Omani students get Indian patent for concrete reinforced with date palms 

Omani students get Indian patent for concrete reinforced with date palms 

Students and staff of National University of Science and Technology in Muscat have been granted an Indian patent for utilising date palm rachis as an alternative to steel reinforcement bars in concrete beams.Muscat –  In a remarkable feat of innovation, students and staff of National University of Science and Technology in Muscat have been granted an Indian patent for their pioneering work on utilising date palm rachis as an alternative to steel reinforcement bars in concrete beams.

The eco-friendly alternative offers a rust-free and cost-effective solution for construction projects ranging from small buildings to railway sleepers.

The groundbreaking research, spearheaded by Omani students Fatma Khalid Saud al Wahaibi, Fatma Mohammed Khalifa Sahlouf al Sinani and Maryam Mohammed al Belushi, under the mentorship of Dr N Aravind, Assistant Professor in Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, has garnered widespread acclaim. 

The research proposal, submitted to Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, secured funding of RO1,500 under the Undergraduate Research Grant scheme. 

Explaining the essence of the innovation, the student inventors highlighted the abundance of date palm trees in Oman and the significance of repurposing date palm rachis, which are often discarded as waste.

The research demonstrated that incorporating naturally seasoned date palm rachis bars as