Dubai, 16 December 2008: Precast concrete structures can provide a competent and cost-effective alternative for the region's expanding construction sector, a leading expert at Hyder Consulting Middle East, the award winning international advisory and design consultancy said at the Precast Middle East Summit 2008, held recently in Dubai.

Dr Ali Mahdi, Technical Manager at Hyder Consulting Middle East told the summit that precast concrete consume less time and money, possess greater strength and stiffness compared to standard concrete and are capable of meeting the diverse architectural requirements of residential as well as commercial buildings.

Precast concrete uses reusable moulds or 'forms' into which the cement mixture is poured and then cured in a controlled environment. The precast structures are then transported to the construction site and lifted into place. Since it is formed in controlled conditions precast concrete has better quality and time and cost involved are much less compared to that of constructing large forms used to pour concrete in conventional construction.

"Precast structures are tougher than what has been assumed traditionally. They are also known to respond well to lateral and gravity loadings, which make them a viable alternative when weighed against global as well as local stability concepts," Mahdi said in his presentation at the summit.

Mahdi's presentation also highlighted how to maximise frame action in precast concrete and thus achieve significant reduction in the design moment in columns.

The theme of the summit was 'Utilising precast concrete to maximise cost-effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability and safety for the Middle East construction market'. A large number of experts and leaders from the region's construction industry attended the three day summit held from December 14 to 16 at the Courtyard by Marriott.

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About Hyder Consulting Middle East
Hyder Consulting is an award winning international advisory and design consultancy. Spanning more than two centuries of engineering and technical excellence, the company employs around 4,700 people worldwide. It has permanent offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia and New Zealand. The company was listed on the London Stock Exchange in October 2002.

Hyder Consulting Middle East has been established in the region for the past 45 years, and is today at the forefront of regional growth, contributing to the engineering of prestigious developments such as the Burj Dubai and City of Arabia in Dubai; Shams Development on Reem Island in Abu Dhabi; Lusail and Education City in Qatar; and Al Areen Desert Resort and Spa in Bahrain.

A regional team of 1,200 diverse and highly qualified staff operates from offices across the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. Working closely with its international network of staff resources, and utilising the latest technology and systems, the company delivers world class solutions in the following disciplines on which clients and partners can build and grow.

- Masterplanning, Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture

- Environmental                               

- Structural and Civil Engineering

- Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP)

- Water, Wastewater Treatment and Networks 

- Oil and Gas Engineering

- Telecommunications

- Transportation and Highways Engineering

- Bridges 

- Facades

- Infrastructure

- Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS)

- Light Rail Systems

For more information, visit www.hyderconsulting.com

Media Inquiries:
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Dubai, UAE
Tel: +971-4-3344550
Fax: +971-4-3344556
S.Alshorafa@asdaa.com / m.hassan@asdaa.com 

© Press Release 2008