Politeknik & Kolej Komuniti Journal of Engineering and Technology

Parametric Investigation Using Finite Element Analysis on Number of FRP Confinement Layers for Optimum Compressive Strength of Tin Slag Polymer Concrete Column

Muhamad Soffi Manda — 2024-06-30

Tin slag polymer concrete (TSPC) is a recent progress in Polymer Concrete (PC) material which is composed of finely graded tin slag (TS) particles (<1mm) and Unsaturated Polyester Resin (UPR) with 1% Methyl Ethene Ketone Peroxide (MEKP). This study was performed to suggest the optimum number of GFRP and CFRP confinement layers on the TSPC core column for optimum compressive strength enhancement. Compression test on TSPC column samples consisting of unconfined TSPC, one and two layers of GFRP and CFRP confined TSPC shows strength measurements of 49.58 MPa, 85.48 MPa, 88.37 MPa, 108.77 MPa, and 132.52 MPa. Then a parametric study through the FEM model was performed to simulate the effect of FRP confinement on TSPC with the addition of FRP confinement layers to up to four layers. Results indicated that for both GFRP and CFRP confinement on TSPC column up to four layers, the percentage of strength enhancement was, for GFRP, 55.56 %, 82.47 %, 193.96 %, and 193.32 %, while, for CFRP, 85.27 %, 122.61 %, 177.81 %, and 151.65 %. For validation, a comparison has been made with an experimental result and data from literature which presents the effect of multiple layers of CFRP confinement on the TSPC column. Both the optimisation through parametric study and literature have provided a good match in a number of FRP confinement layers for optimum compressive strength enhancement of the TSPC column. For conclusion, three layers of FRP confinement was described as the most optimum number of FRP layers on the TSPC column for maximum performance.

A Pellet Forming Machine with Steel Wheel Pressing System Using Banana Sticks Raw Material

Abdul Rahman — 2024-06-30

Gedebog banana or banana stem is a part of the banana tree that is considered waste and is often thrown away, but it can be optimized to become a feed raw material with economic value. One of the benefits of banana gedebog is that it can be used as a mixture of fish feed which is formed with feed raw materials into pellets. Based on laboratory analysis, the content of banana gedebog includes Dry Material (BK). 87.7%, ash 25.12%, crude fat (LK) 14.23%, crude fibre (SK) 29.40%, crude protein (PK) 3% including amino acids, amine nitrate, glycosides, contains N, glycolipids, B vitamins, nucleic acids, extract ingredients without nitrogen (BETN) 28.15% including carbohydrates, sugars and starch. This research aims to produce a pellet-forming machine for fish feed using a mixture of banana gedebog as the raw material. The research method involves building a machine according to the design and testing of the machine using a steel wheel mould pressing system. This research results in a pellet-forming machine unit that can produce pellets utilising a mixture of banana gedebog as raw materials. Average printing results per minute, 3 mm diameter pellets = 1137 grams, 4 mm diameter pellets = 1607 grams and 5 mm diameter pellets = 1553 grams with an average machine capacity that can produce pellets reaching 75 kg/hour to 90 kg/hour.

Prioritising Optimal Actions in Pandemic Management: An Analytical Hierarchical Process Approach

Ayati Parmen — 2024-06-30

The stage of the decision-making process is the most complex one, and it is necessary to emphasize a variety of aspects to have a positive effect on the stage that comes after it. In order to resolve a problem or make an evaluation of something, decisions need to be made by the decision maker, who should be free from any bias or outside influence. This study concentrates on the operation in North Port, Port Klang, Malaysia, which is the main pulse of the Malaysian economy, aiming to deal with the pandemic by making the most accurate decisions possible systematically for those decisions to be able to deal with the pandemic that has struck. It has been determined which categories contribute to the actions that need to be taken to deal with the pandemic at the port, and all these categories have been enumerated so that specialists can evaluate which categories are the most influential. For data analysis, the Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) method is utilised, and the findings also assist decision-makers in making the appropriate choices. Consequently, based on study's findings, it was discovered that the primary criterion that needs to be prioritized in North Port's response to the pandemic is health and safety, which received a score of 20%, followed by technology (18%), PPE (18%), MCO (12%), wedges (9%), manpower (8%), damage (6%), origin country (5%) and lastly delay time (5%). Therefore, the port side may use the possibility presented by this study to systematically decide any problem that may arise at the management level.

Assessment of Signal Strength for Communication Service Providers Using Network Monitor Application

Guan Chengg Wong — 2024-06-30

Ensuring strong signal strength is crucial for facilitating seamless conversations and swift data transmissions, particularly as cell phones have become indispensable tools for individuals and businesses. The quality of communication by service providers directly impacts users' experience and productivity, emphasizing the importance of evaluating and comparing signal strengths. Hence, this study aims to assess the signal strength between two local communication service providers in an urban city in Malaysia. A network monitoring system was utilized to assess the signal strength at six base points. Signal strength data were collected at six locations using global positioning system (GPS) equipped devices. Measurements were conducted during afternoon hours on consecutive weekdays to account for temporal fluctuations. During both morning and evening drive tests, an analysis of the received signal strength (RSSI) values was conducted for Telco A and Telco B. In the morning, Telco A displayed an average RSSI value of -92.8 dBm, while Telco B exhibited an average of -92.2 dBm. Conversely, during the evening, Telco A's average RSSI was -92.2 dBm, while Telco B showed an average of -94 dBm. Given that increasing RSSI indicates better performance, the observed data leads to the conclusion that Telco B outperforms Telco A. These findings provide valuable insights into the performance of communication service providers and can inform decisions aimed at improving signal strength and overall network quality. By addressing areas of weakness identified through this study, providers can enhance the user experience and ensure optimal communication services for individuals and businesses.

Utilisation of Crop Residue and Manure Fermentation (CRAM) for Carbon Dioxide Enrichments in Chilli Kulai Production

Khairunisa Ab Aziz — 2024-06-30

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) dosing has become an integral part of greenhouse horticulture. Additional CO₂ promotes crop growth and increases production and/or improves quality. CO₂ supplementation is the process of adding more CO₂ in the greenhouse, which increases photosynthesis in a plant. Most commercial farmers invented various techniques to increase CO₂ concentration in the greenhouse, but those techniques were expensive and had some limitations. Therefore, this project is designed to produce CO₂ gases using crop residue and animal manure composting. The production of CO₂ by composting the crop residue and animal manure with selected microorganisms (Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma). Then, CO₂ gases were released inside the greenhouse from 8.00 to 11.00 am after one month of fermentation and fully monitored by the sensor to prevent any circumstances that can affect plants. Although releasing CO₂ in the greenhouse rise temperature inside greenhouse, the plants are not affected by heat. During the cultivation period, CRAM helps to increase CO₂ concentration which significantly increases plant height, total leaf area and total shoot of chilli. The application of a concentrated CO₂ system in greenhouse resulted early flowering and fruit ripening compared to control greenhouse. The yield also recorded 30% higher in concentrated CO₂ greenhouse compared to conventional practices. This project helps to recycle the into useful energy. Implementation of this project has the potential to sustain the environment as well as maintaining food security.

Autonomous Navigation: An Arduino-Based Smart Car Obstacle Avoidance System

Sharifah Nurulhuda Tuan Mohd Yasin — 2024-06-30

Autonomous car navigation is currently attracting considerable research interests. The design of an Arduino-based smart car obstacle avoidance system includes the use of ultrasonic sensor to detect obstacles and control the car's movement. The system is designed and developed to operate in self-driven remote to avoid obstacles and reduces collisions. This paper presents the prototype development of a smart car obstacle avoidance system using Arduino microcontroller and ultrasonic sensor. The research methodology operates by using ultrasonic sensor to detect obstacles, emit sound waves, and measure the time it takes for the waves to be reflected. Arduino microcontroller serves as the system's control unit which enables the real-time analysis of sensor data and control the movement of the car. Arduino microcontroller processes the data and calculates the distance of the obstacles. The direction and speed of the car is adjusted based on the calculated distance to avoid collision. The proposed system is intended to provide a cost-effective, efficient, and reliable obstacle avoidance system that could be used in various applications, such as robotics and automated vehicles. The success of the system is determined by the accuracy of the sensor data and the effectiveness of the control algorithms used to drive the car through the environment. Overall, the design of an Arduino-based smart car obstacle avoidance system is an interesting and innovative application of robotics technology.

Arduino Based Portable Indoor Air Conditioner with Cooling, Sterilisation and Humidifier for Air Quality and Room Comfort

Zinvi Fu — 2024-06-30

In an indoor environment, air quality and comfort rely on purification, humidification, sterilisation, and cooling. This paper presents the development of an all-in-one portable air conditioner system that monitors and controls the temperature, and humidity as well as provides air filtration and sterilisation. An Arduino microcontroller functions as the main controller, which receives inputs from the temperature, humidity, and dust sensors. In response to the received input signals, the appropriate control instructions are sent to heating or cooling elements and humidity relay actuators. Filtration was provided by a passive HEPA filter and a UV lamp. Test results show that the dust level was reduced by 27% within a half-day timeframe. For cooling, the Peltier module could reduce the temperature of a small room by up to 50 C. With the water sprayer, the humidity was able to be increased from 35% to 57% in 240 minutes. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that the overall design is effective for a small room in a controlled environment. For a larger scale application, it is suggested that the capacity of the design to be increased proportionally.