KUALA LUMPUR, 28 March 2013: – UniversitiTeknologi Malaysia was announced as the recipient of CIDB MCIEA Special award under the innovation category at the glamorous Malaysian Construction Innovation Excellence Award, MCIEA, 2013 ceremony. The event was held at KLCC Convention centre in conjunction with the CIDB International Construction Week, ICW 2013.
The award was given to UTM-Faculty of Civil Engineering (UTM-FKA) delegation for their accomplishment in the International Demonstration of Earthquake Engineering Competition (IDEERS 2012) held last year in Taipei, Taiwan. The competition was organised by National Centre for Research on Earthquake Engineering (NCREE) Taiwan and British Council.
UTM-FKA has successfully bagged three awards under postgraduate category in IDEERS 2012 including 1st runner up and best engineering design for their stunning energy dissipating system known as B-DNA damper designed by Assoc. Prof. Dr NorhazilanMd Noor, Lim Kar Sing, RosilawatiMohdRasol, SitiNorFariza and LibriatiZadasti.
The system was purposely designed for IDEERS 2012 competition to minimise seismic effect on the structure model during the shaking test. The model is considered to be innovative because in the huge volume of friction area and the 3-dimensional helix shape of the system. Throughout the IDEERS 2012 competition, the system was proven capable to increase the flexibility of the structure, reduce torsion, improve structure comfortability and increase vertical load capacity. The decision by eminent CIDB selection committee was based on the international recognition, novelty and uniqueness of the innovation, systematic and detail experimental and theoretical testing for performance verification, practicality and applicability of the innovation, measurability of the benefit of the innovation and significant impact to the community or organisation.
Vice Chancellor of UTM, Prof. Dato’ Seri Ir. Dr.ZainiUjang, accompanied by Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research & Innovation) Prof. Ir. Dr.AzraaiKassim, Prof. Dr.Shahrin Mohammad, Prof. Dr NordinYahaya and the IDEERS 2012 team members were present at the award ceremony to receive the prestigious award. The MCIEA award has strengthened UTM reputation as the leader of innovation culture in the country. UTM-FKA had also previously won the 2009 MCIEA R&D Project of The Year award and 2010 MCIEA Innovation award for outstanding achievements by Prof Dr MuhdZaimiAbdMajid and Assoc. Prof. Dr Ahmad Baharuddin respectively.