As noted by several researchers, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile Rive... more As noted by several researchers, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile River is expected to have unfavorable consequences for downstream countries like Egypt and Sudan. To limit GERD's negative effects on downstream countries, its operation should be secure, and its upstream water level should be ideal. However, none of the studies carried out the ideal operating scenarios from the perspective of controlling the number of gate openings. Accordingly, this study evaluates the optimal operating scenarios of the GERD and its impact on downstream countries by adopting a mathematical model to analyze the number of gates that can be opened and the depth of opening during different filling years. The paper also presents an environmental impact assessment of some GERD significant factors during construction, filling, and operation, with the goal of developing a mitigation strategy. The results showed that opening 5 gates at 4.56 m over a 10-year filling period would...
Bagasse-based products contribute to solving the plastic pollution problem. This paper presents a... more Bagasse-based products contribute to solving the plastic pollution problem. This paper presents an alternative by producing bioplastic products that can be manufactured in many forms ranging across different industries such as food packaging, single use tableware, and crafts. The researchers aim to prove the alternative's market variability through conducting a feasibility study of establishing a technological manufacturing plant producing bagasse-based tableware in Egypt. Researchers performed different scenarios aiming to reach the best cost, quality, resources, and profitability of producing bagasse biodegradable tableware in Egypt as a replacement of Styrofoam and validated the base scenarios using "Powersim simulation tool". Practical impact of this researcher is to assist in promoting low-carbon economy solution in addition to producing safe bioplastic products replacing Styrofoam for food packaging and tableware fabrication.
2021 Third International Sustainability and Resilience Conference: Climate Change
The paper presents the impact of COVID 19 on small- and medium-sized enterprises and the survival... more The paper presents the impact of COVID 19 on small- and medium-sized enterprises and the survival initiatives based on the owners' perspectives. The authors focused on plastic packaging small and medium size producers working in Egypt as a case study. The study applies qualitative approach conducted through phone-based interviews with five selected SMEs' and also supported by desk research and followed by three experts' interviews with professionals working at the ministry of environment in Egypt. The paper finds that SMEs working in the plastic packaging in Egypt were hit significantly by COVID-19. The impacts of COVID 19 on SMEs are classified into operational problems and financial problems. Regarding operational problems, the number of paid employees and the total number of hours worked by paid employees were reduced by 50%. And in terms of production, clear disruption in the supply chain occurred. Regarding financials, they have limited cash on hand, yet they did not apply for a loan to cover their expenses and preferred to temporarily reduce production. This paper represents one of the first attempts to closely assess the impact of COVID-19 on Egyptian SMEs working in plastic packaging. The assessment considers various aspects including employment, production, supply chain, financials, and the outlook to capture the full potential cost of COVID-19. It also discusses the solid waste plan (2019-2023) and how the government can support the green initiatives related to plastic recycling. The results show that fiscal and monetary measures taken by the Egyptian government were not perceived as the ultimate support desired by SMEs in this specific industry. They wanted more tailored programs addressing their specific needs.
World Congress on Civil, Structural, and Environmental Engineering
Plain concrete is used for water canal lining due to its low permeability to reduce water losses ... more Plain concrete is used for water canal lining due to its low permeability to reduce water losses due to seepage. However, cement manufacture has a negative environmental impact as it produces large amount of CO2 emissions in addition to high energy consumption. In this study, bio-sludge of sewage plants was used an alternative for cement, mixed with sand and crushed stone, and used as an alternative to plan concrete for canal lining. An experimental testing program was designed based on percentages of sludge and soil equal to 2.5%, 5%, and 10% by weight. For each sludge mix, properties were characterized such as particle size, density, and specific gravity. Also, shear strength properties were determined and California bearing ratio. The permeability of the sludge mix was also determined in laboratory. It was evident that mixing limited percentages of sludge with cohesionless soil significantly reduced the permeability. To assess the practicality of this approach for canal lining purposes, two trapezoidal in-situ trial pits were excavated in a sandy soil profile, one pit without lining and the other using sludge-mix lining. The seepage rate of water in each pit was monitored with respect to time after taking into consideration the water evaporation rate. Outcomes of the experimental program showed that sludge-soil mix can be used as an eco-friendly alternative in enhancing the properties of the canal lining soil.
2020 Sixth International Conference on e-Learning (econf), 2020
The aim of this empirical article is identifying and showing the key challenges and core problems... more The aim of this empirical article is identifying and showing the key challenges and core problems faced by private universities with international affiliation, located in west Cairo, when applying online educational learning in the context of COVID-19. As well, it aims to assist in assembling the lessons learned to maximize the learning impact. a mixed-methods approach was used and it included: (1) observations complemented with five in-depth interviews with experienced faculty members and decision-makers (2) followed by a survey to comprehend the drivers of students' satisfaction concerning online education throughout COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 200 replies were collected from two universities, located in west Cairo. A literature review was conducted to validate the research constructs and to support drafting the recommendations. The results show that faculty members have identified five challenges, which are: (1) course design, (2) instructor quality, (3) assessment techniqu...
The development of data analytics helps the governorates to identify strategies and procedures to... more The development of data analytics helps the governorates to identify strategies and procedures to minimize the negative impacts of COVID-19. Several epidemiological models are employed to monitor and understand the spread of diseases and their impacts on countries. This article aims to present the relative risks faced by each country so that response efforts can be more effectively focused during the different phases of the pandemic. It analyses important factors for countries through different simulated modelling. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping was also presented to determine and classify disease transmission susceptibility and analyse disease transmission decisions. Furthermore, this article aims to provide a detailed overview of the possibilities that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data present when it is coping with the COVID 19 pandemic. It also uses blockchain technology for recording, verifying, and authorizing data when carrying out a series of transactio...
Sustainability is essential for maintaining certain levels of life quality for next generations. ... more Sustainability is essential for maintaining certain levels of life quality for next generations. Accordingly, Egypt started to establish its own rating system to achieve sustainable development. There are several green building rating systems that are recently used such as: the LEED (Leadership in energy and environmental Design) rating system, Green Pyramid Rating System “GPRS”, and TARSHEED rating system. GPRS and LEED are almost the same since GPRS is based on LEED. Due to the significant cultural and environmental changes between Egypt and the United States, LEED rating system cannot be implemented in Egypt. On the other hand, the rating system TARSHEED includes three categories only, namely energy, water, and habitat, to determine sustainable construction performances. For example, waste management category which is one of Egypt’s challenges is ignored by TARSHEED. This research introduces a new modified rating system for new construction with new weights to suit Egypt requirem...
Green buildings are becoming an essential part of sustainable development. There have been severa... more Green buildings are becoming an essential part of sustainable development. There have been several research trends for green buildings since 1995. The present study presents a roadmap for green/sustainable research trends and proposes a new green building rating system for existing buildings. A questionnaire was established and answered by experts, where answers were analyzed using the decision-making tool Analytical Hierarchy Process. Analytical Hierarchy Process is responsible for weighing and ranking the weights of alternatives. A novel checklist for existing buildings was structured and consisted of seven main categories, each comprised of different subcategories with different weights according to their importance and priority. The newly proposed rating system and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for maintenance and renovations were both used to evaluate a Nile University building in Egypt in order to identify how the environment affects the results of each ...
As noted by several researchers, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile Rive... more As noted by several researchers, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile River is expected to have unfavorable consequences for downstream countries like Egypt and Sudan. To limit GERD's negative effects on downstream countries, its operation should be secure, and its upstream water level should be ideal. However, none of the studies carried out the ideal operating scenarios from the perspective of controlling the number of gate openings. Accordingly, this study evaluates the optimal operating scenarios of the GERD and its impact on downstream countries by adopting a mathematical model to analyze the number of gates that can be opened and the depth of opening during different filling years. The paper also presents an environmental impact assessment of some GERD significant factors during construction, filling, and operation, with the goal of developing a mitigation strategy. The results showed that opening 5 gates at 4.56 m over a 10-year filling period would...
Bagasse-based products contribute to solving the plastic pollution problem. This paper presents a... more Bagasse-based products contribute to solving the plastic pollution problem. This paper presents an alternative by producing bioplastic products that can be manufactured in many forms ranging across different industries such as food packaging, single use tableware, and crafts. The researchers aim to prove the alternative's market variability through conducting a feasibility study of establishing a technological manufacturing plant producing bagasse-based tableware in Egypt. Researchers performed different scenarios aiming to reach the best cost, quality, resources, and profitability of producing bagasse biodegradable tableware in Egypt as a replacement of Styrofoam and validated the base scenarios using "Powersim simulation tool". Practical impact of this researcher is to assist in promoting low-carbon economy solution in addition to producing safe bioplastic products replacing Styrofoam for food packaging and tableware fabrication.
2021 Third International Sustainability and Resilience Conference: Climate Change
The paper presents the impact of COVID 19 on small- and medium-sized enterprises and the survival... more The paper presents the impact of COVID 19 on small- and medium-sized enterprises and the survival initiatives based on the owners' perspectives. The authors focused on plastic packaging small and medium size producers working in Egypt as a case study. The study applies qualitative approach conducted through phone-based interviews with five selected SMEs' and also supported by desk research and followed by three experts' interviews with professionals working at the ministry of environment in Egypt. The paper finds that SMEs working in the plastic packaging in Egypt were hit significantly by COVID-19. The impacts of COVID 19 on SMEs are classified into operational problems and financial problems. Regarding operational problems, the number of paid employees and the total number of hours worked by paid employees were reduced by 50%. And in terms of production, clear disruption in the supply chain occurred. Regarding financials, they have limited cash on hand, yet they did not apply for a loan to cover their expenses and preferred to temporarily reduce production. This paper represents one of the first attempts to closely assess the impact of COVID-19 on Egyptian SMEs working in plastic packaging. The assessment considers various aspects including employment, production, supply chain, financials, and the outlook to capture the full potential cost of COVID-19. It also discusses the solid waste plan (2019-2023) and how the government can support the green initiatives related to plastic recycling. The results show that fiscal and monetary measures taken by the Egyptian government were not perceived as the ultimate support desired by SMEs in this specific industry. They wanted more tailored programs addressing their specific needs.
World Congress on Civil, Structural, and Environmental Engineering
Plain concrete is used for water canal lining due to its low permeability to reduce water losses ... more Plain concrete is used for water canal lining due to its low permeability to reduce water losses due to seepage. However, cement manufacture has a negative environmental impact as it produces large amount of CO2 emissions in addition to high energy consumption. In this study, bio-sludge of sewage plants was used an alternative for cement, mixed with sand and crushed stone, and used as an alternative to plan concrete for canal lining. An experimental testing program was designed based on percentages of sludge and soil equal to 2.5%, 5%, and 10% by weight. For each sludge mix, properties were characterized such as particle size, density, and specific gravity. Also, shear strength properties were determined and California bearing ratio. The permeability of the sludge mix was also determined in laboratory. It was evident that mixing limited percentages of sludge with cohesionless soil significantly reduced the permeability. To assess the practicality of this approach for canal lining purposes, two trapezoidal in-situ trial pits were excavated in a sandy soil profile, one pit without lining and the other using sludge-mix lining. The seepage rate of water in each pit was monitored with respect to time after taking into consideration the water evaporation rate. Outcomes of the experimental program showed that sludge-soil mix can be used as an eco-friendly alternative in enhancing the properties of the canal lining soil.
2020 Sixth International Conference on e-Learning (econf), 2020
The aim of this empirical article is identifying and showing the key challenges and core problems... more The aim of this empirical article is identifying and showing the key challenges and core problems faced by private universities with international affiliation, located in west Cairo, when applying online educational learning in the context of COVID-19. As well, it aims to assist in assembling the lessons learned to maximize the learning impact. a mixed-methods approach was used and it included: (1) observations complemented with five in-depth interviews with experienced faculty members and decision-makers (2) followed by a survey to comprehend the drivers of students' satisfaction concerning online education throughout COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 200 replies were collected from two universities, located in west Cairo. A literature review was conducted to validate the research constructs and to support drafting the recommendations. The results show that faculty members have identified five challenges, which are: (1) course design, (2) instructor quality, (3) assessment techniqu...
The development of data analytics helps the governorates to identify strategies and procedures to... more The development of data analytics helps the governorates to identify strategies and procedures to minimize the negative impacts of COVID-19. Several epidemiological models are employed to monitor and understand the spread of diseases and their impacts on countries. This article aims to present the relative risks faced by each country so that response efforts can be more effectively focused during the different phases of the pandemic. It analyses important factors for countries through different simulated modelling. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping was also presented to determine and classify disease transmission susceptibility and analyse disease transmission decisions. Furthermore, this article aims to provide a detailed overview of the possibilities that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data present when it is coping with the COVID 19 pandemic. It also uses blockchain technology for recording, verifying, and authorizing data when carrying out a series of transactio...
Sustainability is essential for maintaining certain levels of life quality for next generations. ... more Sustainability is essential for maintaining certain levels of life quality for next generations. Accordingly, Egypt started to establish its own rating system to achieve sustainable development. There are several green building rating systems that are recently used such as: the LEED (Leadership in energy and environmental Design) rating system, Green Pyramid Rating System “GPRS”, and TARSHEED rating system. GPRS and LEED are almost the same since GPRS is based on LEED. Due to the significant cultural and environmental changes between Egypt and the United States, LEED rating system cannot be implemented in Egypt. On the other hand, the rating system TARSHEED includes three categories only, namely energy, water, and habitat, to determine sustainable construction performances. For example, waste management category which is one of Egypt’s challenges is ignored by TARSHEED. This research introduces a new modified rating system for new construction with new weights to suit Egypt requirem...
Green buildings are becoming an essential part of sustainable development. There have been severa... more Green buildings are becoming an essential part of sustainable development. There have been several research trends for green buildings since 1995. The present study presents a roadmap for green/sustainable research trends and proposes a new green building rating system for existing buildings. A questionnaire was established and answered by experts, where answers were analyzed using the decision-making tool Analytical Hierarchy Process. Analytical Hierarchy Process is responsible for weighing and ranking the weights of alternatives. A novel checklist for existing buildings was structured and consisted of seven main categories, each comprised of different subcategories with different weights according to their importance and priority. The newly proposed rating system and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for maintenance and renovations were both used to evaluate a Nile University building in Egypt in order to identify how the environment affects the results of each ...
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