[Let's Run Again K Construction] 'First and Best' K Construction's Leading Technology... Landmark of Qatar

＜1＞Hyundai Construction
Secures Large-Scale Project in Lusail Area
Drawing Global Attention Due to World Cup

Overcomes Challenges in Difficult Construction Site
Completes Highway with ITS Applied
The 70-Story Lusail Plaza Tower
Is a Testament to Construction Experience and Expertise
Also Builds the 'Desert Rose' National Museum

Domestic construction companies are having a busy year-end. There is no time to catch their breath as they prepare a new plan for next year to discover future growth engines. Despite the challenging environment caused by the global interest rate hike trend, economic recession, and soaring raw material prices, the domestic housing and construction market is shrinking, but construction companies are doing their best to turn the crisis into an opportunity. Each construction company has set goals to diversify future growth engines through 'overseas business expansion' and 'new technology development.' Overseas business achievements are already following one after another. Meanwhile, the global construction market size is expected to grow by 4% to $13.9824 trillion next year compared to this year, raising expectations for the activities of K-Construction. Domestic construction companies are also focusing on securing technology in smart housing, apartment construction, and new technology and new industry sectors. In particular, research and development (R&D) to apply rapidly changing smart technologies to residential culture and construction sites is ongoing. This article introduces the achievements and various efforts of domestic construction companies seeking new growth engines for sustainable management. [Editor's Note]

Lusail Plaza Tower, currently being constructed by Hyundai Engineering & Construction in Qatar. The Lusail area is a satellite city developed by the Qatari government for the 2022 World Cup, and upon completion, the tower is expected to become a landmark representing the region.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] The world's attention is focused on Qatar due to the 2022 World Cup. Among the locations, Lusail is considered the most noteworthy place because the final match of the World Cup will be held there. This area, located 15 km north of Doha, the capital of Qatar, did not exist when Qatar was selected as the host of the 2010 World Cup. The Qatari government created a new city on virtually empty land and carried out large-scale infrastructure construction for the World Cup.

Among these projects, the Lusail Expressway leading from Doha to the Lusail World Cup Stadium bears the touch of Hyundai Engineering & Construction (Hyundai E&C). Hyundai E&C was responsible for the expansion of the expressway section in The Pearl, a commercial and residential district near Lusail, starting from downtown Doha where the airport is located. The Pearl is an artificial reclaimed land created by the Qatari government by filling in the nearby sea to develop the Lusail area. It currently houses many embassies and luxury residential complexes where royalty and wealthy individuals reside.

Challenging Expansion Work and Regional Difficulties... Expressway Completed with Perseverance

The Lusail Expressway project involved expanding approximately 5.8 km of roadway. Although the length is not long, it was a large-scale project encompassing 16 lanes in total (both directions), 10 tunnels, 4 bridges, water and sewage systems, communication lines, substations, and various other facilities.

Expanding an existing road is twice as difficult as building a new road on empty land because construction must proceed without disrupting existing traffic flow. Especially since most of Qatar's population and infrastructure are concentrated in Doha, expanding the expressway connected to it was a challenge. Hyundai E&C constructed a temporary detour road to accommodate existing traffic first. This was a grueling task involving changes to the signal system and road operation permits. However, the temporary detour was so well made that locals mistook it for a regular road, earning praise locally.

The regional environment, being a desert adjacent to the sea, was also a challenge for Hyundai E&C. To connect major interchanges and surrounding roads, excavation was necessary, but groundwater easily seeped into the ground due to proximity to the sea, causing difficulties. Hyundai E&C resolved this by deploying pumps throughout the entire section to pump out 10,000 liters of water per second. The project involved about 5,000 personnel from 26 countries, totaling 69 million working hours. Hyundai E&C devoted great effort not only to construction but also to safety and progress management, winning the 'Global Best Project Award' from a U.S. engineering magazine in 2018.

Notably, the Lusail Expressway incorporated the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) that Hyundai E&C applied to the Second Yeongdong Expressway. ITS integrates the latest technologies, such as allowing following vehicles to be alerted to accidents ahead and automatically adjusting tunnel brightness according to the environment.

The 16-lane dual carriageway Lusail Expressway in Qatar, completed by Hyundai Engineering & Construction. It connects Doha, the capital of Qatar, with the commercial and residential areas near Lusail, a satellite city to the north.

Orders Based on Trust... Also in Charge of Lusail's Tallest Building

By October next year, Lusail will feature the tallest building in the area, the 'Qatar Lusail Plaza Tower,' a new landmark ambitiously introduced by the Qatari government. Hyundai E&C is responsible for two of the four towers, the tallest ones with 70 floors each (Plot 3 and 4).

The Qatar Lusail Plaza Tower project involves constructing office buildings and commercial facilities ranging from five basement floors to 70 floors above ground near the Lusail Stadium. Hyundai E&C secured the contract by plot, taking charge not only of the buildings but also the surrounding auxiliary facilities in the nearby area. This order was the result of recognition for Hyundai E&C's persistent construction experience and technical capabilities in Qatar.

In particular, Hyundai E&C participated in the bid together with a Malaysian company that supplied steel frames for supertall buildings such as Dubai's Burj Khalifa and took thorough measures to ensure no disruptions in material supply. To overcome difficulties in mobilizing manpower due to COVID-19, Hyundai E&C coordinated with the Korean Embassy and the client to obtain special entry approvals for thousands of Hyundai E&C employees and workers.

Hyundai E&C's Touch on Various Qatar Representative Landmarks

Since winning the contract for the Sheraton Hotel in Doha in 1979, Hyundai E&C has carried out a total of 26 projects to date. The total contract amount is $10.86718 billion, making it the third largest in the Middle East. Hyundai E&C's ability to secure key projects amid fierce competition is due to long-standing trust. As a result, Hyundai E&C has created landmarks throughout Qatar.

One of the representative buildings that symbolize Qatar is the National Museum, also a work of Hyundai E&C. Built over seven years with strong determination from the Qatari royal family, this architectural masterpiece is even featured on Qatar's new currency.

The museum exhibits the lifestyle of Arab locals, the history of the Qatar region, and materials related to major industries such as oil and natural gas. Its unique exterior, inspired by the 'Desert Rose,' a sand cluster found in Middle Eastern deserts, attracts attention. It features 316 circular panels interwoven at various angles, and Hyundai E&C poured all its technical expertise into constructing this building.

The building was completed by first erecting a steel frame shaped like a desert rose, then fitting over 76,000 fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) panels onto the circular plates. Installing the first panel alone took four months due to the precision required to create the petal shapes. Advanced construction methods were applied to build this unprecedented irregular structure. Hyundai E&C was the first in the world to introduce a 3D Building Information Modeling (3D BIM) system throughout the entire construction process. Site workers used the 3D model to identify design errors in advance and prevent potential issues during actual construction. Thanks to this, technical and structural problems were detected early and solutions found.

A Hyundai E&C official said, "Our experience in perfectly completing complex irregular buildings has earned the trust of clients. Based on this trust, we will continue to solidify our position as a leader in Qatar."