Qatar University

College of Engineering
Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering
Summer 2018
CVEN399 - L02 -Practical Training

Final Technical Report

Mohammed Abu-Shaldham
201206276

Due Date:
9th of August 2018
 Table of Contents

Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Objective..........................................................................................................................................2
Background of the company............................................................................................................2
Project description...........................................................................................................................3
Assigned Duties...............................................................................................................................4
Daily work development..................................................................................................................5
Development, Understanding and Learning outcomes as a student............................................8
Multidisciplinary Experience...........................................................................................................9
Industry-Academic perspectives..................................................................................................9
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................10

1
Introduction

Engineering is the right professional way of applying science to the finest conversion of the
resources of nature to benefit humankind. As a career-oriented applied education, Civil
Engineering Students Internship bonds the gap between theoretical and practical and offer
students with practical, site based, real world experiences during their study period. Further,
summer internship visualize the subjects that the students have been studying and how it would
work and look on the field. Where, the engineer has to keep in mind environment, financial
capacity, municipal conditions and building by laws in order to maintain a smart provision of
future.

Objective

The objective of internship is to reflect on the activities and the experience developed during the
period of training and work experience that is relevant to professional development prior to
graduation. I have been chosen to be trained under Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC)
which provided me with the following opportunities:
1- Relate theoretical knowledge with the industrial applications.
2- Acquire knowledge of various stages of construction, project management, planning,
engineering, procurement, quantity surveyor, quality control and quality assurance.
3- Exercise ethical and professional work culture.
4- Produce Health Safety Environment (HSE) practices at workplace.
5- Capability in interaction and communication between workers and supervisors.

Background of the company

Consolidated Contractors Company is a leading civil engineering firm, having experience of

more than 65 years. CCC has expertise in capital and infrastructure projects through a range of
procurement means mostly public than private firms. They have worked across worldwide
specifically middle east on multiple projects, including railways, roads, ports, water reservoirs
and energy sectors.
Consolidated Contractors Company was set up in Lebanon at it is first in 1952 by three talented
young entrepreneurs, the late Kamel Abdul-Rahman, the late Hasib Sabbagh, and Said Khoury,
joined forces to create one of the first Arab construction companies, they have extended
gradually and geographically through a strongminded and motivated acquisition planning. From

2
its beginning in 1952 CCC, has become the largest engineering and construction company in the
Middle East.

3
Project description

The project involves the upgrade of approximately 4 km of existing dual carriageway on

Mesaimeer road from south of the Abu Humour street junction to south of Al Waab Street. The
existing road is widened to four lanes in each direction plus parallel at grade service roads on
either side of carriageway including constructing of 4 pedestrian bridges. Figure 1 below shows
the project locality plan.

Figure 1: Upgrading and Constructing Mesaimeer Road locality plan

The upgrade works include a new two level grade separated interchange at Abu Haumour street,
including an elevated road on bridge and MSE embankment approximately 900 M in length; a
new grade separated interchange at Haloul street and introduction of a third level overpass at the
existing Salwa Road interchange, including an elevated structure approximately 1200 M in
length crossing both Haloul street and Salwa Road. The project still in it is early progress which
upgrading and constructing existing and proposed utilities and old roads where it tends to finish
in 2021.
Table 1: Detailed Project Description

Project name Upgrading and Constriction of Mesaimeer Road

Location South of Abu Humour street junction to south of Al Waab Street
Client Public Works Authority 'Ashghal'
Design Consultant Parsons Brinckerhoff
Supervision Consultant Parsons Brinckerhoff
PM Consultant KBR -  Kellogg Brown & Root
Contractor Consolidated Contractors Company & Teyseer Group
Project Budget 1,700,000,000 QR
4
 Project duration 1,227 days

Assigned Duties

First of July attended meeting with head administrator and the director of project where I was
briefed about the whole project structure and the assigned duties as a trainee. The company has it
is own system for the trainees which similar to the Graduated under Development (GUD)
rotation but in short period. The system include a rotation in all project departments in order to
achieve the following:

 Gives trainee a break from strenuous duties.

 Encourages development.
 Increase skills and organizational capacitates.
 Trainee motivation and retention.
 Gain experience of different functions.

The chart below shows the structure buildup of the project departments and the duration at each
department of the project which was assigned to me by the project director.

PWA

CCC Construction 12 Days

Engineering 3 Days

QS 3 Days

Planning 6 Days

Procurement 2 Days

QA/QC 4 Days

PMV 2 Days

HSE 2 Days

Surveying 2 Days

Cost Control None 5

Daily work development

Week 1 (Construction - Road works) 1st of July to 7th of July

 Attend Safety and Health induction for site work.

 Comprehending and understanding the construction of earthwork.
 Interacting with the surveyors at the site.
 Getting in deep with process of changing and constructing the utilities such as electrical
cables, pipe lines and drainage system.
 Getting familiar with process of excavating the foundation of the traffic signals and
gantry steel fixing.
 Attending Site inspection by the consultant performing compaction test.
 Observing the installing of formwork and installing the steel cage after the first layer of
the concrete is being cured and water proofed.

Figure 2: Surveyor analyzing points at Figure 3: Consultant agent preforming Figure 4: Placing formwork for the signal
the site compaction test foundation

Figure 5: fixing gantry steel cage at the Figure 6: Installing final formwork and Figure 7: Electrical cables main gantry
site steel cage before concrete pouring base

Week 2 (Construction - Road works and structure) 8th of July to 14th of July

6
  Analyze and comprehend the drawings on my own for the excavation of storm water
manholes trench.
 Observe the installing of the water pipelines, manholes formwork and concrete pouring.
 Getting familiar with existing LV, MV, HV and EHV electrical cables and the danger of
disabling them while excavating by mistake.
 Attending site inspection for the trail pits of the pile holes before starting the rigging
using bitumen and water.
 Getting familiar with process of grinding the rock level for pile holes and installing the
steel cage of the bridge first foundation process.
 Making sure the labors are doing housekeeping and preparing for the removal of all
finished formwork.
 Checking the process of laying out course aggregate on the sides of the trench to prepare
it for backfilling.

Figure 8: Strom water trench including Figure 9: Concrete pouring for storm Figure 2: Storm water manhole second
manhole and UPVC water pipes water manhole base layer shattering installation

Figure 11: Pile holes Rigging machine Figure12: Pile hole steel cages inspection Figure 13: Pile holes pouring concrete
using bitumen and water 7
  Sat with Engineer Ashraf from the engineering department to learn how to properly read
the issued for construction (IFC) drawings.
 Analyzing what learned on site with the drawings on the main office to point the major
construction steps and method of statement.
 Had a task to compare between the shop drawing and the (IFC) drawing to figure out the
difference between them and correct the errors using AutoCAD software.
 Did count off for the number of manholes, pips, gantries and chambers using the shop
drawing and discussed that with procurement manger.
 Moved to Qs Department and sat with Engineer Haroon to discuss the relationship
between the Engineering Department and QS Department and analyzing the difference
between them.
 Had a serval tasks to calculate the concrete volume for the whole project pile holes,
bridge segments, approach slabs and bridge abutments manually and then using Excel
Software.
 Had tasks on calculating the formwork for the four pedestrian bridges.

Week 4 (Planning) 22nd of July to 28th of July

 Briefly introduced to the planning department and it is objective.

 Reading the whole project scope and summarize it in one page paragraph.
 Had task on building a work break down structure (WBS) for the whole project
earthwork.
 Given task on building bar bending schedule (BBS) for the project earthwork using
Microsoft excel then estimate the final duration.
 Observing the related departments with planning department by communicating with
them and writing one page paragraph describing it.

Week 5 (Procurement and QA/QC) 29th of July to 4th of August

 Observing the difference between the material control and purchasing files and
summarize it.
 Was giving a test about the information in the material control and purchasing files.
 Moved to the store to learn and analyze the materials needed in construction by sight.
 Given a brief introduction about the quality management system and contract files.
 Was given a task to do Inspection test and plan (ITP) for ooredoo works, Inspection
request (IR) for area 1 manholes and Non-conformance report (NCR).
 Did three inspection visits with the consultant agent and QA/AC engineer.
 Ensured that the work is carried out to the requirements of the quality control procedure.

8
  Moved inside the Lab where all the machines where placed to test specimens from the
site.
 Saw the Procter compactor testing machine to test the maximum dry density.
Week 5 (PMV, HSE and Surveying) 5th of August to 9th of August

 Introduced to the Plant, Machinery and Vehicles department for the process of managing
and guiding the workshop day to day activities of providing the project with machinery,
tools, vehicles and heavy equipment.
 Given a task with the engineer to ensure that all vehicles are road-worthy and safe, driven
by maintained experienced personnel and trained drivers.
 Observed the effectiveness of all plant operations, analyses information and
recommendations.
 Observed HSE regulations, requirements and procedures to keep the construction phases
away from risk and hazards.
 Participated in detailed incident investigation about disabling a High Voltage cable while
excavating at the construction site.
 Did a site inspection with the HSE engineer and observed the major points of his job such
as maintain the cooperation between the site engineer and the HSE officers.
 Supported the surveyors with field measurement and layout by interacting and working
with them at the construction site.
 Got involved in assisting and providing horizontal and vertical control map.

Development, Understanding and Learning outcomes as a student

1- Was able to apply what learned at the classroom to reality and relates the concepts and
differences.
2- Was able to handle the given tasks and solve them professionally in order determine the
types of skills I have and motivate myself for the next challenges.
3- Communicated with strangers, supervisors, managers and workers to get involved in
every type of environment that might benefits me.
4- Achieved a mutual goal of analyzing and understanding the job of each department of
any construction project to figure the starting and finishing points which was challenge
for me.
5- Analyzed the engineer ethics by using the knowledge and skills to the human welfare and
the civil environment.
6- Supported the supervisors with ideas, principles and efficient solutions from my
theoretical background to reduce time, money and risk.

9
Multidisciplinary Experience

During the six weeks training, experiences and conflicts with other departments must happen in
any project and on this project all struggles and issues where solved in a fast way, without any
complicating the size of the problem and causing further issues. For example at the site, was with
some workers who were using the company trucks to go to camp at the break time because they
missed their transportation bus, and this issue had to be resolved with the time keepers and the
administration directly. And another experience in the next weeks was meeting with mangers on
the main office of the Engineering and QS departments to get heavy explanation and get familiar
with the shop drawings and which sections of the projects to focus on so both sides can work
comfortably. Also, had an experience in planning on how to build a work breakdown structure
and bar bending schedule which was related to my academic studies. Got familiar with the
management and contract files and did several inspection visits to understand the consultant way
of thinking.

Industry-Academic perspectives

Furthermore, since my internship was in the contracting side there wasn’t much design included
and most of our studies at the university from the academic background was design orientated.

 Design of Reinforced concrete members: assisted me in understanding the shop drawings

that was given by the engineering department and to be able to know what each details in
the drawing means and why it was put there.
 Properties and testing of materials: helped me understand the lab visit that I had and I was
able to share information with the engineers about the tests, and helped me understand
how important the tests are for the site work for both soil and asphalt.
 Surveying: In this course we took how to use the leveling machine and the total station
machine and how to calculate all the numbers needed. When I saw this on site I was able
to quickly recall a lot of my educations and quickly pick up on what was the engineer
explaining to me.
 Geotechnical and Foundation Engineering: most of what I saw on site was related to
these two subjects because the project still in it is beginning phase. For example, how the
foundation of a retaining wall is designed and built, how the storm water drainage system
is applied to site to minor the water level and how the excavations are done in a safe
process to avoid any earth collapsing.
 Highway Engineering: this course too was very valuable for me since the entire project
was a highway design so I was able to see exactly what I studied three semesters ago and
be executed in front of me.

10
Conclusion

In conclusion this report reflects what I have achieved as civil engineer trainee for the past six
weeks. Firstly the aim of a civil engineer is to design and plan various types of structures. This
was not possible at the first until I involved myself in the construction site and office orientated
tasks. For the site tasks the engineer is mostly responsible for implementing the structural design
on ground. Also, needs to have depth of knowledge and foresight so that his project does not
stuck up for material, manpower, any special equipment or any other project related problem.
For example, such as continuing the work without dealing with consultant or quality assurance
and control department feedback. Secondly, for the theoretical base I was given a number of
paperwork tasks related to the project. The key of these tasks is to get involved with office work
and to implement the basic process of any construction project. The overall experience of
working under CCC was overwhelming and interesting, since all the mangers, engineers and
employees has treated me as a new employee and was very supportive with every question and
misunderstanding I had. Now I have a clearer image of how important a practical training course
is for a student since it helped me make a good connection between my theoretical studies and
the working field. Moreover, gave me experience on how to deal with various teams from the
project workers to the mangers to achieve a mutual goal of analyzing and understanding.
Finally, the technical details gained such as communication and coordination skills which are
mandatory in any project to achieve a progressive work, the design and constructing of road
work and most importantly the duties of each department of the project, communication loop and
transferring the paperwork smoothly without any complexity to achieve fast progress and
finishing the project in time.

11