Curtin Malaysia civil and construction engineering students gain valuable experience on site visit to soil nailing project

Miri – 23 August 2023 – Curtin University Malaysia’s Department of Civil and Construction Engineering took education beyond the classroom as its students embarked on a site visit to a soil nailing project being carried out by Pekerjaan Piasau Konkerit Sdn. Bhd. (PPK) along the Pan Borneo Highway, about one-and-a-half hours’ drive from its campus, recently.

The majority of the students were final-year students, and the site visit was part of their studies in ‘Environmental Considerations in Construction’ and ‘Integrated Design and Construction’ units, enabling them to gain practical knowledge and experience in the field of civil engineering.

Soil nailing is a commonly used technique in construction to improve the stability of soil slopes and foundations. By embedding steel bars into the soil, the technique reinforces and strengthens the ground, ensuring safety and longevity of infrastructure. During the site visit, the students witnessed and learned first-hand about this technique.

The students also had the opportunity to interact with project engineer Ir. Sam Yii who guided them through various aspects of the project. Yii gave the students a technical talk on soil nailing, highlighting the different types of soil nailing walls, potential failures of soil nailing walls, and the intricate procedures involved in soil nailing projects.

In a question-and-answer session following the talk, the students learned about the use of green materials and digital construction technology in the project, and discussed with Yii the project’s safety protocols and its impact on the surrounding environment. This valuable experience deepened their understanding of environmental considerations in construction projects.

At the project site, the students witnessed how wire mesh and soil nailing equipment were used to construct the walls on the site’s slopes.

Fourth-year student Alan Poon remarked that the site visit was a very fruitful one, allowing the students to learn about soil nailing construction in detail. Fellow fourth-year student Apollonia Huei Jhe Lim, also said she learned a lot during the site visit as it was the first time she had observed a soil nailing project in progress.

Meanwhile, Associate Professor Wong Kwong Soon, Head of the Department of Civil and Construction Engineering who accompanied the students on the site visit, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaborative learning experiences his department provides its students.

“Such unique opportunities allow our students to witness first-hand the practical challenges and considerations involved in civil engineering projects. The integration of site visits and hands-on experiences provides students with a unique advantage, preparing them for the challenges and opportunities that await them in the professional world,” he said.

Curtin Malaysia offers Curtin’s Bachelor of Engineering in Civil and Construction Engineering, which equips students with the knowledge and skills to apply scientific and technological principles to the design and construction of various types of infrastructure. It is a four-year honours course double-accredited by Engineers Australia (EA) and the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM).

For more information on Curtin Malaysia, visit www.curtin.edu.my or look for Curtin Malaysia on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn or TikTok.

Ir Yii and Assoc Prof Wong (centre) pose for group photo with the students and PPKS staff at the project site.

Ir Yii explaining the process of soil nailing construction to the students