CHAPTER 1

SOIL EROSION ISSUE, EFFECT, CONTROL AND CURE

1.1 Introduction

According to Eric (2006), soil erosion is the natural process will be occur when the
human activity is uncontrolled. It is become a huge problem when human activity is
causes it to occur much faster than under natural conditions. Otherwise, the soil erosion
is a major issue that effect to our environment such as plant, agriculture, social, politics
and economics.

The soil erosion can might be dangerous and extremely sensitive for people especially
that people are at the highland. For example, over the past years, many accident was
happen result of soil erosion such as the tragic landslide at the Genting Highlands slip
road and the collapse of the Highland Tower and the smallers landslides in Frasers Hill
and Cameron Highland. In addition, the soil erosion might be cause the landslide such as
at Grik to Jeli (East-West Highway), Tapah to Cameron Highland, Gua Tempurung,
Rawang to Sungai Buluh ( North-South Expressway) and in Bukit Antarabangsa. All of the
example is the bad history that cannot be forgotten (Eric, et, al. 2006).

In a fact, all the tragedy is occurred due to the presence of water in the soil. The
presence of water is the main cause of soil erosion is that rain acts upon the soil, the
amount of soil erosion loss is then going to depend upon the combination of the strength
of the rain to cause erosion and the ability of the soil to withstand the rain.

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1.2 Background Study

Soil erosion is a growing problem and constitutes the soil strength, quality and ability of
soil to provide the environment services. That is, water erosion is the most destructive
erosion type worldwide especially in Malaysia which is causing serious degradation and
environment detoration. As we known, Malaysia is located near the equator and
Malaysias climate is categories as equatorial being hot and humid throughout the year.
According to Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), the total rainfall
amount receive in most areas in Malaysia less than 200mm. in the fact, the main factor
cause of soil erosion is due to presence of water in soil (Eric et, al. 2006)

If the appropriate soil conservation measures are not taken simultaneously with
development, it will lead to increase soil erosion and therefore siltation of streams and
river. The natural outcome from such a situation would be frequent flooding and can give
the dangerous situation for human and habitat in surrounding area. So that, the
preservation of soil is importance to avoid an accident unexpected which is landslide,
hillslope, sediment of soil (Eric et, al. 2006).

The dissertation is only focus the factor of soil erosion happen and how to overcome the
problem with the suitable method of construction to treat the factor in around Selangor.
Another than that the dissertation also find the main causes of soil erosion and effect of
soil erosion to the environment and surrounding area. This investigation is only focus in
Selangor Darul Ehsan.

The purpose of this dissertation is to get the best way to avoid the soil erosion which
means to stabilization the soil can be safely used in a long time without giving effect to
environment and human.

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1.3 Problem Statement

Soil erosion is a growing problem and constitutes a threat to soil quality and to the
ability of soils to provide environmental services and the water erosion is the most
destructive erosion type worldwide, causing serious land degradation and environmental
deterioration, inflicting multiple damages in managed systems such as crops, pastures, or
forest as well as in natural ecosystem. Soil detachment, deposition, and transport process
occur simultaneously during erosive rainfall event (Fournier, 2011).

Soil erosion is the process of the removal of soil and rock from the earth by the wind,
water and ice and then transported and deposited to another location. Soil erosion are
transported to another location by rainfall, flowing water, and the subsequent deposition
of soil particles (Eric, Tiew, 2006). According to George, the soil erosion may be a slow
process that continues relatively unnoticed, or it may occur at an alarming rate causing
serious loss of topsoil. The loss of soil from farmland may be reflected in reduced crop
production potential, lower surface water quality and damaged drainage networks.

This has proven by the Eric et. Al. (2006) claim that the soil erosion give the adverse
effect to the environment and cause the landslide include give the possible loss of lives
and destruction of property due to slope failures or landslide, difficulty in the
implementation of post rehabilitation site programmes, reducing the capability of future
postindustrial land use options, reduction of soil structure stability due to the continuous
loss of soil particles and vegetative cover at site and economic will losses due to delay in
the transportation of goods possibly because of highways or road being obstructed by
debris and mudflows. Another than that, soil erosion from construction sites causes major
environmental problems for waterways and aquatic life. Sediments washed to waterways
impact heavily on aquatic flora and fauna and their habitat. Sediments also block storm
water drains, cause waterways to silt up and increase the risk of flooding.

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1.4 Aim and Objective

The aim of the research is to identify the problems that occur due to soil erosion and
to find solutions to treat and protect the land from soil erosion occurs. In order to achieve
the aim, the following objective is identified:

I. To study the effect of soil erosion to the enviroment and surounding area.
II. to identify the main causes of soil erosion in the area
III. to find an appropriate method is used to control soil erosion

1.5 Literature Review

Tang (1993) noted from 260 case histories of landslide failure in Malaysia that 98% of
the causes for instability of of soil is due infiltration downslope from surface runoffs which
subsequently leads to failure due to erosion. To avoid all of this problem developers and
builders have a legal obligation to take all reasonable care to prevent soil erosion and
sediment loss from construction sites. This also applies to other trades people such as
excavators and earthmovers, landscapers, concreters, painters and delivery drivers.
Supervisors need to ensure that workers under their control (eg sub-contractors) do not
breach environmental laws.

This research is also to prove that the fact of soil erosion is one of the causes of the
landslide in the highland. Everyone known the soil erosion is cause the landslide, but this
fact is wrong because the soil erosion is not the one of causing of landslide but rather
landslides are form of soil erosion. It is prove that in the definition of the differences
between soil erosion and the landslide.

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1.6 Scope and Limitation

The scope and limitation on this research is following to several targeted respondent. The
respondent is must related to this research such as the client, contractor, a manager, and
people around. Therefore, this research will be conducted with focusing to the
constructions organization with experience to compaction soil and areas.

I. Focus on contractor has a certificated from Pusat Khidmat Kontrackror (PKK)

and registered within Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB).

II. Jabatan Tanah dan Galian

III. Jabatan Kerja Raya

IV. The limitation of the research survey only focus on area Selangor Darul Ehsan.

1.7 Research and Methodology

The research aim is to identify the problems that occur in soil erosion and how to
overcome them and solve the problem with the best ways to avoid the soil erosion will
be happen. To fulfill this research, the several method are be used to achieve that
objective:

I. Literature Review
to understand in more detail later about soil compaction, the literature review
method is used to determine the contents of soil compaction.

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 II. Interview
The interviews were conduct within contractor and people around to obtain the
important informations as well as the causes and consequence faced by those
around. In addition, the methods of interviews is to get the information that can
not be obtaind throught the another methods.

III. Questionnaire
the several question in the form is sent to the contractor and architect througt
the email and by hand. It to analyse the problem and cure of the contractor or
architect to preventing the soil erosion problem.

1.8 Research Significant

Chapter 1: introduction

In chapter 1, the outline of the project will be illustrated and planning in order
to facilitate further work to carry out. Its consists of the background of studied,
problem statement, aim of the research, research objectives, scope and limitation
of the study and the project organization of the dissertation.

Chapter 2: Literature review

While in chapter 2, the general information about the research title will be obtained
from different sources such as books, articles, journals, web site so that the
materials of the research can supported by fact and to prove the feasibility of the
research title, aim and objective of the dissertations.

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 Chapter 3: Research Methodology

In the chapter 3, the research strategy, research method and data analysis that
will be used for this research will be explained and the information and data
collected will be interpreted.

Chapter 4: analysis and Finding

In chapter 4, the outcome of the analysis of data collected from the question survey
and interview will be presented and it will be supported by the facts that mentioned
in literature review in chapter 2 in order to clarify the perceptions of the participants
towards the project objective and aims.

Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendation

Lastly, the main conclusion will be drawn out in this chapter and the limitations of
the research will be highlighted at the meanwhile. Except from that, some of the
opinions will be recommended for the purpose of further investigation.

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1.9 Research Process

Briefly, the research process will be divided into five (5) stages.

Identifying the Research Issue

Literature Review

Data and Information Collection

Research Analysis

Conclusion and Recommendations

Figure 1.1: Research process

According to figure 3.1 above shown that the step of research process making for this
dissertation. For make some research, researcher must identifying the research issue in
the surrounding. The problem of the dissertation must be related to the topic chosen. After
determining the problem of the research, the researcher must be able to identify the aim
and the objective of study. The aim and objective of the research is a purpose why the
research needs to be conduct and making decision to solve the solutions.

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Literature review must be related for the question in objective and aim of the research.
Literature review is the most important part to the reader to ensure that the research can
be understood by the general reader. The content at the literature review for this
dissertation Is talking about the discussion and general knowledge or overall structure of
soil erosion in Malaysia. The source of the research in literature review was conducted
based on the several resources.

In the step three (3), the data and information collection must be obtained from the
researcher to make sure the research is not duplicate or imitation from other research.
The data and information collection for the research is called primary data. The primary
data is all the information and data will collect by parties who involve or related to this
research. All the data and information will cover using interview and questionnaire
methods. Questionnaire will be distribute to the parties involve such contractors and
architecture regarding the issue, effect, control and cure the soil erosion. For the interview,
it conducted by the company or contractor which have related to the soil erosion problem.

After the all of data and information had been collected from the questionnaire and
interview, the research analysis must be done. All of the data must create through writing
and chart. Calculation and entering data must be accurate to avoided the errors
information in the research

Last step in the research proses is conclusion and recommendation. The conclusion must
be related and suitable for the topic and research. The recommendation about the best
ways or method must be created or the innovative technology can be produce to solve the
problem in soil erosion.