Association of Arab Universities Journal of Engineering Sciences

Housing Challenges and Policy Responses in Iraq: A Comprehensive Review

Aisha Saad Obead — 2025-12-31

Iraq faces a severe housing crisis marked by a significant deficit, the prevalence of informal settlements, and inadequate housing finance despite housing being a basic requirement for social stability and economic growth. This paper assesses the multifaceted challenges with which Iraq’s housing sector is grappling while also examining how government policies aimed at solving them have been effective or ineffective. As such, the inquiry was largely qualitative drawing mainly from literature such as government reports, academic studies, and evaluations from international organizations.

Key housing challenges highlighted herein include housing shortage exceeding three million units; proliferation of slums; displacement following wars; economic constraints and weak governance structures among others. Meanwhile, it will evaluate policy responses which encompass amongst others the 2010 National Housing Policy; public housing projects; the Housing Fund; post-conflict reconstruction programs but where possible corruption and political instability as well as bureaucracy have held them up even though some achievements have been made for instance increased housing production and provision of financial assistance.

The research draws on findings from Morocco, Jordan, Egypt as well as global experience underlining importance of facilitative policies for housing finance innovations, regulatory efficiency including community participation. To guarantee that every citizen in Iraq can access enough shelter, the paper ends by proffering forward looking policy recommendations centered on an integrated approach to housing provision, good governance practices that have transparency elements, widening financing avenues among others that are meant to serve both present and future generations of Iraqis.

The Structural Factors in Biomimetic Grid-Shell Structures

anas majeed — 2026-01-09

Biomimetic grid-shell structures are a recent engineering and architectural innovation that enhances structural performance through the mimicry of natural patterns. The increased focus on designs that are sustainable and efficient makes it, therefore, important to learn how various structural factors are effective in impacting the efficiency and stability of such structures. In lieu of the foregoing, this study will seek to analyze the structural factors of biomimetic grid-shell structures based on the comparison of several of the world's leading projects.

The research problem is: to what degree do key structural factors such as principal direction, stability, tessellation, and grid pattern influence the structural performance of biomimetic grid shell structures? Guiding this study is one central question: how could the efficiency and stability of biomimetic grid shell structures be improved by controlling these factors?

To achieve the research aims, a data analysis methodology has been applied to the data collection from five global major projects: London Aquatic Centre (2012), Morpheus Hotel, China (2018), Kaohsiung Pop Music Centre, Taiwan (2021), Heydar Aliyev Centre, Azerbaijan (2012), and Złote Tarasy, Poland (2007). These data were grouped, and correlation analysis was done to measure the relationship between different structural factors.

Results showed that the inclusion of design from both architecture and engineering sciences results in improved structural efficiency and stability. Also, balanced load distribution and minimized chances of distortion and collapse are some of the offerings by proper geometric tessellation and grid patternings. Biomimetic designs may provide innovative and effective solutions for the enhancement of structural performance.

This research has concluded that efficiency and stability in biomimetic grid-shell structures can only be achieved by using modern techniques with greater integration between architectural and engineering aspects. The study also highlighted the importance of focusing on sustainability in design by adopting biomimetic principles that mimic natural patterns.

Employing Artificial Intelligence Techniques in the Analysis of Morphological Characteristics of Heritage Elements in Iraq

osamah al-tameemi — 2026-01-09

This research explores the application of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to the morphological analysis and digital documentation of heritage architectural elements, focusing on the muqarnas of the Abbasid Palace in Baghdad. A replicable workflow was developed that combines AI-based monocular depth estimation models, including MiDaS and Depth Anything, with point cloud generation, three-dimensional mesh reconstruction, and quantitative curvature analysis. High-resolution photographs were processed to produce detailed depth maps, which were transformed into dense point clouds and reconstructed into watertight meshes using the Poisson Surface Reconstruction algorithm. Per-vertex curvature metrics were extracted and visualized through color-coded maps and histograms, revealing a predominance of moderately low curvature regions interspersed with localized high-curvature zones corresponding to decorative recesses and stepped projections. Segmentation and classification of depth and curvature data enabled the surface to be divided into discrete morphological units, supporting a structured interpretation of its hierarchical design. These findings highlight the potential of integrating accessible AI-based tools with open-source 3D processing platforms to enhance the accuracy, objectivity, and reproducibility of heritage documentation. The methodology offers a scalable approach for analyzing similar historical elements and contributes to the broader discourse on digital preservation, conservation monitoring, and the interpretation of Islamic architectural heritage.