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The use of recycled coarse aggregate in concrete structures promotes environmental sustainability; however, performance of these structures might be negatively impacted when it is used as a replacement to traditional aggregate. This paper aims to simulate recycled concrete beams strengthened with carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP), to advance the modeling and use of recycled concrete structures.

To investigate the performance of beams with recycled coarse aggregate concrete (RCAC), finite element models (FEMs) were developed to simulate 12 preloaded RCAC beams, strengthened with two CFRP strengthening schemes. Details of the modeling are provided including the material models, boundary conditions, applied loads, analysis solver, mesh analysis and computational efficiency.

Using FEM, a parametric study was carried out to assess the influence of CFRP thickness on the strengthening efficiency. The FEM provided results in good agreement with those from the experiments with differences and standard deviation not exceeding 11.1% and 3.1%, respectively. It was found that increasing the CFRP laminate thickness improved the load-carrying capacity of the strengthened beams.

The developed models simulate the preloading and loading up to failure with/without CFRP strengthening for the investigated beams. Moreover, the models were validated against the experimental results of 12 beams in terms of crack pattern as well as load, deflection and strain.

Punching can trigger catastrophic failures in flat slabs because of its sudden nature resulting from exceeding the shear capacity of slabs. Effect of using recycled aggregate, as an environmental-friendly alternative to traditional RC structures, on punching behavior of these slabs was not sufficiently investigated in the literature. Hence, this paper aims to experimentally study the effect of using recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) on the punching shear capacity (PSC) of RC flat slabs. The RCA is produced by crushing of waste of concrete standard cubes obtained from compression tests.

A total of 12 slab-column connection specimens with different slab thicknesses (140, 160 and 200 mm) and different RCA percentages (0%, 30% and 70%) were prepared and tested under a central point load, to test its effect on the behavior of flat slabs. The punching failure loads of the tested specimens were compared with those obtained according to the provisions of different international building codes.

Compared with natural aggregate concrete, mixes with 30% and 70% RCA experienced reductions in the compressive that did not exceed 4% and 21%, while reductions of 4% and 13% were observed for the tensile strength, respectively. The increase in the amount of RCA reduced the PSC by 0%–7%, 0%–4% and 4%–10% for slabs with a thickness of 140, 160 and 200 mm, respectively. For slabs with punching shear reinforcement (PSR), ACI 318 provided the closest estimation for the PSC by 9%, whereas EURO 2 overestimated the PSC by 25% and ECP 203 underestimated the PSC by 41%.

The provided conclusions are obtained from the conducted experimental work where a constant W/C ratio, aggregate type and a maximum aggregate size of 19 mm for the RCA were adopted.

Enhancement in the behavior of flat slabs with various thicknesses and amounts of RCA because of introducing PSR is experimentally evaluated. The failure loads of the tested slabs with recycled and normal coarse aggregates were compared against different code provisions.

This study aims to explore the key factors influencing the perceived quality of e-learning services in foreign language training at higher education institutions in Morocco.

A qualitative methodology was used, involving semi-structured interviews with various stakeholders, including students, instructors and administrators. The data collected were analyzed using NVivo software to identify themes and patterns related to the perceived quality of e-learning services.

The findings indicate a significant relationship between several factors – such as content relevance, user engagement and technical support – and the perceived quality of e-learning systems. Notably, the implementation of external e-learning platforms has not sufficiently addressed the diverse needs of students, particularly concerning individualized content delivery.

The study emphasizes the necessity for educational institutions to review their content and management strategies to better meet learners’ needs and improve overall satisfaction with e-learning services.

This lack of personalization has implications for student commitment and engagement. This research contributes to the existing literature by focusing on the Moroccan context and highlighting specific challenges and opportunities within e-learning for foreign language education.

Attempts to clarify the concept and scope of internal marketing and its strategic role in the implementation of change programmes. Shows the manner and the extent to which marketing techniques can be used internally by presenting an alternative conceptual model. This model uses a multi‐level schema which interlinks strategic dimensions to an internal marketing mix framework. The model′s usefulness in being able to direct attention to relevant issues in practice is illustrated by a case study. The case study research serves to highlight how the model can be operationalized by presenting it in the context of a change programme, namely that of a large financial company trying to change its customer mix in face of internal resistance.