Civil Engineering Department, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore organized a one day international seminar on Development of Cement-less Recycled Aggregate Concrete in Pakistan: A Sustainable Approach as a part of National Research Program for Universities- NRPU (Project No. 16682). This is the third competitive research grant of Dr. Qasim Shaukat Khan as Principal Investigator and Prof. Dr. Asad Ullah Qazi as Co-Principal Investigator. Engineers from academia and industry, postgraduate and undergraduate students, and researchers from University of South Australia, Nagoya University Japan, University of Sialkot Pakistan, University of Central Punjab, Pakistan and practicing Engineers participated in this Seminar.
The proceedings of the Seminar started with the recitation of the Holy Quran and a welcome note was delivered by the Chairman Civil Engineering, Prof. Dr. Noor Muhammad Khan. The Chairman highlighted the recent achievements of the department in the fields of teaching, research innovation and recent renovation works. Moreover, the Chairman appreciated the efforts of Dr. Qasim Shaukat Khan (Principal Investigator – PI) and Prof. Dr. Asad Ullah Qazi (Co-Principal Investigator – Co-PI) and their team in organizing a Seminar, where the renowned researchers, practitioners and students got the opportunity to share their recent research findings. The Chief Guest, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ilyas delivered the inaugural speech in which he signifies the need for sustainable construction materials and technologies in construction industry and emphasised the importance of role of academia in addressing the challenges in construction industry. The Principal Investigator of HEC funded NRPU (P. No. 16682), Dr. Qasim Shaukat Khan provided the insight of the project and briefed the audience about the findings of the first year of the project.
The Key Speakers Dr. Thong M. Pham from University of South Australia, Dr. Muhammad Abdullah from Nagoya University Japan, Engr. Obaid-ur-Rehman, Dr. Qasim Shaukat Khan, Engr. Muhammad Numan, Engr. Muhammad Awais, and Engr. Muhammad Bin Umer from Pakistan highlighted the importance of use of fly ash (by-product of coal used in coal power plants) as 100% replacement of cement in the OPC concrete to develop cement-less concrete as an eco-friendly solution to reduce the effects of global warming and to construct low-cost housing in the country. Moreover, recycled aggregates are used as a replacement of natural aggregates in the development of cement-less recycled aggregates concrete which will help to preserve the natural resources and, reduce the construction and demolition (C&D) wastes in big cities.
Prof. Dr. Nasir Hayat, worthy Vice Chancellor University of Engineering and Technology Lahore; Prof. Dr. Khalid Farooq, Dean Faculty of Civil Engineering and Prof. Dr. Asad Ullah Qazi, Co-principal Investigator, in their concluding remarks appreciated Dr. Qasim Shaukat Khan (PI) in providing a platform where researchers, practitioners and students discussed the importance of cement-less recycled aggregate concrete as an environmental friendly substitute of OPC concrete for future constructions. At the end, Dean Faculty of Civil Engineering distributed the shields amongst the PI, Co-PI and presenters.
