Page 10 - BULETIN GEOTEKNIK 2023

Innovation Of Lightweight Material For Ground

Improvement – Exploring the Intricacies of

Geopolymatress within the JKR Experience

Penulis: Nur Hazirah binti Abu Salim & Suwarna a/p Subramania

ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT

Modern industrialisation and the advancement of high technology have advanced human material

civilization as an entire entity. Though to varying degrees, our own environment is being harmed.

Resource scarcity and environmental deterioration are currently the key obstacles to the rapid

advancement of global economic stability. We must conserve energy and enhance the environment to

achieve the strategic goal of continuous development. This ground improvement method has a

significantly lower environmental impact than other ground improvement methods.

JKR has progressed beyond its traditional scope by adopting new technologies and innovation in their

projects. Creative application of diverse ground improvement techniques has already produced

observable advantages for completed projects, such as the project of “Pembinaan Jalan Baru dari

Bagan Sungai Pinang ke Kampung Pulau Betong, Balik Pulau, Pulau Pinang”. Prefabricated EPS Coated

Polyurethane Foam (Geopolymatress) was introduced to reduce the overburden pressure for

construction of embankments at CH4730 to CH4780 where transition approaches (culvert) take place.

Transition approaches have always experienced discomfort and hump since the ground settled where

the sand fill migrated into the voids beneath these piled structures. These issues lead to a high cost of

maintenance work where resurface and regulate the undulating of the road pavement need to be

carried out regularly.

DEFINITION
DEFINITION

Soft ground is typically referred as low shear strength soil foundation and requiring ground

improvements work to be executed. Geopolymatress was utilised as a proposed remedial measure for

the failing embankment founded on soft ground at project of “Pembinaan Jalan Baru dari Bagan Sungai

Pinang ke Kampung Pulau Betong, Balik Pulau, Pulau Pinang”. The Geopolymatress, is a lightweight

mattress innovations used for ground rehabilitation of existing depressed roads as well as for the

construction of new roads or highways. It is an environmentally friendly substance used to maintain and

stabilise the soil beneath new embankments and structures. It is also frequently utilised as an

alternative to soil settlement prevention and solution. The goal of this method is to provide buoyancy to

the overburden and prevent soft ground

settling because the soft ground is typically

fully saturated. As a result, the lightweight

quality aid in the reduction of surplus pore

water pressure caused by overburden

pressure, which then becomes uplift

pressure or buoyant force to maintain

the lightweight material as shown in

Figure 1.

Figure 1: Concept of Geopolymatress Construction for

8 New Roads