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1.0 INTRODUCTION

The construction industry is one of the most dynamic, risky, challenging and rewarding
fields. It involves numerous uncertainties and widely associated with a high degree of risk
due to the nature of construction business activities, processes, environment and
organization (N.A. and S.A., Kartam, 2001).

Based on the report by CIDB (2000), it also underlines the contributions from the
construction sector are more than just economic, the products of construction whether
directly or indirectly through provision of superior infrastructure and buildings has contributed
extensively towards the creation of wealth and quality of life of the population. The activities
generated from the construction activities will in turn generate the productivity of other
industries, resulting in a well-balance economy in our country.

“The school infrastructure development plans will be reviewed to ensure that the
educational system in the country is more holistic as is the case in developed countries. The
review of the schools' design could result in cost savings of between 20 and 30 per cent and
the money saved can be utilised for infrastructure development for the students and
teachers," said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (News Sraits Time
2010/01/07).

The Industrialized Building Systems (IBS) has the known theoretical advantages of
speed, safety and quality. However, in Malaysia, wet construction method is still widely
accepted as a convention and safe option despite incurring higher cost and slow production
rate (ICCBT 2008).

From the statements above, this report will review the best the most efficient method of
construction that can reduce cost and completion time spend due to school infrastructure
such as hall, classes and teacher’s room.

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2.0 CONSTRUCTION

2.1 Introduction

Construction’s method these days is known as Modern Method Construction (MMC).

MMC consists of two parts which are Industrialised Building System (IBS) and non-
Industrialised Building System (non-IBS).

2.2 Industrialised Building System (IBS)

Fully prefabrication or namely Industrialised Building System (IBS) stated by

Construction Industrial Development Board (CIDB) as construction system which
components are manufactured in a factory, on or off site, positioned and assembled into
structures with minimal additional site work. IBS can be done in two ways, those are off-site
and on-site fabrication.

Offsite fabrication is the description of the spectrum or part there of which are
manufactured assembled remote from building site prior to installation in their find position.
Whereas all Offsite may be regarded as falling within a generic IBS heading, not all IBS may
be regarded as offsite (Gibb and Pendleton, 2006). Consists of Offsite Construction (OSC),
Offsite Manufacturing (OSM) and Offsite Production (OSP) is largely interchangeable terms
that refer to that part of the construction process that is carried out away from the building
site, such as in a factory or sometimes in specially created temporary production facilities
close to the construction site (or field factories) (Goodier and Gibb, 2006).

Pre-fabrication is a manufacturing process generally taking place at a specialised

facility, in which various material are joined to form a components part of final installation
(Tatum et al, 1986). Pre-assembly carried on a definition as a process by which various
material, pre-fabricated components and or equipment are joined together at a remote
location for subsequent installation as a sub unit. It generally focused on system. Therefore,
a generic classification of IBS term in this report is based on the following assumption
(ARCOM Conference 2009).

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Modern Method of Construction

(MMS)
Non-
Industrialised
Industrialised
Building System Building
System

Off-site Manufacturing (OSM),

On-Site Fabrication
Prefabrication, Offsite Fabrication
(OSF), Offsite Production (OSP)

Pre-assembly at
Assembly on site
Factory

Figure 2.2.1: Generic classification in MMS

2.3 Construction using IBS

2.3.1 Low cost construction

→ Site clearance to the chosen space

Figure 2.3.1.1: Site clearance

→ Excavate pit to receive footing (size varies to varies project). Each footing must be on
the same level to provide a stable base. Footing then concreted.

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Figure 2.3.1.2: Excavate pit

Column attached to the footing.

Figure 2.3.1.3: Attachment of the column

→ Initial wall set to the column after cross bar fix through the column.

Figure 2.3.1.4: The wall is set to the column

→ Another cross bar fix by drilling to bind the wall to the column.

Figure 2.3.1.5: The crossbar is fixed to combine the wall and the column

→ Wall to receive window and door been set and bind by the cross bar.

Figure 2.3.1.6: The wall is fixed to receive doors and windows

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→ Fix the ventilation wall.

Figure 2.3.1.7: The ventilation wall is fixed

→ Roof frame fixed to the column and beam.

Figure 2.3.1.8: The roof frame is fixed to the column and beam

→ Installation of roof coverings including gutter and rainwater drop pipe, electric services
and appliances.

Figure 2.3.1.9: The instalment of the roof coverings

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→ Slab concreted.

Figure 2.3.1.10: The slab is concreted

→ Finishes works and site cleaning.

Figure 2.3.1.11: Finishes work and site cleaning

→ Construction done and pass to the client.

Figure 2.3.1.12: The construction work is done

2.3.2 High cost construction process is same with low cost except:

→ Shuffle and distribution works for stump bases. Each stump bases that already
coordinated is concreted to avoid it from moving.

Figure 2.3.2.1: Shuffle and distribution works for stump bases

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2.4 Non-Industrialised Building System

Non-Industrialised Building System or also known as wet construction method.

Normally for school building, in-situ materials are used. Material involves consists of
concrete (mixed of cement, aggregates, sand and admixtures), reinforcement (high tensile
and mild steel) either bar or fabric, bricks and etc. Divided into elemental works of
construction such as foundation, building frame, wall, roof, building services and appliances,
electrical and mechanical works and others.

2.5 Construction using non-IBS

Foundation

→ Excavation and ground breaking including grading the lot and getting it tested for
compaction, digging trenches for footings and setting batter boards to level the house.
In this situation, footing either typed strip or pit.
→ Formwork set to the side and soffit of the foundation. All necessary support work such
as plunking and strutting must be done.
→ Reinforcement bar laid on the lean concrete inside the space provide by formwork or
mould.
→ Concrete poured to the foundation and vibrated to ensure it compacted. Initial curing
duration for the concrete is seven days.
→ Dismantle the formwork and defect works for foundation applied if necessary.

Figure 2.5.1: Slab reinforcement with wire mesh

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Ground beam

→ Excavate trench to receive ground beam.

→ Pour lean concrete to the ground to create a proper base for the beam.
→ Formwork is set to the site and soffit of the beam.

Figure 2.5.2: Section of ground beam

→ Lay reinforcement to the ground.

→ Pour concrete into provided space.
→ Curing duration is required before dismantle the formwork.

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Figure 2.5.3: Formwork is set to the site and soffit of the beam

Column

→ Reinforcement bars is connected to the starting bars from the foundation and across
the ground beam bars.
→ Set formwork to side and soffit of the column. Supported works to the formwork is
required.
→ Pour concrete to the formwork and vibrated to compact the concrete.
→ Formwork is dismantled after the column’s concrete dry and able to carry its load.

Slab

→ Excavate to receive slab.

→ Necessary works to create a proper and firm base to receive the slab is required. The
base is provided varies to the nature of soil.
→ Pour lean concrete to the ground to cover the base (hardcore) and to receive damp
proof membrane (DPM).
→ DPM lay to the lean bases horizontally while damp proof course (DPC) vertically.

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Figure 2.5.4: Section of the slab

→ Pour an inch of concrete to the DPM and DPC.

→ Place the reinforcement onto the concrete base and pour the concrete again until
required level / height.
→ Concrete slab is left to let it harden and able to carry / receive loads in several days,
depending on the weather.

Wall

→ Laying bricks from one end until reach the other end of the wall. Put a level on top of
the bricks to make sure they are even. Repeat the process on the face of the bricks to
make sure none are protruding.
→ Use mortar in between the bricks to make sure the bricks settle properly. Make sure
the mortar is laid properly so they don't jut.
→ Cut a brick in half, lengthwise, to begin and end every alternating layer. This will give
added foundation to wall.
→ Continue laying the bricks until you reach the top of the foundation wall. In between
placing layers, always use the level to check if the edges are straight and the lines are
even.

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Figure 2.5.5: Method of laying bricks

→ Inspect the mortar joints after installing five rows. If the joints were getting dry, hit them
with a joiner. Every 1 m², tie the bricks using exmet.
→ Spike metal ties into the studs of the wall. Turn the metal ties on the top of the brick.
This binds the brick wall to the attaching wall.
→ Opening for door and window been made during the construction of wall.

Figure 2.5.6: Opening for doors and windows

Roof beam

→ Set the formwork above wall (perimeter) using all necessary support work required
including scaffolding.
→ First part of concrete laid inside the formwork.
→ Placed reinforcement bar above the concrete and across the column’s reinforcement
and tied up.
→ Pour concrete to the required level and let it harden for several days.
→ Dismantle the formwork and clean the beam’s surface.

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Roof

→ Prepare wall plate to the perimeter of wall and fixed to the beam.
→ Ceiling joists set and fixed along wall plate with certain spaces / distances between
each ceiling joists.

Figure 2.5.7: The setting up of roof

→ Rafter set and fixed to each ceiling joist at certain degrees.

→ Ridge board set to connected the rafter at the rafter’s end (another rafter’s end been
fixed to the ceiling joists).
→ Hip and valley rafter fixed to the ridge and wall plate or ceiling joists (depend on its
suitability).
→ Permanent strut used to support the rafter where it fixed to the rafter and ceiling joist.
→ First layer of insulation paper lay and fixed to roof surface.
→ Wyre mesh placed above the insulation paper and tied to the roof structure.

Figure 2.5.8: Wyre mesh placed above the insulation paper and tied to the roof structure

→ Second part of insulation paper placed above the wyre mesh and tied to the roof
structure.
→ Roof tiles installed and fixed to the roof structure.
→ Apex, ridge and hip rafter tiles installed to the roof structure.
→ Fascia board installed to perimeter of the roof.
→ Gutter fixed to the fascia board.
→ All necessary piping works are installed including rain water down pipe to the roof
structure.

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2.6 Benefits of IBS

Although IBS is an advance system, but there are not perfected yet because based on
current technologies or methods, we still far from the perfection of the construction method.
Hence, the benefits of IBS are:

→ The repetitive use of system formwork made up steel, aluminium, etc and scaffolding
provides considerable cost savings (Bing et al. 2001).
→ Construction operation is not affected by adverse weather condition because
prefabricated component is done in a factory controlled environment (Peng, 1986).
→ Prefabrication takes place at a centralised factory, thus reducing labour requirement at
site. This is true especially when high degree of mechanisation involved (Warszawski,
1999).
→ An industrialised building system allows for faster construction time because casting of
precast element at factory and foundation work at site can occur simultaneously. This
provides earlier occupation of the building, thus reducing interest payment or capital
outlays (Peng, 1986).
→ An industrialised building system allows flexibility in architectural design in order to
minimise the monotony of repetitive facades (Warszawski, 1999).
→ An industrialised building system provides flexibility in the design of precast element as
well as in construction so that different systems may produce their own unique
prefabrication construction methods (Zaini, 2000).
→ An industrialised building system component produces higher quality of components
attainable through careful selection of materials, use of advanced technology and strict
quality assurance control (Din, 1984).

2.7 Benefit of non-IBS

Non-IBS method more focuses on the quality of the structure itself. This quality is
important for the durability, strength and other criteria that must exist together with the
structure. The benefit of non-IBS includes:

→ Flexibility in forming shape in various design, more or less monolithic and etc.
→ Grade of concrete used can be adjusted in site due to site condition. Usually occurs in
several elements such as piling and foundation.

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→ Work done orderly by stages because of continuously in forming the elements,

especially for the building operatives. Every stage is connected. Hence, the element is
very cohesive in bond within each other.
→ It is a common method of construction used in Malaysia and wisely said that almost
every contractor can accomplish construction by doing this method.
→ Building can be extended in future. Nowadays, it is a common thing to extend the
building.
→ Looking where this method already used for a long time previously, there have been
many records on time taken to its completion, material used, flow of work on each
element or section. These records are crucial and enabled similar project to be cost
easier while giving rooms to the contractor to predict the progress of the project costly.
→ Standardisation of this method made it easier to be adapt in order to fulfil the
requirement stated in the building regulation.

2.8 Comparison between IBS and non-IBS

Comparison between IBS and non-IBS will only explained in several criteria for this
report. Those criteria are completion time or duration of construction, manpower and
machinery required for work, material available, quality of work and environment of
construction site.

Criteria IBS Non-IBS

Duration • IBS not affect by weather • Concrete need at least 28 days to gain full
condition because each part of strength (fully dry). If the weather is inconsistent,
the element is made in factory. it may further the period for concrete to gain full
It means there is no void in strength.
waiting the concrete to dry. • At least 7 days needed for concrete to able
• Hence, less time required to withstand its and minimum loads, so the next
complete each work. sequel of works must be after 7 days. These
contribute to the long period of construction
completion.
Manpower and • Less plant and labour required • Huge amount of labour and plant needed
machinery for works because all parts of (based on construction size) to perform the task.
structure are already made, Plant needed to carry and lift things, mixed the
labour’s job is minimal such as concrete and etc.
fixing the component of • Labours needed for almost each section of

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structure. works because works done manually (for

formwork, plastering and etc).
Material • This method required custom • Availability of material is high. There are many
part of the structure. It means suppliers for material required by this method.
only few supplier or contractor
are specialist for preparing the
part.
Quality • All parts are prepared off site • It is hard to maintain the quality of concrete due
(in factory) with maximum to inconsistency of weather, concrete mix,
control of quality. Quality of compaction and etc.
parts easily standardise at
factory.
Environment • Parts done off site, hence less • Every works or parts done on site for this
waste is created on site. method. It is almost impossible to perfectly
• Less material on site brings it complete each part. There must be waste
environment to easily manage produce by each work especially for concrete
and maintain its neatness. work, preparing the formwork and others. These
pollute vision of the site and automatically
reduce its safety.
• Raw material (cement, bricks, reinforcement
and etc) place on site is hard to maintain its
position / neatness.

3.0 RECOMMENDATION

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Recommendation for the school building consists of three (3) types which are store,
building for student and building for teacher.

3.1 Store

Store is used for keeping things. So the easiest way to prepare the store is using a
contenna. Usually contenna is used for temporary office at site, but here, it is modificated to
suit its function. By using a contenna as a store, the building itself can be transferred from
one place to another because it is not permanently installed at one place. Hence, it can be
moved when its current place to be used for other occasion. This modification covered:

→ Ventilation system use natural method where the contenna provided spaces for the
ventilation itself.
→ Contenna made by metals, so the temperature inside the store is high when the sun
rises. To overcome this situation, an insulation layer used to wrap certain part of the
building which can reduce the heat from sun.
→ Additional layer of floor to withstand the loads imposed from inside the building.
→ This building is constructed off site, so on site works only for preparing the base of the
building.

3.2 Building for student

When it comes to building for student, the loads imposed internally is high and
simultaneously. Things to be measured are the load imposed, safety, and maintenance
works, time taken for completion and cost. Hence, we decided to recommend building that
using partial IBS method and partial non-IBS method after accounting things to be measured
to it. Furthermore, these mix will produce huge amount of loads capability, ensure safety for
the building because it can withstand fire for a certain time, less maintenance, decrease
duration for its completion and most important is the cost which also be reduced from normal
method nowadays.

Construction processes of this mix method are:

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→ Site preparation and clearance done for selected site. This includes levelling works
(cut and fill if necessary), removing hedges, clearing undergrowth, removing trees and
stumps and excavating topsoil.
→ Excavate pit to receive foundation. Excavated materials remove from the site.
→ Set the formwork to sides and soffits of the foundation. Necessary support item such
as plunking and strutting are required.
→ Concrete blinding laid to the base to prepare a proper base.
→ Pour initial layer of concrete with thickness about 50mm.
→ Place reinforcement bar to the concreted layer of foundation.
→ Pour concrete until it reach the specific height required.
→ Dismantle the formwork after the foundation dry and able to withstand loads. Usually
takes seven days to dry, but can be reduced by using proper additional admixture.
→ Excavate trenches to receive ground beam and levelled the base of slab.
→ Formworks are set to the side and soffit of the beam.
→ Concrete blinding laid to all surface of ground beam and slab’s base.
→ Place damp proof membranes to surface of both beam and slab (DPM must be in
good condition and no tear available.
→ Pour the initial layer of concrete to the beam.
→ Place the enforcement bars onto the layer.
→ Pour concrete to reach the height of slab’s base while pour an initial layer of concrete
to the slab.
→ Place fabric reinforcement bar to slab and bind the beam’s bar to the slab’s bar.
→ Pour concrete until it reach specified level of slab.
→ Dismantle the formwork after concrete dry enough.
→ Set custom made formwork for the wall (column and wall are attached and fixed to
each other). This custom made formwork contain reinforcement link inside it in order to
omit the use of reinforcement bar and bricks. Formwork will not be dismantled because
it will become parts of the building itself and the material use is light weight concrete.
→ Pour concrete to the formwork until required height. Vibrator is used in all concrete
work to compact the wet concrete and make it denser.
→ This formwork provided along spaces or opening for doors and windows. Hence,
concrete must be poured by stages to suit the opening.
→ Roof frame structure made in factory by the manufacturer. The structure dissembles in
factory to ensure that it can be transport easily to the site. This frame is ready paint at
factory by the manufacturer.

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→ Roof frame are assemble at the site and fixed to the wall. Covering works for roof
structure done similar to the process of completing the construction of roof as shown in
the previous chapter.
→ All doors and windows are installed to the building.
→ Electrical works such as preparing the neutral spot (earthing process which buried
rods into the earth to balance the electricity), installing light, fan, sockets and all
necessary additional works done to the building.
→ All interior work including finishes and accessories done to the building.

3.3 Building for teacher

All the construction processes for this building are same with the process involved in
the student’s building. These two types of building only differ in its function (material used
inside also different such as teacher’ table and chair and the arrangements) while teacher’s
building have additional work which are mechanical work that involves in installing air-
conditioning goods.

3.4 Benefits of mix method

Mix method done in order to gain benefits that provided in both IBS and non-IBS
methods. Benefits of this mix method are:

 Time to complete the construction of building is reduced because concrete works done
in large part or section.
 Less labour required to complete the construction compare to non-IBS method.
 Quality of the concrete works mostly constant due to continuous works of its kind.
 Strength of the building increased due to the cohesiveness bond between each part or
section of building and material used for concreting.
 Durability of the building increased due to the mixture of several parts in the building
(such as slab and ground beam combine and the combination of wall and columns).
 Less cost for constructing the building based on the decrease of completion time,
labour needed and other factors as well.
 Emphasize skills in construction technologies due to the collaboration between the
methods mentioned before.

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4.0 CONCLUSION

Each method in construction industries has its own strength and weakness. These
methods rely on each other to bury their own weakness and produce a higher level of
perfection when there are no perfect method existed ever. Perfection also has its own cost.
It’s also occurred to the mix method.

Mix method may seem as it’s flawless, but then again, nothing is perfect. The main
challenge that must be faced to construct by using this method most likely consists of:

 Skills required by the contractors (which only few percentage of them has).
 Experiences (a little amount of contractor, designer and client ever merged with this
method).
 Construction regulation must be updated to enhance the method (standardisation
important to keep the quality of construction industries).
 Suitability (the design of school building have been standardised for years, any
changes to the design must be followed by research and other process as well, just to
know whether the design can be used or not).

All this problem must be solved to enable changes of method can be used, and most
importantly can be done to the school’s building.

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5.0 REFERENCE

Books / journals

o Prab Bhatt, Thomas J. MacGinley & BS Choo, Reinforced Concrete ‘Design

theory and examples. Third edition published year 2006, Taylor & Francis.

Internet

o cidb.gov.my
o Frequently Asked Questions - Industrilised Building System (IBS) Official Portal
of CIDB Malaysia.mht
o http--www_building_co_uk-Pictures-thumb-Builder_Group-Building-
2002_issue_45-meteor_jpg.mht
o http--www_he-con_com_my-v2-images-home1_jpg.mht

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6.0 APPENDICES

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