KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 – Institut Sultan Iskandar, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (ISI-UTM), has partnered with Belati Wangsa (M) Sdn. Bhd. on an innovative project aimed at transforming Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP), which consists of waste materials derived from the milling process of pavement surfaces. This project aims to revolutionise sustainable materials in road construction and maintenance by focusing on reducing the use of virgin materials, energy, and waste, while maintaining the quality of the pavement.
Belati Wangsa has committed to providing a research consultancy fund of RM535,410.00, along with more than RM76,000 to cover postgraduate tuition for five engineers from the company who are pursuing their Master’s and Doctor of Philosophy degrees at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM).
Commenting on the collaboration, Professor Dr. Mohd Shafry Mohd Rahim, UTM Vice Chancellor, stated, “Sustainable road maintenance is an exciting area of growth in the construction industry. Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) has seen widespread application in asphalt pavement construction and maintenance, demonstrating cost-effectiveness over virgin hot mix asphalt (HMA).”
Mohamad Akmal Johari, Director of Belati Wangsa (M) Sdn. Bhd. expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, saying, “We are delighted to collaborate with UTM researchers to develop sustainable and promising pavement maintenance technology that minimises the use of natural resources and reduces material transportation. This initiative aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in road maintenance operations and support carbon-neutral initiatives within the Malaysian construction industry. Our extensive experience in road maintenance drives us to explore innovative, high-impact technological solutions that prioritise quality, enhance public well-being, and deliver meaningful returns to the government. This initiative reflects Belati Wangsa’s commitment to quality, sustainability, and excellence in developing Malaysia’s road infrastructure.”
Associate Professor Dr. Sarajul Fikri Mohamed, UTM Project Leader and construction economics expert, noted, “From a whole life cycle costing (WLCC) perspective, the benefits of sustainable reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) are just one aspect of the total economic and environmental impacts. The WLCC methodology quantifies and compares cash flows throughout the lifecycle of a pavement, from cradle to grave. Cash flows can occur not only during the production and transportation phases but also during construction, maintenance, usage, and end-of-life recycling phases.”
UTM, through researchers from the Construction Economics, Law and Policy (CELP) Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying, as well as the Pavement and Transportation Research Group (PTRG) Faculty of Civil Engineering, is contributing expertise in developing road engineering innovations utilising milling waste. They are also working on a comprehensive life cycle cost model for road engineering projects using locally developed material innovations and technology in collaboration with Belati Wangsa. The research product currently under development will be jointly patented by UTM and Belati Wangsa (M) Sdn. Bhd.