Salma Al Maghawry

Metal manufacturing produces various types of byproducts and metal waste that have been growing exponentially. The increasing amounts of metal waste are usually disposed of in landfills, which causes soil and water pollution and increases the amount of gas emissions. On the other hand, in the field of pavement construction, the demand for natural materials is increasing rather rapidly. Many studies have suggested utilizing aggregate-like waste material in pavement construction, but there is little to no literature documenting the use of metal strips of different types. The aim of this study is to investigate utilizing the metal waste produced by the Intag Sohar company in layers of flexible pavement. Selected types of metal waste were utilized in the construction of the material used for base and subbase road layers. Three main parameters were studied: the number of layers, the distance between strips, and the direction of the strips. The effect of the metal waste on the pavement material is evaluated using the standard California Bearing Ratio test (CBR), which is the most important indication of the strength of the pavement material. Results show that the highest-quality mix consisted of four layers of metal waste with 1 cm spacing in one direction with CBR% values equal to 118.807%.

Over the past few decades, solid waste production, specifically construction waste, in Middle Eastern Arab countries has dramatically increased. This is characterized by several factors, including rapid urbanization, common food wasting habits, diverse culture, lack of proper planning of solid waste processes, insufficient equipment, as well as lack of proper funding. The exponential growth in solid waste generation rates has led to hazards to health and the environment, causing issues related to air and water pollution under the already increasing pressure of climate change. In this review, we analyze the current solid waste challenges in 13 Arab countries, common diseases, and actual projects applied. The selection of Arab countries was mainly based on the countries with the highest population as well as the availability of data in the field of study. This review also highlights the efforts of the Arab governments that implemented several pilot projects that are not sustainable or effective in the long term. We discuss the main issues facing each Arab country and the main challenges they have in common, as well as the potential to use the great amounts of construction waste in these countries. It is recommended that proper disposal and collection plans should be prioritized in the municipalities’ agendas since air and water pollution represent the main challenge in all Arab countries. Adequate treatment, recycling, and compost production facilities should be initiated and monitored regularly to take advantage of the relatively high percentage of organic matter in most Arab countries. Proper cooperation between the informal sector, private companies, and governments should be ensured in order to achieve long-term goals in the solid waste management (SWM) sector in MENA (Middle East and Northern Africa) Arab countries. This review provides a comprehensive study of the construction waste in MENA Arab countries that will help reach the goal of achieving sustainable countries.