My Study Plan of Master Degree

Muhammad Hamzah Fansuri

Thesis Title : Evaluation of Subgrade on Flexible Pavement in Semarang

Highways Based on Bearing Capacity
Years of Study : 2 Years

1) General Skills
My continuous qualities and plans in improving my skills to comprehend master degree are as
follows:
 In pursuing master degree based on my quality, I have experience in writing scientific
papers during my undergraduate degree. From 2013 to 2015, I was always awarded research
grants, and it makes myself eager to develop my skills in writing papers. All of the papers I
wrote were related to my study.
 I am currently working as a staff in a Japanese company, and I have been working there
since 2016. Thus, I experience problems on the field and know how to deal with them –
from onshore work to the offshore one. Overcoming challenges related to power plan makes
me get better understanding in applying civil principles even though it is not an easy job.
 I also have experience as a lecturer assistant for 3 years from 2012 to 2015. The courses I
was responsible were shallow and deep foundations, structure analysis, and soil mechanics.
I tried to provide real examples to the students so that they could understand the challenges
in construction. I also conducted eligibility studies with the students to discuss common
cases happening in our surrounding, so they could be more aware of taking decisions and
analyze a problem.

Qualities I have in order to support my master program:

I realize that pursuing master program requires strong desire, so I list several upsides as follows:
 Strong passion to increase personal value
 Strong willingness to improve my skills and competencies
 Devotion to reach the goals
 Willingness to improve and develop construction industry in my country for education
sector
 Bachelor degree got from Universitas Negeri Semarang, Indonesia
Qualities that I need to acquire to help me pursuing my master degree are:
 Supporting academic atmosphere
 Easy access to literature and supporting references
 Modern and well-developed laboratory
 Good support and cooperation from the supervisors

Courses/activities that I plan to take in order to improve my skills:

 Geotech Training
 Computer programming
 Static analysis
 Plaxis

2) Technical Skills
Technical skills I master:
 Basic static analysis
 Auto CAD for beginner
 Plaxis
 Microsoft Office (Ms Word dan Ms Excel)

Course/activities that I plan to take to improve my skills:

 Plaxis software
 Statistical analysis
 Geotech training

3) Millstones and Work Plans

I plan to finish my master program with the topic related to my final project. The topic I
propose is closely related to road planning and analysis of soil stability in which CBR (California
Bearing Ratio), Triaxial Test, Direct Shear are the laboratory devices, and Plaxis is the software.
They function to provide data and information to analyze the results so that the resulted output
corresponds to the problems found in the field. For instance, many practitioners find problems
related to data, and if they use laboratory devices, it will take long time. Innovations and studies
are needed in terms of data comparation that can be carried out by using analytical means. Thus, it
will be more practical if laboratory testing is disregarded – only analyzing by using formula taken
from testing results that have been conducted.
 In my country, Indonesia, method for obtaining results through formula analysis is lesser-
known. Every project seems to use laboratory devices to get the data, and it takes long time to do
testing process. If the locations stick together, they only need to test the mechanical characters
such as direct shear. Therefore, the results such as composition and other supporting data can be
drawn.
This case can also be applied in constructing roads. In my country, I am recently focusing on a
program in developing infrastructures such as toll roads both in land and across the sea. There are
significant numbers of roads damaged due to heavy load, materials, and bearing capacity. Hence,
it needs to increase the bearing capacity so that the loads can be well-carried. Such analysis will
bring advantages as well as contribute to education.
In the first year of my master program, I will prepare for my thesis proposal and reading
references and literature that correspond to my proposal. Thus, to support my research, I plan to
take several courses and carry out researches in collaboration with the lecturers. The next step will
be finishing my thesis proposal and taking the primary as well as the secondary data in 3-5
months. Once the data is collected, I can start analyzing them and solve the problems. In the third
semester, I plan to publish my research paper in an international journal and finish my thesis.
So far, I have conducted a similar research and optimized the time during the research. This
research dealt with soil types and location where the samples were taken. I realize that my
research has some pitfalls, and from that point there is need to dig up something deeper and
continue the research on analysis of bearing capacity through analysis and laboratory methods.
For this purpose, I have prepared a concept of my research entitled “Evaluation of Subgrade
on Flexible Pavement in Semarang Highways Based on Bearing Capacity”.
4) Research Proposal

1. PROJECT TITLE

SUBGRADE EVALUATION ON FLEXIBLE PAVEMENT

IN SEMARANG ROADS
BASED ON THE BEARING CAPACITY

Keywords: flexible pavement, bearing capacity, subgrade

2. BACKGROUND
2.1. Introduction
Roads are land-transportation infrastructure that involve the whole parts of road including
the supplementary buildings as well as the equipment for the purpose of traffic. (Anonymous,
2008). Rapid or gradual development of an area is greatly influenced by the road condition, so if
there exists damage on the road, it will obstruct the main functions.
Extension of country-city roads, integration or city influence over country as well as
reciprocal needs between country and city, have been intensifying interaction between both of
them gradually and effectively (Bintaro, 1984). As existed in Semarang, the damage inflicted to
the roads is gradation and bumpy roads. Such damage causes traffic congestion and eventually
accidents. Roads in Semarang are potentially used to develop the area as educational places,
housing, trade, and services (Anonyous, 2004).
Based on the explanation of flexible-pavement numerical calculation formula by using
AASHTO 1993 and Regional Road Office (Bina Marga) of Indonesia methods, factors
contributing to pavement performance can be associated to several conditions such as traffic
burden, subgrade bearing capacity, material factor (asphalt), and environmental factors. Pavement
capability to carry continuous burden working on it causes deformation on the pavement surface
(Hardiyatmo, H. C., 2011). Subgrade strength directly influences pavement density – the stronger
the pavement is, the thinner the pavement layer is required (AASHTO, 1993).
Subgrade is a surface with particular density that is condensed. The subgrade used as road
foundation consists of materials taken from digging that are condensed in a depth below the
pavement structure. Road pavement as a surface protecting subgrade distributes the burden
resulted from vehicles to the subgrade. Without sufficient capacity from the subgrade, pavement
will become vulnerable to damage. Long-term sustainability of bearing capacity on the pavement
has to be protected from climate changes and traffic conditions. The subgrade that experiences
excessive pressure will cause much permanent deformation, so the upper surface of the pavement
will be bumpy and finally provoke pavement-structure failure (Hardiyatmo, H.C., 2011).
The dominant problems found in roads in Semarang are mass movement that causes damage
on road or building structures. The damage obstructs the traffic flow as well as its comfort.
Looking at the importance of Trangkil roads, it is needed to carry out maintenance and
improvement. Therefore, evaluation of damage found in Trangkil roads needs to be conducted
based on the bearing capacity.
2.2. Road Pavement
Road pavement is a part of highway construction paved with certain construction layer. This
pavement has particular density, rigidity, and stability in order to able to distribute traffic burden
safely. One type of road-pavement constructions is flexible pavement. It is a kind of pavement
that uses asphalt to bind the construction. Moreover, flexible pavement is different from rigid-
pavement construction that uses Portland cement to bind the layers (Sukirman, 1993).
Calculated in terms of the construction costs, roads constructed with flexible pavement spend
lower cost compared to rigid pavement. However, rigid pavement relatively cost less compared to
the roads constructed with flexible pavement (Sukiman, 1993).
According to Sukiman (1993), pavement is an important part in which pavement has several
functions to:
a. distribute traffic burden so that the burden that is borne by subgrade is relatively lighter in
terms of the subgrade capability.
b. protect subgrade from the bad effect of climate changes.
c. create flat surface and obtain sufficient friction coefficient so that the road users can ride
safely and comfortably.
d. provide strong structure in supporting bearing traffic burden.
e. give skid resistance on the pavement surface.

2.3. Flexible Pavement

Flexible-pavement construction is a type of pavement using asphalt to bind the layers. The
pavement layers bear and distribute the traffic burden to subgrade. Flexible-pavement
construction consists of layers laid on the condensed subgrade. Those layers function to bear the
traffic burden and distribute it to the lower layers, so the burden borne by the subgrade is lighter
than the one borne by the surface course and lower than the subgrade bearing capacity (Sukirman,
1993). The flexible-pavement layers are displayed in Figure 1.1.
Surface Course

Base course

Sub base course

Subgrade
Figure 1.1. Flexible-Pavement Structures
(Source: Sukurman, 1993)

a. Surface course
Surface course contains mixture of aggregate minerals and binding materials. The use of
asphalt is required to make the layer impermeable. In addition, asphalt gives more pulling
force which means it increases the bearing capacity to the wheel burden.
b. Base course
Kinds of natural substances (CBR>50%, PI<4%) can be used as materials to cover the
foundation. The substances might consist of gravel, gravel stabilized with cement, asphalt,
pozzolan, or lime.
c. Sub base course
This layer consists of granular materials that are condensed and stabilized/unstabilized, or
stabilized layer.
d. Subgrade
Subgrade is the original surface or digging surface that are condensed, and it is basic
surface on which other pavement parts are laid down.
3. AIMS & OBJECTIVES
This study purposes to:
a. investigate condition of subgrade bearing capacity in Semarang roads.
b. evaluate subgrade caused by road damage in Semarang roads based on the bearing
capacity.
c. provide solutions related to problem solving in subgrade foundation of roadway as well as
give recommendations of redesigned subgrade foundation results that correspond to roads
in Semarang.

4. METHODOLOGY
The data will be collected through field observation, soil testing, and sample taking in
Semarang. The sample are then tested in the laboratory to be investigated the physical
characteristics, mechanical characteristics, and its parameter. The results will be then analyzed.
To obtain maximum bearing-capacity score, a research on comparing mixture of clay and sand
used as substitution or additional material for the subgrade in Semarang roads needs to be carried
out. The testing results Can be set as a standard in planning the pavement density and function as
a formula to get bearing capacity score. The activities of this study involve:
a. surveying the location
Surveying the location is conducted to determine testing location and take disturb sample in
the field to get identification of soil-layer data.
b. testing the soil on the field
Testing the soil on the field is intended to get identification of soil-layer data such as soil
types, disturb sample, movement capacity, and CBR.
c. testing the soil in the laboratory
Testing the disturb sample is aimed to obtain physical characteristics and mechanical
characteristics of the soil. Testing disturb sample is also intended to get density score, bearing
capacity, and movement capacity of the condensed soil.
The research method that will be carried out is depicted in the following diagram.
 Problem
START
Road damage in
northern coastal
highways
Field
investigation

Data of flexible- Subgrade data Bearing

pavement capacity
density

Subgrade

Axial burden on road Sample

pavement
Laboratory test with bearing capacity by
using triaxial UU and CBR

Primary data

Bearing capacity on flexible

pavement burden
No
Yes
Stabilization method for repair

FINISHED

Figure 1.2. Framework Of The Research

5. SCHEDULE
Sem-1 Sem-2 Sem-3 Sem-4
No Activities
1 Literature review
2 Desk study and analyze site
3 Methods and finalizing the concept
4 Laboratory tests
5 Analyzing laboratory results
6 Writing up thesis
7 Final examination & correction

Conference presentation x x x
Journal publication x x
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