Sains Malaysiana 49(3)(2020): 471-481

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2020-4903-02

Characterization and Impact of Peat Fires on Stabilization of Tropical Lowland Peats in Banting, Selangor, Malaysia

(Pencirian dan Impak Kebakaran Gambut kepada Penstabilan Gambut Tropika di Banting, Selangor, Malaysia)

AZLAN SHAH NERWAN SHAH¹*, KHAIRUL AZLAN MUSTAPHA¹ & ROSLAN HASHIM²

¹Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50600 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory, Malaysia

²Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50600 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory, Malaysia

Received: 17 April 2019/Accepted: 23 November 2019

ABSTRACT

Peat soil is a representative material of soil and well known as rich in organic matters, high compressibility, high porosity and low shear strength. During dry seasons, peat lands will lose lots of water and potentially turn into a tinderbox bringing in fires. When peat forest fires happen, it prompts degradation of humic-rich organic matter eventually reduce the stability of peat soil. The impacts of peat fire on peat soil from degraded area in Banting, Selangor, Peninsular Malaysia, were investigated through the field identification, physical and engineering properties through burnt peat site. The Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) result shows the burnt peat soil gained in strength that strongly related to the binder and filler dosage, moisture content of peat and curing time. The value of UCS strength increased with the gain of moisture content of peat samples but the strength tends to decrease when the moisture content exceeds certain point. The organic material changed its physical and chemical structure resulting from the fire event, thus, the capability of the soil to hold water particles is reducing and yielded higher UCS strength of cement-peat-stabilization. The most important geotechnical aspects of peat that have effect on stabilization process are natural water content, humification grade, ash content, and pH value. The results also suggested that lateral variation within the peat basin indirectly affects the strength of cement-peat-stabilization. The strength of burnt peat can be considerably improved by stabilization and support the concept of Air Curing Technique.

Keywords: Air Curing Technique; cement-peat-stabilization; lateral variation; peat fires, Unconfined Compressive Strength

ABSTRAK

Tanah gambut adalah bahan wakil untuk tanah dan dikenali sebagai tanah yang mempunyai kandungan organik yang tinggi, kebolehmampatan tinggi, keporosan yang tinggi dan kekuatan ricih yang rendah. Ketika musim kemarau atau kering berlaku, tanah gambut akan kehilangan banyak kandungan air dan boleh menjadi ‘bom masa’ yang membawa kepada kebakaran. Ketika kebakaran hutan gambut berlaku, ia segera mendegradasi humik kaya bahan organik yang akhirnya mengurangkan kestabilan tanah. Kesan kebakaran gambut di tanah gambut dari kawasan terdegradasi di Banting, Selangor, Semenanjung Malaysia telah dikaji melalui pencirian lapangan, sifat fiziko-kimia dan kejuruteraan melalui kawasan tapak gambut terbakar. Hasil ujian Mampatan Tidak Terkurung (UCS) menunjukkan kekuatan sampel tanah gambut adalah saling berkaitan dengan pengikat dan dos pengisi, kandungan kelembapan gambut dan masa pengawetan. Nilai kekuatan UCS meningkat dengan peningkatan kandungan kelembapan sampel gambut tetapi kekuatannya mulai menurun apabila kandungan kelembapan melebihi titik tertentu. Struktur fizikal dan kimia bahan organik telah berubah akibat daripada kejadian kebakaran, justeru, keupayaan tanah untuk memegang zarah air berkurang dan menghasilkan kekuatan UCS yang lebih tinggi dalam penstabilan simen-gambut. Aspek geoteknikal yang paling penting dalam memberi kesan kepada proses penstabilan adalah kandungan air semula jadi, gred humifikasi, kandungan abu dan nilai pH. Hasil keputusan juga mencadangkan bahawa variasi mendatar dalam lembangan gambut secara tidak langsung mempengaruhi kekuatan penstabilan-simen-gambut. Kekuatan sampel tanah gambut terbakar dapat dikuatkan dengan kaedah penstabilan dan menyokong konsep Teknik Pengawetan Kering.

Kata kunci: Kebakaran gambut; mampatan tidak terkurung; penstabilan-simen-gambut; variasi mendatar; Teknik Pengawetan Kering

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*Corresponding author; email: azlansnerwans92@gmail.com