Cited Research Abstracts Bulletin

University of Bahrain 

College of Engineering 

Cited Research Abstracts Bulletin 

Years 2007 and 2008 

Volume 1, May 2009

Cited Research Abstracts Bulletin, Volume 1, May 2009 

ii


Cited Research Abstracts Bulletin 

Years 2007 and 2008 

Supervised by: 

Professor Nader Al Bastaki 

Dean of College of Engineering 

Prepared by: 

Research Activation Committee, College of Engineering 

Coordinator 

Dr. Muhammad AL-Qassab, Department of Mechanical Engineering 

Members 

Dr. Esmat Kameshki, Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture 

Dr. Mohammed Nabhan, Department of Mechanical Engineering 

Dr. Mohammed AL Khoheji, Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture 

Dr. Ali AL Mosawi, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering 

Dr. Mohammed Bin Daina, Department of Chemical Engineering 

Volume 1, May 2009 

iii


Dean’s Message 

Excellence in research is part of the mission of the University of Bahrain (UOB). The 2030 

economic vision of the Kingdom stipulates that research has to be a prominent aspect of the 

objectives of the University. This research bulletin represents the College of Engineering’s 

research products for the years 2007 and 2008 and aims to facilitate the exchange of research 

ideas among the faculty members at the College and also makes it possible for researchers 

outside the University of Bahrain to discuss common areas of research with the faculty members 

at UOB. The quantity and diversity of the published research work presented here is very 

promising. All faculty members who are active in research and who have contributed to this 

bulletin deserve a great deal of appreciation. However, we should admit that our expectations 

should always be higher than where we actually are. This is the only way to improve and 

produce more. I think it will not be a too difficult task to set a goal of increasing the quantity of 

published research in international refereed journals and conferences by say 50% for the coming 

two years. Of course means more focus and attentions towards research. Many thanks are due to 

the Dean of the Research Deanship and the administrative staff at the Deanship for helping the 

Research Promotion Committee which has worked on the preparation of the research bulletin 

and planned for other activities to enhance research. Special thanks are due to Dr. Muhammad 

Al-Qassab, the head of the RPC’s sub-committee for the College of Engineering. 

iv


Preface 

This bulletin contains abstracts of published research by the faculty members of the College of 

Engineering as cited in refereed journals and conference proceedings for years 2007 and 2008. It 

is the first volume of its kind produced by the College of Engineering to archive the contribution 

of its faculty members toward scientific research. The bulletin gives the faculty members the 

mutual opportunity to benefit from their research activities and to expose their research to the 

community. The articles are categorized according to departments in four sections and are 

numbered for easy referencing. Contact information of the authors of the faculty members are 

provided in the index at the end of the bulletin. 

The bulletin contains 112 research abstracts of which, 56 are published in refereed journals, 53 

presented in local, regional and international conferences, two as parts of edited books, and one 

published in a magazine. The numbers assigned to conference articles are styled in italic in the 

Table of Contents while chapters of books are made in boldface. Forty seven faculty members of 

the College of Engineering shared their research activities in this bulletin which amounts to 

about 50% of the total faculty members in the college. The bulletin exhibited some collaborated 

work between faculty members from different departments. 

It is hoped that the bulletin provides a broad exposure of the research activities of the College of 

Engineering and be a step forward to more research contribution. Although, it is believed that 

research activity is a personal interest, it is hoped that the enriched materials contained in this 

bulletin help to increase more collaborative research activities. 

The committee members made their effort to invite everybody to share his/her research work and 

were accepting papers even shortly prior to printing this bulletin and we apologize if some names 

have been missed. 

Finally, I would like to thank the faculty members who contributed in this bulletin. Without your 

contribution, the bulletin would have not been made possible. Moreover, I would like to thank 

the committee members for their effort in preparing the bulletin and for the enthusiasm felt by all 

the members during the course of preparing this bulletin. My sincere thank goes to Prof. Nader 

v


Al Bastaki, Dean of College of Engineering, for his continuous support and encouragement and 

for his helpful suggestions to prepare the bulletin. 

Muhammad AL-Qassab 

Coordinator 

Research Activation Committee 

vi


Dean's Message 

Preface 

Table of Contents 

Page No. 

iv 

v 

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 1 

CHE_1 Removal of Acid Red and sodium chloride mixtures from aqueous 

2 

solutions using nanofiltration 

Mohamed Al-Aseeri, Qais Bu-Ali, Shaker Haji and Nader Al-Bastaki 

CHE_2 Can convection induced by heating delay a thermal explosion? 2 

M. Al-Aseeri, W. Guo, L. E. Johns, and R. Narayanana 

CHE_3 Analysis of the Performance and Robustness of Recycle Compensators 2 

Ali M.J., Al-Roomi A.R. and Abbas A 

CHE_4 Enhancement of productivity in reverse osmosis desalination pro 3 

Abbas, A. 

CHE_5 Dynamic Matrix Control (DMC) of Rolling Mills 3 

Abbas, A. 

CHE_6 On the performance limitation of reverse osmosis water desalination 3 

systems 

Abbas, A. 

CHE_7 A Systematic Procedure for Optimizing Crude oil Distillation Systems 4 

Hasan Y. Alhammadi 

CHE_8 Experimental study of the dead-end ultrafiltration process using silicone 5 

dioxide suspensions 

Hasan Y. Alhammadi and Nader Al-Bastaki 

CHE_9 An experimental study of performance parameters and ion concentration 5 

along a reverse osmosis membrane 

Qais Bu-Ali, Mohamed Al-Aseeri and Nader Al-Bastaki 

CHE_10 Simulation of the Coke Calcining Processes in Rotary Kilns 6 

E. M. Elkanzi 

CHE_11 Fractal Patterns from Corrosion Pitting of 

6 

Aluminium Alloys in Marine Environment 

E. M. Elkanzi 

CHE_12 Simulation of the Process of Biological Removal of Hydrogen Sulfide 7 

from Gas 

E. M. Elkanzi 

CHE_13 Environmental Engineering Education in the Gulf Co-Operations 

8 

Countries 

Jassim, M. and G. Coskuner 

CHE_14 Carbon Dioxide Absorption and Desorption in Aqueous 

8 

Monoethanolamine Solutions in a Rotating Packed Bed 

Jassim, M. S., G. Rochelle, Eimer, D., and Ramshaw, C 

CHE_15 Development of a correlation to study parameters affecting nitrification 

in a domestic wastewater treatment plant 

8 

vii


Coskuner, G. and M. Jassim 

CHE_16 Effect of Variation in Coal Quality on Critical Process Parameters of a 9 

steam Generator in a Thermal Power Plant 

L. Sivakumar, S. Dharmalingam, K.K. Anilkumar 

CHE_17 FPGA Based Asynchronous Pipelined Multiplier with intelligent delay 9 

Controller 

G. Lakshminarayanan, G. Prabakar, K.K.A nilkumar 

CHE_18 Viscosity Modeling of Some Libyan Fuels at Different Temperatures 10 

Elmahboub Edreder , Abdulganni Nhaesi and Mohamed Elgarni 

CHE_19 Understanding of the Emerging Web-Based Laboratory Technology 11 

Mansour Nour-Eddine, K.K.Anilkumar 

CHE_20 Real Time Control of a Process Trainer 11 

N. Mansour, Jaffar Hasan and M. Taleb 

CHE_21 Stress-corrosion cracking and galvanic corrosion of internal bolts from a 12 

multistage water injection pump 

F. Elshawesh, K. Abusowa, H. Mahfouz and H. Ezuber 

CHE_22 A study on the corrosion behavior of aluminum alloys in seawater 12 

Hosni Ezuber, A. El-Houd and F. El-Shawesh,. 

CHE_23 Prediction of strontium sulfate scale formation in oilfield environment 12 

Hosni. M. Ezuber 

CHE_24 Effects of sigma phase precipitation on seawater pitting of duplex 

13 

stainless steel 

Hosni M Ezuber, A. El-Houd and F. El-Shawesh,. 

CHE_25 Influence of cold work and sigma phase on the pitting corrosion 

13 

behavior of 25Cr super duplex in 3.5% NaCl solutions 

Elhoud, Hosni Ezuber, and W. Deans 

CHE_26 Prediction of barium sulfate scale formation in oilfield environment 14 

Hosni. M. Ezuber 

CHE_27 Electrochemiluminescence Analysis in Miniaturised Disposable Polymer 14 

Microdevices 

Zainab Mohammed Redha, Sara J. Baldock, Peter R. Fielden, Nick J. 

Goddard, and Bernard J. Treves Brown 

CHE_28 Disposable Polymer Flow Cells with Screen Printed Electrodes for 

15 

Voltammetric and Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) Applications. 

Zainab Mohammed Redha, Sara J. Baldock, Peter R. Fielden, Nick J. 

Goddard, Bernard J. Treves Brown, Barry G. D.Haggett, Roberto 

Andres and Brian J. Birch 

CHE_29 Fabrication and Applications of Injection-Moulded Polymeric cell-on-a 16 

chip Devices with Integrated Conducting Electrodes for 

Electroanalytical Measurements 

S.J. Baldock, N.G.Naseri, Z.M. Redha, P.R. Fielden, N.J. Goddard, A. 

Economou,C. Kokkinos 

CHE_30 Fabrication of a Fully Polymeric Micro-flowcell for Electrochemical 17 

Analysis 

S.J. Baldock, N. Gharib Naseri, Z. Mohammed Redha, P.R. Fielden, N.J. 

Goddard and P.R. Fielden. 

viii


DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE 19 

ARCH_1 Towards a Safe place for children in today’s residential Neighborhoods. 20 

Ali A. Alraouf 

ARCH_2 Learning From Bab Al-Bahrain: The Authenticity of Fake. 20 


ARCH_3 Regenerating Urban Traditions in Bahrain 21 


ARCH_4 Knowledge Cities: The Future of Cities in the Knowledge Economy 21 

Edited Volume (Co Author). 


ARCH_5 Knowledge Based Urban Development: Planning and Application in the 22 

Information Era. Tan Yigitcaular & V. Koray (eds.) Ali A. Alraouf, 

Chapter Author. 


ARCH_6 Vertical Gated Communities: The Case of Al-Juffair Al-Jadidh, 23 

Bahrain”. 


ARCH_7 The Building, the City & the Community - Conservation and 

23 

Rehabilitation of Muharraq Historical Center – Bahrain: An Evaluation 

View. 


ARCH_8 To e or not to e: Electronic Architecture and Architectural Education. 24 


ARCH_9 One Decade: Three Paradigms - From Iconic Developments to 

Sustainable Bubbles: Gulf Capital Cities Transformed 


ARCH_10 The Dilemma of Sustainable architecture in Gulf Cities. Unsustainable 

Developments and Energy Conservation. 

Ali A. Alraou 

ARCH_11 

“The Role of Technology in Knowledge Communities Building: The 

Case of Dubai and Doha Cities” 


ARCH_12 Implementations and Applications of the DesignMap: Case studies to 

manage an online database of visual designs. (Co Author) 

Wael Abdelhameed 

ARCH_13 Establishing Databases for Effective Management during Natural and 

Unnatural Disasters of Buildings. 


ARCH_14 The Patterns of the Current Economic Housing in Egypt: between the 

needs and potentials. 


ARCH_15 The Planning Unit of Residential Districts through an Islamic 

Conception. 

24 

25 

26 

27 

27 

27 

28 

ix



ARCH_16 Developing a New Approach of Computer Use ‘Kiss Modeling’ for 29 

Design-Ideas Alternatives of Form Massing: A framework for three- 

Dimensional Shape Recognition in Initial Design Phases. (Co Author) 


ARCH_17 Design Map: A framework for a design environment through 

29 

networking. (Co Author) 


ARCH_18 Sustainability & Urban Management in Old Muslim Cities: The Role of 30 

Pious Foundations 

Mustapha Ben-Hamouche 

ARCH_19 MANAMA: THE Metamorphosis of an Arab Gulf City 30 


ARCH_20 Climate, Cities & Sustainability In The Arabian Region 

31 

Compactness as a New Paradigm in Urban Design and Planning 


ARCH_21 Islamic Law for Water and Land Management and its Impact on Urban 32 

Morphology 


ARCH_22 Islamization of Contemporary Architecture: Shifting the paradigm of 32 

Islamic Architecture 


ARCH_23 Architectural and Urban Conservation in the United Arab Emirates. 33 

Karim Hadjri & Djamel Boussaa 

ARCH_24 Housing and home-making in low-income urban settlements: Sri Lanka 34 

and Colombia 

Ranjith Dayaratne and Peter Kellett 

ARCH_25 Articulating social issues to create architectural form: A studio 

34 

experiment 

Ranjith Dayaratne 

ARCH_26 Assembling identities and creating place: Intriguing metaphors in the 34 

post-global architecture of Bahrain. 

Ranjith Dayaratne and Layla Karajica 

ARCH_27 Vernacular in transition: The traditional and the hybrid architecture of 35 

Bahrain 

Ranjith Dayaratne 

ARCH_28 Architectural and Urban Conservation in the United Arab Emirates. 36 

Eslam El-Ghonaimy 

ARCH_29 Sustainability and private sector acts in urban developing within regional 36 

highways, case study: highways rest stops as developing method 

Eslam El-Ghonaimy 

CE_1 Characteristics of Drivers’ Parking Offences in Five Arabian Gulf 

37 

Countries 

Al-Madani H. M. N 

CE_2 Understanding Difficulties In Road Signs By Drivers With Speed 

Citations Controlled By Experience 

37 

x


CE_3 

CE_4 

And Income 


Pedestrians' Vulnerablety Considering Parental Status, Age, Sex, And 

Crash Severity 


Optimum geometry design of nonlinear braced domes using genetic 

algorithm 

Kameshki E.S., Saka M.P. 

38 

39 

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING 40 

EE_1 Matching of Induction Motors to Photovoltaic Generators for Maximum 41 

Output Power 

Prof. M. Akbaba 

EE_2 A Novel Technique for Obtaining the Model Parameters of PVG Panels 41 

Mehmet Akbaba, Adel Kamal 

EE_3 Optimization of the Performance of Solar Powered Permanent Magnet 41 

dc Motor Drives 

Mehmet Akbaba 

EE_4 LMI-Intelligent Modeling and Control of Highly Nonlinear Electric 42 

Machine 

Ebrahim Al-Gallaf and Mehmet Akbaba 

EE_5 Power Management in a Grid-Connected PV System Including a Storage 42 

Battery 

Mehmet Akbaba 

EE_6 Performance Evaluation of Fuzzy Single Layer Weightless Neural 

43 

Network 

R. Al-Alawi 

EE_7 Performance Comparison of Distance Protection Schemes for Shunt- 43 

FACTS Compensated Transmission Lines 

F. A. Albasri, T.S. Sidhu, R.K. Varma 

EE_8 Mitigation of Adverse Effect of Midpoint Shunt-FACTS Compensated 43 

Transmission Lines on Distance Protection Schemes 

F. A. Albasri, T.S. Sidhu, R.K. Varma 

EE_9 Statistical Analysis of Wind Power density of Kingdom of Bahrain 

44 

based on Weibull and Rayleigh Distribution Functions 

Fawzi AL Jowder 

EE_10 Application of Static Synchronous Series Compensator to Wind Farms 44 


EE_11 Impact of Modeling Magnetic Saturation on the Estimation of 

45 

Synchronizing and Damping Torques of Synchronous Machine 


EE_12 Modeling and Simulation of Dynamic Voltage Restorer Based on 

45 

Hysteresis Voltage Control 


EE_13 Efficiency improvement of computer power supplies utilizing active 45 

xi


power factor corrector 

S. Ali Al-Mawsawi 

EE_14 Implementation and Simulation of continuous and discontinuous PWM 46 

schemes for a single-phase inverter 


EE_15 Fuzzy Control and Dynamic Performance of STATCOM 46 


EE_16 The Use of Active Power Factor Corrector for Efficiency Improvement 47 

of Computer Power Supplies 


EE_17 Ten 5-user collaborative codes with reduced constellation size 47 

A.J. Al-Sammak 

EE_18 Power Control in CDMA System Using Particle Swarm Optimization 47 

Hassan M. Elkamchouchi, Hassan M. Elragal and Mina A. Makar 

EE_19 Cellular Radio Network Planning Using Particle Swarm Optomization 48 

Hassan M. Elkamchouchi, Hassan M. Elragal and Mina A. Makar 

EE_20 Geometric Shape Recognition and Size Prediction Using Combined 48 

Artificial Neural Network and Regression 

Hassan M. Elragal 

EE_21 Using Particle Swarm Optimization To Improve Neural Networks 

49 

Predictability of Natural Gas Consumption 

Hassan M. Elragal 

EE_22 Fast Method for Side lobe Nulling in a Partially Adaptive Linear Array 49 

using the Elements Positions 

J.A. Hejres, and Albert Peng 

EE_23 The Effects of the Impulsive Noise on a Rayleigh Fast Fading 

49 

Channel with the Intersymbol Interference 

J.A. Hejres, and Albert Peng 

EE_24 Capacity Investigations of MIMO Systems in Correlated Rician Fading 50 

Channel Using Statistical Multi-Clustered Modeling 

M. A. Mangoud 

EE_25 Optimization of Antenna Geometry to Increase Channel Capacity for 50 

Indoor MIMO Systems 

M. A. Mangoud[8] 

EE_26 Performance of Maximum Power Point Tracker (MPPT) for a 

50 

Photovolatic Generator (PVG) 

M. Taleb 

EE_27 MATLAB/SIMULINK Models for Typical Soft Starting Means for a 51 

DC Motor 

M. Taleb and H. S. Hashim 

EE_28 Optimal power flow with environmental constraint using a fast 

51 

successive linear programming algorithm: Application to the Algerian 

power system 

Khaled Zehar and Samir Sayah 

EE_29 Modified differential evolution algorithm for optimal power flow with 

non-smooth cost functions 

51 

xii


EE_30 

Samir Sayah and Khaled Zehar 

Improvement of the Power Transmission of Distribution Feeders by 

Fixed Capacitor Banks 

Abdellatif Hamouda and Khaled Zehar 

52 

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING 53 

ME_1 Modeling the Thermal Energy Losses in Multi Activities Hall 54 

A.Y. Abdalla 

ME_2 Gas-Turbine Performance Improvements 54 

A.Y. Abdalla 

ME_3 Numerical Study of Thermal Effects of Electric-Discharge Through 54 

Thermocouple Wires Using Finite Difference 

M. Abu-Aesh 

ME_4 Dependence of Sliding Wear Resistance and Microhardness of Al-Spray 55 

Coating Layers on Substrate Condition Using High-Velocity Oxygen 

Fuel (HVOF) 

M. Abu-Aesh 

ME_5 The Influence of Meteorological Parameters in Bahrain on the 

55 

Performance of Solar Chimney: Experimental Investigation, Numerical 

Analysis and Simulation 

N T Ahmad 

ME_6 Effects of Intake Air Cooling Performance Improvement on a Two-Shaft 56 

Laboratory –Scale Gas Turbine Unit 

Hussain Al-Madani, Teoman Ayhan and Omar Al-Abbasi 

ME_7 Predicting the Ductile Failure of DP-Steels Using Micromechanical 56 

Modeling of Cells 

F. M. Al-Abbasi and James A. Nemes 

ME_8 Characteristics of bond in Cu-H13 tool steel parts fabricated using SLM 57 

O.M. Al-Jamal, S. Hinduja, L. Li 

ME_9 Feasibility Study of Renewable Energy Powered Seawater Desalination 57 

Technology Using Natural Vacuum Technique 

Teoman Ayhan and Hussain Al Madani 

ME_10 Neural Network Methodology for Heat Transfer Enhancement 58 

B.Ayhan-Sarac, B.Karlik, T.Bali, and T.Ayhan 

ME_11 Mechanical Properties of Polymers at High Strain Rate 58 

Noaman E. Bekheet 

ME_12 SRS For Vehicle and Safety Belt With Force Limiter in Front- and Rear- 58 

End Collisions 

Mostafa S. Habib 

ME_13 Driver-Vehicle Interaction with 4WS And DYMC Systems 59 


ME_14 Application of Kharitonov Stability Theory to Aluminum Rolling Mill 59 

Robust Control 


ME_15 A Study of Stagnation Heat Transfer in Turbulent Flow for a Semi- 60 

xiii


Circular Stainless Steel Plate 

Mohamed B.W. Nabhan 

ME_16 A study of Heat Transfer Enhancement on a Tilted Rectangular Stainless 60 

Steel Plate 

Mohamed B.W. Nabhan 

ME_17 Nonlinear programming solution for optimum PM schedule of auxiliary 60 

components 

Prof. Saad Suliman, Salman Mishari 

ME_18 Development of University-Industry Collaboration Model 61 

Prof. Saad Suliman 

ME_19 Modeling Preventive Maintenance of Auxiliary Components 61 

Prof. Saad Suliman, Salman Mishari 

INDEX 63 

xiv


Department of Chemical Engineering 

1


CHE_1 

CHE_2 

CHE_3 

Removal of Acid Red and sodium chloride mixtures from aqueous solutions 

using nanofiltration 

Mohamed Al-Aseeri[2], Qais Bu-Ali[6], Shaker Haji [9] and Nader Al-Bastaki[3] 

Desalination Volume 206, Issues 1-3, 5 February 2007, Pages 407-413 

Abstract 

A spiral wound nanofiltration membrane was used to remove mixtures of sodium 

chloride and Acid Red 114 (AR) from aqueous solutions. Three Acid Red 

concentrations (0, 10, 100 and 200 ppm) and three NaCl concentrations (0, 1000, 

10000 and 50000 ppm) were used. For each experiment measurements were taken 

at four pressures from 4 to 12 bar. The measurements included conductivity, 

permeate flow rate and dye absorbance using a UV-visible spectrophotometer. 

The effects of varying each of the dye and salt concentrations on the permeate 

flux and dye removal were evaluated. In the absence of NaCl, a color removal of 

97.2% was achieved and this number was elevated to 98.2% at a dye 

concentration of 200 ppm when 1000 ppm NaCl was added to the colored water. 

Can convection induced by heating delay a thermal explosion? 

M. Al-Aseeri[2], W. Guo, L. E. Johns, and R. Narayanana 

PHYSICS OF FLUIDS 20, 104107 _2008 

Abstract 

A thermal explosion is said to occur in a region if heat generated steadily therein 

cannot be conducted to its boundaries. Our interest is in the effect of natural 

convection on the conditions for thermal explosion. It is surprising that adding a 

second mechanism for heat loss lowers the steady rate of heat generation and, 

therefore, that natural convection appears to do little to change the point of 

explosion. This is due to the fact that the flow, by lowering the heat generation, is 

self-weakening. 

Analysis of the Performance and Robustness of Recycle Compensators 

Ali M.J., Al-Roomi A.R. and Abbas A[1] 

International Conference on Intelligent Systems, 1-3 December, 2008, Bahrain 

Abstract 

Recycle streams are commonly used in the process industry for economic and 

environmental reasons. This leads to increased interaction among the process 

units and make the operability and controllability of the whole plant more 

difficult . 

During the last three decades, several studies have been published on the effects 

recycle streams on the dynamics of the process and the performance of the control 

system [1-5]. Denn and Lavie [1] showed that the recycle is equivalent to a 

positive feedback. Luyben [2] demonstrated that the presence of recycle may lead 

to slow, oscillating or unstable dynamic behavior of the process . 

To eliminate the effect of the recycle on the process dynamics, Taiwo [3], and 

Scali and Antonelli [4,5] considered the use of compensators. In this paper the 

performance and robustness of recycle compensators are investigated and 

compared to those corresponding to conventional PID controllers. A process 

2


composed of a continuous stirred tank reactor and a distillation column will be 

used as a case study. 

CHE_4 

CHE_5 

CHE_6 

Enhancement of productivity in reverse osmosis desalination pro 

Abbas, A.[1] 

Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution, 4 (2), 2007, pp. 23-29 

Abstract 

The steady-state and periodic performances of a seawater desalination unit based 

on a small-scale commercial spiral-wound membrane were studied. For the 

steady-state case, operating pressures ranging from 30 bar to 50 bar and 

temperatures ranging from 22 °C to 28 °C were investigated. As expected, 

increasing the pressure resulted in improvements in the water recovery, salt 

rejection and energy consumed by the feed pump per m 3 of permeate produced. 

The improvements were larger for operation at low to moderate pressures than at 

high pressures. Both the permeation rate and salt rejection changed linearly with 

temperature; the permeate flux increased by 2.8%/°C whereas the salt rejection 

decreased by 0.007%/°C. For the case of unsteady-state operation, the operating 

pressure was varied according to a symmetric square wave function around an 

average pressure of 50 bar. The production rate increased as the period of the 

wave decreased. Such an improvement was obtained at the expense of a marginal 

increase in the total energy consumed. For a wave period of 2 minutes, the 

production rate increased by 8% over that obtained from steady-state operation 

while the energy consumed increased by a mere 0.15%. A simple theoretical 

analysis showed that a 12.3% improvement in the permeation rate would be 

obtained in the absence of concentration polarization. The salt rejection was not 

affected by this mode of operation. 

Dynamic Matrix Control (DMC) of Rolling Mills 

Abbas, A.[1] 

Materials and manufacturing processes, 22, 2007, pp. 909-915 

Abstract 

A dynamic matrix control (DMC) algorithm is used for the control of the exit strip 

thickness of a simulated rolling mill. The DMC is tuned using the recently 

proposed method by Cooper and colleagues [17, 18]. The performance of the 

DMC is analyzed and compared to those obtained from the classical PI controller 

and Smith predictor. The sensitivity of the DMC to changes in the plant 

parameters is also investigated. The simulation results show that the DMC offers a 

very good performance and that it is much more robust than the Smith predictor 

and not as robust as the conventional PI controller. 

On the performance limitation of reverse osmosis water desalination systems 

Abbas, A.[1] 

International Journal of Nuclear Desalination, 2 (3), 2007, pp. 205-218 

Abstract 

The performance of reverse osmosis (RO) water desalination processes was 

investigated using a simulated brackish water plant based on spiral-wound 

3


membranes. A semi-rigorous mathematical model was employed in the simulation 

to calculate the water and salt fluxes at any point along the filtration channel. The 

simulation model was validated using overall performance results obtained from 

the FilmTec ROSA 5.02 computer package. The simulated plant was then used to 

study the effects of two key parameters, namely the transmembrane pressure and 

membrane surface area, on the performance of the process. Some insights into the 

performance limitation of RO processes were obtained. The rapid increase in the 

osmotic pressure of the brine was found to be the main factor which limits the 

performance of the plant. The study has also revealed that any attempts to develop 

new membranes for brackish water desalination which withstand higher operating 

pressures than 4.5 MPa will not result in significant gains in the plant 

performance. Attention should be focused on developing membranes which 

produce better performances than those currently available when operated at low 

to moderate transmembrane pressures. For seawaters having high salinity, the 

development of membranes, which operate at a pressure of up to 10 MPa will 

significantly improve the membrane's productivity. Other potential targets for 

improvement include the feed pre-treatment process, membrane size and energy 

recovery. 

CHE_7 

A Systematic Procedure for Optimizing Crude oil Distillation Systems 

Hasan Y. Alhammadi[4] 

European Symposium on Computer Aided Engineering (ESCAPE-18), 1-4 June 

2008, Lyon, France 

Abstract 

In this paper, a systematic design procedure for optimizing crude oil distillation 

systems is presented. This approach using pinch analysis in parallel with rigorous 

column simulation, is applied to achieve effective debottlenecks by reducing the 

vapor load through the main distillation column. These debottlenecks 

simultaneously result the reduction in utility costs. 

The systematic procedure is divided into three levels, each level generating 

process modifications based on the complexity and the investment required. The 

first level of modifications concerns those external to the system by removing the 

inefficiencies in the system. The second level is carried out to improve the stage 

distribution through the system by changing the nozzle locations or adding new 

trays. The third level of modifications investigates the change of the column 

configurations by installing an additional column shell. 

The trade-off between the furnace capacity and increasing the utility costs for 

these modifications is explored. An important design option concerns the location 

of he feed and product nozzles; the benefits or relocating feed and draw points can 

be expressed in term or reduced utility costs, furnace duty and vapor load in the 

column 

In the proposed systematic optimization design procedure, the interactions 

between the distillation column and the heat exchanger network are analyzed. The 

resulting design is energy efficient because it exploits heat recovery opportunities. 

4


The procedure has been presented through its application to a practical case study 

of an atmospheric crude oil distillation tower. It was found that the operating cost 

savings of up to 23% or an increase in the throughput of up to 97% could be 

achieved by implementing the proposed modifications. 

CHE_8 

Experimental study of the dead-end ultrafiltration process using silicone 

dioxide suspensions 

Hasan Y. Alhammadi[4] and Nader Al-Bastaki[3] 

Desalination Volume 206, 2007, Pages 513-523 

Abstract 

Applications of ultrafiltration (UF) membranes in water treatment have rapidly 

increased during the past decade. Successful operation of dead end UF processes 

requires rigorous experimentation and modeling in order to optimize the operating 

procedure. Optimum scheduling of forward and backwash cycles can play an 

important role in minimizing reversible fouling effects and controlling irreversible 

fouling. The objective of this work was to study the effect of varying the filtration 

and backwash periods on the operation of a pilot scale plant with a single 8 inch 

industrial dead end UF membrane. In this paper the results of the initial 

experimental work are shown for SiO2 (Aerosil 200) suspensions with 

concentrations of 500 to 4000 ppm. The results indicated that at low 

concentrations of SiO2 (below 500 ppm) no flux decline was observed for the 

duration of the experiments. At a higher concentration of 2000 ppm, flux decline 

started to appear after a few cycles of 

filtration which initially showed no flux decline. At 4000 ppm flux decline was 

observed from the first cycle. Moreover, the filtration period had a significant 

effect in this case. Using a filtration period of 4 min resulted in a complete 

blockage of the membrane before the cycle ended. With 3 min filtration period a 

consistent and continuous operation with about 80% flux decline was achieved. A 

long term operation was possible to do in the laboratory by completely recycling 

the backwash to the feed tank and carefully selecting the filtration and backwash 

pressures after doing some trial runs and measuring the actual flow rates. Using a 

concentration of 4000 ppm, a filtration to backwash period of 3:1 min. and 

backwash to filtration pressure of 36:16 psig (a ratio of 2.251) it was possible to 

operate continuously with a flux decline of about 80%. 

CHE_9 

An experimental study of performance parameters and ion concentration 

along a reverse osmosis membrane 

Qais Bu-Ali[6], Mohamed Al-Aseeri a[2] and Nader Al-Bastaki[3] 

Chemical Engineering and Processing, Volume 46, Issue 4, April 2007, Pages 

323-328 

Abstract 

This paper essentially deals with how different important membrane performance 

monitoring parameters and ion concentrations change along a reverse osmosis 

(RO) membrane when used for seawater desalination. In order to study this issue, 

5


one long membrane was simulated by a sequence of five membranes in series. In 

the experiments, the concentrate was collected, and used as a feed for the next 

stage. It was found that both the recovery and the permeate flux decreased along 

the membrane as a result of the decrease in the apparent pressure driving force 

resulted from higher osmotic pressure of the feed. Moreover, this elevated 

osmotic pressure was the reason for the increase of both the stage and the 

cumulative permeate concentrations along the membrane. For the ions studied, it 

was found that the permeate ion concentration increases almost linearly along the 

membrane for Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, HCO3− ions and this increase became steeper 

for other ions, namely, K+, Cl− and SO42− at later stages of the membrane 

length. However, a nearly 24% was the average increase in all the ion 

concentrations along the total membrane length, that is 229 cm which corresponds 

to a nearly 5% increase per stage, 45.8 cm, if a linear increase would be assumed. 

CHE_10 

CHE_11 

Simulation of the Coke Calcining Processes in Rotary Kilns 

E. M. Elkanzi[7] 

Chemical Product and Process Modeling, 2 (2007) Issue 3, Article 20 

Abstract 

The objective of this study is to simulate the green petroleum coke calcining 

processes using the simulation program HYSYS and actual industrial data. 

Because counter-current mass flow is not allowed in the HYSYS program, the 

kiln was described by using fictive streams and unit operations. By the simulation, 

it is possible to predict the operating conditions that control the content of 

undesirable impurities in the calcined petroleum coke, namely, sulphur, volatile 

matter and moisture content and to give the desirable calcined petroleum coke 

properties, such as density, that makes it suitable for the fabrication of anodes for 

the electrolysis of alumina. Apart from the metal content, the simulation allows 

the coke calciner to utilize any type of green coke regardless of the undesirable 

impurities. This is done without resorting to blending of different types of green 

coke. Simulation is also effective in controlling and optimizing calcination 

processes variables. From the simulation it was found that it is possible to process 

any type of green coke for varying sulphur, volatile matter and water content by 

adjusting the amount of tertiary air and/or fuel. Two simulation cases were studied 

for low and high volatile matter content, with 8.5 and 14.7 wt% in the feed. Mass 

flow rates of fuel and tertiary air were both increased in the first case, while no 

fuel was required in the second case. The resulting benefit from this study will be 

to reduce the operating costs. 

Fractal Patterns from Corrosion Pitting of Aluminium Alloys in Marine 

Environment 


Proceedings of the 12th Middle East Corrosion Conference and Exhibition, 

Manama, Bahrain, February 3 – 6, 2008 

Abstract 

Fractal geometry is finding many applications in the studies of metal corrosion, 

where corroded surfaces posses a particular geometrical complexity. The patterns 

6


observed in corrosion display complex ordering in many length scales. The 

description of pit shapes helps to distinguish pitting corrosion from other forms of 

localized surface corrosion. Therefore it is of great importance to characterize the 

morphology of pits quantitatively. The structure of the corrosion pit profiles can 

be described in terms of fractal dimensions, a concept which is especially useful 

in understanding the surface structure. The profiles encountered in corrosion 

pitting seem to be similar to those enclosing what are known as Koch Islands, 

well known mathematical constructions which can be described by fractal 

dimension. In this study, a preliminary account on fractal properties of some 

aluminium alloys corrosion pitting in a marine environment is presented. Six 

aluminium alloys, of series 1xxx and 5xxx, were subjected to ASSET test (ASTM 

G-66). The results showed that series 1xxx alloys showed poor corrosion 

resistance in the marine environment, which was clearly seen as pitting patterns 

on the surface of the samples. Fractal dimension analysis was used to quantify the 

results. Pit formation has been investigated in terms of fractal geometry using 

scanning electron microscope (SEM). After SEM observation of the pits, the 

fractal dimension of pits was determined using perimeter-length (structured walk) 

method. 

CHE_12 

Simulation of the Process of Biological Removal of Hydrogen Sulfide from 

Gas 


Proceedings of the 1st Annual Gas Processing Symposium, January10-12 ,2009, 

Elsevier B.V. 

Abstract 

Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) is considered as one of the most noxious industrial gases. 

Its removal from natural gas is particularly required for reasons of health, odour 

problems, safety and corrosivity problems. H 2 S causes an irritating, rotten egg 

smell in concentrations above 1ppm, and at concentrations above 10ppm the 

toxicological exposure limits are exceeded. Many methods have been developed 

over the years for the removal of H 2 S from gaseous emissions. H 2 S removal, with 

subsequent sulfur recovery, is at present mostly preferred using a train of Claus 

process, Tail Gas Treating Unit and Amine Treating Unit. Some of the 

disadvantages of these methods for gas treatment are that they require relatively 

large investment and operational costs (e.g. special chemicals, equipment 

corrosion, high pressures and temperatures) and they require special operational 

safety and health procedures. Continual search for more economical removal 

methods has led to investigations into microbiological solutions for H 2 S removal. 

One of the most common technologies for biological treatment of sour gas is the 

THIOPAQ TM process. It removes H 2 S from gaseous streams by absorption into a 

mild alkaline solution followed by oxidation of the absorbed sulfide to elemental 

sulphur by naturally occurring micro organisms. On the other hand, the Shell 

Claus Off-gas Treating (SCOT) process can be viewed as the industry standard 

classical process for small scale gas treatment. 

The purpose of this study is to simulate the biological oxidation of H 2 S gas 

process (THIOPAQ TM ) and SCOT process using the software HYSYS. In 

7


addition, these processes are compared qualitatively and quantitatively, in terms 

economic considerations. 

The comparison revealed that the biological process is safe, simple, and is cost 

competitive with respect to the SCOT process 

CHE_13 

CHE_14 

CHE_15 

Environmental Engineering Education in the Gulf Co-Operations Countries 

Jassim, M.[10] and G. Coskuner 

Journal of Engineering Education 32(1): 93-103, 2007 

Abstract 

The six members of the Gulf Co-operation Countries (GCC) – Bahrain, Kuwait, 

Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – are facing enormous 

environmental challenges associated with rapid urbanisation and industrialisation, 

especially in the last three decades, due to its role as a global hydrocarbon energy 

centre. None of these countries have systematic and specialised academic 

programmes with the sole purpose of Environmental Engineering Education (E3). 

The current status of E3 in the universities across the region is surveyed and thus 

the individual and collective higher education policies towards environmental 

affairs are highlighted. The E3 policies of the regional universities are then 

compared to the benchmark status of the European and the US universities. The 

ABET criteria are used to evaluate non-E3 programs. The survey shows that the 

environmental engineering subjects were mostly taught under the umbrella of civil 

or chemical engineering departments in the GCC countries. An educational 

scheme for E3 in the GCC higher education institutes is proposed that is based on 

.the evolution of E3 approach in theWestern universities 

Carbon Dioxide Absorption and Desorption in Aqueous Monoethanolamine 

Solutions in a Rotating Packed Bed 

Jassim, M. S.[10], G. Rochelle, Eimer, D., and Ramshaw, C 

Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 46(9): 2823-2833, 2007 

Abstract 

The absorption and desorption of carbon dioxide in aqueous monoethanolamine 

(MEA) was measured in a rotating packed bed of size 398 mm outside diameter, 

156 mm inside diameter, and axial depth 25 mm. The effect of lean amine 

temperature (20 and 40 C), peripheral rotor gravity (31 and 87 g), and various 

MEA concentrations were investigated. Using MEA concentrations above 30 wt 

% achieved lower CO2 penetration levels. This is particularly pronounced for the 

100% MEA solution. Comparison with conventional columns showed the 

advantages of using rotating packed beds in terms of saving size and space and 

efficient operation. 

Development of a correlation to study parameters affecting nitrification in a 

domestic wastewater treatment plant 

Coskuner, G. and M. Jassim[10] 

Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology 83(3): 299-308, 2008 

Abstract 

BACKGROUND: Nitrification performance of an activated sludge reactor 

8


treating weak domestic wastewater was investigated for 11 months. Ammonia 

nitrogen removals were investigated as a function of wastewater composition and 

operational conditions. Backward elimination experimental design was used to 

determine the influence of the most important independent variables on NH3-N 

removal efficiencies. Influent ammonia and biological oxygen demand (BOD5) 

concentrations, hydraulic retention time (HRT), mixed liquid suspended solids 

(MLSS), temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration were 

considered as independent variables. This study aimed to find the most important 

parameters to describe nitrification performance. RESULTS: The presence of 

nitrification was confirmed by ammonia and nitrate variations throughout the 

reactor; ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) populations were determined using a 

fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method. MLSS concentration, influent 

BOD5 concentration and temperature were found to be the most influential factors 

on nitrification performance. The empirical correlation using multiple linear 

regressions was statistically significant and produced an adjusted coefficient of 

multiple determinations (R2adj) of 92.5%.CONCLUSION: Correlation provides a 

good understanding of the various parameters that affect the nitrification process, 

and could be extended to other case studies. Using these results, operators can 

apply proper operational strategies to maintain nitrification in wastewater 

treatment plants. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry 

CHE_16 

CHE_17 

Effect of Variation in Coal Quality on Critical Process Parameters of a steam 

Generator in a Thermal Power Plant 

L. Sivakumar, S. Dharmalingam, K.K. Anilkumar[5] 

TIMA-2009, 6th International conference on trends in Industrial Measurement 

and Automation 

Abstract 

The design and operation of the steam generators supplied to Thermal Power 

Plants are greatly influenced by the properties of the coal burnt. Unlike other 

fuels, all coals are not the same and their differences can have significant impacts 

on a plant's operation. Due to change in the heating value of coal supplied to a 

steam generator, pressure and temperature of the main steam produced changes. 

This variation in main steam pressure and temperature can be adjusted to its set 

value, by the respective control systems. The variation in heating value of coal is 

random in nature (stochastic). The details on the variation of heating values of 

coal from all possible mines in India are available. From this, the parameters like 

mean and standard deviation have been worked out and random numbers 

representing heating values of coal have been generated. This has been applied to 

the detailed mathematical model for a 500MW power plant and the change in the 

main steam pressure and temperature obtained. This paper discusses on the effect 

of variation of coal heating value on the performance of a boiler analytically - 

statistical tools have been effectively used for this analysis and recommendation 

for improved performance has been given. 

FPGA Based Asynchronous Pipelined Multiplier with intelligent delay 

Controller 

9


G. Lakshminarayanan, G. Prabakar, K.K.A nilkumar[5] 

ISOCC 2008 Proceedings and IEEE Xplore, 24-26th December 2008, KOREA 

Abstract 

In this paper, a novel scheme is proposed for the implementation of FPGA Based 

Digital systems using Asynchronous Pipelining Technique. To control the 

asynchronous data flow between stages, an intelligent controller is designed 

which decides the delay of each stage depending upon the magnitude of the input 

data (Data Dependent Delay). The intelligent controller has been designed using 

NIOS II [1] Soft core Embedded Processor in ALTERA EP2C20F484C7 device. 

But, in this approach, the maximum operating frequency is limited by the excess 

of Logical Elements consumed by the microcontroller and the sequential 

execution of the C code. Hence, the function of NIOS processor to control 

asynchronous data flow alone has been chosen and is implemented as an 

equivalent hardware INTASYCON (Intelligent Asynchronous Controller) using 

Hardware Description Language and the speed of the circuit was evaluated. To 

verify the efficacy of the proposed approach, 8×8 Braun array multiplier is 

implemented as External Logic to the INTASYCON. The INTASYCON 

processor calculates the completion time of each stage (based on the logic depth) 

and accordingly activates the respective dual edge triggered flip-flops to transfer 

data from one stage to next stage. This approach consumes lower power and also 

avoids the need for global clock signals and their consequences like skew 

problems. 

CHE_18 

Viscosity Modeling of Some Libyan Fuels at Different Temperatures 

Elmahboub Edreder , Abdulganni Nhaesi[12] and Mohamed Elgarni 

The first international chemical and process engineering conference and 

exhibition, May 5-7, 2009, Tripoli-Libya 

Abstract 

Viscosities of liquid mixtures are required in most engineering calculations where 

fluid flow or mixing is an important factor. Moreover, knowledge of the 

dependence of liquid mixtures on composition is of great interest from a 

theoretical standpoint since it may lead to better understanding of the fundamental 

behavior of liquid systems. In this work, experimental data-base consists of 

density and kinematic viscosity of some distillated petroleum fractions in the 

boiling temperature ranges of 160-235ºC and 160-280ºC derived from Libyan 

crude oils at several temperature levels (30, 35, 40, 70, 75 °C) are established. 

Two models for predicting the viscosity of liquid mixtures which are based on 

Eyring absolute rate theory, namely, the McAllister, the GC-UNIMOD models, 

have been modified to predict viscosities of undefined liquid mixtures (petroleum 

fraction) at investigated temperature levels. The results have been validated with 

the experimental viscosity data gathered in our laboratory. Good agreements 

between the predicted and experimental values have been observed with an 

overall average absolute deviation (AAD %) of 1.92 % for GC-UNIMOD and 

2.41 % for McAllister models. The developed models are compared with some 

widely known viscosity models existed in the literature. The predicted results 

indicated that the proposed models are much better than predictions made by the 

10


literature models. 

CHE_19 

CHE_20 

Understanding of the Emerging Web-Based Laboratory Technology 

Mansour Nour-Eddine[11], K.K.Anilkumar[5] 

The second international Conference & Exhibition for Zain e-Learning Centre ، 

April 28-30, 2008, BAHRAIN 

Abstract 

In recent years, the e-learning centre at the University of Bahrain has provided all 

means to encourage academic staff to make use of the emerging web-based 

teaching methods which are not restricted by time and place. As a result, a large 

number of instructors in several departments have developed Web-CT courses in 

order to complement their traditional face to face teaching methods. However, all 

web-based courses developed to date are limited to theoretical material of the 

course. And all the experimental parts of the courses are still done using 

traditional on-campus based laboratories. The rapid changes in the IT have given 

way to similar changes in teaching methods. The software and hardware tools 

have provided an opportunity for the development of web-based laboratory. 

Looking into the benefits and cost effectiveness a number of teaching institutions 

world wide are switching to web-based real time laboratories. The aim of this 

work is to give a general understanding of this emerging web-based laboratory 

technology. 

In this paper, we discuss the concept of web-based laboratory and investigate how 

to implement available software and hardware tools for development of webbased 

experiments. Examples on web-based experiments developed for process 

measurement and control education are considered. We believe that this work will 

encourage academic staff to cooperate with the e-learning centre for the 

development of web-based experiments. 

Real Time Control of a Process Trainer 

N. Mansour[11], Jaffar Hasan and M. Taleb[34] 

International Conference on Intelligent Systems (ICIS 2008), Manama, Bahrain, 

December 1-3, 2008 

Abstract 

The present paper illustrates a real control application using LabView software. 

The paper is actually an output of an undergraduate senior project course offered 

in the Department of Chemical Engineering at University of Bahrain. The project 

idea is to design an experiment based on NI Labview for digital control of the 

Feedback PT36 Process Trainer. The project should implement PID and Fuzzy 

Logic Control algorithms and that should be on a real time frame. This is done 

using a PC, data acquisition card and Labview software. The success of the 

project enabled us to upgrade and exploit the PT36 process trainer capabilities. 

Process trainer is essentially an electrically heated hot air blower allowing 

variable air flow as input to a heater and the controlled variable is the output air 

temperature. 

11


CHE_21 

CHE_22 

CHE_23 

Stress-corrosion cracking and galvanic corrosion of internal bolts from a 

multistage water injection pump 

F. Elshawesh, K. Abusowa, H. Mahfouz and H. Ezuber[8] 

J. Failure analysis and prevention, Vol. 8, PP. 48-53, 2008 

Abstract 

Nineteen out of 26 bolts (studs) used for assembly of multistage water pump 

showed severe corrosion and cracking after brief service in a severe working 

environment that contained saline water, CO2, and H2S. the field bolts and intact 

nuts were supposed to be made out of a special type of austenitic stainless steel as 

per ASTM A 193 B8S and ASTM A 194, respectively. However, the 

investigation showed that bolts and nuts are made from two different alloys: an 

austenitic stainless steel and a nickel-base alloy. The difference in the corrosion 

resistance of these two alloys led to severe galvanic corrosion. The galvanic 

coupling between bolts and nuts in the addition to severe working environment 

played major role in the premature failure of bolts. The mechanisms of bolts 

failure were galvanic corrosion for bolts that were in direct contact with the 

environment and stress-corrosion cracking in the bolts remote from the severe 

environment. The stress corrosion cracking was influenced by a bad fit between 

the bolts and nuts threads. This resulted in a crevice corrosion and the 

development of an aggressive chemistry between the engaged bolt/nut threads. All 

factors required to cause stress-corrosion cracking were available, namely, 

stressed bolts (bolts under tensile stress), temperature above 60oC, and chloride 

ions. 

A study on the corrosion behavior of aluminum alloys in seawater 

Hosni Ezuber[8], A. El-Houd and F. El-Shawesh,. 

Journal of Material & Design ,Vol. 29, pp. 801-805, 2008 

Abstract 

In this study, the aluminum alloys AA5083 and AA1100 were tested in sea water 

at 23oC and 60oC. Polarization plots showed the alloys to suffer from pitting 

attack. The breakdown potential of the two alloys decreased with an increase in 

test temperature with better corrosion resistance for alloy 1100. The weight loss 

tests revealed low corrosion rate values for both alloys indicating a beneficial use 

for these alloys in marine environments. The pit morphology on the polarized 

aluminum alloys showed hemispherical isolated deeper pits on the 5083 alloy. 

Samples of the 1100 alloy revealed a higher numbers of shallow pits (more close 

to patches of general dissolution). The results showed that type of intermetallic 

particles in the aluminum alloy played a major role on passivity breakdown and 

pit morphology in seawater. 

Prediction of strontium sulfate scale formation in oilfield environment 

Hosni. M. Ezuber[8] 

Journal of ASTM International, Vol.4, No.6, 2007 

Abstract 

This paper presents an easy and reliable method for predicting a scale tendency of 

strontium sulfate as a function of several variables including sodium chloride 

12


brine composition, temperature and pressure effect. The effect of amount of 

sulfate tied up as [MgSO4o] on SrSO4 solubility is also considered . 

The present study has fitted the magnesium sulfate dissociation constants and 

strontium sulfate experimental solubility data in mathematical equations. These 

equations can be easily used to determine SrSO4 scaling tendency in 

environments common to oil field brines. 

The reliability and key features of the prediction method are illustrated in the text 

with oilfield well cases. The predicted results of the present model are in good 

agreement with field observation. 

The prediction method is easy to use, reliable and can be applied to any 

producing wells where SrSO4 occurs. 

CHE_24 

CHE_25 

Effects of sigma phase precipitation on seawater pitting of duplex stainless 

steel 

Hosni M Ezuber[8], A. El-Houd and F. El-Shawesh,. 

Desalination, Vol. 207, P. 268, 2007 

Abstract 

In this study potentiodynamic polarization technique was employed to study the 

pitting corrosion characteristics of duplex stainless steel types SAF 2205 and 

3RE60 duplex stainless steels in artificial seawater at various test temperatures 

(25, 50 and 80oC) and sigma phase precipitation (produced at pre-quenched heat 

treatment temperature of 845oC for different heating duration of 10, 60 and 300 

minutes). The results showed that mill-annealed and sigma phase precipitated 

samples of type 2205 DSS were immune to pitting corrosion at ambient 

temperature, however, the alloy exhibited susceptibility to pitting attack at 50oC. 

The potential necessary to cause pitting corrosion decreased (became less noble) 

with increasing test temperature (to 80oC) and/or inappropriate heat treatment 

duration and become more effectual with long heat treatment exposure. In 

contrast, the mill-annealed 3RE60 exhibited seawater pitting attack at ambient 

temperature and the intensity of the pitting attack increased with increasing test 

temperature or sigma phase precipitation volume. The results clearly indicated 

that the presence of nitrogen and relatively higher chromium content in the 2205 

alloy is an advantage for seawater pitting corrosion resistance. 

Influence of cold work and sigma phase on the pitting corrosion behavior of 

25Cr super duplex in 3.5% NaCl solutions 

Elhoud, Hosni Ezuber[8], and W. Deans 

Proceedings of the 12th Middle East Corrosion Conference and Exhibition, 

NACE, Bahrain, 4-6 Feb. 2008 

Abstract 

The effect of cold work (up to 16% strain) and sigma phase precipitation (at 

850oC for 10 and 60 min.) on pitting resistance of 25Cr super duplex stainless 

steel were investigated in 3.5% NaCl solutions at 70oC and 90oC. The anodic 

polarization scans for cold work samples revealed immunity to pitting attack at 

70oC even with 16% strain. At 90oC, the alloy still present high pitting resistance, 

pitting occurred at about 600 mV (SCE) for the 16% strain samples. A serious 

13


deterioration of the pitting corrosion resistance was found after heating the alloy 

at 850oC for 10 min. resulting in a clear drop in the pitting potential in the 90oC 

chloride solution. The 60 min. heat duration samples showed rapid deterioration 

of pitting corrosion resistance in chloride solutions at 70oC. 

CHE_26 

CHE_27 

Prediction of barium sulfate scale formation in oilfield environment 

Hosni. M. Ezuber[8] 

Journal of ASTM International, Vol.4, No.6, 2007 

Abstract 

This paper represents a simple method for predicting potential scaling tendency of 

barium sulfate in NaCl-water solutions over a wide range of temperature and 

pressure solutions. The developed method has fitted the barium sulfate literature 

solubility data in a mathematical equation. This equation can easily predict the 

BaSO 4 scaling tendency in environments common to oilfield brines. Results 

obtained using the present model are compared with numerous experimental, 

calculated literature data and oilfield well cases. The present method shows good 

agreement with the bulk of the literature and field observation. The method 

presented in this study is easy to use, reliable and can be applied to any production 

well where BaSO 4 scale occurs. 

Electrochemiluminescence Analysis in Miniaturised Disposable Polymer 

Microdevices 

Zainab Mohammed Redha[13], Sara J. Baldock, Peter R. Fielden, Nick J. 

Goddard, and Bernard J. Treves Brown 

LUMINESCENCE Volume: 23 Issue: 2 Pages: 89 Published: 2008 

AND 

ISE 59th, 59th Annual Meeting of the International Society of Electrochemistry 

2008, 7-12th September 2008, School of Engineering (Escuela Superior de 

Ingenieros ESI), Seville, Spain. 

Abstract 

Miniature electrochemical flow cells have been fabricated by injection moulding 

and used in a novel determination of heavy metal ions in aqueous solutions using 

stripping electrochemiluminescence (ECL). High impact polystyrene was used for 

moulding the top plate containing the flow channel and the fluidic connectors, and 

40% carbon fibre-filled polystyrene was used for moulding the electrodes. The 

electrodes were then incorporated into the flow cell using an overmoulding 

procedure to form the base plate of the device. Ultrasonic welding was used to 

bond both plates together thus forming a well sealed microdevice. The complete 

device not only has the advantages associated with miniaturization but is also 

disposable, thus eliminating problems such drift, ageing and contamination. 

Methods using this device were developed for the analysis of four different 

metals. All were pre-concentrated on a gold-coated carbon working electrode 

(WE) in an alkaline solution at a controlled potential and then stripped into a 

solution containing luminol. Copper ions were stripped at a constant potential and 

detected by applying a symmetrical double step (negative and positive) potential 

to the WE. For both lead and cadmium a medium exchange method was used for 

14


stripping and then detected by applying a single anodic step to the WE. Cobalt 

ions were detected by applying differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry, 

albeit with lower sensitivity. All the investigated metal ions except cobalt 

inhibited the ECL. 

The linear concentration range varied with the pre-concentration time. The 

detection limits were 2.7, 16 and 3.9 ng/ml for copper, cadmium and lead 

respectively. Reliable measurements could not be made using the ECL signal of 

cobalt because the highly negative pre-concentration potential induced bubble 

formation. 

CHE_28 

Disposable Polymer Flow Cells with Screen Printed Electrodes for 

Voltammetric and Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) Applications. 

Zainab Mohammed Redha[13], Sara J. Baldock, Peter R. Fielden, Nick J. 

Goddard, Bernard J. Treves Brown, Barry G. D.Haggett, Roberto Andres and 

Brian J. Birch 

Electrochem 2008, 15-17th September 2008, University of Liverpool, UK 

Abstract 

This work aims to combine screen printing and injection moulding methods for 

the fabrication of miniaturised, disposable three-electrode flowcells for use in 

electroanalysis. 

Screen printing technology is one of the best fabrication methods for the 

production of disposable electrochemical sensors due to its low cost, excellent 

reproducibility, as well as its ability to be miniaturised and applicability to mass 

production. However, it is usually used for batch systems and incorporating 

screen printed sensors into a flow system has always been a important challenge. 

Compared to alternative microfabrication techniques for flow systems, injectionmoulding 

offers excellent reproducibility, lower costs, and can form both planar 

and 3D structures, thus making it another appropriate candidate for fabricating 

disposable devices. 

The body of the flow cell, including the base plate, flow channel and Luer fittings, 

was injection moulded from Zeonor®. The electrical connectors were moulded 

from carbon fibre (40%) loaded polystyrene and the base plate formed around 

them by an injection overmoulding procedure. Interdigitated working electrodes 

with 200 μm width and spacing were screen printed directly onto the injection 

moulded Zeonor® base plate using carbon ink, platinised carbon ink or both. 

Planar reference and counter electrodes were also printed on the base plate using 

Ag/AgCl and carbon inks respectively. A second overmoulding procedure was 

used to form the flow channel around the printed electrodes. Ultrasonic welding 

was used to bond the base plate containing the printed electrode to the top plate 

containing the Luer fitting thereby forming a complete electrochemical micro 

flow cell. 

The electroanalytical and ECL performance of the sensor flow cells were assessed 

by applying different electrochemical methods such as cyclic voltammetry, anodic 

stripping voltammetry and chronoamperometry. Metals such as Cu (II), Pb (II) 

15


and Cd (II) could be detected in a single or multi analyte matrix. Excellent 

stripping peak resolution, over a flat baseline was obtained for Cu (II) and Pb (II) 

with LODs of 4.4 ppb and 5.9 ppb respectively. Several ECL peaks were observed 

for the luminol system, depending on the electrode material and the applied 

technique, and were correlated to different luminol ECL reaction mechanisms. 

The within-cell reproducibility of the sensors varied from 0.27% to 6.7% RSD 

(n=7) and the overall reproducibility of seven devices was found to be 8% RSD. 

Thus, the disposable sensors were shown to give attractive analytical performance 

for routine on-line electroanalytical and ECL measurements. 

CHE_29 

Fabrication and Applications of Injection-Moulded Polymeric cell-on-a chip 

Devices with Integrated Conducting Electrodes for Electroanalytical 

Measurements 

S.J. Baldock, N.G.Naseri, Z.M. Redha[13], P.R. Fielden, N.J. Goddard, A. 

Economou,C. Kokkinos 

ESEAC 08, the 12th international conference on electroanalysis 2008, 16th-19th 

June 2008, Krystal Hotel, Prague, Czech Republic 

Abstract 

The use of microfabrication technologies enables the mass fabrication of small, 

reproducible, low-cost, portable and disposable sensors [1]. In particular, the 

integration of electrochemical analysis techniques into microfluidic devices is an 

area of increasing interest [2-3]. Injection-moulding offers some advantages over 

alternative micro-fabrication approaches: in addition to providing planar 

structures (such as channels) quickly and at a reasonable cost, it enables the 

creation of three-dimensional structures and the incorporation of preformed 

elements (such as electrodes) into the plastic during the moulding process . 

In this work, cell-on-a-chip devices for electrochemical analysis were injectionmoulded 

from polymeric materials to form plastic micro-devices. The electrodes 

were moulded from polystyrene loaded with carbon-fibres (40%) By using a 

mould insert and an injection over-moulding procedure, the polymer electrodes 

were integrated into the device substrate. The moulded electrodes can be used 

unmodified or can be pre-coated either with metal layers (such as Au, Ag or Bi by 

e-beam/thermal evaporation and electroplating) or with Ag/Cl paste, thereby 

forming working, reference and counter electrodes as required . 

Furthermore, the moulded electrodes were incorporated into micro-flow-cells. The 

flow channels in these devices were produced in a clear grade of polystyrene. 

Ultrasonic welding was used to bond the substrate containing the electrode to the 

substrate containing the microchannel. Figure 1(i) illustrates the two parts forming 

a microfluidic device while Figure 1(ii) shows the assembled micro-flow-cell . 

Electrochemical techniques such as cyclic voltammetry (CV), anodic stripping 

voltammetry (ASV), electrochemiluminescence (ECL) and catalytic adsorptive 

stripping voltammetry (CAdSV) have been tested on the micro-fabricated 

devices. In addition electrochemical procedures for in situ activation of the 

working electrodes, long term drift studies on the reference electrodes and deviceto-device 

reproducibility were evaluated . 

16


Figure 1. A example of an injection-moulded microfabricated device: i) the two 

separate parts forming the flow cel, and; ii) the assembed flow-cell (A is the 

carbon CE, B is the gold WE, C is the Ag RE, D is the solution outlet and E is the 

solution inlet( 

The results obtained demonstrate “proof-of-principle” of these cell-on-a-chip 

devices and suggest that they can be employed as disposable sensors in 

electronalysis. 

REFERENCES 

. 1 Becker, H., Locascio, L.E.: Talanta 56, 267 (2002( 

. 2 Suzuki, H.: Electroanalysis 12, 703 (2000( 

. 3 Bakker, E., Telting-Diaz, M.: Anal. Chem. 74, 2781 (2002 ( 

CHE_30 

Fabrication of a Fully Polymeric Micro-flowcell for Electrochemical Analysis 

S.J. Baldock, N. Gharib Naseri, Z. Mohammed Redha[13], P.R. Fielden, N.J. 

Goddard and P.R. Fielden. 

Nanotech-Montreux 2007, 11th Annual European Conference on Micro & 

Nanoscale Technologies for the Biosciences, 12-13th November 2007. Montreux, 

Switzerland 

Abstract 

Micro-flowcells for electrochemical analysis were injection moulded from 

polymeric materials to form a completely plastic microdevice. The electrodes are 

moulded from a carbon fibre loaded (40%) grade of polystyrene, while the flow 

channel is produced in a clear grade of polystyrene. By using a mould insert and 

injection overmoulding procedure the polymer electrodes are integrated into the 

device substrate. Ultrasonic welding is used to bond the electrode containing 

substrate to the microchannel containing suprastrate. 

These moulded electrodes can be used unmodified or can be pre-coated either 

with metal layers (such as Au, Ag or Bi by e-beam/thermal evaporation) or with 

thin layers of metal pastes (such as Au, platinised carbon or Ag/AgCl), thereby 

forming working (WE) or reference electrodes (RE) as required. 

In addition to different working electrode materials different channel crosssections 

have been investigated. Channels of dimensions 200 x 200 µm and a 

larger 1 mm wide x 200 µm deep have been fabricated. Figure 1 presents a typical 

17


three-electrode flow cell. 

Electrochemical techniques such as cyclic voltammetry (CV), anodic stripping 

voltammetry (ASV), electrochemiluminescence (ECL) and catalytic adsorptive 

stripping voltammetry (CAdSV) have all been demonstrated on the 

microfabricated flowcells. CV of various model compounds such as potassium 

ferrocyanide, hydroquinone and dopamine were used to investigate the 

electrochemical properties of the WEs. Square wave ASV was used to analyse 

solutions containing metal ions, such as Cu(II), Cd(II), Zn(II) and Pb(II). Square 

wave CAdSV of Co(II) and Ni(II) with a nitrite catalyst at an in-line plated 

bismuth film electrode (BiFE) was also demonstrated. Figures 2 to 4 present 

representative examples of the obtained results from the electrochemical 

techniques. In addition electrochemical procedures for in situ activation of the 

working electrodes, long term drift studies on the reference electrodes and deviceto-device 

reproducibility were also evaluated. Scanning electron microscope 

studies (SEM) studies of the working and reference electrodes were also 

undertaken. 

18


Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture 

19


ARCH_1 Towards a Safe place for children in today’s residential Neighborhoods. 

Ali A. Alraouf[14] 

Journal of The Malaysian Institute of Planners (IMIP), Malaysia. Vol. (6) -2008. 

pp: 57-73 

Abstract 

Most Arab cities are experiencing tremendous urbanization processes and 

challenges. Despite the fact that Arab cities are developing fast, social factors 

in planning and urban design have been neglected. Many of the urban 

problems that Arab cities experience today result from an unbalanced 

approach to development, where physical development has been given 

priority over spiritual, cultural, and social requirements. The concern of the 

societal needs in urban planning and design is often intended for adults 

regardless of the growing number and needs of the younger population. This 

paper focuses on children because their needs are the least considered in 

planning and design of cities. 

The paper motivates urban authorities, of the Arab world, to be sensitive to the 

needs of urban children and to find suitable tools and mechanisms to consider 

children in their strategic and physical planning process. Towns and cities must 

be made safe and children friendly. This paper discusses the various forces that 

influence Arab children in the wake of industrialization, urbanization, 

modernization, and globalization. It will specifically focus on diverse social and 

cultural ills that have emerged among Arab children, which are attributed to 

living in a stressful physical environment, one that neglects their needs and 

marginalizes their existence in the fabric of the developing cities. This paper will 

address the following questions: why are cities not planned with the needs of 

children in mind? What are the characteristics of cities that are positive for 

children? In addition, the paper calls for a more holistic approach to planning and 

rephrasing the role of urban planners and designers in producing spaces and 

places for Arab children where they will enjoy their growing cities and 

neighborhoods. 

ARCH_2 Learning From Bab Al-Bahrain: The Authenticity of Fake. 


Journal of Art and Architecture. Winter 2007, Issue 4. pp: 17-22. 

Abstract 

Knowing the fact that its oil resources are about to dry up, Bahrain is forced to 

bank on other activities in order to develop. For Bahrain the diversification into 

the financial and tourism sectors is more urgent than for its neighbors. It is 

thriving into getting ready for a Post-Petroleum World (PPW) by a clear 

perception of the role of tourism as a potential contributor to socio-economic 

development. As a major strategy, they use the visual scenery of their culture and 

history to create dreams, fantasies, and models which can attract tourists, 

travellers and visitors who are ready and prepared to ‘.consume’ the ‘authentic’ 

heritage of these cities. This essay will use Bab Al-Bahrain as a case study in 

20


hyper-reality and hyper traditions which was both emerged and imported by 

means of globalization. This essay will focus on the area of Bab Al-Bahrain and 

its urban and architectural adjacencies to illustrate Bahrain’s efforts in promoting 

its historical and cultural heritage and using it as a vehicle towards touristic 

development. 

ARCH_3 Regenerating Urban Traditions in Bahrain. 


Traditional Dwellings and Settlements Review. Journal of The International 

Association for the Study of Traditional Environments., USA. Vol. 20. Issue o1- 

Fall 2008. 

Abstract 

The inevitable necessity of diversifying Bahrain’s economy allowed the Island to 

see itself as the financial, commercial, and recreational hub of the gulf. 

Historically, The old port that was once the main gate to Manama city, Bahraini 

capital, actually called Bab-al-Bahrain (Bahrain Gate), was a commercial pole that 

extended to the main market, bazaar. This paper will focus on the area of Bab Al- 

Bahrain and its urban and architectural adjacencies to illustrate Bahrain’s efforts 

in promoting its historical and cultural heritage and using it as a vehicle towards 

touristic development. Two major new projects from this context are aiming to 

help Bab Al-Bahrain regaining its historical role as a touristic, commercial, and 

financial hub. The two projects, the new water front development ‘Bahrain 

Financial Harbor’ and the renovation of the old market ‘ Souq Al-Manama’, are 

located on opposite sides of the Gate and therefore construct the poles of 

development in this unique context. The two case studies will be juxtaposed and 

analyzed. The paper will also investigate the legitimacy and the complex 

dynamism of transforming historical heritage into a ‘hyper-tradition’ or a sort of ‘ 

authentic fake’ in order to facilitate the tourists’ consumption process of the 

Bahraini culture. It would also argue that tourism change the host community and 

influences its authenticity faking process. 

ARCH_4 Knowledge Cities: The Future of Cities in the Knowledge Economy. Edited 

Volume (Co Author). 


(SP) Scholar Press, Kula Lambur, Malaysia. 2007. ISBN No: 978-983-3813-17-9. 

Abstract 

To date, many of the Middle East countries have been fortunate. They are oil-rich 

states, although reserves are dwindling and have been able to use oil revenues to 

develop projects to diversify their economies. The grand plan for most of these 

economies is that they will become knowledge-based which means that the 

service sector will become more important. Consequently, the need for 

governments to educate and nurture local talent will become paramount and they 

will need to encourage people to think differently. In a post-global, post-oil 

paradigm, most of the Middle Eastern cities are thriving into diversifed economic 

industries. Knowledge economy was perceived by both political leaders and 

21


intellectuals as a valid vehicle for bridging into the new paradigm. Gulf cities 

located in GCC countries within the Middle East are working seriously in this 

direction. Huge investments were used in the last five years to finance iconic real 

estate developments like Dubai’s Palms, Qatar’s Pearls, Oman’s Blue City and 

Bahrain’s Lulu Islands. More recently, a tangible shift towards planning and 

financing knowledge based economic centres is evident. Additionally, an 

unprecedented concerns regarding the production and dissemination of 

information and knowledge are rising within all of those cities. 

In this paper, using comparative analysis approach, I’ll try to evaluate the status of 

constructing Knowledge Cities (KC) in the Middle East. Using the case of Gulf 

Cities, the paper will illustrate a major shift in development strategies which 

presumably will acquire a place for those cities on the global stage and will 

introduce it to Knowledge Economy paradigm. The paper will also examine the 

status of the projects which were promoted, and initiated within those cities to 

facilitate its role as Knowledge Cities locally, regionally, and internationally. 

Projects like Dubai’s Knowledge Village, Qatar’s Science and Technology Oasis, 

Bahrain’s Technology Park and , and Oman’s Technology Park among others will 

be analyzed in order to reach a more comprehensive understanding of Knowledge 

Cities conceptual interpretation and implementation within the context of the 

Middle East generally and the Gulf cities precisely. 

ARCH_5 Knowledge Based Urban Development: Planning and Application in the 

Information Era. Tan Yigitcaular & V. Koray (eds.) Ali A. Alraouf, Chapter 

Author. 


IGI Global Publishing, USA www.igi-global.com 2008. ISBN No: 13:978-1- 

59904-720-1 

Abstract 

A world examination of Knowledge Cities’ contemporary status reveals tangible 

developments and collective efforts for declaring and developing such cities 

around the globe. On the contrary, Arab cities are building technological isolated 

entities with the hope that they are promoting the same concept. An analysis of 

projects like Egypt’ Smart Village, Dubai’s Internet City and Knowledge Village, 

and Qatar’s Educational City and Science and Technology Oasis among others, 

will be helpful in evaluating the current status of contemporary Arab Knowledge 

Cities. 

The purpose of this chapter is to explore the knowledge city concept in depth to 

relate it to the ongoing process of creating knowledge-based economy 

developments in major Middle Eastern cities and especially in Arab Gulf Cities. It 

will discuss the principles of a knowledge city, and portrays its distinguishing 

characteristics and processes. In addition, the chapter will introduce the concept of 

“Urban Creativity Engines” in relation to the Middle East context, and examples 

of various types will be presented. I’ll argue that it is a more comprehensive 

concept for constructing and evaluating knowledge cities. Although this concept 

22


and its related terminology is relatively new, the chapter will prove that there are 

many historical examples, regionally and internationally, of “knowledge cities” 

and “Innovation/Creativity Engines”. A focus on the traditional built environment 

of the Middle Eastern cities will be included to examine the main hypothesis of 

the chapter. 

ARCH_6 Vertical Gated Communities: The Case of Al-Juffair Al-Jadidh, Bahrain”. 


Proceedings of 3rd Housing International Symposium, Riyadah, Saudi Arabia. 

23-26 March 2007. Pp: 211 – 228. 

Abstract 

A major trend towards development of Gated Communities in the Middle East 

and precisely Gulf Countries can be traced back to early 80th. Economic boom 

resulted from the oil lucrative revenues and emerging of new social classes with 

different housing requirements and unique life styles, in addition to the influx of 

expatriates coming from almost every part of the world contributed in the spread 

of this real estate pattern at a remarkable pace. 

When trying to categorize gated communities, literature is suggesting two main 

categories; Horizontal Gated Communities and Vertical Gated Communities. The 

latter category which flourishes in the Gulf during the last decade is the focus of 

this paper. A new area of development, AL-Juffair, which is becoming recently 

one of the most real estate investment zones in Bahrain was used as a case study. 

The paper will move from a comprehensive analytical and theoretical research 

which is dominating its first part to focus more on field work, surveys and 

extensive interviews to examine the status of vertical gated communities in Juffair 

and its urban, social, economical and architectural impact. The paper aims at 

constructing a more comprehensive design matrix which will include principles 

and patterns for a more positive vertical gated communities which can provoke 

sense of belonging and enhance human interactions. 

ARCH_7 The Building, the City & the Community - Conservation and Rehabilitation 

of Muharraq Historical Center – Bahrain: An Evaluation View. 


Proceedings of ICOMOS, International Scientific Symposium. September 29 - 

October 4, 2008. Quebec, Canada 

Abstract 

Muharraq is the most important historical city in Bahrain and the oldest in the 

Gulf. Its traditional center reflects the spirit and uniqueness of Gulf Arabian 

culture. As a result, Bahrain’s authorities are pressured to stop the continues threat 

of the unique architectural heritage extinction. If no comprehensive conservation 

measures are implemented the consequences are irreversible. We will argue that 

existing governmental approach is focusing on architectural aspect of 

conservation leading to a piecemeal treatment of historical buildings. 

Alternatively, a need to develop a vision followed by a strategy for the city is a 

priority. A strategy which will take into consideration first and foremost the 

23


benefit of the city itself and its inhabitants. The paper calls for a sustainable 

conservation process which would move beyond the mere rehabilitation of 

isolated monumental buildings to a more holistic and connected network of 

activities and developments related directly to the local community. 

ARCH_8 

To e or not to e: Electronic Architecture and Architectural Education. 


Proceedings of 2nd Int. Conference on e-Learning “E-Learning & Quality. 

Education & Training: Output Quality Assurance” .University of Bahrain. Zain 

e-Learning Center. April 2008. 

Abstract 

Operating electronic and Internet worked tools for Architectural education is an 

important, but merely prerequisite step toward creating powerful tele-collabortion 

and tele-research in our Architectural studios. How to apply the tools in 

curriculum-based educational activities, although less frequently the target of 

careful thought and in-depth investigation, is a much richer, more complex, 

longer-term, and more critical area for educators to explore at this point in time. 

Why haven't more of our workshops, conference sessions, and Internet-related 

publications addressed how to apply Internet-based tools in today architectural 

education? There's a common, but usually unstated, assumption held that explains 

the pattern. It presumes that learning to operate hardware and software is most of 

what is involved in successfully integrating use of computer-mediated tools into 

our classrooms. How to create and enact successful educational applications 

which integrate use of software and hardware is assumed to be obvious, once the 

tools themselves are known. This is part of what Seymour Papert long ago dubbed 

"technocentric thinking". The tool, in and of itself, no matter how powerful its 

features, cannot make learning happen. The tools user/teacher, no matter how 

technically competent, enters a related, but distinct realm for inquiry when s/he 

plans for educational application of any new tool. It is into this educentric realm 

that I invite you. No more fear or doubt of our students design by means of 

traditional design. Explore, design, evaluate, and then redesign is a process of self 

architectural education which create a unique design beyond imagination 

limitation. The paper goals then, are to clarify the potential of the electronic 

architecture by exploring the issues necessary to the future of Architectural 

education; to develop prototypes of future architectural education; and to develop 

best-case scenarios of prototypes for the future by means of electronic learning. 

ARCH_9 One Decade: Three Paradigms - From Iconic Developments to Sustainable 

Bubbles: Gulf Capital Cities Transformed 


24


Proceedings of Sharjah Urban Planning International Symposium (SUPS 10). 

Capital Cities, Wicked Problems: Best Practices in Planning and Policy Response 

Mechanisms. The Sharjah Directorate of Public Works, The American University 

of Sharjah, and University of Sharjah. November 23-25, 2008 

Abstract 

Gulf cities’ development, in the last decade, can be seen as a sequence of three 

paradigms. I’ll argue that Dubai, as a model of urban development, for 

contemporary Gulf cities is based primarily on Images and icons rather than 

sustainable concepts, process and strategies. A process which will be called 

“Dubaization or Dubaification” of Gulf and Arab cities. The Second Paradigm,; 

knowledfication, is a manifestation of a shift towards knowledge economy as a 

more logical development strategy while approaching post oil world. I will shed 

some light on a new paradigm where Gulf cities are moving from doing more 

real-estate icons to use knowledge economy as a base for urban development and 

I will examine the different trials to establish knowledge cities in the Gulf. The 

third paradigm, Sustainablization, marked its presence in this short history of Gulf 

urbanity with the declaration of building the first green, C2O free, renewable 

energy based city to be designed by Sir Norman Foster. Abu Dhabi broke ground 

on Masdar City, the world’s first zero-carbon, zero-waste, car-free city. 

Gulf capital cities need to consider a more holistic approach for its sustainable 

strategic development which is based on the principals of knowledge and creative 

economy. This approach as suggested in the paper is based on both global 

interpretation and local understating of the developmental process and challenges 

in Gulf cities today. Authentic sustainable development and a process of 

“glocalization” might be more appropriate approaches to Gulf cities development 

to replace the current skin deep and marketing oriented process of “Dubaization, 

knowledfication, and Sustainablization”. 

ARCH_10 The Dilemma of Sustainable architecture in Gulf Cities. Unsustainable 

Developments and Energy Conservation. 


Proceedings of International Conference on Energy Conservation. 16 - 18 June 

2008. Kingdom of Bahrain 

Abstract 

In the decade, and at a remarkable pace, Gulf cities have developed into a global 

crossroads, and are now thriving on a new type of post-global condition. Yet, 

crucial questions emerged; what are the consequences of such a competition on 

the future of Gulf cities? Is the lack of considering sustainable concepts in their 

strategic development will result in negative consequences in the near future? It 

is evident that while the whole world is living a new paradigm where the value of 

sustainability is becoming the real wealth of our cities and communities, Gulf 

cities are still enjoying the luxury of cheap oil and the illusion of timeless energy 

resources. Locals and expatriates alike are enjoying their oil-thirst cars to move 

around Gulf’ small cities and islands. Buildings and cities are designed and 

25


constructed with almost a total neglect for the global environmental issues. 

In this paper, I’ll argue that a major change towards full implementation of 

sustainable strategies is highly needed. It is the responsibility of designers, 

developers and above all decision makers to adopt new policies in planning, urban 

design, architecture. Policies that will lead primarily to a new way of 

understanding the fact that our energy resources are limited and drying up. The 

paper will suggest a shift towards a more sustainable and green design approach 

for buildings, neighborhoods, and cities where new and renewable sources of 

energy are adopted without compromising the aesthetics of the built environment. 

ARCH_11 

The Role of Technology in Knowledge Communities Building: The Case of 

Dubai and Doha Cities 


Proceedings of International Symposium on the Role of Technology in 

Supporting Comprehensive Development in Arab Cities” . Marrakesh, 

Morroco. 4-7 July, 2007. 

Abstract 

في اللحظة المعاصرة أصبحت المدن موطن قرابة نصف سكان العالم وتتوقع منظمات الأمم المتحدة المزید 

من التحضر المتسارع في العقود القادمة.‏ والراصد للمتغیرات في المدن الحالیة یرى التأثیر الغیر مسبوق 

للتقنیات الرقمیة وخاصة الاتصالات على المجتمعات الداخلیة للمدن وعلى أسلوب تقدیم الخدمات العامة 

لقاطنیھا.‏ الیوم تقنیات الاتصال الجدیدة تغیر الدور الاقتصادي للمدن وانساق نموھا العمراني والمادي.‏ 

وحالیا فان الكثیر من المدن على الصعید العالمي والإقلیمي العربي فقدت أدوارھا كمراكز لمقار الشركات 

ومراكز للتصنیع ومدن أخرى ازدھرت عن طریق جذب أنشطة واستثمارات خاصة بالمعلوماتیة والاقتصاد 

المعرفي وانتشرت بھا مراكز خدمات العملاء ومعامل البحث والتطویر.‏ ان التطورات السریعة في مجال 

تقنیات المعلومات تمثل تحدیا ھاما للمؤسسات الاقتصادیة والتعلیمیة والصحیة التقلیدیة ولادوار المدن 

البحث المقدم یقترح ان ھناك حاجة الى دراسة الأسالیب التي من خلالھا تؤثر لمراكز للتجارة والثقافة . 

على مركزیة Digital Communication التقنیات المعرفیة المعلوماتیة وخاصة تقنیات الاتصال الرقمي 

ولا مركزیة نمو النشاط الاقتصادي وبالتالي انساق النمو العمراني في المدن المعاصرة.‏ الورقة تبحث 

وتستكشف الطرق التي من خلالھا تغیر التقنیات الجدیدة وخاصة تقنیات الاتصال أشكال وتكوینات المدن 

والمساھمة في تكوین المجتمع المعرفي . 

وتعتمد الرؤیة البحثیة على التركیز على المدن الھامة في الخلیج العربي وطموحاتھا في تحدي النقص 

المعرفي وعبور الفجوة الرقمیة ومحاولات إنشاء مجتمعات المعرفة 

ترتكز على ان المساھمة في إبداع مستقبل الكیان الإنساني ومستقبل البشریة ھو ركیزة التطور فى الاقتصاد 

وتركز الدراسة على مقارنة حالة مدینتین من أكثر 

مدن الخلیج العربي نموا وتأكیدا على ارتباط استراتیجیات اقتصادھا على الطرح المعرفي الناتج من تقنیات 

القرن الواحد والعشرین وھاتین المدینتین ھما دبي في دولة الإمارات المتحدة والدوحة في دولة قطر وتھدف 

المقارنة الى تقییم التجربة التنمویة في المدینتین وتأثیرھا على التكوین الحضري والبنائي لكلاھما وبالتالي 

استنتاج الأسالیب والمعاییر التي یمكن أن تمثل مرجعیة لتفاعل العدید من المدن العربیة مع مفاھیم 

ومتطلبات بناء المجتمعات المعرفیة وتنمیتھا الشاملة . 

التي Knowledge Communities 

. Economy Knowledge المعتمد على المعرفة 

26


ARCH_12 Implementations and Applications of the DesignMap: Case studies to manage 

an online database of visual designs. (Co Author) 

Wael Abdelhameed[15] 

International Journal of Architectural Computing, University of Liverpool, Vol. 6, 

No. 3. (September 2008), pp. 243-258. 

Abstract 

This research introduces state-of-the-art techniques in the areas of online 

libraries, communities, and forums. The research endeavours to describe a 

computer system called DesignMap that could be categorized as a visual 

design forum. This system encourages networking and can also be applied as 

a visual design library. The DesignMap system, which manages and displays 

a massive number of visual designs in two and three dimensions, was 

presented and discussed in a previous research endeavor. This project, 

however, is concerned with the application of DesignMap as a tool to search, 

visualize, modify, and then add designs in a map; these designs are classified 

based on their formal properties of object relationships. Design-Map users 

have access to any part or category in the map. The resulting design series 

created by users of this system presents a new and unique form of design 

collaboration. The research also investigates several applications of the 

DesignMap system. 

ARCH_13 Establishing Databases for Effective Management during Natural and 

Unnatural Disasters of Buildings. 


The Proceedings of Symposium of Natural and Unnatural Disasters management 

of Buildings, Riyadh, KSA, March 29 – April 1, 2008, (in Arabic). 

Abstract 

The motivation behind this study concept is to: 1) draw outlines for the needed 

databases that are essential during disaster management and rescue execution, 2) 

define basic information of buildings subject to natural and unnatural disasters, 

which will be used in establishing a data-base specialized in research concern, 3) 

delineate future procedures for crises reduction plan, and 4) provide a database 

program that helps in effectively managing this kind of building disasters in case 

of occurring in the future. This is considered as a pioneer study in the area study, 

in response to put proper practices and implementations for crises reduction. 

The overall goal of this research is to investigate disasters management and its 

required data-bases, in order to establish a database for different building crises 

that can be shared in the area of study. The queries of this database will be 

classified into a number of response levels. Consequently, different risk reduction 

activities will be proposed based on the existing case elements. 

ARCH_14 The Patterns of the Current Economic Housing in Egypt: between the needs 

and potentials. 

27



The 7th International Architecture Conference, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt, 

October 22-25, 2007, (in Arabic). 

Abstract 

The governmental projects directed to the economic housing have played a key 

role in reducing the housing crisis in Egypt during the last three decades. 

Nowadays, all the economic housing projects are governmental. Facing some 

challenges which affect the main function of architecture, the economic housing 

in Egypt does not successfully provide man with his needs. The available limited 

potentials are the top of these challenges. The current residential housing law in 

Egypt categorizes and classifies the types of housing into three, economic, 

average, and above average, according to the area of residential units. This 

classification results from the limited sources and the trail to reduce the cost. This 

research investigates how the defined range of the economic housing satisfies the 

basic requirements and needs of the inhabitants. 

The man needs in his home represented in: visual privacy, acoustic privacy, 

privacy of the use, the required areas of activities, and dimensions of the spaces 

and their spatial requirements, are not only studied in the economic housing but 

also investigated to test how these needs are fulfill. 

The research specifies the disadvantages emerged from the use of area in 

classifying the economic type of housing. The detailed analysis conducted by the 

research leads to propose the solutions of the investigated defects in the economic 

housing. 

ARCH_15 The Planning Unit of Residential Districts through an Islamic Conception. 


The Proceedings of Housing Symposium 3, May 20-23, 2007, Riyadh, KSA, 2007. 

Abstract 

This research aims at defining the size of a planning unit through the Islamic 

conception to be used as a forming unit for the residential districts, in order to 

give a unique style for our cities in the Islamic world. The criteria of this planning 

unit emerge from fixed bases of the Islamic beliefs, which establish unchangeable 

criteria, unlike the western criteria that are based on material needs of society with 

changeable needs. 

The research objective is to introduce a computer program, and implement the 

basic criteria of this planning unit that reflects the main extracted values including 

neighboring and mosque role, as an alternative for the Western thoughts of 

Planning. 

The computer program reflects the criteria that emerge from fixed bases against 

changes of time and location, having the flexibility to correspond with changeable 

needs of societies in our world. 

The program helps planners draw and implement basic data of the planning unit, 

which cor-responds with the interpretation of Islamic verses on the value and 

importance of neighboring and mosque role. 

28


ARCH_16 Developing a New Approach of Computer Use ‘Kiss Modeling’ for Design- 

Ideas Alternatives of Form Massing: A framework for three-Dimensional 

Shape Recognition in Initial Design Phases. (Co Author) 


The Proceedings of the 3rd ASCAAD Conference, Alexandria Bibliotheca, 

Alexandria, Egypt, November 28-30, 2007. 

Abstract 

This research aims at developing a new approach called ‘KISS Modeling’. KISS 

is generally a rule of ‘Keep It Simple, Stupid’ that will be applied in modeling 

process investigated and presented by the research. The new approach is 

implemented in a computer program ‘KISS Modeling’ that generates three 

dimensional forms based on simplifying the concept of shape recognition in 

design. The research, however, does not employ totally concepts of shape 

recognition or shape understanding in Artificial Intelligence and psychology. The 

research, in summary, investigates and describes: 1) a new approach of computer 

use contributing to generating design-ideas alternatives of form massing in initial 

design phases, within a simple way that any designer can understand at single 

glance, 2) implementation of shape recognition for generative three dimensional 

forms, 3) function to generate different outputs from different recognition, and 4) 

case studies introduced through applications and functions of the three 

dimensional modeling system presented by the research. The research concluded 

that the introduced processes help the user improve the management of conceptual 

designing through facilitating a discourse of his/her modeling of design-ideas 

massing. 

ARCH_17 Design Map: A framework for a design environment through networking. 

(Co Author) 


The Proceedings of Sigradi 11th Conference, Mexico, October 23-25, 2007. 

Abstract 

The concern of this research overlaps with endeavors of online communities and 

forums, through investigating the approaches and applications made in these 

endeavors in order to benefit from. The research, moreover, proceeds to 

innovatively present a contribution that could be described as a visual design 

library, a visual design community, and a novel use of networking in designing. 

The fields investigated by the research are: Sources of Three Dimensional Form 

Generation through Computational Power, Online Libraries and Digital 

Knowledge Databases, and Networking of Design Environment . 

The research contribution includes introducing a computer program called 

DesignMap that masters and presents a massive number of visual designs in two 

and three dimensions. The research, furthermore, introduces a framework of a 

design environment that encompasses possible future applications with various 

directions. The introduced software through its functions not only serves main 

applications of design disciplines of architecture and urban planning, but also 

combines significances of the investigated fields . 

29


The framework has three comprehensive goals. First, the program is a means of 

getting architects and urban planners, who typically work in the domain of the 

computationally introduced design environment, involved in the creation and 

exploration of their designated forms for enhanced objects and spaces. Second, it 

provides a design map for any architect and urban planner to search, visualize, 

modify, and then add designs through a wide range of form categories based on 

formal properties of objects relationship. Each user can have access to any part or 

category in this design map. Third, it forms and builds up a networking 

community by bringing architects and urban planners with an interest in design 

areas together to share in de-signing and to create design series 

ARCH_18 

Sustainability & Urban Management in Old Muslim Cities: The Role of 

Pious Foundations 

Mustapha Ben-Hamouche [16] 

Journal of King Saud University, Arch. & Planning, Riyadh, Vol. 19, No. 2, 

(2007) p. 27-48. 

Abstract 

Urban management in traditional Islamic cities relied largely on endowment 

foundations voluntarily financed by the people. Known as "Habūs" in North 

Africa and “Waqf” in the Middle East, Habūs covered most municipal services 

and public utilities through a sustainable and autonomous financial system that 

depended on incomes from the assets of these foundations. In addition, it 

performed a significant socio-economic role with regard to the needy. This paper 

examines the concept of Habūs in traditional Islamic cities and offers an historical 

analysis of the impact of these foundations on the quality of the traditional built 

environment in Algiers during the Ottoman period. The study is based largely on 

ottoman court records and public registers, Sijillāt al bāylik, that are available in 

the Centre des Archives Nationales d’Alger, in Algiers 

ARCH_19 

MANAMA: THE Metamorphosis of an Arab Gulf City 


A Chapter in The Evolving Arab City: Tradition, Modernity and Urban 

Development Elsheshtawi Y. (ed.) London & NY, Routledge, (2008), p.184-217. 

Abstract 

Bahrain is the first Gulf country to discover oil but also the first to encounter its 

depletion. Its capital, Manama, witnessed dramatic changes in its land-use and 

spatial organization due to the successive economic shifts. Initially, it was 

founded as a coastal city that is based on pearl diving, trading and fishing. It also 

relied in its subsistence on nearby villages that provided agricultural goods and 

that were gradually engulfed by continuous extensions. Political and economic 

factors, coupled with the strategic location and availability of land turned it into a 

regional capital for the Gulf during the British colonial era. 

Its growing importance was further reinforced by the discovery of oil in early 

thirties of the last century that led to the mushrooming of financial and 

30


administrative institutions within its old urban fabric. This shift had also a direct 

impact on its regional territory. While the old city turned into a business centre, 

old settlements within the island turned into dormitories as most traditional 

activities such as pearl diving, farming and fishing were abandoned. From the 

end of the 1980’s to nowadays, the city entered an after oil-era and is thus 

witnessing a new stage of metamorphosis. In a mixture of nostalgia - to get the 

regional role back- and an attempt to respond to globalisation, and diversify 

economic resources, finance and tourism sectors are promoted through the upgrading 

and development of infrastructure, deregulation of administrative and 

financial procedures for foreign investment and mega projects to take place. The 

paper addresses the physical development of Manama through history, and 

examines the different socio-economic and political factors and/or shifts that 

shaped its urban structure. It then analyses the present metamorphosis under the 

increasing impact of globalisation and makes some assumptions on its future in 

the light of the sustainability concept. 

ARCH_20 

Climate, Cities & Sustainability In The Arabian Region 

Compactness as a New Paradigm in Urban Design and Planning 


IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research, Vol.2 , No 2,(2008), p.196- 

208 

Abstract 

Climate in Arabia is a major factor that shaped over centuries the daylife of the 

local societies and thus, the form of their cities. Old cities were charactrised by 

their compactness which stemmed from the need for protection from the harsh 

environment. Urban fabric has been dominated by the building masses, the 

limited number of enclosed public and out-door spaces, and the inward-looking 

architecture. Besides its environmental utility, compactness also provided a 

physical support to the local community and reflected its strong social structure 

and complex network of kinships. Nowadays, Gulf cities that are mostly shaped 

by the modern movement and American life style, are in complete negation with 

their past. An unprecedented sprawl effect is taking place all over the Gulf 

countries due to the heavy reliance on private car, high building technology, 

powerful air-conditioning systems and private housing. Reconsidering 

compactness in the present urban planning and design practices, would not only 

insure a cultural continuity with the rooted urban history of the region, but also 

meets the recommendations of the recent findings in research on sustainable urban 

development. Modeling compactness from the study of the old cities into urban 

indicators and design guidelines would provide an alternative design and 

planning process to architects, planners and decision-makers. Far from being 

exhaustive, the study consists of analyzing some old cities that are located in the 

hot regions, according to the available documents, and extracting urban indicators 

that help measuring and applying compactness in planning and design. 

31


ARCH_21 

Islamic Law for Water and Land Management and its Impact on Urban 

Morphology 


Proceedings of ICBED 2008: 2nd International Conference On Built 

Environment In Developing Countries, Penang, Malaysia, December 3-4, 2008, 

Paper No. AR 051. 

Abstract 

Urban morphology and territorial landscape of Islamic cities were deeply affected 

by the Islamic law that regulated the ownership, distribution and use of water and 

land. Due to the climatic exigencies and the economy of subsistence that was 

mostly based on agriculture, water was a precious liquid that was treated with 

special care. A sophisticated system of subdivision of shares was developed by 

jurists from the succession law and right of ownership over a long history of daily 

practices and cumulated body of legal opinions. 

Consequently, the analysis of urban forms in Muslim cities cannot bypass the 

study of these mechanisms that are found in books of jurisprudence, archives and 

courts records and the people’s practices that are rooted in the local traditions and 

that are still standing in some parts of the Muslim world. 

The present study aims at presenting these mechanisms and shade light on their 

physical impact in the Muslim cities. The complex geometry of land subdivision 

in both urban and rural areas, and water irrigation system are analyzed through the 

available maps and aerial views. Cities such as Blida, Kolea and Tamentit, 

Algeria, provide sufficient documents for the study of this relationships between 

the Islamic law and the urban form and thus, serve as case studies. The study aims 

at presenting a good example of the interaction between human needs, faith and 

spirituality, and laws of nature, and thus add a new dimension to the concept of 

sustainability. 

ARCH_22 

Islamization of Contemporary Architecture: Shifting the paradigm of 

Islamic Architecture 


Proceedings of IFIAD: International Forum of Islamic Architecture & Design, 

University of Sharjah, April 8-10, 2008, Paper No. IFIAD123. 

Abstract 

Islamic architecture is often thought as a history course and thus finds its material 

limited to the cataloguing and studying of legacies of successive empires or 

various geographic regions of the Islamic world. In practice, adherent 

professionals tend to reproduce high styles such as Umayyad, Abassid, Fatimid, 

Ottoman, Andalusian and/or Persian, or recycle well known elements such as the 

minarets, courtyards, mashrabiyyahs, and Badjeers. This approach, endorsed by 

the present comprehensive Islamic revival is believed to be the way to defend and 

revitalize the identity of Muslim societies that was initially affected by 

colonization and now is being offended by globalization. However, this approach 

often clashes with the contemporary trends in architecture that do not necessarily 

32


oppose the essence of “Islamic Architecture”. Further, it sometimes lead to an 

erroneous belief that consists of relating a-priori forms to Islam and that clashes 

with the timeless and universal character of the Islamic religion. The key question 

to be asked then is: beyond this historicist view, what would be an “Islamic 

architecture” of nowadays that originates from the essence of Islam and that 

responds to contemporary conditions, needs, aspirations of present Muslim 

societies and individuals. To what extends can “Islamic architecture” benefits 

from modern progress and contemporary thought in resurrecting itself without 

loosing its essence. The hypothesis of the study is that, just as early Muslim 

architecture started from the adoption, use and re-use of early pre-Islamic 

architectures, before reaching originality, this process, called Islamization, could 

also take place nowadays with the contemporary thought that is mostly developed 

in western and non-Islamic environments. Mechanisms in the Islamic doctrine 

that allowed the “absorption ” of pre-existing civilizations should thus structure 

the Islamization approach and serve the scholars and professionals to reach the 

new Islamic architecture. The objectives of the papers consist of a)- countercriticizing 

orientalists views that overwhelm our libraries and references systems, 

and that consider the first stage of Islamic civilization, within which architecture 

is part, as a mere cut-and-past process and, at best, a synthesis of these pre- 

Islamic heritages, and b)- overcoming the prevailing historicist cataloguing 

approach, and open new scopes for present and future generations to instate a 

new era of Islamisation that permits digesting the contemporary western 

thoughts in a conscious, critical and constructive way. The paper presents the first 

experience of Islamization of pre-Islamic heritages, elaborates the major 

mechanisms on which the Islamization process stands, and highlights the way 

contemporary trends in architecture could be Islamized 

ARCH_23 

Architectural and Urban Conservation in the United Arab Emirates. 

Karim Hadjri & Djamel Boussaa [17] 

Open House International, 32 (3): P 16-26, September 2007. 

Abstract 

Over the last two decades the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been actively 

restoring their modest urban heritage. However, conservation actions are not 

streamlined within the country and there is no legislation to protect this heritage. 

A number of European experts have been invited to carry out studies, but the 

extent of this involvement has not been clear. To illustrate this, conservation 

interventions in specific urban and architectural heritage sites, namely Al Bastakia 

in Dubai and Al Merraija in Sharjah, were examined. First, this paper discusses 

conservation philosophy, meanings and practices. This is to assist understanding 

of the broader conservation issues affecting urban and architectural heritage in the 

UAE. Then, it presents historical accounts of architectural and urban heritage 

practices in Dubai and Sharjah. Finally, conservation approaches implemented 

over the last two decades within the two historic sites are compared and evaluated. 

Keywords : Conservation, Heritage, Architecture, Urban, UAE. 

33


ARCH_24 Housing and home-making in low-income urban settlements: Sri Lanka and 

Colombia 

Ranjith Dayaratne [18] Peter Kellett 

Journal of Housing and Built-environment, Vol. 23 No 1. 53-70, March 2008 

Abstract 

Enabling making of home is central to the practices of housing, but constructing 

home is more than building adequate shelter. It is about establishing, nurturing 

and managing social relationships and bringing together spaces, objects and 

elements to represent and celebrate desired relationships, events and memories. 

Drawing on empirical data from Sri Lanka and Colombia, this paper examines in 

detail the practices of home making in low-income settlements. By focusing on 

people’s conceptions of home and by identifying key social and societal practices, 

the paper offers insights into the processes of home-making among ordinary 

dwellers in developing countries and calls for culturally sensitive and holistic 

housing interventions which support and compliment these processes. 

ARCH_25 Articulating social issues to create architectural form: A studio experiment 

Ranjith Dayaratne [18] 

Proceedings of the international Conference on “Sources of architectural form; 

theory and practice” , held at University of Kuwait March 2007 

Abstract 

This paper is focused on the question of how social issues can and should be 

articulated in creating architectural form. It discusses a number of contemporary 

approaches that have illustrated theories and practices of architecture based on 

social concerns and presents a studio experiment carried out in the Architecture 

studios of the University of Bahrain constructed with similar objectives in mind. 

The paper is based on the premise that despite our often expressed intentions and 

references to people and social dimensions and issues related to architecture, there 

remains a notable paucity of approaches and practices that articulate social issues 

as generators of architectural form. 

The paper presents the theoretical orientation of the experiment; its approach and 

discusses two selected student projects. Its intention is to share the experience so 

that a fruitful dialogue can be initiated among who may be engaged in 

experimenting with approaches to bringing in similar ideas to the design studios. 

ARCH_26 Assembling identities and creating place: Intriguing metaphors in the postglobal 

architecture of Bahrain. 

Ranjith Dayaratne [18] Layla Karajica [19] 

Proceedings of the 2nd international conference of the Centre for the Study of 

Architecture in the Arab Region, Tunisia 2007. 

Abstract 

Since the discovery of oil, countries in the gulf region have seen an unprecedented 

change and development in both its society and the built-environment. Although 

34


some of the oil-rich states of the Gulf have progressed faster than the others, 

Bahrain has been relatively less aggressive in such developments resulting partly 

from its small size of the economy, population and indeed unarticulated 

aspirations coupled with relatively smaller oil resource base. Recently however, 

this has begun to change and Bahrain has entered a new phase of fast and 

explosive growth in many areas. With the initiation of the Bahrain Financial 

Harbour, the over-the-sea connection to Qatar in addition to the already existing 

link to Saudi Arabia and the relaxation of property ownership rules, a new wave 

of constructions have proliferated engaging hitherto unseen flamboyance and 

vigour in both conceptions and constructions of its architecture. 

This paper examines the architectural metaphors generated and engaged in search 

for a new identity through the construction of the numerous leisure enclaves, 

financial centres, shopping malls and the housing high rises. In the context of the 

post global, multi-cultural Bahrain, it interrogates the spatial conceptions and their 

transformations through the encounters with both the Western and Asian cultures 

and ideologies and examines the investment of the Bahraini identity and cultural 

reconstruction in its architecture. 

ARCH_27 Vernacular in transition: The traditional and the hybrid architecture of 

Bahrain 

Ranjith Dayaratne [18] 

Proceedings of the 4 th ISVS International Seminar on Vernacular Settlement held 

at the CEPT University, Ahmadabad, India. 2008 

Abstract 

The dislodgements of the old and the new and the abrupt fractures and ruptures of 

the traditional built-fabric are vividly expressive in places where rapid modern 

developments have taken place. Many cities in the developing world and 

particularly those in the Gulf are wounded places of such abrupt and unresolved 

progress. Unsurprisingly, Bahrain provides a classic example of the phenomena 

and is a fertile arena to explore the tensions between the processes and practices 

of present and the past. In this context of transitions, the traditional transforms in 

numerous ways: by adaptations, mutations, abandonment and acquisitions. 

Indeed, throughout history, these have been the very processes that evolved the 

traditional architecture although in a slow pace where the new and the old merged 

with each other and slowly replaced what was not appropriate and suitable for the 

given social and societal contexts. Rapidity of change however has resulted in 

what is seen as belonging neither to the traditional nor to the modern and hence a 

hybrid, the character and the patterns of which are at odd with both realms. 

This paper examines the traditional and the hybrid architecture of Bahrain 

and attempt to map out the patterns of their transformations. It is based on the 

premise that the built environments are in definitive process of transformations 

and that both slow and rapid changes must be accepted as natural although the 

latter results in tensions. In this context, the objective of this paper is to ascertain 

the transformations of the traditional architecture of Bahrain. The paper proposes 

that an understanding of these transformations will facilitate a healthy co- 

35


existence of traditional built environments and the modern ones for the benefit of 

both the societies and their places of habitation. 

ARCH_28 

Architectural and Urban Conservation in the United Arab Emirates. 

Eslam El-Ghonaimy[20] 

Open House International, 32 (3): P 16-26, September 2007. 

Abstract 

Over the last two decades the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been actively 

restoring their modest urban heritage. However, conservation actions are not 

streamlined within the country and there is no legislation to protect this heritage. 

A number of European experts have been invited to carry out studies, but the 

extent of this involvement has not been clear. To illustrate this, conservation 

interventions in specific urban and architectural heritage sites, namely Al Bastakia 

in Dubai and Al Merraija in Sharjah, were examined. First, this paper discusses 

conservation philosophy, meanings and practices. This is to assist understanding 

of the broader conservation issues affecting urban and architectural heritage in the 

UAE. Then, it presents historical accounts of architectural and urban heritage 

practices in Dubai and Sharjah. Finally, conservation approaches implemented 

over the last two decades within the two historic sites are compared and evaluated. 

Keywords : Conservation, Heritage, Architecture, Urban, UAE. 

ARCH_29 Sustainability and private sector acts in urban developing within regional 

highways, case study: highways rest stops as developing method 

Eslam El-Ghonaimy[20] 

Gulf Road Engineering Society Magazine, Dubai, U.A.E, Volume: 7, 

December 2008, Environmental Urban Planning branch. 

Abstract 

The East coast of Saudi Arabia has a very rich natural life. This provides good 

potentials for a lot of development specially tourism facilities. This development 

is demand to improve the economy of the country in general, and particularly the 

proposed area. 

The paper illustrates the special features of the ecological system of this coastal 

area. These features present a good environmental base for tourism development. 

The interrelated challenges of the natural and the development are discussed 

through the paper. The paper also explores the "expected" natural negative 

impacts on the development of any coastal development. Moreover, it examines 

the direct impacts of human development on the surrounding environment. 

The paper proposes a procedure to be followed. This procedure helps with 

evaluating the inter-related impacts of any proposed tourism development on the 

36


coastal area of the study zone. A set of recommended steps is concluded as a 

summary of this procedure. 

Key words 

Environmental planning – environmental carrying capacity – costal developing. 

CE_1 

CE_2 

Characteristics of Drivers’ Parking Offences in Five Arabian Gulf Countries 

Al-Madani H. M. N[21] 

International Journal for Advanced Studies, 2(1), 13-22, 2008 

Abstract 

This study investigates the association between drivers’ characteristics and their 

parking offences in five Arabian Gulf Countries. Besides driving experience the 

studied characteristics include monthly income, age, level of education, marital 

status and gender type. The data were analysed using t-tests, and analysis of 

variance. In order to model the above parameters; regression analysis was carried 

out to data gathered from 4774 drivers. The data were collected using a 

questionnaire involving short answers on the required characteristics. Official 

records were not possible to be used since they do not properly represent the 

actual drivers’ population, simply because of the considerable amount of tickets 

issued to the owners of the vehicles rather than to the violating drivers. The 

results showed no significant difference in parking offences between male and 

female drivers. Likewise, no differences between married and single drivers was 

observed. No differences between drivers with different educational background 

were observed. Drivers in the age group between 25 and 34 years and those in the 

high income category showed greater involvement in parking offences than other 

age and income groups. Furthermore, well experienced drivers are more involved 

in parking offences compared with novice ones. When all the predictors are 

jointly regressed with parking offences; only age, monthly income and experience 

showed significant association. The findings are believed to be important for law 

enforcers, judiciary personal, driving rehabilitators, insurance companies, and 

traffic policy makers. 

Understanding Difficulties In Road Signs By Drivers With Speed Citations 

Controlled By Experience 

And Income 


Communication & Cognition Vol. 41, Nr. 3 & 4 (2008); pp. 

Abstract 

The association of drivers’ comprehension of individual traffic signs on their 

speed citations’ involvement is investigated considering years of driving 

experience and monthly income. A questionnaire is prepared to cover the 

necessary data. The questionnaire was randomly distributed to the drivers in five 

Arab countries. The valid responses totaled to 4774; around 52% of the total 

distributed ones. The questionnaire covered personal and socio-demographic 

37


characteristics and 28 tested signs representing most of the warning and the 

regulatory signs. The drivers’ speed citations, in their last three years of driving, 

are statistically tested versus their comprehension of individual signs, for the 

various controlled variables, using analysis of variance at a level of significance 

less than 0.05. Clear functional problems are observed in drivers' understanding of 

the current posted signs. Drivers’ comprehension of signs decreases as their 

involvement in speed citations increase. Understanding difficulties in around one 

fifth of the current signs exist between drivers with some speed citations’ 

involvement compared with those free of them. These signs show clear overpresentation 

of the regulatory signs. Comprehension difficulties, in terms of 

number of signs unequally comprehended by drivers with speed citations 

compared with those free of them, is the highest in the 5 to 10 years experience 

group. One third of the signs are poorly comprehended by the drivers with 5 to 10 

years of experience who are involved in some speed citations compared with 

those involved in none. All the pictorial signs are comprehended equally by the 

drivers with different speed citations. Almost all the signs are comprehended 

equally by the drivers with various speed citations in the high driving experience 

group. Income showed to be less sensitive towards differences between the drivers 

in their comprehension of signs when different speed citations’ groups are 

considered compared with years of driving experience. It is necessary to involve 

high-tech facilities to the current traffic sign system to insure better interaction 

between the drivers and the signs and to improve their comprehension 

performance among the drivers of various speed citations’ involvement. The 

technologies should accommodate two-way communication between the sign and 

the driver. 

CE_3 

Pedestrians' Vulnerablety Considering Parental Status, Age, Sex, And Crash 

Severity 


Jordan Journal of Civil Engineering, 1(4), 344- 356, 2007 

Abstract 

This study attempts to test hypothesis related to child pedestrian casualties as per 

their parental living condition as being together, separated, living without 

mothers, or without fathers. These are analyzed according to the children age, sex 

and injury severity. The necessary data are reduced from questionnaires 

administered by Directorate of Traffic in Bahrain. The questionnaires are filled 

out on scene by accident investigators for every pedestrian crash spread over a 

period of eight years. The actual traffic crash records were categorized according 

to the investigated characteristics considering their expected risk. The former 

frequencies were categorized according to the necessary investigated 

characteristics. Furthermore, they were compared with that expected as per their 

percentage presence in the society. The data were analyzed statistically using 

Chi-square tests to compare the actual crash frequencies with that expected in 

each sub categories. The findings revealed that children who are under 15 years 

of age and living with both parents are less exposed to traffic crashes compared 

with those living with families without mothers. Living with separated parents 

38


also leads to higher exposure to accidents. The effect of the latter on children 

exposure to crashes is even greater than living without fathers. While absence of 

mothers from home increases the vulnerability of young male children who are 

under 15 years to traffic crashes, absence of fathers increases the vulnerability of 

those who are between 16 to 20 years. Vulnerability of female children to crashes 

showed no significant difference for different living conditions. Many factors 

contribute in traffic crashes involving young pedestrians. The above findings 

assist the officials for better utilization of the resources in the field of traffic safety 

education, engineering solutions, roadway improvements, and law enforcement. 

CE_4 

Optimum geometry design of nonlinear braced domes using genetic 

algorithm 

Kameshki E.S.[22], Saka M.P. 

An International Journal : Computers & Structures Volume 85, Number 1-2, 

January 2007 

Abstract 

Domes are lightweight and cost effective structures that are used to cover large 

areas. They are mainly comprised of a complex network of triangles made out of 

slender members. The behaviour of flexible dome is nonlinear under the external 

loads which makes necessary to consider the geometrical non-linearity in their 

analysis to obtain realistic response of these structures. Furthermore, instability 

check during the nonlinear analysis is of prime importance. In this paper, an 

algorithm is presented for the optimum geometry design of nonlinear braced 

domes. The height of crown is taken as design variable in addition to the crosssectional 

properties of members. A procedure is developed that calculates the joint 

coordinates automatically for a given height of the crown. The optimum design 

algorithm takes into account the nonlinear response of the dome due to the effect 

of axial forces on the flexural stiffnesses of members. I considers serviceability 

requirements as well as combined strength limitations set by BS 5950. The 

solution of the design problem obtained by genetic algorithm. The elastic 

instability analysis is then carried out for each individual in the initial population 

until the ultimate load factor is reached. During this analysis, checks on the 

overall stability of the dome is conducted. If the loss of stability takes place, this 

individual is taken out of the population and replaced by a new randomly 

generated individual. This replacement policy is repeated until an individual is 

found which does not have instability problem. Once the initial population is 

established where all the individuals are free of instability problem, the regular 

genetic operations are applied to generate a new population. Number of design 

examples are included to demonstrate the application of the algorithm. 

39


Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering 

40


EE_1 

EE_2 

EE_3 

Matching of Induction Motors to Photovoltaic Generators for Maximum 

Output Power 

Prof. M. Akbaba[23] 

Desalination Journal (Elsevier), Vol. 209, pp.31-38, 2007 

Abstract 

The matching of 3-phase induction motors to photovoltaic generators (PVGs) for 

maximum power transfer using enhanced version of Akbaba model for I-V 

characteristic of PVGs is investigated. Investigations are performed directly in 

time domain in order to be able to predict both the transient as well as the steadystate 

performance of the system. The load is a water pump and a double step-up 

converter together with a six step voltage source inverter are used as power 

conditioning unit between the motor and the PVG. The power conditioning unit 

forces the to operate on its maximum power trajectory and power transfer from 

PVG to water pumping unit, which is composed of motor and pump. The PVG is 

modeled by recently developed Akbaba model. The system under investigation is 

fully modeled and the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed system is 

demonstrated through numerical results. It is shown that almost full available 

power of the PVG is utilized and hence maximum power transfer to the motor is 

achieved. Energy utilization efficiency of as high as 98.3% is realized 

A Novel Technique for Obtaining the Model Parameters of PVG Panels 

Mehmet Akbaba[23], Adel Kamal[32] 

Journal of Arab Universities on Basic and Applied Sciences, Vol 4, pp.118-125, 

August 2007 

Abstract 

In this paper a simple and reliable technique is proposed for obtaining the model 

parameters of the traditional model of I-V characteristics of photovoltaic 

generators (PVG), by using few measurements, which includes only the open 

circuit voltage and short circuit current at three different insolation levels. The 

accuracy of the proposed technique is verified by comparing the actual measured 

I-V characteristics with their counterparts that are obtained by using the model 

parameters obtained as result of this investigation. It is shown that parameters 

predicted from using the simple technique proposed in this paper results in an 

excellent match between measured and calculated I-V characteristics. 

Optimization of the Performance of Solar Powered Permanent Magnet dc 

Motor Drives 

Mehmet Akbaba[23] 

Proc. International Aegean Conference on Electrical Machines and Power 

Electronics, pp. 725-729., 10-12 September 2007, Bodrum, Turkey 

Abstract 

While designing large-scale photovoltaic generators (PVGs), due to high initial 

cost of PVGs, the power mismatch issue has to be addresses to minimize the 

losses and improve the array performance. Therefore solar powered electric motor 

41


drives must be operated at their optimum performance at all solar radiation levels. 

This present paper describes a very simple and highly efficient MPPT unit for 

optimizing performance of a PVG powered permanent magnet (PM) dc motor 

driving a water pump. The unit is composed of a step-up dc-dc converter with two 

filter capacitors at the two ends. The energy utilization efficiency and the priceperformance 

ratio of the whole system are maximized by fixing the chopping 

frequency of the dc-dc converter chopper at a pre-determined value (1.2 kHz in 

this case), and varying the duty cycle of the chopper according to a relation 

established between the duty cycle and the percent solar radiation level G. The 

proposed system is fully modeled in time domain and both the transient and 

steady-state performance of the system is closely observed. It is shown that with 

such an arrangement the PVG is forced to operate very close to its maximum 

power trajectory. Due to its simplicity and high efficiency, the proposed system 

may be preferred over other more complicated systems available in the market or 

proposed in the other publications. 

EE_4 

EE_5 

LMI-Intelligent Modeling and Control of Highly Nonlinear Electric Machine 

Ebrahim Al-Gallaf[26] and Mehmet Akbaba[23] 

Proc. of IET International Conference on Intelligent Systems, ICIS 2008, 1-3 

December 2008, Manama, Bahrain 

Abstract 

Analysis and controller synthesis of nonlinear electrical rotating motors is 

considered as hard task to be achieved. This is due to the complicated and 

nonlinear differential equations that govern such types of electro-mechanical 

systems. Therefore this article has been dedicated for solving the issue of 

designing linear controllers (even with some Robust H inf characteristics) for a 

class of nonlinear electrical motor. First (T-S) fuzzy models are obtained via 

extracting the motor sub-linear models. Hence, local state feedback controllers are 

designed using some optimization tools. For designing the controller with some 

noise rejection characters, H inf via solving LYAPUNOV candidate function using 

some LMI formulation is utilized. The proposed robust oriented controller design 

has proven to be effective, in terms of solving for optimal system Algebraic 

Riccatti Equation. 

Power Management in a Grid-Connected PV System Including a Storage 

Battery 

Mehmet Akbaba[23] 

Proceedings of Power Engineering Forum, February 26, 2008 

Abstract 

A systematic method of management and control of power in a grid connected 

photovoltaic (PV) system including a battery is presented. The system manages 

and controls the power exchanged between the grid and PVG+battery set such that 

exact amount of active and reactive power demand is achieved. Presence of the 

battery helps in smoothing the dc link power, which in turn contributes to the 

stability of the grid. The whole process is realized by designing dedicated control 

42


system. With this system PVG power can be integrated in grid system more 

efficiently. The feasibility of the proposed system is validated by simulation 

results. 

EE_6 

EE_7 

EE_8 

Performance Evaluation of Fuzzy Single Layer Weightless Neural Network 

R. Al-Alawi[24] 

International Journal of Uncertainty Fuzziness and Knowledge Based Systems, 

Vol. 15, Number 3, Pages 381-394, 2007 

Abstract 

The paper evaluates the performance of a neuro-fuzzy pattern classification 

system based on the weightless neural network architecture. The system utilizes a 

Single Layer Weightless Neural Network (SLWNN) to extract the features vector 

that measures the similarity of the input pattern to the different classification 

groups. In contrast to the traditional crisp Winner-Takes-All (WTA) classification 

scheme used by SLWNN, our system uses a Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) for 

classification. The network is trained by a hybrid learning scheme that combines a 

single pass learning phase for training the SLWNN followed by a supervised 

learning phase for extracting a set of fuzzy rules suitable to classify the training 

set. The FIS learns fuzzy rules from the feature vectors generated by the SLWNN 

for the set of training patterns. The recognition of handwritten numerals is 

employed as a test-bed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed neurofuzzy 

system. Experimental results show that the performance of the proposed 

system surpasses the performance of the traditional SLWNN. 

Performance Comparison of Distance Protection Schemes for Shunt- FACTS 

Compensated Transmission Lines 

F. A. Albasri[25], T.S. Sidhu, R.K. Varma 

IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery, Oct. 2007 

Abstract 

This paper presents a comparative study of the performance of distance relays for 

transmission lines compensated by shunt connected Flexible AC Transmission 

System (FACTS) Controllers/devices. The objective of this study is to evaluate the 

performance of various distance protection schemes on transmission lines with 

shunt-FACTS devices applied for mid-point voltage control. The impact of two 

types of shunt FACTS devices, Static Var Compensator (SVC) and Static 

Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) on the transmission line distance 

protection schemes is studied for different fault types, fault locations and system 

conditions. The power system elements and the shunt-FACTS devices with their 

associated controllers are modeled using RSCAD/RTDS software. The results are 

based on the performance of commercial distance relays using a Real Time Digital 

Simulator (RTDS). 

Mitigation of Adverse Effect of Midpoint Shunt-FACTS Compensated 

Transmission Lines on Distance Protection Schemes 

F. A. Albasri[25], T.S. Sidhu, R.K. Varma 

The 2007 IEEE Power Engineering Society General Meeting, Tampa, FL, USA, 

43


June 24-28, (2007) 

Abstract 

This paper presents practical solutions to mitigate the adverse effects on distance 

protection schemes when they are used to protect transmission networks that are 

compensated by shunt connected Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) 

Controllers/devices. Two types of shunt-FACTS devices, Static Var Compensator 

(SVC) and Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM), are considered and 

designed to regulate the midpoint voltage of the transmission line. The mitigation 

techniques are implemented in commercial relays and tested using Real Time 

Digital Simulator (RTDS). The results show the effectiveness of the proposed 

modifications to the channel aided distance protection schemes under various 

faults and varying operating conditions. 

EE_9 

EE_10 

Statistical Analysis of Wind Power density of Kingdom of Bahrain based on 

Weibull and Rayleigh Distribution Functions 

Fawzi AL Jowder[27] 

Journal of the Association of Arab Universities for Basic and Applied Sciences 

Volume 4, 2007, pp-307-316 

Abstract 

In this research, the hourly measured wind speed data for years 2003 to 2005 at 10 

m height for kingdom of Bahrain have been statically analyzed to study the 

characteristics of wind speed in winter, spring, summer and autumn. The 

maximum average wind speed and power density were, respectively, 4.88 m/s and 

137.96 W/m 2 which were found to be in winter. The minimum average wind 

speed and power density were found to be in autumn which were, respectively, 

4.016 m/s and 85.38 W/m 2 . The annual average wind speed was 4.56 m/s and the 

annual average wind power density was 114.56 W/m 2 . In addition, Weibull and 

Rayleigh distributions have been determined for each season. The average wind 

speed and power density have been calculated using Weibull and Rayleigh 

distributions and compared with those calculated from the measured wind speed 

data. It was found that Weibull distribution provides more accurate results than 

Rayleigh distribution. 

Application of Static Synchronous Series Compensator to Wind Farms 


International Power Engineering Conference (IPEC 2007), Singapore, December 

2-6, 2007, pp.700-705 

Abstract 

This research studies the application of Static Synchronous Series Compensator 

(SSSC) to fixed speed Wind Farms. Wind Farms are located far away from the 

grid and the power has to be transmitted over long transmission line. Long 

transmission lines limit the amount of transmitted power and increases the 

reactive power consumption in the transmission line. Since the SSSC is a seriesconnected 

Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) device, it has two points 

of connection (two terminals) with the transmission line per phase. In this paper, a 

control system for the SSSC is proposed to control the voltage at one terminal of 

44


the SSSC output terminals to maintain the voltage at the point of connection of the 

wind farm and the grid. Digital simulations of a small wind farm, using 

HYPERSIM, are used to determine the feasibility of the proposed control system 

of the SSSC. 

EE_11 

EE_12 

Impact of Modeling Magnetic Saturation on the Estimation of Synchronizing 

and Damping Torques of Synchronous Machine 


IEEE-GCC Conference and Exhibition, Bahrain, November 12-14, 2007 

Abstract 

This paper investigates the influence of modeling magnetic saturation on the 

synchronizing and damping torques of a salient pole synchronous machine. Three 

models of a salient pole synchronous machine, based on state space d-q modeling, 

are used to perform the comparison. These models are: (1) Unsaturated statespace 

model, (2) Saturated state-space model ignoring the cross-saturation and (3) 

Saturated state-space model including cross-saturation. Using a method developed 

in the literature, which depends on the time responses of the rotor speed, rotor 

angle and electrical torque, the synchronizing and damping torques have been 

estimated and compared for different loading conditions using the three models of 

the synchronous machine. In addition, time domain simulations have been 

performed to examine the three models under small and large disturbances. It has 

been shown that including magnetic saturation in the model of synchronous 

machine plays an important rule in estimating the synchronizing an damping 

torques which in turns provide more accurate predication of the behavior of the 

machine under small and large disturbances. 

Modeling and Simulation of Dynamic Voltage Restorer Based on Hysteresis 

Voltage Control 


The 33 rd Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Conference Electronics 

Society (IEEE IECON 2007), Taipei, November 5-8, 2007 

Abstract 

Dynamic Voltage Restorers are utilized to protect sensitive loads from voltage 

sags and swells which take place in the distribution systems. In this paper, a 

Dynamic Voltage Restorer (DVR) based on hysteresis voltage control is 

proposed. The DVR is modeled using Simulink’SimPowerSystem Toolbox. 

Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) is used to detect the magnitude and phase jump 

of the voltage sag and swell. The influence of the band of the hysteresis voltage 

controller on the quality of the load voltage and DVR voltage is studied. The 

DVR is tested for three-phase voltage sag and swell with phase jump to validate 

the proposed control scheme. 

EE_13 

Efficiency improvement of computer power supplies utilizing active power 

factor corrector 

S. Ali Al-Mawsawi[28] 

45


The International Journal for Electric Power Components and Systems, Volume 

36, No. 12, December 2008, Pages 1310-1317 

Abstract 

Computers in the world operate around the hour which makes their efficiency a 

very critical issue. An attempt of improving the efficiency utilizing power 

electronics circuits based on active Power Factor Corrector (active PFC) have 

been simulated and tested. The effect of using the active PFC is illustrated in a 

simple circuit simulated by CIRCUITMAKER. Implementing this technology 

combined with architectural-level improvement and components-level 

improvement will result on a significant efficiency improvement. Using this 

technology will boost the efficiency from 65%-70% in traditional power supplies 

to an efficiency approximately 90%. Additionally, the active PFC will improve 

the power factor to a value close to unity which means eliminating the reactive 

power drawn by the power supply. 

EE_14 

EE_15 

Implementation and Simulation of continuous and discontinuous PWM 

schemes for a single-phase inverter 


IETECH (International Engineering and Technology) Journal of Electrical 

Analysis, Vol. 2, No. 1, 2008, Pages 013-019 

Abstract 

This paper describes an investigation of the continuous and discontinuous Pulse 

Width Modulated (PWM) schemes. Both schemes were implemented, simulated 

and evaluated using unipolar voltage switching for a single phase H-bridge or fullbridge 

inverter. Voltage and current waveforms for both schemes were simulated 

using an Electromagnetic Transient Program (EMTP, ATP version). In other 

hand, the inverter is implemented using the IGBTs as power electronics devices 

and a microcontroller as the controller gates signals. The effect of modulation 

index, dead time, load power factor and switching frequency are presented. The 

paper concludes with an assessment of the main differences between the 

continuous and dis-continuous PWM schemes for the single-phase inverter. 

Fuzzy Control and Dynamic Performance of STATCOM 


IETECH (International Engineering and Technology) Journal of Electrical 

Analysis, Vol. 1, No.2, 2007, Pages 104-115 

Abstract 

This paper deals with a modern approach of controlling the power flow in AC 

transmission lines. The control and distribution of power flow in two parallel 

transmission lines can be implemented by applying one of the flexible AC 

Transmission System (FACTS), which is STATic COMpensator (STATCOM) 

device. The STATCOM device is installed on one line of the two parallel 

transmission lines to design the controllers for such a system using 

Electromagnetic Transients Program (EMTP). The closed-loop STATCOM 

system as a terminal line voltage regulator is designed with two types of 

controllers, PI with gain scheduling and fuzzy logic. The dynamic performance of 

46


the two controllers is tested and compared. It is found that, the fuzzy logic 

controller forces the system to settle to the steady state value faster than the PI 

controller with gain scheduling. The fuzzy logic controller is robust; it has a fast 

response during disturbance and parameters variation. Whereas, the PI controller 

with gain scheduling has a higher overshoot percentage during transient behavior. 

Tuning the PI controller with gain scheduling is time consuming and difficult in 

EMTP, it has a limited range of changing the operating voltage condition due to 

the tuning difficulty. In the other hand, the fuzzy logic controller can be tuned 

much faster. Finally, It is claimed that the fuzzy logic controller is a better choice 

for the STATCOM system compared to the PI controller with gain scheduling. 

EE_16 

EE_17 

EE_18 

The Use of Active Power Factor Corrector for Efficiency Improvement of 

Computer Power Supplies 


The Fourth IASTED Asian Conference on Power and Energy Systems, April 2-4, 

2008, Langkawi, Malaysia, Paper No. 606-012, Pages 82-86 

Abstract 

Million of computers in the world operate around the hour which makes their 

efficiency a very critical issue. A trial of improving the efficiency by using power 

electronics circuits have been simulated and tested. In this case an active Power 

Factor Corrector (active PFC) has been used. The effect of using the active PFC is 

illustrated in a simple circuit simulated by CIRCUITMAKER. Implementing this 

technology combined with architectural-level improvement and components-level 

improvement will result on a significant efficiency improvement. Using this 

technology will boost the efficiency from 65%-70% in traditional power supplies 

to an efficiency ratio exceeds 90%. Additionally, the active PFC will improve the 

power factor to a value close to unity which means eliminating the reactive power 

drawn by the power supply. 

Ten 5-user collaborative codes with reduced constellation size 

A.J. Al-Sammak[29] 

2008 international conference on High Performance Computing, Networking and 

Communication Systems (HPCNCS-08), 7-10 July 2008 

Abstract 

In this paper, we present ten new 5-user collaborative codes (CC) that provide 

(5/3) bits per channel use. The unmodulated channel output symbol set is 

composed of {0,1,2,3 and 4} only rather than {0,1,2,3,4,5} for the Chang & 

Weldon two published 5-user. Using BPSK modulation for each individual user, 

the resulting channel output symbols set is an M-ary ASK signal. Constellation 

size is 5-ary ASK {-5,-3,-1,+1,+3} for the new codes instead of {-5,-3,- 

1,+1,+3,+5} for the published codes. The throughput of these codes yields an 

efficiency of about 76% of the upper theoretical limit of the CC. New codes 

provide a smaller probability of symbol error and require 9.5% less transmitter 

power. 

Power Control in CDMA System Using Particle Swarm Optimization 

47


Hassan M. Elkamchouchi, Hassan M. Elragal[30] and Mina A. Makar 

The 24 National Radio Science Conference, (NRSC 2007), Egypt, March 2007 

Abstract 

This paper presents a proposed algorithm for power control in CDMA system that 

is based on the powerful optimization technique known as Particle Swarm 

Optimization (PSO). The algorithm finds a suitable power vector, i.e. the power 

levels that are determined in the base station and told to the mobile units so that if 

the mobile units adjust their transmitting levels to these power levels, they will 

fulfill the objectives of the power control problem. The proposed algorithm is 

based on a similar idea to the one presented in [1] and called ‘Genetic Algorithm 

for Mobiles Equilibrium’ (GAME). So, a detailed discussion of GAME is given 

then the proposed algorithm is presented. The application of the algorithm to the 

problem is investigated via testing the algorithm on a hypothetical CDMA 

network model. To illustrate its effectiveness, the proposed algorithm is then 

compared to the application of Genetic Algorithms (GA) to the same problem. 

Finally, a detailed example is studied considering a cell of 20 users that are 

allowed to update their positions and fading conditions. 

EE_19 

EE_20 

Cellular Radio Network Planning Using Particle Swarm Optomization 

Hassan M. Elkamchouchi, Hassan M. Elragal[30] and Mina A. Makar 

The 24 National Radio Science Conference, (NRSC 2007), Egypt, March 2007 

Abstract 

The cell planning problem concerns finding a set of sites for antennas from a set 

of pre-defined candidate sites, and for each selected site, to determine the number 

of antennas, as well as the associated values for each of the antenna parameters. 

All these choices must optimize a set of objectives. This paper presents a new 

approach for tackling this complex and highly combinatorial problem. The 

proposed approach is based on the application of the powerful optimization 

technique known as Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). First, the working area 

is represented by a suitable model showing topological and morphological 

information and the places for the candidate sites. After that, a solution 

representation is proposed converting each network plan to a bit stream. Finally, 

we apply the PSO algorithm to reach the best network plan satisfying our 

objectives. To validate the approach, computational results are presented using 

realistic data designing a cellular radio network in a part of Libreville, the capital 

of Gabon. 

Geometric Shape Recognition and Size Prediction Using Combined Artificial 

Neural Network and Regression 

Hassan M. Elragal[30] 

IET Proceeding of the International Conference of Intelligent Systems (ICIS 

2008), Bahrain, Dec. 2008 

Abstract 

This paper proposes a new technique for fast geometric shape recognition and size 

prediction. Two methods using non-linear Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and 

linear regression are used. For each method, two models are constructed. The first 

48


model is one network trained to recognize the shape and predict the size. The 

second model consists of two networks, one for recognizing the shape and the 

other for predicting the size. All ANNs were trained with Levenberg-Marquardt 

algorithm. The performances of the proposed methods are tested on a very large 

database. The experimental results show that a combined model of non-linear 

ANN and linear regression gives an excellent recognition rate for the shape with 

very high prediction accuracy for the size. The proposed models have a very high 

robustness for a noisy input data. 

EE_21 

EE_22 

EE_23 

Using Particle Swarm Optimization To Improve Neural Networks 

Predictability of Natural Gas Consumption 

Hassan M. Elragal[30] 

IET Proceeding of the International Conference of Intelligent Systems (ICIS 

2008), Bahrain, Dec. 2008 

Abstract 

This paper proposes a technique using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) to 

improve Artificial Neural Network (ANN) predictability. A hybrid system 

consists of two stages, with the first stage containing three ANN predictors. The 

first and the second ANN predictors are a multi-layer feed-forward network 

trained with back-propagation, and the third one is a one-layer functional link 

network. These three separate predictors are combined in the second stage using a 

PSO combiner in a linear and non-linear fashion. 

The proposed method is applied to the prediction of daily natural gas consumption 

needed by gas utilities. The performance of the ANN predictors and the 

combination method are tested on real data from four different gas utilities for a 

period of several months. The results show that the proposed particle swarm 

optimization combiners results in more accurate prediction compared to using a 

single predictor. 

Fast Method for Side lobe Nulling in a Partially Adaptive Linear Array using 

the Elements Positions 

J.A. Hejres[31], and Albert Peng 

IEEE antennas and Wireless Propogation Letters, VOL. 6, 2007 

Abstract 

The authors present a technique that is capable of steering nulls in the antenna 

pattern in the directions of strong interference signals. The technique is based on 

dividing a large array into two contiguous subarrays symmetrical about the array 

center. The element positions of one of the subarrays are used to form the nulls in 

the antenna pattern. This technique frees the phase shifters to be used solely for 

steering the main beam. It also freezes the positions of the elements in the other 

subarray. 

The Effects of the Impulsive Noise on a Rayleigh Fast Fading Channel with 

the Intersymbol Interference 

J.A. Hejres[31], and Albert Peng 

The 3 rd IEEE conference on Wireless Communication, Networking and Mobile 

49


Computing’, October, 2008, Shanghai, China 

Abstract 

In this paper we present the performance analysis of a binary transmission on a 

Rayleigh fast fading channel in the presence of intersymbol interference and a 

mixture of Gaussian and impulsive noises. The impulsive noise is modeled as an 

alpha-stable process. The average probability of error is derived based on the 

characteristic functions of the noise random variables. 

EE_24 

EE_25 

EE_26 

Capacity Investigations of MIMO Systems in Correlated Rician Fading 

Channel Using Statistical Multi-Clustered Modeling 


Proceeding of the 8th International Conference of Intelligent Transport Systems 

(ITS), Thailand , Oct 2008 

Abstract 

The effects of spatial correlation and Rician fading on the capacity of MIMO 

systems under different channel conditions are investigated in this paper. Antenna 

spatial correlation is computed by employing uplink statistical MIMO channel 

model with angular energy distributed over multi-clusters. Two types of antenna 

arrays are considered, the uniform linear array (ULA) and the uniform circular 

array (UCA) at both ends of the system. The impact of array elements separation, 

mean angle-ofarrival (AOA) and angle spreads (AS) of the received signal per 

cluster on the capacity are presented. Also, the impact of considering K factor of 

the Rician distribution for single and multiclusters environments is studied under 

different propagation scenarios. 

Optimization of Antenna Geometry to Increase Channel Capacity for Indoor 

MIMO Systems 


Proceeding of The International Conference on Intelligent Systems, Bahrain, 

August 2008 

Abstract 

In this paper, the issue of selecting the optimum number of antennas at both the 

mobile unit and the base station of wireless MIMO systems is investigated. 

Ergodic channel capacity for these indoor systems is used as the objective 

function to be maximized. Geometrical parameters of the applied antenna arrays 

are also optimized. Genetic algorithm (GA) technique is used with the statistical 

spatial correlation matrix is considered in the calculations of ergodic capacity 

function. A discrete model based on statistical distribution of the Angle of Arrival 

(AoA) of the incoming rays is used. Searching for more compactness in the size, 

different array configurations are considered such as Uniform Linear Array 

(ULA), Uniform/Nonuniform circular Array (UCA/NUCA) and Multi-circular 

array (Star) geometries. 

Performance of Maximum Power Point Tracker (MPPT) for a Photovolatic 

Generator (PVG) 

M. Taleb[34] 

50


Power Components and Systems Journal, Vol 35. No.4, 2007, pp. 367-378 

Abstract 

A MATLAB/SIMULINK model of a typical maximum power tracker of a 

photovoltaic generator (PVG) is developed in this paper. The target of the 

maximum power point tracker (MPPT) is to extract the maximum power that can 

be generated by the PVG. This is done in this article, by making use of a DC/DC 

converter arrangement. Such converter is made of an inverter and a controlled full 

wave rectifier. The MPPT performance is quite satisfactory. 

EE_27 

EE_28 

EE_29 

MATLAB/SIMULINK Models for Typical Soft Starting Means for a DC 

Motor 

M. Taleb[34] and H. S. Hashim 

Presented in the International Conference on Modeling, Simulation and Applied 

Optimization (ICMSAO 2007), Abu-Dhabi, UAE, March 24-27, 2007 

Abstract 

Three possible conventional means may usually be used to control or monitor the 

level of the armature current when starting a dc motor. The three possible means 

are: 

Use of a gradually decreasing tapped resistance between the supply voltage and 

the motor armature circuit. 

Use of a chopper circuit between the supply voltage and the motor armature 

circuit. 

Use of a variable DC voltage source. 

Matlab/Simulink models of the three means are developed and presented in this 

article. The third mean seems to own certainly superiority when compared to the 

two first means. 

Optimal power flow with environmental constraint using a fast successive 

linear programming algorithm: Application to the Algerian power system 

Khaled Zehar[35] and Samir Sayah 

Energy Conversion and Management, Vol. 49, Issue 11, November 2008, Pages 

3362-3366 

Abstract 

Harmful ecological effects caused by the emission of gaseous pollutants like 

sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) and nitrogen oxides (NO x ), can be reduced by load adequate 

distribution between power plants. However, this leads to a noticeable increase in 

their operating cost. In order to eliminate this conflict, and to study the trade-off 

relation between fuel cost and emission, an approach to solve this multi-objective 

environmental/economic load dispatch problem, based on an efficient successive 

linear programming technique is proposed. Simulation results on the Algerian 59- 

bus power system prove the efficiency of this method thus confirming its capacity 

to solve the environmental/economic power dispatch problem. 

Modified differential evolution algorithm for optimal power flow with nonsmooth 

cost functions 

Samir Sayah and Khaled Zehar[35] 

51


Energy Conversion and Management, Vol. 49, Issue 11, November 2008, Pages 

3036-3042 

Abstract 

Differential evolution (DE) is a simple but powerful evolutionary optimization 

algorithm with continually outperforming many of the already existing stochastic 

and direct search global optimization techniques. DE algorithm is a new 

optimization method that can handle non-differentiable, non-linear and multimodal 

objective functions. This paper presents an efficient modified differential 

evolution (MDE) algorithm for solving optimal power flow (OPF) with nonsmooth 

and non-convex generator fuel cost curves. Modifications in mutation rule 

are suggested to the original DE algorithm, that enhance its rate of convergence 

with a better solution quality. A six-bus and the IEEE 30 bus test systems with 

three different types of generator cost curves are used for testing and validation 

purposes. Simulation results demonstrate that MDE algorithm provides very 

remarkable results compared to those reported recently in the literature. 

EE_30 

Improvement of the Power Transmission of Distribution Feeders by Fixed 

Capacitor Banks 

Abdellatif Hamouda and Khaled Zehar[35] 

Acta Polytechnica Hungarica, Vol. 4, No. 2, 2007, Pages 47-62 

Abstract 

The aim of this paper is the presentation of a new analytical formulation of the 

reactive energy compensation on distribution lines, which are characterized by 

their radial configuration. It will be devoted to the determination of the sizes and 

locations of a given number of fixed capacitor banks placed on a nonhomogeneous 

radial line with a non-constant voltage. For the network solution, it 

is required to know the voltage at each node and at the capacitors location. On the 

basis of what has been just said and due to the radial type of the line, an iterative 

method called voltage drop method will be applied. The voltage rms values and 

phase-angles at all the nodes and on the capacitor banks will be calculated. The 

mathematical models of the current distributions are made considering the line 

active and reactive power losses. In the reactive energy optimization process and 

for the power and energy loss reductions, we have used new models. The latter 

take into account the effect of all the capacitors in the calculation of the loss 

reductions due to a particular one. The results obtained then, are compared to 

those of authors having previously worked on the subject. 

52


Department of Mechanical Engineering 

53


ME_1 

ME_2 

Modeling the Thermal Energy Losses in Multi Activities Hall 

A.Y. Abdalla[36] 

Energy and Buildings, Vol. 37, 2007, P 239-248 

Abstract 

For the reduction of energy consumption, its rational, long-lasting use is 

fundamental, and it generally requires the existence of analytical facts and tools 

for decision-making in all individual areas. The achievement of the abovementioned 

goals regarding the heating of buildings, the production of hot water, 

steam and hot air, is currently under investigation by the present work and 

research team. This work is based on the interpretation of the behavior of the 

source of thermal energy, i.e. of the operation and cessation time of the source, a 

behavior during which the source deterministic follows those factors that 

influence it. The “decoding” of the behavior of the source is the key point in 

saving energy and protecting the environment. This point supported by modern 

technology operates as a powerful, safe and economical calculating tool. The 

calculation was carried out in a multi activities hall in Isa Town Campus, 

University of Bahrain, mainly Hall 12. 

Gas-Turbine Performance Improvements 

A.Y. Abdalla[36] 

Energy and Fuel, Vol.46, P 170-178, 2008 

Abstract 

The use of gas turbines is increasing for producing electricity, operating airplanes 

and for various industrial applications. In the last three decades, improvements in 

gas turbines have shown their success in increasing the amount of energy output 

from power stations. This is because of advances in metallurgical science and 

especially the materials used in gas turbines, so that it is possible nowadays to 

have a very efficient gas turbine with longer working life. This study has 

concentrated on the improvements of parameters concerned with the 

performances of gas turbines [i.e. net work output, thermal efficiency, specific 

fuel consumption (SFC), turbine and compressor efficiencies, compressor's inlet 

temperature and turbine's inlet temperature]. The data were taken for the Riffa 

power station in Bahrain. The results showed that the plant improvements 

undertaken involve the study of a wide range of different parameters affecting the 

performance of the turbine, the most important of which are those which increase 

the plant's efficiency and decrease the energy cost. 

ME_3 

Numerical Study of Thermal Effects of Electric-Discharge Through 

Thermocouple Wires Using Finite Difference 

M. Abu-Aesh[37] 

ITECH Journal of Mechanical Design, Vol. 2, No. 2, P 062-068, ITECH 

Publications, 2008 

Abstract 

Capacitor discharge welding is frequently applied to percussion welding. 

54


Utilization of this process in welding thermocouple wires is also adopted, but 

without percussive pressure. This process is characterized by high cooling rates, 

which produces a very narrow heat affected zone with almost no thermal 

deformations. Through the present work a theoretical study had been carried out 

on the capacitor discharge welding of two thermocouple wires of diameters 2mm, 

and 2 mm welding length each. A transient two dimensional computational model 

was developed and used to study the proper voltage and condenser capacity. The 

study based on finite differences approach revealed good results, and helped in 

investigating weld cooling rates, as well as the effects of the condenser capacity 

and voltage on the weld zone dimensions. The maximum penetration obtained 

was 0.25 mm per wire, for Nickel-Chromium wires of 2 mm diameters. The 

model can also be used to study the effects of the thermocouple material 

properties and wire diameters on the weld cooling rates. 

ME_4 

ME_5 

Dependence of Sliding Wear Resistance and Microhardness of Al-Spray 

Coating Layers on Substrate Condition Using High-Velocity Oxygen Fuel 

(HVOF) 

M. Abu-Aesh[37] 

Materials and Manufacturing Processes, 23: P 726-733, 2008 

Abstract 

Thermally sprayed coatings based on hard carbides embedded in a metallic matrix 

are considered as an important option to replace galvanic chromium deposits on 

many industrial components. Such components are often sprayed using the highvelocity 

oxygen-fuel (HVOF) spray systems. This technique is increasingly being 

used in industrial applications where high wear and corrosion resistance are 

needed. In this work, coatings of oxide ceramics were deposited on aluminum 

substrate using the flame spray process (i.e., HVOF). Employing uniform design 

experiments, the dry wear resistance and micro-hardness of the coatings were 

systematically investigated. The dry wear resistance was measured under dry 

sliding conditions against constant counter weight of 2000gm on a ball-on-disc 

arrangement, which was specially designed, built, and calibrated to standards 

before being used in tests. Spraying deposition time was varied in order to get 

coating layers with different thickness. The substrate surface roughness was 

varied as well as its initial temperature before coating. 

The results showed a great impact of substrate surface roughness as well as its 

preheating temperature on the characteristics of the deposited coating layers. The 

wear resistance appeared to be critically improved by increasing the surface 

roughness of the aluminum substrate above a 

certain value of (0.52_m). However, optimum values of the substrate conditions 

were obtained. 

The Influence of Meteorological Parameters in Bahrain on the Performance 

of Solar Chimney: Experimental Investigation, Numerical Analysis and 

Simulation 

N T Ahmad[38] 

World Renewable Energy Congress X, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom, 19– 

55


25 July 2008 

Abstract 

In this work a model has been developed to predict the solar air heater and solar 

chimney performance for power and industrial applications suitable for Bahrain 

environment. The plate temperature, air temperature and air velocities have been 

measured at different positions inside the solar air heater. The dimensions of the 

solar heater, with length of 1.65 m, width of 0.75 m and height 0.27 m. The 

solar air heater was designed to allow a variable length chimney. This allows 

investigating the effect of changing the stack effect. The efficiency of the 

collector was found to be in the range of 26% to 36%. A new correlation formula 

has been worked out to define the performance of the solar collector during the 

day hours. Comparisons of the experimental results with those of the CFD model 

show a good agreement within the chosen conditions of the present work. 

ME_6 

ME_7 

Effects of Intake Air Cooling Performance Improvement on a Two-Shaft 

Laboratory –Scale Gas Turbine Unit 

Hussain Al-Madani[39], Teoman Ayhan[43] and Omar Al-Abbasi[41] 

Proceedings of ES2007, ASME Energy Sustainability 2007; June 27-30, 2007 

Long Beach, California, USA 

Abstract 

The present study deals with the thermodynamically modeled two-shaft gas 

turbine system consisting of a cooling unit at the compressor inlet. The system is 

used to investigate the power, thermal efficiency and second law efficiency. The 

parametric study using this model shows effect of ambient conditions, compressor 

inlet temperature, and pressure ratios on power output, thermal efficiency and 

second law efficiency. Theoretical results using proposed model show that when 

the compressor inlet temperature is decreased by some kind of cooling systems, 

the net power output and thermal efficiency increases up to 30% and 25%, 

respectively. Also, second law efficiency of the proposed system increases in 

comparison to the specified reference state. It shows that the proposed model is 

thermodynamically viable. A comparison of the performance test results are good 

agreement. The results provide valuable information regarding the gas turbine 

system and will be useful for designers. 

Predicting the Ductile Failure of DP-Steels Using Micromechanical Modeling 

of Cells 

F. M. Al-Abbasi[40] and James A. Nemes 

International Journal of Damage Mechanics, Vol.17, Part 5, P 447-472, 2008 

Abstract 

Thus far, micromechanical modeling of cells has been used successfully to 

capture the deformation behavior of dual phase (DP) steels, which display 

impressive mechanical properties, especially for the automotive industry. 

However, the prediction of ductile failure, which is essential in the manufacture 

and design of parts, needs to be modeled in order to develop a model, which can 

fully characterize DP-steels. The Gurson-Tvergaard (GT) damage model is 

coupled with a micromechanical model developed in earlier works, which 

56


captures the deformation behavior of DP-steels well, making a complete material 

model. A procedure that accounts for damage in terms of the void volume 

fraction, stress triaxiality and the mechanics of failure in DP-steels as major 

damage factors, is developed in this work to determine the calibrating parameters 

in the GT yield function. When these parameters are determined, they are 

employed in numerical simulations of a tensile bar test to compare the 

experimental and numerical fracture parameters. The results show good 

agreement between the numerical predictions using the GT parameters obtained 

by the procedure developed in the current work and the experimental findings at 

different levels of volume fraction of martensite (V m ). It is also shown that the GT 

parameters obtained using a calibrating procedure, which ignores the local 

deformation behavior of the material, does not produce the appropriate parameter 

values. 

ME_8 

ME_9 

Characteristics of bond in Cu-H13 tool steel parts fabricated using SLM 

O.M. Al-Jamal[42], S. Hinduja, L. Li 

CIRP Annals - Manufacturing Technology, Vol. 57, Issue 1, 2008, 239-242 

Abstract 

The paper is concerned with the fabrication of bi-metallic parts using a purposebuilt 

rig and a Nd:YAG laser, the two materials being copper and H13 tool steel. 

Two types of bonds are identified and various characteristics of these bonds are 

studied. These include the microstructure using an optical and scanning electron 

microscopes, tensile strength and hardness of the bond. The diffusivity between 

copper and H13 tool steel is quantified by performing energy dispersive X-ray 

spectroscopy analysis. The successful fabrication of two samples, each containing 

both types of bonds, is described. 

Feasibility Study of Renewable Energy Powered Seawater Desalination 

Technology Using Natural Vacuum Technique 

Teoman Ayhan[43] and Hussain Al Madani[39] 

International Seminar, Renewable Energy, Policy, Security, Electricity, 

Sustainable Transport, Water Resources/Management and Environment, 21-27 

October, Old Ship Hotel, Brighton, UK. 

Abstract 

With an ever-increasing population and rapid growth of industrialization, there is 

great demand for fresh water, desalination has been a key proponent to meet the 

future challenges due to decreasing availability of fresh water. However, 

desalination uses significant amount of energy, today mostly from fossil fuels. It 

is, therefore, reasonable to rely on renewable energy sources such as solar energy, 

wind energy, ocean thermal energy, waste heat from the industry and other 

renewable sources. The present study deals with the energy-efficient seawater 

desalination system utilizing renewable energy sources and natural vacuum 

technique. A new desalination technology named Natural Vacuum Desalination 

is proposed. The novel desalination technique achieve remarkable energy 

efficiency through the evaporation of seawater under vacuum and will be 

described in sufficient detail to demonstrate that it requires much less electric 

57


energy compared to any conventional desalination plant of fresh water production 

of similar capacity. The discussion will highlight the main operative and 

maintenance features of the proposed natural vacuum seawater desalination 

technology which seems to have promising techno-economic potential providing 

also advantageous coupling with renewable energy sources. 

ME_10 

ME_11 

ME_12 

Neural Network Methodology for Heat Transfer Enhancement 

B.Ayhan-Sarac, B.Karlik, T.Bali, and T.Ayhan[43] 

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, Vol.17 No.8, 

2007,Emarald Group Publishing Limited, 0961-5539 

Abstract 

The enhancement of heat transfer in a tube with axial swirling-flow promoters is 

studied experimentally. The geometric features of flow geometry to improve heat 

transfer can be selected in order to yield the maximum opposite reduction in heat 

exchange flow irreversibility by using exergy destruction method. The paper 

illustrates the use of neural network approach to analyze heat transfer 

enhancement data for further study in the scope of the experimental program. For 

this purpose, 402 experimental data are collected then 225 of them are used as 

training data of neural networks, the others are used for testing. These testing 

results of ANN and experimental data are compared. A formula for presenting 

exergy loses in a tubular heat exchanger is derived firs and then the 

thermodynamic optimum instead of economic optimum is found by minimizing 

the exergy losses in the system. Results from all configurations studied show that 

the heat transfer rate of the heated increases when the swirling-flow promoter is 

inserted. From the heat transfer improved number defined, it is observed that 

about 100% increase in heat transfer rate and 5 times increase in the pressure drop 

can be achieved under the condition of constant flow for the single promoter 

which has 3 blades, its blade angle is 30 o and its location is in the middle of the 

tube length. 

Mechanical Properties of Polymers at High Strain Rate 

Noaman E. Bekheet[44] 

Engineering Research Journal, University of Helwan, Egypt, v 109, 2007 

Abstract 

A projctile impact method has been used to measure yield stress and yield strain 

in several engineering polymers at mean strain rate of 10 3 – 10 4 s -1 at room 

temperature. The experimental measurements of length change in polymers 

striking a rigid anvil were analysed by an elastic-plastic wave propagation theory 

to provide a two-parameter approximation (linear elastic, perfect plastic) to the 

true dynamic stress-strain curve. The variation of yield stress, measured by the 

method presented in this paper, with temperature is also reported for high density 

polyethylene and polycarbonate. 

SRS For Vehicle and Safety Belt With Force Limiter in Front- and Rear- 

End Collisions 

Mostafa S. Habib[45] 

58


IETECH Journal of Mechanical Design, Vol:1, No: 1, 045 – 55, IETECH 


Abstract 

Supplementary Restraint System (SRS) for vehicle occupant motion control and 

safety belt with a force limiting function in front-end impacts is presented. The 

independent motions of each of the occupant’s head, thorax-abdomen, and pelvislower 

limbs are described by a three-degree of freedom nonlinear mathematical 

model and also by a virtual prototype using Adams and Ideas for comparison. The 

feedback control effort is applied on the seat frame, which is allowed to move 

longitudinally in response to the body motion signals. To show the effectiveness 

of the current approach, simulation test cases representing front end collisions to a 

standard disturbing deceleration are presented and compared to the corresponding 

conventional restraint systems incorporated with force limiting feature in the belt. 

The test results demonstrate the effectiveness of the current approach in reducing 

the load and linear as well as angular accelerations significantly on various parts 

of the occupant’s body including the head and thorax. 

ME_13 

ME_14 

Driver-Vehicle Interaction with 4WS And DYMC Systems 


IETECH Journal of Mechanical Deisgn, Vol: 2, No: 1, 020 – 026, IETECH 


Abstract 

Driver - vehicle steering behavior with four wheel steering and direct yaw 

moment lateral motion control is presented. The resulting driver - vehicle 

interaction is shown to be capable of producing responses which compare 

favorably over the conventional two wheel steering vehicle. The integration of 

4WS along with DYMC systems with feedback of the yaw rate and side slip angle 

demonstrates to be an effective control especially in aggressive and emergency 

steering tasks. The control algorithm is a model matching which makes the 

vehicle follow the dynamics of the desired model. Computer simulations of 

stability domains and responses demonstrate the efficiency and robustness of the 

integrated control system over the conventional 2WS vehicle. 

Application of Kharitonov Stability Theory to Aluminum Rolling Mill 

Robust Control 


International Journal of Pure and Applied mathematics, Volume 46, No. 5, pp 

673-684, 2008 

Abstract 

Simulation of robust control of aluminum rolling mill is presented. A simple 

model of the rolling mill with parametric uncertainty structure with a time delay is 

used to represent the plant where Kharitonov theory plays a major role in the 

analysis. Kharitonov plants were deduced from the family of uncertain rolling mill 

plants. A lead/lag compensator cascaded with a pure integrator is used to 

determine the stability domains of Kharitonov plants from which the worst one is 

detected The worst plant is used to synthesize a robust compensator which 

59


stabilizes all other pant family. To demonstrate the efficiency of the present 

approach, numerical simulation of the robust control of aluminum rolling mill is 

given as numerical simulation example. 

ME_15 

ME_16 

ME_17 

A Study of Stagnation Heat Transfer in Turbulent Flow for a Semi-Circular 

Stainless Steel Plate 

Mohamed B.W. Nabhan[46] 

ICASTOR Journal of Engineering, Vol.2, No.3 (2008) P.129-140 

Abstract 

Heat transfer rate, pressure drop and friction variations are experimentally 

presented for a horizontal pipe with the insertion of semi-circular heated plate 

baffle made from stainless steel material. Fully developed turbulent airflow is 

maintained in the test tube section, which is connected to a wind tunnel. The 

airflow characteristics are determined at different opening ratios. The heat transfer 

rate, pressure drop and pressure drop friction factor results show a strong 

dependence on baffle opening ratios. It is found that at the larger opening ratios, 

the smaller is the pressure drop friction factor and the larger is the heat transfer 

rates. 

A study of Heat Transfer Enhancement on a Tilted Rectangular Stainless 

Steel Plate 

Mohamed B.W. Nabhan[46] 

HEEFAT 2008, 6 th International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics, 

and Thermodynamics, 30 June to 2 July 2008, Pretoria, South Africa, Paper 

No.NM1 

Abstract 

An experimental study is presented to investigate the heat transfer variations in a 

horizontal trapezoidal duct with the addition of heat plate baffle, namely; 

rectangular stainless steel flat plate. Fully developed turbulent air flow is 

maintained in the test section, which is connected to a subsonic wind tunnel. 

Air forced over a hot plate will eliminate an amount of heat from the plate 

according to the rules of cooling law. The air flow characteristics are determined 

using one baffle with different angle positions and different air flow velocities. 

The pressure drop ∆p, Reynolds Number R e,D, Pressure Coefficient C p and heat 

transfer Nusselt Number Nu, show a strong dependence on baffle plate altering 

angle positions. It is found that the larger change in test plate angle position from 

60 0 to 90 0 , the larger the pressure drop, pressure drop coefficient, and lower the 

heat transfer enhancement. 

Nonlinear programming solution for optimum PM schedule of auxiliary 

components 

Prof. Saad Suliman[47], Salman Mishari 

International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering 

Management IEEM2007, 2-5 December 2007, Singapore 

Abstract 

Preventive Maintenance (PM) activities are sometimes done to auxiliary 

60


components for the sake of extending the life of other primary components. 

More PM care to auxiliary components should presumably lead to fewer failures 

on the primary component and thus less production losses. More PM care, 

however, also means a higher PM cost. The search for the optimal level of PM 

care involves proper modeling and mathematical solutions to the model. This 

paper presents a non-linear programming solution model to this type of problem. 

ME_18 

ME_19 

Development of University-Industry Collaboration Model 

Prof. Saad Suliman[47] 

The Second International Conference on Engineering Education & Training, 

ICEET- 2, University of Kuwait, April 9-11, 2007 

Abstract 

Successful examples of university-industry collaboration models are available, 

and they are encouraging especially in the developed countries. However, because 

of the difference of cultures, these models have been progressed differently in 

different countries. Within the context of this paper, these successful 

collaborations are critically reviewed and weaknesses are studied and analyzed. 

The paper presents the collaborations between University of Bahrain and Bahraini 

industry that were carried out during the last five years. Based on the industry 

perspective of the most important assets at the University of Bahrain, the 

experiences of the successful collaboration models reported in literature, and the 

collaboration opportunities that are available to University of Bahrain within the 

Bahraini industry set-up, a scheme is proposed to develop and enhance the 

collaborations. The scheme constitutes for university and industry best practices 

to overcome the barriers and to organize for successful collaboration 

relationships. 

Modeling Preventive Maintenance of Auxiliary Components 

Prof. Saad Suliman[47], Salman Mishari 

Journal of Quality in Maintenance Engineering (JQME), Vol. 14, Part 2 (2008) 

P.148-160 

Structured Abstract 

1. Purpose 

The purpose is to develop a preventive maintenance (PM) model for auxiliary 

components whose failures may not necessarily correspond to system failure 

but rather to faster system degradation. 

2. Methodology/Approach 

The concept of load sharing was utilized to build a suitable Markov model for 

the problem. Regression Analysis was used to estimate the various transition 

rates of the model. A real field application was used to illustrate the model. 

3. Findings 

Models addressing the design of an optimal PM strategy for such a problem are 

rare in the literature. The load-sharing concept was borrowed and found very 

useful to model this problem. Regression analysis based on real field data was 

61


also found useful to estimate the model transition rates. 

4. Originality/value of paper 

This paper addresses a problem that is not given enough attention in the 

currently-available literature. Available models assume that a PM activity will 

bring the equipment to as-new or at least to a better condition. There exist 

situations, however, where a PM activity does not amend any done damage but it 

instead slows down further deterioration. 

62


INDEX 

63


Department of Chemical Engineering 

College of Engineering, PO Box 32038, Isa Town, 

Kingdom of Bahrain, Tel 17876622., Fax.+973-17 

1. Abbas A. Rahim 

Email: arabbus@eng.uob.bh 

2. Mohamed Al-Aseeri 

Email: malaseeri@eng.uob.bh 

3. Nader Al-Bastaki 

Email: naderbsk@eng.uob.bh 

4. Hasan Y. Alhammadi 

Email: halhammadi@eng.uob.bh 

5. K.K.Anilkumar 

Email: dr.kk.anilkumar@gmail.com 

6. Qais Bu-Ali 

Email: qbuali@eng.uob.bh 

7. E. M. Elkanzi 

Email: elkanzi@eng.uob.bh 

8. Hosni Ezuber 

Email: hzubeir@eng.uob.bh 

9. Shaker Haji 

Email: haji@eng.uob.bh 

10. Majid Jassim 

Email: majeed@eng.uob.bh 

11. Mansour Nour-Eddine 

Email: nmansour@eng.uob.bh 

12. Abdulganni Nhaesi 

Email: Nhaesi@eng.uob.bh 

13. Zinab Mohamed Redha 

Email: 

Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, 


Kingdom of Bahrain, Tel. 17876634, Fax.+973-17680843 

14. Ali A. Alraouf 

Email: alialraouf@yahoo.com - alialraouf@eng.uob.bh 

15. Wael AbdelHameed 

Email: wael.abdelhameed@gmail.com 

16. Mustapha Ben-Hamouche 

Email: mbenhamouche@eng.uob.bh 

17. Djamel Boussaa 

Email: djamelb60@yahoo.com 

18. Ranjith Dayaratne 

Email: ranjithd1@hotmail.com 

19. Layla Karajica 

64


Email: Layla_muhasilovic@hotmail.com 

20. Eslam El-Ghonaimy 

Email: eslam_elghonaimy@yahoo.com 

21. Hashim AL-Madani 

Email: madanihashim@eng.uob.bh 

22. Esmat Kameshki 

Email: ekameshki@eng.uob.bh 

Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, 


Kingdom of Bahrain, Tel.+973-17876606, Fax.+973-1787680924, 

23. Mehmat Akbaba 

Email: akbaba@eng.uob.bh 

24. Raida Al-Alawi 

Email: raida@ieee.org 

25. Fadhel Al-Basri 

Email: albasri@eng.uob.bh 

26. Ebrahim Al-Gallaf 

Email: ebrgallaf@eng.uob.bh 

27. Fowzi Al-Jowder 

Email: faljowder@eng.uob.bh 

28. S.Ali Al-Mawsawi 

Email: salmosawi@eng.uob.bh 

29. A.Imam Al-Sammak 

Email: aalsammak@gmail.com 

30. Hassan Elragel 

Email: helragal@eng.uob.bh 

31. Jasim Hejres 

Email: hejresj@eng.uob.bh 

32. Adel Kamal 

Email:kamaladl@eng.uob.bh 

33. Mohab Mangoud 

Email: mangoud@eng.uob.bh 

34. Maamer Taleb 

Email: maamar@eng.uob.bh 

35. Khalid Zehar 

Email: kzehar@eng.uob.bh 

Department of Mechanical Engineering, 

College of Engineering PO Box 32038, Isa Town, 

Kingdom of Bahrain, Tel. 17876614, Fax.+973-17876655 

36. Ahmed Abdalla 

Email: ayabdalla@eng.uob.bh 

37. Mohamed Abu-Aesh 

65


Email: dr_abu_aesh2@yahoo.co.uk 

38. Nasser Taha Ahmed 

Email: ntahmad@eng.uob.bh 

39. Hussain AL Madani 

Email: halmadani@eng.uob.bh 

40. Fawzi Al-Abbasi 

Email: falabbasi@eng.uob.bh 

41. Omar AL-Abbasi 

Email: omabbasi@gmail.com 

42. Osama Al-Jamal 

Email: osama@eng.uob.bh 

43. Teoman Ayhan 

Email: tayhan@eng.uob.bh 

44. Noaman Bekheet 

Email: nbekheet@eng.uob.bh 

45. Mostafa Habib 

Email:mhabin@eng.uob.bh 

46. Mohamed Nabhan 

Email: mnabhan@eng.uob.bh 

47. Saad Suliman 

Email: ssuliman@eng.uob.bh 

66

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