Azmarini Ahmad Nazri’s scientific contributions

This paper presents the design concept and static stress analysis of a self-activated flood barrier, an innovative solution for flood defence in vulnerable areas such as urban centres, coastal regions, and riverbanks. The self-activated barrier is designed to respond autonomously to rising water levels without external power or human intervention, utilizing a buoyancy-driven mechanism that enables it to rise automatically as floodwaters approach critical levels. Designing a flood barrier involves a combination of scientific analysis, engineering design, construction, and community involvement. The design integrates a modular approach, allowing for scalability and adaptability to different geographic and infrastructural contexts. Static stress analysis was conducted on the barrier to evaluate its structural integrity under various flood conditions. The analysis focused on key components subjected to water pressure during deployment, ensuring the materials and structure could withstand the forces encountered during a flood event. Results from the analysis indicate that the barrier’s design is able to withstand the static load and the dynamic load that will occur under peak flood conditions. Furthermore, the material proposed for the inner barrier, which is Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is lightweight yet durable and corrosion-resistant which will ensure long-term operational performance in harsh environments. Overall, the study demonstrates the effectiveness of the self-activated flood barrier in providing reliable, low-maintenance flood protection, with static stress analysis confirming its capability to endure extreme flood pressures.

A continuous system of carbonization and activation process of activated carbon (AC) derived from agriculture waste was successfully developed. The results obtained indicate that the AC produced by the system exhibits excellent performance, with a maximum yield of palm shell AC was recorded more than 30% and fixed carbon content exceeding 70% for both palm shell AC and coconut shell AC. The morphological analysis through SEM analysis shows that the surface morphology of palm shell AC indicates smaller pore sizes, with a higher formation of mesopores and micropores compared to coconut shell AC. The AC then was further tested for Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area where palm shell AC yield the highest surface area with the value of 678 m2/g. Given that the BET surface area value fell between 500 and 1500 m2/g, which is the permissible range for commercial AC, palm shell AC's adsorption performance was deemed dependable. This study demonstrated the potential for continuous AC production systems to improve the efficiency and quality of activated carbon production. Furthermore, the use of agriculture waste materials as raw materials for this system can contribute to sustainable development.