Al Ain: UAE scientists have developed a new form of concrete from waste material, and say it will be good for subsurface installations as it resists penetration of water, acid and salt solutions.

The material, called Sulphur Polymer Concrete (SPC), has been manufactured from recycled waste and has been viewed as an inexpensive and durable solution for the construction industry. It has undergone several successful tests at the College of Engineering of the UAE University (UAEU) in Al Ain.

The concrete has been developed by two UAEU scientists, Dr Abdul Mohsen O. Mohammad and Dr Maisa Al Jamal from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, said a report published by the Research Affairs of the university.

The scientists have used material such as sulphur, a by-product from the oil industry, fly ash, a by-product from the cement industry and desert sand from abundant sand dune quarries.

In their report, Dr Mohammad and Dr Al Jamal said hydraulic cement-based concrete materials are currently being used in the transportation and handling of troublesome fluids such as acidic sewer waste. The existing sulphur products were facing a problem of premature cracking due to internal stress.