Novel Protocol of Engineering Geophysics in Urban Environments

Kajian ini dilakukan di kawasan bandar dengan menumpukan kepada pengesanan dan pemetaan retakan, lowong, pengisian rongga, runtuhan rongga, “pinnacles” dan jerungkau yang selalu terjadi di kawasan batu kapur. This research was carried out in an urban area and it was focused on detecting and mapping fractures, voids, filled cavities, collapsed cavities, pinnacles, cliff subsurface and overhangs that often occur in limestone areas

Hubungan antara perancangan perniagaan, sumber pembiayaan dan persekitaran luaran dengan prestasi perniagaan: Kajian empirical PKS di Malaysia

This study was conducted to determine the significant relationships between business planning, sources of equity and debt financing and all planning activities such as assessment and strategy, involvement by managements, formal procedure, mission and aim and performance of SME firms in Malaysia. This study also aims to assess the moderating effect of the dynamic, hostile and munificence external environments on the relationships between business planning, sources of equity and debt financing and performance. Sixteen hypotheses were put forward for testing. The quantitative research design was employed and primary data samples of 177 SME firms were collected and analysed through multiple and hierarchical regression analysis to obtain the results. The findings of the study revealed that overall business planning, source of equity financing and all activities of business planning have significant relationships with firm performance. A dynamic external environment was found to have a moderate positive relationship between business planning and performance but a moderate negative relationship between source of debt financing and performance. The findings also revealed that munificence environment was found to have a moderate negative relationship between sources of equity and debt financing on performance. However, no moderating effect of the hostile environment was found in the relationship between business planning, sources of equity and debt financing on performance as well as the moderating effect of munificence environment on the relationship between business planning and performance. This study is expected to contribute to the existing literature with the new finding of business planning activities that affect performance. This study is also important for the management of SMEs and policy-makers to play crucial roles in implementing business planning, using the source of equity financing and operating in an appropriate environment. This study concluded with a discussion of the limitations and suggestions for future researc

Applying the Seismic Refraction Tomography for Site Characterization

AbstractSeismic refraction method is a geophysical method that has been developed for shallow subsurface investigation. It provides 2-dimensional profiles including depth and distance that simplified the characterization of relatively large volumes of the subsurface. Interpretation of seismic refraction data using seismic tomography involves continuous velocity gradient across a subsurface which is more effective for site characterization compared to conventional seismic refraction. Three parallel seismic refraction survey lines were conducted at Kaki Bukit, Perlis with the aim of characterizing the subsurface of the area. 2m geophone spacing was used with total length of 46m. The separation between lines is 20m. Weight drop of 20kg and steel plate were used as seismic source. A total of 20 shotpoints were performed for survey line L1, 23 shotpoints for survey line L2 and 22 shotpoints for survey line L3. The high quality seismic data obtained were then processed using SeisOptPicker and SeisOpt2D software to produce a seismic tomography section for each survey line. Results indicate that the study area is said to have 4 main layers with velocity increase fairly with depth. The first layer with velocity 300-500 m/s predominantly consists of top soil and form overburden. Second layer with velocity 500-800 m/s is suggested to be a highly weathered limestone. The third layer represents by highly fractured limestone with velocity 800-1500m/s. Limestone bedrock represent by the fourth layer with velocity > 2000m/s. Competent limestone bedrock is identified at survey line L3 with velocity > 3000m/s

Ciri-ciri penting seorang usahawan bagi menangani cabaran memulakan perniagaan

Kajian kes ini ialah berkenaan dengan pengalaman dan perjalanan dalam kehidupan seorang usahawan bernama Tuan Haji Zambri bin Ahmad.Selepas menamatkan pengajian Hj.Zambri telah memulakan kerjayanya dalam beberapa buah syarikat swasta. Beliau seterusnya bergiat dalam bidang perniagaan dengan menubuhkan beberapa syarikat seperti Memo Baru Sdn Bhd. dan kemudiannya Best Bothworld Sdn Bhd. Kajian kes ini memaparkan ciri-ciri utama yang perlu dimiliki seseorang usahawan bagi menangani cabaran untuk memulakan perniagaan.Selain dari itu kajian kes ini membolehkan pelajar mengenalpasti cabarancabaran yang sering dihadapi oleh usahawan dalam dunia perniagaan

Perancangan perniagaan dan prestasi perniagaan: kajian ke atas PKS Islam di Malaysia

Purpose – The main purpose of this paper is to examine whether the interpretation of asnaf al-gharimin for each state in Malaysia encompassing all those who are eligible to receive zakat. Design – Content analysis based on secondary data is used as the main method in examining the interpretation of asnaf al-gharimin in every state in Malaysia Findings – This study found that the interpretation of asnaf al-gharimin are not exhaustive and are not uniform among the states in Malaysia.Significance – Improvement of the interpretation of asnaf al-gharimin should be done by the relevant authorities

High Resolution Time-domain Induced Polarization Tomography with Merging Data Levels by Two Different Optimized Arrays for Slope Monitoring Study

High Resolution Time-domain Induced Polarization Tomography with Merging Data Levels by Two Different Optimized Arrays for Slope Monitoring Stud

The influences of basic physical properties of clayey silt and silty sand on its laboratory electrical resistivity value in loose and dense conditions

Non-destructive test which refers to electrical resistivity method is recently popular in engineering, environmental, archaeological and mining studies. Based on the previous studies, the results on electrical resistivity interpretation were often debated due to lack of clarification and evidences in quantitative perspective. Traditionally, most of the previous result interpretations were depending on qualitative point of view which is risky to produce unreliable outcomes. In order to minimise those problems, this study has performed a laboratory experiment on soil box electrical resistivity test which was supported by an additional basic physical properties of soil test like particle size distribution test (d), moisture content test (w), density test (ρbulk) and Atterberg limit test (LL, PL and PI). The test was performed to establish a series of electrical resistivity value (ERV) with different quantity of water content for clayey silt and silty sand in loose and dense condition. Apparently, the soil resistivity value was different under loose (L) and dense (C) conditions with moisture content and density variations (silty SAND = ERVLoose: 600 - 7300 Ωm & ERVDense: 490 - 7900 Ωm while Clayey SILT = ERVLoose: 13 - 7700 Ωm & ERVDense: 14 - 8400 Ωm) due to several factors. Moreover, correlation of moisture content (w) and density (ρbulk) due to the ERV was established as follows; Silty SAND: w(L) = 638.8ρ-0.418, w(D) = 1397.1ρ-0.574, ρBulk(L) = 2.6188e-6E-05ρ, ρBulk(D) = 4.099ρ-0.07 while Clayey SILT: w(L) = 109.98ρ-0.268, w(D) = 121.88ρ-0.363, ρBulk(L) = -0.111ln(ρ) + 1.7605, ρBulk(D) = 2.5991ρ-0.037 with determination coefficients, R2 that varied from 0.5643 – 0.8927. This study was successfully demonstrated that the consistency of ERV was greatly influenced by the variation of soil basic physical properties (d, w, ρBulk, LL, PL and PI). Finally, the reliability of the ERV result interpretation can be enhanced due to its ability to produce a meaningful outcome based on supported data from basic geotechnical properties

The influences of basic physical properties of clayey silt and silty sand on its laboratory electrical resistivity value in loose and dense conditions

Non-destructive test which refers to electrical resistivity method is recently popular in engineering, environmental, archaeological and mining studies. Based on the previous studies, the results on electrical resistivity interpretation were often debated due to lack of clarification and evidences in quantitative perspective. Traditionally, most of the previous result interpretations were depending on qualitative point of view which is risky to produce unreliable outcomes. In order to minimise those problems, this study has performed a laboratory experiment on soil box electrical resistivity test which was supported by an additional basic physical properties of soil test like particle size distribution test (d), moisture content test (w), density test (ρbulk) and Atterberg limit test (LL, PL and PI). The test was performed to establish a series of electrical resistivity value (ERV) with different quantity of water content for clayey silt and silty sand in loose and dense condition. Apparently, the soil resistivity value was different under loose (L) and dense (C) conditions with moisture content and density variations (silty SAND = ERVLoose: 600 - 7300 Ωm & ERVDense: 490 - 7900 Ωm while Clayey SILT = ERVLoose: 13 - 7700 Ωm & ERVDense: 14 - 8400 Ωm) due to several factors. Moreover, correlation of moisture content (w) and density (ρbulk) due to the ERV was established as follows; Silty SAND: w(L) = 638.8ρ-0.418, w(D) = 1397.1ρ-0.574, ρBulk(L) = 2.6188e-6E-05ρ, ρBulk(D) = 4.099ρ-0.07 while Clayey SILT: w(L) = 109.98ρ-0.268, w(D) = 121.88ρ-0.363, ρBulk(L) = -0.111ln(ρ) + 1.7605, ρBulk(D) = 2.5991ρ-0.037 with determination coefficients, R2 that varied from 0.5643 – 0.8927. This study was successfully demonstrated that the consistency of ERV was greatly influenced by the variation of soil basic physical properties (d, w, ρBulk, LL, PL and PI). Finally, the reliability of the ERV result interpretation can be enhanced due to its ability to produce a meaningful outcome based on supported data from basic geotechnical properties

Effects of equity and debt financing on SME performance in Malaysia

This study is to examine and verify the existence of relationship between the source of capital via equity and debt financing, and the performance of small and medium enterprise (hereafter SME) in Malaysia.The study is run based on of postal survey using cluster sampling method. It comprises of 177 samples of Malaysian SMEs involving in manufacturing and agriculture sectors. Subsequently, two research hypotheses are developed and analysed.It is found that equity financing has significant positive relationship on the business performance, while debt financing is insignificant.The study suggests that SMEs in Malaysia to employ equity financing as a source of business capital, for its potential (capability) in affecting the performance of business

Iban women and side-income generation in Bintulu

Like other women, Iban women do several activities as the side-income generation to support family life such as farming, handicraft making, and traditional food processing and business. This study aims to investigate the involvement of Iban women in the side-income generation in Bintulu, Sarawak. Thus, the target population in this study is Iban women who are involved in side-income activities only as not all Iban women in Bintulu involve in side-income activities. This study will identify the type of side-income activities and find out barriers to women's participation in side-income activities and propose relevant solutions to the problems. The questionnaire will be distributed to the target population and descriptive data analysis will be used to describe and summarize the findings. From the findings of the study, the researcher will come out with relevant suggestions to reduce and solve problems faced by Iban women in the side-income generation. For instance, propose appropriate programs and training to enhance their knowledge and skills in side-income activities that they preferred. Side-income generation among Iban women not only benefits the family but will create positive effects on Iban women development and empowerment in Sarawak generally