ABSTRACT

Active Faults In Peninsular Malaysia With Emphasis On Active Geomorphic Features Of Bukit Tinggi Region

Journal: Malaysian Journal of Geosciences (MJG)
Author: Mustaffa Kamal Shuib, Mohammad Abdul Manap, Felix Tongkul, Ismail Bin Abd Rahim, Tajul Anuar Jamaludin, Noraini Surip, Rabieahtul Abu Bakar, Mohd Rozaidi Che Abas, Roziah Che Musa, Zahid Ahmad

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

DOI: 10.26480/mjg.01.2017.13.26

In this paper, we summarize the results of recent geomorphic investigations of active faults in Peninsular Malaysia with emphasize on Bukit Tinggi region using IFSAR and field verification. The evidences for active faulting, and their characteristics are discussed. Several fault segments within the Bukit Tinggi fault zone are deemed active. The Bukit Tingg fault zone is considered to be active and is a potential source of future earthquakes. Outside Bukit Tinggi area, the Benus and Karak faults are also deemed active. These fault zones show the following active neotectonic geomorphic features: 1) displays geomorphic features indicative of recent fault activity; 2) show evidence for displacement in young (Late Quaternary) deposits or surfaces; and/or 3) is associated with a pattern of microearthquakes suggestive of an active faults. They were ancient faults that were reactivated in the Quaternary period and continued into the present. The magnitude of paleoearthquake estimated from the activity and stream offsets suggest a minimum of 6 magnitude on the Richter scale have affected the region due to movements along these faults. Over the past decades, Peninsular Malaysia has experienced mild earthquakes. Virtually all earthquakes recorded in Peninsular Malaysia are under magnitude 5.0. However, the regognition of active faults exhibiting active tectonic landforms suggestes that these faults have produced damaging earthquakes before and have potential to trigger similar tremors in the future.

ABSTRACT

Assessing Water Quality Index in River Basin : Fuzzy Inference System Approach

Journal: Malaysian Journal of Geosciences (MJG)

Author: Herman Umbau Lindang, Zamali Hj Tarmudi, Ajimi Jawan

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

DOI: 10.26480/mjg.01.2017.27.31

Water Quality Index is an important water assessment that sustain and conserve the aquatic ecosystem. In Malaysia, the current classi ication practice on Department of Environmental Water Quality Index (DOE WQI) shows rigid value in term of assessing the input of parameters that close to a class boundary. Hence, this study proposed a technique to assess the parameters in a holistic manner by using the Fuzzy Inference System (FIS). The approach as an assessment tool represents the classes of various ranges and aggregating the parameters using membership function and Centroid Function respectively. A numerical example based on actual data from one of the sampling station from Inanam Likas River Basin was adapted in this study. It was adapted to demonstrate the proposed approach. Findings shown using the proposed methods indicate that the river has Poor water status. Overall, FIS is able to assess the parameters and execute into a single index that represent the condition from poor to excellent scales of the water quality.

ABSTRACT

Psychological Debriefing Intervention: From the Lens of Disaster Volunteers

Journal: Malaysian Journal of Geosciences (MJG)
Author: Siti Rozaina Kamsani,Nabisah Ibrahim,Noor Azniza Ishak

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

DOI: 10.26480/mjg.01.2017.32.33

The experience of posttraumatic stress is a sign of discomfort feeling and miserable situation especially for flood survivors. Being a first responder to the victims, the disaster volunteers are not only support providers for moral and psychological services, but also agents to reduce disaster-related-stress. Thus, the purpose of this study was to identify the key experiences of volunteers as the first responder in using psychological debriefing intervention with disaster victims. There were 20 volunteers from different agencies involved in this study. The semi-structured interview sessions were utilized for data collection. Based on the thematic analysis process, the findings indicated that the volunteer’s resilience skill, emotional stability, and social altruism have been found to be the major volunteers’ attributes in conducting psychological debriefing intervention. Volunteers’ suggestions on implementation the psychological debriefing intervention for Malaysian context was also provided.

ABSTRACT

Pahang flood disaster : the potential flood drivers

Journal: Malaysian Journal of Geosciences (MJG)
Author: Rahmah Elfithri, Syamimi Halimshah,, Md Pauzi Abdullah, Mazlin Mokhtar, Mohd Ekhwan Toriman, Ahmad Fuad Embi, Maimon Abdullah, Lee Yook Heng, Khairul Nizam Ahmad Maulud, Syafinaz Salleh, Maizurah Maizan & Nurlina Mohamad Ramzan

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

DOI: 10.26480/mjg.01.2017.34.37

The northeast monsoon which occurs from November to March carries heavy rainfall which always result in flood especially to the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Pahang was one of the state that severely affected by this flood. Although the heavy rain is the main driver of the flood but human being cannot ignore the other flood drivers especially the river and its nearby environment circumstance which regard the flood event. The objective of this study was to determine the other flood drivers especially the river and its nearby environment circumstance which regard the flood event. The methodologies used in this study involved data collection through literature reviews and flood reports from Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) and districts and interview to gather more information and verify the issues and other related drivers. The possible drivers of flooding in Pahang that occurred are as follows : 1) High rain intensity (>60 mm/hour, 200 – 450 mm/day) at the upstream that increases the quantity of water in the river and causes it to overflow 2) Water from area that has no drainage connection with the river (lowland, recessed and swamp area) was also flowing out and contributed to the flood 3) The size of the irrigation system is insufficient to bear the water flow rate and the tributary network is unable to withstand the large runoff 4) Increased reclaim of wetland area for development that causes irrigation system to be narrowed and obstructed for the water to flowing in to the tributaries 5) Prevalent forest clearing and logging activity increased the water non-absorbent area 6) Ground cutting for development purpose decreased the rain water absorption into the ground and increased surface water runoff, thus causes the watershed area decrease in its ability to hold water 7) Shallow estuary caused by high sedimentation from various activities leads to slow water conduction flowing from flood area to the sea 8) Most residential area are located at lowland and flood plain region coupled with bad irrigation system especially in big residential area, thus increased the flood risk. Each possible driver of flooding in Pahang that occurred in 2014 has to be discussed further in term of the responsible stakeholders who should involve in the management and maintenance. The heavy rainfall from northeast monsoon which was the main flood driver cannot be avoided but some flood drivers especially the river and its nearby environment that may contribute to higher magnitude of flood can be fixed and controlled by human.

ABSTRACT

Slope stability study around Kampung Kuala Abai, Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia

Journal: Malaysian Journal of Geosciences (MJG)

Author: Ismail Abd Rahim & Mohd Noor Raffee Usli

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DOI: 10.26480/mjg.01.2017.38.42

The study area is located in the northwestern part of Kota Belud, Sabah and underlain by Late Eocene-late Early Miocene of the Crocker formation. The objectives of this study are to determine the mode of failures, factors of safety and to propose slope designs. Engineering geological mapping, kinematic analysis, new approach of adjustment factor, dry density analysis, stereographic measurement, kinetic analysis and prescriptive measures were used to produce geological map and described rock mass characteristics, to determine the mode of failure and optimum slope angle, the most critical mode of failure, unit weight of the rock, wedge angle, factor of safety and slope protection and stabilization measures, respectively. Results of this study shows that the mode of failures are wedge failure, the factors of safety ranges from 1.93 to 4.43 which generally considered stable and the proposed slope design are flattening the slope angle between 31o-45o, installation of the wire mesh, rock trap ditch and spot rock bolting.

ABSTRACT

Stakeholders response and perspectives on flood disaster of pahang river basin

Journal: Malaysian Journal of Geosciences (MJG)
Author: Md Pauzi Abdullah, Syafinaz Salleh, Rahmah Elfithri, Mazlin bin Mokhtar, Mohd Ekhwan Toriman, Ahmad Fuad Embi, Khairul Nizam Abdul Maulud, Maimon Abdullah, Lee Yook Heng, Syamimi Halimshah, Maizura Maizan, Nurlina Mohamad Ramzan

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

DOI: 10.26480/mjg.01.2017.43.49

The Pahang river basin is the largest river basin in the Pahang State, with total catchment area covering 29300km2. Floods of Pahang river basin have become an annual natural disaster event where all the stakeholders have their own responsibility and parts to take care of it. This study has focused on stakeholders’ response and perspectives to verify the issues on flood disaster of Pahang river basin. The methodology used in this study is the stakeholders’ consultation workshop. This workshop was conducted by involving the stakeholders’ representatives from various agencies. The result from this workshop has revealed the response and perspectives based on the important parts of each stakeholder to face the flood event that occurred in Pahang river basin. Besides, the issues aroused from this workshop have shown the stakeholders’ response and their perspectives on how to reduce the impacts on flood disaster of Pahang river basin. According to the workshop, there are two factors contribute to flood event which are the heavy rainfall and the arising of water level. The causes of these two factors are the reason that we need to involve all aspects in order to reduce the impact of flood disaster. The aspects are to identify the frequent problems to arise during flood event, to improvise the operating systems such as flood forecasting systems, telemetric systems and hydrology system, the plans of each stakeholder on how to cooperate and reduce the impact as one team, to provide the proper flood maps at the study level and to review and verify what are the communities’ complaints and perspectives as they also one of the victims. This study had discussed the proposed actions need to be taken according to the stakeholders’ response and perspectives. The overflow of river water had caused by the low absorption of rainfall from forest which due to deforestation and loggings. The high water level also caused by the high sedimentations which contributed by these activities. The law enforcement with more stringent need to be done on these matters. Besides, the operating systems need to be improvised and added as these approaches can help in reducing the impact of flood events. The flood maps should be provided at study level to identify and produce a valuable case study. Stakeholders’ consultations and involvement are the keys to improvise the weakness on how to cope with the floods event from the early stage. The proposal and implementations of the development should be done by involving the stakeholders’ response and perspectives in any disaster.

ABSTRACT

DERIVATIVES AND ANALYTIC SIGNALS: IMPROVED TECHNIQUES FOR LITHOSTRUCTURAL CLASSIFICATIONS

Journal: Malaysian Journal of Geosciences (MJG)
Author: Akingboye A. Sunny

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DOI: 10.26480/mjg.01.2018.01.08

In this study, derivatives and Analytic Signal (AS) techniques were employed to reveal the nature of rocks and lithostructural relationships that exist within the basement complexes around Ekiti and Ondo States. The derivatives techniques were used to enhance theReduction to Equator Total Magnetic Intensity (RTE_TMI) data. In order to make the results from derivatives techniques worthwhile and robust, Analytic Signal (AS) technique was then applied. The results of the derivatives and analytic signals revealed seven different lithological suites, namely: migmatite (M), migmatite-gneiss (MGn), gneiss and granite (Gn/G), schist and quartzite schist (S/Qs), granitegneiss and charnockite (Gn/Ch), charnockite and granite (Ch/G), and granite (G). Five different major lineaments/faults, folds and lithological contacts were also identified. The lineaments/faults were classified as F1, F2, F3, F4 and F5 with NW-SE, NNE-SSW, NE-SW, E-W and NNW-SSE trends respectively. Folds were classified into S1, S2, S3, S4 and S5 as symmetrical, asymmetrical, recumbent, ptygmatic and drag folds respectively. While lithological contacts were classified into C1, C2, C3, C4 and C5 as sharp contact of migmatite and granite, migmatite and granite-gneiss/charnockite/granite, migmatite and gneiss/granite, migmatite and schist/quartzite schist, and migmatite and gneiss respectively. It is evident from the study that migmatites and gneisses which form the basement in the area have been highly deformed and evince many intrusives. A detailed geological map for the study area is proposed as deduced from results analyses.

ABSTRACT

ENGINEERING GEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT (EGA) ON SLOPES ALONG THE PENAMPANG TO TAMBUNAN ROAD, SABAH, MALAYSIA.

Journal: Malaysian Journal of Geosciences (MJG)
Author: Rodeano Roslee, Felix Tongkul

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DOI: 10.26480/mjg.01.2018.09.17

This study focused on the engineering geological investigation of slope failures along Penampang to Tambunan road, approximately 12^th km to 101^th km from Kota Kinabalu city, Sabah, Malaysia. The area is underlain by the Crocker Formation (Late Eocene to Early Miocene age) and the Quaternary Deposits (Recent age). These rock units show numerous lineaments with complex structural styles developed during several regional Tertiary tectonic activities. The tectonic complexities influenced the physical and mechanical properties of the rocks, resulting in a high degree of weathering and instability. The weathered materials are unstable and may experience sliding due to by high pore pressure and intensively geomorphological processes. In this study, a total of 31 selected critical slope failures were studied and classified into two main groups: rock slope and soil slope. Failures in soil slopes (including embankments) are 21 (67 %) whereas 10 of all failures (33 %) of rock slope. Soil slope failures normally involved large volumes of failed material as compared much rock slopes, where the failures are mostly small. Of the 21 failures in soil slopes, 15 (71 %) are embankment failures making them 48 % of all types of failures. Physical and mechanical properties of 84 soil samples indicated that the failure materials mainly consist of poorly graded to well graded materials of clayey loamy soils, which characterized by low to intermediate plasticity content (9 % to 28 %), containing of inactive to normal clay (0.34 to 1.45), very high to medium degree of swelling (5.63 to 13.85), variable low to high water content (4 % to 22 %), specific gravity ranges from 2.57 to 2.80, low permeability (9.66 X 10^-3 to 4.33 X 10^-3 cm/s), friction angle (Φ) ranges from 7.70° to 29.20° and cohesion (C) ranges from 3.20 KPa to 17.27 KPa. The rock properties of 10 rock samples indicated that the point load strength index and the uniaxial compressive strength range classified as moderately week. Kinematics slope analyses indicates that the variable potential of circular, planar, wedges and toppling failures modes as well as the combination of more than one mode of aforementioned failure. Rock and soil slopes stability analysis indicates that the factor of safety value as unsafe (0.52 to 0.98). Engineering geologic evaluation of the study area indicates that the slope failures took place when rock and soil materials were no longer able to resist the attraction of gravity due to a decrease in shear strength and increase in the shear stresses due to internal and external factors. Internal factors involve some factors change in either physical or chemical properties of the rock or soil such as topographic setting, climate, geologic setting and processes, groundwater condition and engineering characteristics. External factors involve increase of shear stress on slope, which usually involves a form of disturbance that is induced by man includes removal of vegetation cover, induced by vehicles loading and artificial changes or natural phenomenon such as tremors. Development planning has to consider the hazard and environmental management program. This engineering geological study may play a vital role in slope stability assessment to ensure the public safety.

ABSTRACT

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RAINFALL AND DEBRIS FLOW OCCURRENCE IN THE CROCKER RANGE OF SABAH, MALAYSIA.

Journal: Malaysian Journal of Geosciences (MJG)
Author: Edgar Jr. Joe, Felix Tongkul, Rodeano Roslee

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DOI: 10.26480/mjg.01.2018.18.29

Debris flow occurrence are quite common in mountainous areas such as those in the Crocker Range of Sabah, Malaysia especially during prolonged heavy rainfall. Despite of the recurrence of debris flows in the area, not much information is known about the effect of rainfall on their occurrences. Based on the rainfall intensity-duration of two selected case studies at Jalan Penampang-Tambunan KM38.80 and Jalan Tamparuli-Ranau KM83.90, the debris flow threshold for the Crocker Range cases are approximate to that proposed by Montgomery et al. (2000) given by the equation of I = 9.9D^-0.52 which is generally low. This implies that low-intensity rainfall is sufficient to trigger debris flows due to high availability of loose material and weak geological condition.

ABSTRACT

DEVELOPMENT OF HUMANITARIAN SUPPLY CHAIN PERFORMANCE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK IN CREATING RESILIENT LOGISTICS NETWORK.

Journal: Malaysian Journal of Geosciences (MJG)
Author: Sivadass Thiruchelvam, Mohd Fauzi Ismail, Azrul Ghazali, Kamal Nasharuddin Mustapha, Fatin Faiqah Norkhairi, Nora Yahya, Abdul Aziz Mat Isa, Zakaria Che Muda

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DOI: 10.26480/mjg.01.2018.30.33

Humanitarian logistics which is precisely known as humanitarian supply chain (HSC) plays a major role in reducing the impact of disaster on human life and livelihood by providing humanitarian aid in the forms of food, water, medicine, shelter and other supplies. Unfortunately, anecdotal evidences indicated that relief chain tends to be unstable, unpredictable and unresponsive to the needs of disaster victims. The 2004 Asian tsunami highlighted the lack of coordination between the relief chain linkages that hampered effective supply of aid. This phenomenon was further evident in our own context during the 2014 flood devastation in Peninsular Malaysia. Floodwaters and subsequent landslides blocked major roads, limiting access to evacuation centres and impeding the delivery of emergency relief supplies. Hence, an effective humanitarian supply chain management (HSCM) should be able to be deployed rapidly enabling provision of aid to beneficiaries. Notwithstanding the frequency and impact of disasters, humanitarian organizations today are under continuous pressure of improving their logistics performance. Departing from this need, this study aims to examine the criteria that influence the humanitarian aid actors in their decision making while increasing transparency and accountability of relief operations. Therefore, it is imperative for humanitarian sector to quantify the efficiency and effectiveness of a particular relief operation using set of performance metrics. A mixed methods approach comprising qualitative and quantitative survey will be used. The study intended to identify and define the metrics that would determine successful operational performance of disaster relief. This research will contribute mainly in the development of a HSCM performance model that (i) informs decision makers at the strategic, tactical and operational level in tracking progress, (ii) facilitate a more open and transparent communication and cooperation between humanitarian actors, and (iii) improve the logistics of disaster management both at the government and at non-governmental level.