Department of Civil Engineering, University of Malaya

UM Civil Engineering: Back to Department 2025 RSVP

Dear Alumni,

We are delighted to invite you back to the department for our upcoming Back to Department 2025. Please fill in this quick RSVP to register for this event by 10th October 2025. The seating is limited and based on first come first serve basis. A confirmation email will be sent out later.

Below are the details of the Back to Department Day:

Date : 25th October 2025 (Saturday)
Time : 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Location : Dewan Kuliah 1, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaya

Thank you, and warm regards,

Department of Civil Engineering Alumni Committee

docs.google.com

Project Number​: IIRG004B-2021IISS
Project Title​: The Seismic Performance of a New Composite Metallic Damper Incorporated with Recycled Rubber Subjected to Cyclic Loading
Project Investigator (PI): Dr. Tan Chee Ghuan
Co-researchers:
1) Prof. Dr. Ahmed Hussein Kamel Ahmed Elshafie
2) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zainah Ibrahim
3) Assoc. Prof. Ir. Dr. Meldi Suhatril
4) Assoc. Prof. Ir. Dr. Fadzli Mohamed Nazri
5) Dr. Khaled Ghaedi

Research Student: Abdulmajeed Ali Mohammed Nasser Al-hokabi

Executive Summary
Globally, the accumulation of waste tires presents a significant environmental challenge, with annual production exceeding 800 million units and projected to reach 1.2 billion by 2030. In Malaysia, this issue is equally critical; in 2020 alone, the country consumed 1,072,566 tonnes of rubber, but only 37,134 tonnes were reclaimed and repurposed, as reported by the Malaysia Rubber Board (2024). Improper disposal methods, such as illegal dumping and open burning, exacerbate environmental degradation by contaminating soil, groundwater, and air, while releasing harmful substances like styrene. Concurrently, seismic activity poses substantial risks to infrastructure, especially in regions with inadequate earthquake-resistant construction practices. Although metallic dampers are widely used for seismic energy dissipation, their production remains resource-intensive.
This study explores the potential of recycled rubber derived from waste tires as a sustainable alternative material for seismic energy dissipation devices. Leveraging the viscoelastic properties of recycled rubber, a novel composite metallic damper was developed, integrating recycled rubber between metallic plates to enhance damping performance under cyclic loading. The damper design aimed to optimize energy dissipation, equivalent damping ratio, and structural durability while addressing environmental sustainability.
The research involved designing and fabricating composite dampers with varied configurations, including differences in bar height and the number of embedded bars. Quasi-static cyclic loading tests were conducted using a specialized rig, where force-displacement behavior and energy dissipation per cycle were analyzed. The results demonstrated that dampers incorporating recycled rubber exhibited excellent energy dissipation, with performance strongly influenced by bar height and configuration. Smaller bar heights and increased embedded bars resulted in improved stiffness and energy absorption. Additionally, the recycled rubber maintained structural integrity under cyclic loading, validating its suitability as a damping material.
Comparative analysis with conventional metallic dampers revealed that the proposed composite dampers offered equivalent or superior seismic performance. The synergistic interaction between rubber and steel enhanced energy dissipation, combining the elasticity of rubber with the rigidity of steel to create a balanced mechanism for absorbing and dissipating seismic forces. Effective bonding between the rubber and metallic components ensured robust stress transfer and resistance to delamination, further improving damping efficiency and reliability under seismic conditions.
This research aligns with Malaysia's commitment to sustainable development under the Twelfth Malaysia Plan and advances multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). By transforming waste tires into high-performance construction materials, the study promotes a circular economy while contributing to the development of disaster-resilient and environmentally friendly infrastructure.

Project Number: IIRG004A-2021IISS

Project Title: Optimization of Rubber Tires Composition in The Mechanical and Dynamic Performance of An Energy Dissipation Damper

Project Investigator (PI): Assoc. Prof. Ir. Dr. Norazura Binti Muhamad Bunnori
Co-researchers:
1) Dr. Ir. Mohd Rasdan Ibrahim
2) Dr. Ir. Huzaifah Hashim
3) Dr. Mohd Fazaulnizam Shamsudin


Research Student: Ahmed Sami Hasan Al-Osta

Executive Summary
The research investigates the reuse of end-of-life tires (ELTs) by optimizing their composition for use in energy dissipation dampers, focusing on devulcanized rubber (DVR) mixed with natural rubber (NR). The study explores the use of a patented method for devulcanization to create rubber compositions with different DVR concentrations (0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%) and evaluates their mechanical and dynamic properties.

Key findings include:

• Mechanical Testing: Increasing DVR content reduced tensile strength but initially increased elongation at break before dropping at higher concentrations. Tear strength peaked at 10% DVR, while hardness and stiffness increased with more DVR.
• Dynamic Testing: The 20% DVR composition exhibited the best damping performance, offering a balance of optimal damping, tensile strength, and flexibility. Higher DVR concentrations (30%) provided high damping ratios but also led to increased rigidity.

The study concludes that incorporating DVR into rubber formulations improves damping properties, with 20% DVR being the ideal mix for energy dissipation dampers. Further research is needed to evaluate the long-term durability of this optimal composition under various environmental conditions.

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un. It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our dear lecturer, Dr. Ing Fazaulnizam Bin Shamsudin last night.
16 Oct 1987 - 9 Nov 2024.
May Allah grant him Jannat al-Firdaus and give strength to his family and loved ones during this difficult time. He will be greatly missed, and his legacy of knowledge and kindness will live on.

Our department has successfully signed a MoA with few companies (Leviat, Eastern Pretect, H&T Consultanting Engineers) for a research collaboration project

Benchmarking visit from HEJIM UKM

Also done, BIM seminar from Mila Asia Sdn Bhd

Last week,

MoU signing between UNMUHA (Universitas Muhammadiyah Aceh) and our Department.

Our Civil student x Architecture UM student won first prize building competition today..

Visit from Cor Jesu College delegates', Philippines to our Civil Engineering Department on the 10th of June 2024