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In recent decades, Iraq has witnessed several military operations. This has led to huge damages to the infrastructure of some main cities. The traditional construction methods seem not to be able to fulfill the rapid reconstruction works needed, while prefabricated building systems seem to be promising. This paper aims at evaluating the possibilities of using prefabrication systems for schools building as a pilot study for wider adoption. An extensive literature review was carried out to identify the features of construction prefabrication and its requirements. Then a thorough investigation of the possibilities of adopting this approach in Iraq and the major expected obstacles was carried out. A questionnaire survey has been conducted with (96) stakeholders who have experience in prefabricated building projects. The results showed that the highest rating of benefits went to time and productivity, while the highest rating of obstacles went to lack of government support. Therefore the top proposed action included the adoption of a clear governmental strategy for change. Finally, the respondents agreed that school building is the most suitable type of projects to start with.

This research was conducted to investigate the effect of using internal steel plates for shear reinforcement on flexural behavior of SCC beams instead of using traditional reinforcement bars (stirrups) and to study the effect of their spacing and thickness on strength. The experimental work included destructive tests on six SCC beams under two-point load. The results showed that the yield loads in all of the beams with steel plates were lower than the reference beam by (5.21%) on average, the deflection at yield load was higher by (13.72%) on average and the ultimate loads were lower by (6.77%) on average except in one beam where it was higher by (0.37%). It was also found that the ultimate deflection in beams with internal shear steel plates was lower by (10.01%) on average except in the aforementioned beam where it was higher by (2.31%). Ductility in all beams with steel plates was lower by (20.08%) on average and the strain before a load of (200kN) was higher in the longitudinal reinforcement and lower in shear steel plates and vice versa after a load of (200kN). Theoretical analysis was also carried out for all beams using the finite element program ANSYS (version 15) where theoretical results of load versus mid-span deflection relations, longitudinal reinforcement strain, shear reinforcement strain, variations of neutral axis depths and cracks patterns showed good agreement with experimental ones. Finally, some specific further studies were recommended.

Public school building projects in Karbala Province experiences payment problems due to improper cash-flow planning by both parties; contractors and clients. These payment problems lead to work stoppages and conflicts. This research aims at developing a suitable model to forecast the expected contractors’ cash-in-flow in public school building projects in Karbala based on historical data. Complete sets of interim payments of (33) out of (38) school building projects finished in the years (2007-2012) in Karbala were interpolated using seven different regression methods namely; Polynomial, Gompertz, Morgan-Morgan-Finney, Logistic, Exponential, Gaussian and Linear in order to identify the best-suited model. It is found that the third degree polynomial model is more suitable for cash-in-flow forecasting of the case under study with coefficient of correlation of (97.89%) and standard error of (0.0441). Data of the remaining (5) projects were used to test the validity of the best-fitted model using Mean Absolute Percentage Error, Root Mean Square Error and Average Accuracy Percentage. The model is expected to be of high advantage in predicting contractors’ cash-in-flow in public school building projects in Karbala, and consequently clients’ cash-out-flow as well.