The main objective of this study is to evaluate the comparative performance of three artificial neural network techniques (radial basis functions “RBF”, multilayer perceptron “MLP”, and group method of data handling “GMDH”) based approach with the Penman–Monteith “PM” method for determining the group reference evapotranspiration “ET0” on monthly basis in Basrah City, south of Iraq. Climate information extends over 22 years (1991- 2012), monthly records of maximum temperature (Tmax), mean temperature (Tmean), minimum temperature (Tmin), wind speed (U) and relative humidity (RH) are used in this research. The architecture of artificial neural network models is performed during the process of training. The efficiency of trained model is checked by using the testing data, which is not used in the process of training. The evaluating of the artificial neural model performance is carried out by using cross-validation, a set of rows for each validation fold is determined randomly after stratification on the target variable “ET0”. Various set of climate inputs variables are used for creating nine artificial neural network models. The efficiency of artificial neural network models with two predictor variables (Tmean & U) for simulating ET0 is highly efficient according to the evaluation criteria. There is a significant improvement in the results of all artificial neural network models when using three input combination variables (Tmean, U, & RH) compared with the models that have only two-climate variables. Artificial neural network models especially (RBF, MLP, and GMDH) are efficient and powerful techniques for simulating ET0.
The water quality index (WQI) is applying for the integrating the water quality variables into a single number to indicate the overall quality of water. Rivers is one of the essential water resources, the protecting and preserving for the quality of this resource is important and imperative. An evaluation of water characteristics of the Shatt Al Arab River in Basrah city was performed in order to determine the quality of water for drinking usage. In this research, monitoring of variation in the characteristics of water was accomplished by collecting monthly water samples for three years. The water samples from the Shatt Al Arab River is analyzed for eight Physical and chemical parameters such as pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), total hardness (TH), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sulphate (SO4) and chloride (Cl) using standard methods. Utilizing the WQI discovered that the water quality of the studied river is ranked between very poor water type and not suitable water for drinking usage category. In the present investigation, the quality of water was revealed that the average of WQI value for the studied years was 318, 337.3 and 456.7, respectively.
This study concern with a new technology to modified the compressive strength of the thermo brick which have a main role in construction field. This research using a new local cheap additives called (tar) which is available in Iraq (Kirkuk area). The experimental program have include three type of thermo brick available in local market (Iraqi, KSA, and Kuwaiti) and these type are common used in south area of Iraq especially Basrah City. The sample has exposed to the steam of tar in different temperature. Four affecting factor are studied carefully on compressive strength of brick including, tar , brick manufacture type, number of exposing faces of brick, and the age of brick after finishing expose of brick to the tar steam. The result shows maximum compressive strength conducted are 4.4 MPa when two faces expose to tar and two hours’ time of exposing ( one hour for each face) and the modified percentage was 62% compared with reference sample (KSA type). The improvement in compressive strength of Iraqi type and Kuwaiti were 27% and 45% respectively. Furthermore the improvement of compressive strength with same condition aforementioned but for one hour exposing time (half hour on each face) are 37.5%. The chemical properties also has conducted in this study.