The introduction of Building Information Modelling (BIM) in Malaysia has been fairly recent and is gaining popularity. Although most literature have been focused on the adoption and application of BIM in Malaysia construction industry, the effectiveness of BIM has not been investigated. This study aims to investigate the influence of BIM on the Malaysian construction industry. A qualitative approach was taken and interviews were conducted with professionals with prior knowledge in both the construction industry and BIM. Information obtained from the interviews was used to identify and categorise the determining factors. It was found that the application of BIM in Malaysian construction industry is somehow not fully effective in terms of time and cost, owing to the absence of standards in modelling and the frequent request for design changes. However, the results also show that BIM in Malaysia has the potential to be as effective as other developed countries if the major problems addressed being solved.

Landslides are one of the most important geohazards. In 2004–2016, more than 55,000 people lost their lives to landslides and this does not include deaths caused by seismically triggered landslides. Overall losses were estimated to be at USD 20 billion annually. The lives of many could be saved if more had been known regarding forecasting and mitigation. Studies have shown an increasing trend in landslides occurrence and fatalities. Over recent years, landslide risk assessment has been carried out extensively by geo-scientists worldwide. This review concentrates on the societal risks posed by landslides in various countries and the risk criteria used by various parts of the world in assessing landslide risks. The landslide risk tolerance criteria are strongly governed by utilitarian concerns i.e. financial power and the need for development. In developing countries, surprisingly high levels of tolerance are proposed for landslides. The risk criteria of Hong Kong and that of the Australian Geomechanics Society are widely employed in many countries. Although various risk tolerance levels have been proposed by various nations, many of them are still not being applied in their real-life scenarios. The procedures for setting risk criteria call for a wide agreement between geo-scientists, government decision makers, and the community. Risk criteria should be developed locally with historical landslide inventory, public perception, and engineering aspects being considered.

Deep Soil Mix (DSM) is a proven method of ground improvement for deeper underlying soft soil layers which are otherwise impractical to reach using conventional shallow soil stabilization and replacement methods. The predominant binder materials used are Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and Lime (CaO) but negative effects to the environment from manufacture and increasing construction cost have prompted research into alternative materials. This review identifies pozzolans and filler materials as possible supplements or partial substitutes for better results. The DSM method and binder reaction processes during treated soil strength development are outlined and effectiveness of different pozzolans (Fly Ash, Silica Fume, Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag, Rice Husk Ash, Kaolin, and Metakaolin) and filler materials (e.g. fine sand) discussed together with their influence factors. With many pozzolans, a clear optimum dosage is observed where improved strength peaks. Aluminosilicate pozzolans perform better over siliceous pozzolans with Metakaolin (MK) identified as the most effective pozzolan for enhancing compressive strength. Up to date research results on these materials are compiled. MK blended cements are readily available and can be readily applied for initial field tests. Treated soil strength may be regulated with addition of filler materials to further reduce reliance on cement.

The durability of asphaltic mixtures, in addition to traffic loading, is greatly influenced by the extremes environmental parameters. For instance, at higher temperatures, bitumen becomes soft, thereby reducing the stiffness of asphalt mixtures and making them vulnerable to rutting. On the other hand, at lower temperatures, the stiffness of bitumen is increased, reducing the flexibility of asphaltic concrete and rendering it prone to fatigue failure. Therefore, this evaluation is an extensive research study on the durability of binder and asphalt mixture with their phenomena. Besides that, this paper intends to delve into the various testing methods and measures adopted to evaluate aging and slowing it down. It also presents a critical review of these methods and proposes a future course of action to better address aging issues. According to the evaluation, the behavior of bitumen on the basis of its source varies; when it is mixed with bitumen modifiers, aggregates, and other filler materials, its behavior becomes even more complex. Hence the understanding of the phenomenon of aging is important and the significance cannot be overemphasized. Extensive research work has been done over the last seven decades to evolve the understanding of short- and long-term aging and to improve the durability of asphaltic mixtures. Generally, the aging of bitumen under the influence of both environment and traffic is irreversible as well as inevitable. Apart from entailing hefty maintenance budgets, it remains a challenge to the researchers to slow down aging.

Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and Lime (CaO) have traditionally been used as binder materials for Deep Soil Mix (DSM) ground improvement. Research has been conducted into possible alternatives such as pozzolans to reduce reliance on either cement or lime. However, pozzolans still undergo similar calcium-based reactions in the strengthening process. In this review, further alternative binder materials for soil strength development are explored. These recent developments include fiber reinforcement materials, alkali activation methods, nanomaterials and geopolymers, which can potentially achieve equal or improved performance. Research to date has shown that alkali-activated materials and geopolymers can be equivalent or superior alternatives to pozzolanic supplemented cement binders. The case is made for GP cements which potentially produces 80% less CO2 than conventional portland cement during manufacture. One-part AAM and GP cements are a promising substitute for portland cement in DSM. A combined approach which incorporates both Ca and alkali activated/geopolymer types of materials and hence reactions is proposed.

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The use of piled raft foundation in building and infrastructure constructions is increasingly popular because of its effectiveness in reducing overall and differential settlements. Parameters influencing the performance of the piled raft foundation need to be comprehended in order to optimize the design of the piled raft system. Most of the current available literature focused on the piled raft foundation subjected to a uniform distributed load in sandy material. This parametric study aims to provide insights into the performance of the piled raft foundations subjected to concentrated loading in clay. A series of 2D finite element analyses were performed to investigate the influencing parameters affecting the load distribution and settlement behaviour of the piled raft. The results suggested that increases in both pile length and raft thickness, as well as a decrease in pile spacing would reduce the differential settlement of the piled raft. Comparatively, raft thickness was the most significant controlling parameter affecting the differential settlement. The study also revealed the importance of placing the pile nearer to the location of concentrated load as it would yield a more uniform load distribution, and hence a lower differential settlement.