JEDDAH: A former official of the National Committee for Contractors at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce, Raed Al-Aqeeli, has said that mixing concrete and other material is prohibited in temperatures exceeding 38 degrees Celsius.

Speaking to local media, he claimed that the heat “reduces the flexibility of the concrete” as the companies are forced to increase the percentage of water in the mixture due to evaporation.

Al-Aqeeli stated the solutions relied upon by the construction firms for this issue, ranging from the use of ice and cold water, to washing the gravel and sand in the night prior to the big pours in a desperate attempt to keep the temperature of the mixture down.

Another member of the committee, Abdullah Radwan, has stated that late construction has met criticism from neighboring citizens who have complained about the disturbance and inconveniences caused by them at night.