ISSUES AND CHALLENGES IN CONSTRUCTION OF ROLLER COMPACTED CONCRETE DAM IN MALAYSIA

ASSRUL REEDZA BIN ZULKIFLI

A project report submitted in partial fulfilment of the

requirements for the award of the degree of

Master of Science (Construction Management)

Faculty of Civil Engineering

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

JUNE 2013

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DEDICATION;

My beloved parents and family,

&

Norleen Fariza

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Alhamdulillah, thank you Allah (Sub‟hanahuWata‟alah) Who create us, give

us life, wisdom, strength, protection, guidance, and made it possible for successful

completion of my program. I would first and foremost render my appreciation to my

parents, En. Zulkifli bin Md. Naim and Pn. Maznah binti Darus who were the

strength of my life.

I would also like to acknowledge the effort and assistance of my supervisor

Mr. Abdul Rahim bin Abdul Hamid for the encouragement, advice and guidance

which helped me in understanding my research and gave me the opportunity to

expand my views to pursue this research up to this stage.

Unforgotten to all the respondent who are willing to be the participate in this

study. Your cooperation is really appreciated. I will not forget all your kindness and

thank you very much.

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ABSTRACT

Rapid and economical construction are among numerous advantages of the

construction of roller compacted concrete (RCC) dam compared to conventional

dam. However, the complex process of RCC dam construction is facing difficulties

due to lack of understanding and involvement from the local construction player

since this type of construction in Malaysia is still new. Therefore, the objectives of

this study is to examine the process of RCC dam construction and the issues and

challenges during construction stage of RCC dam project in Malaysia. The study on

the literature of RCC dam construction was performed to get the real view on the

construction process of such project. The expert panel interview was conducted to

get the view on RCC dam construction. Panel interview result was analysed and

relate it to the literature to gather the process of RCC dam construction, and to

further capture the issue and challenges of RCC dam construction. The results show

that the main construction processes consists of determination of mix design, RCC

production and RCC placement. Major issues and challenges in RCC dam

construction was to place a high volume of RCC and to ensure the quality of RCC

placement. Those issue and challenges during construction stage was overcome by

controlling the temperature during RCC placement.

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ABSTRAK

Tempoh pembinaan yang singkat dan pantas dan kos pembinaan yang rendah

adalah antara kelebihan pembinaan empangan konkrit termampat (empangan RCC)

berbanding empangan konvensional. Walau bagaimanapun, proses pembinaan

empangan RCC yang kompleks, menyebabkan kesukaran dalam pembinaan projek

seumpama ini di Malaysia. Ini kerana kurangnya pemahaman dan penglibatan dari

pemain industri pembinaan tempatan dalam projek empangan RCC disebabkan jenis

pembinaan ini masih baru di Malaysia. Objektif kajian ini adalah untuk mengkaji

proses pembinaan empangan RCC dan mengenal pasti isu-isu dan cabaran semasa

peringkat pembinaan projek empangan RCC di Malaysia. Kajian literatur mengenai

pembinaan empangan RCC di buat untuk mendapatkan gambaran sebenar mengenai

proses pembinaan projek itu. Temubual dengan pakar dalam pembinaan empangan

RCC telah dijalankan untuk mendapatkan data utama dalam kajian ini. Keputusan

temu bual pakar dianalisis dan dikaitkan dengan literatur untuk mendapatkan

keputusan proses pembinaan empangan RCC, dan untuk mengenalpasti isu-isu dan

cabaran dalam pembinaan empangan RCC. Keputusan menunjukkan, proses utama

pembinaan empangan RCC adalah terdiri daripada penentuan campuran konkrit

(RCC), pengeluaran campuran RCC dan penempatan campuran RCC. Isu dan

cabaran utama dalam pembinaan empangan RCC ialah jumlah campuran RCC yang

tinggi diperlukan untuk membentuk empangan dan untuk memastikan kualiti semasa

kerja-kerja penempatan RCC dijalankan. Pengawalan suhu semasa proses

penempatan RCC adalah salah satu cara mengatasi isu dan cabaran tersebut.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER TITLE

PAGE

DECLAIRATION

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABSTRACT

ABSTRAK

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES

LIST OF FIGURES

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

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iii

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v

vi

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x

xi

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1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Study Background

1.2 Problem Statement

1.3 Aim and Objectives

1.4 Scope and Limitation of Study

1.5 Significant of Study

1.6 Arrangement of the Report

1

1

2

4

4

5

5

2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Advantage of Roller Compacted Concrete dam

2.3 Definition of Roller Compacted Concrete Dam

2.4 RCC Mixture

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7

8

9

11

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2.5 Design and Construction Consideration

2.6 Properties of RCC Dam

2.7 Construction Method and Equipment

2.7.1 RCC Production

2.7.2 RCC transportation

2.7.3 RCC Placement at Dam Site

2.7.4 Lift Surface

2.7.5 Grout Enriched Roller Compacted concrete

2.7.6 Foundation Preparation

2.8 Issue and Challenges

2.8.1 Site Condition

2.8.2 During Construction Stage

2.8.3 Requirement of Temperature Control

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4

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Data Collection

3.3 Interview Design

3.4 Data Analysis

3.5 Respondent for Interview

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Background of Respondent and Answer

4.3 Interview Data Analysis

4.4 Background of RCC dam in Malaysia

4.5 Construction Process of RCC dam

4.5.1 Determination of RCC mix

4.5.2 Aggregates Production

4.5.3 Foundation Preparation

4.5.4 Diversion Culvert and River Diversion

4.5.5 RCC mix production

4.5.5.1 Trial Embankment

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5

4.5.6 RCC Placement Works

4.5.6.1 Placement Preparation

4.5.6.2 Surface Preparation

4.5.6.3 Transport, Spread and Compact

4.5.6.4 GERCC Application

4.5.6.5 Transverse joint, Drain hole and Water

Stop

4.5.6.6 RCC Curing

4.5.7 Laboratory Testing and Quality Control

4.5.8 Instrumentation Works

4.6 Issues and Challenges of RCC dam construction

4.6.1 General Issues and Challenges

4.6.2 Technical Issues and Challenges-Refer to

construction process

4.6.2.1 Determination of RCC mix

4.6.2.2 Aggregates production

4.6.2.3 Foundation preparation

4.6.2.4 RCC placement

4.6.2.5 High volume of RCC placement

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Conclusions

5.3 Limitation of Study

5.4 Recommendation for Further Research

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82 - 84

REFERENCES

APPENDIX A

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LIST OF TABLES

TABLE NO. TITLE PAGE

4.1

4.2

4.3

4.4

4.5

4.6

Respondent interview session

Interview question and answer

Laboratory testing and quality control for the RCC dam

Instrument installed at Batu Hampar dam

General issue and challenges and solution at Batu

Hampar dam

Technical issues and challenges and solution at Batu

Hampar dam

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38 - 43

65 - 66

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69

70

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LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE NO. TITLE PAGE

2.1

2.2

2.3

2.4

2.5

2.6

2.7

2.8

3.1

4.1

4.2

4.3

4.4

4.5

4.6

4.7

4.8

4.9

Comparison RCC dam and other type of dam

RCC dam at Kinta dam

RCC production plant- continuous pugmill type

Conveyor System with mobile side discharge belt

Typical work layout for the RCC placement operation

Equipment used for spreading and compaction of RCC

dam

GERCC application using pocker vibrator at Kinta dam

Typical RCC dam construction process

Research methodology flow chart

View of RCC dam taken from as-built drawing of Batu

Hampar dam

Section view of Batu Hampar dam

Work Breakdown Structure of RCC dam construction

RCC foundation preparation at Batu Hampar dam

Portable drilling machine for foundation grouting

works

Remove overburden and rock scaling works at the river

portion

RCC Production Plant- Continuous Pugmill

Routine of RCC placement

Carpenter are fixing the formworks at upstream of the

dam

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11

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22

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32

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4.10

4.11

4.12

4.13

4.14

4.15

4.16

4.17

4.18

4.19

Concrete block are arrange across the dam to form

downstream step

Dump truck was used to transport RCC mix direct to

dam site

Conveyor system used to Transport RCC Mix direct to

dam site

RCC placement routine works

Applying GERCC at upstream face of RCC

Smooth finishing at upstream of the dam

Water stop, drain hole and transverse joint location

Transverse joint installation

Vebe test equipment

Installation of instrumentation at Batu Hampar dam

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

ACI - America Concrete Institute

ASTM - American Standard Testing Material

GERCC - Grout Enriched Roller Compacted Concrete

RCC - Roller Compacted Concrete

USACE - United State Army Corps of Engineer

  

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Study Background

Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) has been rapidly developed over the past

40 years and commonly used for gravity dam application. Willow Creek Dam at

Willow Creek was the first Roller Compacted Concrete Dam in history which was

constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers between November 1981 and February

1983. There are numerous advantages of roller compacted concrete dam compared to

conventional dam has lead to the acceptance of this type of dam technology is and

are being used extensively in China, Japan, Spain, Brazil and elsewhere in Asia and

Southeast Asia.

In Malaysia, the first dam project which adopted RCC technology is Kinta

Dam was completed in March 2006. RCC dam is new to Malaysia construction

industry and the understanding on the construction of this type of dam is still at the

beginning stage. The local construction player such as a local consultant and

contractor has limited knowledge about RCC dam construction which leads to the

RCC dam construction in Malaysia facing many difficulties.

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The process of construction of RCC dam is complex should be taken as a

positive challenge to the construction industries in Malaysia. Rapid and cheaper

construction are among the numerous advantage of constructing this type of dam.

The construction industry stakeholder such as the government need to benefit from

the numerous advantages which can give a significant impact to economy,

environment and social.

1.2 Problem Statement

RCC dam has numerous advantages over a conventional dam such as rapid

construction period and cheaper construction. The history of RCC technology began

in 1970 and from there on many of RCC dam projects were constructed in China,

Japan, Spain, Brazil and elsewhere including Southeast Asia.

For the large gravity dams, the projects can easily attract the big and well

known heavy and civil engineering contractors who were successful in applying their

overall construction knowledge in working with RCC dam. Today many of the

gravity dam projects require some degree of prequalification for contractors (Bass,

2004). Allen (1992) has state that in his article title RCC dam construction. A

contractor's view, construction team must be more than technically skilled and

experience to manage RCC dam project.

The first RCC dam project in Malaysia was Kinta dam situated in Ipoh and it

was constructed by Japanese contractor (Hazama Corporation) which was completed

in 2007. In 2008, Batu Hampar dam project then becomes the second RCC dam

project in Malaysia. “Dekon Sendirian Berhad” (Dekon), the local contractor who

had no previous experience of RCC dams was selected to construct the dam. The

government intention to develop local knowledge or expertise of RCC instead of

3  

recourse to international contractor was the main reason why Dekon was selected to

undertake that project (Wagner, 2011).

Based on the above fact, RCC dam was considered new to the Malaysian

construction industry. Hence, the understanding and involvement from the local

construction players were still at the beginning stage. The construction personnel

such as engineer, supervisor, technician and even the general workers have very

limited knowledge, skills and experiences on the RCC dam project that lead to the

construction of RCC dam in Malaysia facing many issues and challenges both in the

technical and management aspects during construction. According to Bass (2004),

during the early years of RCC projects, even contractors had little to no experience

working with RCC.

By referring to real situation on construction of RCC in Malaysia, therefore

there is need to develop knowledge on construction of RCC dams among the local

construction industries player in order to benefit from the numerous advantage of

RCC dam construction. Refereed journals that discuss about the design aspect of

RCC dam are there, but not many report about the issues and challenges faced by the

construction team during construction period. Hence, there is a need to capture the

knowledge of RCC dam construction in term of process, issue and challenges during

construction stage.

This study will serve as an avenue for further understanding on construction

of RCC dam among the local construction industry players.

4  

1.3 Aim and Objectives

The aim of this master project is to explore the construction process of the

Roller Compacted Concrete dam project in Malaysia. To achieve this aim, the

objectives of the study are as follows:

1. To examine the process of the construction of RCC dam

2. To identify the issue and challenges in construction of RCC dam

3. To investigate how certain issues and challenges were overcome during

construction stage

1.4 Scope and Limitation of Study

Scope of this study will focus on the perspective on construction of RCC dam

project during construction stage. The study only covers the physical construction

works in RCC dam construction project. The construction of RCC dam in Malaysia

is chosen as suitable case study due to the fact that only recently Malaysia has

adopted the RCC dam technology in the construction of the dam project.

Batu Hampar dam project will be used as a main case study to fulfil the aim

and objectives of this study. The respondents are chosen from the construction

personnel who were involved in the Batu Hampar and Kinta dam project which

consist of the professional and semi professional individuals.

The literatures search indicated a few study about the specific design aspect

of RCC dam construction project in term of the behaviour, characteristics and

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performance of the RCC dam. However, the study on RCC dam construction in

Malaysia is not commonly covered by the refereed journals.

1.5 Significant of Study

The understanding and involvement from the local construction player on

construction of RCC dam is still at the beginning stage. To benefit from the

numerous advantage of RCC dam construction, there is need to develop knowledge

on construction of RCC dams among the local construction industries player. The

study will serve as an avenue for further understanding on construction of RCC dam

among the construction industries player. Throughout this study, the knowledge of

RCC dam construction in term of process, issue and challenges during construction

stage will be exposing to the public and the construction industries player can benefit

from it.

1.6 Arrangement of the Report

This master project report consists of five (5) chapters which are the

introduction, literature review, methodology, result and discussion, and conclusion.

Introduction chapter describes the background and the need to study the RCC dam

construction in Malaysia.

The literature review chapter describes the definition, characteristic and

process of RCC dam construction which was gathered from various sources such as

books, conference journal, engineering manual, journal paper and from the author

6  

personal document. Most of refereed journals on this study matters come from the

various author who are experienced in RCC dam construction in others country

including Malaysia.

Research methodology chapter explains the methods used to conduct this

study which is taken from the author’s experience in RCC dam construction, expert

panel interview and supported with the refereed literature.

The interview data (primary data) and the literature review (secondary data)

was analysed and the results are discussed in Result and Discussion chapter. Then,

the conclusions are made based on each of the objectives of this study as described in

conclusion chapter.

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Bass, R. P. (1991). Alternative Dam Construction Techniques. Proceedings of the

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