methods of reinforcing the required level or DRD method has been used. The purpose of this study is to provide a rational process for the optimum distribution of reinforcing elements that required in unstable rock slopes and especially critical zones. In this method, rock slope has been divided according to geometrical properties and for each zone with regard to geometrical and Geomechanical layer's properties, the coefficients and finally the Influence coefficients matrix is obtained. Also, according to finite element method and numerical modeling of displacement of each zone and then the displacement ratio matrix of divided zone is obtained. Eventually, within a matrix operation, DRD values for each zone obtain and distributions of REINFORCEMENT elements are done based on these values. In order to be practical, distribution of optimized REINFORCEMENT elements in rock slopes of Siah Bishe Dam has been evaluated.

Introduction: PMMA has been the most popular denture base material because of its advantages including good aesthetics, accurate fit, stability in the oral environment, easy laboratory and clinical manipulation and inexpensive equipments since the 1930’s. However, its fracture resistance is not satisfactory. Aim: The aim of this study is to improve the fracture resistance of denture bases made of PMMA by assessing the effect of resin type, packing and processing variables on biaxial flexural strength (BFS).Materials & methods: 930 discs, 12 mm diameter and 2 mm thick were prepared with the following variables: a. Veined (V) and Plain (P) PMMA. b. 5 different powder/liquid ratios by volume (1.5:1, 2:1, 2.5:1, 3:1, 3.5:1). c. Conventional (C) and Injection packing methods (I). d. Dry heat (D) Water bath (W); and e. different curing times. The discs were trimmed and stored in 37°C tap water for 50 hours before carrying out BFS test, according to BS EN ISO 1567: 2001. BFS test was carried out using a tensile-testing machine (Lloyd LRX, Lloyd instruments Ltd) (Figure.1 b), with a x-head speed of 1mm/min. ONE-WAY ANOVA analysis and TUKEY’S comparison were carried out (MINITAB). The temperature within the curing baths and inside of curing resin was evaluated by using a thermocouple. Results: BFS of Powder/liquid ratio of 1.5:1 is significantly lower than the other four ratios. Among the last four ratios, 2.5:1 was the strongest one although the difference was not significant. BFS of the plain type of PMMA is significantly higher than the veined type· BFS of conventionally packed PMMA discs was greater than the injectional packed ones and the difference is significant. Water bath cured resin showed a significant higher BFS compared with dry heat curing. · Changing the curing time in the dry heat bath from 7h @ 75º C and 2hrs @ 95º C to 5hrs @ 75º C and 3hrs @ 95º C and then 2hrs @ 95º C improves BFS of PMMA. In the water bath the trend is identical although the difference is not significant. Analysis of the temperature climb and hold within the curing bathes showed a consistent performance with the water bath irrespective the number of the flasks being cured. Meanwhile, the dry heat bath showed very inconsistent results.Conclusion: 1. Type of resin, packing procedure and processing variables can have major effect on BFS of PMMA. 2. Using plain resin, conventional packing, water bath curing with two hours at 95 ºC are recommended conditions.  

Mechanical properties of DISSIMILAR weld joints between GOST09ch16N4B (a martensitic stainless steel) and AISI 4130 thin sheets made by gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) were studied using ER410NiMo and ER100S-G filler metals in post weld heat treated conditions. Heat treatment cycles consisted of austenitization at 900, 950 and 1000 oC for 1 h and this was followed by oil cooling and tempering at 400 and 500 oC for 1 h. Tensile tests and microhardness measurements were carried out to evaluate the mechanical properties. The base metals, heat affected zones (HAZs) and fusion zones were observed by optical microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectroscope (EDS). Based on the results, it was found that the joints strength and microhardness profiles were almost independent of austenitization temperature, but they were affected by the tempering temperature. Increasing the tempering temperature led to the reduction in the hardness of AISI 4130 and the joints strength. Tensile samples were fractured in the base metals. Furthermore, the fracture was shifted from GOST09ch16N4B to AISI 4130 with increasing the tempering temperature. Crack initiation from delta-ferrite led to the fracture in GOST09ch16N4B. Strength and elongation obtained from different PWHTs indicated that tempering at 400 oC resulted in acceptable tensile properties for the weldments made with both filler metals.