Journal Cover_July 2015
Transcription
Journal Cover_July 2015
THE JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS, MALAYSIA KDN PP5476/10/2012 (030203) | ISSN 0126-513X Tel: 03-7968 4001/4002 Fax: 03-7957 7678 E-mail: sec@iem.org.my Homepage: htp://www.myiem.org.my J VOL. 76, NO. 1 | JULY 2015 L IEM OURNA Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015 KDN PP5476/10/2012 (030203) ISSN 0126-513X MajliS Bagi SeSi 2015/2016 (ieM CounCil SeSSion 2015/2016) YANG DIpERTUA / pRESIDENT Y.Bhg. Dato’ Ir. Lim Chow Hock TIMbALAN YANG DIpERTUA / DEpUTY pRESIDENT Ir. Tan Yean Chin naiB Yang DiperTua / ViCe preSiDenTS Y.Bhg. Dato’ Ir. Dr Andy Seo Kian Haw, Ir. Lee Weng Onn, Ir. Gopal Narian Kuty, Ir. Prof. Dr Ruslan bin Hassan, Ir. Lai Sze Ching, Ir. Lee Boon Chong, Ir. David Lai Kong Phooi SeTiauSaha KehorMaT / honorarY SeCreTarY Ir. Yam Teong Sian bENDAHARI KEHORMAT / HONORARY TREASURER Ir. Prof. Dr Jefrey Chiang Choong Luin bEKAS YANG DIpERTUA TERAKHIR / IMMEDIATE pAST pRESIDENT Ir. Choo Kok Beng bEKAS YANG DIpERTUA / pAST pRESIDENTS Y.Bhg. Academician Tan Sri Dato’ Ir. (Dr) Hj. Ahmad Zaidee bin Laidin, Y.Bhg. Dato’ Ir. Dr Gue See Sew, Y.Bhg. Academician Dato’ Ir. Prof. Dr Chuah Hean Teik, Ir. Vincent Chen Kim Kieong WaKil aWaM / CiVil repreSenTaTiVe Ir. Prof. Dr Mohd. Zamin bin Jumaat WaKil MeKaniKal / MeChaniCal repreSenTaTiVe Ir. Dr Kannan M. Munisamy WaKil eleKTriK / eleCTriCal repreSenTaTiVe Y.Bhg. Dato’ Ir. Ali Askar bin Sher Mohamad WaKil STruKTur / STruCTural repreSenTaTiVe Ir. Hooi Wing Chuen WaKil KiMia / CheMiCal repreSenTaTiVe Ir. Prof. Dr Thomas Choong Chean Yaw WaKil lain-lain DiSplin / repreSenTaTiVe To oTher DiSCiplineS Ir. S. Kumar a/l Subramaniam WaKil MulTiMeDia Dan iCT / iCT anD MulTiMeDia repreSenTaTiVe Engr. Abdul Fatah bin Mohd. Yaim, M.I.E.M. ahli MajliS / CounCil MeMBerS Ir. Dr Tan Chee Fai, Ir. Kok Hee Poh, Ir. Tiong Ngo Pu, Ir. Yau Chau Fong, Ir. Teh Piaw Ngi, Ir. Kim Kek Seong, Ir. Chong Chin Meow, Ir. Chin Kuan Hwa, Ir. Assoc. Prof. Dr Vigna Kumaran Ramachandaramurthy, Ir. Lee Cheng Pay, Ir. Ong Ching Loon, Ir. Gary Lim Eng Hwa, Y.Bhg. Dato’ Ir. Noor Azmi bin Jaafar, Ir. Aminuddin bin Mohd Baki, Ir. Mohd Radzi bin Salleh, Ir. Ong Sang Woh, Ir. Mohd Khir bin Muhammad, Ir. Assoc. Prof. Dr Norlida Bini Buniyamin, Y. Bhg. Dato’ Ir. Hanapi bin Mohamad Noor, Ir. Dr Ahmad Anuar bin Othman, Ir. Ishak bin Abdul Rahman, Ir. PE Chong, Ir. Ng Yong Kong, Ir. Tejinder Singh, Ir. Sreedaran a/l Raman, Ir. Roger Wong Chin Weng ahli MajliS jeMpuTan / inViTeD CounCil MeMBerS Y. Bhg. Datuk Ir. Rosaline Ganendra, Y. Bhg. Dato’ Ir. Abdul Rashid bin Maidin pengeruSi CaWangan / BranCh ChairMan 1. Pulau Pinang: Ir. Dr Mui Kai Yin 2. Selatan: Ir. Assoc. Prof. Hayai bini Abdullah 3. Perak: Ir. Lau Win Sang 4. Kedah-Perlis: Ir. Abdullab bin Othman 5. Negeri Sembilan: Ir. Shahrin Amri bin Jahari 6. Kelantan: Ir. Mohd Zaki bin Mat 7. Terengganu: Ir. Hj. Abdullah Zawawi bin Mohd. Nor 8. Melaka: Ir. Nur Fazil Noor Mohamed 9. Sarawak: Ir. Haidel Heli 10. Sabah: Ir. Tan Koh Yon 11. Miri: Ir. Steven Chin Hui Seng 12. Pahang: Y. Bhg. Dato’ Ir. Hj. Abdul Jalil bin Hj. Mohamed CONTENTS 1 Exploring the Viability of Dams is Key to Malaysian Water Resources Development of the Future by Dato’ Ir. Syed Muhammad Shahabudin 24 Control of Bifurcation Behaviour of the Buck Converter Via A Resonant Parametric Perturbation Circuit by Ir. Dr Ng Kok Chiang, Dr Michelle Tan Tien Tien, Dr Nadia Tan Mei Lin 32 Characteristics of Optical Silicone Tactile Sensor by Nurul Fathiah Mohamed Rosli, Muhammad Azmi Ayub and Roseleena Jaafar 38 Effect of Polishing Grits, Temperatures and Selected Activators on Electroless-nickel Deposition on Cast Aluminium Substrates by Ajibola Olawale Olarewaju, Oloruntoba Daniel Toyin, and Adewuyi Benjamin Omotayo. 47 Effect of Grinding on Workability and Strength of Penang Rice Husk Ash Blended Concrete Grade 30 by Rahizuwan Hamid, Norisham Ibrahim 52 Guideline for Authors AHLI JAWATANKUASA INFORMASI DAN pENERbITAN / STanDing CoMMiTTee on inForMaTion anD puBliCaTionS 2015/2016 Pengerusi/Chairman: Ir. Prof. Dr Ruslan Hassan Naib Pengerusi/Vice Chairman: Ir. Mohd. Khir Muhammad Seiausaha/Secretary: Ir. Lau Tai Onn Ketua Pengarang/Chief Editor: Ir. Prof. Dr Ruslan Hassan Pengarang Bulein/Bullein Editor: Ir. Mohd. Khir Muhammad Pengarang Prinsipal Jurnal/Principal Journal Editor: Ir. Prof. Dr Dominic Foo Chwan Yee Pengerusi Perpustakaan/Library Chairman: Ir. C.M.M. Aboobucker Ahli-Ahli/Commitee Members: Y.Bhg. Datuk Ir. Prof. Dr Ow Chee Sheng, Engr. Abdul Fatah bin Mohamed Yaim, M.I.E.M., Ir. Dr Kannan a/l M. Munisamy, Ir. Chin Mee Poon, Ir. Yee Thien Seng, Ir. Ong Guan Hock, Ir. Dr Wang Hong Kok, Ir. Dr Oh Seong Por, Ir. Dr Aminuddin Mohd Baki, Ir. Tejinder Singh LEMbAGA pENGARANG/EDITORIAL bOARD 2015/2016 Ketua Pengarang/Chief Editor: Ir. Prof. Dr Ruslan Hassan Pengarang Bulein/Bullein Editor: Ir. Mohd. Khir Muhammad Pengarang Jurnal/Journal Editor: Ir. Prof. Dr Dominic Foo Chwan Yee Ahli-ahli/Commitee Members: Ir. Ong Guan Hock, Ir. Lau Tai Onn, Ir. Yee Thien Seng, Ir. Dr Wang Hong Kok Secretariats: Janet Lim, May Lee THE INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS, MALAYSIA Bangunan Ingenieur, Lots 60 & 62, Jalan 52/4, P.O.Box 223 (Jalan Sultan), 46720 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan. Tel: 03-7968 4001/4002 Fax: 03-7957 7678 E-mail: sec@iem.org.my Homepage: htp://www.myiem.org.my THE TWENTY THIRD PROFESSOR CHIN FUNG KEE MEMORIAL LECTURE Presented at Auditorium Tan Sri Prof. Chin Fung Kee,Wisma IEM, Jalan Selangor, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia on 7th December 2013 Dato’ Ir. Syed Muhammad Shahabudin DSDK, PJK, PEng, MIEM, FICE, Chartered Water and Environmental Manager, UK Non-executive Chairman, SMHB Sdn. Bhd. Dato’ Ir. Syed Muhammad Shahabudin has been in the water engineering ield for close to 50 years most of which in private practice as a consulting engineer. He graduated as an engineer from Plymouth College of Technology, United Kingdom and is a Professional Engineer Malaysia, a Member of The Institution of Engineers Malaysia, a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, United Kingdom and a Chartered Water and Environmental Manager, United Kingdom. After serving the Government of Malaysia for 12 years, the last appointment being the Chief Executive Engineer of the newly-formed Penang Water Authority (1973-74) on secondment from the Public Works Department, he became as partner in the consulting engineering irm of Binnie dan Rakan (BDR) Malaysia, a member of the international group of Binnie and Partners, United Kingdom with practices in South-East Asia and Hongkong specializing in water engineering. BDR was restructured in 1980 as Syed Muhammad, Hooi dan Binnie Sdn Bhd and Dato’ Ir. Syed Muhammad Shahabudin became the Chairman and Managing Director. The irm was completely taken over by Malaysians in 1995 and SMHB Sdn Bhd was formed. He assumed the duty as Executive Chairman. Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) Dato’ Ir. Syed Muhammad Shahabudin has made many contributions towards the ield of engineering particularly to the Association of Consulting Engineers Malaysia as President (1985 – 1987), the Malaysian Water Association as President (1994 – 2007). As President of Malaysian Water Association, he led a team in initiating the transformation of water services industry, taking the matter up in 2004 to the Minister who obtained Government’s approval to eventually form National Water Services Commission (SPAN) three years later. As Chairman of Malaysian Water Partnership (2007 – 2011), he was committed to the implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and strongly believes that this is the best approach which can promote sustainability of water resources management in Malaysia. He has been a board member of Selangor Water Management Board (LUAS) since its formation in 2000 and is currently a member of the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) since its formation in 2007. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia, established under the Act of Parliament to pursue, encourage and enhance excellence in the ield of science, engineering and technology. He is currently Chairman of Task Force on Water Demand Management. 1 Exploring The Viability of Dams is Key to Malaysian Water Resources Development of the Future (Date received: 30/10/14/Date accepted: 11/8/2015) Dato’ Ir. Syed Muhammad Shahabudin DSDK, PJK, PEng, MIEM, FICE, Chartered Water and Environmental Manager, UK, Non-executive Chairman, SMHB Sdn. Bhd. E-mail: datosyed@smhb.com ABSTRACT It is said that civilization began and prospered when humans could control water; and that same civilization declined and vanished when that control is lost. Dams and other river low barriers were built to harness and control water in the early days of civilisation in order to secure the beneits for human basic needs and comfort. Centuries later, more dams were built to cater for increasing population, especially in arid and semi-arid areas. But it is really in the past two centuries that many large-sized dams have been built to satisfy a wider range of development demands – hydropower, treated water supply, irrigation, lood control and environmental needs. Towards the second half of the last century, society came to realise that dams can cause signiicant negative social and environmental impacts that could outweigh the original economic beneits. Opponents of dams protest vehemently world-wide against the development of more dams whilst proponents are convinced that they are a necessary feature to support growth and prosperity. It is these contradicting beliefs in mind that the public must be engaged to facilitate a better understanding of the views of both the proponents and the opponents of dam development before deciding on a long-term strategy. In the meantime, more effort may have to be made for water and energy conservation strategies and to realize the potential applications of low impact and non-structural solutions that complement existing dams and defer new dam development to as far into the future as possible. This paper aims to provoke a critical debate amongst engineers and the public to look at the longer term future of dams in water resources development that could possibly reduce the fundamental demand for services that dam provides. In other words, to try and answer the question “Why should a country rich in water, as Malaysia is, need to construct dams and even plan for more?” 1.0 INTRODUCTION It has often been argued by critics to large dams construction in water resources development that economic and social development can also be achieved without building dams. This is theoretically possible but not easily implementable. More time is needed for studies, research and assessment on alternatives or other options, for example, in water reuse, recycling, water footprint of conventional and renewable energy resources and optimizing the overall use of water by fully utilizing water demand management concept which calls for water conservation in reduction of usage and pollution. Furthermore, unlike advanced and industrialized countries where economically exploitable water resources are nearly fully developed, in many of the developing countries, demand for water is tremendous and extensive undeveloped exploitable water resources are still available for use. This is particularly so in energy production utilizing hydro-electric dams and multipurpose dams. Malaysia belongs to this category as a fast developing nation. The challenge for the future will be the utilization of dams in conjunction with climate, environment and land use for the prudent management of water resources as part of the nation’s social and economic development goals. This calls for opportunities to fully utilise the most effective approach to ensure the most sustainable outcome is achieved in cases where there is not much choice but to build dams. 2 2.0 ENGINEERING LARGE DAMS IN MALAYSIA General The engineering of dams is among the earliest structures built by mankind. Since early civilization, dams have provided the necessary quantities of water to sustain the population in semiarid and arid regions with a huge seasonal variability of rainfall, with too little precipitation and too high evapotranspiration. In such cases, there was no other choice but to build dams and make water available for human needs and comfort especially to cultures highly dependent on irrigation for security of food supply. For regions which experience signiicant precipitation, the sustainability of life is hardly threatened by the imbalance between demands and available supplies of water, food and energy. Malaysia is among the countries blessed with good water resources. Apart from the Bukit Merah Project, the provision of large dams is, therefore, deemed unnecessary until much later in time during the late 1920s and early 1930s. International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD) deines Large Dam as having at least heights of 15m or 5-15m with at least 3 million m3 (MCM) storage volume. Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) ExPLORING THE VIABILITY OF DAMS IS KEY TO MALAYSIAN WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT OF THE FUTURE Table 2.1 Year of Commission Capacity Ownership Purpose Bukit Merah Project, Perak 1906 Augmented supply for Irrigation (24,000 ha) Perak Government (Federated MalayStates) Irrigation water supply Chenderoh Hydroelectric 1930 27 MW Perak River Hydroelectric Company Supply to tin mines and other areas Gunong Pulai II and Pontian, Johor 1932 12 mgd Straits Settlement Government, Singapore Water supply to Singapore Project The Early Dams The earliest large dams in the country were constructed for three different purposes, namely for irrigation needs of agriculture, for hydroelectric generation and potable water supply (export to Singapore) as seen on Table 2.1 above. largest in Southeast Asia until after the Second World War (TNB Publication 1993) as shown in Figure 2.1. The aim was to make electricity available to the State of Perak for all purposes. But the tin mining industry, especially after the advent of massive dredging operations, was the driving economic force behind the demand of electric power. The dam structure is a hollow buttress type concrete dam. The third is a combination of large dams at Gunung Pulai II and Pontian in Johor, built by the Straits Settlment Government for Water Supply to Singapore as shown in Figure 2.2. Singapore was then part of the British administration in this region. The View of Bukit Merah Dam, Perak The irst large dam to be constructed in 1906 was a homogeneous earth-ill dam at Bukit Merah, Perak built primarily for irrigation purposes but later extended for other uses like potable water supply, recreational use, ishing and lood mitigation. In fact Perak was the irst state in the Federated Malay States to be involved in the rehabilitation of existing irrigation areas in Kerian in 1899. The interest in irrigation was towards increasing the food supply levels in the state (History of Irrigation in Malaysia: MOA). The dam reduced the risk of crop failures for the only one cropping season practiced at the time. The scheme was completed at a cost of 2,600,000 Straits Dollars. The dam heights was raised twice the irst in 1965 and again in 1984 and currently serves 24,000 hectares of the Kerian Irrigation Scheme and double cropped every year. A view of the dam is seen on the photograph. The dam is now one of the major components of the Kerian Irrigation Scheme, one of the 12 Granaries in Malaysia. The Second large dam was built by the private company as the irst hydro-electric project in the country: a 27 MW Chenderoh Hydro-electric Power Station, across the Sg. Perak, which was inaugurated in 1930, making it one of the largest hydro developments in the British Empire at that time and the Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 75, 76, No. 2, 1, Dec July 2014) 2015) Figure 2.1 Figure 2.1 3 DATO’ IR. SYED MUHAMMAD SHAHABUDIN require stable supply of water throughout the year. In addition, infrastructure systems were left much to be desired as the result of negligence during the war. The large rain-fed irrigation areas in Kedah, Perak and Kelantan were often at the mercy of poor crop production during dry periods and severe looding. View of Pulai II Dam, Johor scheme took six years to be completed and was commissioned in 1932 under dificult working conditions “on sites in tropical jungle with serious outbreaks of malaria where work on one dam had to be stopped to deal with the outbreak”. (Binnie Short History, 1990). The job was completed by direct labour with resident site staff buying all plants and materials and hiring labour to get work done, using money provided by the client. The main dam, Gunung Pulai II, is a masonry gravity dam, 37m high as seen on the photograph and with a 31m high earth-ill dam at nearby Pontian. The Gunong Pulai II masonry dam is understood to be the only dam of its type built in Malaysia. The job was inished at a cost of £2.6 million, a princely sum in those days. After the construction of these three earliest large dams, there was about a 30 year gap before more dams were considered for construction in the latter part of 1950s and after Merdeka. In the meantime, in most parts of the country, there was still abundant supply of water for abstraction and use. The Post Second World War Period The most signiicant period of dam construction took place worldwide after the Second World War. Elsewhere in the developed and industrialized countries, postwar reconstruction and economic development was accompanied by phenomenal construction of infrastructure systems between 1950-1980 when 7,600 large dams were commissioned in the 1970s (ICOLD: 2006). For about the same period more large dams were planned to meet shortages in water supply as some parts of the country were not able to balance demand with supply of water for potable supply and agricultural needs. This was particularly so in urban centres like Kuala Lumpur and George Town with marked increase in population after the war years. The pre-war water supply from the upper reaches of Sg. Ampang at Ampang Intake and Impounding (5 mgd) and Kuala Sleh (10 mgd) for Kuala Lumpur municipal limits, could no longer meet the increased demand of Kuala Lumpur and new extended areas. Similarly George Town’s main sources of supply at the waterfall (4 mgd), Guillemard (12 mgd) and Air Itam old plant (4 mgd) could no longer satisfy the increased demand of the population. Increased paddy cultivation to meet more food demand would Figure 2.2: Gunung Pulai Scheme, Johor However, with the formation of the Federation of Malaya in February 1948, when all states of the peninsula were united for the irst time under a Federal System of Government, opportunities were created for reconstruction and development of infrastructures for the whole country. Prior to this, there was a Federal system in four states forming the Federated Malay States (Selangor, Perak, Pahang and Negeri Sembilan), and the three British Straits Settlements ((Singapore, Penang and Melaka). The ive remaining states (Johor, Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan and Terengganu) were self-governing under British protection. The most remarkable advantage is the ability to reconstruct, plan and improve infrastructure system in a concerted and most effective way by all the states with close coordination by the Federal Government. Meanwhile, in 1949, one of the most important events in the history of Malaysia’s power supply (TNB Publication 1993) took place when public supply of electricity in the country became the vested interest of the newly formed Central Electricity Board (CEB). With stability, after the war and uniication of states in Malaya, came economic development and physical achievements especially in the urban centres. The eventual achievement of Independence in August 1957, economic development was further extended to cover the whole country notably the rural areas. The First Dams After The Second World War During the late 1940s until early 1960s, the following three large dams were built as indicated in Table 2.2. The Labong Dam (Irrigation) The need for irrigation facilities (including dams even for a single cropping system before the 1960s), is because of the variability of rainfall within a year, between years and also within the rainy and the dry seasons in a year. Dams provide the 2 YTL does not condone exploitation of labour, nor does the company allow for labour practices that jeopardise the health and safety of its employees. In the 1980s, it acted within the purview of existing Malaysian Labour Laws that permitted 24-hour construction work. Thus, gaining strategic upper-hand over Japanese construction irms that were not permitted to do the same. 4 Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) ExPLORING THE VIABILITY OF DAMS IS KEY TO MALAYSIAN WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT OF THE FUTURE Table 2.2 Year of Commission Capacity Ownership Purpose Labong Dam 1949 Augmented supply for Irrigation (1,184 ha) Government of Johor Irrigation water supply Klang Gates Dam 1959 30 mgd Government of Selangor Water supply to KL and suburbs Air Itam Dam 1963 City Council of George Town Water supply to George Town Project 6 mgd stability of irrigation water supply and thereby reduce the risk of crop failures, improve the chances of success for the only one cropping season then and for double cropping now. With dams, production became more consistent and therefore stable incomes for farmers as well. The Labong Dam for the Endau Rompin irrigation scheme, as shown in Figure 2.3, was commissioned in 1949 for single cropping system. This dam is an earth-ill embankment dam and the scheme has recently been added to be another one of the Granary Areas for the country. With the re-activation, the whole scheme will be for double cropping. The reservoir also supplies 0.5 mgd for water supply needs. the Ahning Dam, a rock-ill with concrete faced dam type, height 74 m, length 270 m, storage 275 MCM. The total annual release from these dams is 1,600 MCM. Plans are already underway to augment irrigation supply to the southern region of this MADA Granary from the Beris Dam (concrete faced rock-ill type, 40 m high, 155 m long, 122.4 MCM storage capacity). The dams also supply water for water supply needs in Kedah, Penang and Perlis. The Cameron Highlands hydroelectric dams The year 1963 marked the CEB successful completion of its irst major hydroelectric scheme in the Cameron Highlands. The Klang Gates and Air Itam Dams (Water Supply) The shortage of treated water supply became increasingly apparent with the expansion of Kuala Lumpur and its suburbs particularly the newly created Petaling Jaya in the 1950s which called for urgent attention and the irst large dam in the country for water supply (if supply from Gunong Pulai II is discounted as water export) was commissioned in 1959 with the completion of the Klang Gates arch gravity concrete dam (this dam was eventually raised in 1979 to accommodate as a dual purpose dam for lood mitigation). In the north, George Town, Penang similarly needed to solve their water supply shortages. The second large dam for water supply in the country, an earthill dam, was built by the City Council of George Town and commissioned in 1963. Major Post War Schemes Involving Dams Pedu and Muda dams (Irrigation) This is perhaps the largest “Twin” Dams in Malaysia. Constructed in 1966, it supplies 30% of the total irrigation requirement to the largest irrigation scheme in Malaysia, the Muda Irrigation Scheme (also known as the MADA: Muda Agricultural Development Authority) Granary, totalling 96,558 ha. Interestingly, this scheme is not within the Muda River Basin. The Muda River water is impounded by the Muda Dam and transferred into the Pedu Dam in the Pedu River Basin via the Saiong Tunnel (4.42 m diameter, 6.8 km length) and subsequently released to irrigate the paddy ields. This MADA Granary is now the premier rice bowl of Malaysia consistently producing 40% of the total National output with yields of more than 6 tons/ha per season. The Muda Dam is concrete ambursen buttress type with overlow spillway. Its main dam is 37m height and 250m length. Its storage capacity is 160 MCM. The Pedu Dam is of rockill with upstream asphaltic concrete membrane type with its main dam at 61 m height and 220 m length with a reservoir storage capacity of 1,073 MCM. The irrigation supply is augmented by Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) Figure 2.3: Labong Scheme, Johor (Sources: http://www.mada.gov.my, http://www.water.gov.my/ : 22 October 2013-9.30am) Figure 2.4 5 DATO’ IR. SYED MUHAMMAD SHAHABUDIN The scheme started in 1959 and about half the £15 million cost represented the civil engineering works (Binnie short history 1990). “Much of the initial survey work in 1955 had to take place in virgin jungle, but in addition there were still a number of guerilla camps in the area”. The power house was constructed 260m underground, the machine hall being 24m high by 15m wide. Some 26km of tunnels were driven, the last section feeding the turbines having driven at 45º to the horizontal. The 40m high dam to pond the power water was a buttress design, Sultan Abu Bakar (Ringlet) dam, fully closed in on the downstream face to permit overspill to occur over the whole crest of the dam. The construction of the similar Batang Padang hydroelectric scheme downstream followed immediately and involved another 20 km tunnel, a 46m high earth dam and another underground power station. Figure 2.5 indicates the Location Plan. The push towards nationwide power supply was becoming a reality and CEB was renamed National Electricity Board (NEB) in June 1965. The 5-Year Development Plans Systematic planning for economic development of the country started with two 5-year Malayan Development Plans (1960– 1970) and followed by a series of 5-year Malaysian Development Plans (1970–2015). The country is currently undergoing implementation of 10th Malaysia Plan. Table 2.3 indicates large dams built for various purposes numbering 69 altogether by the end of 2000s. The locations are shown on Figures 2.6 and 2.7. Over a period of 40 years of economic diversiication from an agriculture based to industrialization between 1960 and the end of 1990s, 45 large dams were constructed in Malaysia; or at an average of more than one dam constructed every year. Of these, 20 were in the 1980s; an average of about 2 dams per year over the decade. Most of those dams were for water supply (43 dams), relecting the need for timely water resources development to satisfy the growing demands of the population and industry over those 40 years. The largest dam for Malaysian water supply is the Sg. Selangor dam (235 MCM) as seen in the photograph. The dam development momentum continued into the new millennium. Between the year 2000 and 2013, 18 more new dams were added or at an average of more than 1 dam per year, the largest being the Bakun Hydroelectric Scheme, Sarawak (44,000 MCM and with capacity 2400 MW) as seen in the photograph. Presently (2013), six new large dams are under construction. These are: • Kelau, Pahang (water supply) • Ulu Jelai, Pahang (Hydroelectric) • Puah and Tembat, Terengganu (Hydroelectric) • Murum, Sarawak (Hydroelectric) • Paya Peda, Terengganu (Irrigation) More dams are planned for the future. Based on the Review National Water Resources Study in 2012 and other proposals to date, another 73 dams are expected to be constructed in the future. Since 1960, not only were new dams constructed but there were also existing dams re-developed to increase their capacities by raising their dam heights. These are the Bukit Merah Dam (1965 and 1984), the Klang Gates Dam (1979), Durian Tunggal Dam (1992), Lebam Dam (1992) and Sg. Tinggi (2003). Works View of Sg. Selangor Dam Figure 2.5 6 to raise the TimahTasoh Dam height are currently on going and plans to raise the Mengkuang Dam height are already irmed. Unlike some dams in other countries (e.g. Mangla Dam in Pakistan and Hinze Dam in Australia) that were planned and constructed to be raised in the future, none of the existing dams in Malaysia are known to have been planned, designed and constructed to account for such long-term phased-development. However there Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) ExPLORING THE VIABILITY OF DAMS IS KEY TO MALAYSIAN WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT OF THE FUTURE View of Bakun Hydroelectric Dam are already serious considerations to review the existing dams for possible dam height raise either to meet increasing needs or as an adaptation strategy to absorb the projected extreme lood lows due to climate change impacts. Most of the dams in Malaysia are earth-ill dams. The majority of sites are in mountainous country and foundations are relatively uncomplicated. Alluvium depths are rather shallow (10-15m) or absent. The weathered rocks in place have adequate strength and stiffness. So they rarely control the embankment slope angles. The residual soil and weathered rocks of Malaysia makes an ideal ill material. The strength of the soil, the ease with which it can be compacted and its fairly rapid rate of consolidation to provide an economical cross-section for a central core embankment dams. The irst Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) dam in Malaysia was completed in 2006 as the Sg. Kinta dam at Ulu Kinta, Perak. Dams were previously built by different government agencies like the Public Works Department and various Water Authorities Figure 2.6 Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) 7 8 Table 2.3: Major Dam Development in Malaysia No. Purpose (Primary / Secondary) Before 1950s Water Supply Gunung Pulai Scheme 1. Pulai II Dams 2. Pontian Kechil Dam B Hydropower Chenderoh Dam, Perak C Irrigation Bukit Merah Dam, Perak1 Labong Dam, Johor D Flood Mitigation E Environmental F Recreation 1960s Air Hitam Dam, Penang Damansara Dam, Selangor Klang Gates Dam2 3 1970s 1 Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) 1 Lebam Dam, Johor Durian Tunggal Dam, Melaka Langat Dam, Selangor 2 Cameron Highland Scheme Sultan Abu Bakar (Ringlet Falls) Dam, Pahang Batang Padang Scheme Jor and Mahang, Perak 1980s 3 Temenggor Dam, Perak5 3 Mahang Agricultural Development Authority Scheme Pedu and Muda Dams 2000s Sg. Buloh (Tinggi) Dam, Johor Air Kuning (Taiping) Dam, Perak Pedas Dam, N.S. Juaseh Dam, N.S. Upper Muar Dam, N.S. Gemencheh Dam, N.S. Kelinchi Dam, N.S. Barbagon Dam, Sabah 11 9 Sg. Selangor Dam, Selangor Chereh Dam, Kuantan Betotan Dam, Sandakan Milau Dam, Kudat, Sabah Gerugu Dam, Sarikei, Sarawak Labu Dam, Selangor Teluk Bahang Dam, Penang Telibu Dam, Sabah Kerteh (KIPC), Terengganu1 2010-2013 11 Anak Endau Dam, Pahang1 Pontian Dam, Pahang1 1 43 2 12 Beris Dam Timah Tasoh Dam, Perlis3 1 3 Sg. Batu Dam, Selangor4 Sembong Dam, Johor1 Machap Dam, Johor3 3 Bakun Dam, Sarawak Murum, Sarawak 4 1 Total Kinta, Perak Terian, N.S. Batu Hampar, N.S. Pergau Dam, Kelantan5 Kenyir Dam, Terengganu5 Batang Air, Sarawak Bersia Dam, Perak Kenering Dam, Perak Bukit Kwong Dam, Kelantan 2 Semenyih Dam, Selangor Terip Dam, Negeri Sembilan1 Malut Dam, Kedah Ahning Dam, Kedah1 Mengkuang Dam, Penang Layang Upper Dam, Johor Layang Lower Dam, Johor Timbangan, Semporna, Sabah Sika, Bintulu, Sarawak Bukit Kuda, Labuan Paka (Bukit Bauk), Terengganu 1990s 1 10 Bekok Dam, Johor4 2 1 3 Silt Retention Repas Baru Dam, Pahang1 1 Putrajaya Dam, Wilayah Persekutuan 6 1 8 5 20 12 1 1 13 5 69 DATO’ IR. SYED MUHAMMAD SHAHABUDIN A 1950s ExPLORING THE VIABILITY OF DAMS IS KEY TO MALAYSIAN WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT OF THE FUTURE (Water Supply). Department of Drainage and Irrigation (Irrigation and Flood Control), National Electricity Board for Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak Electricity Supply Company and the Sabah Electric Board Sdn Bhd. Since 2004, most of the construction of water supply dams has been taken over by agencies under the State Governments and Ministry of Energy, Green Technologi and Water (KeTTHA), and irrigation dams by agencies under the state government and Ministry of Agriculture & Agro Based Industry (MOA). The states of Sabah and Sarawak are directly responsible for construction of dams undertaken by their agencies. Catchment Control A major problem facing reservoir operation in Malaysia is the potential for intense erosion of the catchment. The majority of the reservoirs have steep jungle-covered catchments. Under conditions of intense tropical rainstorms even virgin jungle catchments will produce serious soil erosion, as commented by WJ Carlyle, a dam expert from United Kingdom, conversant with dam implementation in Malaysia. According to him, “it is not uncommon for 75% of the annual sediment yield to move in a single storm even in normal conditions.” In his expert view, the Sultan Abu Bakar (Ringlet Falls) reservoir in the Cameron Highlands “presents a good example of where the catchment area has been progressively denuded to grow tea and vegetables and in 20 years of operation, the reservoir has been virtually illed with sediment. An interesting secondary problem of catchment management at Ringlet Falls Reservoir is the development that has encroached into the corridor of the river valley downstream. This used to be a “jungle” river when the scheme was built, but has now been cleared for intensive vegetable and lower cultivation. The concrete dam has loatoperated crest radial gates which open in response to rising reservoir levels. It is now unsafe to operate these gates because of the risk of life loss downstream.” The recent tragedy which occurred on 23rd October, 2013 involving the loss of 3 lives, downstream of Sultan Abu Bakar dam (as seen in the photograph) as a result of releases of large volumes of water from the dam, emphasized on the need to keep river reserves and corridors downstream free of human settlements and low obstructions. This problem of catchment management was previously raised by W.J. Carlyle in his inspection report. Catchment control needs an integrated approach by all parties concerned at state level to maintain the designed life expectancy of any dam as well as to minimize the risks associated with dam structural integrity and dam operations particularly during large volume releases of water during excessive stormwater lows. Problems In his review of dams built before 1990s, WJ Carlyle was not aware of a failure of any Malaysian large dam over the 60 years of dam history. He is aware of only three incidents of any signiicance: (i) Serious leakage of an asphalt deck rockill dam. Leakage was much reduced by underwater placement of clay blanket layer (ii) Failure of the spillway section of a low irrigation dam due to piping and erosion of the concrete toe, which was rebuilt. Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) (iii) Slam failure of a 1800 butterly guard valve upstream of a fully opened 1400 regulator valve on a 2200 outlet pipe causing failure of pipe joints and some looding. On the same dam but unrelated to the irst incident the accidental looding of the outlet culvert (old diversion tunnel) causing loatation of the empty twin 2200 pipes 500 m long, resulting in damage to pipe addles and support straps -now repaired. According to him, this is a good record and a credit to the dam owners and builders. These are large dams designed by qualiied engineers. However, there are many small dams mainly in estates and for storage of tailings that are constructed without proper design. A famous tailing dam failure is Ampang Pechah in Kuala Kubu Baru with a loss of many lives. Recently, another tailing dam failed in Gambang, Pahang. Photo credit: STAR publications (M) Bhd. View of illegal farms within the Sg. Bertam reserve Dam Safety Malaysia has no central authority for enforcement of dam safety, nor any governing legislation. Each dam owner is responsible to carry out the inspection on the maintenance and safety of his dam. State authorities are owners of dams for water supply purposes, lood control and agricultural dams. The Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry is jointly responsible with state authorities for management of major agricultural dams. The other owners are the electrical power authorities which own and operate the hydroelectric dams in the Peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak. Of recent times, design and construction of dams for water supply purposes has been known to be privatized. Although, there is no doubt that there is an appropriate awareness of dam safety needs in Malaysia, the time has come for need to have governing legislations to cater for Dam Safety. This is also covered in Section 3 under “Effective Governance of Water Resources Management” A “Guideline for Operations, Maintenances and Surveillance of Dam”, dated October 1989, was prepared by an Inter-Departmental Committee on Dam Safety in Malaysia. The members of the Committee were Public Works Department, Tenaga Nasional Bhd, Department of Irrigation and Drainage, Sabah Electricity Board, Sarawak Electric Supply Company and Penang Water Authority. 9 DATO’ IR. SYED MUHAMMAD SHAHABUDIN It is understood that since 1999, the Inter-Department Committee on Dam Safety has not been operating. Transfer of Technology and Special Training in Dam Engineering Immediately after Merdeka, the bulk of the engineers upon graduating from overseas or University of Malaya (being the only university at the time) were taken in to serve the Government, under the Malayanisation Programme to replace expatriates in the Government service. However, a few joined foreign irms of consulting engineers based in the country or newly established local consulting engineering irms. These engineers formed the core of local engineers in the private sector including the pioneers in geotechnical works involved in the large dam schemes such as the Cameron Highlands hydroelectric schemes (1959-1963), Penang-Air Itam dam for water supply scheme (1963-1965) and MADA irrigation project (1666-1970) in Kedah. During the subsequent years in the 1970s to the 1990s, a number of the foreign owned irms were taken over by Malaysian engineers and among such irms involved in dam engineering were SMHB Sdn Bhd, SSP, and Ranhill Bersekutu. Among the locally established irms with background experience in dam engineering were JKC, KTA Tenaga, Angkasa Consulting Services and RPM engineers. These local engineers received in-house peer training and also gained considerable experience through transfer of technology from their overseas associates. For the future, it is considered appropriate for new irms intending to be involved in dam engineering to have engineers specially trained and qualiied for design, supervision of construction, environmental and safety inspection of dams. These engineers may need to be accredited possibly with a yet to be formed ‘Government Commission on Dams’. This is particularly important as far as dam safety is concerned. The consequential effect of failure of dams can be disastrous causing loss of lives to entire villages and townships and to properties downstream of the dams. 3.0 MAIN ISSUES OF CONCERN IN DAMS, ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT IN MALAYSIA Introduction Malaysia has undergone rapid economic development since the 1960s after achieving independence from Great Britain. A series of 5-year development plans have been implemented with the current 10th Malaysia Development Plan due for completion in 2015. Ensuring adequate supply of water resources remains a key prime mover in the much needed development of the country to meet the rising demands of the increasing population, the requirements of the fast expanding industrial development, irrigated agricultural needs and for energy generation in the hydro-electric process. The increasing demand of water is shown in Table 3.1 and for energy in Figure 3.1 (Generation Mix) which indicates increase in electricity demand from 2015 to 2030. It is interesting to note that hydroelectric source is projected to be 23% of the Generation Mix when the total demand increases from 121,000 GWh in 2015 to 211,000 GWh in 2030. Due to climatic condition in the country where, sometimes, prolonged dry periods take place, adequate storages are provided to ensure stability in the supply of water. Like other countries, Malaysia highlights that damming of rivers, where economically and socially feasible, is still an important priority for water managers and policy makers. It is a convenient and most feasible way to solve and meet evolving water and energy needs by building dams. However, since the past two decades, another issue emerges in the immediate need to protect and conserve the environment particularly in the provision of dams and storageswhere extensive area of fertile land and forests are inundated permanently with water. So the issues of concern is not only on freshwater scarcity, causing a crisis, but also on adverse effect, caused by a remedial measure in the provision of dams, to the environment. To put Table 3.1 TOTAL CONSUMPTIVE WATER DEMAND ( MLD) Perlis Kedah Pulau Pinang Perak Selangor Negeri Sembilan Melaka Johor Pahang Terengganu Kelantan Pen. Malaysia 2010 837 8,006 2,096 5,342 6,133 932 885 1,958 1,990 2,421 4,472 35,065 2020 819 8,152 2,271 5,267 6,823 989 1,003 2,410 2,594 2,671 4,435 37,427 2030 783 7,785 2,289 4,927 7,041 982 1,030 2,832 2,455 2,657 4,344 37,137 2040 778 7,871 2,395 4,933 7,561 1,002 1,120 3,189 2,495 2,736 4,385 38,481 2050 771 7,881 2,450 4,962 8,005 1,026 1,202 3,563 2,624 2,811 4,393 39,680 Sabah FT Labuan Sarawak Sabah. FT Labuan & Sarawak 2,501 49.29 2,898 5,429 3,712 65.89 5,933 9,719 3,813 71.05 5,830 9,719 3,954 75.79 5,967 9,990 4,035 79.28 6,171 10,262 Total Malaysia 40,512 47,128 46,856 48,488 49,938 Source: Adapted from Review NWRS 2000-2050 (2012) using Mld conversion 10 Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) ExPLORING THE VIABILITY OF DAMS IS KEY TO MALAYSIAN WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT OF THE FUTURE everything in the right perspective, the inal issue of concern, at the moment, is the absence of an effective coordinating mechanism at the national level to initiate, develop and monitor the implementation of policy reform that are of national signiicance and requires cooperative action by State Governments. This mechanism can also be responsible for legislation on dam safety and regulation on provision of dams that includes the design and maintenance of dams for the country similar to what is being practiced in developed countries like Australia, South Africa, South Korea and Europe. in Peninsular Malaysia (Reference Table 3.2 and graphically Figure 3.2). These shortages are, in fact, being managed at above stress level mainly by regulated releases from storages impounded by dams as additional water required during dry periods. The role played by dams is certainly vital to maintain a consistent supply of freshwater for use throughout the year. Security of water resources is very much dependent on climatic conditions. Although Malaysia is among the countries with high average annual rainfall, it is however, seasonal and very Figure 3.2 Table 3.2 Figure 3.1 Source: EPU - Malaysia Energy Outlook 2010-2030 Pre-empting Water Crisis The new study on Asia-Paciic region water security warns that many countries face an imminent water crisis unless steps are taken immediately to improve their management of water resources (ADB-Asia Paciic Water Forum). “As a whole the region is faced with a number of unique challenges – most notably rapid urbanization and industrialization. The region’s huge population is also very exposed to the expected impacts of climate charge” (Makin ADB). From a UN data, Malaysia is among the handful of Asian nations largely free of water stress at present. However, the threat of scarcity of freshwater in the near future is already there. The main issue of concern is to address this threat and pre-empt it from happening. Addressing scarcity of freshwater resources The threat of scarcity of freshwater resources is as shown in Figure 3.2 (NWRS Review : 2000-2050) where consumptive water demand (irrigated agriculture and potable water supply) is increasing whilst unregulated low is decreasing. This alarming situation, if unchecked on time, would result in serious water shortages in the immediate future. Some parts of the country are already experiencing unregulated low freshwater deicit, as shown in Table 3.2. The deicits are in Perlis, Kedah and Penang (irrigated agriculture and potable water supply and in Selangor and Melaka (potable water supply). Melaka is already importing water from Johor to augment the storage and Selangor will soon be using water from Pahang. The total deicits in the ive states is calculated to be 4,202 MCM (11,512 Mld) which is about 28.4 per cent of the total Malaysian demand of 14,787 MCM (40,512 Mld) in 2010 (or 32.8 per cent compared to total demand Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) pronounced. In an extreme case during the water crisis in Selangor in 1998, there was hardly any rainfall for nearly six months resulting in a severe drop of lows in rivers and waterways. Occurrences of lood is more frequent, particularly on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia during the monsoon season. Adequate storage is deemed necessary. The main issue is the ability to harness and store the excess rainfall for use effectively over the remaining period of the year whilst concurrently attending to lood mitigation measures in dams like large hydroelectric reservoirs as multi-purpose dams. The issue of water scarcity is global. By 2025, two-thirds of the global population could confront water stress (FAO “Hot issues : water security 2012) – the vast majority would be in Asia. While Asian freshwater resources have remained the same, its population has grown from nearly 1.5 billion in 1950 to 4.2 billion by end of 2011 or 60 percent of the world’s total (UNDP 2011). Asia’s rivers, lakes and aquifers give it, per capita, barely one tenth the water of South America or Australia and New Zealand, less than one-fourth of North America and nearly one-third of Europe (FAO IRWR 2011). Yet the world’s fastestgrowing demand for water for food and industrial production and water supply is also in Asia. 11 DATO’ IR. SYED MUHAMMAD SHAHABUDIN The decision lies on whether developing Asian nations would have the capacity to emulate many of the advanced countries to build large dams in order to strengthen the high capita storage capacity needed for human development and economic growth. China, as the fast growing developing country, and second largest economy in world, has embarked on construction of many large dams. In the case of Malaysia it is interesting to note that based on computation of the total storage volume of 86,763 million m3 and the current population of 29 million, the per capita storage is 2,992 m3 when compared to Australia’s 4,600 m3 and North America’s 6,000 m3. Environmental Sustainability and Social Conditions of Where large quantities of water are needed for potable and/or industrial water supply, irrigation, energy and lood control, multipurpose dams have proven to be the best solution. Once these dams are completed, they become an integral part of the environment. It is essential that environmental assessments be made to identify potential impact by the project. From social aspects, public involvement early in the project planning process also allows the affected people not only to better understand the project but plan for and obtain assistance for real estate acquisition and resettlement. It is an acceptable practice that people who have to be resettled must have a better quality of life than they have before and also better facilities. All necessary expenses for such settlement practices should be included in the project cost. Central to issues on the development of dams in Malaysia is the effect it has on water resources lies on inadequate environmental and social consideration when planning of the project. Perhaps if the planning and study period is spread over a reasonably longer period of at least ive years or more before the project is started, most issues of concern would be scrutinized and agreed to everybody’s satisfaction and adverse impacts reduced to absolute minimum. The environmental impact of dams are wide ranging and can be briely summarized as follows: i. Habitat fragmentation within dammed rivers; ii. Downstream habitat effects caused by altered lows, such as loss of loodplains, riparian zones, and adjacent wetlands and deterioration and loss of river deltas and ocean estuaries; iii. Deterioration of irrigated terrestrial environments and associated surface waters; iv. Reduction of river lows, leading to reduced water quality because of dilution problems for point and non-point sources of pollution; v. Genetic isolation of species as a result of habitat fragmentation; vi. Changes in ecosystem-level processes such as nutrient cycling and primary productivity; vii. Contamination of food webs, and viii. Increase in greenhouse gas emissions. One example of note is the Three Gorges Dam in China. Constructed in 2006, the dam was completed and became functional by July 2012. The environmental impacts are certainly worth noting when considering the beneits of considerable hydroelectric power (22,500MW). The irst impact is the water pollution created the submergence of hundreds of 12 factories, mines and waste dumps, and the presence of massive industrial centres upstream. Second, erosion of the reservoir and downstream riverbanks is causing landslides, and treating one of the world’s biggest isheries in the East China Sea. Third, the weight of the reservoir’s water has many scientist concerned over reservoir-induced seismicity. Finally, crisis have also argued that the project may have exacerbated recent droughts by withholding critical water supply to downstream users and ecosystems, and through the creation of a microclimate by its giant reservoir. In 2011, China’s highest government body for the irst time oficially acknowledged the “urgent problems” of the Three Gorges Dam. Equally of major concern in the resettlement of people from the area to be inundated as reservoirs. Some form of resettlement programme has to be drawn up during the planning and study period. In Malaysia, many of the programmes have either been unsuccessful or met with implementation problems. For instance, many Orang Asli communities have been provided with alternative housing which is built of concrete structures in land areas that are void of forest vegetation. Such housing are unsuitable for the Orang Asli who are used to living in wooden houses among tall trees. To quote actual examples of dams that have been built in Malaysia and some of their effects on the environment and communities, two dams are cited, namely Sg. Selangor dam in Hulu Selangor and Kelau Dam in Pahang. For the Sg. Selangor Dam, because the project was in Selangor where public is more vocal and more aware of environmental issues, there was much protests from various NGO groups during the early stages of the project. Now, some 12 years after the implementation of the dam, the actual outcome of some of the earlier major concerns can be summarized as follows: • Relocation of about 340 Orang Asli in Kg. Gerachi and Kg. Peretak – in this case there was emphasis placed on providing the Orang Asli communities with suitable housing which was designed to be of wooden structure, more like kampong houses. There are nevertheless still issues in the implementation programme due to inadequate follow up on their livelihood, schooling programme for the children, etc. • Impact on irely colonies in Kg. Kuantan located at the river mouth about 80 km downstream of the dam – this was one of the key issues of concern of the Sg. Selangor dam. The Malaysian Nature Society had been monitoring the irely colonies after the dam was constructed and their inding was that the colonies have been dwindling. However, this may not be completely due to the dam project along since there are also other activities at the estuary areas that could be affecting the mangrove ecosystem. In the case of the Kelau Dam project in Pahang, the dam construction is currently ongoing. The main issue relating to this project is again the resettlement of Orang Asli communities affecting about 110 people. The resettlement package for the Orang Asli includes concrete houses, 5 acres of oil palm areas and monetary compensation for 4 years. This is part of Government’s “Program Pembasmian Rakyat Termiskin”, (PPRT) programme. There are already problems with the execution of the resettlement programme; the oil palm areas are poorly managed, the houses are in areas that are completely cleared of vegetation, the drainage systems for the housing area have already collapsed, and there is no waste collection provided for the settlement area. Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) ExPLORING THE VIABILITY OF DAMS IS KEY TO MALAYSIAN WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT OF THE FUTURE As a result some of the Orang Asli families have moved back to near where they used to live before. Resettlement programme must involve educational proposals and new activities such as crafts or other cottage industries to be developed. Effective Governance Management of Water Resources Another main issue of concern is the confusion over responsibility for governance. “Many countries still have multiple agencies with responsibilities for water. This often leads to ineffective planning and utilization of available resources, including water, human and inancial resources. I cannot think of a country in the region that would not beneit from a long hard look at the institutional arrangement for water planning and management”. (Makin ADB). Management of water resources is a state responsibility in Malaysia and of late, a number of states has instituted some form of arrangement for improvement to water resources and water demand management with a varying degree of success. The state of Selangor, with the formation of Lembaga Urus Air Selangor (LUAS), has for sometime established a system of governance, which would be a suitable model for other states to adopt. Among the responsibilities are: • The conservation, replenishment and supply of water • The beneicial use of water • determining and recording the actual availability of water resources within the state, • protection of water from pollution and the improvement of its quality • equitable distribution of water by allocating the rightful use of water to users for different purposes broadly based on the principle of IWRM • protection of the environment At the National level, there has yet to be an effective Advisory Mechanism on eficient Water Resources Management across the whole range of users based on IWRM principles. The users are irrigated agriculture, potable water supply and sewerage, hydropower, lood management, environment, isheries, transport and others. This mechanism, among others, can provide guidance and advice on policy matters, human resources training, research and development and investments on capital and operational works. A good example, for reference, is the way the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) water reform is being made to work in Australia. The role of COAG is to initiate, develop and monitor the implementation of policy reforms that are of national signiicance and which require cooperative action by Australian governments (State Governments). The responsibility in water resources management lies with the State Governments. Water resources can become a National Issue when shortages in supply are widespread throughout or some parts of the country. In such a case, the role of the Federal Government, represented by a Mechanism, becomes important to provide coordination among the states and setting direction to overcome any issues and problems of national importance. This Mechanism should preferably be independent, sector-neutral and high level. With the formation of this mechanism, important issues of dam safety can be addressed, through legislation and applied uniformly throughout the country. Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) • • • • • • • • General issue of concern in management To change from Supply to Demand Management From Sectorial to IWRM Federal-State coordination Inter-state coordination Inter-Ministry coordination Public Participation Driving Business Development and Wealth Creation Driving Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Speciic Issues of Concern • Water security and, consequently, food security are important concerns which need to be carefully balanced with the likely negative social and environmental impacts they can cause. • Dam safety – the need to have legislation in the provision of dams to ensure that dams are properly and adequately designed, maintained and regularly inspected by providing standard practices including rules and regulations • Moving towards a more inclusive approach to tackling water pollution issues has long been recognized as a positive step : but turning this into a practical reality requires social evidence for what works well at catchment scale. • Launching of water certiication standard (eg.UK-based Carbon Trust) – a Water Standard to help drive the move to resource-eficient economy, requiring to produce at least two years of data abstraction. • Promoting close linkages among the sectors, such as, water and energy. Water is not only essential for large-scale electricity consumption and production but also the water sector is a major consumer of electrical power. • Promoting the provision of multi-purpose dams as a mean to manage demands on use of water in the overall water resources management. Summary of Conclusion • • The main issue of concern facing Malaysia is scarcity in freshwater resources. At the moment, this is being experienced in the ive states of Perlis, Kedah, Penang, Selangor and Melaka. There are normally large bodies of water downstream of rivers which are severely polluted. The situation may become serious with the imminent impact of climate change. For a long time in the past, provision of dams and storages has been given priority in solving water shortages and has played an important part in water sources regulation in the states concerned. Some amount of recycling has also been adopted for irrigated areas. Reservoirs impounded by the dams inundate extensive areas of forest and fertile lands permanently and cause adverse effect to lows in the river regimes. The initial issue before the construction of the dam is to satisfy the environmentalist and social activists that any adverse effect will be minimized. At planning stage, suficient time should be allowed (5 years or more) for reconnaissance work identifying suitable sites for dams. At the later stage when the dams are in operation, the dam owners are obligated to ensure that the river lows are kept to at least, the normal lows before dams make their appearance. The dam owners are to ensure that dam safety units are set up for the regular monitoring and surveillance functions. Safety review by independent and properly qualiied engineers is strongly recommended. 13 DATO’ IR. SYED MUHAMMAD SHAHABUDIN • Malaysia needs a mechanism at the highest national level to provide an independent, sector-neutral effective leadership and drive in water resources management. There is also need for private sector participation, principally as stakeholders, if water resources management is to be successful. 4.0 MAxIMIZING SUSTAINABILITY IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF DAMS HSAP is an evidence-based objective assessment of a project’s performance, prepared by an accredited assessor applicable to all stages of hydropower development in all global contexts. Therefore, it is plausible that the HSAP could be integrated into Malaysia’s current EIA processes to help site areas for dams that will limit the environmental, social and economic upheaval. Furthermore, the preparation of HSAP involved participation of leading NGOs including WWF, The Nature Conservancy, and Transparency International. NGO participation provides further legitimacy and helps to ensure all aspects of sustainability are being properly examined. Introduction Despite efforts to achieve Integrated Catchment Management, it is conceivable that dams will be required in the future to meet societal needs. If this is the case, what process can be followed to ensure that the most sustainable outcome is achieved when considering the vast array of technical, environmental, social and economic challenges that exist with a new or existing dam project?. The emphasis on sustainability has relevance in Malaysia considering the challenges involved in siting a dam. There are numerous issues to contend with and past experiences of dam building in the country have often faced dificulties related to community resettlement and environmental degradation. Whilst there are existing regulations in place to assess the sustainability implications of a dam (i.e. Environmental Impact Assessment), these could be enhanced with the latest developments in current dam building practice. This next section briely sets out a process of determining the most sustainable outcome for hydropower projects. The Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol (HSAP) The Application of HSAP A wide application of the Protocol is desired by the IHA and they argue it should be applied in a collaborative way, to ensure the best availability of information and points of view. The development and evaluation of a hydropower project will involve many actors with different roles and responsibilities. It is recognized that both development and operation may involve public entities, private companies or combined partnerships, and responsibilities may change as the project progresses through its life cycle. In sum, HSAP provides developers and relevant stakeholders (i.e. government agencies, non-governmental, community groups) with a necessary tool kit so that they are asking the right sustainability questions across a number of topics. If these stakeholders are unsure of the most suitable site for dams between a number of different sites, the HSAP provides them with a way to determine the most sustainable and in which areas they need to augment poorly performing aspects of the project. Potential application of HSAP in Malaysia Developed by the International Hydropower Association (IHA) and launched in 2011, the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol (HSAP) is a sustainability assessment framework for hydropower development and operation. It enables the production of a sustainability proile for a project through the assessment of performance within important sustainability topics. Sustainability in this context refers to aspects related to the environment, society, economy, technical and integrative aspects. While HSAP is focused towards hydropower projects, the process of site selection, engineering design and project operation has relevance in determining suitable sites for dams in Malaysia. Table 4.1 provides an overview of the sustainability criteria and Figure 4.1 shows an example of the scoring ‘spider diagram’. Any future application of HSAP in Malaysia could be undertaken alongside the current regulatory framework for dam selection and associated environmental and social assessments, including the Environmental Impact Assessment (or EIA). The current regulations relating to Environmental Impact Assessment is stipulated under the Section 34A Environmental Quality Act 1974, Environmental Quality (Prescribed Activities) (Environmental Impact Assessment) Order 1987. Dam projects are Prescribed Activities under three categories: i. Schedule 3 – Drainage and Irrigation: (a) construction of dams and man-made lakes and artiicial enlargement of lakes with surface areas of 200 hectares or more. ii. Schedule 13 – Power Generation and Transmission: (b) dams and hydro-electric power schemes with either of both Table 4.1: Sustainability criteria for dam builders as prescribed in the HSAP TECHNICAL ENVIRONMENTAL Siting and Downstream lows Design Hydrological Resource Erosion and sedimentation Reservoir planning, Water quality illing and management Biodiversity and invasive Infrastructure safety species Asset reliability and Waste, noise eficiency and air quality SOCIAL FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC Project affected communities Economic viability and livelihoods Resettlement Financial viability INTEGRATIVE Downstream need and strategic it Communications and consultation Indigenous people Project beneits Governance Cultural heritage Procurement Integrated project management Public health Environmental and social issues management Source: International Hydropower Association 14 Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) ExPLORING THE VIABILITY OF DAMS IS KEY TO MALAYSIAN WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT OF THE FUTURE Figure 4.1: Example of a scoring ‘spider diagram’ for an individual dam Source: International Hydropower Association of the following:- (i) dams over 15 metres high and ancillary structures covering a total area in excess of 40 hectares and (ii) reservoirs with a surface area in excess of 400 hectares. iii. Schedule 19 – Water Supply: (a) construction of dams or impounding reservoirs with a surface area of 200 hectares or more. The Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol (HSAP) appears to be a good tool for site selection exercise whereby environmental, social and economic factors are included in the decision to site a dam. The HSAP would be most appropriate to be used during the masterplanning stage when preliminary investigations are made to identify sites for dams. For instance, for water supply dams, the water resources masterplan studies identify dam sites which are recommended to be gazetted for the purpose. The HSAP tool could be used for such studies. In Malaysia, the EIA process usually takes place once the dam site has already been identiied and using the HSAP at this stage is almost too late for a change in the site. The EIA identiies the impacts and make recommendations to mitigate the impacts, which is more a corrective rather than a preventive means of minimizing environmental and social issues. In most cases, the EIA is conducted in tandem with the engineering design and at this stage, the project proponent (usually the government authorities) is already quite committed to the implementation of the project and would have already invested time and cost. Having said that, recently the DOE has included an additional step in the EIA process which is the requirement to conduct a Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) Preliminary Site Assessment (PSA) and submit the PSA to the DOE before embarking on the full EIA study. The HSAP process could be a useful tool in the PSA stage. However, the PSA process is a fairly simplistic assessment without involving the participation of an independent expert and auditor which is the concept of the HSAP. The HSAP could provide a more comprehensive assessment of potential sustainability impacts than the PSA and, moreover, if successfully adhered to, provides the developer with a certiication standard of international standing. 5.0 FUTURE OUTLOOK OF TOMORROW’S DAMS TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINABLE TARGET Introduction For a long time dams have been the most obvious option in meeting development objectives. Over the past 5,000 years, more than 50,000 large dams have been completed. Throughout history of the world, dams and reservoirs have been used successfully in collecting, storing and managing water needed to sustain civilization. Construction of dams gathers momentum since 1900s when more than 60% of the dams have been built as shown in Figure 5.1. Most of the construction has taken place in industrialized countries where need for water grows tremendously beyond the basic needs in food production, drinking water supply 15 DATO’ IR. SYED MUHAMMAD SHAHABUDIN In operation up to 1999 8000 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 < 1900 1900- 1910- 1920- 1930- 1940- 1950- 1960- 1970- 1980- 19901909 1919 1929 1939 1949 1959 1969 1979 1989 1999 Figure 5.1 Source: Dams and Reservoirs, Societies and Environment in the 21st Century (22 ICOLD International Conference 2006) and lood control measures. The era of intensive development in industrialized or developed countries calls for massive energy requirement which relies a lot of energy provided by hydroelectric generation. More than 80% of the world reservoirs storage is used for hydropower. However, over the past three decades there has been a dramatic decline in dam investment in industrialized or developed countries. This is possibly due to stabilization in demand for water and energy in developed countries and also resiting of some heavy industries to developing countries possessing extensive energy potentials like hydroelectric power. The present total storage is about 6,800 km3 (billion m3) and is estimated to increase by 2,500 km3, i.e. around 40% up to 2050. A further increase of 1,000 or 1,500 km3 after 2050 is likely, as shown in Table 5.1. The probable huge increase in oil costs, the likely premiums to clean energy may provide impetus to building more hydroelectric dams in large countries like China, India, Brazil, Russia and Congo. Before 1970, for dams as for other human activities, there was little concern for the environment. For now, the possibility to build dams is made more dificult in view of actions of some opponents. Critics to large hydraulic structures, particularly to large dams often argue that economic and social development can also be achieved without them. It is the intention in this presentation to address this issue based on available alternative options which can be used. The two main environmental drawbacks of dams are large impounded areas and, in some cases, the withdrawal of most of the river water throughout the year. Besides studying the possible alternative options to large dams, the dissemination of fair and balanced information on the beneits of the dams and the management of these drawbacks are thus essential. Table 5.1 2000 2050 2100 a) Irrigation, water supply,dry season releases, lood mitigation, part for hydropower (50%) YEAR 1200 2400 3000 b) Hydropower alone 3000 3600 4000 c) Siltated storage and unsiltated dead storage 2600 3500 4000 Total 6800 9500 11000 Source: Dams and Reservoirs, Societies and Environment in the 21st Century (22nd ICOLD International Conference, 2006) 16 Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) ExPLORING THE VIABILITY OF DAMS IS KEY TO MALAYSIAN WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT OF THE FUTURE Dam Development in Developed Countries Most developed countries turned to large dams to help them in their industrialization development to meet escalating water, energy and other demands from the 1930s to the 1970s. Compared to the rest of the world, they had a headstart in dam building and this reached a peak in the 1970s when 7000 dams were constructed as seen in Figure 5.1. On average two or three new large dams were commissioned each day somewhere in the world. The water that is stored and regulated by dams and reservoirs produces irreplaceable water resources and apart from water and energy demands, also brings beneits to lood mitigation, river navigation, recreation, tourism and the environment. Globally, this represents 30% of the world’s available water resources which reaches the end users. However over the past three decades there has been a dramatic decline in dam investment in developed countries. Over this same period, partly due to pressure from anti dam movement, the world is looking for a balance between the beneits and the environment for water resources projects. The challenge for the future will be the utilization of dams in conjunction with the climate, environment and land use as part of social and economic development goals, crucial to achieving sustainable and inclusive growth of which natural aquatic ecosystems are considered as an integral part. Dam Development in Developing Countries Many developing countries started building large dams after World War II and are still building more in order to meet the increasing water and energy demands for now and the future. As shown in Figure 5.2, the top ive dam-building countries account for more than three quarters of all large dams worldwide, with approximately two-thirds of the world’s existing large dams found in developing countries. Being late starters in dam building, inevitably, they face the full force of anti-dam movement of the world which became active after 1970s. Among developing countries, Malaysia has to date constructed 69 large dams, of which 66 were constructed after United States - 6,575 14% India - 4,291 9% World War II and has plan to build 73 more by 2050 (Review of NWRS 2012 and other reports). About 95% of the reservoir storage is used for hydropower. Malaysia has undertaken ten Five-Year Economic Development Plans (EDP) successfully and has ensured that there is suficient quantity of water supply for development in agriculture, domestic and industrial uses. For the same period, storages were provided for hydro-electric generation. Timely commissioning of dams under the various stages of the EDP has assisted in the stability in the supply of water resources for the economic development and water security of the country. It is a credit to the country that Malaysia has maintained water security at all time with the continued implementation of EDP. This is crucial in achieving sustainable and inclusive growth. Adverse Impacts of Dam Worldwide, dams have been accepted as an important means of meeting perceived needs for water and energy services and as long-term, strategic investments with the ability to deliver multiple beneits. Some of these beneits include job creation, creating income from export earnings by selling cash crops or processed products. In many cases an unacceptable and often unnecessary price has been paid to secure those beneits especially in social and environmental terms. The generic nature of the impacts of large dams on ecosystems, biodiversity and downstream livelihoods is increasingly well known. Increased attention is now given to avoidance or minimization of ecological impacts. A number of developed countries, particularly in the USA, ecosystem restoration is being implemented as a result of the decommissioning of dams. It is possible that impacts of large dams have yet to reach a serious level in Malaysia. The question is what about what may unfold in the future if more dams are built. Perhaps lessons can be learnt from China, which along with India is now building most of the large dams among developing countries. Can developing countries like Malaysia manage suficiently well without dam? Japan - 2,675 6% Spain - 1,196% 3% Others - 7,372% 70% Others 23% France - 569 4% Brazil - 594 4% China - 22,000 45% Turkey - 625 4% Canada - 793 9% South Korea - 765 9% Figure 5.2: World population of dams, by country Source: World Commission on Dams (WCD) estimates, based on ICOLD and Other sources Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) 17 DATO’ IR. SYED MUHAMMAD SHAHABUDIN Other Options to Dam Building Opponents of large dams contend that better, cheaper, more benign options for meeting water and energy needs exist and have been frequently ignored. Dams have often been selected over other options that may meet water or energy goals at lower cost or that may offer development beneits that are more sustainable and more equitable. For Malaysia, several options to dam building for water and energy resources development to meet sustainable energy, water and food needs currently exist as shown in Figure 5.3. • Stakeholder Engagement: Promoting IWRM is now widely accepted internationally as central to effective management of water resources. Although accepted by the Government for adoption more than 20 years ago, the results have not been satisfactory. Getting all parties to be Stateholder Engagement Promoting Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) Utilize Latest Research Demand-side Management Water Demand Management (WDM) Surface Water Management Other Options For Water and Energy Resources Development Groundwater Utilities Supply-side Eficiency Infrastructure Management Figure 5.3: Other Options for Water and Energy Resources Development • • • 18 involved in an integrated manner in water management can assist in solving major water problems like keeping clean (to acceptable standards) large bodies of water in rivers and lakes and maintaining them in good conditions, for use. Surface Water Management: Improve the management of surface water in order to utilize this resource more effectively, including improving the surface water quality and tackling pollution. This includes examining how best to manage current surface water sources through the legislative and regulatory frameworks. The diesel oil spill into Sungai Selangor in August 2013 is a case in point: the incident reveals a breakdown in the enforcement and monitoring of polluting industries in the Malaysian urban context. Supply-side eficiency: This can include interbasin transfers, recycling and reuse of water and new supply alternatives like renewable energy options. Where practicable, there should be provision in raising of existing dams to store more water instead of planning for more dams. As far as possible, more existing dams should be converted and used as multi-purpose dams. Infrastructure Management: Manage existing infrastructure to minimize water losses, such as reducing non-revenue water (NRW) from illegal connections and damaged pipelines. Malaysia treats approximately 14,000 mega litres a day in 2011: however, nearly 37% does not reach consumers (Malaysian Water Industry Guide 2012). In contrast, neighbouring Singapore reports an NRW value of just at 4.6% (Asian Green Index, 2011). This issue highlights not only the considerable waste of water but the waste of energy and chemicals required for the treatment process. • Groundwater Utilization: Determine the opportunities for groundwater extraction, including critical research to derive the extent of sources and treatment technologies required. • Water Demand Management (WDM): Implementation water demand management strategies to reduce the need for water. Such techniques include education of water users to minimize their consumption and encourage installation of water eficient technologies (i.e. half lush on toilets, push taps). This can be supported by considering the economies of water supply, including revisions of the current water tariff. Examples of water demand management in action include programmes in the Murray-Darling Basin, a water scarce region in Southeast Australia. Here, an integrated programme was devised to support better use across the major industrial and agricultural user groups, as well as including a plan for residential users too. • Utilize Latest Research: Recent developments in the ield of ‘water footprint’ to allow a better understanding of the extent of our water quality and quantitative impacts related to water production and consumption. Determining a ‘water footprint’ for the Malaysian Water Industry as a whole may help to justify more sustainable strategies and approaches. All these alternative options are not easily implemented but if successfully put in use can question the wisdom in building more dams. But can this happen? Some of the alternative options make economic sense and merit special attention listed as follows: ► Demand-side management (WDM) Options for water supply hinge on demand-side management (WDM) in reducing usage and wastage and eficient distribution and accounting for water supplied to end users In the case of potable water supply, any reduction in per capita usage means saving in water usage and reducing wastage. Correspondingly, a better management in water distribution can cut down on water losses considerably. As an example, Table 5.2 indicatively shows a potential saving of at least 1600 Mld in potable water supply in 2020 in Peninsular Malaysia assuming a 15% reduction in per capita demand and a 6% reduction in losses. In the case of agricultural water usage, particularly paddy cultivation, a small reduction in water usage can free a considerable amount of water for other end users, like domestic and industrial supplies and for environment and recreational beneits. Efforts to develop varieties that require less water is currently on going. In the mean time, efforts to increase irrigation eficiency has to be stepped up. As an example, as shown in Table 5.3, the total paddy crop water requirement for the MADA Granary is 0.011 MCM/ha for the main season and 0.013 MCM/ha for the off season. Thus the total crop water requirement is equivalent to 0.024 MCM/ha/year. Rainfall provides 52% (0.0125 MCM/ha) of the total water needs and the remaining 48% (0.0115 MCM/ ha) is from non-rainfall sources namely the dams (32%), rivers (10%) and re-use (6%). With a total area of 96,558 ha, then the total crop water requirement is 2,317 MCM/year. Since 52% of this amount 1,205 MCM is from rainfall and the remaining Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) ExPLORING THE VIABILITY OF DAMS IS KEY TO MALAYSIAN WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT OF THE FUTURE 48% or 1,112 MCM has to be from irrigation. Presently, MADA irrigation system is reported to be operating at 70% irrigation eficiency. This means that the irrigation supply to produce rice here is 1,588 MCM/year. If irrigation eficiency is raised to 75% (an on-going effort), then the total irrigation supply would be 1,483 MCM/year, a reduction of 105 MCM/year. This is equivalent to a relief of 288 MLD for the water supply industry. Assuming a domestic and industrial consumption rate of 250 litres/day/capita, this savings from irrigation could satisfy water supply requirements for about 1.2 million population. Estimating that the populations of Kedah, Perlis and Pulau Pinang now are nearly 2.3, 0.7 and 1.7 million (2015) respectively or a total of 4.7 million, this saving in irrigation represents nearly 25% of the water supply requirements of the population in the three northern states. ► Supply-side management in eficient inter-basin water transfer Inter-basin water transfers have solved a number of vital water shortage cases in Peninsular Malaysia in recent years. The most notable completed project in the transfer of water from the Sg. Muar to Melaka to meet the shortfall in potable water supply in 1991. Catchment water transfers Table 5.2: Reduction in per capita consumption and water losses YEAR 2020 Projected Potable Water Demand (MId) For Malaysia a) Per capita demand Assuming 50% as domestic and 15% reduction in per capita demand For Peninsular Malaysia Correspondingly reduction in per capita demand b) Water losses Assuming 50% as domestic and 6% reduction in losses For Peninsular Malaysia and 6% reduction in losses TOTAL (a) + (b) 18,618 MId 9,309 MId 8, 046 MId 1, 123 MId 9,309 MId 8,046 MId 483 MId 1,606 MId Source: Demand Projection: Review of NWRS (2000-2050) Table 5.3: Irrigation water saving through eficiency improvement POTENTIAL WATER SAVINGS IN IRRIGATION (AN ILLUSTRATION) – THE MADA GRANARY A. Estimated Total Paddy Crop Water Requirement 0.011 MCM/ha a) Main Season 0.013 MCM/ha b) Off-Season 0.024 MCM/ha c) Total Annual B. Total MADA Granary Area C. Total Annual Crop Water Requirement (A(c) x B) 96,558 ha 2,317 MCM D. Sources of Water a) Rainfall (52% x C) b) Non-Rainfall (48% x C) 1,205 MCM/yr 1,112 MCM/yr E. Irrigation Supply a) Present Irrigation Eficiency b) Thus Irrigation Supply (D(b)/E(a)) 70% 1,588 MCM/yr F. Potential Savings a) Increasing Irrigation Eficiency to b) Irrigation Supply (D(b)/F(a)) c) Irrigation Supply Savings (E(b)-F(b)) 75% 1,483 MCM/yr 105 MCM/yr Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) have been known to take place in hydroelectric generation. One example is in the Cameron Highland Scheme, where augmentation of water supply comes from upper reaches of Sg. Kelantan at Sg. Plauur to Ringlet completed in 1963. It is possible that such similar schemes may take place in the future, particularly, the transfer of water from existing dams in water rich states to recipient’s states needing water. ► Regulating reuse and recycling of water, potentially, as augmented supply to available water resources. One of the greatest opportunities for water reuse is to supplement or replace the potable water or freshwater demands of industries and other commercial uses. The industry is the second largest market for water supply after agriculture, accounting for around 25% of global demand. The milestone in the development of safe water reuse practices are as seen in Figure 5.4 and are based on the advances in waste water treatment with the technological break through in of membrane iltration. In developed countries an important new concept in water reuse is the ‘it-to-purpose’ approach which entails the production of recycled water of a quality that suits the end users. Figure 5.5 (Asano 2002; Lazarova et al., 2013) shows the sequence treatment and reuse for the main categories of water reuse. Water reclamation and puriication technologies exist to produce pure water of almost any quality desired, including puriied water of quality equal to or higher than drinking water (IWA Lazarova et al., 2013). In Malaysia, this potential supply should be closely studied with particular reference to treated efluent discharges in built-up areas in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Johor and Penang where there is scarcity of unregulated water resources (Review of NWRS 2000-2050). The total potential augmentation from treated wastewater efluent is estimated to be about 14% of total water demand for these states as shown in Table 5.4. (Using data from Malaysian Water Industry Guide (MWIG 2012). Similarly, if focus is given to Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, the total potential augmentation from treated biomass efluent is estimated to be 24.5% of total water demands as shown in Table 5.5. Large commercial and industrial complexes are known to have their own recycling systems to meet their own requirements for non-potable water usage for washroom facilities, cleaning purposes and landscape work. In some cases, with further treatment, the water has been used for potable purposes. It is understood that the irst large scale recycling system is planned for TRX (Tun Razak Exchange in Kuala Lumpur) with a capacity of 14 Mld. ► Renewable Energy (RE) Options Due prominence is now given to usage of renewable sources Table 5.4: Potential for water supply augmentation by recycling of wastewater in Selangor, Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur, Johor and Penang 2020 Total estimated efluent from Regional Plants (2011) Total potable water demand in the region Percentage of water recycled 1151 Mld 8046 Mld 14% Source: Potable water demand – Review of NWRS (2000-2050Treated Efluent – MWIG 2012 19 DATO’ IR. SYED MUHAMMAD SHAHABUDIN will not only address carbon reduction, but can indirectly assist in providing alternative options to building dams. Energy provided by RE is green and clean and with strong Government participation the mission will receive encouraging public support. The scheme is in the early stages of development in Malaysia. Electricity generation RE by Public Licences by region in 2011 is as shown in Table 5.6. ► The River Revitalisation Program The Four River Restoration Project to restore the four major rivers in South Korea is one of the most recent schemes implemented to provide water security, lood control, ecosystem vitablity and small-scale hydropower. Source: International Water Association (IWA) Water 21 August 2013 Figure 5.4: Milestones in indirect potable water reuse with selected connected projects The project sets on exemplary case of strong determination and accomplishment in recent time in this part of the world to resolve deiciencies in drinking water and water for industrial and agricultural uses. The Korean Government spends US$18.3 billion over 3 years (2009-2012) on the project. The project also improves the water quality of the rivers to an average of grade 2. The project scopes and effects are seen on Table 5. 7. In Malaysia, the Klang River Rehabilitation Programme is currently on-going. Perhaps the whole stretch of the river would be rehabilitated or “cleaned-up” in the future to resolve deiciencies in domestic and industrial water and also for environment and renewable beneits. Summary of Conclusions Source: International Water Association (IWA) Water 21 – August 2013 Figure 5.5 Table 5.5: Potential for water supply augmentation by recycling of wastewater in Selangor, KL and Putrajaya YEAR 2020 Total estimated potable water demand for Selangor, KL and Putrajaya 4896 Mld Total estimated efluent water available for recycling (source IWK estimated) 1200 Mld Percentage of water recycled 24.5% Source: Potable water demand – Review of NWRS (2000-2050Treated Efluent – MWIG 2012 of energy (RE). In the Five-Fuel Diversiication Policy (2001), RE is incorporated as the ifth fuel, the other four being oil, hydro, gas and coal (Malaysia Energy Outlook 2010-2030, EPU.). Under the Renewable Energy Act 2011, there are only four technologies applicable for Feed-in Tariff (FiT) portfolio, which are biomass, biogas, solar photovoltaic and small hydro. It is reported that the Sustainable Energy Development Authority Malaysia (Seda) is considering the inclusion of wind as another renewable resource in the RE Scheme. Seda together with Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry is on a mission to increase RE sources, which 20 It is apparent that there is a future in the provision of RE and the implementation of green technology as both are strongly supported by the Government and with public-sector participation. In both cases, intensive efforts are being undertaken to provide alternative options to production of energy via RE and reduction and saving in usage of electricity by application of green technology. There is as yet to be an effective effort in all-round reduction in water usage and consumption in the Water Industry and production of additional water sources, like recycling of biomass efluent and rehabilitation of rivers to a scale which constitutes a sizeable igure in water use and consumption. Any remarkable success in these areas will no doubt inluence decisions on dam building of the future. 6.0 CONCLUDING THOUGHTS On balance, there is still good ground to justify more dam construction in Malaysia but this must be preceded by in-depth study and detailed planning at least ive to ten years or even more before any project is started with most issues of concern scrutinized and agreed to everybody’s satisfaction and adverse impacts reduced to absolute minimum. It is important, therefore, that an Integrated River Basin Management Plan (IRBM) be completed before implementation of large structures, like dams. Dams should be made more attractive to the people and people must be seen to beneit from large projects like dams. Dams should not only be seen as beneiting from industry’s point of view but should also address rights of the people especially those affected by land acquisition and resettlement. This can be achieved by following an internationally respected standard for Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) ExPLORING THE VIABILITY OF DAMS IS KEY TO MALAYSIAN WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT OF THE FUTURE Table 5.6: Electricity Generation (RE) by Public Licences in 2011 Region Peninsular Malaysia Sabah Sarawak Type of Prime Mover Installed Capacity (MW) Unit Generated (MWh) Land Fill Gas Mini Hydro Solar Palm Oil Mill Efluent (POME) Subtotal Palm Shell & Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) Wood Waste Mini Hydro Palm Oil Waste Subtotal Mini Hydro Solar Subtotal 2.00 45.98 0.80 2.00 48.78 35.20 10.00 17.34 14.00 76.54 6.00 0.02 6.02 131.3 5,613 38,780 666 2,030 47,089 165,425 4 47,841 69,483 282,753 7,021 15 7,036 336,879 Grand Total Source: National Energy Balance 2011- Suruhanjaya Tenaga Table 5.7: The Four-River Restoration Project, South Korea Project Scope & Effects Unit Generated (MWh) Dregging: 450 million m3 Detentions: 5 places Reinforcing dilapidated leeves: 784km Movable weirs: 16 Water Security Dams: 2 Elevating agricultural reservoir banks: 96 Water Quality Sewage treatment facilities: 1,281 Improvement Total-phosphorus treatment facilities: 233 Ecological Ecological wetlands: 118 million m2 Restoration Fish-ways: 33 sites Waterfront Bicycle paths: 1,757km Development Tourist attraction sites: 36 Lowering lood water levels (2-4m) Flood Control Secure 1.3 billion m3 of water Swimmable water 76% → 86% Improve natural ecology & promote eco-tourism Better quality of life Source: The River Revitalization of Korea dam design, building and operation, such as the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Framework as described in section 4. Dams need not be the only solution in preparing for the future in water security but it is a good option when viewed in terms of risks involved in future global climate change impacts which is uncertain. What is certain are the observed, abnormal climate-related events in recent years of increased variability of rainfall resulting in historic loods and droughts in many places around the world. What should a responsible and pro-active government do to prepare for water resource investment of the future to avoid water security risks and where could dams play any useful role? This is a very important and vital area where there need to be close cooperation between states and between states and the national government with coordination provided by a mechanism at the highest federal level. Addressing The Need For Future Dams Developing countries, like Malaysia, may still need to build large dams for development in the future (possibly up to 2050) for the following reasons: Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) First: The uncertainty in ‘human-induced’ climate change situation and consequently extreme climatic conditions may render river lows in many parts of the country to be unstable and unreliable at unpredictable time for irrigated agriculture, domestic and industrial supplies. Second: Demand for electrical energy is large and it appears unlikely that RE can be substantially produced in the future to replace oil, gas and coal. Nuclear Power is an option which has yet to be accepted for use. Third: Paddy irrigation in granary areas needs a large volume of water and, at the moment, supply from river sources can be unstable throughout the year, except regulated by strategic reserves in dams like the MADA Scheme. Furthermore, with increase in energy cost, pumped paddy irrigation scheme, like the Kemubu Agricultural Development Authority (KADA) Scheme, will be expensive to maintain and operate. 21 DATO’ IR. SYED MUHAMMAD SHAHABUDIN Fourth: Hydroelectric scheme is expected to be promoted because it is RE, source of clean energy and green. Fifth: As the country transforms into a developed nation, the water management approach will also have to transform in tandem. This is the change from Supply-side Management to meet the basic needs of a developing country, to that of Water Demand Management, a characteristic of a developed Nation that makes best use of available infrastructure and water. However, it will still take sometime to achieve a mature and stable environment to complete that transformation and achieving high levels of water security is a critical element in this process. Thus for now, the prudent strategy would be to continue planning for dams as a component of total water resources management plan for the future. Sixth: Recovery of additional source of water for use as industrial water or other non-potable uses can be substantial from recycling of treated biomass efluent. For developed areas in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, for example, there is potential to make use of this facility up to 25% of their total water demand in 2020. The volume is substantial and is likely to increase in the future and, therefore, is also worth implementing for economic reason. However, the will to proceed appears, so far, to be not so forthcoming. nothing much has been done for water. It is timely, therefore, that a national mechanism be set up at the highest level to assist and coordinate water bodies at federal and state levels in allround reduction in water usage and consumption and production of additional water sources, like recycling of biomass efluent and rehabilitation of rivers to a scale which constitutes a sizeable igure in water use and consumption. At the same time, this national mechanism could assist in setting up a “Government Commission on Dams” for enforcement of dam safety in Malaysia. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to record my sincere thanks to Ir. Mohd Adnan bin Mohd Nor, Managing Director, RPM Engineers Sdn Bhd for his untiring effort in advising and supporting me in the preparation of this paper. My thanks also goes to Mr. Rory Patield of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and staff of SMHB Sdn Bhd. Without their untiring support, the preparation of this paper would not have been as planned. REFERENCES [1] Bjorn F. Dahlen (1993) Hydro Power in Malaysia. Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB). Published by TNB, Kuala Lumpur. [2] Alan C.Twort (1990) Binnie & Partners. A short History to 1990, Published by Binnie & Partners, Redhill, Surrey, UK. [3] Alan C.Twort (1991) Binnie & Partners, 1890 to 1990, (Another version of the 100-year history). Published by Binnie & Partners, Redhill, Surrey, UK. [4] W.J. Carlyle (1994) Dams in Malaysia. The British Dam Society Presentation, at the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), London. [5] Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) (2004). FAO Water Report 27: Economic Valuation of Water Resources in Agriculture. Retrieved from www.unwater.org/ downloads/wr27e.pdf. [6] Irrigation and Agriculture Drainage Division. (BPSP)-(2007). The History of Irrigation in Malaysia. Irrigation and Agriculture Drainage Division Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry, Malaysia. [7] Aviva Imhof, Susanne Wong and Peter Bosshard 2002: Citizen’s Guide to the World Commission on Dams, published by International Rivers Network, Berkeley, USA. [8] Proceedings of the International Symposium on Dams in the Societies of the 21st Century, ICOLD-SPANCOLD, 2006, Barcelone, Spain, Edited by Spanish National Committee on Large Dams, SPANCOLD and published by Taylor & Francis/ Balkema, The Netherlands. [9] The Royal Academy of Engineering, London, 2010. Global Water Security – an engineering perspective, published by The Royal Academy of Engineering www.raeng.org.uk. Seventh: Unless there is irm commitment by the Government to invest on rehabilitation and cleaning the large bodies of water, like rivers and lakes, to enable large extra volumes of water to the available for use, strategic storage in dams remains a solution for security of supply. Eights: The Water Industry needs strong leadership at the highest national level in Water Resources Management to ensure integrated management at Federal and State levels. Among the objectives is to possibly change the lifestyle of the people: use less water, reduce wastage and cut down on losses – a necessary feature of a developed country status. Unless this is achieved, the fundamental demand of services the dam provides will not be reduced. Finally, with the increase of freshwater scarcity and energy cost, the strong links between water and energy are becoming increasingly obvious. The ‘Water-Energy-Nexus’ has become an increasingly important concept in recent times; it recognizes that energy and water are intrinsically linked and should be considered together as opposed to independently. Energy drives every element of the water cycle, while water is necessary for energy production. The effects of climate change and global warming reinforce the need for a holistic approach to the management of energy and water into an integrated system. This holistic approach has not effectively taken place, at the moment, in Malaysia. While a lot of focus has been given to energy with the creation of government agencies SEDA (for RE) and GreenTech Malaysia (for green technology/climate change) 22 [10] Tenth Malaysia Plan 2011-2015, published by The Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister’s Department, Putrajaya, 2010. [11] Suruhanjaya Tenaga (Energy Commission), Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water (KeTTHA), National Energy Balance, 2011, published by the Energy Commission. [12] Review of the National Water Resources Study (2000-2050) and Formulation of National Water Resources Policy, Final Report, 2011. Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) ExPLORING THE VIABILITY OF DAMS IS KEY TO MALAYSIAN WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT OF THE FUTURE [13] Cecilia Tortajada, Dogan Altinbilek, Asit K. Biswas; 2012, Impacts of Large Dams ; A Global Assessment, Water Resources Development and Management ISSN: 1614-810X. [14] The River Revitalisation of Korea, 2011, The Four Rivers Restoration Project, Republic of Korea (www.4rivers,go.kr/eng). [15] Valentina Lazarova, Kwang-Ho Choo, Peter Cornel, 2012, Water-Energy Interactions in Water Reuse, International Water Association, published by IWA Publishing, London, UK. [16] Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment Study (1999) for the Sg. Selangor Dam in Hulu Selangor. [17] Ninth Malaysia Plan (2006-2010), the Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister’s Department, Putrajaya, 2006. [18] Water 21, Magazine of the International Water Association (IWA), valentine Lazarova, Global Milestone in Water reuse, August 2013. [19] International Hydropower Association (2013) hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol http://www. hydrosustainability.org/protocolaspx. [20] Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), 2012, Hot Issues: Water Scarcity. Retrieved from www.fao.org/ nr/water/issues/scarcity.htm/. [21] Malaysia National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (MANCID) 2013. Development of Terms of Reference for a National Irrigation and Drainage Centre of Excellence and Irrigation Management Modernization Country Assessment Report for Malaysia. Final Report, Ministry of Agriculture and Agtro-ased Industry Malaysia. Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) [22] Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) 2013. Retrieved from http://www.mada.gov.my. [23] The Southern African Development Community (SADC) 2013 Per Capita Water Storage Indicator. Retreived from http:// www.sadc water accounting.org/indicators/4.5 Percapita Water Storage. asPX. [24] Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) 2013 retrieved from http://www.water.gov.my [25] International Rivers, Berkeley CA, USA, February 2012. Three Gorges Dam, A model of the past. www.internationals.org/en/ node/356. [26] Water Services Industry Performance Report 2012, Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Air Negara (SPAN). [27] Malaysia Water Industry Guide, 2012 published by the Malaysian Water Association (MWA), in collaboration with KeTTHA and SPAN. [28] Steve Maxwell, TECHKNOWLEDGE Y. Strategic Group. The State of the Water Industry, Blood of the Earth – Store of Economic Value. [29] Water Markets in Australia, a short history (2011) Australian Government, National Water Commission. [30] Asian Development Bank (ADB), Asian-Paciic Water Forum (APWF), Global Water Partnership (GWP), Stockholm September 2013, Asian Water Development Outlook – Water Security Assessment Framework, Ian W. Makin, Principal Water Resources Specialist, ADB. 23 Control of Bifurcation Behaviour of the Buck Converter via a Resonant Parametric Perturbation Circuit (Date received: 24/01/2014/Date accepted: 6/5/2015) Ir. Dr Ng Kok Chiang*1, Dr Michelle Tan Tien Tien2, Dr Nadia Tan Mei Lin3 1 R&D Centre, Leong Hing Sdn. Bhd., No. 1, Jalan P4/7, Seksyen 4, Bandar Teknologi Kajang, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia. 2The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Jalan Broga, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia. 3 Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Jalan IKRAM-UNITEN, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia. *Corresponding author: kokchiang.ng@leonghing.com ABSTRACT Nonlinear circuits and systems research has been growing very quickly over the past two decades. Actively pursued in almost every branch of science and engineering, nonlinear systems theory has found wide applications in a variety of practical engineering problems. Engineers, scientists and mathematicians have similarly advanced from the passive role of simply analyzing, or identifying chaos to their present, active involvement in controlling chaos – control directed not only at suppression, but also at exploiting its enormous potential. We now stand at the threshold of major advances in the control and synchronization of chaos for new applications across the range of engineering disciplines. All feedback controlled power converters exhibit certain non-linear phenomena over a speciic breadth of parameter values. Despite being commonly encountered by power electronics engineers, these non-linear phenomena are by and large not thoroughly understood by engineers. Such phenomena remaining somewhat mysterious and hardly ever been examined in a formal way. As the discipline of power electronics becomes more matured, demand for better functionality, dependability and performance of power electronics circuits will inevitably force researchers to engage themselves in more detailed study and analysis of non-linear phenomena and complex behaviour of power electronics converters. The bifurcation behaviour of the buck converter occurs when the input voltage is varied. In this study, the computer simulation scheme, PSPICE is employed to model the behaviour of the ideal buck converter. For certain values of the input voltage Vin instability occurs. The resonant parametric perturbation method is then applied to control the bifurcation behaviour of the voltage-mode controlled buck converter. Analysis and simulations are presented to provide theoretical and practical evidence for the proposed control method. As the buck converter has wide industrial application, it would be deemed necessary for designers to know about its bifurcation behaviour and how to control such behaviour. Keywords: Bifurcation, Chaos, Control, Buck Converter, Parametric Perturbation 1.0 INTRODUCTION Bifurcations control involves the designing of a controller to curb or lessen the bifurcation dynamics of a given system to attain desirable dynamical behaviour. There have been proposals for control methods to bifurcation and chaos behaviour for a variety of engineering applications [1-3]. The objectives of the control methods can be divided into two groups. The irst is the identiication of one of the unstable periodic orbits within a chaotic attractor as the control target and the utilisation of a control technique to speciically stabilise the system on the targeted periodic orbit [2]. The second group involves the control action to attain the required operating state (target) without much emphasis on which unstable orbit that is stabilised in the chaotic attractor. The feedback scheme is used to for the irst category of control objective, while the non-feedback scheme is employed mostly for the second category [2, 3]. For the feedback method, some parameters of the control mechanism are changed to attain the required control objective after the establishment and implementation of control laws. These control laws are established from the collection and examinations of the system variables via experiments and simulations [2, 3]. Among the techniques that are currently employed to counter the bifurcation behaviour using the feedback method are the deferral of the incident of an intrinsic bifurcation, the modiication of 24 the shape or nature of the bifurcation, the introduction of a new bifurcation phenomena, the ine tuning of the system performance around a bifurcation point, the supervision of the multiplicity, amplitude and frequency of some limit cycles surfacing from a bifurcation process, and the adjustment of the parameter sets or values of an existing bifurcation point [1]. As for the non-feedback scheme, there is no need for any system variables to be gauged, and it is of no necessity to identify any speciic periodic orbit as the control target [4, 5]. Among the known techniques of controlling bifurcation behaviour without feedback are the resonant parametric perturbation technique [4-6], the weak periodic perturbation, and the entrainment and migration control [7, 8]. Contrasting the non-feedback scheme to the feedback scheme, the method that is more suited for practical implementation and for anti-jamming ability is that of the nonfeedback scheme [7, 9]. Implementation of bifurcations and chaos control with speciic objectives have been successful in various experimental systems and numerical simulations in a wide range of ields and disciplines, the former including electrical, mechanical, chemical, and the latter, aeronautical studies, biology, meteorology, physics and chemistry [10]. Bifurcation control usually paves the way to the identiication of chaos control as bifurcation is a generic route to chaos in most nonlinear dynamical systems [1012]. In the course of this study, the non-feedback type of control, Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) CONTROL OF BIFURCATION BEHAVIOUR OF THE BUCK CONVERTER VIA A RESONANT PARAMETRIC PERTURBATION CIRCUIT namely the resonant parametric perturbation method, will be examined in detail for the control of chaotic and bifurcation behaviour of the buck converter. 2.0 METHODOLOGY The PSPICE Model for this study –The PSPICE schematic of the closed-loop voltage feedback buck converter used in this study is depicted in Figure 1. The changes made in this PSPICE circuit however are the replacement of one of the comparators with a gain of 8.4 in the Fossas and Olivar’s paper with an ideal multiplier and a difference comparator, which forms the error ampliier circuit of the buck converter to generate the birfucation behaviour and the replacement of Vref with the Vref- (1 + α sin 2πf r t ) function as the control which forms the Resonant Parametric Perturbation Circuit as indicated in Figure 1 [13, 14]. The PWM controls the ideal switch, S1 and it is the most complex part of the switched regulator of the buck converter [13, 15]. The switched buck converter circuit in this study uses a PWM integrator circuit. The PWM circuit consists of the wave generator, the error ampliier and an ininite gain comparator. The PWM controls the ideal switch, S1 and is the most complex part of the switched regulator of the buck converter [13, 14]. All the components used in this PSPICE model are ideal components. Both switches, S1 and S2 have zero on and ininite off resistance, and can switch instantaneously. Both the S1 and S2 switches work in a complementary manner. When S1 is on, S2 will be off and the input voltage supplies energy to the load resistance and the inductor. On the other hand, when S1 is off and S2 is on, the inductor current decays while lowing through S2 and at the same time transfers some of the stored energy to the load resistor. The output voltage is controlled by setting the frequency of the sawtooth generator to be of constant switching frequency and by altering the on-interval of the switch. The switch ratio, d which can be characterised as the ratio of the on-time to the switching period is changed through the PWM switching. As the switches turn off and turn on in a complementary way, instantaneously allowing the current low in two different directions, the discontinuous conduction mode can be assumed to be avoided. Such mechanisms of the switches also cater for the existence of light load levels [13-15]. In this work, the circuit parameter with the strongest effect on the system is employed to be the perturbation parameter, i.e. the reference voltage, Vref of the buck converter circuit. The circuit used to study the effectiveness of the resonant parametric perturbation method in controlling the chaos and bifurcation behaviour of the buck converter will be further discussed in the Results and Discussion section of this paper. The waveforms obtained are then observed and analysed to establish the effects of the changes of the perturbation amplitude, in the newly introduced function, Vref (1 + α sin 2πf r t ) on the typical circuit characteristics. The perturbation frequency fr is set to the driving frequency and the perturbation amplitude, α is varied from 0 to 0.25. The chaotic behaviour of the buck converter when Vin = 33 V is examined in this study. Simulation of the buck converter for each value of α is presented in three main categories of waveforms namely, the time-domain voltage and current waveforms, the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), and the phase portrait (better known as the Trajectory). Procedures in Controlling the Bifurcation Behaviour – The value for α of the resonant parametric perturbation function in the PSPICE model of the buck converter in Figure 1 is varied while other circuit parameters are held constant to obtain the required waveforms. The ixed value parameters, which include the input voltage, Vin (when the circuit exhibits chaotic behaviour), the load resistor, R, the inductor, L, the capacitor, C, switching frequency, ƒ of the ramp generator, the perturbation frequency, ƒr , and the ramp upper and lower voltages are as summarised in the Table 1. Figure 1: PSPICE Schematic of the Modiied Voltage Feedback Buck Converter with Resonant Parametric Perturbation Control Circuit Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) 25 IR. DR NG KOK CHIANG; DR NADIA TAN MEI LIN; DR MICHELLE TAN TIEN TIEN Figure 2: Output Voltage at α = 0.00 Table 1: Values of Fixed Circuit Parameters of the Modiied Circuit of the Buck ConverterCircuit The perturbation amplitude, α is varied from 0 to 0.25 and the new circuit is simulated at each of the different values of α. The corresponding voltage and current waveforms, FFT spectrum, and trajectories (phase portrait diagrams) are shown in the Results and Discussion section. All cases are described as is increased from when the circuit started out in the chaotic state progresses through to period-2, lastly to period-1. Figure 3: Inductor Current, IL at α = 0.00 Figure 4: FFT Spectrum at α = 0.00 3.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The resonant parametric perturbation method is highly effective in controlling chaos and bifurcations in periodically driven systems. Although this method requires non-zero control power even when the system has been reduced to its steady state, the viability of its implementation to control chaos and bifurcations in various systems is very encouraging [16-18]. Nonetheless, even though by and large, parametric perturbation can lead to chaotic behaviour of a system, it can also be used to suppress chaos if the right frequencies and amplitudes are selected. Thus, a chaotic system or a system which is in its period-doubling domain can be converted into a normal period-1 operation through the perturbation of some parameters at the right frequencies and amplitude [16, 18]. The parameter that will be selected to be perturbed using this technique is usually the parameter that has characteristics such as strong inluence on the system, and can be easily varied. In the circuit developed in PSPICE for the control of chaos and bifurcation behaviour of the buck converter, (see Figure 1), Vref is chosen to be the perturbation parameter. This parameter is perturbed with the function where α and ƒr is the perturbation frequency. This is to ensure the Lyapunov exponent is kept below zero [16]. Lima & Pettini’s paper in 1990 [4], proves that the largest Lyapunov exponent will approach zero from positive which leads to the taming of the chaos. The period-1 operation then appears when the Lyapunov exponent falls further below zero if the perturbation frequency fr is the set to be the same as the periodic driving frequency of the circuit [4, 5]. The PSPICE model of the modiied buck converter to which includes the resonant parametric perturbation circuit is simulated for the perturbation amplitude, α being varied from 0 to 0.25 in steps of 0.01. The chaotic reduction effect by the resonant parametric perturbation circuit when Vin = 33 V is examined here. Crucial information about the output voltage (the capacitor voltage), the inductor current and Fast Fourier Transform Spectrum are collected. 26 Figure 5: Trajectory when α = 0.00 Figure 6: Output Voltage, VC at α = 0.01 Figure 7: Inductor Current, IL at α = 0.01 Figure 8: Broadband FFT Spectrum at α = 0.01 Figure 9: Chaotic Trajectory when α = 0.01 Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) CONTROL OF BIFURCATION BEHAVIOUR OF THE BUCK CONVERTER VIA A RESONANT PARAMETRIC PERTURBATION CIRCUIT When α = 0.00, the operation of the buck converter is in the chaotic region where Vin = 33 V. This is very much the same operation as in the case of chaotic operation of the buck converter when Vin = 33 V as previously reported [19-21]. This is because at α = 0.00, the resonant parametric perturbation circuit remains dormant and does not affect the operation of the buck converter signiicantly. When α is increased to 0.01 however, we can see some improvement in the waveforms as compared to that when α = 0.00. Random, unsymmetrical disjoint and aperiodic nature that are evident in the waveforms of the output voltage and the inductor current of the buck converter as in Figure 6 and 7, have improved a little. Nonetheless, as expected, the output voltage and the inductor current waveforms still do not follow a speciic form of repetition. Improvement is also evident in the phase portrait in Figure 9 where the trajectory is less chaotic when compared to that in Figure 5. As for the Fast Fourier Transform Spectrum in Figure 8, a continuous and broadband nature can still be observed suggesting that the buck converter is still operating in the chaotic region. having little hiccups in them. The output voltage and the inductor current waveforms when α = 0.02 are very much the same as when the buck converter was operating in its period-2 region as if when Vin = 28 V as previously reported [19, 21]. Hence, by just changing the, the operation of the buck converter as if Vin is equal to 28 V (as been reported previously [19-21]) can be achieved even at Vin = 33 V, which would have been chaotic if it was not for the resonant parametric perturbation circuit. The Fast Fourier Transform Spectrum (see Figure 12) is now no longer continuous and of a broadband nature as before. Moreover, to strengthen the argument that the buck converter is now operating in the period-2 region, the trajectory or the phase portrait in Figure 13 is a two-branch loop of a period-2 attractor. Figure 14: Output Voltage, VC at α = 0.04 Figure 10: Output Voltage, VC at α = 0.02 Figure 15: Inductor Current, IL at α = 0.04 Figure 11: Inductor Current, IL at α = 0.02 Figure 16: FFT Spectrum at α = 0.04 Figure 12: FFT Spectrum at α = 0.02 Figure 17: Trajectory when α = 0.04 Figure 13: Period-2 Trajectory when α = 0.02 As α is increased to 0.02, the waveforms of the output voltage and the inductor current of the buck converter show great improvement. The unsymmetrical and disjoint waveforms of the output voltage and inductor current when α is equal to 0.01 are now showing a constant repetition of waveforms despite Figure 18: Output Voltage, VC at α = 0.06 Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) 27 IR. DR NG KOK CHIANG; DR NADIA TAN MEI LIN; DR MICHELLE TAN TIEN TIEN Figure 19: Inductor Current, IL at α = 0.06 Figure 26: Output Voltage, VC at α = 0.09 Figure 20: FFT Spectrum at α = 0.06 Figure 27: Inductor Current, IL at α = 0.09 Figure 21: Trajectory when α = 0.06 Figure 22: Output Voltage, VC at α = 0.08 Figure 23: Inductor Current, IL at α = 0.08 As α is increased further to 0.04, the output voltage and the inductor current waveforms show an even better improvement than before as can be seen in Figures 14 and 15. The waveforms are experiencing the smoothing effect of the resonant parametric perturbation circuit. The hiccups become less evident in the waveforms, and the trajectory now has the shape of a period-1 trajectory except for the little disjoint at the right bottom corner of the graph (see Figure 17). The Fourier Transform Spectrum too has narrowband, discontinuous and isolated frequency harmonics as in Figure 16. Figures 18 to Figure 21 and Figures 22 to 25 show the waveforms as α is changed to 0.06 and 0.08 respectively. As α is increased further and further, the waveforms of the output voltage and the inductor current show better and better symmetry and improvement. The graphs have indeed become smoother and smoother. When α is 0.08, the waveforms shown are already as good as those of period-1 operation except for occasional small laws and hiccups. Figure 28: FFT Spectrum at α = 0.09 Figure 24: FFT Spectrum at α = 0.08 Figure 29: Trajectory when α = 0.09 Figure 25: Trajectory when α = 0.08 Figure 30: Output Voltage, VC at α = 0.10 28 Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) CONTROL OF BIFURCATION BEHAVIOUR OF THE BUCK CONVERTER VIA A RESONANT PARAMETRIC PERTURBATION CIRCUIT Figure 31: Inductor Current, IL at α = 0.10 Figure 32: FFT Spectrum at α = 0.10 Figure 33: Trajectory when α = 0.10 Figure 34: Output Voltage, VC at α = 0.20 Figure 35: Inductor Current, IL at α = 0.20 Figure 36: FFT Spectrum at α = 0.20 Figure 37: Trajectory when α = 0.20 Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) Finally, when α is equal to 0.09, output voltage and the inductor current waveforms in the time domain both appear to be very smooth and periodic in nature, demonstrating that the period-1 stable operation of the buck converter has been achieved. This observation is further veriied by its Fast Fourier Transform Spectrum in Figure 28 where narrowband, discontinuous and isolated frequency harmonics are very obvious. Furthermore, the very small hiccup in the trajectory of the buck operation when α= 0.08, is now gone, and the only thing left is a smooth period-1 trajectory signifying that the operation of the buck converter is in its stable region similar to its operation with Vin = 20V has been reported elsewhere [19, 20-28]. Here however, the only difference is that the buck converter is now operating in period-1 region at Vin = 33 V with α = 0.09 for the resonant parametric perturbation circuit. The input voltage of 33 V and switching frequency of 2.5 kHz were chosen because the bifurcation behaviour that was present in an earlier study [29] used the input voltage 33 V at the switching frequency of 2.5 kHz. This study attempts to solve the bifurcation problem that was present in the earlier study [29]. Thus, α= 0.09 is found to be the smallest effective perturbation amplitude to bring the chaotic operation of the buck converter circuit back to its period-1 operation. To conirm that the operation of the buck converter continues in the stable period-1 region after α= 0.09, simulations when α = 0.10 and α= 0.20 are carried out and as expected, the results obtained as depicted in Figures 30 to 37 point to operation of the buck converter in the stable period-1 domain. Thus, results show that the resonant parametric perturbation circuit functions effectively in smoothing out the curves and the waveforms of the output voltage and the inductor current of the buck converter circuit to bring it back to its period-1 operation in a non-feedback manner. 4.0 CONCLUSION Power electronics has always been known to exhibit complicated behaviour, even in very simple circuits. This is due to their inherent non-linear and time-varying nature. Throughout the years, it has been experimentally found that a large number of non-linear systems in power electronics demonstrate ‘strange behaviour’ which includes subharmonic oscillations, bifurcations and chaos. But due to the normal reaction of engineers who wish to avoid such behaviours through some trial-and-error procedures these phenomena have remained rather puzzling and rarely examined in a formal manner. However, it is only with detailed examination and study of these non-linear behaviours that better controls of these non-linear behaviours can be found instead of just sticking to traditional trial-and-error methods. This paper dealt with the modelling and simulation of the buck converter in PSPICE to simulate its bifurcation behaviour and to examine a control technique to counter such behaviour. Being one of the simplest of the DC-to-DC converters, the buck converter is chosen to be the subject of this study because of its widespread representation of the circuit to many practical DC-to-DC converters. Also, due to its extensive applications in industrial and engineering applications, the knowledge of the system behaviour in different regions of parameter space should be crucial, especially in designing the buck converter for sensitive equipment. 29 IR. DR NG KOK CHIANG; DR NADIA TAN MEI LIN; DR MICHELLE TAN TIEN TIEN As the buck converter is expected to function under a generous range of input voltage, Vin, additional control may be essential to control chaos and bifurcations. The resonant parametric perturbation method has been chosen in this study as the non-feedback control strategy to counter the chaotic and bifurcation behaviour of the buck converter when it is operating in its chaotic region at Vin = 33V. Figures 5, 9, 13, 17, 21, 25, and 29 are phase portrait diagrams which shows the progression of the change from chaotic to period-2 and lastly to period-1 operation of the buck converter when α is varied from 0 to 0.09. Thus, the addition of the resonant parametric perturbation circuit has indeed turned out to be effective in suppressing the chaotic and bifurcation behaviour of the buck converter, bringing its operation back to its period-1 state. The resonant parametric perturbation method is a method easy to apply when it is compared to those of the feedback types as no prior knowledge of the system behaviour is required. Besides that, as evident from the layout of the circuit in Figure 1, resonant parametric perturbation control allows easy incorporation of the perturbation circuit with the existing buck converter circuit. With better understanding of the system’s behaviour under different operating circumstances, better control strategies can be developed and furthermore, proitable exploitation of the non-linear operating region for engineering purposes may also be possible. There are also a number of papers on the control of chaos and bifurcation behaviours now being actively published. Better knowledge of non-linear behaviour of the system has paved way for such publications. Bifurcation and chaos control via the resonant parametric perturbation method is now becoming more and more useful in engineering applications. Examples can be found in areas such as power network control and stabilisation, axial low compressors and jet engine control, cardiac alternans and rhythms control, and stabilisation in tethered satellites and bearing systems. Successful implementation of this method in controlling chaos and bifurcation is now not in doubt anymore as to its effectiveness in a wide range of systems. 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Liu, “Digital Charge Balance Controller to Improve the Loading/Unloading Transient Response of Buck Converters,” IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol. 27, pp. 1314 – 1326, March 2012. [27] K. Karama, J. Pelaez-Restrepo, M. Feki, B. G. M. Robert and A. El Aroudi, “Improved static and dynamic performances of a two- cell DC–DC buck converter using a digital dynamic time-delayed control,” vol 40, pp 395–407, April 2012. [28] C. K. Tse and M. di Bernardo, “Complex Behavior in Switching Power Converters,” Proceedings of IEEE, Special Issue on Application of Nonlinear Dynamics to Electronic and Information Engineering, vol. 90, no. 5, pp.768-781, May 2002. [29] K. C. Ng, N. M.L. Tan and M. T. T. Tan, “ Bifurcation of Buck Converter,” Journal of the Institutions of Engineers, Malaysia, vol. 75, no. 1, June 2014. PROFILES IR. DR NG KOK CHIANG graduated from the University of Western Australia with irst class honours in Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical & Electronics and Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Accounting, Investment Finance (Derivatives), and Managerial Accounting. He then furthered his studies to the University of Nottingham, UK and graduated with a PhD in Engineering having worked in the area of renewable energy and its storage for three and a half years. Ir. Dr Ng Kok Chiang in his course of research and work had liaised with various organisations such as E.ON (Power and Gas), Lockheed Martin, Jaguar/Land Rover (supercapacitors in automotive industry/electric cars), Battelle (lab management and commercialisation), Malaysia Rubber Board (energy management, artiicial intelligent, control, and electronics), and MOSTI (Fabrication of Advanced Supercapacitors). He is currently the Chief Technology Oficer of MyBig Sdn. Bhd. and a Professional Engineer with the R&D Centre at Leong Hing Sdn. Bhd. involved in research and prototyping projects in collaboration with various Malaysian Government Agencies and research bodies. Among the prominent solutions founded were the advanced switching mechanism in the Nexcap storage to eficiently capture minuscule trickle of charges, intelligent control systems incorporating power electronics device, and the advanced Sunopy solar system. DR NADIA TAN MEI LIN was born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She received the B.Eng. (Hons.) degree from the University of Shefield, Shefield, U.K., in 2002, the M.Eng. degree from Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Kajang, Malaysia, in 2007, and the Ph.D. degree from Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan, in 2010, all in electrical engineering. Since October 2010, she has been a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Electrical Power Engineering, Universiti Tenaga Nasional. Her current research interests include power conversion systems and bidirectional isolated dc–dc converters. Dr. Tan is a Graduate Member of the Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM), a Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), and a Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). DR MICHELLE TAN TIEN TIEN is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering at the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus. She received her BEng. degree in Electrical & Electronic Engineering at Swansea University, Wales, UK where she also completed her PhD on using one dimensional Zinc Oxide nanowires for bio-sensing application. Michelle’s current research focuses on the synthesis and characterisation of nanomaterials for bio-sensing applications, with emphasis on graphene, metal oxide and graphene/metal oxide composites. Besides that, her research also focuses on incorporating graphene composites for application in critical and hard environments, such as aerospace applications, of which is currently funded by the Ministry of Science Technology & Innovation (MOSTI), Malaysia. Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) 31 Characteristics of Optical Silicone Tactile Sensor (Date received: 06/12/13/Date accepted: 14/04/15) Nurul Fathiah Mohamed Rosli1, Muhammad Azmi Ayub2, Roseleena Jaafar3 1 Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor Malaysia 1 nurulfathiahmrosli@yahoo.com ABSTRACT The main objective of this research work is to analyze the characteristics of a newly developed optical tactile sensor for sensing surface hardness. Many optical tactile sensors are bulky in size and lack of dexterity for biomedical applications. Therefore, this tactile sensor is design relative small in size and lexible for easier insertion in endoscopic surgery application. The characteristics of the tactile sensor are calibrated with respect to changes in the diameter, area and perimeter of a silicon tactile sensor subjected to normal forces applied at the point of interaction. A surface exploration computer algorithm to obtain the sensing information was developed to analyse the characteristic of the optical tactile sensor. The overall image analysis technique involves the following main stages: image acquisition (capturing of images), processing (thresholding, noise iltering and boundary detection) and evaluation (force measurement). The measured forces were then compared to the actual forces to determine the accuracy of the tactile sensor’s characteristics. The results showed that the sensing characteristic with respect to changes in perimeter of the tactile sensor is more accurate compared to the other sensing characteristics. The outcomes of this research shows that the functionality of the developed new image analysis computer algorithm coupled with the silicone tactile sensor is suitable for biomedical applications such as in endoscopic surgery for measurement of tissue softness. Keywords: Image Processing, Optical Tactile Sensor and WiT. Introduction Minimal access surgery (MAS), are known as keyhole surgery is routinely used as the preferred choice for many operations. The scanning technology with the assistance of a video camera and several thin instrument give an useful displays visual information which is “medical imaging” to the surgeon[1]. “Medical imaging” is the technique of creating images of the interior of a body for medical analysis. Currently, surgeons also performed manually using naked eyes or scanning device to analyze characterization of soft tissue by captured the images [2]. Unfortunately, the main limitation this technique is the lack of sense of touch on the surface characteristic information such on the hardness of the soft tissue. Tactile sensation is important information for surface sensorization, manipulation and exploration. Because of that, many researcher concerning in this area. During recent years, Minimally Invasive Robot-Assisted surgery, this has become the main choice for surgically reported in Science Daily. Because of that, this surgery manipulates the tactile feedback of organs and assesses the condition of tissue. In other words, the system allows greater precision and better visualization compared to MAS technique by the combination of the image processing with the sense of touch. However, it would be advantageous for the surgeon to have an idea about the characteristic of the surfaces which are in contact with the tools. According to, researcher from Nagoya [3], they developed an optical three-axis tactile sensor capable to recognize the objects shape and surface condition either its hardness or smoothness by utilized image processing as their method to obtain the information of the sensor. Therefore, the use of optical based tactile sensor for surface characterization is a new approach in biomedical applications. This new approach provides more information regarding the surface condition directly by analyzing the sensing information. The consequence of this technique, several applications of a sensor is detecting various tumors in 32 patient’s body by through analyzing the softness of the tissues based on its sensing information such as the change in size, shape, texture, etc. [4] will be eased to achieved. The material used in this project for the development of the miniature tactile sensor element is silicone rubber. Silicone rubber is a very stable material and has been widely used in many ields because of its ability to be fabricated by conventional techniques, its inherent silicone advantages, including excellent thermal stability, good water characteristics, weather and chemical resistance[5] and [6]. Several researchers have actively involved and engaged in developing a better tactile sensor[3], [4] and[7]. Unfortunately most of the developed tactile sensors are bulky in size and lack of lexibility for biomedical applications. Hence, there is a need to explore and develop new generation of tactile sensor that can perform various tasks in biomedical applications. The developed tactile sensor in this paper is focus on the application for endoscopic inspection where sensorization information is need. In this research, the development of the vision based tactile sensor is using single wave optical image conduction method [7]. The tactile sensor which is made of a silicone based material has been used for measuring normal and shear forces. The inite element model and its initial behavior of the tactile sensor was explained in [8],[9] and [10]. In this paper, the characteristics of the tactile sensor will be further analyzed by using surface exploration computer algorithm developed in this research project. Thus, the outcome of this study is to validate the functionality, reliability and characteristics of the optical silicone tactile sensor using the developed surface exploration computer algorithm that can measure the normal forces to a high accuracy in order to facilitate and automate the process of surface characterization. Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) CHARACTERISTICS OF OPTICAL SILICONE TACTILE SENSOR 1.0 ExPERIMENTAL TEST RIG A test rig was developed to suit the experimental needs and designed to characterize the silicone tactile sensor which is having a diameter of 6mm and 90mm long optical iber. The test rig has both hardware and software components as shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2. The description of the main experimental test rig [8]: 1. Initially, calibrated force Fc, was gradually applied and increased intermittently at the tip of the tactile sensor. The constant value of the tactile sensor k was obtained based on the graph of the “Calibrated Forces vs Deformations” [9]. Then an actual force Fa was applied to the tip of the tactile sensor. It was recommended the, Fa values were approximately equal to the Fc values so that the accurately and reliability of the calibration results could be easily observed. To measure the Fc and Fa, a digital force meter was used. 2. For image acquisition, a CCD camera was used to capture an image inside the tactile sensor. The image data was delivered to the frame grabber in the PC via 90mm long iber scope that was connected to PCI bus of the computer. A computer image processing algorithm was developed to analysis the image data and performs an image calibration. 3. The image processing algorithm utilizes WiT 8.2 software to analyze and measure the image data. During the force measurement process, three main steps of computer algorithm were performed; image acquisition, image processing and image recognition. Details of the image analysis will be explained in the next section. For the measurements of the experimental forces Fe, three different sensing characteristics which were changes in diameter, changes in area and changes in perimeter. The whole process is repeated three times to show the repeatability of the measurement results and their average values were obtained[9]. 4. Data obtained from both the image processing algorithm (Fe) and digital force meter were evaluated and compared for the three sensing characteristics. Then the average percentage of error was determined. The lowest average percentage error obtained would be the selected parameter of study. Figure 1: Experimental test-rig Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) Figure 2: Schematic diagram for Industrial Fiberscope [8]. 2.0 IMAGE PROCESSING ANALYSIS To perform the image analysis, a surface exploration computer algorithm was developed to obtain three different sensing characteristics; changes in diameter, changes in area and changes in perimeter of the tactile sensor. Data obtained from the image analysis will relate to the normal force values. The scope to be highlighted here is the manner in which the machine vision system is exploited to calibrate the image of the tactile sensor. The in-process image analysis is the key important aspect of this test rig. The hardware components constitute of a PC computer, frame grabber (type of video card) and CCD camera. The optical iber scope is connected to the CCD camera to acquire the image of the tactile sensor. The image is captured and stored for further processing. A. Image processing algorithm The image processing algorithm for the tactile sensing analysis was developed and programmed using Microsoft Visual C/C++ and WiT 8.2 Image Processing software [10]. The WiT8.2 image processing library consists of built-in operators which provides a great toolset for image processing [10]. Additional custom image analysis operators and control system operators were specially developed via Microsoft Visual C/C++, which created a dynamic link library so that the corresponding operators were available in WiT environment. These image operators were integrated in theWiT 8.2 Igraph of the image analyzed algorithm to measure the applied forces. A summary of the data communication process for the image processing algorithm is shown in Figure 3. The processes are explained as follows: 1. Image acquisition: The image acquisition was performed when the image data were captured by CCD camera and transferred to the computer via iber scope. 2. Image processing: Image processing was performed to enhance the image by using thresholding and noise iltering approach: In tactile sensor image analysis, the region of interest was deined as the circle inside the tactile sensor. Using the threshing and blobing technique, the selected circle will be analyzed. Blobing is a technique to get the area of interest. In this research the area of interest is the white region (all pixels have a value of 255), as seen in Figure 4(a). All the relevant information such as height, width, pixel size, angle, coordinate, parameter, and centroid can be extracted from the blob. 3. Feature Recognition: Feature recognition was accomplished by boundary detection of the circle: The circle was detected by grouping the blobs and iltered until relevant blobs for the 33 NURUL FATHIAH MOHAMED ROSLI; MUHAMMAD AZMI AYUB; ROSELEENA JAAFAR circle were found. All the parameter values to ilter the blobs were obtained and optimum values for all conditions were obtained. After getting a satisfactory hole detection result, the area, perimeter, diameter and centroid of the hole are computed using the following equation:1. Area: (6) (1) 2. Perimeter: (2) 3. Diameter: (3) 4. Centroid: The location of X and Y coordinates were determined by calculating the centroid of the circle from the relevant blob data. Please refer to Figure 4(b). The accuracy of the centroid location depends on the technique, control variable and the noise analysis. By using equations (4) and (5), the centroid locations from the relevant blobs are calculated. All the measurements are in pixels unit. (4) Figure 3: Surface exploration computer algorithm low chart. (5) Figure 4: Image analysis output (a) boundary detection (b) draw line. B. Data Acquisition System The data acquisition system is realized by the design of Image Processing Algorithm of the optical silicone tactile sensor. To obtain the information of the sensor, the characteristic of the images are analyzed and correlated to the Fa-. 4. Calculation of measured force value: The force value has been calculated by using equation (6). Here, k a constant value of tactile sensor determined from the previous calibrated experiment. This k value depends on the sensing characteristics which are the changes in diameter, area and perimeter. It is important to deine k in order to enhance the performance of the tactile sensor algorithm during realtime object manipulation. The user is required to key in the k value for each sensing characteristics. All the measurements are in pixels unit. The equation of the measured force value is as follows. This equation is according to calibration experiments. 34 C. Conversion Factor In order to determine the SI units, the pixel measurement has to be converted to mm (4). It is clear from the zoomed image shown in Figure 5 that the, 154 pixels have an equivalent value to 2.051mm in distance. Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) CHARACTERISTICS OF OPTICAL SILICONE TACTILE SENSOR Figure 5: Zoomed image taken by CCD camera inside the silicone tactile sensor. 3. ExPERIMENTAL RESULTS This chapter present the analysis of data for the overall performance of the machine vision for the optical tactile sensor. The performance of the machine vision will be based on the analysis of results from the image processing techniques, the analysis of the source of image noise and the analysis of deformation behaviour. Three series of the same experiments were done in order to ensure reliability and accuracy of the results. The results for the average forces of the changes in diameter, area and perimeter were presented in Figure 6, Figure 7 and Figure 8 respectively. The plotted graphs show the correlation between the calibrated force, Fc, actual force, Fa and experimental force, Fe for the three sensing characteristics. The graph demonstrates that the initial value of Fe, inluences the accuracy of the results. As seen, when force is applied to the tip of the tactile sensor, all data show signiicant increase in experimental forces, which indicates that over prolonged time and increased applied force, the value of the experimental force become stable and reliable. The limitation in this inding is the range of the Fa, which is between 0N to 1.5N. For medical applications, it is considered satisfactory if the force sensitivity is within the range of 0.1N-11N [4]. Forces higher than this range of values are not effective using this particular type of optical tactile sensor because the system cannot analyze the deformation image completely due to the limitation of the view range. This situation happens because the image for the next displacement is already out of view. Hence, the image processing is unable to deine the data for these images. One of the reasons for this to happen is due to the small size of the tactile sensor used. Therefore, it is able to capture the full image up to certain amount of delection. The optical tactile sensor in term concept in design and method are suitable for applications in the biomedical industries. Figure 9 shows an example of an image which is out of view and cannot be analyzed. Further works need to be carried out in this research study to use smaller silicone tactile sensor (suggest:Ø=3mm) that can inluence the force sensitivity results so that in future, this sensor is suitable to be used for small internal parts of the human body such as arteries. Another concern is that, the accuracy of the tactile sensor was not able to be determined directly from these plotted graphs. Hence, an average error value was calculated to derive the error value using equation (5) and (6). For the error analysis, the experimental force value, Fe which is the real time value, is compared to the actual force value, Fa which refers to the value indicated by the digital force meter. A lower average percentage error value indicates forces almost to the actual force line, which Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) Figure 6: Average Forces for Changes in Diameter. Figure 7: Average Forces for Changes in Area. Figure 8: Average Forces for Changes in Perimeter. 35 NURUL FATHIAH MOHAMED ROSLI; MUHAMMAD AZMI AYUB; ROSELEENA JAAFAR (contrasts color), camera light exposure (controls light) and camera focal distance (adjusts distance) which are not considered in the experimental set-up. These factors may possibly inluence the current indings. Hence, further work needs to be carried out to consider all these factors which can either be controlled or removed. Thus, a conclusion can be made that there is immense potential that this new optical tactile sensor coupled with surface exploration computer algorithm is able to assist in biomedical applications so as to replace the current manual characterization of soft tissues as well as for detecting various tumors based on its sensing characteristics information. 5.0 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Figure 9: Out of view image. also signiies the image processing algorithm reliability even when a small force is exerted onto the tactile sensor. According to the others conference paper show that normal force calibration that only analysis one parameter for sensing characteristics there is area [9].Furthermore, it is dificult to obtain a good result to analyze with only one parameter are consider. In this inding, three parameters for the sensing characteristics of the silicone tactile sensor are analyzed in order to obtain the best parameter. Hence, the best sensing characteristic to select is the perimeter because its average error value is the lowest as compared to the other sensing characteristics as tabulated in Table 1. The authors gratefully acknowledge the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia (MOHE) for the inancial support under the ERGS fund (project Grant No: 600-RMI/ERGS 5/3 (17/2011), and the Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Malaysia. 6.0 REFERENCES [1] M. E. Eltaib and J. Hewit, “Tactile sensing technology for minimal access surgery––a review,” Mechatronics, vol. 13, no. 10, pp. 1163–1177, Dec. 2003. [2] C.-K. Chen, H.-T. Wu, H.-J. Chiou, C.-J. Wei, C.-H. Yen, C.-Y. Chang, and W.-M. Chen, “Differentiating Benign and Malignant Soft Tissue Masses by Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Role of Tissue Component Analysis,” Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA, vol. 72, no. 4, pp. 194–201, Apr. 2009. [3] S. C. Abdullah, J. Wada, M. Ohka, and H. Yussof, “Object Exploration Algorithm Based on Three-Axis Tactile Data,” 2010 Fourth Asia International Conference on Mathematical/ Analytical Modelling and Computer Simulation, pp. 158–163, 2010. [4] J. Dargahi, S. Najarian, and B. Liu, “Sensitivity Analysis of a Novel Tactile Probe for Measurement of Tissue Softness with Applications in Biomedical Robotics,” Journal of Materials Processing Technology, vol. 183, no. 2–3, pp. 176–182, 2007. [5] J. Liu and S. Wu, “The Research of Interaction Between the Silicone Rubber Sealant and Concrete,” 2011 International Conference on Electrical and Control Engineering (ICECE) vol. 05, pp. 1839–1841, 2011. [6] J. S. Liu, D. L. Li, J. Yu, and Z. W. Zhang, “Study on Durability of Silicone Rubber Sealant for Pavement Joint,” Advanced Materials Research, vol. 496, pp. 30–33, Mar. 2012. [7] B. Ali, Sukarnur, and M. Azmi, “Development of Experimental Test-Rig for a Vision-Based Tactile Sensor,” Proceedings of International Conference on Advances in Mechanical Engineering (ICAME 2009), Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, UiTM Malaysia, 2009. [8] Bakri Ali, R. Othman, R. Deraman, and M. A. Ayub, “A New Approach in Design and Operating Principle of Silicone Tactile Sensor,” Journal of Computer Science, Science Publications, vol. 6, no. 8, pp. 940–945, 2010. [9] A. Halim, B. Ali, and M. Azmi, “Normal Force Calibration for Optical Based Silicone Tactile Sensor,” International Symposium on Robotics and Intelligent Sensors 2012 (IRIS 2012), vol. 41, pp. 210–215, 2012. Table 2: Concrete mix proportion Percentage of Error, % Diameter Area Perimeter 13.865 21.726 10.113 (5) (6) Where, n: Number of sample 4. CONCLUSION AND FUTURE WORK This paper presents the development of an image analysis algorithm using WiT environment to facilitate and automate the process of a silicon tactile sensor behavior. Through series of experiments, it can be concluded that the image processing analysis is very important to help in getting detailed information on the hardness, roughness and other physical surface characteristics. The result shows that the perimeter (one of the sensing characteristics) is the best parameter since it has a low percentage error and able to detect small changes of force with better sensitivity. There are factors such as background lighting 36 Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) CHARACTERISTICS OF OPTICAL SILICONE TACTILE SENSOR [10] A. Halim, M. Azmi, and B. Ali, “Image Analysis For Deformation Behavior Of Optical Based Silicone Tactile Sensor,” Proceedings of 2012 IEEE 8th International Colloqium on Signal Processing and its Application (CSPA), pp. 23–28, 2012. PROFILES NURUL FATHIAH MOHAMED ROSLI was born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She received her Diploma in Electronic Engineering (Computer) from Sultan Idris Shah Polytechnic, Malaysia in 2008. In 2012, she received a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Manufacturing) (Hons) Degree from the Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Malaysia. She is currently doing her Master’s Degree on Robotics and Image processing. E-mail: nurulfathiahmrosli@yahoo.com. MUHAMMAD AZMI AYUB is an Associate Professor for Mechatronics at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. He received his B. degree of Engineering (Mechanical) from UNSW Australia in 1989, and MSc and PhD from Loughborough University, UK in 1996 and 2004 respectively. He was the Deputy Dean of the faculty from 2004 until 2009. Currently, he is the Head of the Research Center for Humanoid Robots and Biosensors. His research interests include mechatronics, visual feedback and control of mechanical systems. E-mail: muhammadayub@salam.uitm.edu.my. ROSELEENA JAAFAR obtained her BEng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering from Brighton Polytechnic, UK in 1993 and MSc in Computer Integrated Manufacturing from Loughborough University of Technology, UK in 1994. She is currently an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, UniversitiTeknologi MARA (UiTM), Shah Alam since 2004. She has completed several eScience Projects since 2008 in the areas of Automation, Mechatronics, Manufacturing Processes and Systems and Ergonomics. E-mail: rosel714@salam.uitm.edu.my. Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) 37 Effect of Polishing Grits, Temperatures and Selected Activators on Electroless-nickel Deposition on Cast Aluminium Substrates (Date received: 07/10/13/Date accepted: 07/09/15) 1, 2 Ajibola O. O, 1Oloruntoba D.T, and 1Adewuyi B.O. 1 Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Dept., Federal University of Technology., Akure, Nigeria 2 Materials and Metallurgical Engineering Dept., Federal University Oye Ekiti, Nigeria *olawale.ajibola@fuoye.edu.ng *corresponding author ABSTRACT The state of the surface of a material controls how stable and lasting such material will be under the service condition. Wear and corrosion take place on the contacting surfaces. For an eficient engineering design, the surface has to be protected by different method of surface deposition technique such as electroless-nickel (EN) plating. The irmness and the dependability is built strongly on the morphology of the metallic ilm. This paper aimed to study the effect of grinding grits, types of activator and plating operation temperatures on the quantity (EN deposition per unit area) and quality (appearance, lustre, adhesion) of the nickel plating on Al substrate. A number of experiments were performed from which the best of results were used to model the trend of each individual effect on plating process. Different grades of polishing grits were applied and their effects on the adhesion, appearance and quantity of EN deposits per unit area on cast aluminium substrates were studied. Keywords: Cast Aluminium Alloy, Electroless-Nickel Deposition, Selected Activators, Substrate, Surface Polishing, Plating Temperature 1.0 INTRODUCTION Many types of aluminium alloys are employed for engineering purposes where both or either of light weight and/or corrosion resistance is required [1] such as automotive engines. Among these vast classes are aluminium-magnesium alloys, being found useful in automotive engine cylinder, brake and clutch master cylinder, yet are subject to wear and corrosion. There is certain number of environment under which aluminium gets widely corroded and this occurs mostly in strongly acidic or strongly alkaline solutions though there are speciic exceptions [2,3,4,5,6]. Since 2010, Ajibola and Jimoh, and Ajibola et al., had been involved in understudying the properties, application and problems of wear and corrosion of cast aluminium alloys used in brake master cylinders with hydraulic luids (Figure 1 a,b). The reports of such indings are progressively presented both at local conferences [7,8] and international conferences [9]. The studies by Ajibola et al., [10,11] were performed to assess the metallurgical properties and wear rates of brake master cylinder pistons with the view to improving on the wear and corrosion resistance of the Al alloy substrates in brake luid. Also, report of studies by Ajibola et al., [10,11] had recommended the application of surface treatment and deposition of resilient metallic ilm as solution to alleviating wear and corrosion problems of this useful machine part immersed in brake oil. There is variety of techniques of metal coating. These include processes like hot dipping, electroplating, anodising, electroless and autocatalytic deposition [12–13], cladding, parkerizing and galvanising [14, 15, 16]. Plating has been practiced for many years, but it is also very signiicant for modern technological practices. Metallic coating is utilized for decoration, corrosion inhibition, to improve solderability, to enhance hardness, to 38 increase wear resistance, to lessen friction, to improve paint adhesion, to alter conductivity, for radiation shielding, and for other purposes. Metal plating usually fail only in small sections, and if the plating is more noble than the substrate (for example, chromium on steel), a galvanic couple will cause any exposed area to corrode much more rapidly than an uncoated surface would. Figure 1: Surface of corroded hydraulic brake pistons samples after long immersion in brake oil. Electroless-nickel (EN) deposition is a chemical autocatalytic reduction procedure which is principled on the reduction of nickel ions in an aqueous solution (containing a chemical reducing agent) and the subsequent deposition of nickel metal without the application of electricity. Agarwala and Agarwala, [17] presented the most widely accepted mechanism by the following Equations 1-4: (H2PO2)- + (H2O) Catalyst = H+ + (HPO3)-2 +2Habs (1) Heat Ni2 + 2Habs = Ni + 2H+ (2) (H2PO2)- + Habs = H2O + OH- + P (3) (H2PO2)- + H2O = H++ (HPO3)2- + H2 (4) Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) EFFECT OF POLISHING GRITS, TEMPERATURES AND SELECTED ACTIVATORS ON ELECTROLESS-NICKEL DEPOSITION ON CAST ALUMINIUM SUBSTRATES In the presence of a catalytic surface and suficient energy, hypophosphite ions are oxidized to orthophosphite. Acid solutions were found to have several advantages over alkaline solutions: higher plating rate, better stability, greater ease of control, and improved deposit corrosion resistance. Using a proper surface pre-treatment order and precise process control, high-quality adhesion and outstanding service performance, very homogeneous thickness is produced all over the part, even for asymmetrical shapes, holes, recesses, internal surfaces and valves. High-quality adhesion of EN deposits on Al alloy emanates from excellent cleaning and lowest amount etching operations. There is now a better understanding of the features inluencing adhesion properties. Good adhesion is reliant on having a dirt-free surface free from soils, oxides, particulate matter and embedded materials. For instance, gentle etch alkaline cleaners work well for many surface contaminating soils. There are different surfactants such as applicable in cleaning, surface modiication, sensitization, catalyzing, activation (acceleration) and as stabilizers. Surfactants are also used as wetting agents that lower the surface tension of a liquid, allowing easier distribution, and lower the interfacial tension between two liquids or a liquid and solid surface. In an EN bath, existences of surfactants encourage the deposition reaction between the bath solution and the immersed substrate surface [18]. The deposition of Electroless-Ni on cast aluminium was investigated for its wear and corrosion properties through experimental methods and is reported in this paper. 2.0 MATERIALS AND METHOD Model, and Brinell hardness tester respectively. The results are presented in Table 1. 2.2 Preparation of cast samples used for EN plating 2000g of as-received aluminium alloy sourced from purchased piston (calliper) was weighed into a melting pot and melted at temperature range of 750oC to 800oC in electric furnace under a controlled atmosphere. The molten metal was sand cast into rods of 300mm long by 30mm diameter from which the two set of tests specimen (pistons and coins) were cut and machined out. They were sliced to obtain 15mm thick by 25mm diameter coin size used for plating tests (Figure 2). The surfaces of the aluminium alloy substrates were grinded and polished with different types of polishing grits on the grinding and polishing machines (Metaserv 2000 model). The microstructure and surfaces of the samples were examined under the metallurgical microscope of X800 maximum magniication (Nikon Eclipse ME600 model). Figure 2: Pieces of Al alloy specimens for EN plating test. The commercial aluminium alloy sample was sourced from the hydraulic brake master cylinder loating pistons (callipers). The piston (designated as ‘As-received Al alloy’ or ‘AR’) was procured from automobile spare part market in Ado Ekiti, Nigeria from which cast rod (designated as ‘Cast Al alloy’ or ‘AC’) was produced. Aqueous solutions of different chemicals such as Emulsiier, Sodium hydroxide, Hydrochloric acid, Sodium phosphate, Zinc oxide, Potassium sodium tartrate, Sodium nitrate, and Ferric chloride used in pre-treating the aluminium samples, and EN plating chemical including Palladium chloride, Nickel Chloride, Sodium Hypophosphite, Sodium citrate, Ammonium chloride, anti-tarnish chemical (potassium-dichromate solution) were procured from scientiic chemical stores in Ado Ekiti, Nigeria. The equipments used for the experiment include: Electronic digital weight meter (model DT-502A, 0.0001g), lathe machine, drilling machine, electrical cutting saw, electroless Nickel plating line (Figure 3), and thermometer. 2.2.1 Cleaning of samples, surface activation and EN plating Table 2 shows the EN pre-treatment and plating chemicals, media concentrations, operating temperatures and the immersion periods. The polished samples are cleaned in a series of chemicals such as bases and acids to prepare the surface for good adhesion. Each of the chemical pre-treatment is followed by water rinsing to remove the chemical that adheres to the surface. Degreasing removes soil and oil, while acid cleaning removes scaling. The surface activation is done in six different types of solutions: sodium-di-chromate, palladium chloride solution at 85°C, zincate, water, HCl and NaOH solution before they are inally plated with electroless nickel. The surface activation is done in six different types of solutions before they are inally plated with electroless nickel. Pre-cleaned and surface activated samples are immersed into the electroless-nickel baths operated at varying temperatures 2.1 Chemical analyses of Aluminium alloy comprising of nickel chloride (source of nickel), sodium substrates hypophosphite (reducing agent) and sodium citrate (stabilizer). The chemical compositions and hardness of aluminium alloy The pH of the EN bath was ixed by adding required quantity substrates (as-received Al and cast Al) were determined using of ammonium solution or sodium hydroxide solution. After Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS) Thermo series 2000 the coating process, coated material is immersed in anti-tarnish chemical to prevent unwanted stains. The EN coated samples are washed in distilled water Table 1: Chemical composition and hardness of aluminium alloy substrates. after, and dried in the oven Samples Al Si Mg Fe Mn Cu Zn Cr Ti BHN after which the quantity of deposition per unit area is As-received Al. 98.87 0.38 0.40 0.23 0.001 0.01 0.001 0.001 0.001 43.6 determined. Cast Aluminium alloy coins 98.44 0.32 0.29 0.16 0.001 0.01 0.001 0.001 0.001 63.8 Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) 39 AJIBOLA O. O, OLORUNTOBA D.T, AND ADEWUYI B.O. Table 2: Plating chemicals and the mixing ratio Bath Media Concentration Temperature (g/l or ml/l) (oC) Emulsiier: 15 ml/l Kerosene Emulsifying with Detergent 15 g/l solution Alkaline Sodium 0.4 g/l cleaning hydroxide Acid Hydrochloric 5 ml/l cleaning acid Surfactant PCl2 0.0 ~ 0.12 g/l Plating Nickel Chloride 30 g/l Sodium 40 g/l Hypophosphite Sodium citrate 25 g/l Ammonium 50 g/l chloride PCl2 0.02/l 60±5 1-5 60±5 1-5 60±5 1-5 85 85±5 0.5-2 2 - 10 The effect of surface inishing on the EN plating was studied using different emery paper polishing grits (60µm, 120µm, 220µm, 320µm, 400µm, 600µm, 800µm and 1200µm). In another case, the effects of six selected chemical media used as surfactants (sodium-di-chromate, palladium chloride, zincate, water, HCl and NaOH) were also studied. The inluence of plating bath temperatures varied from 80oC, 85oC and 90oC temperatures were also examined on the EN plating characteristics. The amount of EN deposit (g) is determined from the difference between the initial weight (Mi) and inal weight (Mf), measured before and after EN plating using electronic digital weight meter, from which the amount deposited per unit area (g/mm2) and EN plating rate (g/mm2/min) are calculated; ∆W = Mf – Mi (5) Amount EN deposited per unit area = ∆W/(AT) (6) EN deposition rate REN = ∆W/(AT x t) (7) where Wi = weight of the sample before EN-plating, Wf = weight of the sample after EN-plating and ∆W = EN ilm weight deposited, AT = Total surface area of substrate, t = plating time. Figure 3: Pictorial views of complete assembly of the cleaning line (a) and EN plating bath (b). 3.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 3.1 Characteristics of the aluminium substrates The aluminium alloy substrates, (as-received Al or AR and cast Al or AC samples) were characterised by atomic absorption spectrometry to ascertain the chemical composition of the 40 Time (mins) substrates. The micro-structural examination is carried out to reveal the micro structure of the alloy and to compare the similarities and differences. The hardness values are compared as means of predicting their behaviour under friction with respect to their composition and micro-structure. With these, some reasons for their corrosion and wear behaviours of the aluminium alloy substrates could be understood. Table 1 shows the results of chemical compositions and hardness of as-received Al alloy (control sample) and cast Al alloy used in the experiment. The chemical analysis shows that 98.87%Al, 0.38%Si, 0.40%Mg, and 0.23%Fe were present in the AR, that 98.44%Al, 0.32%Si, 0.29%Mg, and 0.16%Fe were present in the AC while equal amount of 0.001%Mn, 0.01%Cu, 0.001%Zn, 0.001%Cr and 0.001%Ti were present in both AR and AC alloys. 3.2 EN deposition per unit area on aluminium substrates The trends and amount of electroless-nickel deposition per unit area on AR and AC alloy substrates at various polishing grits, temperatures and surface activation are illustrated in Figures 4-23. 3.3 Effect of surface polishing grits SFG variation on amount of EN deposition on AR and AC at 85oC using PdCl2 Deposition of electroless-nickel on as-received and cast aluminium alloy substrates at various polishing grit is carried out for 10 minutes at 85oC. Figure 4: Effect of SFG variation on EN deposition per unit area (g/mm2) on AR and AC samples operated at 85oC plating temperature. Figure 4 shows that there is more of EN deposition per unit area on the 60µm and 120µm grits polished as-received alloy than the cast aluminium substrate. There is steady increase in the quantity of EN deposition per unit area on cast aluminium substrate as the grade of surface polishing grits increased from 60µm to 600µm, above which there was reduction in the amount of EN deposition per unit area obtained on the cast aluminium substrate. There is subsequent greater amount of EN deposition per unit area on cast substrate than the as-received substrate with respect to the increase in the grade of surface polishing grits used. It is observed that there is fall in the quantity of EN deposition per unit area on as-received alloy as grade of surface polishing grits increased from 60µm to 220µm, above which there was increase in the amount of EN deposition per unit area obtained on the as-received aluminium substrate. 600µm surface polishing grits produced the highest quantity of EN deposition per unit area on both the cast and as-received aluminium substrates. Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) EFFECT OF POLISHING GRITS, TEMPERATURES AND SELECTED ACTIVATORS ON ELECTROLESS-NICKEL DEPOSITION ON CAST ALUMINIUM SUBSTRATES The trend of the amount of EN deposited with respect to increasing polishing grit was studied using the experimental data generated from the experiment. The best it models for the trend using MS excel application were of polynomial equations to power 2 relating the amount of EN deposited to surface polishing grits (um). The developed models from the study are: Mn1= -8E-06x2 + 8E-05x + 0.0002 (8) Mn2= -3E-06x2 + 2E-05x + 0.0003 (9) where 60≥x≥1200µm, x = grade of surface polishing grits, Mn1 and Mn2 are the amount (g/mm2) of EN deposited with respect to surface polishing grits on cast and as-received aluminium alloy respectively in acidic sodium hypophosphite reduced bath. The EN deposition per unit area increased with increasing SFG from 60µm to 600µm after which there is reduction in the amount of EN deposition per unit area on AC Al alloy substrate. The case is dissimilar in the AR Al alloy, there is decline in the EN deposition per unit area on 60µm to 220µm grits polished samples; there is boost in EN deposition per unit area from 220µm to 600µm after which there is decrease in EN deposition per unit area obtained. 0.000446g/mm2 and 0.000364g/mm2 maximum EN plating per unit area were obtained on the 600µm grit polished cast and asreceived aluminium samples respectively. Rough surfaces have more points and crevices than the smooth surfaces, hence rough surface are likely to have larger surface areas. Unlike electro-deposition processes (electroplating, electroforming, etc). Where deposition concentrate more at points and less at crevices, electroless plating give a more uniform plating thickness that electro-deposition process, hence the electroless plating is not solely controlled by the degree of roughness of surface. 3.4 Effect of SPG and temperature variation on amount of EN deposition AR and AC at 85oC using PdCl2 Figures 5-12 show the variation in the quantity of EN deposit (g) on cast and as-received aluminium alloy substrates in acidic sodium hypophosphite reduced bath at varying plating bath temperatures and surface polishing grits. The temperature is varied from 80, 85 and 90oC while the surface polishing grits varied from 60 to 1200µm. produced least quantity of EN deposition per unit area at 80oC followed by 85oC and 90oC. The 90oC plating temperature produced highest values of EN deposition per unit area on 220, 320, 400, 600 and 1200µm grit polished surfaces. Similar trends in quantity of EN deposition per unit area are obtained on 400 to 1200µm grit polished surfaces for 85oC and 90oC plating temperature operated baths. In principle, electroless deposition is energy driven. It is a chemical reaction process that is highly controlled by temperature and time. The kinetics of the reaction is more favoured and result oriented at higher temperature. In case of EN deposition, working at temperatures above 80oC had been encouraged. The amount of EN deposition per unit area (g/mm2) in Figures 6-11 are derived from Figure 5. The effect of SFG and Temperature variations on amount of EN deposition per unit area (g/mm2) on AC and AR samples with the errors bars are illustrated in Figure 6-11. All the plots in Figures 6-11 show the amount of EN deposition per unit area (g/mm2) on cast Al alloy and as-received Al alloy substrates measured from 8 different SFG values. The error bars for each plot give the upper and lower limit (maximum and minimum amount) of EN deposition per unit area obtained from each of SPG values. For the cast and as-received substrate samples, the 48 points are within the 5% the error bars for EN deposition per unit area of the SPG points. The polynomial trendlines equations (10) to (15) are also derived from the plots. Figure 6: Trend of EN deposition per unit area on AC samples on operated at 80oC plating temperatures with SFG variation with the errors bars. Figure 7: Trend of EN deposition per unit area on AC samples on operated at 85oC plating temperatures with SFG variation with the errors bars. Figure 5: Effect of SFG variation on amount (g) of EN deposition per unit area on AC and AR samples operated at different plating temperatures (oC). In Figure 5, 60µm polishing of cast aluminium produced highest EN deposition per unit area at 80oC followed by 85oC and 90oC while on other polished surfaces grits from 120µm to 1200µm, highest values of EN deposition per unit area are obtained at 90oC. The result obtained at 85oC shows that there is decline in quantity of EN deposit on 60µm to 220µm polished Al substrate. The 60µm polishing on as-received aluminium Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) Figure 8: Trend of EN deposition per unit area on AC samples on operated at 90oC plating temperatures with SFG variation with the errors bars. 41 AJIBOLA O. O, OLORUNTOBA D.T, AND ADEWUYI B.O. Figures 6-8 are derived from Figure 5. Comparisons of results of EN deposition on cast samples at different temperatures in Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8; show that EN deposition per unit area on AR and AC are of close trend and values in each of the plating temperatures (80oC and 85oC). Hence, the deposition is more dependent on the degree of polished surface grits rather than the aluminium material type; while further observation shows that for 90oC plating temperature, the deposition is dependent on both polished surface grits and the aluminium material types. The trend of the amount of EN deposited per unit area with respect to increasing plating bath temperature was studied using the experimental data generated from the experiment. The polynomial it equations for the trend using MS excel application relates the amount of EN deposited to plating bath temperature (oC) and surface polishing grits operated at 80oC, 85oC and 90oC respectively as: Mn3 = 5E-06x2 - 4E-05x + 0.0004 (10) Mn4 = 2E-06x2 - 1E-05x + 0.0003 (11) Mn5 = 1E-06x2 + 1E-06x + 0.0003 (12) Where 60≥x≥1200µm, x = surface polishing grits, Mn3, Mn4 and Mn5 are the amount of EN deposited per unit area (g/mm2) with respect to plating bath temperatures operated at 80oC, 85oC and 90oC, respectively on cast aluminium alloy in acidic sodium hypophosphite reduced bath. Figure 9: Trend of EN deposition per unit area on AR samples on operated at 80 oC plating temperatures with SFG variation with the errors bars. Figures 9-11 are also derived from Figure 5. The trend of the amount of EN deposited per unit area with respect to increasing plating bath temperature was studied using the experimental data generated from the experiment. The polynomial it equations for the trend using MS excel application relates the amount of EN deposited on as-received Al alloy (AR) substrates to plating bath temperature (oC) and surface polishing grits operated at 80oC, 85oC and 90oC respectively as: Mn6 = 4E-06x2 - 3E-05x + 0.0004 (13) Mn7 = 6E-07x2 + 5E-06x + 0.0003 (14) Mn8 = 3E-06x2 - 3E-05x + 0.0004 (15) Where 60≥x≥1200µm, x = surface polishing grits (µm), Mn6, Mn7 and Mn8 are the amount of EN deposited per unit area (g/mm2) with respect to plating bath temperatures operated at 80oC, 85oC and 90oC, respectively on as-received aluminium alloy in acidic sodium hypophosphite reduced bath. From Figures 5-11, EN deposition on AR and AC is not solely dependent on the increase in level of the polishing grit. The least trend of deposition per unit area is obtained at 85oC, producing best of the adhesion and appearance at SFG of 600µm and above. The trend of EN deposition per unit area at all plating temperatures is observed to be controlled by the increasing plating temperature especially for 400 to 1200µm polished surfaces grits. Figure 12 show the appearance of EN plating on cast aluminium substrate at (a) 80oC, (b) 85oC and (c) 90oC using 1200µm polishing grit. Figure 12: Micrograph of EN plating on cast aluminium substrate at (a) 80oC, (b) 85oC and (c) 90oC using 1200µm polishing grit. 3.5. Effect of surface activation on amount of EN deposition per unit area of Al substrate. Figure 10: Trend of EN deposition per unit area on AR samples on operated at 85oC plating temperatures with SFG variation with the errors bars. Deposition requires one or more of the following steps such as (i) cleaning, (ii) surface modiication, (iii) sensitization, (iv) catalyzing or catalyzing, and activation (acceleration)[19]. Rinsing is required between the steps. The steps (iii) and (iv) as sensitization and catalyzing. In this work, the selected surface activators used include HCl, NaOH, water, sodium-di-chromate, zincate, and palladium chloride solution, before the cast substrates are immersed into the EN plating baths. Figures 13-16 show the variation in the quantity of EN deposit on cast aluminium alloy substrates in acidic sodium hypophosphite reduced bath using six different reagents as the surface activators. Figure 11: Trend of EN deposition per unit area on AR samples on operated at 90 oC plating temperatures with SFG variation with the errors bars. Figure 13: Effect of activators on EN deposition (g) on 1200µm polished AC samples operated at 85oC temperatures (oC). 42 Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) EFFECT OF POLISHING GRITS, TEMPERATURES AND SELECTED ACTIVATORS ON ELECTROLESS-NICKEL DEPOSITION ON CAST ALUMINIUM SUBSTRATES Figure 14: Effect of activators on EN deposition per unit area ((g/mm2) on 1200µm polished AC samples operated at 85oC temperatures (oC). Figure 16: Effect of activators and SFG variations on EN deposition per unit area (g/mm2) on AC samples operated at 85oC temperatures (oC). The Figure 14 is derived from Figure 13. Figures 13 and 14 illustrate the effects of 6 activators and SFG variations on EN deposition (g) and EN deposition per unit area ((g/mm2) on 1200µm polished AC samples operated at 85oC temperatures (oC). The effects of 2 activators (zincate and chloride) and SFG variations on EN deposition per unit area (g/mm2) on 6 different grits polished AC samples operated at 85oC temperature (oC) are presented in Figure 15 and 16. The quantities of EN deposit with respect to activators decline in order of the chromate, palladium chloride, zincate, water, NaOH and HCl. The zincate produced relative higher values of EN depositions than the Chlorides on six of the eight grits tested. Among the six activators presented in Figures 13-16, only the zincate and chloride yielded quality EN deposition that could possibly be of practical beneit. Deposition of electroless-nickel on AC and AR alloy substrates at various polishing grits is carried out for 10 minutes in EN baths operated at 85oC. Figure 17 shows the appearances of EN deposition on (a) 60µm (b) 320µm (c) 600µm (d) 800µm (e) 1200µm polished cast substrates (AC) in acidic sodium hypophosphite reduced bath without use of activators. Figure 15: Trends of EN deposition per unit area (g/mm2) on zincate and PdCl2 activated AC samples operated at 85oC temperatures (oC) with SFG variations. Comparing the two activators in Figure 15, the patterns of trend lines generated from the plots are not similar; zincate is parabolic while PdCl2 is linear (because the integer of x2 is zero); though the amount of EN deposited per unit area (g/mm2) on cast aluminium sample increased with SFG using the zincate as well as the chloride. The trends of the amount of EN deposited per unit area with respect to decreasing SFG were studied using the experimental data generated from the experiment. The polynomial it equations for the trend using MS excel application relates the amount of EN deposited per unit area to types of activators (PdCl2, zincate) used and the surface polishing grits for baths operated at 85oC as: Mn9 = 7E-06x + 0.0003 (16) Mn10 = -1E-05x2 + 0.0001x + 0.0002 (17) where 60 ≥x≥1200µm, x = surface polishing grits, Mn9 and Mn10 are the amount of EN deposited per unit area (g/mm2) on cast aluminium alloy using PdCl2 and zincate as activators respectively, in acidic sodium hypophosphite reduced bath operated at 85oC. In Figure 16, the use PdCl2 have much signiicant difference on the amount of EN deposition per unit area on the 600µm and 800µm grits polished surfaces as the SFG increased from 60 to 1200 µm. The application of zincate gave EN deposition increased with the increasing SFG values from 60 to 600 µm after which there is reduction in the EN deposition as SFG increased from 600 to 1200 µm. Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) Figure 17: Micrograph of appearances (x50 mag) of (a) 60µm, (b) 320µm, (c) 600µm, (d) 800µm, and (e) 1200µm polished EN coated cast substrates. Figures 18-20 show the variation in the quality (appearances, texture, brightness) of EN deposit on cast aluminium alloy substrates in acidic sodium hypophosphite reduced bath using different surface activators. 3.5.1 Effects of H2O, NaOH etched and HCl etched activation on EN deposition By water rinsing immediately after the catalytic process (prior to immersion in the metallizing bath), the amount of oxide material (Al2O3) present on the surface makes it dificult to obtain reliable EN deposition. In addition, at that stage the ultra thin supporting substrate and the deposit are virtually non-conductors. Etching in HCl acid media stages are oxidation and hydrogen evolution controlled, while in the case of etching in NaOH alkaline media the following Metal deposition and Hydrogen evolution stages are prevailing, thus the deposition reaction can be considered to be the combined result of two independent electrode reaction as cathodic partial reactions and anodic partial reaction. The activation (acceleration) step involves the removal of the layer formed by the stabilizing agent with chemicals such as HCl or NaOH. Thus more EN deposits were obtained from HCl 43 AJIBOLA O. O, OLORUNTOBA D.T, AND ADEWUYI B.O. or NaOH etched Al substrates than in water rinsed surfaces. In some cases the activation (acceleration) step can be omitted, but then the plating solution may get contaminated [25]. It was observed that HCl, NaOH and water activated cast below 400µm) under microscopic examination are more prone to high porosity than the EN coated as-received substrates. It is observed that the quantity of EN deposition per area is dependent on the type and roughness of the surface of the aluminium alloy substrates, whereas the adhesion and brightness are not solely controlled by the surface polishing grits. There are instances where low polishing grit produced better and more tenacious coating than the higher polishing grit. 3.5.3 (a) Metallic, bright EN deposition (x50 mag). (b) mixed, bright and dull EN deposition (x80 mag) Figure 18: Micrograph of EN plating on (a) NaOH etched as-cast Al and (b) HCl etched 1200µm polished cast Al substrates at 10 minutes plating time. aluminium alloy substrates did not yield much substantive quantity and quality EN deposit as compared with sodiumdi-chromate, zincate, and palladium chloride activated cast aluminium alloy substrates immersed into acidic sodium hypophosphite reduced EN bath. 3.5.2 Effect of PdCl2 activation and temperatures on EN deposition A number of compounds, referred to as stabilizers, exist which can render an electroless deposition bath stable or at the least retard precipitation e.g PdCl2. In the present work, the used of PdCl2 as surfactant, serves as both a catalyst (in the pre-treatment line) and as a stabiliser in the EN plating bath. Hence, a more balance trend of EN deposition was obtained from the used of PdCl2 than what was obtainable in the zincate (Figure 15) when compared. Heavy metal cations such as Pb, alter the activity of the catalytic substrate – hence their marked inluence at even low concentrations [25]. In principle, an oversimpliied model assumes that the sensitizing ion can reduce the active metal from the catalyst solution of a more noble metal (Au, Pt, Rh, Os, and Ag solutions) and such as PdCl2 in the EN process for example (18), Pd2+ + Ni2+ = Ni4+ + Pd0. (18) Figure 19 shows the Micrograph of EN plating on (a-d) 60µm cast Aluminium substrate at different temperatures. Observations show that EN plated cast aluminium alloy substrates (polished (a) PdCl2 activated EN chips at 85oC (x100 mag), (b) PdCl2 activated dull EN lakes at 90oC (x100 mag), (c) Dull EN deposition at 85oC (x50 mag), (d) Bright EN deposition at 90oC (x50 mag), Figure 19: Micrograph of EN plating on (a-d) PdCl2 activated 60µm grit polished cast aluminium substrate at different temperatures. 44 Effect of zincate activation on EN deposition Zincating is more or less a metalised type of surface activation or catalysing process for Al alloy, using a basic solution which consisted of sodium hydroxide and zinc oxide, and at times contains iron, a zincate ilm formed by single zincate treatment Most of the Ni-P baths are acidic, Ni is more electro-positive than Al on the electromotive scale, immersion deposits of nickel and chemical attack of the aluminium substrate will occur, interfering with the good adhesion of the electroless nickel coating. In protecting the Al substrate during EN plating process, zinc immersion deposits are used. The zinc deposit protects aluminium surface against re-oxidation from atmosphere and re-dissolves in the EN solution, hence forming adherent EN coatings on an exposed oxide free aluminium substrate. (a) Uniform deposition, (b) Lumpy, bright and dull deposition at 90oC (x80 mag), (c) Sparingly coated (x50 mag). (d) Fine, bright and dull deposition at 85oC (x50 mag), Figure 20: Micrographs of EN plating on (a) 60µm zincated surface (b) 120µm zincated substrate, (c) 120µm polished cast substrate and (d) 1200µm cast substrate. Figure 21 shows the appearances of the PdCl2 (Figure 21b) and zincate (Figure 21c) activated EN plated cast aluminium pistons obtained from 600µm polishing grit. The depositions were uniform, continuous, of very bright metallic lustre with good adhesion. Figure 21: (a-c) surfaces showing (b)PDCl2 and (c) zincate activated EN plated cast aluminium samples Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) EFFECT OF POLISHING GRITS, TEMPERATURES AND SELECTED ACTIVATORS ON ELECTROLESS-NICKEL DEPOSITION ON CAST ALUMINIUM SUBSTRATES Calculating the plating rates based on data generated from Figures 14 using equation (7); lower plating rates of 0.00849 mg/mm2/min, 0.00886 mg/mm2/min and 0.0169 mg/mm2/min were obtained from using HCl, NaOH and water as cleaning reagents. Pure and aluminium alloy form layer of oxide when exposed to air and water. This oxide reduces the adhesion of EN on the surface. The oxide is reactive to both acid and alkaline; hence they disallow the continuity of autocatalytic reaction at the immediate interface of the EN solution and the substrate. Higher plating rates of 0.0301 mg/mm2/min, 0.0241 mg/ mm2/min and 0.0290 mg/mm2/min were obtained from cleaning with chromate, zincate and chloride. The highest plating rate is obtained from chromate cleaned substrate but of worst adhesion quality among the three. Zincate and chloride cleaned aluminium substrates yielded better quality than chromate cleaned cast aluminium substrate. The application of zincates as primer on cast aluminium substrate before EN-deposition has been widely accepted, reported to be result oriented and encouraged for better adhesion. [20, 21, 22, 23, 24]. Adhesion problem is one of the major experienced challenges of EN plating especially when the substrate is aluminium alloy. The cast aluminium alloy has greater challenges of EN plating than other wrought aluminium materials hence cast Al surfaces are specially prepared by cleaning in diverse reagents and followed by surface activation. 17-20 show the variation in the quality of EN deposit on cast aluminium alloy substrates in acidic sodium hypophosphite reduced bath using six different reagents as the surface activators. The best yield in terms of the plating quality (adhesion and appearance) is obtained form the activation in palladium chloride solutions (Figure 19) and in zincate (Figure 20), though gotten in Figure 12 are of lower quality yields as compared with what was obtainable in zincate pre-treated cast aluminium (Figures 20 and 21). Adhesion problem is one of the major experienced challenges of EN plating especially when the substrate is aluminium alloy. The cast aluminium alloy has greater challenges of EN plating than the wrought aluminium materials. Cast surfaces are specially prepared by cleaning in diverse reagents and followed by surface activation. It has been identiied that the single zincate treatment by using the basic zincate solution resulted in such poor adhesive strength of the electroless nickel-phosphorus plated ilm as to peel off the substrate due to its residual stress as compared with the double zincate treatment [23, 24]. In light of overcoming abnormalities such as poor adhesion, porosity, ilm discontinuity resulting from EN deposition, it has been suggested that some procedure has to be applied [25]. Using a variety of sensitizing solutions and the catalytic solution, a metal (nickel) is deposited electrolessly on the sensitized catalyzed surface by immersion in the metallizing bath for ixed amounts of time. 4.0 CONCLUSION EN has been deposited on the cast aluminium substrate in sodium hypophosphite bath. With the variation in the surface inishing, temperature and different types of surfactants, the results show that that the amount of EN deposition per unit area is dependent on both the Al Alloy type and roughness of the surface of the Aluminium alloy substrates used, temperature and the types of pre-treatment surfactant. On the other hand, such properties as the adhesion, porosity, colour and brightness are not solely controlled by the surface polishing grits. In some instances, Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) rough polishing grit produced improved and more irm, tenacious coatings than the smooth polishing grits. Of the six surfactants tested, zincate and palladium chloride solutions produced the best of the results in terms of the plating quality porosity, colour, adhesion and appearance. The zincate produced relative higher amount of EN depositions than the chloride on six (120-800µm) of the eight grits tested. Zincating on cast aluminium substrate prior to EN-plating as it has been reported to be result oriented and hence, encouraged for better adhesion. The SFG variation seems to have similar trend of EN deposition on AR and AC samples operated at 85oC plating temperature. The 90oC plating temperature produced highest values of EN deposition per unit area on a range of 220-1200µm grits polished Al alloy surfaces. EN deposition on AR and AC is not solely dependent on the increase in level of the polishing grit. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The authors would like to express their since gratitude to the staff of following laboratories and establishments. These include: Engineering Materials Development Institute (EMDI), Akure. Project Development and design Laboratory, Materials and Metallurgy division, Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi. (FIIRO), Lagos. The premier wings engineering services, Ado Ekiti. REFERENCES [1] Polmear I.J (1995), Light Alloys: Metallurgy of the Light Metals, Arnold, 1995 ISBN 9780340632079. [2] Adewuyi B.O. (2002). "The inluence of Fe variation on the corrosion behaviour of heat treated aluminium alloys in tomato juice". Nigerian Journal of Technology, 2002, 21(1) 72-78 [3] Blucher D.B, Svensson J.E., Johansson L.G. (2006). "The inluence of CO2, AlCl3.6H2O, MgCl2.6H2O, Na2SO4 and NaCl on the atmospheric corrosion of aluminium". 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Design and performance evaluation of wear test jig for aluminium alloy substrate in hydraulic luid. Proceedings of 8th Engineering Forum, Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, Nigeria, 23-26 October 2012(a), pp. 85-96. 45 AJIBOLA O. O, OLORUNTOBA D.T, AND ADEWUYI B.O. [9] Ajibola OO, Oloruntoba DT and Adewuyi BO. (2014) "Design and performance evaluation of wear test jig for aluminium alloy substrate in hydraulic luid". Poster Presentation at Inaugural African Corrosion Congress (AfriCORR 2014) and Exhibition., Pretoria, South Africa.; Jul 28-30, 2014 [10] Ajibola OO., Adewuyi BO and Oloruntoba DT (2014). "Wear behaviour of sand cast eutectic Al-Si alloy in hydraulic brake luid". International Journal of Innovation and Applied Studies 2014, 6(3): 420-30. [11] Ajibola OO, Oloruntoba DT and Adewuyi BO. (2014). "Metallurgical study of cast aluminium alloy used in hydraulic brake calliper". International Journal of Innovation and Scientiic Research 2014, 8(2): 324-333. [12] Apachitei I, Tichelaar F D, Duszczyk J and Katgerman L, (2002): "The effect of heat treatment on the structure and abrasive wear resistance of autocatalytic NiP and NiPSiC coatings", Surface Coating Technology, Vol 149, p263. in Pari et al,. (2008): Study on the performance of electroless nickel coating on aluminium for cylinder liners. Patent F2008-SC-015, pg 1. [13] Balaraju J. N. and Seshadri S. K., (1999): "Preparation and characterization of electroless Ni-P and Ni-P-SiC composite coatings", Transaction of IMF, Vol 77, p84 in Pari et al, (2008): Study on the performance of electroless nickel coating on aluminium for cylinder liners. Patent F2008-SC-015, pp1. [14] Baudrand D. W. (1994), "Electroless nickel plating, ASM International, Member/Customer Service Center", p 290-310, 1994. [15] Baudrand D.W., Duncan R.N and Zickgraf J.R. (1986): "Nickel electroless plating", Research & Engineering, ELNIC Inc, USA. pp. 219-239. [16] Paunovic M. and M. Schlesinger (1998): Fundamentals of Electrochemical Deposition, Wiley, New York. pp 57-98. [17] Agarwala R. C. and Agarwala V. (2003): Electroless alloy/ composite coatings: a review. Sadhana 2003; 28(3–4): 475–493. [18] Das, Suman Kalyan and Sahoo Prasanta (2011): "Tribological characteristics of electroless Ni–B coating and optimisation of coating parameters using Taguchi based grey relational analysis." Materials and Design 32 (2011) 2228–2238. Science Direct. www.elsevier.com/locate/matdes [19] Mordechay Schlesinger electroless deposition of nickel. In chapter 18, Modern Electroplating, Fifth Ed. (Edited by Mordechay Schlesinger and Milan Paunovic) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. p447-458 [20] ThomasNet.com – Electroless Nickel Plating Suppliers http://www.thomasnet.com/products/plating-electrolessnickel-61650107-1 [21] Haiz, Mohammed Hliyil and Mahdi, Baha Sami (2007): "Surface Preparation of Aluminium for Plating by Zincating", Engineering & Technology, Vol.25, No.10 , 2007 pg 1184-1193 [22] Hamid Z. Abdel and Elkhair M. T. Abou (2002): "Development of electroless nickel–phosphorous composite deposits for wear resistance of 6061 aluminium alloy". Materials Letters 57 (2002) 720–726 www.elsevier.com/locate/matlet [23] Hino M, Murakami K, Hiramatsu M, Chen K, Saijo A and Kanadani T. (2005): "Effect of Zincate Treatment on Adhesion of Electroless Ni–P Plated Film for 2017 Aluminium Alloy". Materials Transactions, The Japan Institute of Light Metals, Vol. 46, No. 10 (2005) pp. 2169 to 2175. [24] Hino M, Murakami K, Mitooka Y, Muraoka K, Furukawa R, Kanadani T (2009). "Effect of zincate treatment on adhesion of electroless Ni–P coating onto various aluminium alloys". Mater Trans 2009; 50(9):2235–41. [25]. Kisel, J. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Windsor (1988); In Schlesinger M. and Kisel J., J. Electrochem. Soc, 136, 1658 (1989). PROFILES AJIBOLA OLAWALE OLAREWAJU is a Lecturer II in the Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Federal University OyeEkiti (FUOYE), Nigeria. He holds Master’s degree (M. Eng) in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) in 2008 and currently a Ph.D student of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (Surface Engineering/Hard coatings) at FUTA. He is a Member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and registered by the Council of Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN). He has worked in various capacities as a Lecturer in the Department of Mineral Resources Engineering at Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti for more than a decade before he joined the FUOYE in January, 2013. He had over 30 relevant academic publications in learned journals and conference proceedings. OLORUNTOBA DANIEL TOYIN is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Nigeria. He holds PhD (2009) in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from FUTA and a post doctoral fellow at CMME Dept., Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa. He is registered by the Council of Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) and other professional bodies. He has worked in various capacities as a Lecturer. He had over 25 academic publications in learned journals and conference proceedings. ADEWUYI BENJAMIN OMOTAYO is a Professor at Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Dept., Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Nigeria. A distinguished Fellow of the Material Society of Nigeria (FMSN). All his appointments were based on his excellent academic records coupled with his academic zeal and passion for research, teaching and community engagement. He is registered by the COREN. Research interest focuses include the development and characterization of alloys and materials suitable for structural applications in the building, automobile and oil and gas industries. Particular interest in processing and process simulation of materials; Alloy Development; Composite Developmentbioibres for reinforcement; Nanotechnology; Development of Corrosion Inhibitors using Biomaterials. He has many peer–reviewed journals and facilitator of conferences and publications. He is a professional member of national and international societies. 46 Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) Effect of Grinding on Workability and Strength of Penang Rice Husk Ash Blended Concrete Grade 30 (Date received: 25/09/13/Date accepted: 13/04/15) Rahizuwan Hamid1, Norisham Ibrahim2 1 Faculty of Civil Engineering, 2Faculty of Civil Engineering Universiti Teknologi MARA 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor Malaysia, lukman_mukminin@yahoo.com ABSTRACT The practice of replacing with conditioned waste materials in construction is well known for conservation of natural resources. Ecological was damaged due to quarrying caused depletion of natural resources (limestone, iron ore, clay). Many researchers proving that these by-products have pozzolanic properties which improve the quality of concrete. Global production of rice husk is approximately 580 million tonnes a year and this is rising as the world population and consumption of rice increases. This paper reports the effect of rice husk ash (RHA) grinding time on the workability and strength of concrete. Concrete mix proportions were introduced with RHA and superplasticiser (Sp) as additives. Three RHA with different ineness, i.e. RHA1(5) Sp, RHA2(5)Sp and RHA3(5)Sp were used for study .Based on analysis, it is found that the increasing of ineness decreases the workability but increases the compressive strength of the concrete. The use of RHA3(5)Sp results in highest strength at 28 days, which is due to the better dispersion and illing effect as well as an increase in pozzolanic reaction. From the research, it is shown that RHA has the potential to be a cement replacement material. The research has an important implication on environmental for sustainability due to usage of waste product as construction material. 1.0 INTRODUCTION Landill of waste is a problem to the environment. Hence, many researchers are looking into the utilization of waste material. Fortunately, from their studies, some of the waste materials have pozzolonic characteristics due to the presence of SiO2, Al2O3, MgO and Fe2O3[1]. Those wastes are agricultural by product such as palm oil bottom ash (POBA)[2,3] and RHA [4-6]. The husk of the rice is removed in the farming process before it is sold and consumed. It has been found beneicial to burn this rice husk in kilns for various purposes. The rice husk ash is then used as a substitute or admixture in cement. Therefore the entire rice product is used in an eficient and environmentally friendly approach. Processes of burning rice husk were under control and sustain at lower temperature. Reactivity of rice husk ash depend on amorphous form and particle size of the material. Hence, iner material cause high reactivity due to high speciic surface area exposed for hydration. High production cost of cement causes high cost in concrete construction industry. By applying supplementary cementitious material (SCM) concept, cement usage can be minimized or reduced while the strength and durability of the concrete can be improvised compared to the conventional concrete [7-9]. In addition it reduces the concrete production cost as well as the negative impact on the environmental [5,10,11]. So far, RHA has not been utilized yet in the construction industry. The reason for not utilizing this material may be probably due to lack of understanding of the RHA blended concrete characteristic. Many researchers have already published on properties of the blended RHA concrete such as strength and durability. However, only few researchers were found on the effect of RHA ineness on the properties [12]. This paper highlighted the study on the effect of ineness on the workability and compressive strength of concrete which the ineness of RHA was obtained based on the grinding method. The grinding times were varies Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) from 30, 60 and 90 minutes by using ball bearing mechanism. The workability and compressive strength of Grade 30 N/mm² concrete with partial cement replacement of RHA were reported. 2.0 MATERIALS AND MIx PROPORTIONS 2.1 Materials Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) used in this work was a type I cement. RHA was used as cement partial replacement which replaced 5% of the cement content. Rice husk ash were ground into 3 lots which were 30, 60 and 90 minutes times of grinding. Crushed granite with maximum size of 10 mm with speciic gravity of 2.4 for surface saturated density was used. Mining sand was used which maximum size of 5 mm with percentage passing 600 µm was 25%. SiO2 content is more than 92% where the chemical analysis of OPC and RHA been extracted from previous studies by Sumrerng et al., [13,14], Kartini et al., [5,6], Habeeb et al., [12], Tuan et al., [15], Rukzon et al.,[16], and Abu Bakar et al., [17] is shown in Table 1. Rice husk was collected and transported from Bernas factory at Kampung Bukit Tengah, Seberang Perai Tengah, Penang, Malaysia. Abu Bakar et al., [17] suggested that essentially amorphous silica can be produce by maintaining or control the combustion temperature below 500°C. Study done by Habeeb et al., [12], the RHA was burned in the mufle furnace with incinerating temperature not exceeding 700°C. In this research, incineration was self- sustained with the total duration of 7 hrs at 250°C. The burnt RHA was later left inside the furnace to cool for 24 hrs. After that, burnt RHA was divided into 3 parts for grinding. RHA was grinded using Los Angeles mill machine for 30, 60 and 90 minutes. 47 RAHIZUWAN HAMID; NORISHAM IBRAHIM Two sizes of steel balls used for grinding; 25 and 12 mm in diameter. For each lot, 1 kg of 25 mm and 0.5 kg of 12 mm steel ball were used for every grinding time. In order to ensure the uniformity and consistency of the RHA, necessary measures were taken to control treatment include mass of RHA fed into the ball mill, milling speed, thickness of rice husk layer in the furnace during incinerating and the duration as well as the temperature of incinerating. Table 1: Chemical analysis of OPC and RHA Oxides OPC (%) RHA(%) SiO2 15.05 - 20.09 92.00 - 96.70 Al2O3 2.56 - 4.76 0.21 - 1.01 Fe2O3 3.42 - 4.00 0.05 - 0.21 MgO 1.25 - 1.27 0.37 - 1.59 CaO 65.41 - 72.17 0.41 - 1.28 Na2O 0.08 - 0.74 0.05 - 0.26 K2O 0.35 - 0.41 0.91 - 2.31 SO3 2.71 - 2.96 0.94 - 2.90 LOI 0.96 - 1.33 2.36 - 4.81 2.2 Mix proportions and curing The OPC was partially replaced with pozzolans at the dosage of 20% by weight of cementitious materials. The control OPC concrete was designed to achieve 30 N/mm² using DOE method [18]. Based on this method, cement content of 380 kg/m³ was adopted to all mixes. The water binder ratio (w/b) of control mix was 0.61 with a slump ranged 60-180 mm. Since, rice husk being cellular in nature [4], the used of RHA tend to increase water requirement therefore Sp need to be considered. The mix proportions and abbreviations are given in Table 2. They were demoulded at the age 1 day and cured in water maintained at room temperature until the test aged. Table 2: Concrete mix proportion Materials OPC (kg/m3) RHA (kg/m3) RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 4.1. Workability The grinding of RHA increased its ineness and reactivity [10]. The longer RHA is ground, the iner RHA size obtained resulting in increment of pozzolanic reactivity due to the higher surface area of rice husk [12]. Since, rice husk being cellular in nature, the use of RHA tend to increase water requirement therefore Sp need to be considered. The slump design to achieved desire range between 60 – 180 mm. The result was in the range of 150 50 mm. For the same percentage of RHA replacement, increment of RHA grinding time decreases the concrete workability. There are two reasons for this; its absorptive characteristic [6] and ineness of its size as referred by Habeeb and Fayyadh [12] in (Zhang et al., 1996; Ganesan et al., 2008). Both of these features results in high water demand to wet the surface area of RHA. According to Habeeb et al., [12] increases the speciic surface area of RHA which therefore more water requires to wet the surface area of RHA. Since, the water/binder ratio was maintained, Sp was added up as aid to enhance the luidity. It was found that Sp increase the slump of the irst mix (RHA ground 30 minutes) by 10 mm in comparison with the control mix. However, the slump decreases when the grinding time increases as shown in Table 3. Sp is absorbed onto the cement particles and impart a very strong negative charge which helps to lower the surface tension of the surrounding water considerably and thus greatly enhances the luidity of the mix [21]. As evident in Table 3, it is seen that for the same amount of water and Sp, and increase in the grinding time, decreases the slump reading. Figure 1 shows some typical slumps for the various RHA concrete. Table 3: Slump and compressive strength of concrete mixes Slump Density (mm) (kg/m³) Concrete Mix 7d 14d 28d 60d 140 2317.8 18.3 20.1 29.5 32.2 361 RHA1(5)Sp 150 2345.9 23.9 30.1 29.9 40.1 19 (90min) RHA2(5)Sp 90 2384.9 24.9 29.2 34.1 44.3 RHA3(5)Sp 50 2428.3 26.1 29.2 40.6 47.1 RHA1(5) Sp RHA2(5) Sp RHA3(5) Sp 380 361 361 0 19 (30min) 19 (60min) Compressive Strength (N/mm²) OPC OPC 955 955 955 955 Coarse aggregate (kg/m³) 560 560 560 560 Water (litre) 235 235 235 235 0 0.5 0.5 0.5 3.0 TESTING 3.1 Workability The workability test is accordance to BS EN 12350-2[19] which speciied for slump test to measure the desire slump. 3.2. COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH For the compressive strength test, the cube samples of 100 x 100 x 100 mm were prepared in accordance with BS EN 48 4. Mixes Fine aggregate (kg/m³) Sp (%) 12390-3 [20] using 3000 kN concrete compression machine. Samples were tested at the ages 7, 14, 28 and 60 days. Result pattern changes of slump with respect to grinding time were shown in Figure 2. Table 3 shows the RHA 1(5)Sp had highest slump because it was add with superplasticiser in comparison to the concrete control even the RHA increases the water demand in concrete. In comparison to the other mixes contained RHA also shows RHA 1(5)Sp was highest slump even the Sp was maintained. It shows that, RHA with shortest grinding time absorb less water compare to others duration. Hence, it can be concluded that RHA with 30 minutes grinding time had bigger size among RHA and directly indicates that it had smallest speciic surface area as been speciied by Habeeb et al., [12] in their study. Hence, it proves the evidence increasing grinding time increase the ineness thus directly increased the speciic surface area of particles that increase water demand [10,12,15]. Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) EFFECT OF GRINDING ON WORKABILITY AND STRENGTH OF PENANG RICE HUSK ASH BLENDED CONCRETE GRADE 30 Figure 1: The slump for various mixes of fresh RHA concrete Figure 2: Effect of grinding times to the slump of concrete 4.2. COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH The results of the compressive strength for the various mixes of grade 30 were presented in the Table 3 and Figure 3. RHAs concrete with Sp from Figure 3 are well above the target strength of 30 N/mm² at 28 days. The strength of concrete can be discussed in term of in the early age strength (7 and 14 days) and late age strength (28 and 60 days). At early age, the compressive strength of concrete containing RHA increases tremendously with respect to the grinding time. It is due to the ineness of RHA particles that have high speciic surface area which increases and fasten the pozzolonic reactivity. At the age of 28 days, it is found that the concrete mix containing RHA ground for 90 minutes (longest period) shows the highest compressive strength which is 40 N/mm². Normally, compressive strength increases as the grinding time of RHA also increases [12]. It can be seen that the combination of RHA and Sp effect of compressive strength contribute from inclusion of Sp while maintaining w/b 0.61 i.e. 29.9 N/mm² for RHA 1(5)Sp, 34.1 N/mm² for RHA 2(5)Sp and 40.6 N/mm² for RHA 3(5)Sp concrete at age 28 days. Thus suggesting that inclusion of Sp is important to maintained under same water cement ratio condition. Finer RHA, water will be absorb more. Hence, if the quantity of water was maintained, the increasing if ineness will reduce the luidity which the water should be add in order to maintained desire slump. But then, the w/b ratio was maintained in this study. Improvement of workability was done by adding Sp into the concrete mix. Hence, water was not added thus the strength of the concrete was not affected. In addition of that Sp improves the strength. It was due to the fact that adding Sp (while keeping w/b ratio constant), it enhances the luidity of the mix even the increasing ineness of RHA due to grinding time that cause loosing of water demand (reduce slump),thus improved the workability and the strength [4,5]. From Figure 3, compressive strength also reached target strength at 14 days for all RHA concrete mixes but the rate of Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) increasing was varies. RHA 3(5)Sp show high growth rate of compressive strength. Since, RHA was pozzolans, it contribute additional formation of calcium silicate gel (C-S-H) that contribute to the development strength of the concrete because the C-S-H gel was produce twice [1]. These gel volumes will illing the void between cement matrix and cause the densiication effect [1]. As been study by Habeeb et al., [12], the increasing grinding time will increase ineness and speciic surface area. Thus, the process of secondary hydration will be much better with respect to the grinding time due to higher speciic surface area. Figure 3: Compressive strength of concrete mixtures From Figure 4, the strength of concrete were below 30 N/ mm² but due to increasing to grinding time, the compressive strength were increase even the increment was not drastic. At age 14 days, the strength of concrete was static/ stagnant even the grinding time was increase as in Figure 4. At 7 days, strength of concrete increase tremendously due to additional C-S-H gel produce from second hydration which totally depend on calcium hydroxide [Ca(OH)2] produce from primary hydration [1,22] but the strength are stop in increasing at age 14 days due to reduction of Ca(OH)2 which mostly had been used by second hydration at early age. Generally, from Figure 4 it can be seen that the compressive strength of all RHA concrete are well above target strength of 30 N/mm² and 40 N/mm² for age 28 and 60 days respectively. According to Habeeb et al., [12], speciic surface area increase when the ineness increased. The iner particles, the more activity of pozzolanic hydration occur [10,15]. Therefore, higher quantity of C-S-H gel produced which increased the strength of the concrete. In comparison the activity of producing C-S-H occur only once for control specimen. Sizes of RHA inluence a lot to the rate of pozzolonic hydration (due to the surface area being exposed to the chemical hydration) and some mechanical properties of concrete [4-6]. Hence, it showing at late age, secondary hydration received adequate Ca(OH)2 from primary hydration which can be proved by additional of C-S-H gel due to aggressively increment in strength. However, this increment of strength was developed with the aid of curing process for every age had been tested. 5.0 CONCLUSIONS It can be concluded that the differences of grinding times produced different ineness. Fine rice husk ash reduces the water binder ratio (w/b) and improved the strength compared with coarser rice husk ash. The used of RHA3(5)Sp results in a good strength in comparison with other RHAs owning to the better dispersion and 49 RAHIZUWAN HAMID; NORISHAM IBRAHIM Figure 4: Effect of grinding times to the compressive strength at different days iller effect despite an increase in the pozzolanic reaction. Due to high speciic surface area of rice husk ash (RHA), the dosage of superplasticiser had to be increase along with RHA ineness to maintained desired workability. Increased in the grinding time of RHA resulted in a dry and unworkable mixture unless Sp is added. Maintaining of Sp into RHA concrete while sustaining water binder ratio but increase in grinding time decreased the slump and interrupts the cohesiveness of the concrete. 6.0 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors would like to acknowledge the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA and Bernas Sdn. Bhd. in the form of research support, guidance, cooperation and materials for the study. [7] Bhaskar Sangoju, Ravindra Gettu, B. H. Bharatkumar and M. Neelamegam (2011). “Chloride-Induced Corrosion of Steel in Cracked OPC and PPC Concretes: Experimental Study.” Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, July 2011: pp1057-1066. [8] Gangné, R., Ollivier, J., Latreiile, Y.(1998). “Effect of Superplasticiser, Retarding Agent and Silica Fume on the Air Permeability of High Performance Concrete.” American Society For Testing And Materials (ASTM), pp248. [9] Gjorv, O. E., Tan, K., and Monteiro, P. J. M.(1994). “Effect of Elevated Curing Temperature on the Chloride Permeability of High-Strength Lightweight Concrete.” Cement, Concrete and Aggregates, CCAGPD. Vol. 16, No. 1: pp57-62. [10] Chindaprasirt, P., Jaturapitakkul, C. and Rattanasak, U(2009). “Inluence of Fineness of Rice Husk Ash and Additives on the Properties of Light Weight Aggregates.” Construction and Building Material 88. Pp158-162. [11] A.A.Ramezanianpour, M.Mahdi Khani and Gh.Ahmadibeni (2009).”The Effect of Rice Husk Ash on Mechanical Properties and Durability of Sustainable Concretes”. International Journal Of Civil Engineering.Vol.7, No.2: pp83-91. [12] G.A. Habeeb and M.M. Fayyadh, Rice Husk Ash Concrete (2009). “The Effect of RHA Average Particle Size on the Mechanical Properties and Drying Shrinkage.” Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Science. 3(3) : pp1616-1622. [13] Sumrerng Rukzon And Prinya Chindaprasirt (2010).” Strength and Carbonation Model of Rice Husk Ash Cement Mortar with Different Fineness.” Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering. March 2010: pp253-259. [1] A.M.Neville.(2010). Properties of Concrete, England, 4th Ed., Pearson Prentice Hall. [14] Sumrerng Rukzon, Prinya Chindaprasirt and Tattana Mahachai (2009). “Effect of Grinding on chemical and Phisical Properties of Rice Husk Ash.” Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering. Volume 19, No.2: pp242-247. [2] Mohd. Warid Hussin, Khairunisa Muthusamy, Fadhadli Zakaria (2010). “Effect of Mixing Constituent Toward Engineering Properties Of POFA Cement-Based Aerated Concrete.” Journal of Materials In Civil Engineering. April 2010: pp287-295. [15] Tuan, N.V., Ye, G., Breugel, K.V, Fraaij, A.L.A, Dai, B.D(2011).” The Study of Using Rice Husk Ash to Produce Ultra High Performance Concrete.” Construction and Building Material 25. Pp 2030-2035. [3] M. A. Megat Johari, Nurdeen M. Altwair, S.F.Saiyid Hashim (2012). “Flexural Performance Of Green Engineered Cementitous Composities Containing High Volume Of Palm Oil Fuel Ash.” Construction and Building Material, Vol.37: pp518-525. [16] Rukzon, S. and Chinaprasirt, P (2010).” Strength and Carbonation Model of Rice Husk Ash Cement Mortar with Different Fineness.” Journal of Material in Civil Engineering (ASCE). Pp 253. [4] Kartini, K. (2011). “Rice Husk Ash-Pozzolanic Material For Sustainability.” International Journal Of Applied Science and REFERENCES Technology. Vol.1, No. 6: pp169. [5] Kartini K., Mahmud H.B., Hamidah M.S.(2010).” Absorption and Permeability Performance of Selangor Rice Husk Ash Blended Grade 30 Concrete.” Journal of Engineering Science and Technology. Vol. 5, No.1: pp1-16. [6] Kartini, K., Mahmud, H.B., Hamidah, M.S.(2006). “Strength Properties of Grade 30 Rice Husk Ash Concrete.” 31st Conference on Our World In Concrete & Structure, 16-17 August 2006, Singapore. [17] Badorul Hisham Abu Bakar, Ramadhansyah PutrajayaC and Hamidi Abdul Aziz (2010). “Malaysian Rice Husk Ash – Improving the Durability and Corrosion Resistance of Concrete: Pre-Review.” Concrete Research Letters. Vol. 1 (1): pp6-13. [18] Department Of Environment (DOE) (1992). Design Of Normal Concrete Mixes. BRE Publication, United Kingdom. [19] British Standard Institution, BS EN 12350-2:2009. Testing Fresh Concrete. Slump Test. [20] British Standard Institution, BS EN 12390-3:2009. Testing Hardened Concrete. Compressive Strength of Test Specimen. [21] Superplasticiser in Concrete, The Aberdeen Group Laboratory, 1978. [22] P. Kumar Mehta and Paulo J.M. Monteiro (2006). ConcreteMicrostructure, Properties and Materials, 3th Ed., McGraw Hill, New York. 50 Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) EFFECT OF GRINDING ON WORKABILITY AND STRENGTH OF PENANG RICE HUSK ASH BLENDED CONCRETE GRADE 30 PROFILES RAHIZUWAN HAMID is an assistant director at Cawangan Pangkalan Udara dan Maritim, JKR Headquarters Malaysia. He is also structural designer/engineer for most of his branch project which involved in maritime work. He experienced in designing precast jetty, breakwater, revetment, retaining wall, concrete bridge and so forth. He is also currently doing his PhD in forensic engineering regarding on structural retroitting technology from University Science Malaysia. He obtained his Diploma in Civil Engineering (Design) from Universiti Teknologi MARA at 2010. Then his degree, B.Eng(Hons)(Civil) major in concrete from Universiti Teknologi MARA also. He pursued his postgraduate study in Master of Science (Structural Engineering) at University Science Malaysia and graduated in 2013. NORISHAM is a lecturer of Structural Design at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Mara, Shah Alam. She is also currently the Coordinator for the subject of Basic Timber and Steel Design. She obtained her B.E (Civil Engineering) and MSc (Structural Engineering) from Universiti Sains Malaysia. Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) 51 GUIDELINE FOR AUTHORS Submission of a contribuion is taken to manifest the fact that the submission has not been submited, accepted, published, or copyrighted elsewhere. To avoid publicaion delays, please send all manuscripts to the Editor and observe the following guidelines. A. SUBMISSION OF PAPER Four types of papers are solicited for the IEM Journal: 1. 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Citaions of textbooks and web pages should be used very rarely. In order to verify of the IEM journal is the right Journal for manuscript submission authors may check if they are able link their to indings to other work published in the IEM Journal. plagiarism is strictly prohibited for the IEM Journal. At the end of the manuscript, each author should provide a brief proile (less than 150 words), together with recent photographs (preferable less than 3 MB). Manuscripts submited as papers should state the signiicance of the problem in the Introducion. C. STYLE FOR ILLUSTRATIONS Authors are to suggest at least 4 reviewers who are able to review the submited paper. These reviewers should be the experts in the area of research. If the manuscript has been presented, published, or submited for publicaion elsewhere, please also inform the Editor. Our primary objecive is to publish The language of the Journal is in English. However, a paper in Bahasa Melayu is also accepted. For accepted papers, an abstract in English and Bahasa Melayu must be included. technical materials not available elsewhere. B. STYLE FOR DRAFT OF MANUSCRIPT FOR REVIEW PROCESS The manuscript should be typewriten using double-spacing, font of 12 (Times); on one side of sheet only and in a single column format. The format for IEM Journal follows that of the IEEE Transacions (USA). Provide an informaive 100- to 250-words abstract at the head of the manuscript. All secions should be numbered in Arabic such as 1, 2, etc. with the itle in capitals. Sub-secions should be numbered such as 1.1, 2.3, etc. Numbered all equaions in round brackets ( ) lush to the right. The equaion should be in the center. 52 Try to include the illustraions in between the text. Originals for illustraions should be sharp, noise-free and of good contrast. Each illustraion must be numbered such as “Figure 1, Figures 2-3, etc.” and have a meaningful capion at the botom. For tables, the capion must be at the top. 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Submissions should be made to the address below: Chief Editor The Insituion of Engineers, Malaysia Bangunan Ingenieur, Lots 60 & 62, Jalan 52/4 Pei Surat 223 (Jalan Sultan), 46720 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan Tel: 03-79684001/2 Fax: 03-79577678 E-mail: pub@iem.org.my or iemjournal@gmail.com (for atachment bigger than 5 MB) Journal – The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Vol. 76, No. 1, July 2015) ADVISORY PANEL FOR IEM JOURNAL (MAY 2014 TO MARCH 2016) Prof. Dr Azah binti Mohamed Department of Electrical, Electronic and Systems Engineering Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 43600 UKM, Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan E-mail: azah@eng.ukm.my Expertise: Research and innovation Assoc. Prof. Dr Yasmin binti Ashaari Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Universiti Teknologi MARA 40450 UiTM, Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan E-mail: yasminashaari@yahoo.com Expertise: Civil engineering Ir. Prof. Dr Ruslan bin Hassan Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Universiti Teknologi MARA 40450 UiTM, Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan E-mail: drruslan@yahoo.com Expertise: Civil engineering Engr. Prof. Dr Bujang Kim Huat Dean, School of Graduate Studies Universiti Putra Malaysia 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan E-mail: bujang@eng.upm.edu.my Expertise: Civil engineering Dato’ Ir. Prof. Abang Abdullah bin Abang Ali Coordinator, Housing and Research Development Universiti Putra Malaysia 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan E-mail: aaaa@eng.upm.edu.my Expertise: Research and development Tan Sri Prof. Dr Ghauth Jasmon Vice Chancellor University of Malaya 50603 Kuala Lumpur Dato’ Ir. Prof. Dr Mohd. Saleh bin Jaafar Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) Universiti Putra Malaysia 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan E-mail: msj@eng.upm.edu.my Expertise: Civil engineering Ir. Prof. Dr Wan Ramli bin Wan Daud Director, Fuel Cell Institute, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 43600 UKM, Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan E-mail: wramli@eng.ukm.my Ir. Prof. Dr Muhd. Fadhil bin Nuruddin Dean, Faculty of Engineering Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS Bandar Seri Iskandar 31750 Tronoh, Perak Darul Ridzuan E-mail: fadhilnuruddin@petronas.com.my Prof. Dr Che Husna binti Ashari Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 43600 UKM, Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan E-mail: chehusna@eng.ukm.my Expertise: Civil engineering Dr Amit Chaudhry Sr. Assistant Professor (Microelectronics) University Institute of Engineering and Technology Panjab University, Sector-25 Chandigarh 160014, INDIA E-mail: amit_chaudhry01@yahoo.com Expertise: Modeling of quantum mechanical effects in Nanoscale MOSFETs, microelectronics engineering Dr Nutthita Chuankrerkkul Metallurgy and Materials Science Research Institute Chulalongkorn University Soi Chula 12, Phyathai Road Bangkok 10330, THAILAND E-mail: Nutthita.C@chula.ac.th Expertise: Metallurgy and materials engineering Assoc. Prof. Margaret Jollands School of Civil, Environmental and Chemical Engineering RMIT University, 124 La Trobe St. Melbourne, Victoria 3000 AUSTRALIA E-mail: margaret.jollands@rmit.edu.au Expertise: Environmental and engineering education Prof. Soiene Tahar Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Concordia, Montreal 1455, de Maisonneuve Blvd. W. Montreal, Qubec H3G 1M8 CANADA E-mail: tahar@ece.concordia.ca Expertise: Electrical and computer engineering Prof. Dr Michael R. Neuman Department of Biomedical Engineering 401 Minerals and Materials Engineering Building Michigan Technological University 1400 Townsend Drive Houghton, Michigan, 49931-1295 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA E-mail: mneuman@mtu.edu Expertise: Biomedical engineering Assoc. Prof. Dr Fevzi Bedir Suleyman Demirel University Department of Mechanical Engineering 32260 Isparta, TURKEY E-mail: fevzibedir@sdu.edu.tr Expertise: Mechanical engineering Prof. Zekai Sen Istanbul Technical University Department of Hydraulics and Water Resources Department Faculty of Civil Engineering Maslak, 34469 Istanbul, TURKEY E-mail: zsen@itu.edu.tr Expertise: Hydrology Prof. Emer. Kenkichi Ohba Fluids Engineering and Biomechanics ORDIST Kansai University, Yamate-Cho 3-3-35 Suita Osaka 564-8680, JAPAN Emeritus Prof. Dr Daryl Lund Department of Food Engineering University of Wisconsin-Madison 151 E, Reynolds Street, Cottage Grove WI 53527 E-mail: dlund@wisc.edu Dear Readers, If you have any comments or feedback concerning the Journal, please write in to pub@iem.org.my within one month from the publication of this issue. 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