*Partnership will make Qatar one of the early successful adopters of this technology in its construction market
The advanced technology of 3D printing of buildings and infrastructure will be introduced in Qatar, thanks to a collaboration between Al Jaber Trading and Contracting (JTC) and Texas A&M University at Qatar (Tamuq), a Qatar Foundation partner university.
JTC general manager Mohamed al-Hamayda and Tamuq dean Dr César Octavio Malavé signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch the new partnership, during a virtual ceremony on Wednesday.
The technology will support the production of sustainable 3D-printable concrete with improved properties to withstand Qatar’s environmental conditions. The collaborators said this will mean faster and more sustainable construction.
“We have been building in Qatar for over 44 years, and the industry techniques have been developed in some aspects but the essence remained the same,” JTC's al-Hamayda said.
“When we looked at how the 3D printing technology can transform the construction into much more sustainable and efficient industry, we started working on the best way to deploy it.”
"Along the way, we found out the great team of Texas A&M University at Qatar also shares the same vision. It is the perfect match between academia and industry, and we trust that soon Qatar will be one of the early successful adopters of this technology in its construction market. We thank Texas A&M at Qatar and we are really proud of being their partner in such a mission.”
JTC will support Tamuq’s research by providing technical expertise in construction of concrete structures, as well as resources to enable the delivery of the research outcomes to the construction industry in Qatar. Experts from Tamuq will lead research efforts in this area and provide expertise in materials behaviour and 3D printing of concrete using a full-scale 3D printer.
Malavé said the collaboration could have significant impact on construction technology in Qatar and continues Tamuq’s mission of service to Qatar.
“The goal of our research is to find sustainable solutions to challenges here in Qatar and the region, and this work fits squarely in that theme. We are grateful to our partners at Al Jaber Trading and Contacting for their vision, and we look forward to the future successes of this partnership," Malavé added.
