UK-based Exova, a global testing, calibration and advisory services provider, said it has won a 33-month contract to provide specialist testing for the construction of the New Orbital Highway and Truck Route in Qatar.

The contract, awarded by the QDVC Bin Omran joint venture, will see the British firm work on the ambitious expressway truck route running to the west and north of capital Doha.

As per the deal, Exova will provide comprehensive testing for soil, concrete and aggregates used in the construction of a 45-km new dual carriage expressway that includes eight grade-separated interchanges.

The testing will ensure the project meets the requirements of Qatar Construction Specification and Ashghal, Qatar’s Public Works Authority, said Exova.

The majority of testing will be completed from a dedicated on-site laboratory, supported by specialist testing from Exova’s main Doha laboratory.

Exova said this contract follows the recently secured deal to provide environmental and materials testing on the new Doha Metro, further underlining its position at the forefront of testing on mass transit infrastructure.

Matt Davies, the managing director for Exova in the Middle East, Asia and Asia Pacific, said: “We provide mission-critical testing, which is crucial to any project but is particularly important in ensuring the performance of mass transit infrastructure.”

“Continued growth in Qatar means that Ashghal is consistently working on a variety of projects and it demands high-quality service from its suppliers.

“We have made significant investment to meet the needs of this project and we are committed to developing our capabilities further in partnership with QDVC Bin Omran and Ashghal,” he added.