Pavement distress is an indication of pavement layer deterioration. There are many types of

deteriorations; however, rutting, defined as the permanent deformation forming longitudinal

surface depressions in the wheel paths, is one of the most important kind of distress that affect

the safety and the ride quality of flexible pavement. The main objective of this study was to

develop an empirical pavement rutting model for the wet freeze zone, which is one of the four

long term pavement performance (LTPP) climate zones, to predict the depth of pavement rutting

on granular bases. Using the LTPP database, the study aimed at a better understanding of the

pavement rutting phenomena and the factors that may affect pavement rutting. Multiple

regression analysis was performed to develop a flexible pavement rutting model. The proposed

model was developed based on the relationship between the response variable rut depth, and

predictor variables of traffic loads, structural number, Marshall stiffness, air voids in the total

mix, and voids in the mineral aggregate. It was found that traffic loads was the predominant

factor that have a significant effect on pavement rutting, which agrees with the existing

literature, as well as engineering knowledge and practice. Following the traffic loads, structural

number was the most significant secondary factor, followed by percent of voids in the total mix,

• voids in the mineral aggregate, and Marshall stiffness.

Cutting samples (n = 93) from the Sirte, Tagrifet, Rakb, Rachmat, Bahi Formations of Upper Cretaceous and Nubian Formation (Lower Cretaceous) derived from eleven wells (6C1-59, 6J1-59, 6R1-59, KK1-65, OO2-65, M1-51, KK1-65, B-96, B-95, B-99, E1-NC-59) locate in the Amal, Gialo, Nafoora, and Sarir Fields present in East Sirte Basin were analysed in the aim of their organic geochemical evaluation. A bulk geochemical parameters and evaluation of specific biomarkers by chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) implemented to find out a diversity of interbedded non-marine lithofacies including sandstones, siltstones, shales and conglomerates. Such rocks are good source and contain fair to good contented of organic matter passing in the course of very good, in which the excellent source rocks have organic carbon richness (TOC) reached to 5.16 wt%. The studied samples are ranged from gas to oil-prone organic matter (OM) of hydrogen index (HI) ranged between 115 - 702 mg HC/g TOC, related with gas prone (OM) of (HI) <150 and most beds contain oil-prone organic matter of (HI) > 300, associated with oxygen index (OI): 3 - 309 mg CO2/g TOC indicate that organic matter is dominated by Type II/III kerogen. The maturity of these source rocks is variations ranges from mature to post-mature-oil window in the Sirte and Rachmat Formations, as inferred from the production index (PI: 0.07 - 1.55) and Tmax and Ro% data (Tmax: 425 - 440/Ro%: 0.46 - 1.38) and early to mid-stage maturities for the other formations. Low PI in some samples seems to imply that the most of the hydrocarbons have expelled and migrated from the rocks. Biomarker ratios of individual hydrocarbons in rock extracts (n = 21), were also used in order to investigate the samples’ thermal maturity and palaeo depositional conditions. Pristine/Phytane ratios of 0.65 - 1.25 and dibenzothiophene to phenanthrene (DBT/P) ratios of 0.04 - 0.47 indicated Anoxic and suboxic conditions of depositional source rock. The origin of OM of the studied samples attributed to a marine algal source as indicated from the dominated by the C27 and co-dominant C28 homologues sterane in molecular composition distributions. The marine shale and carbonate lithofacies of rock samples were also indicated by high C19TT/C23TT ratio and low relative abundance of C24TeT/C23TT, consistent with their interpreted marine affinity. An organic geochemical evaluation pointed out that the Sirte Shale formation (Campanian/Turonian) is the main source rock in this petroleum area. 

Tricyclic terpanes to hopanes Ratios calculated from individual biomarkers to delineate their distribution, identifications, mixing ratios and biological precursor in a suite of crude oils (n = 24) from the East Sirt Basin. Geochemical application of Tricyclic terpane and Hopane biomarkers is divided studied oils into five groups (I, II, III, IV and V) based on the different ratios between Tricyclic terpanes to hopanes. Percentages of C23 Tricyclic terpanes/17α (H), 21β(H)-hopanes (C30αβ) and C28 Tricyclic terpane/17α (H), 21β (H)-30 hopanes (C31) have divided crude oils into 2 main individual groups in addition to 3 mixed groups. Group I, characterized by the dominance and extension of the tricycle terpane series (≈ C45 Tricyclic terpane). Group V, distinguished with the dominance of 17α (H), 21β (H) hopanes series. Groups II, contained a domination Tricyclic terpanes and hopanes, considered as a mixed group. The group III demonstrated equivalent ratios of Tricyclic terpanes to hopanes. The Group IV revealed a reduced amount of Tricyclic terpanes with enrich of hopanes. Tricyclic terpanes derived from tricyclohexaprenol precursors and attributed to a marine depositional environment and algal matter. Hopanes in obtained from bacteriohopane polyols and aminopolyols and distinguished to a depositional bacterial environment.

This research presents the effect of corrugation geometry on the crushing behavior, energy absorption, of woven roving glass fiber/epoxy laminated composite shells. Experimental investigations were carried out on three geometrical different types of composite shells subjected to compressive loadings. The results showed that the loading carrying capability is significantly influenced by corrugation geometry in axial crushing. Load–displacement curve was plotted for all conducted tests

Abstract

This paper is conducted to identify the determinants of profitability of Islamic banks operating in Malaysia and examine the effect of the global financial crisis on the profitability of these banks. Panel data estimation is employed with unbalanced data on seventeen Islamic banks, using quarterly data for the period of 2007 to 2010. The random effect model was specifically used to achieve the study objectives. The empirical results indicate that overhead expenses ratio, loans ratio, deposits ratio, technical efficiency and bank size have a positive significant effect in determining banks’ profitability. Meanwhile, the inflation rate has a negative significant effect in determining banks’ profitability. The findings of study indicate that capital and reserves, liquidity ratio, banks’ age, gross domestic product growth rate, Gross domestic product per capita and concentration ratio are not able to explain the variability of profitability of Islamic banks. The study also reveals that the profitability of Islamic banks is negatively affected by the global financial crisis. Keywords: Islamic Banks, Bank profitability, Malaysia, global financial crisis, panel data 

neural network is considered as a nonlinear dynamic system consisting of a large number of simple processing elements interconnected in some manner with adjustable weighted strength. Neural networks provide qualitative and quantitative (analog, digital or logical) knowledge through information coding and decoding, and have powerful functions in learning and selforganization. These properties make neural networks considered to be more powerful in dealing with numerical data than other artificial intelligent systems like expert systems. However, the performance of neural networks depends deeply in number of factors including transfer function, number of hidden layers, number of nodes in hidden layers, input function, and weight function. In this article we present a comparative study of these factors and how they influence the performance of a system. 

ABSTRACT

This paper aims to identify the determinants of efficiency of Islamic banks operating in Malaysia. Panel

regression analysis is employed with unbalanced data on seventeen Islamic banks, using quarterly data for the

period of 2007 to 2010. In addition to that, this study uses the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach to

estimate the technical efficiency as the dependent variable. Also, Tobit multiple regression which allows limited

dependent variables is used to analyze the factors that influence banks’ efficiency. The empirical results indicate

that bank specifics and financial structure determinants are able to explain a significant part of efficiency of

Islamic banks in Malaysia. The study reveals that domestic and foreign Islamic banks have different efficiency.

The efficiency of Islamic banks is not affected by the global financial crisis.

The influence of physical (external added weight) and neurophysiological (fatigue) factors on static and dynamic balance in sport related activities was typified statically by the Romberg test (one foot flat, eyes open) and dynamically by jumping and hopping in both horizontal and vertical directions. Twenty healthy males were participated in this study. In Static condition, added weight increased body-s inertia and therefore decreased body sway in AP direction though not significantly. Dynamically, added weight significantly increased body sway in both ML and AP directions, indicating instability, and the use of the counter rotating segments mechanism to maintain balance was demonstrated. Fatigue on the other hand significantly increased body sway during static balance as a neurophysiological adaptation primarily to the inverted pendulum mechanism. Dynamically, fatigue significantly increased body sway in both ML and AP directions again indicating instability but with a greater use of counter rotating segments mechanism. Differential adaptations for each of the two balance mechanisms (inverted pendulum and counter rotating segments) were found between one foot flat and two feet flat dynamic conditions, as participants relied more heavily on the first in the one foot flat conditions and relied more on the second in the two feet flat conditions.