Steel Structures Usage and Steel Production: A Case Study in Afghanistan

Concrete structures dominant in the construction sector and the lack of steel structure usage is a propagating problem in Afghanistan. This problem not only affects the steel production industry and market but also the construction Industry. To determine factors contributing to this problem and their extent, a series of surveys and interviews were conducted with steel traders, wholesalers, steel production companies, construction companies, and engineers. The collected data was analyzed by SPSS (Software package for the Social Sciences) program. After a thorough investigation of the results, it was concluded that, the low investment in steel sector has created a shortage in steel products’ market. Therefore, traders import steel products legally and illegally, which in turn weakens the domestic production industry on basis of unfair competition. Moreover, a serious shortage of skilled labor, design professionals, and quality materials has shifted more attention towards the concrete structure. To address these concerns, this paper has attempted to suggest solutions that can help improve the market condition and shift attention towards building steel structures. The outcome suggests that training professionals in the steel sector, importing steel production and erection technologies, increasing tariffs on steel imports, controlling illegal imports, exploring mines and iron reserves for raw materials, and making productive investments in the steel sector are likely to contribute to the reduction of the present problems.