Unlike most military high explosives, which are characterized by an almost plane detonation front, ammonium nitratebased commercial explosives, such as ANFO (ammonium nitrate/fuel oil mixture) and emulsion explosives, are characterized by a curved detonation front. The curvature is directly related to the rate of radial expansion of detonation products in the detonation driving zone and the rate of chemical reactions, and it is one of the characteristics of nonideal explosives. The detonation theories used to model the nonideal behaviour of explosives require both reaction rate and rate of radial expansion to be known/specified as input data. Unfortunately, neither can be measured and what is mostly used is a link between these rates and parameters which can be more easily measured. In this paper, the Wood-Kirkwood approach of determination of radial expansion through the radius of detonation front curvature and the electro-optical technique for experimental determination of detonation front curvature of ANFO explosives is applied. It was shown that an experimentally determined radius of detonation front curvature vs charge diameter, incorporated in the Wood-Kirkwood detonation theory, can satisfactorily reproduce experimental detonation velocity-charge diameter data for ANFO explosives, especially when the pressure-based reaction rate law is also calibrated (D=1.3 and k=0.06 1/(μs/GPaD)).

: The aim of this paper is to address the issues dealing with politics and religion in the Middle East, focusing on secularism vs. Islamism; the aftermath of the Arab Spring, and the Shia and Sunni split, as key themes for the purpose. Via analysis of the complexity of the Middle East, the Secular-Islamist Conflict, the Arab Spring and its outcomes, the article explains how the Arab Spring hardened the traditionally fluid relationship between the politics and Islam. It argues that Islam has never actually left the political realm, as there is still political contestation about the role of Islam in public life. The paper then deals with the complexity of the Shia and Sunni relationship and the split between the two, giving the explanation for such occurrences on the three levels – doctrine, legitimacy, and power.

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are called 'designer solvents' due to various structural variations and the benefit of tailoring their physicochemical properties. For industrial applications of DESs it is crucial to know their physical and thermodynamic properties such as density, viscosity, and refractive index. These properties were measured for three lecithin (LEC)-based DESs with glycerol (G), triethanolamine (TEOA), and oleic acid (OLA) as functions of temperature. The viscosity was fitted by both Arrhenius-type and Vogel-Tamman-Fulcher equations. The density, viscosity, and refractive index of tested DESs decreased with the increase in temperature. The LEC:G DES exhibited the lowest density at all tested temperatures. This DES was selected as a cosolvent in the ethanolysis of cold-pressed black mustard (Brassica nigra L.) seed oil catalyzed by either calcined or non-calcined CaO. The reaction was carried out in a batch stirred reactor under the following conditions: the temperature of 70?C, the ethanol-to-oil molar ratio of 12:1, and the amount of DES and CaO of 20 and 10 wt.% (to oil), respectively. The presence of DES accelerated the reaction, while the separation of the final reaction mixture phases was faster.

Tourism is very important for the development of the country. In order to develop, every country must invest in tourism and use its resources to attract tourists. This research took into account how natural and cultural resources influence the improvement of tourism performance. On that occasion, it was observed what influence the rate of economic growth has on the relationship between natural and cultural resources and the performance of tourism. Therefore, regression analysis was used with the mediator gross social product, which represents economic growth. The results showed that three out of four tourism performances are influenced by natural and cultural resources when changing the rate of economic growth. In this way, it has been proven that natural and cultural resources influence the performance of tourism. That is why tourism must be based on the natural and cultural resources available to the country. It is necessary to invest in infrastructure, especially in road infrastructure, in order to make these resources more accessible to tourists.

Starting from the circumstance that after the death of a man, his inheritance is opened, and that his legacy can be inherited by law or on the basis of the testator's last will - testamentary, within the conducted probate procedure, the paper deals with the issue of inheritance statement characteristic and legal effect. In particular, the paper presents who can give a successor's statement, in what form, to what extent, at what time and what qualitative abilities he must have. Also, the paper explains the probate procedure through phases starting from the knowledge of the competent authority that a person has passed away until the decision on inheritance is made.

Legacy is a legal institute created in Roman law. Its significance is based on the circumstance that the testator orders the heir or some other person (debtor of the legacy) to transfer to the legatee from the inheritance some property benefit which may consist of handing over one or more certain things or rights, paying a certain amount of money, releasing a debt , some doing, not doing or suffering in favor of the legatee, etc., i.e. in all that may be the subject of any other obligation, provided that it is possible, permissible and determinable or determinable. The paper presents the concept of legacy, its development through history, regulation by modern legislation with special reference to the subject of legacies and its special types. Also, the importance of the necessary part of the heir, the inclusion of the legacy in the necessary part and the institute of the privileged heir were especially emphasized.

Carbonation is inevitable process during the service life of concrete structures, where CO2 causes decalcification of the calcium-bearing phases. These changes affect the durability of concrete and accelerate the corrosion of reinforcement. Alkali-activated materials (AAMs) are alternative, cement-free binders based on aluminosilicate rich precursor and alkaline activator. The interest in AAMs increased during the last century, due to the production process with low CO2 footprint comparing to Portland cement (PC) concrete, the possibility to use wide range of industrial by-products as precursors and comparable performance to PC concrete. Despite the extensive research in this field, the carbonation resistance of AAMs needs to be better understood, due to the differences and complexity of binder chemistry compared to PC concrete. The propagation of carbonation process will depend on chemical composition of the precursors and the type and dosage of activators. This paper presents the results of microstructural changes of three alkali-activated concrete mixes after exposure to accelerated carbonation. Ground granulated blast furnace slag was used as a precursor and sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate as activators. Three mixes have constant water to binder ratio and slag content, while alkali content and silica modulus were varied. The carbonation resistance was evaluated by testing carbonation depth after 7 and 28 days of exposure in carbonation chamber. Microstructural changes during carbonation were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis and mercury intrusion porosimetry.

Alkali-activated materials (AAM) consist of a precursor, which is a source of aluminosilicates, and an alkali source. The precursors are usually waste materials from various industries such as fly ash from thermal power plants and slags from the metallurgical industry. Due to the increasing use of these materials in the cement industry and strategies for decommissioning coal-fired power plants, alternative raw materials from waste streams are increasingly being explored. One of these materials is waste from the aluminium industry, known as red mud. Due to its chemical composition, which is similar to that of other cementitious materials, red mud is suitable for use in the cement industry. It can also be used as a source of aluminosilicates in the synthesis of AAM. In this study, the corrosion behaviour of steel in chloride exposed AAMs based on fly ash and slag was investigated with and without the addition of red mud. During exposure of AAM to tap water and a 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution, the corrosion process was monitored by corrosion potential and polarisation resistance. AAM mixes containing red mud exhibited better corrosion resistivity and lower current density values compared to mixes without red mud, indicating a possible contribution of the red mud to chloride binding and improving the passivity of the steel.

Recently, the cement industry has faced new challenges in addition to the environmental constraints of the last decade. The decline in availability and current inconsistent prices of common supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), such as by-products from the iron industry or coal-fired power plants, have opened the search for more reliable materials. Research on cements containing calcined clays now serve as a possible solution to the forementioned problems. Clays containing the mineral kaolinite in sufficient quantities, when calcined and mixed with limestone powder, produce hydration products that can improve the strength and durability of concrete. In addition, the production of limestone calcined clay is reported to be less CO2 intensive, but this eco-efficient solution is viable only if the materials are locally available. For this reason, this study investigates the possibility of using natural clays from the Southeast European region (SEE) as cement replacements. A systematic experimental study was conducted on 18 different clays from 13 different deposits to determine the physical and mineralogical composition of the raw clays, their reactivity and mortar strength. The results were then related to the environmental contributions they might have in comparison with ordinary Portland cement in concrete.

There are now several initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint of cement production, such as the use of alternative binders for clinker. However, reducing the carbon emissions of the cement sector will only be possible when design optimization is combined with other measures. The construction industry is reluctant to reduce the cement content of concrete mixes and is not encouraged to use performance-based design for concrete. In most cases, these steps will negate the benefits of using alternative binders in concrete. The objective of this paper is to investigate the effects of lowering the cement content and additionally substituting part of the cement on the mechanical properties and durability of concrete. The reference mix was taken from a real bridge recently built in Croatia, and the alternative combination was prepared with a reduced cement content of 22%. All mixes were evaluated based on their mechanical strength and resistance to chloride penetration. The carbon footprint of each mix was also studied. The study concluded that the alternative mix with lower cement content had comparable durability and a significantly lower carbon footprint, meaning that the alternative mix proved to be a more sustainable option.

Throughout their service life, concrete structures are exposed to various environmental conditions that affect their durability. The cementitious matrix inevitably comes into contact with air, which leads to a progressive carbonation reaction. As a result of carbonation, changes occur in the microstructure and porosity of the cementitious matrix. Calcium aluminate cement is produced to increase the resistance of composites to aggressive environments, but its application is limited by the occurrence of conversion process. The addition of slag inhibits the conversion process of calcium aluminate cement and prevents a reduction in compressive strength due to the formation of C2ASH8 hydrate, while contributing to the net zero commitment of the cement industry. It remains an open question how these changes in microstructure caused by the addition of slag affect the carbonation rate of calcium aluminate cement-based concrete. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the effects of slag on the microstructure and porosity of calcium aluminate-based concrete before and after accelerated carbonation. For this purpose, the mechanical properties, porosity, and reaction product of a concrete mix containing 30% calcium aluminate cement replacement by slag were compared to calcium aluminate cement-based concrete before and after exposure to 3% CO2 for 7 and 28 days. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) were tested to understand the changes in reaction products and pore size distribution, respectively.

The paper presents an examination of the possibility of applying raspberry flower extract (Rubus idaeus L.) as a green inhibitor of general corrosion of copper in 3% NaCl. Raspberry flowers (Rubus idaeus L.) sort Polka were collected from the Moševac near Maglaj city, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Raspberry flower extract in ethanol was obtained by ultrasonic extraction. A significant content of polyphenol was found in the raspberry flower extract by UV/VIS spectrophotometry analysis. Results obtained by DC techniques (by the methods of Tafel extrapolation, potentiodynamic polarization and linear polarization) prove that the corrosion rate decreases in the presence of the raspberry flower extract. Tests performed by the method of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy prove that the tested extracts slow down the kinetics of the corrosion process, which is visible through the increase in resistance. The results of the conducted tests prove that in an aggressive medium, such as 3% NaCl solution, Polka raspberry flower extract can be used as an inhibitor of copper's corrosion.