Faculty of Civil Engineering

Universiti Teknologi MARA

Group Project

Bachelor of Civil Engineering

Semester: 07

Course : CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY

ECM 576

Project Description

You are required to prepare a report on the selected topic as listed below. The report
should be based from your observation at your chosen construction site or your desk
study.

Only ONE topic per group and the choice of topic depends on the “draw lots” during the
class session.

Your report should follow the followings outline:

1.0 Introduction to the topic (include the objectives of the study)

2.0 Background of the topic
3.0 Case Study (The report must be accompanied by pictorial description)
3.1 The types of methods/material
3.2 The advantage and disadvantage of the methods
3.3 The procedure/methods
4.0 Conclusion and Recommendation (recommendation to the problem using new
technology in Malaysian market)
5.0 References
(PO2 and PO5)

Form a group of maximum 3 members. Please state your group name and your group
members on the cover of your report. Maximum 10 pages of content with single
spacing. You are required to submit the report by WEEK 11.

QUESTION NO. Topics

1. Prior to the building construction, contractor should clear out the site and perform
setting out in order to determine the building baseline and mainline. With a case
study, explain the procedure of setting out the baseline and mainline of the
buildings at your chosen construction site. You are also required to explain using
pictorial description of the use and the necessities of profile board during the
setting out stage at your chosen construction site.

2. During the substructure stage, excavation of trenches was conducted to prepare

for the foundation. Proper excavation must be carried out to prevent the trench
 from collapse. Identify the type of trenches excavation and explain the procedure
of the trenches excavation at your chosen site by using pictorial description. You
also need to include the use of timbering (strutting, waling or shoring) methods
during the trench excavation at your chosen site.

3. Prior to the construction, the site area must be leveled to the required level as
stated in the layout plan. In building terms this operation is called as reducing
level. Generally, there are 3 methods of reducing level include: cut; fill; and cut
and fill method. Using pictorial description, identify the method and explain the
procedure of reducing level at site that you chose as your case study. The
explanation also including the machineries used for the methods. In addition,
you are also required to discuss why the method is suitable and explain the
advantage and disadvantage of the method for your chosen site.

4. During the construction, the material at site should be kept from being damages
or spoiled. Any damage to the material will therefore increase the cost of the
construction and the time to reorder the material may delay the project schedule.
Therefore, storage for the material at site is utmost important and the storage
needs to be provided by the contractor. Different material requires a different
requirement of storage. Explain the type of storage for each of the material at
your chosen site and why this storage is required.

5. Fencing and hoarding are required to be erected prior to the construction of the
project. The type of fencing and hoarding depend on the project needs and
duration. Your task is to identify the type of fencing or hoarding used in Malaysia
construction site. In addition, you need to identify the type of fencing or hoarding
at your chosen construction site and explain the reason of why the contractor has
chosen to use the type of fencing and hoarding. You are also required to
describe in detail the erect procedure of the fencing or hoarding.

6. The use of subsoil drainage is to discharge ground water to the designated pond
or nearby river. There are several type of subsoil drainage used for this reason.
Your task is to identify the types of subsoil drainage that are available in Malaysia
market and their function or suitability to various type of condition. Further to
that, you are also required to identify the type of subsoil drainage used in your
chosen site. Describe the reason of why the type of subsoil drainage being
selected at your chosen site and explain by using pictorial description of the
installation procedure of the subsoil drainage system.

7. There is various type of retaining wall that is constructed for various reasons.
Your task is to identify the types of retaining wall constructed in Malaysia.
Further to that, you are also required to identify the retaining wall constructed at
your chosen site and explain in detail using pictorial description the process of
constructing the retaining wall. Also, explain the reason of why the type of
retaining wall is being selected.

8. There were many accidents and failure related to the crane operation happened
on sites during the construction. It caused by many factors such technical error
and human mistake. Associate with a local study case; discuss the role of
employers (contractors) and employees (crane operators) in order to reduce the
numbers of accident related to the crane. Your discussion also need to include
 the courses that need to be attend by the crane operator to operate the crane,
the function of signalman, action by employer and etc.

9. New technologies on various type of system formwork are emerging in the

construction industries nowadays. Discuss the various methods and reason why
such method was selected or used by referring to a case study. Your explanation
must consist of how that technology for the formwork really work to decrease
some of the common failures such as dimensional inaccuracy, lifting of single
faced forms, propping inadequate, loss of material and surface blemishes to
name a few.

10. Selecting the correct construction plant for the job ideally forms part of the
construction planning process and should be chosen for a particular task only
after analysis of many interrelated factors. The selecting plants are started as
earlier for the earthwork activity in site. By referring a case study involving an
earthwork activity, describe the method statements and reasons why the
particular construction plant (moving and stationary) are selected.

11. A pile can be loosely defined as a column inserted in the ground to transmit the
structural loads to a lower level of subsoil. Piles are classified by the way in
which they transmit their loads to the soil and /or by the way they are formed.
Associate it with case study, elaborate the classification of piles and reasons why
they are selected.

12. Underpinning is the process of modifying an existing foundation system by

extending it to or into subsurface strata that is deeper and more stable than the
near surface soil that supports the existing foundation system. Demonstrate with
evidence from your case study the success of underpinning method to lift the
structure to a more acceptable elevation.

13. The used of open cut in laying of underground services are no more favourable in
the construction industry and they were replaced with trench less technology.
Elaborate the advantages and disadvantages of this new technology with case
study.

Prepared by:-
Professor Ir Dr Kartini Binti Kamaruddin
(September 2019)