Susceptibility of Shallow Landslide in Fraser Hill Catchment, Pahang Malaysia

In tropical areas especially during monsoon seasons intense precipitation is the main caused that trigger the natural shallow landslide phenomena. This phenomenon can be disastrous and widespread in occurrence even in undisturbed forested catchment. In this paper, an attempt has been made to evaluate the susceptibility of natural hill slopes to failure for a popular hill resort area, the Fraser Hill Catchment under different rainfall regimes and soil thickness. A Digital Elevation Model (DEM) was prepared for the 8.2 km2 catchment. A GIS based deterministic model was then applied to predict the spatial landslide occurrence within catchment. Model input parameters include bulk density, friction angle, cohesion and hydraulic conductivity were gathered through in situ and lab analysis as well as from previous soil analysis records. Landslides locations were recorded using GPS as well as previous air photos and satellite imagery to establish landslide source areas inventory. The landslide susceptibility map was produced under different precipitation event’s simulation to see the effects of precipitation to stability of the hill slopes of the catchment. The results were categorized into naturally unstable (Defended, Upper Threshold, Lower Threshold), marginal instability (Quasi Stable) and stable area (Moderately Stable and Stable). Results of the simulation indicated notable change in precipitation effect on Defended area is between 10mm to 40mm range in a single storm event. However, when storm event is exceeded 120mm, the result on Defended area produced by the model tends to be constant further on. For area categorized as naturally unstable (Factor of Safety, SF<1), with 110 mm of precipitation in a single storm event and soil depth at 2 meters and 4 meters could affect 69.51% and 69.88% respectively of the catchment area fall under that class. In addition, the model was able to detect 4% more of the landslide inventory under shallower soil depth of 2 meters

Adopting communicative language teaching (CLT) approach to enhance oral competencies among students: Teachers’ attitudes and beliefs

The idea of communicative competence is one of the most influential theoretical developments in language education as it helps redefine the objectives of second language (L2) instruction. Although most teachers acknowledge the importance of CLT, many do not genuinely practice it. This paper attempts to explore teachers’ reasons or reluctance in using CLT in the classroom. The role of CLT approach in enhancing oral competencies is examined by analyzing the attitudes and beliefs of the teachers. The data is gathered using interview sessions. A range of practical activities is proposed to help language teachers integrate CLT in their lessons

Stimulus of socio-cultural factors, internalization, food choice and eating pattern / Mohd Azmin Akbarruddin and Zulhan Othman

This paper reports the empirical investigation which examines the perception of young women on socio-cultural factors, internalization, and their food choices and eating pattern and comparing the differences of those factors toward body image based on their marital status. Through a descriptive research design using a quantitative method with self-reported and self-administered questionnaires, this study surveyed the young single and married women with an age range from 18 to 35 years old. Results revealed that socio-cultural factors specifically parents, peers and media influence the young women concern of the body image and desire to be having an ideal body figure also influence their food choices and eating patterns. Also, the internalization and perceived pressure to some extent affect the young women body image dissatisfaction and single women exhibit more concern on body figure, social pressure and sources of information on ideal body image and consequently influence their food selection and eating pattern compared the young married women

Hormati penggunaan Bahasa Melayu

Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi meminta ahli-ahli politik jangan berdian diri dan membiarkan bebanan menjaga kepentingan bahasa melayu diserahkan kepada golongan akademik semata-mata

Stress Analysis Of The Human Tibia Knee Joint Using Finite Element Method

Despite the several years of studies that have been contributed to the human knee joint in pursue of producing a failure free knee joint protheses, there are still a lot of rooms for improvement on the available prostheses. In this present study, a series of analyses on the human tibia has been carried out. The objectives of the present study were to study effects of stress distribution on human tibia in various degrees of flexion simulating walking and squatting. The Finite Element (FE) method was adopted for the analysis. Through the finite element analyses, data concerning the stress distribution and von Misses stress during gait cycle and squatting were obtained. The results obtained were compared with those of the experimental literature for validation. The results of this present study indicated that low stress value occurs during toe-off simulation while the high stress value occurs during deep flexion with the knee is flexed 90°. The von Mises stress observed on the medial compartment during these instants were 13.85MPa and 26.84MPa respectively. The obtained average stress distribution of a gait cycle and deep flexions were 15.29MPa and 25.09MPa respectively. it is worth to note that a high stress concentration occurs at the tibial plateau, distinctively at the medial compartment. This implies that under deep flexion a possible unstable fracture will be initiated since the maximum stress allowable on the tibia is 25MPa. In conclusion, this kind of research gives a better understanding of the stress applied on the tibia by body weight that assist on designing Total Knee Replacement against failure. The result could support in the context of minimizing contact stress between the tibia bone and the tibial inser

Suspended Sediment and Turbidity Relationships for Individual and Multiple Catchments

The relationships between suspended sediment concentrations and turbidity were analysed at rising and falling stages, using individual and combined catchments. Results suggested a high correlation exists between suspended sediment concentration and turbidity for most of the field data. The least square fit of all the data suggested that the relationships obtained followed a power function in the form of Y = a(T)b. Consistent turbidity and suspended sediment concentration relationships found in this study imply that turbidity measurement could reasonably be used as a surrogate in estimating stream suspended sediment concentration of the study catchments and of those under similar conditions

Relationship between implementation of cooperative vocational education and job offering among apprentice of national dual training system in Malaysia.

The objective of this research is to examine a relationship between implementation of cooperative vocational education and job offering among apprentice of national dual training system in Malaysia. Furthermore, the study also identifies several factors to predict job offering to the respondent. The total respondent of the study are 285 apprentices which enrolled for Malaysian Skills Certificate Level 2 at various types of programs and companies that offer national dual training system. These respondents were selected through stratified random sampling based on location of training institutions. Data was analyzed by frequency and percentage for descriptive statistics and logistic regression for inferential statistics. The result shows MNC and GLC companies’ offers block release training mode meanwhile SME companies’ offers day release training mode. The result shows that the three combination independent variables significantly predict getting a job offer. However, only type of company and training mode are significantly contributing to the prediction. Further chi square analysis results indicate that getting a job offer are significantly different in regards respondent program of study, training mode and type of company they attached during the SLDN program

Development of a coupled flow and solute transport modelling for Astaneh-Kouchesfahan groundwater resources, North of Iran.

Astaneh-Kouchesfahan Plain is an important source of groundwater in Northern Iran. In the study area, rational management of groundwater resources requires a precise evaluation of groundwater flow and transport components. For this purpose, a 2-dimentional groundwater flow and solute transport model was developed and calibrated using PMWIN 5.3. Simulation results under steady-state and transient conditions show that the horizontal hydraulic conductivity values range from 1 to 23 m/day; and the specific yield values range between 0.03 and 0.25. After construction groundwater flow model, in order to simulate and predict chloride transport in the study area, a 2-D solute transport model for the aquifer has been developed, calibrated and validated using MT3D. The predictive simulation from October 2009 to October 2012 shows that according to present recharge and discharge conditions, groundwater salinities will increase and in the mid and long-term, groundwater consumers will be facing a worse situation than the present

llham Landskap Di Tasik Perdana

Landskap yang menarik bukan sahaja dapat menjadikan sesebuah kawasän itu lebih berseri tetapi juga boleh memberi ketenangan dan ilham kepada yang melihatnya