Research Profiles

The COVID-19 pandemic and the quarantine period determined that school students in Qatar had adopted the online class modality, which required them to adapt themselves to new technologies and environmental conditions that are different from classrooms at their schools. The objectives of this study are to analyze the effect of environmental factors on academic performance; discover the effect of technical factors while taking online classes on students’ academic performance; to suggest a conceptual model and test the relationship among the constructs; to examine the impact of online learning factors on student engagement.  Students who are the part of this project will gain knowledge about the systematic process on how to carry out a project through primary data collection and develop their skills in writing technical reports.

"PURPOSE:
The COVID-19 pandemic is a common worldwide encounter, unpreventable on each landmass and influencing all citizens of society. The progressions forced by COVID-19, for example, physical distancing, self-separation, school terminations, and at times, the end of local area-based administrations, all can debilitate the frameworks of systems of support for children to develop and prosper academically. Therefore, the major objective of this study is to uncover the impact of online learning on the academic performance of high school students in Qatar during the covid pandemic. To fulfil this, the researcher reviewed numerous studies about the impact of online learning on high school student's academic performance and established the conceptual framework of how environmental and technical factors affect academic performance and student engagement levels.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH:
For this quantitative research, a 27-item questionnaire was utilized to gather data on Environmental factors (Lighting, Noise & Temperature), Technical factors (Connection stability, Data limits), Student Engagement, and Academic performance from the secondary school students of Qatar. IBM SPSS statistics 23 was utilized to assess the impact.

FINDINGS:
This study's results contribute to the expanding body of research concerning the link between environmental factors, technical factors, student engagement, and academic performance. As a consequence, it is revealed that lighting facility and Internet connection stability have a statistically significant relationship with student academic performance and engagement level. During his/her online classes, when a student doesn’t have adequate lighting facilities it highly impacts their academic performance and engagement level. Light resets the body's circadian beat, so presenting adolescents to light can expand their sharpness and work on academic results. In the same manner, if the students face any difficulties in their internet connection stability during online classes, that also creates a high impact on their performance and engagement level. Numerous students feel like they are falling behind in their online classes because of slacking internet connection. They wind up in challenging and distressing conditions with unpleasant contemplations that their grades will suffer profoundly and sway their academic outcomes.


CONCLUSION:
As a consequence, the results of this paper not only widen the sorts of data that may be utilized, but they also have the potential to provide the empirical credibility required to increase the secondary school student’s academic performance and engagement level during online classes in the academic world. The researchers feel that this study may be used as a model for how secondary schools might use controlled field studies to do research that will help them better to enhance their students during online classes."

The prime industrial players in the Qatari economy are oil and gas companies with activities in production and transformation of natural resources. The adverse environmental and unsustainable effects of the extraction and use of these non-renewable energy resources are quite known. Nationwide, enhancing oil and gas production and their transformation into products, mitigating their adverse effects on the environment, as well as reducing energy consumption while promoting alternative renewable energy sources are highlighted in both the Qatar National Vision 2030 and Qatar National Development Strategy 2. Therefore, this pillar is important to research activities and is considered essential since it is contributing to the core of national economy and can lead to more sustainable and environmentally friendly options. Thus, optimization must play an essential role throughout the whole value chain of the energy sector. The reliance of Qatar on fossil fuels has led to domestic challenges. Unsustainable energy and water use, driven in part by energy subsidies, has contributed to environmental degradation: from increasing groundwater salinity to urban air pollution. Moreover, anthropogenic climate change will lead to severe environmental and social consequences. It is in the national interest to mitigate the effects of these changes through long-term planning by deploying technologies and policies that can lead to optimal and sustainable resource use.In the modern business world, the influence and applicability of mathematical modelling and optimization technologies in various industries continues to grow. More and more institutions and enterprises use mathematical optimization tools on a daily basis. The technology of mathematical modelling and optimization was first introduced and successfully used more than 70 years ago and is still relevant and important today. The main reasons why mathematical optimization is still such an important technology are: 1. Greater availability and quality of data. Over the last decades, the availability of data has increased and the quality of data has improved. enterprises today have access to huge amounts of data and they want to use that data to make better decisions, and that's what mathematical optimization is all about. There is no other technology that can do this with the same robustness as mathematical optimization and with a guarantee of the quality of the generated solutions. 2. Emergence of advanced analysis technologies. Till recently, mathematical modelling and optimization applications were often sidelined and undertaken by the IT departments of enterprises. But over the last ten years, with the explosion of cutting-edge analytical technologies such as AI and machine learning, the world of business has markedly changed. Mathematical modelling and optimization have taken on a central and critical role in many industries and its importance and value will only increase in the coming years. 3. We are witnessing how even medium and small business use mathematical optimization. Traditionally, mathematical modelling and optimization were used primarily as a decision support tool to solve long-term planning problems, but now they are increasingly being used to solve real-time execution problems and thus have become an integral part of the daily work of many businesses. There are three key factors driving this shift in the use of mathematical optimization from scheduling to real-time execution: • Improving the speed and power of mathematical optimizers, which are now able to solve even the most complex business problems, sometimes in a matter of milliseconds; • Availability of user-friendly interfaces for mathematical optimization applications that allow even a non-specialist to use these very complex analytical tools; • Robust mathematical optimization solutions that can be embedded in a wide range of applications that are in the hands of non-business people who, in turn, can (without direct knowledge of the underlying mathematical model) make changes to the model using a high-level interface.

Qatar National Vision 2030's (QNV2030) and strategies are devised to address the challenges presented in previous human development reports published by the General Secretariat for Development Planning. One of the developmental pillars (Environment) outlines several distinct challenges facing Qatar's environment, which include a rapidly growing population, increased air pollution, and damage to natural habitats. Electric vehicles (EVs) are currently of immense interest all over the world and they have become one of trending topics in Qatar. This is a widely discussed subject in mass-media, scientific, governmental, and commercial communities. There are many different, and even contradictive, viewpoints about the wide-scale exploitation of EVs in Qatar. Different groups of interests present and defend different arguments, in particular, which are in-line with their interests. The information published in open sources are predominantly of journalistic and commercial character and there is a lack of academic studies based on objective facts and scientific justification which can serve as a basis for decision making. Such studies must discuss in-depth the economic and environmental dimensions of the problem. Meanwhile, a unique study which used an academic methodology to the problem made a major stride towards solving of this problem. However, this study didn't consider all economic and environmental factors. Moreover, it didn't discuss consumption of green fuel as a real alternative. This study also didn't measure the carbon footprint of electricity generation from natural gas in Qatar to be used as a pillar for the analysis. There are two diverged legends about EVs in Qatar. The first legend is borrowed from the best practices in developed countries where EVs have been proven by their economic and environmental advantages. The second legend insists on the local specific conditions which differ from those in developed countries. Among others, the influencing factors are the type of fuel for generation of electricity, charging stations, and after-sale service. This project aims to analyze the economic and environmental aspects of EVs introduction in Qatar based on scientific facts and real conditions in the country. It will provide the decision makers with scientific-grounded analysis and recommendations about the introduction of EVs in the country. This project will fill the gaps in previous studies, update and improve knowledge about the contemporary industry on EVs, their classification, and the most appropriate classes for Qatari conditions. Economic and environmental impacts comparing with traditional vehicles consuming fossil fuel and green fuel will be explained and discussed and, consequently, conclusions will be drawn out. It is hoped that the recommendations based on the undertaken study will have high practical value. This project will also discuss the latest updates on the ongoing researches in Qatar about perspectives of consumption of Green Fuel made of natural gas (Shell/QSTP), or hydrogen, which has a lower environmental impact than the traditional fossil fuel and could this be an appropriate alternative.

Climate change is bringing about change in the overall weather pattern, temperature and precipitation across the globe. These changes will have varied impacts: for example, the change in temperature in the northern parts of Asian and North American continents might provide better living conditions than the currently prevailing extremely cold temperatures.
We currently have the tools available to analyse mass data and model our future climate. Therefore, it is proposed to train some high school students in climate change science to be the scientists of tomorrow and equip them with the appropriate knowledge and tools of global environmental variation and modelling

The role of agriculture has been marked significantly in sustaining societies throughout the demands, caused by its rapid population growth and economic development. A detailed study is proposed to explain Scientific Objectives: This project will strive to develop innovative smart agricultural practices to improve and explain sustainability. The proposed project illustrates a multidisciplinary approach with five scientific objectives to promote applying artificial intelligence-based machine vision technologies to identify plant pests (diseases) in real-time for assisted monitoring and mapping of plants and soil health for early warning and field terrain to attain sustainable concentrate on developing novel, innovative, and cost-effective technologies, which are capable of accounting for efficient technologies developed through this research project have great potential to achieve self-sufficiency by a Vision 2030 to promote local agriculture production technologies, conserve, and optimize resources and reduce precision soil conservation, sensor-based sustainable irrigation, bio-circular economy) for vegetable and date palm collaborating institutions, and industry stakeholders to tackle different aspects of the proposed project. The project proposed scientific objectives. With the significant increase in food production activity in Qatar, combined with the Atlantic-Qatar and this proposal, greatly enhances the feasibility of this research. Effective planning, communicate the vision of self-sufficiency and food security adds great value to this proposal.

The project aims to test the vineyard development not in a traditional manner instead assessing the development of vineyards considering spatio-temporal impacts. The proposed project is designed to assess the cultivation potential of grape varieties in Qatar and screen varieties for their suitability in terms of drought, salinity and heat tolerance in the wake of global climate change. This will be achieved from studying the ecological aspects and relevance of whole value networks with the objective of evaluating and identifying more ecologically sustainable food and feed-value networks. The proposed project will apply methods for the evaluation of value networks using data gathered from real-world scenarios.

The study was designed to assess the conservation status of Qatar’s endemic flora by determining its floristic distribution and composition using modern GIS (Geographical Information System) and niche modelling techniques. Spatial and temporal mapping and analysis of the vegetation and classification analyses of land use changes were all assessed.
It is concluded that Qatar is undergoing a rapid change in regards to its land-use. Qatar has scarce but important flora which could be exploited for phytochemical extraction and commercialization. Some of these plants have specific niches which could be affected by climate change in the future and can have an impact on the overall biodiversity of Qatar.

The study was designed to assess the conservation status of Qatar’s endemic flora by determining its floristic distribution and composition using modern GIS (Geographical Information System) and niche modelling techniques. Spatial and temporal mapping and analysis of the vegetation and classification analyses of land use changes were all assessed. It is concluded that Qatar is undergoing a rapid change in regards to its land-use. Qatar has scarce but important flora which could be exploited for phytochemical extraction and commercialization. Some of these plants have specific niches which could be affected by climate change in the future and can have an impact on the overall biodiversity of Qatar.

Allelopathy is receiving attention as an environmentally friendly solution in controlling weeds or pests due to the phytotoxicity of certain chemical substances (predominantly polymers of phenols or fatty acids) that exist in soil-plant systems.
It is hypothesized that some commonly growing desert plants of Qatar have potential herbicidal properties.
The project has a great compatibility with the QNRF’s objectives, and will investigate and highlight the importance of natural resources in the wake of climate change and as a way forward to a sustainable future for the State of Qatar. The objectives of the project also coincide with the Qatar National Vision 2030, which believes in a society capable of sustainable development

Qatar National vision 2030 aims at conservation of Qatar natural ecosystem by protecting its environment from anthropogenic impact. The aim of the project is to assess the conservation status of some important endemic flora by understanding its floristic distribution using modern GIS and machine learning modelling techniques. It is vital for a country to understand its natural biodiversity and its spatial-temporal variation. Data of high to medium-spectral resolution imagery is vital in these analyses. As an undergraduate student-centered project, the following achievable objectives have been set: ·        Extraction of remotely sensed data from reliable sources and developing land-use maps of Qatar using ArcGIS. ·        Modelling the present and future distribution of common desert plants using niche predictive modelling software e.g. MaxEnt [5, 6].·        Evaluation of antibacterial and antioxidant values of some common endemic plants of Qatar;

In the last few decades, Qatar’s economy has witnessed a rapid economic growth with amazing infrastructures development coined to its petrochemical industry. However, this development had a cost of environmental degradation; “a major challenge” that poses severe threat to Qatar’s sustaining its rapid prosperity. To explore this potential, we propose to apply state-of-art cutting-edge dendrochronological techniques to develop long chronologies of various shrubs and tree species along the urban-rural gradient to reconstruct the pollution record in Qatar. The methods used in this study can be more widely applied to nearby regions in Qatar and other middle-east countries.

Antimony (Sb) is an emerging contaminant in water, and it is classified as a pollutant of priority interest by the European Union (EU) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Extended exposure to high-level antimony concentrations will lead to acute and chronic health issues. Trivalent antimony (Sb3+) is considered a possible carcinogen according to the 2022 latest classification in the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The Maximum Contaminant Limit (MCL) set by USEPA for antimony concentration in drinking water is 6 µg/L. However, China had set more strict limits of 5 µg/L. Here in Qatar, KAHRAMAA has adopted the value of the USEPA of 6 µg/L Sb at the delivery point as quality for drinking water. Sb can be released from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles. The PET polymer is made from terephthalic acid (TPA) and ethylene glycol (EG). The two reactants react together to form extended polymer chains and water as a by-product. In polymerization procedures, commonly catalyst is used to increase the reaction rate. Around 90 % of global PET production uses antimony-based catalysts because of their lower cost and efficiency. Thus, antimony can reach more than 100 mg/kg in PET material due to using antimony trioxide (Sb2O3) as a catalyst in producing PET. Several studies reported the leaching of Sb from PET plastic water bottles, producing the highest levels of human exposure to Sb, up to ∼10 μg/L over long storage and especially at warm temperatures. Thus, Sb contamination is a significant concern in Qatar because of the heavy reliance on plastic bottles for drinking water. This work aims to measure the amount of antimony leached to different available brands of bottled waters in the Qatar market under typical and stressful conditions. Several registered brands of bottled water in the Qatar market will be tested. In the first stage, an analytical method should be developed and validated to analyze Sb in drinking water. The analytical method will be based on ion-exchange resin pre-concentration of trace amount of Sb and use the available atomic spectroscopy technique at the University of Doha for Science & Technology (UDST). The pre-concentration will offer a lower detection limit and accurate, reliable and sensitive results. Once the method is ready, the second stage will test the diffusion rate of antimony as a function of contact time under typical and stressful conditions. The selected parameters should mimic Qatar's shipping and storage conditions and include temperature, sunlight irradiation, pH, bottle volume, bottle color, and the ratio of empty bottle mass to its volume. Other attention in this study will be on the concentration of antimony in the material of each PET brand. This study hypothesizes that different brands of drinking water bottles will have different concentrations of antimony depending on the manufacturing processes applied and the use of shipping and storage conditions. The protection of public health is the ultimate goal of the present proposed work. So, this will be the first comprehensive study to document Sb concentration in different available brands of bottled waters in the Qatar market and the crucial parameters that stimulate antimony leaching on each brand. It will also provide baseline information and recommendations for health authorities and regulatory agencies to improve drinking water quality, future importing and monitoring plans, and safety records.

This proposal aims to harvesting and generating sustainable clean source of energy by curbing the harm emissions of CO2. Using hybrid wind and photo-voltaic systems, will lead to an increased production of renewable energy expectation, whereby both sources of renewable energy generation are anticipated to complement each other. The implementation of this low carbon electricity production is seen as a solution to mitigate the environmental impact of non-renewable energy sources and thus lower CO2 emissions, hence improving Qatar air quality.

This scientific study proposes a novel design for a photovoltaic (PV) water pumping system specifically tailored for aquaponics systems. Aquaponics is a sustainable farming technique that combines aquaculture (fish farming) with hydroponics (plant cultivation in water). The proposed PV water pumping system aims to address the energy requirements of aquaponics systems while minimizing reliance on conventional energy sources. Parameters such as solar irradiance, water flow rates, and system efficiency are measured and to be analyzed to assess the system's reliability, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 virus has presented a huge challenge to national resources and a race to adapt existing technologies, innovate, and deploy newer ones. The use of thermal imaging has been in particular focus, with the affected cases through the usage of thermal/infrared imaging cameras. Drones equipped with thermal cameras are one of the practical approaches to utilize for monitoring movement and the temperature of the human bodies to minimize, isolate and take appropriate medical actions with suspected Covid-19 cases. In this project drones will be implemented to scan certain premises for suspected Covid-19 cases through the use of digital map to track and scan those who may got affected of the current pandemic crisis. Further to the task of tracking, those affected by this pandemic the drone will be able to fly for local and remote areas to deliver the appropriate Covid-19 vaccines and supply main base vaccine headquarters or stations with the required quantities in a fast, reliable and efficient manner. 

"Residential buildings in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries face the challenge of maintaining comfortable indoor temperatures in
extremely hot weather conditions. This has resulted in a high demand for cooling units, which contribute to significant energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Efforts to reduce buildings energy use and help in decarbonization of residential building in hot desert environments will be addressed in this paper. In many developing countries, the responsibility of selecting air conditioning units (AC) typically falls on the residential homeowner or tenant. Unfortunately, this often results in AC units being chosen based primarily on their cost, rather than their energy efficiency, despite the availability of higher-rated energy star AC units in the global market. To be in line with net zero emission (NZE), an inexpensive solution centered on energy efficiency for the AC unit’s equipment’s manufactures, builders, homeowners, and policy makers without changing building architecture or integrating renewable energy sources, but rather decarbonization of end users will be recommended."

Construction project control is a process that is concerned with attempting to complete the contracted works within the allocated timeframe and the pre-agreed budget, all in accordance with the set quality standards. To this end, the earned value management (EVM) method is undoubtedly recognized as a well-established technique offering an integrated approach for the efficient monitoring and controlling of the project’s cost and schedule targets during the course of execution. However, several limitations have been steadily reported in the literature concerning the underlying assumptions and practicability of this method, as perceived by key players in a number of industries, and more so in the construction industry. These implementation obstacles have led to the performance of extensive investigations dealing with ways and means that can improve the representation, usage, and measurements of the EVM sets of metrics. That said, this research aimed at investigating several decision-aid frameworks that can systematically guide the construction contract engineer in making the EVM tool better accustomed and suited for exercising project controls and administrating construction contracts, while making use of and benefiting from the enhanced capabilities of the technique that are widely spread in the archived literature. To this effect, the adopted multi-step methodology included: (1) the verification of the degree of importance of project controls in relation to project success, in order to establish the continued need for improving on the current practices related to putting in place effective project control processes; (2) the classification of the shortcomings and challenges reported to be incumbering EVM’s employability as a project controls tool; and (3) the compilation and synthesis of the encountered improvements, with the aim of gaining discernment on how the reported EVM shortcomings may probably be overcome. The main research outcomes involved developing several EVM-based frameworks, which shall be of value to the construction contract engineer, through stipulating an integrated set of methods and metrics used for: (i) checking the analytical schedule-based cash flow S-curve (i.e., planned value) submitted by the contractor, (ii) dealing with interim-payment valuations and certifications, and (iii) forecasting and updating the remaining duration for the construction project on hand. Finally, these outcomes revealed an opportunity for developing a number of particular provisions that can be adopted by contract administration practitioners when deciding on or drafting the construction contract conditions. As such, the developed particular conditions clarify and set out the related requirements to be met by contractors and the types of authority to be entrusted with the engineer for facilitating the employability of the proposed frameworks, thereby potentially minimizing the likelihood of conflicts and disputes to arise between owners and contractors on construction projects.

"As claims have become inevitable throughout the course of construction projects, claim/dispute administration mechanisms have gained considerable attention in the last years. These are offered by several standard contract conditions, including those drafted by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Engineers Joint Contract Documents Committee (EJCDC), ConsensusDocs, International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC), Joint Contracts Tribunal (JCT), and New Engineering Contract (NEC). In fact, contract conditions governing the administration of construction claims and disputes play a critical role, in that their underlying resolution mechanisms, when devised properly, can be expected to help expeditiously track the evolution of claims and disputes leading to their resolution. Such successful outcomes act to counteract the detrimental repercussions of unresolved claims on the progress of the project and the relationship between the parties to the contract. However, the literature is found to be lacking research work that can measure the efficiency of any proposed claim/dispute resolution mechanism or can advise as to an optimal (if any exists) such mechanism.
Therefore, this research aimed at rigorously studying and analyzing the claim/dispute resolution mechanisms set forth in various standard conditions in order to assess their offered capabilities and merits on the progression of claims and disputes. The adopted methodology included: (1) performing a comprehensive analysis of the claim/dispute mechanisms, adopted by the aforementioned standard conditions, (2) investigating the spectrum of judgment-rendering roles and their properties, (3) synthesizing an all-encompassing timeline that covers all options that can be possibly applied within each of its modules while pinpointing their differences to aid contracting parties in adopting the most suitable one, (4) designing an agent-based model to simulate the progression of claims and visualize various scenarios, and (5) proposing a claim/dispute framework that can be viewed as optimal in promoting a more efficient tracking and progression of claims and disputes.
The conducted research revealed several findings. The all-encompassing timeline, merging the full continuum of standardized mechanisms, showed that the phases of disclosure of claims, initial judgment, alternative dispute resolution, and arbitration are core to any claim and dispute resolution framework. However, other additional phases of alternative dispute resolution, discussions, and amicable settlement, albeit being optional, can be sequenced differently. On the other hand, the agent-based simulation models showed that the presence of discussions, mediation, and adjudication is essential in order to have a higher possibility of resolving claims prior to being referred to arbitration. Finally, the simulation models revealed that the significant phases can be best sequenced as follows: disclosure of claim, discussions, initial judgment, adjudication, mediation, and arbitration."

"Time is a major constraint in today’s competitive market. Delivering construction projects using the sequential process of the design-bid-build (DBB) method is lengthy and lacks the constructability inputs of the builder. However, this project delivery method (PDM) affords a compatible coordination for the various design elements (DEs) due to the one-time packaging of design deliverables. In contrast, alternative PDMs, such as the construction manager at-risk (CMAR) or the design-build (DB), allow for a faster project completion due to the aspired timesaving associated with the earlier involvement of the builder and the concurrency of the various project functions (e.g., design, construction). On the one hand, starting construction with partially completed design may result in various degrees of incompatible coordination. This incompatibility occurs between the released deliverables and other associated unreleased elements that are usually at different design development stages. On the other hand, when the design consultant assumes the role of a design subcontractor, under a contractor-led DB delivery method, sub-optimally detailed releases for construction – due to the lack of owner’s review requirement − are commonly expected.
There stems the significance of this research work that aims at addressing the implications of releasing design deliverables under alternative PDMs. These implications are related to the design agreement negotiation and formation process, the design consultant’s liability exposure and indemnity, and the quality of the built facility. To this end, the adopted methodology includes four steps: (1) visualize the pattern and packaging of design information release (DIR) under alternative design-construction modes, (2) conceptualize the models pertaining to the design consultant’s staging of services and infer the expected changes in the staffing requirement and fee proposal, (3) test whether the adoption of a specific project organizational structure impacts the exposure of the design consultant to professional liabilities, and (4) track the rework resulting from the incompatible and deferred coordination under the DB method using the Building Information Modeling (BIM) platform and formulate the decision-making flowcharts with respect to proceeding with design and/or construction rework after either a release-imposed or a design-progression mandated coordination. These flowcharts inform the development of a time-variant performance analysis that considers the self-deficiency of the released DEs, the development deficiency of the associated elements, and how the resultant incompatibilities are resolved over time.
These multi-scenario analyses will aid the design-builder, the owner, and the design consultant in controlling quality-related matters with respect to their respective perceived risks and liabilities. Accordingly, from the design-builder’s perspective, monitoring time and budget performance in view of potential reworks leads to a better assessment and planning for potential risks. On the other hand, the analyses indirectly inform the owner about the long-term risks associated with undesired life-cycle costs of the built facility. Finally, this research study serves as an eye-opener for the design consultant when planning and organizing for the assignment of resources required under each PDM. Accounting for the quality of design documentation, while keeping in mind the persisting liability burden, is expected to impact the capability and willingness of the design consultant to deal with (or accept to abide by) a certain pattern or extent of design information release that is in satisfaction with the construction priorities or preferences imposed by a DB contractor."
"Time is a major constraint in today’s competitive market. Delivering construction projects using the sequential process of the design-bid-build (DBB) method is lengthy and lacks the constructability inputs of the builder. However, this project delivery method (PDM) affords a compatible coordination for the various design elements (DEs) due to the one-time packaging of design deliverables. In contrast, alternative PDMs, such as the construction manager at-risk (CMAR) or the design-build (DB), allow for a faster project completion due to the aspired timesaving associated with the earlier involvement of the builder and the concurrency of the various project functions (e.g., design, construction). On the one hand, starting construction with partially completed design may result in various degrees of incompatible coordination. This incompatibility occurs between the released deliverables and other associated unreleased elements that are usually at different design development stages. On the other hand, when the design consultant assumes the role of a design subcontractor, under a contractor-led DB delivery method, sub-optimally detailed releases for construction – due to the lack of owner’s review requirement − are commonly expected.
There stems the significance of this research work that aims at addressing the implications of releasing design deliverables under alternative PDMs. These implications are related to the design agreement negotiation and formation process, the design consultant’s liability exposure and indemnity, and the quality of the built facility. To this end, the adopted methodology includes four steps: (1) visualize the pattern and packaging of design information release (DIR) under alternative design-construction modes, (2) conceptualize the models pertaining to the design consultant’s staging of services and infer the expected changes in the staffing requirement and fee proposal, (3) test whether the adoption of a specific project organizational structure impacts the exposure of the design consultant to professional liabilities, and (4) track the rework resulting from the incompatible and deferred coordination under the DB method using the Building Information Modeling (BIM) platform and formulate the decision-making flowcharts with respect to proceeding with design and/or construction rework after either a release-imposed or a design-progression mandated coordination. These flowcharts inform the development of a time-variant performance analysis that considers the self-deficiency of the released DEs, the development deficiency of the associated elements, and how the resultant incompatibilities are resolved over time.
These multi-scenario analyses will aid the design-builder, the owner, and the design consultant in controlling quality-related matters with respect to their respective perceived risks and liabilities. Accordingly, from the design-builder’s perspective, monitoring time and budget performance in view of potential reworks leads to a better assessment and planning for potential risks. On the other hand, the analyses indirectly inform the owner about the long-term risks associated with undesired life-cycle costs of the built facility. Finally, this research study serves as an eye-opener for the design consultant when planning and organizing for the assignment of resources required under each PDM. Accounting for the quality of design documentation, while keeping in mind the persisting liability burden, is expected to impact the capability and willingness of the design consultant to deal with (or accept to abide by) a certain pattern or extent of design information release that is in satisfaction with the construction priorities or preferences imposed by a DB contractor."

With the increasing reliance on Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in roadway construction and preservation, and due to the long-term nature of these concession contracts, there arises the need for practical and reliable tools that help in assessing the rights and responsibilities of each of the two main parties involved in a PPP road project – the highway agency and the concessionaire – thus forming a clear basis for the negotiations conducted between PPP parties whenever a change in the contract terms is required. This study addresses three risks that are directly related to the pavement’s technical aspect in PPP highway projects: 1) the non-compliance with the standard construction specifications, 2) the increased legal load limit and 3) the traffic volume risk. This will provide a framework for effectively managing these risks, through an accurate estimation of the effect of each risk on the financial flow of the negatively-impacted PPP partner. First, the non-compliance of contractors with the standard construction specifications set by transportation agencies is a major concern in all pavement construction projects. In traditional road procurement strategies, the owner imposes “penalties”, also known as “pay-adjustment factors” on the contractor in case the latter delivers an out-of-specs pavement construction. Pay-factor assessment methods available in the literature consider only the time to the first heavy maintenance activity and the increased agency cost. Such methodologies are not suitable in the context of a long-term complex PPP road project. Accordingly, the present study proposes a methodology for assessing the pay-adjustment factor to be imposed by the concessionaire on the construction subcontractor based on the predicted performance of the out-of-specs pavement. Both the agency and user costs, as well as all maintenance activities performed throughout the concession period, are included in the analysis. The pay-factor assessment method must be addressed during the negotiation phase and approved by the highway agency or its representative, who will be responsible for monitoring the performance of the pavement throughout the concession period, ensuring that appropriate maintenance is conducted to maintain the pavement at a satisfactory ride-ability level, as required by the contract terms. Second, an increased legal truck load limit significantly affects the pavement performance, leading to its accelerated deterioration and imposing additional expenditures for maintaining the road condition at a satisfactory ride-ability level, as required by the contract terms. These expenditures, in a PPP road project, are typically borne by the concessionaire. This study proposes two compensation strategies that can be adopted by the highway agency to remunerate the concessionaire for the increased maintenance costs caused by the increase in the legal truck load limit. The level of compensation depends on the corresponding reduction in the pavement performance throughout the concession period. Finally, inaccurate traffic volumes forecasts represent a major concern in PPP road projects. The two most common traffic volume risk sharing mechanism are the Minimum Revenue Guarantee (MRG) and the Least Present Value of Revenues (LPVR). Current practices in traffic volume risk sharing mechanisms ignore the effect of the change in traffic volumes on the pavement maintenance costs, therefore leading to an unfair risk management. Accordingly, this study addresses traffic volume risk by investigating the effect of the deviation in traffic levels on two major PPP parameters: the generated tolls and the maintenance costs. Then, the MRG and LPVR are adjusted by incorporating the effect of traffic volume risk on the project’s total cash flow, as to ensure a fair risk sharing between PPP partners. Briefly, the methodologies presented in the study require an accurate prediction of the pavement performance subject to the previously described scenarios: 1) delivering an out-of-specs pavement construction, 2) increasing the legal load limit and 3) encountering lower or higher than forecasted traffic levels. The AASHTOWare Pavement ME was used for the performance prediction, along with the LCCA tool, RealCost and a numerical model developed by the World Bank specifically designed for the financial analysis of PPP road projects. The findings of the this study imply that the most critical parameter that needs to be carefully monitored by the construction subcontractor is the thickness of the asphalt-concrete layer, followed by the air-voids content in the asphalt mix. The binder content, on the other side, seems to have a relatively low impact on the pavement’s performance. This is justified by the fact that high quality materials are typically used for the construction of PPP road projects, thus increasing the pavement’s resistance to rutting. Furthermore, the proposed strategies that can be adopted by the highway agency to compensate the concessionaire for the increase in the allowable truck load limit are dependent on the pavement’s characteristics, in terms of the materials used in the different pavement layers, as well as the traffic and climatic conditions. Finally, the results of the conducted financial analysis considering different traffic volumes emphasize the need to include the resulting effect on the maintenance expenditures, as well as the generated toll revenues. In fact, ignoring the impact of the traffic level on the maintenance cost leads to an unfair traffic volume risk sharing between PPP partners.

The roles and responsibilities of structural engineers have varied substantially over the years and continue to do so as the profession strives to meet the emerging challenges and opportunities related to new trends such as sustainability, globalization, technological advancements, complex and diversified project delivery methods as well as increased threats from natural events, accidents, blast loading or other similar causes. Structural engineering is also a vital and unique profession since it bears directly on the life safety of the general public, exposing structural engineers to high risks and liabilities. It is the engineering discipline with the highest frequency and severity of claims as well as the highest insurance rates per fees. Moreover, structural engineers remain intrinsically interlinked with various parties as they operate and may be involved in a potential split or transfer of liabilities with them. However, all stakeholders continue to venture into projects unprepared and unaware of the dynamics and implications of such liability shifts. From this stems the significance of this research which aims to investigate the types and extents of the liabilities faced by structural engineers in light of their changing roles and responsibilities and to then explore how these may be shared or transferred to other parties. To this end, the adopted multi-step methodology involved 1) conducting and analyzing integrative literature reviews, case law reviews, expert interviews, and real engineering case studies based on which the various parties who may be implicated in liability splits were identified and the subsequent steps of this research study were carried out, 2) developing constructs for the split of structural liabilities with contractors under relevant project delivery methods and based on qualitative split models, 3) elaborating constructs for the sharing or transfer of liabilities with internal reviewers as well as with external technical controller and third-party reviewers under various review types, 4) establishing a framework for the development of an effective structural Knowledge Management System (KMS) and constructs for the knowledge exchange process and related liability splits and, 5) developing constructs mapping the apportionment of liabilities with respect to knowledge sharing both intra-organizations in large global engineering consulting groups, within structural design groups, with other disciplines or with firms as well as inter-organizations between the project stakeholders. Finally, the different constructs will inform the development of a general framework delineating all potential sharing or transfer of structural liabilities with relevant parties. The findings of this research will give to structural engineers as well as to other engaged parties an in-depth understanding of the dynamics and the implications of these liability shifts on their work and incurred liabilities. This in turn will help them enter into well thought-out contracts, be prepared to better assume their duties and develop appropriate risk management plans to avoid and mitigate potential claims and disputes.

The objective of the proposal is to develop a computer simulation tool which can be used to simulate an integrated energy system, from the source/supply side i.e., solar thermal collector array, solar photovoltaic array, wind turbine, waste heat source, heat pump ant etc. to the sink/demand side. In this research project the undergraduate researchers will be responsible for developing an appropriate research plan and managing works and developing their own ideas within a supervisory framework. The exposure of the Undergraduate students (URAs) to a research environment and culture will cultivate their interests in graduate studies and desires to becoming researchers as their careers.

A survey study was conducted to examine the mental health stress experienced by university students in Qatar during the COVID-19 pandemic. In February 2020, Qatar witnessed a significant rise in COVID-19 cases, prompting concerns about the mental well-being of vulnerable populations, including students. Similar studies conducted in various countries have revealed increased levels of depression, anxiety, and stress among college students in the aftermath of the pandemic. Therefore, the aim of this cross-sectional survey was to assess the prevalence of depressive symptoms and their variations among 300 participants, including students from University of Doha and others, during the challenging COVID-19 pandemic.

Proposal Description:   Obesity, and associated diabetes type II and cardio-vascular diseases, have assumed epidemic proportions in most industrialized countries. Particularly important is the exceptionally high prevalence of obesity and diabetes type II in the Qatari population. This study aims to generate a prioritized panel of risk factors, genes and molecular pathways associated with obesity in Qatari. The study focuses on defining the epidemiological factors associated with obesity in the Qatari population. A specific effort will be deployed to define the biology of the white and brown adipose tissues of obese Qatari compared to healthy non-obese individuals using genomics and proteomics high-throughput technologies including microarray and massive parallel sequencing technologies. The proposed study is innovative and multidisciplinary through the integration of epidemiological, genomics and proteomics approaches to study the commonalities and peculiarities of obesity in Qatari. This project is expected to significantly impact the research, prevention and public awareness in obesity in Qatar. Benefit to Qatar: The present proposal is targeting the obesity as a major health problem with several implications in the clinical and public health arenas of Qatar. We expect this research work to advance scientific, technological, educational and public health understanding of obesity among Qataris. The results of this project play a fundamental role in the identification and understanding of the epidemiologic risk factors associated with the obesity in Qataris, functions and interactions of macromolecules in cells and deciphering the biological mechanisms of obesity as well as the translation of the scientific discovery into preventive and predictive medicine of obesity and metabolic diseases. Therefore, all institutions in Qatar that are interested in clinical medicine, pharmacology, and biotechnology might use the results of this project. It will have a significant impact in training and building the research capacity in Qatar, which will provide a decisive boost towards a research infrastructure that could establish Qatar as a leading force in the genomics and proteomics fields, and in the prevention of non communicable diseases such as obesity not only in the Gulf region but also all over the world. Undergraduate and medical students from the different universities established in Qatar will be involved throughout the project, and will benefit by improving their research skills.