Almohad Architecture: Koutoubia, Hassan Mosque & Giralda

Koutoubia Mosque, Marrakech

(Also known as the Mosque of the Booksellers)

Architectural Features

  • Style: Almohad
  • Arches: Pointed horseshoe arches are prevalent. The most elaborate, adjoining the qibla nave, are lambrequin (polylobed) arches. The arch of the axial nave is a slightly pointed horseshoe arch with a scalloped effect (similar to lambrequin arches).
  • Decoration: Includes scalloping and tracery. Plaster decoration on the arch intrados features networks of diamonds (sebka).
  • Mihrab: Inspired by the
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Argentinian Agriculture: Climate, Soil, and Key Factors

Agricultural Processes Explained

Agricultural processes involve ordered, integrated steps taken to achieve a final product related to agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and livestock. This planning should aim for profitability and sustainability.

Stages of Agricultural Processes

  1. Production
  2. Distribution and use of agricultural resources (inputs)
  3. Collection, storage, preservation, packaging, and distribution of the primary product
  4. Industrial processing
  5. Storage, distribution, and marketing of the final product

INTA:

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Flood Defense Methods and Flood Management Strategies

Hard Flood Defense Structures

Hard solutions are engineered structures built to defend against floodwater.

How Hard Solutions Work

  • Build flood banks: Walls are constructed on either side of the river to prevent water from overflowing.
  • Increase river channel size: The river channel is widened and deepened so it can hold more water.
  • Divert the river: The river’s course is moved away from vulnerable areas like city centers, making it surround the area instead of flowing through it.
  • Increase drain size: Drains
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Cosmic Journey: Galaxy Formation, Solar System, and Life’s Dawn

Components Within Galaxies

Galaxies contain various celestial bodies:

  • Stars: Often accompanied by planets, satellites, and asteroids. The energy generated in a star comes from thermonuclear reactions that transform hydrogen into helium. When a star has exhausted its hydrogen and begins to consume helium, it can eventually become a white dwarf. A supernova is the massive explosion of a star, releasing large amounts of light and radiation, leading to the star’s disappearance.
  • Nebulae: These are masses
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Soil Compaction Principles, Testing, and Methods

Understanding Soil Compaction

Compaction decreases the void content of a soil mass, forcing solid particles into more intimate contact with each other.

Factors Influencing Soil Compaction

Several factors affect soil compaction:

  • Water content (moisture)
  • Soil type
  • Shape and magnitude of the energy applied
  • Compaction equipment
  • Layer thickness

Optimum Moisture Content

The optimum moisture content is the moisture level at which the soil achieves its maximum density. It is a characteristic value for each soil and

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Masonry Construction Techniques and Standards

Masonry Fundamentals

Typical Installation Thicknesses

  • Rope: 15 cm thickness.
  • Wall: 30 cm thick.
  • Tambourine: 6 to 7 cm.
  • Wall (alternative): 30 cm thick with 15 cm spun joint.

Key Masonry Concepts & Terms

  • Confined Masonry: Masonry built between reinforced concrete columns (pillars) and beams (chains).
  • Reinforced Masonry (Armed Masonry): Masonry incorporating steel reinforcement (e.g., turnbuckles) within hollow bricks or joints.
  • Spun Joint (Vertical Mortar Bed): The thickness of the vertical mortar joint,
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