Sulaimani City Research Articles

Feasibility Study of Concrete Louvers for High-rise Residential Buildings in Terms of Cooling Energy Requirements

High-rise residential buildings are increasing worldwide, including cities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Therefore, creating sustainable environments in and around these residential buildings are becoming an important problem. Improving energy efficiency in buildings has received critical attention worldwide. Countries have developed national sustainability strategies that lead to the lower energy consumption while maintaining comfort, reducing energy consumption, and minimizing harmful emissions. In this paper, an analysis of the impact of external shading devices in high-rise residential buildings on energy consumption of a 13-storey building in Sulaimani city is studied. The study is focused on fixed shading elements, explaining the influence of the design of vertical and horizontal shading devices on the total energy consumption of this type of building. The results show that both a single fixed horizontal blind with a depth of 20 cm and a triple vertical shading with the same depth are considered useless. The reduction in cooling loads by two fixed horizontal louvers almost doubled compared to a single fixed horizontal shading with 20 cm. Moreover, triple fixed horizontal louvers with 40 cm have almost the same effect on reducing cooling loads as triple fixed louvers with 60 cm. On the other hand, a triple fixed horizontal shading device with 60 cm has twice the effect on reducing annual cooling loads as a triple fixed vertical shading device with 60 cm.

The Significance of Management Information System in Improving Organizational Performance and Effectiveness

The main purpose of this study was to show the role of management information system application in improving the performance of the public universities in Sulaimani city of Iraq. The study's sample consists of (200) of administrative employees from all the public universities in the city. The most important conclusion of the research is that all predicted variables of (System and Information Quality, Customer Satisfaction, User Training, Organizational Leadership, and Organization Services Quality) are significant and toward positive effect on the response variable which is Organization Performance of public universities. Furthermore, the results show that (System and Information Quality) and (Organization Services Quality) have the most and the least effects on the Organization Performance respectively. Likewise, the correlation coefficient between Organization Performance and each of the predicted variables is positive with a moderate level of power, and the most powerful relationship was between (Organization Performance) and (System and Information Quality). In order to more effectively and successfully implement the management information system of the universities and to increase the organization’s and employee’s performance, it is suggested to the universities management to upgrade the existing management information system continuously and have a training program for all administrative staff of the university.

Patient Satisfaction with Hospital services, Physicians and Nurses Care of Government Hospital in Sulaimani City

Background: Patients’ satisfaction is a person’s feeling of pleasure or disappointment resulting from aservice’s perceived performance or outcome to his or her expectations. As this definition makes it clear,satisfaction is a function of perceived performance and expectations. This study was undertaken to evaluatedpatients’ satisfaction level with the hospital services and health care providers among four governmenthospitals in sulaimani city. The data from 311 inpatients admitted to and stay in the hospital for any medicalcondition were collected by a face-to-face interview from November 2019 to February 2020. Standardized4-point Likert scales ranging from satisfying to dissatisfying (1 to 4points) were used for all the 24 items inthe questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using a statistical package of Stata (14.version). A frequencyanalysis was used for demographic data analysis. A person Chi-square test was employed to determine theassociation between the categorical independent variables. The participant’s mean age was 37.9 SD 13.5years with ages ranged from 14-85 years. The majority (86.5%) of the study participants were satisfied withthe hospital services and environment while a small number 42 (13.5%) of them were dissatisfied with theissue. Almost 275 (88.4%) of the patients were revealed excellent nurse care and a very small number 36(11.6%) was showed dissatisfaction. Also, 245 (79.1%) of the patients were satisfied with doctor care. Only65 (20.9%) of them have a negative aspect of doctor care. A significant difference was found between thelevel of education and patients’ satisfaction with doctor care (coefficient 0.88, p<0.05). Besides, a significantassociation was found between residence and hospital services (coefficient 0.63, p =0.05). In general, wehave discovered a satisfaction level among our sample is considered high and indicates good care providedby health facilities in all hospitals. Further study required seeking the least satisfactory factor regardingdoctor care.

Patient Satisfaction with Hospital services, Physicians and NursesCareof Government Hospital in Sulaimani City

Background: Patients’ satisfaction is a person’s feeling of pleasure or disappointment resulting from aservice’s perceived performance or outcome to his or her expectations. As this definition makes it clear,satisfaction is a function of perceived performance and expectations. This study was undertaken to evaluatedpatients’ satisfaction level with the hospital services and health care providers among four governmenthospitals in sulaimani city. The data from 311 inpatients admitted to and stay in the hospital for any medicalcondition were collected by a face-to-face interview from November 2019 to February 2020. Standardized4-point Likert scales ranging from satisfying to dissatisfying (1 to 4points) were used for all the 24 items inthe questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using a statistical package of Stata (14.version). A frequencyanalysis was used for demographic data analysis. A person Chi-square test was employed to determine theassociation between the categorical independent variables. The participant’s mean age was 37.9 SD 13.5years with ages ranged from 14-85 years. The majority (86.5%) of the study participants were satisfied withthe hospital services and environment while a small number 42 (13.5%) of them were dissatisfied with theissue. Almost 275 (88.4%) of the patients were revealed excellent nurse care and a very small number 36(11.6%) was showed dissatisfaction. Also, 245 (79.1%) of the patients were satisfied with doctor care. Only65 (20.9%) of them have a negative aspect of doctor care. A significant difference was found between thelevel of education and patients’ satisfaction with doctor care (coefficient 0.88, p<0.05). Besides, a significantassociation was found between residence and hospital services (coefficient 0.63, p =0.05). In general, wehave discovereda satisfaction level among our sample is considered high and indicates good care providedby health facilities in all hospitals. Further study required seeking the least satisfactory factor regardingdoctor care.

Deformability And Shear Strength Parameters of The Foundation of A Project on Tanjero Formation in Iraq Using Rmr And Gsi

Determination of the shear strength and deformability parameters of weak rocks are very significant in order to design the foundation of buildings on it economically and safely. Tanjero formation consists of an alternation of sandstone and silty marlstone and it is considered as a weak rock layer which makes it difficult to determine precisely its bearing capacity. Understanding the behavior of this formation under loading is one of the most challenges in geotechnical engineering. The formation underlies most of the areas in Sulaimani city and significant projects such as Shari Daik and Barzayakni Sulaimni projects in Sulaimani city in Iraq. In this paper, the mentioned parameters of this formation were predicted and recommended for the foundation of a multi-story building at Shari Daik project in Sulaimani city in Iraq based on Rock Mass Rating (RMR) and Geological Strength Index (GSI) rock systems.

THE ROLE OF CORNEAL COLLAGEN CROSS-LINKING IN KERATOCONUS MANAGEMENT: BASED ON ONE-CENTER EXPERIENCE IN SULAIMANI CITY, KURDISTAN REGION-IRAQ

Background &#x0D; Corneal Collagen Cross-Linking has a major role in the management of keratoconus.&#x0D; Objectives &#x0D; Determining the effectiveness of Corneal Cross-linking, using Corneal Topography and tomography, with progressive Keratoconus.&#x0D; Materials and Methods&#x0D; The study conducted at Soma Eye Center, Sulaimani City, Kurdistan-Iraq, six months from September 2018 to March 2019. A total of 34 eyes of 20 patients with progressive bilateral Keratoconus. Each patient sought written informed consent, which was accompanied by corneal cross-linking with the riboflavin topical eye drops. Patients were followed up the for 6 months and corneal topography and tomography was replicated and recorded.&#x0D; Results&#x0D; The patients ‘ age was between 12 and 35 years. There were 12 females and 8 males. The change in post procedure K1 was statistically significant at the significant level of 0.05 as the p-value was 0.029. For the post procedure K2 the same can be noticed as the p value was 0.0. In addition post procedure central corneal thickness change was remarkable, the mean change in central corneal thickness was about 10.14µ, and this change was significant at the statistical level of 0.05, because the P value was 0.00. Changes in keratometry, was more significant for female than male both for K1 and K2, mean K1 change for males was 0.05 and for females was 0.2, the same result can be viewed for the post procedure change in K2, mean change for males was 0.6 while for females was 0.8. These changes were more significant in female than in male. P values were 0.01 and 0.00 respectively.&#x0D; Conclusion&#x0D; In patients with progressive Keratoconus within six months of follow-up it has been demonstrated that corneal cross-linking is effective for inducing regression or halting progression of disease, while the effectiveness of the corneal cross-linking has been affected by patients’ gender but not by age.

Prediction of the Dental Arch Perimeter in a Kurdish Sample in Sulaimani City Based on Other Linear Dental Arch Measurements as a Malocclusion Preventive Measure.

The current study aimed to find a prediction equation to estimate the arch perimeter (AP) depending on various arch dimensions including intercanine width (ICW), intermolar width (IMW), interpremolar width (IPMW), and arch length (AL) in a sample of the Kurdish population in Sulaimani City. The study sample was 100 pairs of preorthodontic dental casts. Calculations of dental arch dimensions and perimeter were performed by a digital vernier. Statistical analysis was performed via using the SPSS version 25 software. The developed prediction equation for the upper arch was Y = +1.3 × (arch length) + 1 × (intermolar width), whereas the equation for the lower arch was Y = +0.9 × (intermolar width) + 0.92 × (intercanine width). Paired t-test revealed no statistical difference between predicted and real arch perimeters. Two separate prediction equations for upper and lower arches were developed based on the arch length (AL) and intermolar width (IMW) for the maxillary arch, intermolar (IMW), and inter canine widths (ICW) for the lower arch. The developed equations could have further beneficial impacts on orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning.

Phycolimnological study of some wastewater of Sulaimani Provience -Kurdistan Region of Iraq

This work is aimed to study the characteristics of some wastewater in Sulaimani city. Water samples were collected monthly from October 2018 to May 2019 from four sites, two of them Site1:Tanjaro River before bridge,Site 2:Tanjaro River after bridge along Tanjaro river , Site3:kana swra and Site4:Awbara from weast water of Sulaimani city box channels which finally flow into Tanjaro river . To represent their water quality some physical , chemical and Biological analysis were conducted. The mean value of pH for all studied sites was found to be above 7 . The value of Electrical conductivity(EC) in Sites 1,2,3 and 4 were ranged between(407-601 µs/cm),( 266-585 µs/cm) ,( 773-1004 µs/cm) and(398-975 µs/cm)respectively, Turbidity ranged between(42-1001 NTU),( 57-986 NTU),( 32-1010.5 NTU) and(41-643 NTU) in Site 1,2,3 and 4 respectivly and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) value in Site 1,2,3 and 4 were ranged between(251-975.5 mg/L),( 275-926 mg/L),( 354-1025 mg/L) and(452-1025 mg/L) respectively. A total of 114 algal taxa were identified belonging to 7 classes, 63 taxa belonged to Bacillariophyceae species, they were the most abundant group (4 taxa belong to centrales and 59 taxa belonging to pinnales), followed by 24 taxa of Cyanophyceae ,22 taxa chlorophyceae, , 2 taxa Pyrophyceae and 1 taxa for each of Euglenophyceae, Rhodophyceae and Xanthophyceae. Higher phytoplankton density was recorded in Awbara (58269.44ind×103/L), while the lowest density was recorded in Tanjaro River after the bridge which was (14300.2ind×103/L).

Characterization Of Vaginitis Among Women Complaining Of Genital Tract Symptoms

Vaginitis is the inflammation of the vagina as a result of a change in the balance of normal flora affecting women of reproductive age. It is one of the most frequent reasons that women visit clinics. The objective of this study was to determine the importance of&#x0D; laboratory diagnosis methods in the treatment of the disease and to study the symptoms and risk factors associated with vaginitis among women with genital tract symptoms. Vaginal swabs were collected from 50 women attending Maternity hospital and Chwarchra dormitory camps in Sulaimani city. Samples were examined microbiologically and causative agents were isolated. All relevant clinical information such as patient demographic profiles, socioeconomic variables, risk factors and symptoms have been collected by questionnaire based study. Different species of microorganisms were isolated from vaginal samples including yeast and bacteria. Culture analysis and gram stain had shown that bacterial vaginosis was 22%, while the rate of yeast infection was 16%. The higher percentage was 62% for the normal flora (Lactobacillus). Microscopic examination of patient’s vaginal swabs revealed that 63.6% of infectious group had high level of epithelial cells (&gt;10), while the most patients with non-infectious vaginitis had (10) or less epithelial cell in the microscopic field. The presence of epithelial cell was significantly associated with infectious vaginitis (p-value 0.04). Most patients were aged between 25-35 years. The result showed a significant association between infectious vaginosis with education level (p-value 0.02). The most common symptom present among patients with infectious vaginitis group was itching (38.5%) and smelly discharge (40%). The majority of women had history of previous infections in both infectious and non-infectious vaginitis groups. Furthermore, there was different types of vaginitis including infectious vaginitis (bacterial and yeast infection) and non-infectious vaginitis. Therefore, it is essential to perform laboratory examination for the patients to detect the causative agents of vaginitis, and ensure the most appropriate treatment can be administered. In addition, the treatment of vaginitis can be done by topical application of Lidocaine 5% ointment (as a local anesthetic) nightly for seven weeks has been shown to decrease the pain of vaginitis in women.

Incidence of Rod Shaped Gramnegative Hospital Acquired Bacterial Infection and Antibiotic Resistance: A Retrospective Based Population Study

The gram-negative, especially rod shapes vary in the frequencies that they cause the most frequent types of hospital-acquired infection: pneumonia, surgical site infection, urinary tract infection, diabetic infection, burn and bloodstream infection. The presented study determined the microbial spectrum and antimicrobial susceptibility of gram-negative bacteria isolated from various infection sites in hospitalized patients in Sulaimani city. This study included 735 patients who underwent surgical and wound treatment admitted to the hospital. A microbiological standard technique was used for Identification, isolation and antimicrobial susceptibility. The data in this job were scaled into excel sheets and transferred to SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) version 24.0 software. The significance of associations between variables and predictor done by Chi-square (?2). P-value of &lt;0.05 was regarded significant. Male was the most common cases 52.5%. Patients less than 18 years-old were the most frequently affected 54.3%. Gram negative infection is the most common and most serious complication of burn injuries and it is the majority suspected clinical finding nearly to 60%. The most common bacteria separatedd from wound and sepsis were Pseudomonas aeruginosa 91.91%. Individual pathogens’ incidence differ significantly between location of infection p&lt;0.001. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, only resistant stabled at the lowest rates for Colistine and Imepenim (0.1% and 7.8%) and significant finding was confirmed p&lt;0.001. But highly resistance to Ticarcillin/Clavulanic Acid, Cefepime, Tobramycin, and Gentamicin (85.6%, 80.8%, 79.3%, 79.2%) .In conclusion, these population-based study gram-negative infections predominate in burn wounds. Microbial resistance to the confirmed drugs leads to repeated antimicrobial treatment modifications and long-time of treatments.

The Role of Using Motorized Diamond Burr Polisher Instrument in Minimizing the Recurrent Rate of Pterygium Excision

To compare the effects of using motorized diamond burr polisher in pterygium excision versus manual polishing of the corneoscleral bed in reducing the recurrent rate. A prospective, comparative and interventional study of 90 consecutive patients with different grads of primary pterygium, who underwent pterygium excision at Shahid Aso teaching eye hospital in Sulaimani city, between August 2018 till September 2019, which was performed by single surgeon. In group A (45) eyes polishing of the corneoscleral bed done using motorized diamond polishing burr, and in group B (45) eyes using manual crescent blade for polishing. Recurrent rate was evaluated after about (8±2) months postoperatively. Ethical consideration of the risks and the benefits of the procedure was observed for each individual patient. A 90 patients with the mean age of group A (48.84±12.7) years and group B (49.67±12.3) years, complained of different grads of primary pterygium, group A had 31(68.9%) male and 14(31.1%) female, while group B had 22(48.9%) male and 23(51.1%) female. Each individual factors like age, gender, visual acuity, BCVA pre and postoperatively, IOP measurement, dryness of the eye and risk factors like smoking and UV exposure affecting the recurrence were assessed. In both groups the main indication for surgery was sign of irritation. The mean surgical time was calculated and the difference between two groups were significant. After follow-up of average six months the outcomes and recurrent rate were checked, recurrent rate was in group A 1(2.2%) while in group B was 6(13.3%) patients. it significantly decreased. Corneal scar happens in only 1(2.2%) case of group A while in 11(24.4%) cases in group B, Corneal scar was statistically significant. In both groups the change of BCVA was significant but the visual change was more significant in group A in compare to group B. Motorized diamond burr is a safe instrument for polishing the cornea during pterygium excision, it is easy to handle, low price, need lesser operative time, its effect on recurrence postoperatively is significant and beside it leaves lesser corneal scar and early visual recovery postoperatively.

Outcomes of Type I Tympanoplasty using a Cartilage Shield Graft

Background: Type I tympanoplasty surgery is an effective routine technic that had been used for tympanic reconstruction to improve hearing. Objectives: The aim was to measure the effect of type I tympanoplasty surgery using the cartilage shield graft (CSG) in term of graft uptake (anatomical outcome) and hearing gains (functional outcomes) of patients with poor prognostic factors. Method and Materials: In this study, 20 patients with perforation exceeded 50%, but limited to the tympanic membrane were recruited for type I tympanoplasty surgery. The study was conducted in the Otolaryngology/Head and Neck surgery training center in Sulaimani Teaching Hospital in Sulaimani city for one year period. Bellucci classi?cation was used to evaluate otorrhea risks. Results: The majority of patients were female (90%), with a mean ± SD (standard deviation) of ages of 37.15 ± 14.01 years. Most of the patients (40%) were presented with a mild hearing loss of 26-40 decibels (dB). Type I tympanoplasty surgery using the cartilage shield graft (CSG) had significantly decreased the hearing loss and air-bone gap (p-value = 0.046 and 0.006, respectively). The mean differences in hearing loss and air-bone gap were 5.05 dB and 6.75 dB, respectively. Conclusions: CSG in type I tympanoplasty surgery is an effective solution in anatomical outcome (Graft uptake) and functional outcomes (hearing gains) which had been reflected in reducing hearing loss and air-bone gap (average hearing gain of 5dB) in patients presented with tympanic membrane perforations. No improvement in the functional outcomes was observed in patients presented with severe hearing loss pre-operatively.

A Case Study of Bus Line Passenger Volumes of Bakrajo Bus Lines in Sulaimani City

Transit agencies constantly need information about system operations and passengers to support their regular scheduling and operation planning processes. The lack of these processes and cultural motivations to use public transportations contributes enormously to the reliance on the private cars rather than public transportation, resulting in traffic congestions. The traffic congestions occur mainly during peak hours and the accidents happening as a result of road accidents and construction works. This study investigates the effects of weekday and weekend travel variability on peak hours of the passenger flow distribution on bus lines, which can effectively reflect the degree of traffic congestion. A study of passenger traffic flow patterns during these times can impact planning decisions on transportation engineers. It can be viewed as a building block for generating a reliable schedule for a given bus route within the context of an optimization process. Collecting data sets of a two-directional bus line in Sulaimani city, connecting a residential district to the city center, for three days (Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday), and this study analyzed the flow and distribution of weekday and weekend passenger movements along with the bus stops of each direction on-peak and off-peak periods. The results indicate that Thursday passenger volume is more similar to Friday passenger volume than on Wednesday passenger volume. The passenger volume of direction D1 (from the residential district to the city center) is double that of direction D2 (from the city center to the residential district). The maximum morning peak time is on Wednesday with 442 passengers/hr, starting from 7:30 to 9:00, and the maximum evening peak hour is on Thursday with 420 passengers/hr, beginning from 14:30 to 16:30.

Clinicoradiographical Features of Jaw Bone Lesions in a Group of Patients Attended Two Maxillofacial Centers in Sulaimani City

Objective: This study aims to determine the distribution, clinical and radiographic features of different jaw lesions. &#x0D; Methods: A descriptive study included 110 cases of jaw bone lesions collected along seven years from two major maxillofacial centers in Sulaimani governorate-Iraq.&#x0D; Results: The sample predominated by males (59.1%), male to female ratio of 1.4:1., the most affected age group 21-40 years (40.9%), the most common presenting sign was swelling (74.5%) besides, the swelling was the most common chief complain (with pain 30%; or without pain 59.1%). Systemic symptoms like fever and weight loss were present in only four patients (3.6%). One-third of cases (33.6%) presented for the 2-12months duration. The mandible was affected in 56.4% of cases. Regarding the radiographic features, 80% of lesions were ≤5cm in maximum dimension, 69.1% of the lesions were radiolucent. Ill or well-defined borders were equally presented (47.3%). 39.9% of lesions related to the teeth (root apices, impactions, displacement, and resorption). Concerning the diagnosis, 48.2% of the lesions were diagnosed as a cyst, followed by tumors 29.1%. &#x0D; Conclusions: Jaw lesions of different origins can share the same clinical and radiographic features; dental professionals should have information about the most common lesions to guide them toward proper investigations and management.

Serological and Molecular Detection of Hepatitis B virus among patients referred to Kurdistan Center for Hepatology and Gastroenterology in Sulaimani City/Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Hepatitis B virus infection is caused by the hepatitis B virus, a major global health problem. This infection can lead to chronic conditions, followed by cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The current study was aimed to detect HBV using serological and molecular techniques. During 2019, 300 blood samples were collected from Kurdistan Center for Hepatology and Gastroenterology in Sulaimani city. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) techniques were used for the detection of HBsAg and HBV DNA, respectively. Obtained results were revealed that 92 out of 300 tested patients (30.66%) seropositive for HBsAg. Among 92 seropositive patients, 53 were shown positive results for HBV DNA by RT-PCR. Dental clinic visiting and dialysis were among the important risk factors for HBV transmission. The vast majority of positive results were among males. Smokers showed relatively high rates of positive results. One-third of the referred patients who had liver complaints were positive for HBsAg. More than half of the seropositive patients showed RT-PCR positive results. It was concluded that the molecular method (RT-PCR) is more sensitive and gives a more accurate result than serology (ELISA). Therefore, it can be used as a diagnostic tool for HBV detection.

Kinetics of oil extraction from clay used in the lubricating oil re-refining processes and re-activation of the spent bleaching clay

Oil extraction and re-activation of spent bleaching clay issued from re-refining of waste-lubricating oil in Sulaimani city, was studied under the three stages of solvent extraction, calcination, and acid activation processes. A set of different response parameters was considered such as (i) the extraction kinetics and the quality of the re-refined oil depending on the type of solvent used, (ii) the bleaching efficacy of re-activated spent bleaching clay, (iii) the effect of calcination time and temperature on the properties of re-activated spent bleaching clay, and (iv) the effect of additional acid activation of the spent bleaching clay. After oil recovery, calcination without acid treatment was sufficient to recover most of the clay activity (with respect to bleaching performance). Hexane and heptane were found to be the best solvents regarding the quantity and quality of the extracted oil. The results point out to a beneficial remediation of Tanjaro landfill from thousands of tons of dumped oily spent bleaching clay by de-oiling and calcination to recover the oil and re-activate the spent clay in an economic manner.

Temporal Variation of Drinking Water Quality Parameters for Sulaimani City, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Water is vital for all forms of life on earth. Assessing the quality of water especially drinking water is one of the important processes worldwide which affect public health. In this study, the quality of drinking water in Sulaimani City is monitored for a study period of 1 year. A total number of 78 water samples were collected and analyzed for 17 physical and chemical properties of water supply system to the city. Samples of water are collected from the three main sources of drinking water for Sulaimani City (Sarchnar, Dukan line-1, and Dukan line-2) from February to August 2019. The results of physical and chemical parameters of collected water samples were compared with the World Health Organization and Iraqi standards for drinking water quality. The results of this study showed that mostly all parameters were within the standards except the turbidity parameter which was exceeded the allowable standards in some cases. This research concluded that, in general, the quality of drinking water at the three main sources of Sulaimani City is suitable and acceptable for drinking.

Hydrated Lime Effects on Geotechnical Properties of Clayey Soil

Cohesive soils present difficulties in construction projects because it usually contains expansive clay minerals. However, the engineering properties of cohesive soils can be stabilized by using various techniques. The research aims to elaborate on the influences of using hydrated lime on the consistency, compaction, and shear strength properties of clayey soil samples from Sulaimnai city, northern Iraq. The proportions of added hydrated lime are 0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10% to the natural soil sample. The results yielded considerable effects of hydrated lime on the engineering properties of the treated soil sample and enhancement its strength. The soil's liquid limit, plasticity index, and optimum moisture content were decreased with the increase of hydrated lime percent. The soil's other geotechnical properties such as plastic limit, maximum dry density, and unconfined compressive strength were increased with the hydrated lime content increase. The oedometer test results produced a notable decrease in the compressibility characteristics of the lime-treated soil sample. Hence, hydrated lime is successfully contributed and can be considered as an effective material to improve the strength, compressibility, and consistency properties of the cohesive soils in Sulaimani city.

ENHANCING FURROW IRRIGATION PERFORMANCE AND WATER PRODUCTIVITY THROUGH BETTER DESIGN AND WATER MANAGEMENT IN A CRACKED SOIL

Furrow irrigation is widely used because of its low cost and energy requirement, but less efficient compared with the pressurized irrigation systems. Management of water resources in Vertisols is more problematic compared to other soil groups. This soil is representing a vast crop production resource and account for a considerable portion of the region under study. The preferential flow has a profound effect on the performance furrow irrigation in cracked soils. Accordingly, itis of vital importance to select the most appropriate management practices to improve the performance of surface irrigation in these soils. Accordingly, a series of field experiments were conducted over a cracked soil at a research farm located in the outskirt of Sulaimani city during the summer seasons of 2017 and 2018 with furrow lengths in the range of 30 to 70 m. The main objectives were to improve the performance of furrow irrigation and water use efficiency of eggplant by changing furrow shape and length by application different irrigation techniques. The results indicated that irrigation efficiency tended to increase by reducing furrow length, by decreasing available water depletion and by changing the furrow shape. Overall, the applied irrigation treatments can be ranked according to the degree of their effectiveness in term of irrigation performance, eggplant fruit yield and water use efficiency as follows: Surge flow &gt; Fixed furrow irrigation &gt; Alternate furrow irrigation &gt; Cutback &gt; continuous flow.

ASSESSMENT OF BIOCLIMATIC COMFORT ZONES USING THE RAYMAN MODEL: A CASE STUDY OF SULAIMANI – IRAQ

This study is done to retrieve bioclimatic comfort zones for outdoor recreation planning in Sulaimani province, Iraq. Spatial distribution of Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET), which is a measure of bioclimatic comfort, was retrieved for the city of Sulaimani using meteorological data. The air temperature, relative humidity and wind speed data were employed for the calculation of PET. Data recorded at 15:00 obtained from 7 meteorological stations over the period from 1992-2015 were used to calculate monthly PET with the Rayman model. PET was spatially interpolated using IDW tool in ArcGIS 10.2 to convert point-data consisting of PET for each individual meteorological station into a continuous surface. Therefore, spatial distribution maps of PET for outdoor recreation activities were created after analyzing these maps. The results revealed that the lowest PET determined was around 4.8°C in Penjwin area during January while the highest PET determined was 59.6°C in northeast of Sulaimani, Halabja during July. On the other hand, the results also revealed that Sulaimani city, Dukan and Penjwin area are founded to be more suitable for tourism especially during summer months compare to others within Sulaimani Province. We sincerely hope that the final results of this study may be used by recreation authorities in Sulaimani in the near future.