SES-VIII Intra - University Competition 2023

The Structural Earthquake Stability 8.0 (SES-VIII) Intra-University Competition 2023 was held at Sungai Long Campus on 1 July 2023. It was jointly organised by The Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM) Student Section, Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Student Chapter, and the Department of Civil Engineering of Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science (LKC FES).

Sponsored by IJM and NS BlueScope Lysaght Malaysia Sdn Bhd, the competition’s primary objective was to increase awareness among undergraduates about the significance of seismic design. Through this competition, the participants had the opportunity to deepen their understanding of theories and concepts related to seismic design, as well as to develop their skills in formulating practical solutions. The competition also aimed to foster a culture of creativity and innovation in the field of structural earthquake stability research, thus recognising its vital role in contributing to the betterment of society.

Present at the opening ceremony were UTAR President Ir Prof Dato’ Dr Ewe Hong Tat, Civil Engineering Department Head Ir Ts Dr Yip Chun Chieh, Structural Earthquake Stability Competition 8.0 Advisor Dr Ong Chuan Fang, LKC FES Deputy Dean for Student Development and Industrial Training Assoc Prof Ts Dr Lee Kim Yee, IJM Corporation Berhad Human Resource Manager Kenny Chin, Organising Chairperson Yong Ling, and SES Intra-University Competition 2023 judges Ir Ts Dr Lau See Hung, Dr Woon Kai Siong and Senior Engineer of IJM Mohamad Faizal bin Nurddin.

Prof Dato’ Ewe delivering his speech

Prof Dato’ Ewe seize the opportunity to extend his heartfelt gratitude to the sponsors, especially IJM and NS BlueScope Lysaght Malaysia Sdn Bhd, for their invaluable contributions and support to our students in ensuring the success of this event. He said, “This competition provides students with a unique platform to apply knowledge, skills, and ingenuity in designing engineering structures that can withstand simulated earthquakes. By participating in this competition, you are contributing to the pursuit of solutions that can mitigate the destructive impact of earthquakes. I firmly believe that the knowledge and skills gained from this competition will prove valuable in the future.”

 

Yong thanking the sponsors, faculty, committee members, guests, and participants for the support

Yong expressed her gratitude towards the sponsors, LKC FES, committee members, and guests for coming. She also thanked the participants for joining the competition. She also explained the aim of the competition, which is to serve as a platform for participants to polish their soft skills, and to apply knowledge learned in class; as well as to raise awareness among the participants about the relevance of seismic design.

Kenny Chin delivering his speech

Kenny Chin also delivered his speech, and mentioned that, IJM is excited to support this competition, and hoped that there will be more to come. He also mentioned that, through the competition, participants were able to apply their knowledge learnt in class in real-life settings, and that this competition served as a catalyst to foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, and allow creativity to flow. He ended his speech with a short IJM corporate video.

From Left: Yong, Dr Yip, Kenny Chin, Prof Dato’ Ewe, Dr Lee and Dr Ong

Participants constructing their respective models

In the competition, participants were required to build their model within three and a half hours by utilising the materials given, in compliance with the assigned theme and feature. The constructed model will first be checked for any violation of rules and regulations before they were tested on an earthquake simulation shake table, and evaluated by the judges based on its earthquake sustainability. There were seven levels altogether, and each level will be tested for 45 seconds.

Dr Ong commending participants for their excellent work

Dr Ong commended all the participants for their effort and performance in the competition. He also thanked all the committee members for their efforts in finding funds and overcoming challenges and barriers. Lastly, he wished the winners all the best in representing the university in the Inter-University Competition next week and hoped that there will be more competitions like this in the future.

The winning teams in the competition

Congratulations to the champion, first runner-up, and second-runner up. These three teams will represent UTAR at the SES Inter-University Competition 2023