Pembangunan modul pembelajaran kendiri pendidikan alam sekitar bagi pelajar sekolah menengah

Kajian ini adaiah bertujuan untuk meniiai sejauhmana Modul Pembeiajaran Kendiri Pendidikan Aiam Sekitar dapat membantu guru dan peiajar sekolah menengah daiam proses pengajaran dan pembeiajaran dari aspek kesesuaian isi kandungan, kesesuaian aktiviti, tahap keboiehiaksanaan dan mesra pengguna. Responden kajian ini terdiri daripada 20 orang guru dan 50 orang peiajar di Sekoiah Menengah Teknik Batu Pahat yang dipilih secara rawak. Untuk kajian ini instrumen yang digunakan ialah jenis soal selidik di mana penilaian dilakukan berdasarkan kepada persepsi responden terhadap Modul Pembeiajaran Kendiri Pendidikan Alam Sekitar. Data-data yang dikumpulkan dianalisis 7?ie;!ggHHa/raH &af!'sf;ca/ Packages For socz'a/ & f e / : c e j (SP-S^ i^er^zoH 77.0 yang melibatkan skor min, peratus dan ujian t. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan kesesuaian isi kandungan modul (skor min= 3.19), kesesuaian aktiviti (skor min = 3.18), tahap keboiehiaksanaan (skor min = 3.17) dan ciri-ciri mesra pengguna (skor min = 3.20) adaiah pada tahap yang tinggi. Dapatan kajian juga menunjukkan tidak terdapat perbezaan yang signifikan di antara guru dan peiajar terdapat kesesuaian isi kandungan, kesesuaian aktiviti, keboiehiaksanaan dan ciri-ciri mesra pengguna. Oleh itu, hasil kajian menunjukkan Modul Pembeiajaran Kendiri Pendidikan Alam Sekitar ini dapat membantu pensyarah dan peiajar daiam proses pengajaran dan pembeiajaran

Architectural building safety and health performance model for stratified low-cost housing: education and management tool for building managers

The safety and health performances aspects of a building are the most challenging aspect of facility management. It requires a deep understanding by the building managers on the factors that contribute to health and safety performances. This study attempted to develop an explanatory architectural safety performance model for stratified low-cost housing in Malaysia. The proposed Building Safety and Health Performance (BSHP) model was tested empirically through a survey on 308 construction practitioners using partial least squares (PLS) and structural equation modelling (SEM) tool. Statistical analysis results supports the conclusion that architecture, building services, external environment, management approaches and maintenance management have positive influence on safety and health performance of stratified low-cost housing in Malaysia. The findings provide valuable insights for construction industry to introduce BSHP model in the future where the model could be used as a guideline for training purposes of managers and better planning and implementation of building management

Development and validation of a safety and health performance model for low cost housing

Sustainable building and construction practices in Malaysia are primarily aimed at improving the safety and health performance of buildings while minimizing its impact on resources and the natural environment. Thus, a comprehensive understanding of the factors that contribute to safety and health performance of our built environment is essential. The aim of this study is to develop a building safety and health performance (BSHP) model, focusing on the safety and health performance factors of low cost housing in Malaysia. These factors include the architecture, building services, external environment, operation and maintenance, and management approaches. The influence of these factors on perceived personal responsibility towards adopting a BSHP model for low-cost housing in Malaysia was also studied. This study was undertaken in two stages. Firstly, literature on existing safety and health practices related to low-cost housing and facilities were reviewed to identify factors that influence health and safety performance. Quantitative data were gathered to assess the suitability of the factors based on experts judgement and survey. Data obtained were statistically examined using the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and the proposed model was identified. Secondly, quantitative data were gathered through a main survey involving 308 respondents to test the research model validity and the proposed hypothesis using the Partial Least Squares (PLS) tool. Results reveal that the five identified constructs have a direct positive effect on safety and health performance, as well as perceived personal responsibility. Furthermore, perceived personal responsibility (β = 0.563) towards safety and health performance has the highest beta value, followed by building services (β = 0.212), architecture (β = 0.155), operation and maintenance (β = 0.128), management approaches (β = 0.124), and external environment (β = 0.117). In testing the validity of models, results found BSHP model had a good model fit with R 2 of 0.342 and in line with experts validation results. The BSHP model can inform the public of the relative risks regarding the safety and health of low cost housing. It can also help building owners, developers, and government bodies to develop more informed and socially responsible decisions to improve building safety and health performance

Assessing Safety and Health Factors Influencing Performance of Malaysian Low-Cost Housing

The Malaysian Government through its various Malaysia Plans is committed to provide adequate, affordable, and quality low-cost housing in fulfilling nation’s housing need. Therefore, the housing policy should provide the public to own affordable housing that should improve the safety and health of a building’s final occupants. To achieve this aim, the information concerning the safety and health performance of buildings must always be readily available. The research first identified the critical factors through a literature review of current safety and health practices from journals, thesis and articles books in order to interpret the factors from a global perspective. The literature review identified 32 variables of factors contributing to safety and health performance of low cost housing in Malaysia. The findings of this study can form a basis that can be considered as primary elements for the development of practical assessment scheme to evaluate the safety and health of low-cost housing in Malaysia. Keywords: Safety and health, framework, low-cost housing, case stud

Research Article Factors Contributing to Safety and Health Performance of Malaysian Low-cost Housing: Partial Least Squares Approach

Abstract: Sustainable development is fast emerging as one of the main priorities of construction industry in Malaysia. Malaysians of all income levels, particularly the low-income group, would have accessibility to adequate, affordable and quality shelter. As a result, safety and health performance in the low-cost housing has become a rising concern. This study attempts to explore the influence of architecture, building services, external environment, operation and maintenance and management approaches on the building safety and health performance among the construction practitioners in Malaysia and their subsequent personal responsibility. The study used the Partial Least Squares (PLS) and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) tool to test the hypotheses generated. Findings from the Partial Least Squares analysis revealed that architecture, building services, external environment, operation and maintenance and management approaches are vital determinants contributing to safety and health performance of low-cost housing in the Malaysian context. In turn, this determinant that is formed will largely determine whether the construction practitioners engage in influencing personal responsibility towards building safety and health performance. Implications, limitations as well as suggestions for future research are accordingly discussed in this study

Assessing safety and health factors influencing performance of Malaysian low-cost housing

The Malaysian Government through its various Malaysia Plans is committed to provide adequate, affordable, and quality low-cost housing in fulfilling nation’s housing need. Therefore, the housing policy should provide the public to own affordable housing that should improve the safety and health of a building’s final occupants. To achieve this aim, the information concerning the safety and health performance of buildings must always be readily available. The research first identified the critical factors through a literature review of current safety and health practices from journals, thesis and articles books in order to interpret the factors from a global perspective. The literature review identified 32 variables of factors contributing to safety and health performance of low cost housing in Malaysia. The findings of this study can form a basis that can be considered as primary elements for the development of practical assessment scheme to evaluate the safety and health of low-cost housing in Malaysia

Field verification study on micropiles underpinning for ground improvement

Micropiles are mostly employed to resist static and seismic stresses and as an in-situ stabilizing device for slopes and excavations. A micropiles testing facility was designed to support the Light Rail Transit 3 (LRT3) project. A borehole of 150mm in diameter was used to install three micropiles that ranged in length from 3, 5, and 7 meters. This article explores the more detailed techniques used to complete foundation retrofits, with a focus on micropiles as a ground improvement method. The comparative analysis discussed the data obtained with the static load test and piles driving analyzer (PDA). This study found that the bearing capacity of Ru 177 tonnes and 111 tonnes are more than the load, which is calculated at 60.9 tonnes. Finally, several recommendations for further research were presented after evaluation to prevent micropiles damage was performed

Shear strength prediction of treated soft clay with sugarcane bagasse ash using artificial intelligence methods

Soil shear strength is an essential engineering characteristic used in designing and evaluating geotechnical structures. In this study, we intend to analyse and compare the performance of the Genetic Algorithm - Adaptive Network-based Fuzzy Inference System (GANFIS) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) in predicting the strength of soft clay. Case studies of 144 soft clay soil samples from Sarang Buaya, Semerah, Malaysia, were utilised to generate training and testing datasets for developing and validating models. RMSE and R have been employed to validate and compare the models. The GANFIS has the highest prediction capability (RMSE=0.042 and R=0.850), while the ANN has the lowest (RMSE=0.065 and R=0.49). From a comparison of the two models, it can be stated that GANFIS is the most promising technique for predicting the strength of soft clay

Numerical Simulation and Field Measurement Validation of Road Embankment on Soft Ground Improved by Prefabricated Vertical Drains: A Comparative Study

This article provides a comparative knowledge of predicted and measured settlements of road embankments with prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs). The emphasis of this study was to investigate and back-analyse the ratio of horizontal permeability in an undisturbed area to a smeared zone, which affects the behaviour of vertical drains. Two models of PVDs in soft ground were developed by utilising a plane strain 2D numerical approach based on the equivalent permeability. Suggestions for the improvement of numerical accuracy of the soft ground beneath road embankments have been made in regards to the obtained results. The employment of the equivalent horizontal permeability in numerical analysis produced significantly similar results to those of the measured values. Furthermore, a smear effect permeability ratio of 300 produced a considerably accurate result with a model based on the equivalent horizontal permeability and measured data. Lastly, the smear effect ratio of 6 using the equivalent horizontal permeability approach was employed in order to predict the behaviour of vertical drains in the soft grounds under road embankments