The Public Works Authority ‘Ashghal’ has participated in Qatar Steel’s workshop about "optimization of steel slag in construction", to discuss how to utilize steel slag and recycling to use it in roads projects, through adding steel slag for asphalt and concrete mixtures.
Speaking at the workshop, Eng. Saad bin Ahmed Al-Muhannadi, President of the Public Works Authority ‘Ashghal’ stressed the support of the Public Works Authority for all promising initiatives that include the use of alternative local materials, including materials from recycling or waste from industries that can be recycled to meet the country's aspirations for a sustainable environment.
He declared that a team from Ashghal led by Eng. Khaled Mohammed Al-Emadi, Quality and Safety Department manager in Ashghal, participated in partnership with the Ministry of Municipality and Environment and the British Transport Research Institute and Qatar Steel, for using steel slag in asphalt and concrete mixtures and compare the results with local and international requirements and standards.
The project team, in cooperation with local contractors, created new asphalt and concrete mixtures that have steel slag as a partial alternative for imported stones. The asphalt mixtures were used to build a test road in Mesaieed area, in addition to using the pre-cast concrete mixtures in building road barriers, manholes and underground construction works. 
Over 30 months, which is the project period, the field and laboratory tests results proved that the new mixtures meet the approved quality standards. On another note, those innovative mixtures contribute to finding a solution for the accumulation of waste, through creating technical methods that aim to benefit from it in construction, saving at least 20 to 40 % of imported building stones, and with a similar adequacy.
Al Muhannadi added: "the positive results that the team got are evidence of the coherence and coordination between the government entities and industrial companies aiming to serve the goals of the country that tackle the environmental issues. It also encourages the Qatari community to use the new technology that contributes to developing the environmental work and offers a developed and ideal service for the country and the community. From its side, Ashghal effectively contributes to all initiatives that aim to reach these goals, whereas Ashghal mainly participates in all Qatar Construction Standards committees and in the National Construction Materials Committee".
The workshop was attended by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment representatives and the Public Works Authority, as well as a number of representatives of concerned government agencies, university professors, research centers and a group of engineers and consultants in government and private sectors.
The Authority received the Qatar Steel Award in recognition of its efforts in "Optimization of steel slag in construction" and Ashghal’s team was awarded for finding effective solutions to preserve the environment, and participate in making use of the waste steel in the Authority’s projects. President of Ashghal honoured Ashghal team members to encourage them to move forward and cooperate with other entities to achieve the desired objectives.

Source: QNA