The new Ashghal Centre for Research and Development, which opened yesterday in the Najma area, is expected to benefit the country's construction sector at a time when a host of major road, bridges, buildings, drainage and other infrastructure projects are underway and many more are expected to be implemented in the next few years.
Speaking to journalists after a tour of inspection of the centre's facilities, Ashghal managing director and senior engineer Nasser al-Mawlawi said the new facilities would go a long way in improving the quality of construction across the country as it is equipped with advanced equipment, usually seen only at top levels of construction.
Al-Mawlawi said engineers and other technical staff at the Ashghal would undergo programmes at periodic intervals at the centre's facilities.
Answering a query on the effective use of the centre's facilities, the senior engineer said that Ashghal professionals directly involved with the construction at different levels would be able to do both research and advanced programmes at the centre.
The centre, he said, is equipped with machinery for chemical, mechanical, microbiological tests besides such testing devices as asphalt mixture performance testers, universal testing machines, four-bond bending apparatus, concrete work stations, light drop weight testers, shear box compactors, automated asphalt saws. Pavement quality indicators, rebound hammers etc among other facilities.
One of the major attractions of the research centre is its concrete testing and sample preparation facility.
Those undertaking works pertaining to road, drainage and environment projects would be able to carry out researches at its facilities, inquiries with Ashghal officials found.
Equipment worth several millions has been installed and a lot more upgrading of its facilities are expected in coming months. "Upgrading of the facilities at the centre would be done based on the growing needs and requirements of the construction sector," said Nasser al-Mawlawi.
However, the centre is meant for training professionals from Ashghal only, he replied when asked if those from the construction firms in the country would be given training and research at the new facility.
Later the Dean of the College of Engineering of Qatar University Dr Rashid al-Ammari said the new research and development centre would be beneficial to the students, researchers and faculty at his college.
"The new centre will help our students and others at the College of Engineering undertake researches and further training in coming days, Dr al-Ammari said adding it's a win-win situation for the students at the university.
Describing the hi-tech facilities at the centre as "really impressive" Dr al-Ammari said it would not only be beneficial for the researches of the university students but it would also go a long way for carrying out researches in various construction projects in Qatar.
General Manager of the Qatar Laboratory and Standardisation Affairs Dr Mohamed Saif al-Kuwari was also among the guests at the opening ceremony.
Solution to the problem of sewage water overflowing
The ambitious Inner Doha Resewerage Implementation Strategy (Idris), the work of which is expected to start later this year, is expected to be commissioned in 2019, Ashghal Managing Director Nasser al-Mawlawi said yesterday.
This came in a reply to a query from Gulf Times at the inaugural ceremony of the Ashghal Center for Research and Development in Najma.
The QR10bn worth Idris programme which is expected to be an ultimate solution to the perennial problem of sewage water overflowing in different parts of Doha, including in the Industrial Area is being implemented in the lines of similar projects in the UK, Abu Dhabi and Singapore.
The intermittent sewage water overflowing in different parts of Doha, mainly in a number of locations in the Industrial Area, will be permanently solved with the execution of the Idris project, said the senior Ashghal engineer.
The recycled sewage water from different parts of Doha would be routed to the western parts of the city for irrigation purposes from a facility to be built in Mesaieed area.
© Gulf Times 2013
