Malaysian Geotechnical Society Newsletter Issue No.1

MALAYSIAN GEOTECHNICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO.1

JANUARY 2015

Prof. Dr. Roger Frank, President of ISSMGE and Prof. Dr. Brian Simpson, Visit to Kuala Lumpur on November 14th to 21st, 2014

Edited by Ir. Yee Y.W., Secretary General

Welcome Dinner for Prof. Dr. Brian Simpson - Nov 14th, 2014

Prof. Dr. Brian Simpson arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 14, 2014. A dinner was arranged to welcome him. The dinner was hosted by the Prof. Chin Fung Kee Memorial Lecture Advisory Board and Organizing Committee led by Ir. Dr. Ting W.H. The Managing Director of Arup (Malaysia), Ir. Wan Anuar Endut was also present.

Prof. Simpson is an Arup Fellow and Chairman of the British Standards Institution on Geotechnical Codes. Committee Members at the dinner with Prof. Simpson in Petaling Jaya 24th Professor Chin Fung Kee th Memorial Lecture - Nov 15 , 2014 University of Malaya, and was also deformation, water and safety. He

th supported by the Institution of Civil explained the concepts of stress and Prof. Dr. Brian Simpson delivered the 24 Engineers (Malaysian Chapter). The strain, reminding the audience that strain Professor Chin Fung Kee Memorial lecture was attended by 130 engineers is more important with regards to Lecture on the subject “Seeking the Code and students. The main sponsor of this interaction with structure. He added that of the Ground” at Professor Chin Fung year’s lecture was Arup Jururunding (M) geotechnical engineers must be aware Kee Auditorium, Wisma IEM. The lecture Sdn. Bhd. and beware of the forces of water. Prof. was jointly organized by The Institution Simpson reminded that engineers must of Engineers, Malaysia and The Prof. Simpson explained that there are ensure that safety is paramount and Engineering Alumni Association of the three issues dealing with the ground: should be achieved with economy. MALAYSIAN GEOTECHNICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO.1 2

He made many references to his work in the Eurocode 7 and illustrated these guiding principles using many case histories from all over the world. The

lecture paper will be published in Jan 2015.

Chairman of MGS, Ir. Dr. Ting W.H. presents a memento to Prof. Frank in appreciation of his visit to Malays ia

Welcome Lunch for Prof. Dr. Roger Frank - Nov 15th, 2014

Prof. Dr. Roger Frank, the current ISSMGE. Prof. Frank explained the role Prof. Simpson (above) & audience (below) President of ISSMGE, arrived in Kuala that ISSMGE plays among international th during 24 Professor Chin Fung Kee Lumpur on Nov 15, 2014. A lunch was societies and encouraged MGS to make Memorial Lecture arranged by the Malaysian Geotechnical reference to their website. Society (MGS) to welcome Prof. Frank. th Committee Members of MGS present at Following lunch, the 6 MGS Committee the lunch exchange thoughts and views General Meeting was held. Prof. Frank of MGS and possible support from remained as the observer at the meeting.

Above: Ir. Dr. Chan S.F. presents a Prof. Frank with MGS Committee Members during the welcoming lunch memento to Prof. Simpson Below: Committee Members group photo

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th KL Site Visits - Nov 16 , 2014

Prof. Dr. Roger Frank and Prof. Dr. Brian Simpson visited a few station boxes for the KVMRT (KL Metro) project in Kuala Lumpur. They were shown deep shafts as deep as 45m in KL Limestone. They were encouraged to see the scale of geotechnical challenges faced by local designers and contractors. Due to the highly variable rock head and the presence of cavities, different ground engineering solutions were employed. These included the use of secant piles, heavy struts, ground anchors, cement- soil mixed walls; besides, rock-bolting, rock-grouting, guniting and cavity filling techniques.

Prof. Frank and Prof. Simpson at KVMRT site in KL

Some experimental long duration After lunch, Prof. Frank spoke on “The monitoring of shallow foundations and New French Standard for the Application instrumented pile tests results under of Eurocode 7 to Deep Foundations”. He different ground conditions in France expounded on the design guides set out were shown. Questions from the in the new French Standard for deep audience regarding applicability of MPM foundations (NF P94 – 262, 2012), where to embankments and group action of design parameters are set out using piles were raised before the session was accrued data from actual pile tests. He adjourned for tea break. demonstrated how Pressure Meter Test (PMT) and Cone Penetration Test (CPT) The second session of the workshop on results can be used in accordance to Retaining Walls under the theme of Eurocode 7 to arrive at optimal design. Lunch near the KL PETRONAS Twin Tower “What can go Wrong?!” was given by Prof. Simpson. Different modes of The last session of the workshop on failure of retaining walls were explained “Retaining Structures - Getting it Right” Seminar on Foundation and and illustrated with the help of actual was given by Prof. Simpson. Continuing Retaining Wall Design - Nov 17th, cases studies and with reference to from his morning session, Prof. Simpson 2014 Eurocode 7. The speaker pointed out that suggested ways to avoid pitfalls in usually problem arises not because of retaining wall design. He explained Prof. Dr. Roger Frank and Prof. Dr. Brian erroneous calculation, but because systematically how Eurocode 7 can guide Simpson conducted a 1-day seminar on something was forgotten during the the designer. He touched on the new Foundation and Retaining Wall Design at design process. He reminded engineers revisions in Eurocode 7 with respect to the Professor Chin Fung Kee Auditorium, that they should not forget fundamentals ground anchors and reminded that the Wisma IEM. The seminar was attended of engineering design: visiting the site; anchor goes through a “life” of constant by about 60 engineers. Prof. Frank began making to-scale drawings of the stress changes from installation to long the first part of his presentation on the problem; and reviewing available data. term performance. The audience asked topic, “Pressuremeter Testing and He explained in detail the investigation of many questions, especially regarding the Foundation Design”. The speaker the Nicolle Highway collapse use of numerical analysis in accordance introduced how the design of shallow (Singapore), and emphasized the with Eurocode 7 in the design of retaining and deep foundations is done using data importance of communication walls. Prof. Simpson made reference to from the Menard Pressure Meter (MPM). (especially documented). his paper presented at the 18SEAGC. MALAYSIAN GEOTECHNICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO.1 4

The workshop concluded with certificates of appreciation being presented to the speakers by MGS.

ICE dinner in Petaling Jaya attended by IEM President and 40 guests

introduce the Euro Norms, with Eurocode 7 Part 1 and on Eurocode 7 Part particular emphasis being on EN1990 2. He answered questions from the and EN1997. He illustrated limit state audience in regard to which design design principles, partial safety factors, direction are to be followed for specific design values of actions and their effects cases, model factors and effect of which are given in EN1990, with specific different load tests on design of Piled Prof. Frank (above) & Prof. Simpson applications on geotechnical design. On Foundations. (below) during the foundation & retaining Eurocode 7, the different design wall design seminar at Professor Chin approaches, load combinations and The workshop ended with presentation Fung Kee Auditorium characteristic values were explained with of certificate of appreciation to Prof. the help of worked examples. Simpson. Welcome Dinner for Prof. Dr. Roger Frank and Prof. Dr. Brian Simpson After the tea break, Prof. Simpson by ICE - Nov 17th, 2014 resumed the workshop by explaining how the Eurocodes aim to execute the Ir. Dr. Ooi Teik Aun, the Malaysian design with the help of complementary representative from the Institution of documents such as the British Standards Civil Engineering Malaysia (ICE) arranged (BS), Published Documents (PD) and a dinner to welcome Prof. Dr. Roger Non-Conflicting Complementary Frank and Prof. Dr. Brian Simpson in Information (NCCI). He then moved on to Petaling Jaya. The dinner was attended expound on Eurocode 7, Section 6 in by Guest of Honour, the Institution of particular the approach to the design of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM) President Shallow Foundations with the help of Dato’ Ir. Lim C.H. and many other illustrations and worked examples before geotechnical practitioners. breaking for lunch. In the third session, Prof. Simpson Workshop on Eurocode 7 - Nov 19th, introduced a number of commentaries written on Eurocode 7 and also the 2014 features contained in the online facility Prof. Dr. Brian Simpson conducted a 1- (Eurocodes Plus). Section 7 of Eurocode 7 day design workshop on “Eurocode 7” at on Piled Foundations was explored to an appreciable depth with concise the Professor Chin Fung Kee Auditorium, Wisma IEM. Prof. Simpson began by examples. The design workshop on “Eurocode 7” at explaining the evolution of the During the last session, Prof. Simpson Professor Chin Fung Kee Auditorium Eurocodes over a period of more than touched on Sections 3, 4, 5, 10 and 11 of attended by 40 engineers five decades. He then proceeded to

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Dialogue with Public Works Department (JKR) Directors - Nov 20th, 2014

MGS and IEM organized a dialogue with Directors from JKR (Geotechnical) with regards to implementation of the Eurocode 7. Dr. Mohd Nor (Chairman of meeting) informed that Dato’ Dr. Aziz (Structure Section Head, absent with apologies) has announced that JKR will encourage submission of design documents for JKR projects using MS EN from Jan 1, 2015. Two years later (from Jan 1, 2017), the use of BS EN for JKR projects will be mandatory. Prof. Dr. Brian Simpson shared from his experience in the United Kingdom with regards to implementation of Eurocode 7 Dialogue session with JKR and gladly answered questions. The meeting ended after one and half hours of discussion and exchange of views, after the Chairman thanked Prof. Prof. Simpson explained the coming to Malaysia to help with the Simpson. development of the Eurocodes in the UK implementation of Eurocode 7. and in Europe, over the last 30 years. He Workshop on Eurocode 7 - Nov 21st, highlighted the differences between the 2014 current British Standard and the Eurocode 7, in particular, the limit state Prof. Dr. Brian Simpson gave a 1-day design principles. He used latest back- design workshop on “Eurocode 7” at analysed data from UK to show that Auditorium Perpustakaan, Kuala Lumpur design using Eurocode 7 largely yielded organized by the Road and Geotechnical equivalent results to the former design Engineering Branch, Public Work using of safety factors, but in a more Department (JKR) and supported by consistent approach with structural MGS. The objectives of the workshop designers. This helped enhance design were to provide greater understanding of synergy with structural design (soil- the Eurocode 7 general principles and structure interaction application). concepts to engineers in JKR and to create awareness on the implementation Prof. Simpson encouraged users to make reference to the many commentaries of Eurocode 7. now available in the market and also, the Dr. Mohd Nor, the head of Road and on-line Eurocode Plus. He also Geotechnical Engineering Branch, mentioned that there are guidelines chaired the seminar and reminded given the suite “Execution of Special participants that submission of design Geotechnical Works” that can be used for using Eurocode 7 will commence in Jan 1, practical application in the field. He

2015 and become compulsory from Jan 1, encouraged users to give feedback on Prof. Simpson (above) & audience (below) 2017, for JKR projects. He encouraged the use of the Code as the drafters are constantly updating the Code for at the design workshop on Eurocode 7 at JKR engineers, Consultants and Auditorium Perpustakaan Kuala Lumpur Contractors to familiarize themselves practical application. with Eurocode 7 and start using the code The Workshop ended at 5pm and the in their everyday work. Chairman thanked Prof. Simpson for

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