A model of outcome-based education (obe) for engineering education / Asmidar Alias and Norshariza Mohamad Bhkari

Outcome-Based Education (OBE) is an educational system which has been enforced on all engineering programmes. The driving force for this change is the current higher learning education development, which is an accreditation regulatory in the Malaysian Qualification Agency (MQA) Act. Shifting towards this new practice, the concept and delivery of OBE should first be recognised by any Institution of Higher Learning (IHL) provider for accreditation purposes. This paper focuses on the driving force and an implementation model of OBE practices in the Faculty of Civil Engineering (FCE) UiTM Pahang

Experimental Investigation of Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV) Test Specimen in assessing the Strength of Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete Structure

This study aims to conduct the Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV) test and compressive strength test of Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete (SFRC). This paper also examines the correlation of UPV test data and compressive strength test data for SFRC specimens. The experiments were carried out with the same value of the water-cement ratio, superplasticizer but different fiber volumes of steel fiber. Twelve prism sizes 100mm x 100mm x 500mm were casted and 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% of steel fiber reinforced concrete were added and the prisms undergone curing for 7, 14 and 28 days. The highest value of the UPV test at the x-axis is SFRC-0.5%, 6.26 km/s at seven days and 6.8377 km/s at 14 days. The highest value of the UPV test at the y-axis is SFR-0.5%, 6.68 km/s at seven days and 6.34 km/s at 28 days. The grading is still in the excellent concrete quality based on BS1881. The highest value of compressive strength is SFRC-1.0%, 193.2 MPa at 14 days. The R-squared value for the correlation coefficient between UPV result and the compressive strength result at the x-axis and y-axis is 0.9963 and 0.9966 respectively which is near to 1.0 and can be considered as strongly correlated. The correlation equation obtained can be used to predict compressive strength based on UPV data for steel fiber addition up to 1.5% volume.  Thus, it can be concluded that percentage of steel fiber added, affect the strength of the tested concrete specimens and the optimized value of steel fiber added is at 1% in this stud

Mechanical Properties of Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) Fabricated from Three Malaysian Hardwood Species

The application of laminated veneer lumber (LVL) has long been limited to non-structural elements in Malaysia. The LVL is commonly fabricated with veneer from low to medium density (290 to 630 kg/m3) softwood or temperate hardwood. The data on the properties of LVL made from medium to high density (567 to 687 kg/m3) tropical hardwood species is very limited. Therefore, this study investigated the mechanical and bonding properties of LVL fabricated from Malaysian hardwood species namely Kasai (Pometia spp.), Mengkulang (Heritiera spp.) and Kedondong (Canarium spp.). Different variables were studied: i) wood species; ii) loading surface (flatwise or edgewise), iii) grain direction (parallel and perpendicular), iv) treatment condition. The bending and compression test was carried out in accordance with EN 408:2012, while the block shear test was conducted based on EN14374:2004 and EN 314-1:2004. The results shows that the grain direction has the most significant effect (P ≤ 0.01) on the bending, compressive and bonding properties of the samples tested. The treatment conditions for block shear test also displayed significant effect on its shear strength. The samples loaded parallelly displayed bending values 320-450% higher than the samples loaded at perpendicularly. The compressive strength and compressive modulus are 323-365% and 523-2530% respectively when loaded parallelly. LVL performed better mechanically when loaded parallelly and when subjected to less extreme treatment conditions

Mechanical Properties of Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) Fabricated from Three Malaysian Hardwood Species

The application of laminated veneer lumber (LVL) has long been limited to non-structural elements in Malaysia. The LVL is commonly fabricated with veneer from low to medium density (290 to 630 kg/m3) softwood or temperate hardwood. The data on the properties of LVL made from medium to high density (567 to 687 kg/m3) tropical hardwood species is very limited. Therefore, this study investigated the mechanical and bonding properties of LVL fabricated from Malaysian hardwood species namely Kasai (Pometia spp.), Mengkulang (Heritiera spp.) and Kedondong (Canarium spp.). Different variables were studied: i) wood species; ii) loading surface (flatwise or edgewise), iii) grain direction (parallel and perpendicular), iv) treatment condition. The bending and compression test was carried out in accordance with EN 408:2012, while the block shear test was conducted based on EN14374:2004 and EN 314-1:2004. The results shows that the grain direction has the most significant effect (P ≤ 0.01) on the bending, compressive and bonding properties of the samples tested. The treatment conditions for block shear test also displayed significant effect on its shear strength. The samples loaded parallelly displayed bending values 320-450% higher than the samples loaded at perpendicularly. The compressive strength and compressive modulus are 323-365% and 523-2530% respectively when loaded parallelly. LVL performed better mechanically when loaded parallelly and when subjected to less extreme treatment conditions

Application of Weibull's Theory to Assess the Depth Effect of Malaysian Tropical Hardwoods According to Eurocode 5

The adoption of limit state design according to Eurocode 5 (EC5) has brought about design strength optimisation in design practices worldwide. However, the implementation of EC5 may not be suitable for Malaysian tropical timber species as the design strength data in European Standard (EN) 338:2016 is based on softwood and temperate hardwood species. EC5 has a well-established 1/k value of 0.2 for softwood and temperate hardwood with characteristic densities below 700 kg/m3. The value of 0.2 is still uncertain for tropical hardwood timber and it is predicted that the 1⁄k value for characteristic density above 700kg/m3 will be different. Therefore, in this study, the application of Weibull's theory is being used to determine the 1/k value for selected species namely, Balau (Shorea spp.), Kempas (Koompassia malaccensis), Kapur (Dryobalanops spp.), Keruing (Dipterocarpus spp.), Geronggang (Cratoxylon arborescens), and Light Red Meranti (Shorea spp.) with density ranges from 300 kg/m3 to 1000 kg/m3. Experimental bending data from previous researchers were analysed and verified using this theory. From the theoretical prediction, the calculated 1/k value for the selected species ranges from 0.158 to 0.204 which is close to the established value of 0.2. This study provides the actual k value as well as the true depth modification factors for tropical hardwood which important for safe and economical structural timber design

Modal analysis of concrete bridge decks subjected to free vibration

This paper reports a brief study on free vibration dynamic analysis for determining vibration parameters such as natural frequencies and mode shapes for two selected bridges in Johor. The vibration parameters for these bridges are studied using finite element analysis software package ANSYS 6.0. A three-dimensional finite element model is developed for the bridges based on design drawing provided by Public Works Department (PWD). Separate element types with same nodal layer are used as a modeling technique in this finite element analysis. Mode shapes based on natural frequency analysis are obtained for the bridges from the models with and without diaphragms. It is found that a moderately coarse mesh density of 1m for every edge element length would be sufficient for a majority of practical structural applications

A Model of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) for Engineering Education

ABSTRACT Outcome-Based Education (OBE) is an educational system which has been enforced on all engineering programmes. The driving force for this change is the current higher learning education development, which is an accreditation regulatory in the Malaysia

Numerical model validation for mengkulang glulam timber bolt withdrawal capacity

The adequacy of timber joints determines how much load it can sustain, commonly called load-carrying capacity. European Yield Model (EYM), also known as Johansen yield theory, has been widely adopted in the design of timber joints for predicting load-carrying capacity. In EC5, the pulling out capacity is known as the 'rope effect' and becomes one parameter that governs the load-carrying capacity in a dowel-type timber connection. Due to the high cost of preparing the timber specimen, computer modelling always becomes the alternative in measuring the load-carrying capacity for timber connections. However, the computer modelling results need to be validated with the experimental laboratory test before being extended to different sizes and materials of fasteners. This study presents a finite element method (FEM) for numerical modelling and analysis to validate the experimental performance of timber's 12mm, 16mm, and 20mm bolt withdrawal capacity. This method adopted Abaqus 6.14.4 software package to create four (4) FEM models consisting of a bolt inserted into a glulam timber block at a different insertion depth, parallel and perpendicular to the timber grain direction. The axially inserted bolt was subjected to a pull-out force while the glulam timber block was held in position. The mild steel bolt and tropical Mengkulang glulam timber blocks were used. The validation showed an acceptable agreement between the FEM and the experimental results

Compressive strength characteristic values of nine structural sized Malaysian tropical hardwoods

The design practice of timber structures in Malaysia is still based on permissible stress codes as stated in Malaysian Standard (MS) 544: Part 2 and MS 544: Part 3, which was adopted from the British Standard (BS) 5268. The British Standard was later completely replaced by Eurocode 5 (EC5) in 2009. Therefore, to preserve the continuity of design concepts specified in the British code of practice, local designers should adopt an EC5 limit state design to generate safe and economical designs. However, new strength data based on characteristic values which comply with EC5 for Malaysian tropical hardwoods are still lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the compressive strength properties of nine structural-sized Malaysian tropical hardwood species namely Balau, Kempas, Kelat, Resak, Kapur, Keruing, Mengkulang, Light Red Meranti and Geronggang tested according to European Standard (EN) 408. A compression test was performed to measure the compressive strength and modulus of elasticity of the timbers and were used to derive characteristic values. The equation for determining characteristic compressive strength given in EN 384 was also assessed to verify that whether it is suitable for high density Malaysian hardwoods, as this equation was derived from softwood and European hardwoods. The results revealed that the derived characteristic values are higher than the values given in EN 338 for the relevant strength classes, particularly for heavy and medium hardwood with densities greater than 700 kg/m3. A verification of the equation used in EN 384 to determine compressive strength characteristic value yields a different equation, (Formula presented.). This shows that the EN 384 equation is not suitable to be used with hardwood timber with a density more than 700 kg/m3, since it will underestimate the strength value

Compressive Strength Characteristic Values of Nine Structural Sized Malaysian Tropical Hardwoods

The design practice of timber structures in Malaysia is still based on permissible stress codes as stated in Malaysian Standard (MS) 544: Part 2 and MS 544: Part 3, which was adopted from the British Standard (BS) 5268. The British Standard was later completely replaced by Eurocode 5 (EC5) in 2009. Therefore, to preserve the continuity of design concepts specified in the British code of practice, local designers should adopt an EC5 limit state design to generate safe and economical designs. However, new strength data based on characteristic values which comply with EC5 for Malaysian tropical hardwoods are still lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the compressive strength properties of nine structural-sized Malaysian tropical hardwood species namely Balau, Kempas, Kelat, Resak, Kapur, Keruing, Mengkulang, Light Red Meranti and Geronggang tested according to European Standard (EN) 408. A compression test was performed to measure the compressive strength and modulus of elasticity of the timbers and were used to derive characteristic values. The equation for determining characteristic compressive strength given in EN 384 was also assessed to verify that whether it is suitable for high density Malaysian hardwoods, as this equation was derived from softwood and European hardwoods. The results revealed that the derived characteristic values are higher than the values given in EN 338 for the relevant strength classes, particularly for heavy and medium hardwood with densities greater than 700 kg/m3. A verification of the equation used in EN 384 to determine compressive strength characteristic value yields a different equation, fc,0,k=2.2 fm,k0.7. This shows that the EN 384 equation is not suitable to be used with hardwood timber with a density more than 700 kg/m3, since it will underestimate the strength value