Journal of Environmental Engineering and Landscape Management
An urban heat island phenomenon has increased in the last decades due to rapid urbanization, resu... more An urban heat island phenomenon has increased in the last decades due to rapid urbanization, resulting in a significant impact on local climate. In this study, remote sensing data was used to analyze Spatiotemporal patterns of Urban Heat Island Intensity (UHII) over a 20 years period in a semi-arid climate area. The relationship between the Land Surface Temperature (LST), vegetation and Land Cover Types (LCTs) were examined. The relation between the UHII and its driving factors (different LCTs and meteorological conditions) was analyzed. Analysis of 8-day daytime and nighttime LST data acquired from MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) shows that Amman has a significant UHII in both daytime and night time. The results show a negative correlation between the LST and vegetation indicators and between the UHII and the wind speed average, indicating a positive correlation between the UHII and temperature. Vegetation has been proven to significantly reduce LST, mainly in...
Different kinds of engineering problems could be occurred as a result of constructing foundations... more Different kinds of engineering problems could be occurred as a result of constructing foundations over cohesive soils. The majority of these problems are concerning the soils' volumetric changes that may lead the structure to be partially or totally failed; and accordingly, the idea of this research was shined in order to select a suitable global method to improve the properties of these soils in Jordan, and consequently to minimize their bad effects on structures that were erected on them. The methodology of this research was divided into two stages. The first of these was reviewing for the available literature related to the most applicable global methods in stabilizing fine grained soils; whereas, the second stage was focused on carrying out several laboratory tests to measure the influence of mixing different ratios of Portland cement material with fine grained soil (obtained from an excavated site in the Capital Amman) on the engineering characteristics of the original soil...
In this paper, the factors influencing collapse of excavations and their effects on the estimated... more In this paper, the factors influencing collapse of excavations and their effects on the estimated cost and time for a construction project was evaluated. The methodology used in this research is composed of several phases. The most important phase was focused on designing a questionnaire regarding the major factors affecting the side collapse of excavations in Jordan and their effects on the time and cost of carrying out the intended project; whereas, the final of these phases was concerning the analysis of the collected data using SPSS software.<br><br>Based on the analysis of the field survey, the results of this research indicated that there are various factors affecting the collapse of excavations for construction projects and influencing the budget and duration of the project implementation. However, it was concluded that the most important factor was the groundwater, weather and other surrounding conditions, in addition to planning and following-up the methods used...
In this paper, a simulation model was specially designed and prepared to investigate the influenc... more In this paper, a simulation model was specially designed and prepared to investigate the influence of conducting cycles of wetting and drying on the behavior of Jordanian expansive soil. Accordingly, a monitoring study to investigate the above behavior was carried out throughout this research, and preceded by carrying out several classic tests for the purpose of determining the degree of expansiveness for the collected soil. Considering the proposed testing technique related to the simulation model, it was proved that the designed model could be used as an indicator for the expected behavior of the same soil in the site; where the general trend of the tested soil towards the action of cyclic wetting and drying showed a reliable behavior through the gradual decrease in the volumetric changes. However, it was realized that this decrease may be influenced by the water infiltration, the rate of evaporation, and the number of cycles needed to reach the fatigue phenomenon.
An experimental research was conducted to investigate the improvement in the engineering characte... more An experimental research was conducted to investigate the improvement in the engineering characteristics of a cohesive soil after being mixed with gradual increments of sand. To verify the above purpose, several laboratory tests were performed for both the original and mixed soils. These tests were classification, Atterberg limits, permeability, unconfined compression, and direct shear. The results of these tests showed that the values of liquid limit and plasticity index decreased with increasing the percentages of sand additives. Increasing of sand additives also showed an increase in the soils’ coefficient of permeability; however, with this parameter, the effect was marginal. Moreover, increasing these additives resulted in an increase in the soils’ angle of internal friction and a decrease in its cohesion; in general, for those parameters, the overall trend was increasing the soils’ shear strength with increasing sand additives. Out of the results of this research, it was concl...
This study focuses on the utilization of multispectral satellite images for remote water-quality ... more This study focuses on the utilization of multispectral satellite images for remote water-quality evaluation of inland water body in Jordan. The geophysical parameters based on water’s optical properties, due to the presence of optically active constituents, are used to determine contaminant level in water. It has a great potential to be employed for continuous and cost-effective water-quality monitoring and leads to a reliable regularly updated tool for better water sector management. Three sets of water samples were collected from three different dams in Jordan. Chl-a concentration of the water samples was measured and used with corresponding Sentinel 2 surface reflectance (SR) data to develop a predictive model. Chl-a concentrations and corresponding SR data were used to calibrate and validate different models. The predictive capability of each of the investigated models was determined in terms of determination coefficient (R2) and lowest root mean square error (RMSE) values. For ...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Global endeavors to respond to the problems caused by climate change and are leading to higher te... more Global endeavors to respond to the problems caused by climate change and are leading to higher temperatures inside homes, which can cause skin conditions (such as eczema), lethargy, and poor concentration; disturbed sleep and fatigue are also rising. The energy performance of buildings is influenced by interactions and associations of numerous different variables, such as the envelope specifications as well as the design, technologies, apparatuses, and occupant behaviours. This paper introduces simple and sustainable strategies that are not dependent on expensive or sophisticated technologies, as they rely only on the actions practiced by the building’s occupants (movable window shading, and nighttime natural ventilation) instead of completely relying on high-cost mechanical cooling systems in buildings located in the main Eastern Mediterranean climates represented in the country of Jordan. These low-energy solutions could be applied to low-income houses in hot areas to avoid health...
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Papers by Mohammed Assaf