PROPERTIES AND LIQUEFACTION

RISK ON BULK CARGO CARRYING

BUKIT GOH, KUANTAN BAUXITE

ACCORDANCE TO IMSBC CODE

MASITAH BINTI ABDULLAH

B.ENG (HONS.) CIVIL ENGINEERING

UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA PAHANG

SUPERVISOR’S DECLARATION

I hereby declare that I have checked this thesis and in our opinion, this thesis is

adequate in terms of scope and quality for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Civil

Engineering.

Signature :

Name of Supervisor : ASSOC. PROF. DR. MUZAMIR BIN HASAN

Position : DIRECTOR OF CERRM

(Centre for Earth Resourses Research & Management)

Date :

STUDENT’S DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the work in this thesis is my own except for quotations and

summaries which have been duly acknowledged. The thesis has not been accepted for

any degree and is not concurrently submitted for award of other degree.

Signature :

Name : MASITAH BINTI ABDULLAH

ID Number : AA14228

Date :

ii

PROPERTIES AND LIQUEFACTION RISK ON BULK CARGO CARRYING

BUKIT GOH, KUANTAN BAUXITE ACCORDANCE TO IMSBC CODE

MASITAH BINTI ABDULLAH

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements

for the award of the degree of

B.Eng (Hons) in Civil Engineering

Faculty of Civil Engineering and Earth Resources

UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA PAHANG

JUNE 2018

iii

DEDICATION

Dedicated to my parents; Abdullah Koya and Nortepah Kasim

iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Firstly, I would like to thank God for His greatness for lending his power all

these while for me to complete this Final Year Project course.

I am grateful and would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor,

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muzamir Hasan for his germinal ideas, invaluable guidance,

continuous encouragement and constant support in making this research a success.

With his outstanding professional conduct, his patience and availability to guide has

impressed and inspired me. I am sincerely thanks and appreciated him for all the

guidance, time spent proofreading and patiently correcting my mistakes while doing

this research. His wide knowledge, experiences and skills has allowed me to perform

better and sharpen my capabilities in many areas, especially in the field of Geotechnical

Engineering. My sincere thanks goes to my lab mate, Noraishah Binti Lamin who helps

a lot in carrying out the laboratory testing throughout this research.

My sincere thanks to all the lab assistants in Soil and Geotechnics Laboratory

Universiti Malaysia Pahang, En. Ziunizan, En. Nor Azmi and En. Haliman, who

provided me trainings and equipment during my laboratory testing to complete my

project. An appreciation goes to all my laboratory mates and fellow undergraduate

student for their cooperation, idea, discussion and continuous support throughout my

research as their helps are important for the completeness of this project.

Finally, sincere acknowledgment goes to my parents, for all their sacrifices,

support and love for whom I am today. I acknowledge my siblings for all their support

through hard times and hard days and also encouragement in completing this research

work.

v

ABSTRACT

This study focus on the differences of geotechnical properties between raw and

processed Bukit Goh bauxite. As bauxite material has high clay content which mostly

composed of silicate minerals, it has high risk to cause cargo liquefaction which in turn

causes catastrophic incident. This paper includes the analysis of raw and processed

bauxite where its fine particle contents has been minimized using beneficiation method

to reduce the risk of liquefaction by referring to the International Maritime Solid Bulk

Cargoes Code (IMSBC Code) standard. To analyze these characteristics of the bauxite,

four samples were selected at Bukit Goh, Kuantan; two of the samples from the Bukit

Goh mine and two samples from stock pile were tested to identify the bauxite

geotechnical properties by referring to GEOSPEC 3: Model Specification for Soil

Testing; particle size distribution, moisture content, specific gravity, morphological

properties as well as its elemental and oxide properties. Laboratory tests involved

including Small Pycnometer test, Dry Sieve test, Specific Gravity test, X-ray

fluorescence test (XRF) and Field emission scanning electron microscopy test

(FESEM). The results show that average moisture content of raw bauxite is 24.33%

which exceeded the recommended value of maximum 10% while the average moisture

content of processed bauxite is only 7.16%. The average fine material for raw bauxite is

38.50% which should not be greater than 30% per IMSBC standard while for processed

bauxite is 21.40%. From the FESEM image, it was clearly shown that the fine particles

of processed bauxite is lesser than raw bauxite. In conclusion, the quality and safety of

processed bauxite is better than raw bauxite.

vi

ABSTRAK

Kajian ini memberi tumpuan kepada perbezaan ciri-ciri geoteknik dan ciri-ciri

morfologi diantara bijih bauksit Bukit Goh yang mentah dengan yang telah diproses.

Bijih bauksit mengandungi kandungan tanah liat yang tinggi dimana ia terdedah kepada

risiko yang tinggi untuk fenomena likuifaksi kapal kargo untuk berlaku yang boleh

mencetuskan kemalangan yang serius. Kajian ini mengandungi analisa bauksit mentah

dan bauksit yang telah diproses dimana zarah halusnya teleh dikurangkan melalui

proses benefikasi untuk mengurangkan risiko likuifaksi kapal kargo dengan merujuk

kepada Kod Maritim Antarabangsa Kargo Pukal Pepejal (Kod IMSBC). Bagi

menganalisa ciri-ciri bauksit ini, lima sampel telah diambil dari Bukit Goh, Kuantan,

tiga daripada sampel itu adalah dari kawasan lombong Bukit Goh, dan dua daripada

simpanan stok dimana kesemuanya diujikaji untuk mengetahui ciri-ciri geotekniknya

dengan berpandukan kepada GEOSPEC 3: Model Spesifikasi untuk Ujian Tanah

(Model Specification for Soil Testing); taburan saiz zarah, kandungan kelembapan,

berat jenis, sifat-sifat morfologi dan juga ciri-ciri elemen dan oksida. Ujian makmal

yang terlibat adalah ujian Piknometer Kecil, ujian Ayak Kering, ujian berat jenis, ujian

XRF dan ujian FESEM. Keputusan analisis mengindikasi bahawa purata kandungan

lembapan tanah mentah adalah 24.33% yang mana ia melebihi nilai maksima yang

disyorkan iaitu 10% manakala purata kandungan lembapan tanah yang diproses adalah

7.16% sahaja. Taburan purata saiz zarah halus bauksit mentah adalah 38.50% dimana ia

melebehi peratusan 30% yang dinyatakan dalam kod IMSBC manakala 21.40% bagi

bauksit yang telah diproses. Dari gambar FESEM, ia menunjukkan bahawa zarah halus

bauksit diproses adalah kurang berbanding dengan bauksit mentah. Kesimpulannya,

tahap kualiti dan keselamatan bauksit yang diproses lebih baik dari bauksit mentah.

vii

TABLE OF CONTENT

SUPERVISOR’S DECLARATION

STUDENT’S DECLARATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv

ABSTRACT v

ABSTRAK vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS vii

LIST OF TABLES x

LIST OF FIGURES xii

LIST OF SYMBOLS xiv

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS xv

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of Research 1

1.2 Problem Statement 4

1.3 Objectives 5

1.4 Scope of Study 5

1.5 Significance of Study 6

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction

2.1.1 Soil Structure 7

2.1.2 Single-grained Structure 9

2.1.3 Honeycomb Structure 9

2.1.4 Flocculated Structure 10

2.1.5 Dispersed Structure 10

2.1.6 Coarse-grained Structure 11

viii

2.1.7 Cohesive Matrix Structure 11

2.2 Bauxite

2.2.1 Bauxite Production 13

2.2.2 Bauxite Process 17

2.2.3 Aluminium and Alumina 18

2.2.4 Beneficiation Process 19

2.3 Geotechnical Properties

2.3.1 Particle Size Distribution 20

2.3.2 Specific Gravity 21

2.3.3 Moisture Content 22

2.3.4 Shear Strength 22

2.4 Chemical Properties

2.4.1 Bauxite Formation 25

2.4.2 Morphological Properties 27

2.5 Soil Classification and Soil Description 28

2.6 Cargo Liquefaction

2.6.1 Liquefaction 30

2.6.2 International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code 34

2.6.3 Accidents and Loss Due to Liquefaction 35

ix

CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction 37

3.2 Literature Review 39

3.3 Data Collection 39

3.3.1 Beneficiation Process 40

3.4 Determination of Geotechnical Properties and Chemical Properties of

Materials

3.4.1 Moisture Content 41

3.4.2 Particle Size Distribution 42

3.4.3 Specific Gravity 44

3.4.4 X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) 44

3.4.5 Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopic (FESEM) 45

CHAPTER 4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Introduction 46

4.2 Sieve Analysis Test 47

4.3 Specific Gravity Test 51

4.4 Moisture Content Test 53

4.5 Elemental And Oxide Properties Of Bauxite 54

4.6 Morphological Properties Of Bauxite 57

4.7 Comparison With IMSBC Code 59

CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1 Conclusion 62

5.2 Suggestions and Future Study 64

x

REFERENCES 65

APPENDIX 68

xi

LIST OF TABLES

Table No. Title Page

2.1 World bauxite production and reserves 15

2.2 Properties of Bauxite Mineral 22

2.3 Bauxite‘s Group C classification according to IMSBC Code 35

2.4 Liquefaction Accidents 36

3.1 Quantity of bauxite samples for each testing 39

3.2 Tests and Standards for the materials 40

2.7 Factors that affects soil liquefactions 30

2.8 The Bayer Process 18

2.9 Alumina to Aluminum in picture 19

4.1 Percentage of fine particles between raw and processed Bukit

Goh Bauxite

50

4.2 Specific gravity of raw sample 52

4.3 Specific gravity of processed sample 52

4.4 Raw and process Bukit Goh bauxite elements 55

4.5 Raw and process Bukit Goh bauxite oxides 56

4.6 The IMSBC Code 59

4.7 Comparison table of fine particles content with IMSBC code 60

4.8 Comparison table of moisture content with IMSBC code 61

xii

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure No. Title Page

1.1 World Production of Bauxite and Alumina 2

1.2 Bauxite sample location 6

2.1 Soil aggregates types 8

2.2 A soil with good structure 8

2.3 Conceptual pictures of honeycomb structure 9

2.4 Flocculated and Dispersed Structure Particles Movement 10

2.5 Coarse grained skeleton particles movement 11

2.6 Bauxite mining in million metric tons per year 13

2.7 Bauxite mining process 14

2.8 The Bayer Process 18

2.9 Alumina to Aluminum in picture 19

2.10 Bauxite mine in Felda Bukit Goh, Pahang 24

2.11 Variation of chemical composition of the bauxitic materials

with depth of Kuantan Port bauxite sample

25

2.12 The composition of bauxite samples from a range of deposits 27

2.13 Soil profile at the bauxite area 28

2.14 Rearrangement of soil particles as a result of shaking 32

2.15

2.16

2.17

3.1

Movement of pressurized water out to the soil surface

Liquefaction of granular material (soil, concentrate or mineral

ore)

Illustrations depicting stable vessels

Flow chart of methodology

32

33

34

38

xiii

3.2

3.3

3.4

3.5

3.6

3.7

3.8

4.1

4.2

4.3

4.4

4.5

4.6

4.7

4.8

4.9

4.10

Both raw and processed bauxite

Bauxite sample in the Sieve Shaker

Sieve analysis set for sieve analysis

Hydrometer Test Equipment

Small pycnometer filled with bauxite in the vacuum chamber

The XRF (BRUKER S8 TIGER) equipment

The FESEM (JSM-7800F) equipment

Particle Size Distribution of M2L1

Particle Size Distribution of M2L2

Particle Size Distribution of PTST1

Particle Size Distribution of PTST2

Tabulation of average specific gravity

Tabulation of average moisture content

Magnification of bauxite sample under 1000x magnification

Magnification of bauxite sample under 2500x magnification

Magnification of bauxite sample under 10000x magnification

Magnification of bauxite sample under 20000x magnification

41

42

42

43

43

44

45

47

48

49

50

52

54

57

57

58

58

xiv

LIST OF SYMBOLS

cʹ Cohesion angle

oʹ Friction angle

τf Effective stress

u Pore water pressure

Moisture content

cʹ Cohesion angle

% Percentage

mm Millimeter

m Meter

g Gram

kg Kilogram

°C Degree Celsius

Micrometer

xv

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

Al Aluminium

ASTM American Society for Testing and Materials

Fe Iron

FESEM Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope

IMSBC International Maritime of Solid Bulk Cargoes

LI Liquidity Index

LL Liquid Limit

Na Sodium

O Oxygen

pH Potential Hydrogen

PI Plasticity Index

Ti Titanium

Si Silicon

XRF X-Ray Fluorescence

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF RESEARCH

Malaysia is well-gifted with natural resources like petroleum, timber, copper,

iron ore, natural gas and not to forget, bauxite. Recently, the numbers of growing

producer of bauxite due to the rapid development of aluminium are quite astonishing.

After iron, aluminium is now the second most widely used metal in the world resulting

the increasing demand of bauxite which is the principal ore of the aluminium

production. Aluminium is all around us in everyday life in buildings, boats, planes and

cars, household appliances, packaging, computers, hand phones, containers for food

and beverages.

Aluminium will continue to be an important metal for the future because it is

good potential for recycling. We may not think about the qualities of aluminium that

contribute to the products we rely on, but we benefit from them frequently. Aluminium

is the most abundant metal in the crust of the earth and also can be recycled repeatedly

while maintaining its quality, so it is an environmentally friendly choice for many

products. It does not rust, is not magnetic and it conducts both heat and electricity with

ease. It is light and more easily shaped than many other metals while still staying

remarkably strong. Adaptable and practical, aluminium is often brought to our daily life

through the process of aluminium extrusion.

2

Bauxite is a raw material used in the production of alumina and, subsequently,

aluminium. Like many metals, world demand for aluminium, and therefore bauxite, has

grown substantially over the past 10 years in response to economic growth in emerging

Asian economies. Bauxite is a relatively soft ore with a distinctive reddish brown

colour. This colour makes it easy to spot a bauxite mining area (Roskill, 2014).

Figure 1.1 shows the world production of bauxite and alumina. In 1999, the

world produced 129 million mt of bauxite from which 50.2 million mt of alumina were

refined. For 2014, the totals were estimated at 234 million mt and 108.4 million mt,

respectively, but while the output of alumina rose slightly from 2013, bauxite

production fell by more than 50 million mt as a direct result of the Indonesian export

ban. The yield of alumina from raw bauxite has remained virtually unchanged at a little

more than 38% over this period, on average, the grade of bauxite resources being mined

has also been maintained. Unlike some other commodities, the bauxite industry does

not yet appear to be faced with a declining long-term grade profile (The International

Aluminium Institute, 2012).

Figure 1.1: World Production of Bauxite and Alumina

Source: Bauxite and Alumina Growth Maintained (2014)

3

In 2014, China, the world's largest alumina and aluminium producer, lost a

significant supplier of bauxite to feed its alumina refineries following Indonesia's

decision to implement a ban on the export of unprocessed ores. As such, the industry

turned to Malaysia in an attempt to fill the void. Malaysia's ability to rapidly increase

its output was demonstrated by its production soaring almost 600% from 2014 to 2015.

Malaysia represented China's largest trading partner accounting for 45% of all

bauxite delivered in 2015. In the same year, China produced just over half of the

world's aluminium and its demand for bauxite has been increasing year-on-year. In

2015, the top five metallurgical bauxite producers were Australia, China, Brazil,

Malaysia and India.

Malaysia is currently the fastest growing producer of bauxite due to the rapid

development of bauxite mines in the Pahang coastal region. Due to high demands from

China, within only 18 months, the mining and extraction of Bauxite has caused extreme

physical wear on the environment. Founding of new bauxite deposition at Kuantan,

Pahang had become an economically attractive and a major issue in Malaysia. There

are several aluminium mines that had been identified all around Malaysia such as Bukit

Batu and Bukit Gebong at Sarawak, Bukit Mengkabau at Sabah and Bungai Rengai at

Johor (Tse, 2004).

This study is mainly about bauxite properties; basic properties and chemical

properties for the bauxite sample taken at bauxite mine in Bukit Goh, Kuantan, Pahang.

Bauxite mining at Kuantan had become a major issue for Pahang State Government. As

the end-product of bauxite only being exposed, people tend to recognize aluminium

rather than bauxite. Therefore, bauxite mining at the area contributes to anxiety of

locals as the mines are located near to residential area.

The area of study is a residential area which now had turn into economically

attractive to bauxite miners and company to establish their collected plant before it is

transported to smelter plant. Thus, it is important to carry out the study on this area to

determine whether the bauxite at this area is suitable for export and does bauxite

properties may harmful to human.

65

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