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Recent Submissions

Assessment of concrete prefabrication adoption in Tigray Region: barriers, benefits, and strategic framework for implementation.
(Mekelle University, 2025-12-27) Brhane Kahsay Desta
The global construction industry is increasingly pivoting toward modular and off-site manufacturing to address growing demands for housing and infrastructure. In the Tigray region of Ethiopia, where post-conflict reconstruction requires urgent and scalable solutions, the adoption of efficient building methodologies has become a developmental priority. This research investigates the impact of concrete prefabrication encompassing off-site manufacturing, logistics, and on-site assembly on construction efficiency and economic viability. The study employs a mixed-methods research design, integrating interviews with industry professionals and comparative case studies of conventional versus prefabricated projects. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) such as labor costs, material utilization, project duration, and waste generation were evaluated. Data collection was supported by 95 distributed questionnaires, yielding 73 valid responses (a 76.8% response rate), providing a robust empirical basis for analysis. The findings demonstrate that projects utilizing prefabricated components achieved a 30% to 60% reduction in construction duration, primarily due to the concurrent execution of factory production and site preparation. Furthermore, the study identified cost savings ranging from 5% to 20%, driven by enhanced material efficiency and reduced on-site labor requirements. The controlled factory environment also contributed to superior quality control and structural consistency compared to traditional methods. Despite these advantages, significant barriers to adoption remain, including limited local manufacturing capacity, logistical constraints, and a shortage of specialized technical expertise. To mitigate these challenges, the study recommends targeted institutional support, investment in regional production facilities, and the implementation of specialized vocational training. Strengthening policy frameworks and fostering public private partnerships will be essential to scaling these technologies. Ultimately, this research concludes that concrete prefabrication provides a rapid, cost-effective, and resilient pathway for the reconstruction and long-term development of the Tigray region.
Evaluating the Response of Teff to Irrigation Water Level and Type of Surface Irrigation in Meles Kebele Mekelle Zone of Tigray, Ethiopia
(Mekelle University, 2026-03-05) Berhanu Haile Hadera
Water scarcity is the major limiting factor for crop yield production. In this case, the need to use the available water economically and efficiently is indisputable. Both the irrigation water level and the type of surface irrigation are very important to manage the poor irrigation water management practices. The field experiment was carried out at Mekelle Agricultural Research site in Mekelle zone, Tigray, Ethiopia, during the 2024 irrigation season with the objective of evaluating the response of Teff to irrigation water level and type of surface irrigation on yield, some yield components, and water productivity of Teff. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replications. The experiment contains three irrigation water levels of application (100% CWR, 75% CWR, and 50% CWR) and two methods of irrigation (furrow and basin). Soil depth at 0-30cm was conducted using the gravimetric method. Data on growth and yield components were recorded and subjected to ANOVA using GenStat 16th edition software. Analysis of variance indicated that the treatment interactions of irrigation interval with irrigation water level were significantly (p<0.05) affected on water productivity, yield, and yield components of Teff. The highest grain yield (30.63q/ha), biomass yield (119.58q/ha), and water productivity (1.0392kg/m3 ) of Teff were obtained under the furrow irrigation method with 75% crop water requirement. Therefore, the deficit irrigation technique reduces irrigation water application and improves water productivity. If water saving is a major issue, then some yield reduction must be accepted, as shown by the trade-off in this study between water saving and yield loss. Farmers, water managers, water users’ associations, and decision makers can save irrigation water and improve crop productivity using deficit irrigation, and increase their agricultural production by expanding irrigable land with the same amount of water in a given irrigation scheme.
Integrating SCS-CN Method with Machine Learning Models for Rainfall Runoff Modeling: A Case Study in the Upper Geba Catchment
(Mekelle University, 2026-02-16) Gidey Yared Welay
Accurate rainfall runoff modelling is essential for effective water resource management, yet it remains challenging due to the complex, nonlinear interaction between meteorological inputs and catchment processes. This study investigates the application of advanced Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) architectures, Long Short Term Memory (LSTM), Gated Recurrent Units (GRU), and Bidirectional LSTM (Bi-LSTM) for daily stream flow simulation. Evaluating both the data driven models and hybrid framework integrates physical hydrological variables, potential evapotranspiration and effective rainfall derived from the soil conservation service curve number (SCS-CN) methods. To effectively capture the catchment storage effect, optimal model input lags were identified using Partial Autocorrelation Function (PACF) analysis. The model was calibrated and validated on daily hydro-meteorological dataset, calibration (1992-2008) and validation (2009-2015). Performance was assessed using Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE), Kling-Gupta Efficiency (KGE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), and the Coefficient of Determination (R2). The results indicate that the GRU Outperform motherst and alone architectures, achieving the highest Validation performance (RMSE = 1.56m3/s, NSE = 0.891, R2 = 0.897, KGE = 0.944). The I-GRU further improved higher performance during calibration (RMSE =1.16 m3/s, NSE = 0.95) and maintain good performance during validation (RMSE = 1.44 m3/s, NSE = 0.89), demonstrates the strongest performance among t he integrated models. According to flow regimes the I -GRU model perform best achieving the highest NSE for low (0.815) and high (0.872) flows with the lowest RMSE values (1.092 for low and 1.833 for high flows) This finding highlights the benefit of integration and PACF based lag selection for enhancing hydrological understanding and hybridization for process consistency, and this hybrid strengthens the role of advanced recurrent neuralnetworkordeeplearningmodelsinrainfallrunoffmodelingandoperationalwaterresources Movement.
Comparison of Empirical and Numerical Methods for Estimating Seepage Losses in Unlined Irrigation Canals: in Laelay-Wukuro Irrigation Scheme, Eastern Tigray, Northern Ethiopia
(Mekelle University, 2026-02-21) Tsegay Tesfay Hagos
Efficient irrigation water management requires accurate estimation of seepage losses, particularly in unlined canals. The objective of this study was to quantify seepage losses and to evaluate the performance of empirical and numerical methods for estimating seepage in unlined irrigation canals. The study was conducted in the Laelay Wukro irrigation scheme, Eastern Tigray Northern Ethiopia, during the 2024 irrigation season. Seepage losses were assessed in six unlined secondary canal sections (SC1–SC6) with soil textures ranging from loamy sand to clay loam and hydraulic conductivities between 0.30 and 10.72 cm/hr. The methodology involved field measurement of seepage losses and their comparison with estimates obtained from six empirical equations (Davis–Wilson, Moritz, Molesworth and Yennidunia, Swamee, Ingham, and Muskat) and a numerical model (SEEP/W) implemented in GeoStudio software. Model performance was evaluated using statistical indicators including the coefficient of determination (R²), root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), coefficient of residual mass (CRM), percentage average error (PAE), and bias. Results showed that the SEEP/W model provided the closest agreement with measured seepage losses (R² = 0.94, RMSE = 13.25, MAE = 24.12, CRM = 0.02, PAE = −15.4%, and Bias = −0.69), with an average deviation of 2.6% from observed values. In contrast, empirical methods significantly underestimated seepage losses due to their simplified assumptions. The study concludes that the SEEP/W numerical model is a more reliable and realistic tool for seepage analysis in unlined canals and can support improved canal design, seepage control, and irrigation water management in similar hydrogeological settings.
Exploration of cultural heritage potential areas and heritage management challenges, South-Eastern-Tigrai; the case of Saharti Samre Wereda
(Mekelle University, 2025-09-25) Bahre Weldu
This thesis is intended to explore cultural potential heritages and management challenges of Saharti This thesis is intended to explore cultural potential heritages and management challenges of Saharti-Samre Wereda; especially Mariam Debre-Hayla, Yohannes-Kema, and Eyesus-Hintsa Monasteries. To achieve the objectives the researcher employed a qualitative research method. Both primary and secondary data were used to explore the heritage potentials as well as management challenges of the Monasteries. To collect the primary data, an interview was undertaken with selected community elders, Monastery administrators, government officials, and other concerned individuals. In addition, deep and continuous personal observation conducted to fill the gaps in interviews and other sources gathered from various literature. The study analysis revealed that the Monasteries have huge cultural, spiritual, and historical potential. Among these cultural heritages are artifacts, buildings, songs, and manuscripts. Even though the Monasteries have management challenges; such as lack of awareness about the heritage potential, lack of modern church museums, accommodations, limited budget to promote, scarcity of skilled manpower, legal frameworks, and gaps in heritage conservation are among the factors that hinder management of the heritages. Therefore, it recommended that there is a need to promote the potential and collaboration of the administrations of the monastery with different stakeholders such as Saharti Samre Wereda and Tigrai Region Culture and Tourism Bureau, local people and monastery administrators should be responsible for developing and exploring heritage potentials of the study area.