Steel Structures Usage and ‎Steel Production: A Case ‎Study in ‎Afghanistan

Mr. ‎Gul Rahman Abdulrahimzai, Mr. Haroon Rasheed Safi and Mr. ‎ Asil Ahmad Halimyar

Volume 2 Issue 1 | Dec 2020

DOI: 10.31841/KJET.2021.9

Views: 5918

Total Downloads: 24

Download PDF

Abstract

Concrete structures dominant in the construction ‎sector and the lack ‎of steel structure usage is a ‎propagating problem in Afghanistan. This ‎problem ‎not only affects the steel production industry and ‎market but also ‎the construction Industry. To ‎determine factors contributing to this ‎problem and ‎their extent, a series of surveys and interviews were ‎‎conducted with steel traders, wholesalers, steel ‎production companies, ‎construction companies, ‎and engineers. The collected data was analyzed ‎by ‎SPSS (Software package for the Social Sciences) ‎program. After a ‎thorough investigation of the ‎results, it was concluded that, the low ‎investment in ‎steel sector has created a shortage in steel products’ ‎‎market. Therefore, traders import steel products ‎legally and illegally, which ‎in turn weakens the ‎domestic production industry on basis of unfair ‎‎competition. Moreover, a serious shortage of ‎skilled labor, design ‎professionals, and quality ‎materials has shifted more attention towards ‎the ‎concrete structure. To address these concerns, this ‎paper has ‎attempted to suggest solutions that can ‎help improve the market ‎condition and shift ‎attention towards building steel structures. The ‎‎outcome suggests that training professionals in the ‎steel sector, importing ‎steel production and ‎erection technologies, increasing tariffs on steel ‎‎imports, controlling illegal imports, exploring ‎mines and iron reserves for ‎raw materials, and ‎making productive investments in the steel sector ‎are ‎likely to contribute to the reduction of the ‎present problems‎.‎

Keywords: Steel Structure’s Usage, Steel Production Industry ‎and Market, ‎SPSS, Steel Imports, Investment.‎