HE the Minister of Municipality and Environment Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Subaie issued Tuesday a ministerial decision forming a joint working team to study the protection of concrete structures and artificial coral reefs under the chairmanship of Dr Mohamed Saif al-Kuwari, head of the scientific and research team of the Ministry of Municipality and Environment, and the membership of representatives from Qatar University, the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) and the Ministry of Municipality and Environment.
The team is tasked to study a technical document issued by Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) focuses on the protection of concrete structures from rust which leads to deterioration, corrosion and cracks.
The project presented by HBKU to the Ministry of Municipality and Environment develops a field model consisting of electronic sensors placed on concrete structures to predict the occurrence of rust and corrosion in reinforcing iron in its early stages due to climatic, chemical and other factors, thus helping decision-makers to treat the defect before it spreads and causes damages that may require large sums for maintenance and rehabilitation.
The team will demonstrate the implementation of the project included in the document to protect concrete installations in Qatar in light of studies and comparative systems.
The team will review practical studies and similar technical models to verify their technical and practical success, as well as the experiences of countries that have used this system, evaluate these experiences and the benefit of their application in the State of Qatar.
The team will also study the manufacture, installation and monitoring of artificial coral reefs in light of the research and experiments conducted in this field, stemming from the ministry's keenness on promoting and protecting wildlife, ensuring sustainability of fish wealth and preserving the biological diversity in the Qatari marine environment.
Related Story