Source: The Star Online
UNIVERSITI Tunku Abdul Rahman’s Civil Engineering students have taken the top two spots of the Nehemiah Design competition 2016 held at Monash University, Bandar Sunway.
Teams Future Light and Aces, consisting of the university’s Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science Department of Civil Engineering students, won RM5,000 and RM3,000 respectively.
Both teams’ projects were to create practical, cost-effective and sustainable methods for construction purposes on soft soil.
Future Light team leader Tan Sheng Hua said their project’s design had used a bamboo-piled mattress system to support embankments of soft soil.
“The bamboo will distribute the load uniformly across the soil, while helping to minimise the settlement of the soil.
“We’ve gained practical knowledge in geo-technics which cannot be learnt in class,” Tan said.
“The competition has also showed us the importance of research in prototype creation,” he said.
Besides Tan, the team consisted of Civil Engineering students Lee Yee Linn, Alice Lim Pei San, Yap Ying Qin and Wong Huei Hann.
Aces team leader Liew Chi Hoe said their project used low density industrial waste such as plastic bags, plastic bottles and polystyrene to create an inexpensive foundation to distribute the load on soft soil.
“We have become more aware that construction on soft soil is an ongoing challenge for civil engineers.
“We are thankful to have the chance to expose ourselves to this problem early because it will better prepare us for future challenges,” said Liew, adding that his team also consisted of Lim Kah Kien and Yim Zen Wai.
Also present during the competition were Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, Nehemiah Reinforced Soil Sdn Bhd founder chairman Dr Nehemiah Lee Chee Hai and G&P Professionals Group chief executive officer Datuk Dr Gue See Sew.