Journals of Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM)
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Reliability Simulation Mechanism Model of Big Data Mileage Prediction for Automotive Warranty
Get PDFStiff competition among automotive manufacturers to secure market share results in a short period of product development until production. Thus, there is a gap of limited attention concerning effective early detection tools leveraging information technology to identify product quality by optimising warranty data towards expediting market action. A big data simulation analysis model of warranty prediction is proposed based on parameter mileage using the Weibull statistic platform. Input of warranty prediction analysis based on warranty historical data, continued with data cleaning and selection. The algorithm model is applied to support big data analysis based on the application of Weibull statistics. The product with the highest failure rate in terms of warranty amount and quantity, part number PN312, was selected. The shape ? value is 2.308, which matches the Rayleigh distribution with the shape ? of product failure at 403,948km when the incidence is 63%. The model orchestrated the future warranty outcome and consequences. Relatively, the warranty prediction system simulates the evaluation costs of poor quality. The development of a new prediction simulation model will enhance the application of QC tools, expedite the selection of poor-quality products, eliminate wasteful resources such as time and manpower, and simplify the investigation proces
Performance of Azadirachta Indica as Bio-Flocculant in Reducing Turbidity Concentration from Landfill Leachate
Get PDFIt is widely established that the amount of municipal solid debris produced daily continues to rise. As a result, municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills struggle with leachate formation, which puts groundwater and surface water at serious risk. Leachate is a liquid that has extracted dissolved and suspended materials from waste and travels through landfills. Dumping landfill leachate directly into a body of water or the environment puts the ecology and public health in danger since it contains high levels of COD, pH, ammonia nitrogen, turbidity, and heavy metals. Therefore, finding and offering an efficient landfill leachate treatment is undoubtedly required. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of the bio-flocculant Azadirachta Indica (bf-Ai) as a flocculant in the coagulation-flocculation process for the treatment of landfill leachate under various experimental circumstances. Additionally, the performance of conventional coagulant alone, which is alum, will be experimented and compared with a combination of alum (as coagulant) and Azadirachta Indica (Ai) as bio-flocculant (alum + bf-Ai). Based on this study, the combination of alum + bf-Ai recorded higher removal of turbidity, which is 64% compared to alum alone (62%) at raw pH of leachate and the dosage of alum + bf-Ai as 0.8g and 5g, respectively. Additionally, reduction in the usage of alum dosage can also be seen in this combination, which decreases from 1.4g to 0.8g only. This reduction is a positive sign since alum alone has produced hazardous sludge (secondary pollutants) damaging the environment and human health. Thus, further research should be conducted on the potential of Ai as a bio-flocculant aid
Factors Affecting the Rate of CaCO3 Precipitation in Biocementation of Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil
Get PDFGround improvement methods using physical and chemical treatments are considered effective but costly, involving large engineering work and may pose serious environmental problems. Therefore, biocementation using enzyme-induced calcite precipitation (EICP) technique is introduced. The efficiency of EICP is influenced by the production of calcite carbonate, CaCO3 and governed by multiple factors. While some preliminary studies have been done on variety of soil types, none the them were performed on heavy-metal contaminated soil. This paper presents the research conducted on factors affecting the CaCO3 precipitation in biocementation of mining waste collected from a copper mine in Sabah, Malaysia treated using EICP solution, cured in a leaching cell and tested using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy and acid washing test. Results concluded that factors affecting the production of calcite carbonate content are the cementation concentration (1.0M > 0.5M), degree of compaction (70% MDD> 80% MDD) and curing temperature (25 ⁰C > 15 ⁰C > 5 ⁰C). Meanwhile, immediate production is observed (1-day curing) indicating that curing time is not a significant factor. Hence, the results proposed that the optimum production of CaCO3 for treatment of heavy metal in contaminated soils is at cementation solution of 1.0M, compacted at 70% MDD and cured at 25 °C temperature
Impact of Data Source on Evapotranspiration Calculation: On-Site Vs. METMalaysia Weather Stations
Get PDFCrop water requirement is the estimation of water that needs to be replenished due to the crop evapotranspiration (ETc) by the crop. This process is critical for ensuring adequate irrigation and maximizing crop yield. In Malaysia, climate data from Malaysia Meteorological Department (METMalaysia) stations are commonly used for ETc estimation. Although these METMalaysia stations are not located directly within the plantation area, these data are easily accessible and widely utilized for ETc calculation. However, misleading climate data will result in a wrong estimation of evapotranspiration (ET), which may lead to over or under-irrigation, resulting in plant damage thus decreasing the yield. Durian (Durio zibethinus), known as the “king of fruits”, holds significant economic importance in Malaysia due to its high demand in both domestic and export markets across ASEAN countries. Understanding the ET of durian is essential for optimizing irrigation practices and enhancing crop revenue for farmers. The objective of this study is to compare ETc from climate data consisting of daily minimum and maximum temperature, humidity, wind speed, and sun radiation, obtained from on-site weather station and METMalaysia weather station. This study is conducted in a durian plantation at Durian Valley, Kluang, Johor. Data analyses were conducted using a T-test. The result shows a significant difference between calculated ETc using climate data obtained from the on-site weather station compared to data from the METMalaysia weather station which emphasizes the importance of accurate, location-specific climate data for effective irrigation management in durian cultivation
Enhancing Energy Consumption Prediction by Integrating Occupant Activity with Machine Learning Models
Get PDFThe precision of the forecast of the power consumption of buildings isessential for big constructions in the present day. However, many ofthe models in use fail to consider the effect of people’s activitieswithin the building on energy consumption. To overcome thislimitation, this paper uses a synchronized data collection approach tocollect data from different sensors about occupancy activity andpower consumption. Several machine learning models are employedwith this coordinated data, and the effects of occupant behaviour onpower usage are explored. By analyzing the results of the modelsgenerated by the two algorithms, the best ways of reachingbehaviour-sensitive power consumption prediction are determined.Therefore, the findings establish that the additional data concerningoccupant activity provides more accurate assessments of energyusage that can be quite beneficial for enhancing the furtherdevelopment of better adaptive and more efficient buildingmanagement systems. This work also helps to fill the existing gap inenergy prediction literature wherein, unlike other fields, the humanfactor is considered in machine learning models that can lead to moreaccurate and more immune to distortion energy forecasting
Investigating The Role of Sustainable Practices in Construction Materials Handling: A Pathway Towards SDG Integration
Get PDFThis research explores the integration of sustainable practices in construction materials handling to enhance sustainability and support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The study aims to identify current barriers in construction materials handling practices to pinpoint inefficiencies and areas ripe for improvement in sustainability, determine the potential benefits of implementing sustainable practices in construction materials handling on the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and propose strategies for integrating sustainable practices into construction materials handling processes effectively.. Using quantitative data collection and analysis, the study reveals that sustainable materials handling practices lead to cost savings (mean = 4.06) and that insufficient regulatory support is a major barrier (mean = 4.0). Enhanced reputation (mean = 4.15) and prioritizing green building certifications (mean = 4.19) are highlighted as key benefits and strategies, respectively. Reliability analysis shows Cronbach\u27s Alpha values between 0.835 to 0.916, indicating good to excellent reliability, with an overall value of 0.888. These findings emphasize the need to address regulatory barriers and focus on green certifications to foster sustainable practices in construction materials handling, aligning the industry with SDGs
Enhancement of Hybrid Beam Capacity with Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP): The Experimental Investigation into Metakaolin Substitution Effects
Get PDFThe improvement of beam capacity is achievable through various alternatives, such as using high-strength concrete. However, enhancing concrete strength in beam without increasing the tensile reinforcement capacity can result in a smaller depth of concrete compression block (a). Reinforcing beam with high tensile strength (Ex. FRP) flexural reinforcement also has significant effects, causing an increase in flexural capacity. Previous investigations have established that concrete in the compression zone can fail before FRP reaches the yield point. This phenomenon shows the need for a combination of using flexural reinforcement with high tensile strength and substituting a portion of cement with metakaolin to produce higher-quality concrete. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate the influence of improving concrete quality using metakaolin on the flexural behavior of hybrid beam reinforced with GFRP. Two concrete variations were applied to four beams with dimensions of 200x250x3000 mm, consisting of two beams using normal grade 40 concrete, while the other two used grade 40 concrete with a 10% metakaolin substitution. Each variation used two different types of reinforcement, namely with and without GFRP as additional reinforcement and control beam, respectively. Subsequently, these beams were tested in a four-point bending configuration with a support span of 2500 mm. The results showed a 20.7% increase in cube strength, a 57.83% rise in ultimate flexural load, a 39.74% reduction in beam deflection, and a decrease in strain in concrete compression zone compared to control beam. Ductility was observed to be high as compressive strength (fcu) increased, while high reinforcement ratio resulted in a significant decrease
Effect of Silica Fume as Industrial Byproduct on the Stabilization of Kaolin Clay Soil
Get PDFThe utilization of chemical stabilizers for soil stabilization is a method by which the construction sector can minimize its negative effect on the environment. Stabilizing of soft clay remains challenging due to the requirement for costly and ecologically harmful materials such as lime and cement. This research investigates the viability of silica fume (SF), an industrial waste, as an eco-friendly soil stabilizer for kaolin clay soil (KCS). Laboratory tests were conducted to examine the impact of different SF concentrations (2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%) on the physical, mechanical, and strength properties of the soil. The addition of SF as soil stabilizers improved the KCS properties, which led to the declines of liquid limit (32.7%) and plasticity index (4.0%). The optimal moisture content of the stabilized sample reduced to 20.4% while the maximum dry density increased to 1.601 g/cm³ indicating enhanced soil compaction characteristic. After 30 days of curing with 6% SF, the KCS\u27s unconfined compressive strength (UCS) markedly improved from 13.89 kPa to 25.94 kPa. The results demonstrate that industrial waste materials can enhance soil stabilization efficacy while simultaneously improving the environment, rendering them a viable alternative to traditional soil stabilizers
Eco-friendly Pest Control using Organic Materials: Cinnamomum Verum, Garlic and Chili
Get PDFThe widespread use of chemical pesticides in agriculture poses environmental risks and health concerns prompting the development of green alternatives from natural sources. This study aims to synthesize a natural pesticide using a mixture of Cinnamomum Verum (cinnamon) essential oil, garlic and chili and characterize the functional group of the formulation. The pesticide was prepared by extracting Cinnamomum Verum essential oil through distillation and creating garlic and chili solutions by grinding the ingredients with distilled water. The formulation consisted of 25% Cinnamomum Verum essential oil (50 mL) mixed with 75% garlic and chili solution (150 mL) in a 1:3 ratio. Active components including eugenol from Cinnamomum Verum, capsaicin from chili and allicin from garlic were identified through FTIR analysis confirming potential as natural repellents. The formulated pesticide demonstrates promising pest-repellent properties by effectively reducing pest infestation and leaf damage on chili plants during field evaluations. The synergistic combination of these plant-based bioactive compounds offers a potent, eco-friendly solution for pest control thus contribute to sustainable agricultural practices and safeguarding ecological health
Experimental and Numerical Study on the Impact of Air Gaps Between Layers on the Ballistic Performance of Steel-Rubber Laminated Composites
Get PDFLaminated steel–rubber composites are widely recognized for their capability to absorb and dissipate impact energy, making them promising candidates for ballistic protection. Despite their potential, the specific role of internal air gaps in influencing ballistic resistance has not been thoroughly explored. This research focuses on assessing how different air gap configurations affect the protective performance of these layered composites. A series of ballistic tests were carried out using 9 mm caliber hemispherical projectiles, supported by finite element simulations to replicate and validate the observed behaviors. Tests were conducted on specimens with varying air gaps between layers, including a configuration without any gap. The lowest penetration depth was observed in the specimen with no air gap, registering 6.502 mm in the experimental data and 6.885 mm in the simulation. Conversely, the highest penetration was recorded in the 3 mm air gap setup, reaching 10.357 mm and 10.092 mm for experimental and simulation results, respectively. Interestingly, the 2 mm air gap condition exhibited a notable rise in projectile kinetic energy, peaking at 547.6 J at 9.175 × 10⁻⁵ seconds, which then stabilized. These findings indicate that although greater air gaps allow deeper projectile intrusion, they effectively prevent back plate damage by concentrating stress absorption on the front layers. Overall, the study demonstrates that air gap design plays a critical role in controlling energy distribution and enhancing the impact resistance of steel–rubber composites