1

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Road Maintenance Definitions And Practice
Before assessing the situation in relation to the funds or action required
for the maintenance of roads , we need to address the issue of the understanding
of the term maintenance. The basic objective of road maintenance is implicit
in the word itself. It is done to ensure that the road that has been constructed, or
improved, is maintained in its original condition. It is accepted that over the life
of the road it will deteriorate due to factors with which maintenance activities
cannot deal. Nevertheless maintenance is intended to begin on the first day after
the road improvement works are completed.
In practice the effect of regular and timely maintenance is to increase the
life of the road by putting off the date at which it needs to be reconstructed. This
has several benefits, the prominent being that it stretches the period over which
the benefits of the investment made are available and therefore provides a higher
rate of return on the initial investment. In addition, it puts off the date when large
investments have to be made to reconstruct the road. As the yearly cost of
2
maintaining a road is a small fraction of the investment cost, usually some 2-3%,
the economic logic for effective preventative maintenance is undeniable. It can
indeed be argued that the construction of roads, whilst consuming large amounts
of money, is of limited importance if there is no effective maintenance system.
For reasons that are difficult to assess, however, road maintenance is often
viewed as an activity that is carried out only when the road is damaged. As no
one would apply this approach to his house or even his own health, it is strange
that it seems to be a pervasive attitude in the road sector. The situation is
particularly critical with unsealed roads, which is the case with the majority of
provincial, district and commune roads. Here the main enemy of the road is
water. The whole concept of rural road building is to get the water as quickly and
efficiently as possible away from the road structure. This means that the camber
of the surface, the slope of the shoulders, the side drains and cross drainage
structures need not only to be constructed effectively but also need to be kept in a
condition that will permit the free run off of the water away from the road. This
means that the road once constructed has to be looked after on a regular basis.
This is why routine maintenance is so important and is the core of an effective
maintenance system. The term recurrent maintenance is sometimes used to cover
certain activities (such as light grading) which are carried out during the year
over and above the activities of routine maintenance. Periodic maintenance is an
activity that is undertaken every 3 - 5 years and is concerned with rectifying
defects which are outside the scope of routine maintenance. Routine maintenance
however remains the key activity. It is the least costly but provides the greatest
benefits.
Maintenance, being a recurrent activity, should be financed from the
recurrent budget. The funds allocated to it should relate to a maintenance plan
which defines those roads in a maintainable condition and, using standard figures
for routine, recurrent and periodic maintenance, produces a recurrent cost for the
3
network. It is viewed as a set of projects to be carried out on roads which,
because of lack of maintenance, have deteriorated to a state where they need
improvement. This is most apparent at the district level where the funds for road
improvement and road maintenance are seen as one pot from which road works
activities are paid.
The present description of road maintenance in the budget reflects the
curative rather than preventative approach to maintenance. Funds for
maintenance are allocated to small, medium and big works. There is
therefore a major effort required not only to develop an effective and realistic
rural road maintenance system but also to create a maintenance culture along the
lines described above.
Roads are essential to a countrys economic and social development. For
most sectors of the economy, they form vital links between production centers
and markets. Their multiple function of providing access to employment, social
and health services and education makes them key elements in the fight against
poverty by opening up rural areas and stimulating economic and social
development.
Large road networks, built at great expense, is inadequately maintained
and used more heavily than expected. The result in many developing countries is
a network of deteriorating roads. This is a natural outcome of constructing roads
with a finite life and is to be expected if the maintenance effort is not at an
appropriate level. In addition, many more roads, whose deterioration is not yet
visible, will soon reach that point if they are not properly maintained.
4
Harral and Faiz (1988) noted that the developing worlds road building
boom in the 1960s and 1970s that led to a significant development of road
infrastructures, threatens to collapse, if not maintained accordingly. The cost of
restoring or reconstructing these deteriorated roads is going to be three to five
times greater than the bill would have been for timely and effective maintenance
and strengthening.
Furthermore, the current state of the economy imposes limitations on
the money available for investments in roads and their maintenance. Thus, there
must be a more stringent control on the planning and the management of the road
system.
Moreover, Paterson (1987), stated that improper road maintenance
management also causes ineffective planning, programming, preparation, and
operation of activities that eventually lead to problems such as:
a) amplified cost for restoring roads,
b) reduced safety for road users and passers-by,
c) degraded comfort for road users,
d) heightened vehicle maintenance cost for road users, and
e) decreased aesthetics for road users and tourists.
In addition, this country, being among the developing countries, will lose
precious infrastructure worth hundreds of thousands of ringgit through the
deterioration of the roads alone. These costs remain very high and are often
responsible for backwardness in development. Better maintenance of road
networks will contribute to reduce these costs and a management aid system will
provide a very useful set of tools. It is however, essential for road agencies to be
organized in an efficient way for a maintenance policy to be cost effective and
durable.
5
Besides, the maintenance of road in the country is generally the
responsibility of the Public Work Department. It is the governments department
responsible for the construction, improvement, management and administration of
roads. However, in the local authority areas, for example the Municipalities,
the maintenance of roads is the responsibility of the local authorities
themselves.
Whats more, as attested by Zainuddin (1996), a privatization policy was
launched in Malaysia in 1983 based on the premise that the transfer of activities
and functions, which have traditionally rested with the Government to the private
sector, will bring about positive changes to the organization, management and
performance of public enterprises. It represents a new approach in national
developments and complements other national policies such as the Malaysia
Incorporated policy formulated to further enhance the role of private sector in
the development of the economy. The policy reflected the Governments
commitment to reduce its presence in the economy, reduce the level of public
spending and allow the market forces to govern the economic activities.
Further as stated by Zainuddin (1996), the privatization policy was
adopted at a time when the economy was dominated by the public sector due to
the past policy of direct Government intervention in the economy subsequent to
the launching of the New Economic Policy in 1970 which was aimed at
eradicating poverty and restructuring society. This has led to the expansion of the
Government of Malaysias total working population by the early eighties,
which is high compared to other countries such as Singapore and Japan. In
addition, over 900 public enterprises were also established during the same period
and this has further constrained the Government resources for national
development. Zainuddin (1996) also stated that, the situation was further aggravated
as the economy was showing signs of recession in the early eighties. Malaysias
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economic growth rate declined from 6.3% in 1983 to negative growth of -1.1% in
1985.
This state of affairs clearly justified the notation that the public sector-led
growth has failed to adjust itself to the external shocks. There was increasing
dissatisfaction in Government circles with the poor performance of the state
enterprise due to the ineffectiveness and inefficiency of the public sector.
Therefore, efforts had to be made to reduce public borrowings and investments as
well as to encourage the private sector to assume a lead role in economic
development. Apart from the liberalization of rules and regulations and the
provision of support services, privatization also forms part of the strategy to
strengthen the role of private sector in development.
1.2 Problem Statement
The management of road maintenance has become quite common
nowadays due to its advantages outperforming its disadvantages. However,
findings exposed that may not always be true.
Nowadays, these are also a crucial decisions on how to manage a proper
road maintenance due to budget, resources and human factor. The level of
satisfaction and focusing on the way of the road to be maintained are also very
high from the public. Public expectation is very high where the awareness of
quality of work, time management and work factor are take to consideration to
value the performance of government or agencies on delivering their services.
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Jomo (1995), argues that privatization will hand over monopoly powers to
private firms who are likely to use them to maximize profits. The privatization of
public services tends to burden the people especially if charges are raised for the
privatized services. Obviously, private firms are only interested in profitable or
potentially profitable activities and enterprises. This may mean that the
government will be left with unprofitable and less profitable activities.
A brief interview with road engineers also revealed similar concerns
regarding the privatization of road maintenance works undertaken by the
government back in the year 2001. They fear that the undertaking have caused a
reduction in the efficiency in maintaining the roads. Some of them are with the
opinion that road maintenance was better off managed by JKR before the
privatization or even by internal workforce or contractor that have been
appointed by the agencies through normal tender process.
This problem ought to be investigated, as not only will it cause higher
taxes and higher vehicle operating costs to road users, but also because it can
cause major losses to some of the agencies involved.
1.3 Aim And Objectives Of Study
The aim of this study is to identify the effectiveness of road maintenance
management by the Public Work Department and Municipal Council in Klang
District in term of cost, time and quality.
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Objectives of this study are to address the followings:
i. To study road maintenance management in Majlis Perbandaran Klang and
Public Work Department.
ii. To identify types of road defect in federal and municipal roads.
iii. To identify the level of satisfaction of road maintenance management
carried out by Majlis Perbandaran Klang and Public Work Department.
1.4 Scope Of Study
The study was conducted with the Klang district. Respondents for the
questionnaire survey were limited to taxpayer and road users. Literature review
include the problem and requirement on road maintenance in local authority and
other agencies from journal, books and articles.
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CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
Nowadays nobody has any doubt about the correctness of the general
statement: the better the infrastructure of a country, the better the chances for the
countrys economic development. As part of the better infrastructure of a country,
factors such as :
Extension of the road network,
Higher safety of roads as far as prevention of accidents is concerned
And a reasonable speed at which to drive on the roads are the aim of all
parties involved.
Parties involved in this context are:
a) The road authorities who are responsible for planning and financing,
b) The consulting engineers supervising the quality of the constructed road,
c) The road contractors who are interested in high-quality construction at the
most favourable price/performance ratio and
d) The manufacturers of road construction machinery who, by their efforts in the
fields of research and development, try to provide the pre-conditions for
translating the a foresaid aims into reality.
10
As according to Harral and Faiz (1988), the problems of poor
maintenance are worse for roads than for other sectors for three reasons:
1. The costs and financial requirements are large.
2. Road deterioration accelerates with time. This phenomenon makes it
difficult, but also even more important, to recognize the need for preventive
maintenance before deterioration becomes obvious and more rehabilitation that is
expensive or reconstruction becomes necessary.
3. Road authorities are insulated from the effects of under maintenance.
More often than not, the agency responsible for road maintenance is not exposed
to either the economic consequences of under maintenance or the organized
pressure for better roads and thus has little incentive to provide responsive,
effective maintenance.
Furthermore, the costs to road authorities are only the tip of the iceberg,
for the costs to road users operating vehicles on rough roads are much larger.
High haulage costs constrain the location of economic markets, limit the gains
from specialization, and render unviable many activities that rely on road
transport.
Among the factors that contribute to these are the excessive development
of the road networks that are undertaken without any real understanding of
subsequent maintenance requirements and the financing involved. In addition,
despite the upsurge of traffic in most of the countries, road maintenance has only
been of secondary importance in their budgets.
One reason for these lacking road maintenance policies is the institutional
framework in which road management is not given enough consideration. All too
often road management and maintenance responsibilities are shared between
number of parties whose respective tasks are not clearly defined.
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In addition, road management does not easily tie in with a market
economy. At the start, the competence and resources of the private sector are
inadequate, nonexistent even. Developing these resources has consequently
become a key aspect of most plans to develop road maintenance management.
However, as stated by Ismail (1991), in Malaysia, the term privatization
gained credence from mid-1983 when the Prime Minister Dr.Mahathir
Mohammad announced national policies related to the concept Malaysia
Incorporated, which gave strong emphasis to an increased role by the private
sector. This policy of privatization was expected to assist in improving standards
of efficiency and service output, thereby resulting in a more rapid growth of the
nation as a whole.
Subsequently, in January 1985, the government published a general
guideline to explain the concept of privatization and the various issues related
to the policy. Whilst a number of projects and public enterprises have since been
considered privatized, there is still an uncertainty as to what constitutes a
privatization exercise.
2.2 Road Network
Roads in Malaysia are classified into two broad categories, namely
Federal Roads and State Roads.
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2.2.1 Federal Roads
Federal roads are all roads declared under the Federal Roads Ordinance
(1959). This category of roads includes the National Expressways and Highways
under the administration of the Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA). Tol
Expressway like the North-South Expressway and other toll highways are all
classified under the category. Also included are the highways and other roads
under the administration of the Public Works Department Malaysia, like the
major interurban roads joining the state capitals and roads leading to points of
entry to and cut from the country.
Other roads classified under this category are the Regional Development
Scheme Roads, such as those within the Federal Land Development Authority
(FELDA) schemes. Federal Land Consolidation Authority (FELCRA) schemes
and other Regional Development Authority Scheme such as Pahang Tenggara
Development Authority Scheme etc. Minor roads leading to and within Federal
Government Institutions are also classified under this category.
2.2.2 State Roads
State Road including Municipality Road generally comprises of the
primary roads providing intra - state travel between the district administrative
centre. Other roads included in this category are the Urban Collector Roads and
other Minor Roads within the villages and the rural inhabited areas.
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Roads within the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur and the island of
Labuan which are not designated as Federal Roads are classified under this
category.
Table 2.1: Roads In Malaysia
2.2.3 Roads Statistics
A total of 59,761 kilometers of roads make up the whole road network of
the country, with 24.4% of the network being Federal Roads, whilst the
remaining 75.6% forms the State Roads.
ROADSI N MALAYSI A
CLASS/CATEGORY
TOTAL
LENGTH
PAVED
LENGTH
%PAVED
Toll Expressway & Toll
Highway
973 973 100
Other Federal Roads 14554 13590 93.4
State Roads(including
Municipality Roads)
45207 30710 67.9
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2.2.4 Road Administration And Maintenance
For the purpose of maintenance, funds are allocated to the administrative
agencies responsible for the management of various roads in the country. Federal
Roads, other than those which has been privatized, are funded directly by the
Federal Government. These funds are allocated to the Federal Public Works
Department (PWD) for administrative and maintenance purposes. Maintenance of
State Roads is the responsibility of the respective State Government but is funded
by the Federal Government via an annual State Road Grant. To facilitate the
allocation of this grant, a computerized central register of all State Roads called
the Malaysian Road Record Information System (MARRIS) is kept and updated
annually at the Federal Treasury. The respective State Government reallocate
funds obtained through the State Road Grant to various agencies such as the State
Public Works Department and Local Authorities (Municipalities and District
Councils, etc). Roads which do not have a public road reserve or are sub-standard
do not quality for the State Road Grant.
2.3 Road Maintenance
The basic objective of road maintenance is implicit in the word itself. It is
done to ensure that the road that has been constructed, or improved, is maintained
in its original condition. It is accepted that over the life of the road it will
deteriorate due to factors with which maintenance activities cannot deal.
Nevertheless maintenance is intended to begin on the first day after the road
improvement works are completed.
15
In practice the effect of regular and timely maintenance is to increase the
life of the road by putting off the date at which it needs to be reconstructed. This
has several benefits, the prominent being that it stretches the period over which
the benefits of the investment made are available and therefore provides a higher
rate of return on the initial investment. In addition, it puts off the date when large
investments have to be made to reconstruct the road.
Furthermore, Paterson (1987) stated that as the yearly cost of maintaining
a road is a small fraction of the investment cost, usually some 2-3%, the
economic logic for effective preventative maintenance is undeniable. It can
indeed be argued that the construction of roads, whilst consuming large amounts
of money, is of limited importance if there is no effective maintenance system.
For reasons that are difficult to assess, however, road maintenance is often
viewed as an activity that is carried out only when the road is damaged. As no
one would apply this approach to his house or even his own health, it is strange
that it seems to be a pervasive attitude in the road sector.
The main enemy of the road structure is water. Therefore the water must
quickly and efficiently be rid away from the road structure. This means that the
camber of the surface, the slope of the shoulders, the side drains and cross
drainage structures need not only to be constructed effectively but also need to be
kept in a condition that will permit the free run off of the water away from the
road. This means that the road once constructed has to be looked after on a
regular basis. This is why maintenance is so important and is the core of a
functional road network.
16
Maintenance, being a recurrent activity, should be financed from the
recurrent budget. The funds allocated to it should relate to a maintenance plan,
which defines those roads in a maintainable condition and, using standard figures
for routine, recurrent and periodic maintenance, produces a recurrent cost for the
network.
2.3.1 Definition of Road Maintenance
With reference to BS 3811 (1984), maintenance is defined as the
combination of all technical and associated administrative actions intended to
retain an item in, or restore it to, a state in which it can perform its required
function. Therefore, road maintenance activities simply mean the process of
restoring roads to allow for proper functioning of the road.
However, the ASCE (1971) manual, defines maintenance under two
subdivisions: physical maintenance and traffic services. Physical maintenance is
the preservation and upkeep of a highway, including all of its elements, in as
nearly as practicable its original, as-constructed condition or its subsequently
improved condition. Traffic services are defined as the operation of a highway
facility and services incidental thereto, to provide safe, convenient, and
economical highway transportation.
Besides, proper road maintenance contributes to reliable transport at
reduced cost, as there is a direct link between road condition and vehicle
operating costs. An improperly maintained road can also represent an increased
17
safety hazard to the user, leading to more accidents, with their associated human
and property costs.
2.3.2 Road Maintenance Activities
As according to Paterson (1987), road maintenance activities can be
subdivided into three main categories, namely routine works, periodic works, and
emergency works.
2.3.2.1RoutineWorks
Routine maintenance works are works that are undertaken each year and
funded from the recurrent budget. Activities are grouped into cyclic and reactive
work types. Cyclic works are those undertaken where the maintenance standard
indicates the frequency at which activities should be undertaken. Examples are
verge cutting and culvert cleaning, both of which are dependent on environmental
effects rather than on traffic levels. Reactive works are those where intervention
levels, defined in the maintenance standards, are used to determine when
maintenance is needed. An example is patching, which is carried out in response
to the appearance of cracks or pot-holes.
However, routine maintenance remains as the key activity as it is the least
costly activity, which provides the greatest benefits. Some of the most common
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types of routine works are road patching, sealing of surface cracks, edge repairs,
treatment for rutting and pavement repairs, re-grading of road shoulder, grass
cutting, maintenance of road furniture, maintenance of bridges and culverts,
cleaning of drains, landscaping, and routine inspection.
2.3.2.2PeriodicWorks
Periodic maintenance is an activity that is undertaken approximately
every 3-5 years and is concerned with rectifying defects which are outside the
scope of routine maintenance. The key reason of periodic maintenance is to
preserve the structural integrity of the road, or to enable the road to carry
increased axle loadings. The category normally excludes those works that change
the geometry of a road by widening or realignment.
Works can be grouped into types of works of preventive, resurfacing,
overlay and pavement reconstruction. Examples are resealing and overlay works,
which are carried out in response to measured deterioration in road conditions.
Periodic works are expected at regular, but relatively long, intervals. As such,
they are budgeted for on a regular basis and are included in the recurrent budget.
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Figure2.2: Maintenanceandtheconditionof roadover time
Figure 2.1: Periodic Works
2.3.2.3EmergencyWorks
These are activities whose need cannot be estimated with any certainty in
advance. The activities include emergency works to repair landslides and
washouts that result in the road being cut or made impassable. A contingency
allowance is normally included within the recurrent budget to fund these works,
although separate special contingency funds may also be provided.
This category of works refer to those road maintenance activities where
the occurrence of which are difficult to predict or beyond the control of the
Concession Companies, but which have an immediate effect on serviceability of
the road and therefore have to be dealt with without delay and include:
Landslides
Embankment failure
Road subsidence
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Failure/collapse of bridge and their related components
Collapse of culvert and drainage structures
Flooding
Closure of roads due to spillage of chemical, hazardous, toxic or
inflammable materials
Closure of roads due to fallen trees
2.4 Road Maintenance
The traditional way of contracting road maintenance is based on a
schedule of unit prices and estimates of quantities. The works to be performed are
specified in the contract and payments are based on executed measured works.
By contrast, a Performance Specified Road Maintenance Contract defines the
minimum conditions of road, bridge, and traffic assets that have to be met by the
contractor. Payments are based on how well the contractor manages to comply
with the performance standards defined in the contract, and not on the amount of
works executed. The nature of the contract allocates responsibility for work
selection, design and delivery solely to the contractor.
Hence, the choice and application of technology and the pursuit of
innovation in materials, processes and management is all up to the contractor.
This allocates higher risk to the contractor compared to the traditional contract
arrangement, but on the other hand may increase the contractors margin where
improved efficiency and effectiveness of technology, process, design or
management reduces the cost of achieving the specified standards.
21
To define these standards is rather a challenging task. The aim is to
minimize total systems cost, including the long-term cost of preserving the roads
as well as the cost to the road user. To avoid uncertainty, performance standards
have to be clearly defined and objectively measurable.
As according to Frost and Lithgow (1996), typical performance standards
are:
The International Roughness Index (IRI) to measure the roughness of the road
surface, which affects vehicle operating cost;
The absence of potholes and the control of cracks and rutting;
The minimum amount of friction between tires and the road surface for safety
reasons;
The maximum amount of siltation or other obstruction of the drainage
system;
The retro reflexivity of road signs and markings, and
The control of vegetation close to the roadway to a specific height.
The main reasons for contracting out road maintenance by implementing
performance contracts are to reduce maintenance costs through the application of
more effective and efficient technologies and work procedures, provide
transparency for road users, road administrations and contractors with regard to
the conditions roads have to be maintained, to improve control and enforcement
of quality standards, and to improve overall road conditions.
As stated by Zietlow and Bull (1999), the introduction of Performance
Contracts in road maintenance has resulted in considerable cost reductions in
some countries. However, in other countries no cost reductions have been
reported. Nevertheless, road conditions have notably improved on roads that are
being maintained under the new contracting scheme.
22
Performance Contracts are essentially management contracts and
traditional road construction or maintenance contractors often do not have the
required qualifications necessary for this type of contract. Consulting firms with
extensive knowledge in managing other contractors and experiences in pavement
management systems seem to be more suited for the job.
2.5 Road Maintenance Process
Road maintenance process basically involving the structure and the
administration of work as mentioned below.
2.5.1 Organization and Administration of Work
As according to the Report of the Committee on Highway Management
(1970), if maintenance is to be carried out efficiently, the directing organization
and the composition of the groups who carry it out need as much attention as the
direction itself.
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2.5.1.1 The Maintenance Organization
As according to Report of the Committee on Highway Maintenance
(1970), a firms maintenance organization should be as follows:
1. Structure
An effective organization structure needs to be appropriate for the work to
be done and must have simple lines of authority, responsibility and accountability
and clear channels of communication. The right framework is an essential of
sound administration but does not in itself guarantee efficiency. In authorities
lacking an appropriate organization structure, understood by the staff concerned,
the general standard of management is noticeably lower than the average.
Unsatisfactory organizations may result from a wide range of factors of which the
following are typical:
a) employee not knowing to whom they should report;
b) employee being simultaneously responsible to several superiors for the
same operation;
c) managers being held responsible for events which they have not the
authority to control;
d) too many or too few subordinates reporting to one manager.
Differences in local conditions and geography between privatization firms
mean that no single organization can be recommended for all firms, although
those in which a single officer is responsible for the coordination of the total
maintenance effort make better use of their resources than others.
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2. Size of Divisions
Too many firms have a large number of small divisions and considered
uneconomic because divisional surveyors in the most efficient firms can exercise
adequate control over larger areas comprising about 400-450 miles of road.
3. Definition of Responsibilities
Delegation of responsibility for the execution of maintenance to divisional
surveyors (or equivalent) is understood and practiced in most firms. In some,
however the senior staff do not check sufficiently that delegated responsibility is
leading to the right decisions by the right officers. Adequate definition of
responsibilities is the key to decisions being taken at the right level. Uncertainty
about the level at which decisions should be taken suggests that responsibilities
have either been insufficiently thought out or have not been clearly
communicated to those concerned. The use of up-to-date written job descriptions
for each member of the management staff is recommended.
4. Standing Instructions and Routines
The better-managed firms all tend to use standing instructions for both
routine and emergency maintenance tasks. This is the most efficient way to
organize maintenance operations, which have fixed patterns. Firms should
produce sets of standing instructions in terms appropriate to the grades of staff for
which they are intended, to keep them up to date and to see that they are used.
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2.5.1.2 Staffing
Staffing issues are explained below as elaborated in the Report of the
Committee on Highway Maintenance (1970).
1. Use of Technicians
Chartered engineers are often employed on work which could
competently be done by qualified technicians. There is much day-to-day
administration with which an engineer should not need to concern himself but
which would nevertheless be outside the scope of a foremans responsibilities.
Technicians can fill this gap. They can interpret for the supervisor difficulties the
latter may encounter in the engineers instructions; they can also investigate
complaints made by the public who accept technicians in place of the engineer as
the companys representative. Therefore, authorities should employ a much
greater proportion of technicians and offer them suitable training and attractive
career prospects.
2. Flexible Use of Labour
Companies need to be far more flexible in their use of labor. They should
be more willing, in allocating staff complements, to allow for the sharing of labor
between suitable divisions or even departments. Reduction in the number of
divisions would itself increase flexibility of labor usage but the possibility of
labor sharing between departments should be borne very much in mind.
26
3. Gang Sizes
There is much evidence of gangs too large for efficient working, with
some men therefore not fully employed. Many firms have fixed gangs, often of
five or six men in each but in a few cases of up to eleven. Flexibility must again
be the guide. There should be no fixed gangs other than for specialist functions
and groups should be assembled as appropriate for the job; the worst situation is
that of large, fixed gangs. Most maintenance work apart from resurfacing or
surface dressing operations can be efficiently done with gangs of three men or
less.
A recurrent feature in the work of direct labor forces is the need to
execute isolated items of urgent maintenance work because contractors find
them uneconomical and prefer to wait for a block of work to accumulate. The
only way authorities can undertake these jobs economically is by functional
gangs, who have a full work program but whose schedule can if necessary were
altered to cope with the specific and single tasks, which will not wait.
2.6 Privatization of Road Maintenance
In the absence of a clear definition, the term privatization has been used to
describe a wide range of government-initiated projects and programs that
involved the participation of the private sector in some manner or degree.
Therefore, a clear definition and understanding of the history of privatization will
minimize the uncertainty as to what constitutes a privatization exercise.
27
2.6.1 Definition of Privatization
Privatization is a very broad term. Bust most simply, by referring to Reed
(1997), Dnes (1995), and Macrae (1991), privatization can be defined as a
process of transferring ownership, selling, or divesting assets or service delivery
from the state or government to private sectors. Privatization runs a very broad
range, sometimes leaving very little government involvement, and other times
creating partnerships between government and private service providers where
government is still the dominant player. It is the opposite of nationalization, in
which privately owned enterprises or resources are taken over by local, regional,
or national governments.
Macrae (1991), also stated that nationalization was common during the
postwar period (1950s 1960s) spurred on by social democratic or socialist
governments. Privatization came into trend during the 1980s and 1990s,
spearheaded in particular by the administrations of Ronald Reagan and Margaret
Thatcher as part of their strongly neo-liberal policies. The term privatization is
thought to have been popularized by the British financial bulletin The Economist
during that era.
Privatization is frequently associated with industrial or service-oriented
enterprises, such as mining, manufacturing or power generation, but it can also
apply to any asset, such as land, roads, or even rights to water. In recent years,
government services such as health, sanitation, and education have been
particularly targeted for privatization in many countries.
Similarly, as according to government executives,
28
Merely defining privatization is difficult. In its purest form, the term refers
to the shifting of the production of a good or the provision of a service from the
government to the private sector, often by selling government-owned assets.
Most definitions of privatization, though, are more expansive, covering
virtually any action that involves exposing the operations of government to the
pressures of the commercial marketplace.
The broader definition of privatization also includes a wide range of public
private partnerships, such as voucher systems. Even the creation of federal
corporations, quasi government organizations and government-sponsored
enterprises is often filed under the general category of privatization. In such
organizations, though, it is often difficult to tell where government ends and the
private sector begin.
However, as stated by Zainuddin (1996), privatization as applicable in
Malaysian context, is defined as the transfer to the private sector of activities and
functions, which have traditionally rested with the public sector. It applies to
enterprises already owned by Government as well as new projects involving the
transfer of management responsibility, assets and personnel.
Privatization has become increasingly complex and sophisticated. It is no
longer predominantly a relatively simple matter of purchasing contracts, but
involves specialized contracts, performance-based measures, compliance
programs, new forms of competition, and more. This sophistication allows more
and more intricate services to be privatized, and increases accountability. Most
importantly, state-of-the-art practices enable privatization to move beyond cost
savings and towards quality improvements. Proper use of these techniques helps
assure that privatization works, and that tax payers get the most from the
arrangement.
29
2.6.1.1 Privatization in Malaysia
As according to Jomo (1995), the Malaysian government was among the
first to climb on the privatization bandwagon, enthusiastically endorsed and
promoted by the Bretton Woods institutions, particularly the World Bank. Two
years after becoming Prime Minister in 1981, Dr.Mahathir Mohammad
announced the Malaysian governments own commitment to privatization in
1983. Unlike the Look East policy and the Malaysian Incorporated concept,
which seemed to fade in significance by the mid-1980s, privatization achieved
new vigor, especially after the appointment of Daim Zainuddin as finance
minister in mid-1985-86. This unwavering commitment is all the more
remarkable because of his two predecessors commitment to public enterprise as
the main vehicle for furthering national, especially ethnic Malay communal
business interests.
Hence, the Privatization Master Plan is regarded as one of the major
programmatic documents issued in 1991 outlining Malaysian economic
development policy in the foreseeable future. Claiming success for its
privatization program thus far, the PMP announced the governments intention to
expand and accelerate further the pace of privatization process.
2.6.2 Privatization Methods
A variety of alternative service delivery techniques can be employed to
maximize efficiency and increase service quality. Some methods will be more
appropriate than others depending on the service.
30
2.6.3 Advantages of Privatization
The basic argument given for privatization is that governments have few
incentives to ensure that the enterprises they own are well run. On the other hand,
private owners have such an incentive, as they will lose money if businesses are
poorly run. The theory holds that, not only will the business customers see
benefits, but also as the privatized company becomes more efficient, the whole
economy will benefit. Ideally, privatization propels the establishment of social,
organizational and legal infrastructures and institutions that are essential for an
effective market economy.
Even governments have learnt to do more with less. Privatization offers a
solution to improve quality and save money. Cities, districts, states, and the
federal governments privatize road and highway maintenance to achieve the
common advantages of privatization, as summarized with reference to Segal, et
al.(2003), as follows:
1. Achieving cost savings
Achieving cost savings is a leading driver behind privatizing road and
highway maintenance. When cost savings has been a motivation, it has often
succeeded significantly. However, cost savings is not the only issue concerned, in
fact level of service, asset quality and staff are all motivations that are often
overlooked. With the domination of best value, contracting, cost savings is but
one factor in determining whether to privatize. Furthermore, privatization also
creates new tax revenues from private contractors who pay taxes and license fees,
whereas government units do not.
31
2. Increasing flexibility
Public officials have greater flexibility to meet the publics needs. They
can replace a firm that fails to meet contract standards, cut back on services when
demand declines, and add to service during peak periods. In other words,
contractors can be turned off and on when they need to be, a tool not afforded
with government employees.
Being able to shop around for the most efficient and effective service
providers allows government managers to use any available option to meet their
objectives. Partnerships also allow government agencies to shift resources to
areas that need extra attention or away from those that do not, thus creating
additional efficiencies.
3. Improving service quality
Competition induces both public and private service providers to deliver
better service in order to keep customers satisfied and retain contracts. Service
quality is not assured, however, with the increased private responsibility inherent
in public-private partnerships through contracting, there is an increased incentive
to produce high quality work and to ensure high performance. One of the most
important determining factors for the awarding of contracts is past performance,
and delivering a low quality product could prevent the contractor from procuring
future work.
Quality outcomes can also arise from appropriate safeguards that
governments write into contracts. Contracts can and should be performance-
32
based focusing on outputs or outcomes and include quality assurances or quality-
control assurances.
4. Increasing efficiency and innovation
Private management can use its more flexible personnel practices and job
categories, modernized operating procedures, and simplified procurement
processes to work more efficiently and lower operating costs. To stay ahead of
competitors and keep its contracts, a private firm also must innovate constantly.
Additionally, seeking to gain the maximum utility from road tax, some
government agencies have privatized to improve overall system efficiency
through competition and specialization. Government service provision can get
stale. Privatizing injects competition, and often the mere threat of privatization
can drive efficiency in the public sector as government agencies must become
more efficient and provide better services to compete with private bidders.
5. Spurring innovation
According to Thompson and Sanders (1998), privatizing through public
private partnerships can produce innovative solutions. The freedom to invent
allows old processes to be discarded in favor of entirely new ones. In non-
competitive systems, especially those like government agencies, where the
incentive structure is not set up to reward innovation, there is no motivation and
advance for a new idea. Private firms have far more opportunity and incentive to
encourage and foster innovative ideas at all levels.
33
6. Gaining access to expertise
Partnerships can solve staffing problems and gain access to new or
specialized expertise that is not available in-house. Furthermore, contractors work
on projects worldwide, which bring greater experience and broader expertise.
7. Meeting peak demands and speeding project delivery
Closely related is privatizing to meet peak demands and speed up project
delivery. Public departments do not have the staff to maintain the existing
infrastructure fully. Their incentive structure to get the work done in a timely
fashion is based on avoiding complaints from community leaders, legislators, and
the media. However, the public departments internal bureaucracy often has
conflicting priorities that can hamstring its own efforts at completing projects.
The flexibility of private sector staffing enables consultants to shift resources
more readily to meet time constraints. Contracts also allow for project completion
guarantees.
8. Better managing risks
Privatizing through partnerships allows government agencies to shift risk
to contractors or in some cases to the developer. With the power of a contract at
hand, governments can build quality assurance and/or quality controls into
project delivery as a means to manage risk. An increasing trend is the
employment of warranty concepts whereby the contractor places a long-term
guarantee on his work. This further shields the government agency from risk.
34
9. Allowing policymakers to spend more time on policy decisions
Competition allows government leaders to spend more time on policy
decisions rather than on overseeing service delivery. It effectively separates
management from operations and reduces the time that leaders spend
micromanaging programs.
10. Increasing accountability for quality performance
Contractors know they can be let go if quality drops. Nevertheless, it is
harder to hold civil servants directly accountable for lack of performance. Some
of these advantages may be contradictory. For example, it may not be possible to
realize significant cost savings and, at the same time, dramatically improve
quality. However, many of these advantages are complementary. For example,
gaining access to expertise, improving efficiency, and spurring innovation are all
somewhat related. One major benefit of privatizing is that there is no one-size-
fits-all answer. In fact, public-private partnerships afford policy makers an
opportunity to make tradeoffs between different goals and customize the
privatizing package that meets their specific needs and goals.
2.6.4 Disadvantages of Privatization
In practical terms, there are many pitfalls to privatization. Privatization
has rarely worked out because it is so intertwined with political concerns,
especially in post-communist economies or in developing countries where
35
corruption is endemic. Even in advanced market economies, where privatization
has been popular since the Thatcher era, problems center on the fact that
privatization programs are very politically sensitive.
In the short term, privatization can cause tremendous social disorder, as
privatizations are nearly always accompanied by large layoffs. If a small firm is
privatized in a large economy, the effect may be negligible. If a single large firm
or many small firms are privatized at once, a whole nations economy may
plunge into despair.
Privatization in the absence of a market system may lead to assets being
held by a few very wealthy people, a so-called oligarchy, at the expense of the
general population and may discredit the process of economic reform.
Moreover, where free-market economies are rapidly imposed, a country
may not have the bureaucratic tools necessary to regulate it. If the privatized
company is a natural monopoly, or exists in a market, which is prone to serious
market failures, consumers may be worse off if the company is in private hands.
If the privatization does not fully transfer property rights to the newly private
firm, there may be disincentives for the firm to make capital investments.
Privatization can also have a ripple effect on local economies. State-
owned enterprises can be obliged to support national or local suppliers. Privatized
companies do not have that restriction therefore shift purchasing elsewhere.
However, in other cases, particularly in poor countries, unsuccessful
privatizations cannot be so easily undone. Governments do not have the resources
36
or the political will to do it, and there is strong pressure exerted by international
lending agencies to leave the situation as it is.
The driving motive of a private company is profit, not public service.
Therefore, the public welfare may be sacrificed to the demands of profitability.
Many government agencies are unaware of the common disadvantages of
privatization, as attested by Quiggin (1995), as follows:
1. Costs more
When making cost comparisons, governments often omit the costs for
contract preparation, administration, service monitoring, and renegotiation. Often
the cost of using in-house facilities or equipment is omitted as well. Also, the
taxpayer must foot the bill for unemployment payments made to laid-off
government workers. When all these factors are taken into account, contracting
out may actually cost more than in-house provision of services.
2. Decreases flexibility
Public managers directing a public workforce have a large degree of
flexibility in responding to unforeseen circumstances. But on the other hand, the
contractor has the right to refuse to do even the smallest task that isnt in the
contract.
37
3. Decreases service quality
The profit motive provides incentives to cut corners on service quality in
order to hire inexperienced, transient personnel at low salary, skimp on contract
requirements, or provide inadequate supervision.
4. Promotes corruption
Using contractors to perform public services can produce widespread
corruption including bribery, kickbacks, collusive bidding, conflicts of interest,
and charges for works that was never performed.
5. Creates dependence on private sector providers
As more services become privatized, the government loses the capacity in
terms of facilities, equipments, and skilled workers, to provide public services on
its own. The public becomes dependent on private providers for essential
services. Monopolies and price fixing among private providers can result in
higher costs and reduced quality of service.
6. Reduces accountability of public officials to citizens
Public officials often use contracting to wash their hands of administrative
hassles and to avoid responsibility and blame for service failures. As more public
38
services are shifted to the public sector, we move from an open, accountable
society to a closed, secretive society easily subject to manipulation.
Also, as stated by Jomo (1995), privatization in Malaysia often does not
even involve the formalities of an open tender system, as sanctioned by the
official first come, first served policy by which the government justifies
awarding privatization opportunities to those who have supposedly first proposed
the privatization of a government property or services. Instead, many
beneficiaries are believed to have been chosen based on political and personal
connections.
2.6.4.1 Environment for Competition
Competition can be based on price, quality, performance, or a mixture of
all three. The aim of competition should be to gain work of sufficient quality at
the most economic price. The relationship between quality and price, and the
consequences of competition, is illustrated in Figure 2.2.
39
QUALITY
POOR BETTER THAN
REQUIRED
TOO
EXPENSIVE
In house workforce
not properly managed
Contractor not
subject to competition
In house
workforce not
subject to
competition
TOO
CHEAP
In house workforce
not properly managed or
funded
Inexperienced
contractor
Unsustainable
Figure 2.2: Quality, cost and competition
Without genuine competition, the existence of monopolies can put
effectiveness and efficiency at risk. Experience from countries such as Sweden
warns of the tendency of mergers and takeovers in the industry to create a supply
monopoly. This can be countered by ensuring contracts are of a small enough
size to maintain competition, but this strategy does require more client
management. Conversely, larger longer-term contracts will be required where
there is a need to invest in specialist equipment. Only large contractors will be in
a position to undertake such work (Madelin 1994, Lantran and Morse 1995).
Parkman, et al. (2000), states that a supporting contracting environment is
crucial to the success of competition involving the private sector. In addition, the
C
O
S
T
OPTIMUM
40
competitive environment should seek to balance the benefits and risks. As
according to him, typical aims should relate to:
Customer care - recognizing the need for service delivery to please the
customer
Asset management - maintaining the value of the asset
Efficiency - improving productivity and reducing costs
Effectiveness - the right task at the right time
Quality - appropriate speed of response and quality for the activity and budget
Flexibility - ensuring that the client has real options for service
delivery
Public/private - whether any minimum public sector capability is to be
retained
2.6.4.2 Introducing Phased Competition
Parkman, et al. (2000), further argues that where there is inexperience in
competing for work, price competition should be introduced gradually in order to
develop a sustainable contracting industry. Phased introduction allows both
clients and contractors in public and private sectors to prepare and adapt to new
ways of working.
The introduction of competition will require a clear set of rules, which
must be seen to be fair if those competing are to be encouraged to give of their
best. Particular care appears to be needed when introducing competition in
environments where there are possibilities for corruption and mismanagement.
Competition is not the only difference between the public and private sectors,
other factors can affect the apparent competitiveness of an organization as well.
41
Competition rules between public and private sectors should take account of
issues such as the following:
Defining the type of work that is considered appropriate to undertake without
competition, for example routine maintenance
Defining the type of work for which the private sector will normally be
invited to bid, for example periodic maintenance
Establishing accounting procedures for in-house units to enable full costing to
be undertaken, so that cost comparisons can be made with private contractors
Establishing a system of independent audit to check on the process of
competition
Benchmarking the performance of in-house units and, if information is
available, private contractors
Defining the extent and form of competition, for example which activities
should be subject to competition and whether competition between in-house
units and private contractors is to be allowed
Defining performance criteria, including penalties which could apply to poor
quality work and performance, and a bonus system to provide incentives
He explains that the successful transfers of personnel to the private sectors
are possible only after extensive consultations with those staff that will be most
involved, and therefore affected by the change.
2.6.5 Privatization of Infrastructure
Infrastructure privatization deserves special mention because of the
important privatization activity that has taken place during the last decade.
Moreover, infrastructure privatization involves issues related to regulation, long-
42
term growth possibilities of the economy, as well as equity considerations. In
general, infrastructure sectors are regarded as non-competitive and under
regulation.
While distributive and poverty lessening issues are a matter of concern in
services like electricity, water, transport, and even telecommunications, it is
possible to deal with those in the concession design.
1. Maintenance by Contract
With reference to Smith (1999), contracting for specific items of
maintenance work, such as the resealing, overlay or reconstruction of a specific
length of pavement are widely used. However, particularly for road maintenance
works, there is often a need for contracts to cover a wider scope of work. For
example, Algeria, Belgium, Brazils DNER, British Columbia, Chile, Kenya,
Malaysia and Pakistan use standard contract documents, which may be different
for major and minor maintenance works. Routine and periodic maintenance
operations are sometimes contracted separately. This practice is used mostly in
Chile, Kenya and Pakistan, and is applied frequently in other countries to more
complex periodic activities, such as pavement or bridge repair work. In Algeria
and Brazil, maintenance contracts for specific road sections combine execution of
routine and minor periodic maintenance.
Some countries, including Canada (British Columbia), the United
Kingdom and Malaysia have experience of including all maintenance activities
on specific routes, or within entire geographic areas, in comprehensive
maintenance contracts combining both periodic and routine works. Contractors
additionally are responsible for managing the maintenance and operations
programs, including performing routine patrols and detailed inspections to
43
identify needs, setting priorities, scheduling the work, and public relations. The
contracts used by British Columbia now have five-year duration, whilst the
United Kingdom is using three-year contracts. Contractors in these countries
indicated that they consider five years is appropriate to provide them with
sufficient incentive to invest in costly, specialized equipment.
Cutting the cost of road maintenance and improving road conditions are
the main reasons why several countries have started to look for new ways of
contracting out road maintenance. In Performance Specified Road Maintenance
Contracts scheme the Road Authority serves as the owner, but out-sources both
the management and production of the maintenance work to a single contractor.
Most of these contracts cover routine maintenance and, in some cases, periodic
maintenance and road rehabilitation as well. Extension of the road network, road
surface and condition, and the period, vary in each project and will provide a
wide basis for evaluation and improvements.
2. Types of Contracts
As the pressures to maintain the existing road and highway network grow,
the idea that there is one best way to structure a project has lost its standing. The
beauty of privatizing is that it can be suited to meet the specific needs and goals
of each contracting party.
As stated by Segal, et al. (2003), there are two main types of contracts
that public officials have to choose from when contracting for road maintenance,
traditional and performance-based contracts.
44
a) Traditional contracts
Traditional contracts for road and highway maintenance are unit or work
order oriented. Contracting companies are paid for the amount of work they do
and not on the quality of work that is provided. Any number of activities can be
contracted for, including but not limited to maintenance, lane striping, litter
removal, and pothole repair. The contract can include all maintenance activities
on a set of roads. The amount of work can be increased or decreased by the
contracting party and contracts are usually limited to one year with two option
years.
Furthermore, in traditional contracts, there is little or no flexibility in
determining work methods, as the contracting party typically defines the work
processes. In effect, the private contractor imitates the agencys processes. This
type of contract, by definition, severely restricts innovation but produces cost
savings, gains access to staff and workforce, and improves efficiency and quality.
b) Performance-based contracts
Current best-practice techniques in privatization rely on performance-
based contracts. Under this type of arrangement, the contracting agency defines
an end outcome goal such as high quality roads, and the contractor decides how
best to achieve the desired outcome. The contract creates clearly defined
performance measures, clearly defined outcomes and timetables, and allows for
new and innovative methods.
45
Because performance-based contracts define success in terms of outcome
alone, they spark contractor innovation and dramatically improve quality. This
arrangement creates opportunities for value engineering and improved
efficiencies.
The most common form of performance-based contracts in road and
highway maintenance is total asset management, or also widely known as fence-
to-fence contracts. These contracts cover every part of the road or highway and
include all maintenance managing the total asset. The contracts specify minimum
performance standards and a desired end outcome. Payment is based on
achievement at different milestones, rewarding contractors for high or
exceptional performance with bonus payments and penalizing them for poor
performance with fines, and risks are transferred to the contractor. Performance-
based total asset management contracts are longer term than traditional contracts
typically five or more years with extension options at the end, which fosters a
good relationship that will add to the value and, quality of the work.
c) Warranty-type contracts
A warranty-type contract is another form of performance-based contracts.
This is a total asset management contract whereby the contractor guarantees the
work for an extended period, usually around 20 years. Warranties are usually
limited to new construction, re-construction, and maintenance since the
contractor assumes all of the product risk.
46
e) Performance Standards
Performance-based contracts have emerged as a state of the art
contracting tool to give government managers better control over contractors and
greater assurances of accountability. A key starting point for making the
partnership performance-based is to both maximize the potential and incentives
capacity for improved performance while managing the risks of performance
shortfalls. The best way to accomplish this is through performance objectives.
Through performance objectives, performance contracts spell out the
desired result expected of the contractor, but the manner in which the work is to
be performed is left to the contractors discretion. Contractors are given as much
freedom as possible in finding ways to best meet the governments performance
objective. Performance objectives give contractors the incentive to increase
productivity, cut costs and raise service quality. They also shift much of the risk
to the contractor, who is rewarded for productivity improvement and penalized
for poor performance or rising costs. The better the performance standards, the
easier contract monitoring is.
Performance standards should be written at the same time that the
monitoring plan is developed, ensuring that no differences exist between the two.
The plan should be quantifiable and specific and include reporting requirements,
regular meetings with minutes, complaint procedures, and access to contractors
records. In some scenes, high risk exists, even for minor problems, and high-cost
and high-control preventive monitoring techniques are necessary.
47
e) Risk-sharing
Sometimes a major obstacle in the construction of a partnership is the
allocation of risks. The government and its private partner must review the risks
and goals of the project, and determine the level of responsibility that the partner
will incur over the life of the contract.
Evaluating risks allows for the construction of a reasonable and cautious
risk guarantee structure. Officials need to consider risks of performance failure.
Reasonable bonds or other sureties can assure that contractors are capable of
performing the service. If the contractor fails to perform, the government receives
the bond to cover any damages and costs associated with replacement service
provision.
Nevertheless, government managers should also be cautious that financial
guarantees are set only as high as necessary. It is important to strike the proper
risk balance between the private contractor and the government. Determining
specific goals to accomplish under the privatization agreement will help
determine which responsibilities should remain under the province of the
government, and which risks the contractor can better manage.
Contractors are not banks or insurance companies, and cannot be expected
to assume unreasonable risk levels. However, insurance companies and banks can
provide a window into the competency and security offered by a potential vendor.
The contractor who posts bonds from a highly rated surety has offered strong
evidence of financial capability, and contractors can only secure insurance
coverage if their carriers are convinced that the contractor can do the job and bear
the risks of the project.
48
Furthermore, the form of contract defines each partys responsibilities and
allocates the various risks between them. Risks as according to Parkman et al.
(2000), can be grouped according to those that affect:
Quality the possibility of the work not meeting the requirements of the
client
Cost the possibility of the cost of work being different from that predicted
Time timely delivery is less an issue for maintenance than for construction
projects, and is closely related to cost
Political fashion in recent years has been to transfer as much risk as
possible to the private sector, but experience has now shown it is best allocated to
the party most suited to cope with that risk. In countries where maintenance has
traditionally been carried out by in-house units, the private sector will often not
be in a position to manage the private sector properly. Table 2.2 below illustrates
issues of risk allocation for road maintenance.
Table 2.2: Contracting strategies and allocation of risk
Issue
Client to
manage risk
Contractor to
manage risk
Type of
contract
Hourly rates Single
activity
Grouped
activity
Performance
based (short
term)
Performance
based (long term)
Payment
method
Cost
reimbursable
Target cost Price
based
(schedule
of rates)
Price based
(admeasure)
Price based
(Lump sum)
Term of
contract
Short Term Long Term
Packaging Many small
contracts
Few large contracts
Note : No comparison of relative risk can be made from the table between different issues
49
f) Labour and Employee Issues
This is a crucial issue for community support, since most employees and
unions will be resistant to the idea of the current staff working for a private
entity. In many contracts, private operators retain the existing employees because
of the benefits of having an experienced workforce. If a reduction in employee
size is needed to increase efficiency, a common practice is to handle staff
reduction through resignation, or retirement. When an employee leaves, an
overstaffed operation will not fill the position.
In practice, privatizing allows the operator to retain valuable experience
on staff. The private sector often offers better employee training, development,
and advancement than the public sector. It is through the transition from public
employment to the private sector that opportunities for continuing education,
training, and career advancement are created. Many of senior staff and line
workforce at most private road maintenance firms come out of the public sector.
Career advancement between projects and from the field into corporate positions
is commonplace.
g) Accountability and Monitoring
Firms should be subjected to continual monitoring and contracts should
include reporting and auditing requirements. Accountability ultimately lies with
the contracting government to ensure the taxpayers are getting the services they
are paying for from the private service provider. This process enables local
governments to maintain quality, quantity, and cost of services. Efficient
monitoring, though costly, pays for itself by preventing overcharges and poor
50
quality performance in the first place by taking back inappropriate outlays, and
by disallowing payment for inadequate performance.
At the same time, the monitoring process must be completed without
micromanaging the contractor. Governments should avoid employing those
individuals who formerly managed the in-house operation as contract managers
or monitors over the contracted operation. Even if these individuals are fully
committed to fairly and objectively monitoring the contractor, the appearance of
bias and conflict of interest can cause disagreements and even rifts to develop
between the clients and the contractor.
The private firm should provide the local government with monthly and
annual operating reports in sufficient detail to enable the local government to
evaluate performance under the agreement. In addition, the local government
should have the right to inspect any facility or worksite and audit operators
records at any time upon reasonable notice.
The success of partnerships depends on ongoing communication,
monitoring and oversight to ensure services contemplated by agreement are being
delivered and problems and issues that arise will be identified and dealt with
earlier.
h) Term and Payment
Length of term is another important clause of an operational. Most
operational contracts are between 3 and 10 years long. Rebidding them on a
periodic basis is one way to ensure competitive pressure to innovate and keep
51
costs down. However, shorter contracts do carry risks in creating bad incentives.
A maintenance provider may put off doing an overlay, which lasts seven-plus
years, and do a less expensive form of maintenance if he has to re-bid the
contract in three years. Short contract terms can discourage life-cycle cost
considerations.
Generally, longer contracts have the most favorable rates and can
incorporate more healthy performance elements, but may reduce cost savings and
innovation potential from more frequent rebidding.
The compensation package and payment schedule should also be
incorporated into the contract. Performance-based payments should be part of the
package and will be a bit more complex than standard fixed-price payment
schedules. One strategy is to structure the compensation in two parts. First, a
fixed fee designed to cover basic facility operating costs and any maintenance
and capital upgrades must be agreed upon. Second, a variable fee tied to
performance against a basket of outcome measures may be developed.
i) Termination
Another necessary section details the method of termination for
noncompliance, nonperformance, or general breach of contract. It can be helpful
to establish an increasing scale of specific sanctions that end in termination and to
specify the use and structure of arbitration or mediation. Often, contracts will
include termination for convenience clauses, which allow either party to end
the agreement without cause but requiring sufficient notice, usually 60 to 120
days.
52
As stated by Segal et al. (2003), the elements of a contract are subject to
negotiation, from costs and user rates to the extent of guarantees provided by the
contractor. Negotiations should be aimed at achieving a win-win situation, under
which the major objectives of both sides can be satisfied and both will benefit
mutually. Both sides often compromise through negotiations in the interest of the
relationship. In addition, both will be called upon to live up to contractual
obligations over the term of the contract.
2.6.5.1 Work Planning
The work planning of a firm as according to Report of the Committee on
Highway Maintenance (1970), are as follows:
1. Role of the Planning Section
There are two aspects of planning: long-term programming by senior
officers, and short-term operational planning. The latter involves planning the
work of individual gangs and relating to it the use of large items of plant and the
supply of materials and contractors services. Adjustments are required as
programs fall behind or get ahead of schedule. In many firms, planning is not
regarded as a skilled function, is carried out by staff with no specific training and
is therefore done badly.
53
Good forward planning is essential for any authority operating or
proposing to operate a work-study scheme; without it, no scheme will realize its
full potential for increasing productivity.
Therefore, every firm should have a work planning section supported by a
plant manager, and all large or expensive items of plant should be centrally
controlled so that the plant manager in accordance with the works plan may
program their usage.
2. Centralization and Co-operation between Parties
The existence of a work planning section should lead to increased
centralization of the maintenance operation where this leads to improved
efficiency. In some cases, such as resurfacing or surface dressing, central
planning of all work, including any to be done by contractors, could lead to direct
economies. The unit cost of surface dressing is higher when work is carried out in
small sections; where road lengths needing treatment in different divisions are,
contiguous, central work planners can achieve economies by ensuring that the
jobs are combined. Similarly, if firms offer contractors a more rational pattern of
work, there should be scope for obtaining reduced prices. Therefore, the
responsibilities of the work planning section should cover the programming of all
resurfacing and surface dressing work, whether to be done by direct labor or
contract.
54
3. Planning Routines
The main need is for the common sense application of simple routines
rather than the use of complex network programs, which, though they may be
useful in some cases, are unlikely to be generally applicable. Firms should make
far greater use of simple planning charts since it is a great help if programs are
presented graphically.
2.6.5.2 Relations with Contractors and Suppliers
As according to Report of the Committee on Highway Maintenance
(1970), a firms relations with contractors and suppliers are as follows:
1. Use of Direct Labour or Contract
Decisions on the amount of maintenance work to be done by direct labor
have various bases, of which cost is currently the decisive factor in only about a
quarter of the cases. For the remainder the availability of labor with the necessary
skills seems to be decisive, although tradition and geography often play an
important part and also, but to a lesser extent. Firms should budget for a direct
labor force sufficient only to carry out the estimated base workload. Peaks should
be covered by employing contractors.
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In comparing for individual jobs the costs of employing contractors with
those of using their own men or plant, firms tend to overlook relevant points.
Examples are the need to make realistic apportionments of overheads to direct
labor jobs and the need to allow for the administrative costs of placing and
supervising an outside contract. Firms should be more cost-conscious in their
decisions about the use of contractors.
2. Effect of Forward Programming on Contracting Arrangements
When firms put work out to contract they often fail to allow for small
changes in timing or other features, which, though of little consequence to
themselves, may significantly reduce the contractors costs, enabling him to
quote a lower price. The introduction of forward planning should enable firms to
place orders for delivery of materials several weeks in advance; suppliers would
not then need to allow for large orders at very short notice. Therefore, central
work planning and increased cooperation between parties are relevant to this
point. Long-term contracts should also be considered. Some contractors are
prepared to offer a fixed price for the benefit of a long-term contract.
Consequently, all firms should review regularly the possibility of reorganizing
their work in order to take the fullest advantage of market conditions.
3. Bulk Buying
Similar considerations apply to bulk buying. Annual tenders are in general
use for most materials. However, the considerable differences in the way in
which contracts are operated reveal insufficient appreciation of the effect of
purchasing power. There are firms for example, which divide the annual work or
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supply tender among several contractors. This should be done only if there are
sound economic reasons.
Therefore, firms should, if they are to gain the maximum benefit, should
order materials in bulk whenever possible, if necessary by co-operating with their
neighbors.
4. Tendering for Maintenance: Small Jobs
For the great majority of small maintenance jobs, it is unnecessary to go
through the formal tender procedure. Alternative procedures should however be
carefully defined though over-administration on minor items must be avoided.
Small maintenance operations to be let out to contract can best be done by local
firms. Either a schedule of rates or individual quotations should be adopted as the
means of selection.
5. Tendering for Maintenance: Large Jobs
Formal contract procedures should be employed. These will not be
frequent in maintenance except for such operations as resurfacing. When they do
occur, selective tendering should be the standard procedure.
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2.6.5.3 Cost of Administration
The Report of the Committee on Highway Maintenance (1970), suggest
that by better administration alone the net savings available to firms could
amount to between 5 and 10 % of total maintenance expenditure and it is by no
means unrealistic. The savings will come from many sources such as greater gang
flexibility, with increased productivity; thorough control of usage of materials;
maximum usage of plant by central planning; plant replacement at the optimum
time; and planned maintenance of plant rather than expensive breakdown repairs.
The varying efficiency of firms means of course that some have little
scope for further saving while others should expect to save far more. Savings will
provide firms with the option of undertaking more work or spending less money.
The firms with the lowest percentage of administrative overhead are not always
the most efficient nor are they necessarily giving the best value for money.
Indeed there is evidence that insufficient administrative backing is a direct cause
of poor organization and ineffectual control in several authorities.
2.6.6 Functional Role of Government
As according to Report of the Committee on Highway Maintenance
(1970), the origins of the various functions performed by government in the
provision and operation of privatized infrastructure have already been identified
from a historical perspective, and it is now time to examine how each of these is
manifested in present day projects. It should however be noted that although each
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facet of the role is considered separately, in practice the roles form a hierarchy
and sometimes overlap. A diagrammatic representation is shown in Figure 2.3.
Figure 2.3: Aspects of the role of Government
It is worth repeating that in much of the developed world these functions
seem to have generally emerged in response to the problems historically posed by
the privatized procurement approach rather than as a result of deliberate
government strategy or any particular government ideology.
These functions can conveniently be sub-divided into two basic groups.
First are those which are more general in the sense that they relate to the way
overall government policies impact upon infrastructure in general, and this group
mainly comprises the roles of government as regulator, as representative of the
people, as inspector, and as strategic planner, and as supporter of its own
exporters, and these aspects are considered here. The second group comprises
those aspects, which are more to do with specific projects, and includes
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government as facilitator, guarantor and investor, government as customer, and
government as promoter.
2.7 Project Managements Triple Objectives
As according to Hajek (1984), the primary objective of project
management is to ensure maximization of the resources at hand. Most clients
would be satisfied with work that is superior in quality, gives the most in
quantity, cost the least, is quick off the mark, yields the highest return and is easy
to build and maintain. Through the application of proper project management
techniques the triple project objectives of time, cost, and quality can be achieved.
Similarly, as attested by Chalmers (1999), the overall objective of a
project has three key elements, which is time, cost, and quality. Their relationship
is illustrated by the diagram in Figure 2.4.
Figure 2.4: The relationship between time, cost, and quality
Time
Cost Quality
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The aim of all projects is to meet customer expectations, which is to finish
the project by the agreed date, complete it within the agreed budget, and for the
end result to be fit for its purpose.
However, according to Turner (1999), some project managers treat time
as the only important function, and focus on that to the detriment of the others.
Certainly there are projects for which time is of overriding importance. But, this
may not be true for other type of projects.
2.7.1 Time
Many projects lose some or even all of their value if delivered late. This is
particularly true of products in a competitive market, where market share goes to
the first entry. Others count cost by effort extended, access to desired resources
when needed, or time wasted in delays. Project management considers time to be
reflected in the project schedule and to be tracked by hours against task
completion on that schedule. How team members and other personnel use and
waste time affects the project. A concept important agreed-on date ranges and the
importance of managing time on a macro level against value produced. Time is
resource. When an organization has decided that a need must be met through a
project, the value of meeting that need may be amplified or diminished by time.
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2.7.1.1 The Project Management Schedule
The duration of a projects sequenced tasks is used to define the time
window during which the project will create and deliver its product or service, its
benefits. Sometimes the duration of the project will be influenced by external
elapsed time in the critical path of delivery: government reviews, external market
influences, or delayed access to critical resources or approvals. The team is
expected to anticipate these delays-to the extent possible-and include them when
estimating tasks in the schedule. By the time the go/no-go decision is reached, the
schedule is expected to be reasonably accurate.
Once the execution phase begins, the project management detail and
general technical methods are already built into the plan through the work
breakdown structure (WBS) and task list. Often it is a simple tasks to use
software to refine calendar dates, add names and costs to the tasks, extrapolate
from these when the creation of deliverables is likely to occur, and make
refinements to the tasks, effort, duration, and sequence to optimize the resources
available to the task at hand. Some scheduling can be done using automated tools
; others-such as work leveling for professional assignments-must be done by
analysis.
Time management is defined as the function required to maintain
appropriate allocation of time to the overall conduct of the project through the
successive phases of its life cycle.
Since time is a critical factor in project management as it relates costs, a
particular project or instructed work should be completed within the speculated
time. Delays of work with unacceptable excuses only causes financial losses to a
firm. This also shows the integrity of the firm in carrying out the particular work.
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The time taken to inform the related authority in case of an emergency also
counts as it will initiate remedy action as soon as possible afterwards.
2.7.2 Cost
Cost Management is defined as the process by which a potential owner of
a capital facility engages a professional agent, referred to as a construction
manager, to coordinate, communicate and direct the entire process of
construction from the project planning stage through design, procurement,
construction and startup, in terms of scope, quality, time and cost.
Cost of a project is the most critical factor to a private firm. This is due to
the nature where often private firms main objectives are to gain as much profit as
possible. Therefore, there are firms that claims for completed works more than
the actual work. The private firms are also well known to provide services at a
much higher cost.
But, as always a firm undertaking major concession works must always
have sufficient financial resources and financial back-ups to complete the works.
This is to allow for reduced disputes and successful completion of the agreed
works within the allocated time.
However, the government also plays an important role in making sure all
things run well. The work claims by the private firms if paid as agreed without
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delay will enable the private firm to efficiently roll the cash around and have
higher confidence in the contracting party.
2.7.3 Quality
Quality Management is defined as the function required to determine and
implement quality policy throughout the project life cycle. Quality management
encompasses the sub-functions of Quality Assurance and Quality Control. The
goal of quality management is zero defects. So, to the extent that the costs of
prevention and verification are less than non-conformance. In other words it
could be said that the cost of quality is free.
Ensuring quality on a project is a much larger topic than can be addressed
in this chapter. Quality-meeting the agreed-on customer requirements-is a result
of the convergence of many levels of effort on a project and is covered under
scope management . A quality plan, established as part of the overall project plan,
is the location for recording the projects defined quality strategy. If standards,
tolerances, and methods are defined for the organization as a whole, they also
should be referred to in the quality plan . Any special applications or conditions
required for the project to create a product or service that is unique or different
need to be spelled out.
The quality plan needs to define what is considered to represent quality on
the project, how it will be managed, and how it will be tracked and controlled.
The definition of quality generally accepted in project management means
meeting the agreed-on customer requirements. Clearly defined customer
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requirements and managed customer expectations are shaped by the organization
sponsoring the project and the maturity of the organizations process
environment. However, quality is also a result of quality processes, particularly in
project management. While the processes used to create the deliverable may be
new, the processes to manage the project should be performed well and
consistently.
The definition of the desired state of the outcome or final deliverable on
the project must be documented and agreed to so that when the project is
complete, the deliverables can be judged adequate. The team needs this
acceptance criteria as soon as possible so as to know what to create on the
project. If there are changes made to the acceptance criteria while the project is in
progress, those changes must be communicated promptly to the team, and the
implications of those changes on the work process or outcomes need to be
explained.
While the entire project team is responsible for quality, the project
manager, working with the teams leadership, takes explicit responsibility for the
quality plan. Complaints from the public regarding a particular service directly
resembles the quality of the provided service. The public in most cases has been
adopted as a means of monitoring and quality checks. Questionnaires and
interviews often conducted with the public regarding a certain service or activity
as this method will reveal the true and least biased responses to the questions
asked.
The quality of the work done by a private firm resembles the ability of the
firm to successfully keep the clients satisfied. Skilled personnel of the firm is
required to achieve this. However, the firm should always monitor for loose ends
that may require improvements or developments.
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2.8 Types Of Defect And Remedy
The rehabilitation technique can be divided broadly into three main
categories Restoration, Resurfacing and Reconstruction.
2.8.1 Restoration
Restoration is work required to return the existing pavement structure to a
suitable condition for placement of an additional stage of construction or
otherwise to perform satisfactorily for a substantial time. These include such
activities as priming, rejuvenation, patching, cold milling, crack sealing and
drainage improvements.
Restoration is normally suitable for pavement with sound road base and
underlying layers. Restoration is routine repair work that must be carried out
within the early life of the pavement. This an important practice but is seldom
seen. For example, crack sealing is an important activity of many overseas road
authorities.
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2.8.2 Rejuvenating
Rejuvenating agents have been introduced as a substance that could
restore aged bitumen. The rejuvenating capabilities in the field had not been
proven in the Malaysian environment and knowledge of the subject is limited.
Current available product claims that the rejuvenating agent could replace the lost
polymeric constituents as a result of bitumen aging. These indicate that the
correct choice of rejuvenating agent must be studied carefully depending on what
had been lost and needed in the field.
If rejuvenation is considered, laboratory test is needed to identify areas
and quantity of improvements and most importantly the correct done of
rejuvenation. Excess introduction of polymeric constituent may effect the
bitumen properties. Precaution should be to taken eliminate possible introduction
of other problems such as bleeding, slippery surface and weakening of existing
asphalt. The additional cost incurred should also be considered in economic
terms.
The current available prove of aging is by measuring the bitumen
viscosity. However Januszke et-all (1992) caution that single point measurement
of bitumen property to justify aging is limited unless backed up by considerable
empirical experience and knowledge of the bitumen types involved. Hardened
bitumen is a problem if the pavement is trafficked with heavy load but
insignificant for light trafficked road. For understand the mechanical
characteristics of the bituminous mix that will govern its performance.
Transportation Research Board (TRB 1991) describes state-of-the art approach
with respect to field performance.
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2.8.3 Crack sealing
Crack sealing is a cheap restorative maintenance measure that could
retard rate of deterioration or crack growth. The cracks can be filled with crack
fillers. Fine sand or fine aggregates may be added to fill up larger cracks.
Crack sealing is normally carried out for environmentally induced cracks.
Fatigue related cracks are more difficult to seal and provide only short term
benefits. The deterioration of the sealants and cracks propagate with time and
traffic loading. Crack sealing is best applied on lightly trafficked road or where
the deflection level is low in heavily trafficked road.
Crack sealing has been a common practice in many developed countries.
Applications of hot sealant are common but construction can be difficult. Cold
sealants are easy to apply but may not produce good results. Polymer modified
crack sealants offers improved performance.
Hot crack sealants can be applied using the screed box process, a
pressurized hand lance or hand wand process. Some of this process is available in
Malaysia. Cold crack sealants can be applied using pressurized crack sealing
machine or using pressurized kettle can be used. Blinding the sealant is necessary
can be used for blinding.
The common manual technique used in Malaysia is to fill up the cracks by
hand using a special bottle fitted with a nozzle. Since the application of crack
sealing is not very wide, record of its performance is rather limited. IKRAM had
monitored a proprietary crack sealant which has shown improvement in
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application technique. It performance is still variable. To date, the performance of
the crack sealant are still dependent on individual opinions based on ad hoc case
studies. Controlled trials have not been undertaken.
Research in crack sealing advances into finding the cheapest and effective
type of sealant and finding the best ways of sealing cracks. Research undertaken
by the Strategic Highway Research Group (SHRP, 1992), in the U.S.A. is
currently undergoing in using robotics for crack sealing operations.
2.8.4 Patching
Patching is the replacement of deteriorated localized area of asphalt
surfacing with suitable bituminous mix, placed and compacted to similar level to
adjacent deteriorated asphalt. Hot mix or cold mix can be used as patching
material. These mixtures range widely in quality, compositions and costs and
they must be stable, strong, durable, cohesive, workable and can be stored for
emergency used.
The conventional patching technique is time consuming. New method had
advance with the use of heaters to remove deteriorated bituminous layer. The
existing pavement is soften by heating using infrared heater panels. Patching is
done using conventional method. This method is expensive but is slowly gaining
acceptance.
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Cold milling is another technique of removing the deteriorated surface
before patching. This is applied where the extend of patching is extensive making
conventional technique too costly and slow. Cold milling is also frequently
applied to patch mixes with rutting problem due to lack of stability. A cold
milling machine can cut the deteriorated surfacing to a uniform depth and width
as required. However, the depth of cut is limited and this method may not remove
the total depth of deteriorated material. The maximum depth and width depend on
the machine model and specification. Sometimes the milled material can be
salvage and recycled.
2.8.5 Thin asphalt overlays
This asphalt overlay is an alternative for low cost surface rehabilitation
technique that help improve the surface riding condition. It may be needed to
extend the service life of a pavement or as a short term measure to address
specific distress condition.
2.8.6 Surface dressings (chip seal)
Surface dressing is an application of bitumen followed with an aggregate
cover. The aggregate is normally single size and can be pre-coated with bitumen.
Single or multiple application of aggregate cover is common. In a double surface
dressing larger size stones are placed first. Raked-in surface dressing is another
technique. Two applications of aggregate cover were applied, the lager size first
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followed by the smaller size without second application of bitumen. Other types
of surface dressing are shown in Figure 2.
Surface dressing has been commonly used as a wearing course on low
volume roads. It is a suitable resurfacing technique on most surface failure on
these roads. The potential use of surface dressing is not limited to improve
surface distress. High bitumen film thicknesses improve resistance against age
hardening. The layer of bitumen may seal cracks.
In many developed countries surface dressings has gain acceptance for
use on their main highways. It can be seen on highways in Australia and the
United Kingdom and has been used successfully as a rehabilitation technique for
all types of roads. Transport Research Laboratory (1992) produced a design guide
on surface dressing for road maintenance in the U.K.
This technique requires adequate attention on design, supervision, quality
control and aftercare. Carelessness in any scope of work may result in a poor
quality and useless product. Spraying hot bitumen to the required spray rate must
be done accurately. The bitumen sprayer must be equipped with a heater, an
accurate speedometer and a built in thermometer. Accurate spray rate is difficult
to achieve if any of the stated equipment failed to function properly.
Laying surface dressing uses the conventional technique. Hot bitumen is
sprayed using a bitumen sprayer followed immediately by an aggregate spreader,
and rolled by a type roller. This is still a preferred method since the spray rate is
incorrect. The latest surface dressing equipment is capable of laying surface
dressing in one pass. The equipment has a sprayer and built-in aggregate
spreader.
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Modified bitumen, fiber or special aggregate could improve the properties
of common surface dressing. The performance will be very dependent on the type
of modifiers or fiber. Field performance of this type of surface dressing is
currently being evaluated.
2.8.7 Slurry seals
Aggregate mixes, water and filer (usually cement) bound with bitumen
emulsion, and mixed in-situ during placement by specialized plant mounted on a
lorry are normally referred as Slurry Seals.
There are many types of slurry seals. Type I, II and III are three
conventional types specified by the International Slurry Seal Association (ISSA)
(13). The aggregate size, filler and the residual bitumen from the emulsion
govern the classifications. Nominal 4.75 mm aggregate size is specified for type I
and II whilst size 9.5 mm for type III. The emulsion to be used should be
appropriate to the aggregate and the desired setting time. Slow setting cationic
emulsion is normally used.
The nature of existing surfacing and expected traffic level governs
appropriate use of slurry seals. Conventional slurry using slow setting emulsion
need long curing time. Application becomes difficult during rainy period. Rain
water can wash away the emulsion, breaking aggregate bondage and destroying
the slurry. Rapid setting emulsion or modification of the slurry could be a better
choice for the above situation. Localized pavement defects that include cracks,
ruts, humps, low pavement edges must be repaired before applying the slurry
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seals. Slurry seals has potential for both corrective and preventive maintenance of
asphalt surfacing. The use of this product is more practical if it can be made
cheap.
Recent research at IKRAM has found the limitation of type II slurry seal.
It is not suitable on pavement that suffers interconnected cracks especially at
areas with weak pavement structure. A model was developed by Jones et-al
(1992) to predict probability of reflection cracking in a slurry .
Polymer modified emulsion, special aggregate or fibers could improve the
properties and performance of slurry seals depending on the type of modifiers
and aggregates. Its condition of use is similar to the slurry seals described above
and it potential application may extend to higher class of roads.
To date there is insufficient information to specify suitable type of
modifiers, special aggregate and fiber that can be used in Malaysia. A recent trial
had just been completed and the results will be known soon.
Another form of modified application of slurry seals is termed cape seal.
A surface dressing is applied first before the slurry seal. Such construction allows
the surface dressing to perform at a longer life on high traffic volume road
without the worries of loose chippings. It has the potential to provide a dense
surface with improved skid resistance.
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2.8.8 Thin Hot Mix
Thin hot mix asphalt is a minimum thickness of asphalt normally less then
25 mm thick laid using customary equipment. Any type of hot asphalt mix or
modified mix can be used. The thin asphalt layer provides for non-structural
purposes mainly to correct surface deficiency.
Thin hot mix can be applied at areas subjected to low traffic loading and
deflection level. It is not meant to correct structural failures such as cracking and
severe rutting. Surfacing that suffers from polishing, stripping, bleeding can be
overlaid with thin asphalt.
Porous thin hot mix can also be used. High voids in the mix allow water
to drain laterally. Removal of water through this mix is rapid. Water splash and
spray are substantially reduced when driving in wet conditions on this surface.
Improved surface friction characteristic makes this mix suitable for wet roads.
Application of porous mixes is not common in Malaysia. A recent trial
using porous mix with modified bitumen had shown some positive results with
respect t skid resistance improvement and noise reduction. However the void
content in the mix reduces with repetition of heavy vehicles and clogging of dust.
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2.8.9 Bituminous surface recycling
Surface recycling is the reworking of bituminous surfacing materials to
restore their performance and correct noted deficiency. There are two categories
of recycling; in-situ and off-site. Three processes of in-situ recycling known as
Repaving, Remixing and Retreading are used.
The repave process involves heating and scarifying and laying directly a
new layer of bituminous mix on the scarified material. A purpose-built machine
can perform this operation in a single pass. The remix process involves heating
scarifying and mixing the scarified mix with new material in a pugmill mixer of a
machine. The blended mix is laid on the scarified surface and compacted. The
blending consistency and the percentage of added new mix highly influences the
performance of the blended mix. Some specifications disallow less than 50 per
cent content of the fresh mix.
The retread process is a cold in-situ recycling. The existing surface is
scarified and broken down to required size followed by reshaping the road
profile. Emulsion is sprayed on the surface and harrowing is carried out to
distribute the emulsion uniformly. Spraying and harrowing is normally carried
out 2 or 3 times before compacting. The surface is finally sealed with a thin
bituminous layer.
Heating fresh bituminous mix in the plant causes age hardening, re-
heating will induce further hardening. This problem must be attended carefully in
a recycling process. No specific research result can be used for guidance on this
problem at this juncture. However recycled surfacing has been tried as an
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interlayer. The results have shown that this technique allows mitigation of
reflective cracking.
Off-site recycling offers a better quality control of the blended mix. Its
application is very limited in this country since aggregate source is abundant. At
this juncture it is more economical to produce new bituminous material rather
blend recycled material.
2.9 Resurfacing
Resurfacing is the placement of fresh material on existing surfacing that
has uniformly deficient surface or structural integrity. It can improve riding
quality and provide additional direct structural strength.
Most commonly used resurfacing materials are thick bituminous overlays
and aggregate overlays. Resurfacing had been applied on many types of
pavement deficiency. Resurfacing can be applied on surfacing that have failure
manifestation such as initial cracks, less than 10 mm rutting, polishing, reveling,
hardened surface and bleeding.
Resurfacing technologies had advance from the standard bituminous
overlays to various types of thick bituminous overlays, aggregate overlays and
recycling techniques. In conjunction with the current research findings, the
resurfacing material should be design to withstand repetitive loading and harsh
environmental conditions.
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Another important consideration is the existence of reflection cracking as
a major mode of failure in Malaysia. Existing cracked pavement will cause an
overlay to suffer additional stresses and strains due to the movement of cracks
under wheel loading. A model was developed by Morosiuk, Ford and Mutalif
(992) where the probability of cracking can be estimated depending on the initial
crack intensity and deflection level.
The magnitude of strain suffered by the overlay on cracked pavement is
very high compared to a non-cracked pavement. The current available technique
to overcome or mitigate this problem is by designing a surfacing mix that could
withstand the strains or to provide an interlayer prior to overlaying the interlayer
can be design to absorbed or relaxed the stresses and strain caused by the cracked
movement.
The use of geotextiles as an interlayer is also possible if it is economical.
In most cases, inclusion of geotextiles is expensive and costlier than a standard
40 mm asphaltic concrete overlays. Although there is indication that some of the
geotextiles interlayer could mitigate reflective cracking, the cost and construction
implication are the area that needs refinements.
In the absence of a comprehensive solution to prevent reflective cracking,
resurfacing work can be carried out with emphasis given on pre-treatment. Major
failures such as deep rutting, shoving, crocodile cracking should be treated prior
to overlay. Conventional cut and patch if done properly is a valuable pre-
treatment. A major cut and patch work can sometime be more fruitful as a long
term measure rather than direct overlaying on cracked pavements. Interconnected
cracks should be removed if reflective cracking is to be avoided.
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If traffic deviation is not a problem during construction, aggregate overlay
on cracked pavement offers a better solution.
2.10 Resurfacing on climbing lane.
Current bituminous mix design does not seem to be able to withstand the
axle loading and slow moving heavy vehicle that causes rutting. The slow
moving vehicle imposes high loading with slow loading time causing damage to
the bituminous material.
Recent trials by IKRAM had found a resurfacing material that could
withstand high stressed loading comparable to polymer modified mixes. The mix
is called the High Compaction Mix (HCM). In extension to this work it is also
being tried as a conventional resurfacing material that may survive longer in our
environment.
2.11 Reconstruction
Reconstruction is the replacement of full, including sub grade or part of
the pavement using fresh material and new pavement construction specification.
Materials will fail beyond recovery if it is allowed the deteriorate for a long time.
The extent of deterioration can be determine by inspection and confirmed with
in-situ testing.
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In board term, failure manifestations for reconstruction are severe
shoving, > 20 mm rutting, crocodile cracking with depression, and severe
potholes.
Reconstruction operation is often difficult and it is not easy to achieve
good quality work. Even with the current technological advancement, full
reconstruction has to be carried out using conventional technique.
Partial reconstruction technique had advance into recycling. Recycling for
base is a partial reconstruction alternative where the existing deteriorated
surfacing and/or part of the road base pulverized, and placed in-situ as a new road
base layer. This process will remove existing cracks and at the same time allows
addition of road base thickness. It therefore eliminates reflective cracking
problem and provides room to correct thickness deficiency.
Base recycling is suitable where the deterioration of the surfacing has
become too extensive in quantity where conventional partial reconstruction
option will not be economical. Additional aggregate and a stabilizer can be
blended in the mix to improve its performance. If cement is used as a stabilizer,
the dosage of cement should be studied carefully to achieve the right strength and
at the same time reduce possibility of cracking.
The constructions of recycle stabilized base, normally requires
specialized machinery. Standard construction method may not be suitable and can
be expensive.
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2.12 Policy and Standard
The management policy and standards guiding the team used to be
articulated and communicated so that they convey a common view to the diverse
groups interacting with the projects members. The core team most likely will be
dealing with many different audiences. For internal projects, they will be
interacting with managers, internal customers, technical teams, support
personnel, and operations teams. For external or public projects, the core team is
also likely to interact with :
Client or citizen groups
Government agencies
Insurance representatives
Financial officials
Others (utilities, equipment vendors, etc)
Each group has different priorities guiding its work and its view of the
project. If these groups are to support the goal and mission, they need to have
common understanding of how their support will be needed. The policy and
standards that apply to the project may differ from those that apply in operations,
or they may be applied differently because the project is creating something
unique. Conveying that difference to stakeholders eases concerns and creates
better understanding and support for the project
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2.13 Communications
The communications plan created during detailed planning is put into
action when the execution phase begins. Startup information is distributed to
members of the team, announcements of the projects implementation are sent to
sponsors, customers, and stakeholders. Reference materials are made available
online for team members, and work methods and processes are explained.
Immediate training is scheduled to inform the team of the project management
process and how methods and tools will be applied.
Reliable, sound information is essential for a successful project. From the
beginning, the team must have a vision of how the project will finish and what
criteria must be met in order to declare the effort a success. The team also will
need a variety of information regarding the project, its success factors, the
business case, the deliverables requirements, and the technical methods and
procedures that will result in a successful delivery. The entire project team also
needs to be given a clear idea of what the clients or customers needs are so that
when faced with minor tradeoffs during execution tasks, those needs are not
compromised.
Processes and templates from prior projects may be used on the current
project, and the organizations standard project management process helps to
establish what the sponsoring organization requires. In some cases the sponsor,
technical lead, or customer will prescribe a process to ensure that the result of the
project-its product, service, or plan-conforms to the acceptance criteria. Deciding
how much structure is necessary requires a lot of knowledge, creativity,
judgment, and wisdom. As a general rule, standardization will help to reduce the
stress of ambiguity and the challenge of newness. Training the team in its work
processes, both project management and technical work, helps to get the team
working together more quickly. The project manager should specify which
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processes and templates everyone must follow and which are optional.
Standardizing forms conveys knowledge through their design. Since not all team
members will be effective writers or skilled communicators, work production can
be speeded up through use of templates. Partially developed forms for agendas, e-
mails, reference file categories for the team, and reports can contain generic
information from the start so that only specifics such as subtitles and dates or
agenda items need to be added when they are used.
Identifying members of the team who are knowledgeable about
communications methods and strategies can be useful when designing standard
formats. If central files for standard communications templates are set up in
advance, valuable team effort is not wasted on overhead activities when the
project is in full production mode on the deliverable.
Always presenting communications in the same format also helps the
receiver to quickly identify what is being presented and go right to the essence of
the message. The format conveys what is there, how it is to be used, and in what
context. If good forms design practices are used, it is so be used, and in what
context. If good forms design practices are used, the data can be entered quickly
and even added to later. Configuration control methods should show the proper
version.
2.13.1 Communicating through Reports and Data
The project communications plan should include a chart of what reports
will be conveyed to the projects stakeholders and team and who will be
receiving the teams reports. Some reports will be cyclic, and others will be
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event-driven. Since many people interacting with the project will be receiving
information in different formats that what they are accustomed to, the project
needs to set up definitions and possibly symbols to convey the importance and
finality of that information. When people are asked to submit reports and data for
the project, they also must know how accurate the data are or should be.
2.13.2 Distributing the Schedule
The deliverable schedule, as well as other versions of the schedule with
target dates and tasks, can serve different purposes for different audiences. A
particular view of a schedule can be used as a sales tool, a nagging device, or an
excuse depending on how it is perceived and presented. The project management
team will be using the schedule to promote desired behavior by selecting how it
will be used with different audiences of stakeholders. The high-level schedule,
one refined, is a better tool for communicating to the public than a detailed
schedule.
2.13.3 Distributing the Schedule
The deliverable schedule, as well as other versions of the schedule with
target dates and tasks, can serve different purposes for different audiences. A
particular view of a schedule can be used as a sales tool, a nagging device, or an
excuse depending on how it is perceived and presented. The project management
team will be using the schedule to promote desired behavior by selecting how it
will be used with different audiences of stakeholders. The high-level schedule,
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one refined, is a better tool for communicating to the public than a detailed
schedule.
2.13.4 Distributing Information to Stakeholders and the Team
An effective communications process takes an assertive stance to
managing changes between what people expect and what is really relevant to
complete the project. The plan identifies who will need what type of
communications when, as well as the channels or medium to be used. If people
are accustomed to receiving important information received differently may not
be taken seriously, and the communication may not achieve its intended goal.
The plan itself can be lean and simple. It lists the team members by type
(technical or project management, subproject or contract), program manager,
stakeholders, and support team (information technology, training). It records the
communications methods, media, and schedule for distributing specific types of
information to various project stakeholders. Whether it is a blanket
announcement by e-mail or a personal address by executive management in a
group meeting, the medium conveys information to the team as well as the
content of the message.
The project manager needs to convey some principles of communication
to the team in the plan in order to keep the process effective. The parts of a
communications plan all serve a purpose; key people need to be involved in key
areas of the project in order for the project to be effective. The plan should
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specify who is to be involved through communications, how they will be
informed, and what purpose their involvement serves in the projects success.
Communication is everyones job, and changes and issues need to be
communicated upward from project team members to team leadership, and
direction, changes, logistics, status, and resolutions need to be communicated
downward to the team. Even with an effective process and a plan, a certain
amount of miscommunication occurs on projects. The goal is to minimize the
negative effects through systematic communications management.
2.14 Just In Time (JIT) Manufacturing
JIT manufacturing is revolutionary in the way inventories are managed in
todays organizations. The improvement in manufacturing technology through
the use of JIT strategies has created systems changes. JIT concepts and processes
have been adequately described in the literature. There is the opportunity in
organizations to take JIT manufacturing plant to other situations in the enterprise.
Billesback and Schniedrejans have suggested the application of JIT techniques to
the administration activities of the enterprise. The following section, paraphrased
from these authors provides a refreshing opportunity for the transfer of JIT
technology:
Consider the application of the JIT concept to administrative activities.
Administrative activities are any activities not related to the production of goods:
scheduling, billing, order entry, accounting, plant maintenance, and financial
tasks, to name a few. Manufacturing activities include such things as assembling
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a component, stamping, welding, milling, sanding, grinding, and cutting metal;
transporting work-in-progress is also considered a manufacturing activity.
Think of JIT as a philosophy for the elimination of all waste in
administrative activities. Waste does not add value to the product. Some activities
simply add cost to the product or process. Storing, moving, expediting,
scheduling, and inspection soon reach diminishing returns in adding value, as do
stacking, filing, mailing, transmitting, rush ordering, routing, and proofing.
Some project- directed strategies that can be employed to improve
administrative just-in- time (AJIT) techniques include the following:
Provide employees with time for identifying problems and solution to
improve productivity.
Improve layout to facilitate flow of work.
Locate workers who work is related close together.
Allow workers to see the total of work to be performed in so far as possible.
Look for barriers to communication.
Specialized and quality training and performance help to reduce waste.
Consider standardization of activities and pooling of responsibility for
similar activities.
Use worker- centered total quality management.
Trace performance to a specific individual.
Decentralize authority to make the appropriate decisions.
Monitor the process from start to finish to see what factors slow down or halt
the processes.
Reduce the number of workers until the processes slow down or come to a
halt.
Look for extra workers, procedures, policies, processes, and backup
equipment that mask organizational weaknesses.
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Consider a better grouping of related organizational functions and processes.
Look for bureaucratic structure or processes that stifle information flows,
decision making, and orderly procedures, or create lethargy in the flow of
work.
Provide for an organizational design (steering committee) to facilitate the JIT
technique review and facilitate the transfer of processing technology and the
bottom line- use cross- functional project teams to seek improvement.
JIT philosophies and techniques can extend from the purchases of
component and material throughout the entire manufacturing process and out to
the customer to include after- sales services to the customers. Within organization
there are many different forms of inventory that include information,
housekeeping suppliers, time, equipment, machine and equipment time, material-
indeed any resource that can provide value to organizational product and
processes. Strategies can be employed to reduce the amount of inventory required
to support the organization.
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CHAPTER 3
METHODOLOGY AND RESEARCH DESIGN
3.1 General
A methodology was developed and used for this study to be successful. A
eight step plan was developed. Initially, through brief interviews, crucial problem
that was faced by the maintenance team are identified. After that, the problem
was clearly defined. After the definition process, the project objectives were
identified in order to solve the experienced problem.
Next, a literature review was done in order to satisfy some of the stated
objectives, and to gain more knowledge regarding the issue. Then, a methodology
on means to solve the defined problem was developed. In order to make possible
the methodology, relevant data were collected from some related parties. The
collected data are the analyzed. The achievement of the identified objectives are
finally explained in the results and conclusion step. Figure 3.1 illustrates these
eight steps in order.
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Figure 3.1: Project Methodology Chart
Identify Problem
Define Problem
Analyze Data
Results & Conclusion
Collect Data
Develop Project Plan
Literature Review
Establish Objectives
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3.2 Data Collection
Generally, the collected data can be categorized into two categories.
These categories are:
1. Primary data, and
2. Secondary Data
3.2.1 Primary Data
Fundamental data is collected through literature study, collection of raw
data from the resources as mentioned below :
3.2.2 Literature Review
Most of the literature review was done by browsing through the journals,
and research papers that was made available on the internet. Relevant books,
magazines, presentation papers for seminars, and previous thesis are also
referred.
90
3.2.3 Data Collection
Data for detailed periodic maintenance works was collected from the
Engineering Department, Majlis Perbandaran Klang and Public Work
Department, Klang. This is so because of the confidentiality of the data.
3.2.4 Questionnaire
A questionnaire was developed and passed to Majlis Perbandaran Klang
technical staff, contractor, Jabatan Kerja Raya and tax payer mainly in the
district of Klang, due to the concentration of maintenance works that has been
carried out by the Majlis Perbandaran Klang Engineering Department.
3.2.5 Secondary Data
Secondary data is collected through literature review and through brief
interviews with the related parties in order to know more about the road
maintenance.
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3.3 Data Analysis
Data analysis are separated into three sections. The first section will
analyze data related to the identification of major periodic maintenance works
that has been carried out. The second section will analyze data regarding the
identification of the incurred costs for periodic maintenance works. And finally,
the third section will analyze the data from received questionnaire.
3.3.1 Analysis Methods
In order to identify the major periodic maintenance works, data must be
subdivided and categorized into type of work, the state where the work was
carried out, the length of work, and the year the work was carried out.
Similar approach was used to identify the incurred costs for periodic
maintenance works. The data must be categorized into type of work, the state
where the work was carried out, the incurred costs, and the year the work was
carried out.
The questionnaire however, will be analyzed using the average index
method. According to Al-Hammad et.al (1996), the average index is calculated
based on these formula :
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Average Index = axi
xi
Where,
ai = a constant resembling the weight for i;
x i = the variant resembling the frequency of respondent for i;
i = 1,2,3,4,5 and is resembled as below:-
1 = the answer frequency for strongly disagree relevant to 1;
2 = the answer frequency for disagree relevant to 2;
3 = the answer frequency for neutral relevant to 3;
4 = the answer frequency for agree relevant to 4;
5 = the answer frequency for strongly agree relevant to 5;
In order to identify the clients level of satisfaction with the
concessionaire, average index method is used together with a five-skill defined
category. The category is as follows:
1 = Strongly Disagree
2 = Disagree
3 = Neutral
4 = Agree
5 = Strongly Agree
Average points are then classified by using the method as attested
by Abd. Majid and McCaffer (1997).
1 = Strongly Disagree 1.00 average index < 1.50
2 = Disagree 1.50 average index < 2.50
3 = Neutral 2.50 average index < 3.50
4 = Agree 3.50 average index < 4.50
5 = Strongly Agree 4.50 average index 5.00
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3.4 Expected Data and Finding
Based on the results, a conclusion will be made in order to achieve the
objectives of the study and to relate the theory and the research part of it.
Herewith, this study will give the involved parties a guide regarding the expected
problem solving on the efficiency of maintenance management related to cost,
time and quality executed by Majlis Perbandaran Klang compared to other
agencies through the complaint received and to proposed on efficient type of
managing the maintenance works to be carried out in the future.
3.5 Document Study Design
All research is interpretive, guided by a set of beliefs and feelings about
the world and how it should be understood and studied (Denzin & Lincoln,
1994). Document study is Qualitative Research that is defined as a process used
to expand the perception of complex documentation in ways that cannot be
understood with numbers. An analysis without numbers bluntly explained.
Qualitative research has many features, each with its own theoretical and
epistemological orientation, each exploring different issues, and positing different
kinds of concept.
Qualitative researchers recognize that knowledge and understanding are
contextually and historically grounded as well as linguistically constituted
including phrase and verses. Many genres of qualitative research have become
linked to issues of social change as scholars experiment with the boundaries of
interpretation and sometime gather in a scope to be represented by key words.
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Qualitative researchers are guided by highly abstract principles which
integrate the beliefs about:
Ontology :The philosophical study of existence and the nature of reality.
Epistemology :The branch of philosophy dealing with the origin, nature, and
limits of human knowledge. Any specific theory of the nature of human
knowledge.
Methodology :The processes we use to develop our knowledge.
As the qualitative researchers are guided by highly abstract principles, the
validity of the findings was arbitrary. Argument in various points of view can be
posted arguing the flaws of the findings and leading it to astray. However, the
following tables were generally accepted to be the common method of validation
of the process. Table 3.1 was used for the purpose of validation in this research
design.
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Table 3.1 :Validity in Qualitative Research Source: (Burke, 1998).
Descriptive
Validity
The factual accuracy of the account as reported by the
qualitative researcher.
Interpretive
Validity
The degree to which the participants viewpoints, thoughts,
intentions, and experiences are accurately understood and
reported by the qualitative researcher.
Theoretical
Validity
The degree to which a theory or theoretical explanation
developed from a research study fits the data and is,
therefore, credible and defensible.
Internal Validity The degree to which a researcher is justified in
concluding that an observed relationship is causal.
More often, qualitative researchers are concerned with
studying and understanding a process rather than
identifying possible cause and effect relationships.
External
Validity
External validity is important when the researcher wants to
generalize from a set of research findings to other people,
settings, and times. Typically, generalizability is not the
major purpose of qualitative research.
For the purposed of intended document study design a highly generalized
table were found to be useful for guidance of the design.
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3.5.1 Document Study Design for Road Maintenance Management
Document
The object of a document study is to learn from a primary source of the
principal task of historical study to recover and interpret the physical remains of
the past. It is a Qualitative Analysis process that precursor to quantitative,
statistical work; a process to make the tacit underpinnings of an issue explicit; a
process to deepen the understanding of verses and phrase that cannot be
understood with numbers; a process that figure out what to count and what to
measure (Burke, 1998).
There are 1 numbers documents study of Jabatan Kerja Raya & Majlis
Perbandaran Klang. The objects of the document study are to identify the
maintaining and control function with its content.
The document study design deduce from the research design literature
review above specifically with reference to table 3.2 in phase 3 and 4 the
following are the steps design to approach the document study procedure. The
processes are similar to the research methodology phase 1 in figure 3.1.
Procedureof Document Study:
Step1: Review
It is a strategic grouping of the 2 document for road maintenance. It was arrange
according to the period of construction but reveal no interconnection between each
other. Where the documents are control and limited digital
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Table 3.2 : The Document Study Research Design Process Source : (Lincoln and
Guba, 1994)
Phase 1 Researcher as a
Multicultural Subject
History and research traditions
Conceptions of self and the other Ethics
and politics pf research
Phase 2 Theoretical Paradigms
and Perspectives
Positivism, post positivism
Constructivism
Feminism(s)
Ethnic models
Marxist models
Cultural studies models
Phase 3 Research Strategies Study design
Case study
Ethnography, participant observation
Phenomenology, ethnomethodology
Grounded theory
Biographical method
Historical method
Action and applied research
Clinical research
Phase 4 Methods of Collection &
Analysis
Interviewing
Observing
Artifacts, documents, & records
Visual methods
Personal experience
Data management methods
Computer-assisted methods
Textual analysis
Phase 5 Art of Interpretation &
Presentation
Criteria for judging adequacy
The art & politics of judging adequacy
Writing as interpretation
Policy analysis
Evaluation traditions
Applied research
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photograph of the document were taken to study the content. As the
document were collected and arrange accordingly for the process of analyzing.
Step2: Analysis
Analyzing procedure is to open up each and every document to construed
and interpreted verses and phrase in order to identify the road maintenance
function. It is time-consuming process to read the documents in similar manner to
a proof reading process. The related pages were marked as the verses and phrase of
road maintaining function identified. Further evaluations were made following the
marked pages for the chosen verses and phrase, the citation were meticulously
done word by word to ensure their relatedness to the road maintenance process.
3.5.2 Questionnaire Survey Design
Questionnaires are the simplest method to collect data from a huge
number of respondents. A well-designed questionnaire that is used effectively can
gather information on both the overall performance of the road maintaining
system as well as information on specific components of the road maintaining
system. If the questionnaire includes demographic questions on the participants,
they can be used to correlate performance and satisfaction with the system
among different groups of users.
It is important to remember that a questionnaire should be viewed as a
multi-stage process beginning with definition of the aspects to be examined and
ending with interpretation of the results. Every step needs to be designed
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carefully because the final results are only as good as the weakest link in the
questionnaire process.
The steps required to design and administer a questionnaire include:
Defining the Objectives of the survey
Determining the Sampling Group
Writing the Questionnaire
Administering the Questionnaire
Interpretation of the Results
This discussion will concentrate on how to formulate the questionnaire
design for this research based on the above mention general guide lines.
3.5.3 Questionnaire Survey Design for Road Maintenance Management
The questionnaire survey design were intended to be as simple as possible
but to be massive in information gathering in two pages single piece of paper.
This will camouflage the complicated nature of the questionnaire as it is done in a
single piece of paper. There is no fill in the blanks method of questions, but all
are the rating scale technique where mathematical formulation leads to specific
conclusion comparing to the opinion study of fill in the blanks method. All
questions are directed to answer the objectives including some of it were the
research question developed previously in this chapter.
The questionnaire survey was divided in 5 sections:
General Statement
Respondent General Information
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Objective 1: Road Maintenance Management
Objective 2: Types of Road Defect In Federal And Municipal Road
Objective 3: Level of Satisfaction Road Maintenance Management
Section1
General Statement
The origin of the questionnaire and name of the researcher were stated
(UTM and Faculty of Civil Engineering). It is the judgment of the researcher to
keep the questionnaire as private and confidential because the person name and
address were required where their opinion in the questionnaire survey will not be
use as evident in any circumstances especially to damage their personal
reputation.
Apart from that, the topic was clearly stated and simplified versions of the
research objective mention as the purpose of the purpose of the questionnaire
were stated. This is to clarify the general rationale of the intended questionnaire.
Section2
Respondent General I nformation
The designs of the questionnaire are for the respondent to fill in their
name and address or a company cop with or without name as necessary. The
respondent signature is required for the purpose of verification and it is not force
101
to for the unwilling respondent. Some of the respondent are reluctant to present
their name and are accepted by the researcher. The researcher himself where
necessary will write the name of the respondent if it is known for references only.
This is important to identify that particular respondent and the evaluation of the
questionnaire for the next process of structured interview where ever necessary.
The profession of the respondent were ask, where the targeted respondent
were the client as the primary respondent and the consultant including the
contractor were the secondary respondent. The questionnaire survey design
were quite dedicated to specific group of profession that deals with the contract
document and not all client including consultant can easily understand the
questions presented to be able to answer the questionnaire survey appropriately.
The client as the primary respondent because tracing back to the primary
theoretical framework where one of the key driver for radical change were the
client to be a committed leadership and to initiate the integrated processes
and teams for the secondary respondent.
The respondents are required to make known their experience. The
experience ranges are in 5 years, if it is less than 5 years, they are required to
specify the numbers of years to verify the validity of the questionnaire answer.
The range between 5 to 10 years is assume to be an experience person and above
10 years is a well experience person.
3.5.4 Structured Interview Research Design
Interviewing is a common significant method to obtain comprehensive
information from a single respondent or groups of respondent especially from
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Public Work Department. It is very valuable to achieve expert opinions on the
subject or talk to someone knowledgeable about a topic.
There are several different types of interviews based on the technology
available for interaction as follows:
a) Face to Face Interviews: Face to face, interviews are to sit down and talk
with someone. They are beneficial because the adaptation of questions to the
answers of the person being interview. Recording equipment may be required for
the interview, and it is highly recommended to bring two recording devices in
case one fails.
b) Phone Interviews: Phone interviews can be used when to interview someone
who is geographically far away, who is too busy to meet and to talk with, or who
does not want to use Internet technology. A special recording device may be
required to be use with most phone systems.
c) Email Interviews: Email interviews are less personal than face-to-face or
phone interviews, but highly convenient for most individuals. Not much information
can be obtained from someone in an email interview because it is not feasible to
ask follow-up questions or play off the interviewees responses. However, email
interviews are useful because they are already in a digital format.
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3.5.5 Structured Interview Design For Road Maintenance Management
According to the general guideline provided and the previously discussed
questionnaire survey design, the structured interview design were basically
similar in format.
The structured interview design was divided in 5 sections:
General Statement
Structured interview introduction
Objective 1: Management and Controlling Road Maintenance Management
Objective 2: Scope of work For Every Maintenance Team
Objective 3: Exploitation of Road Management Team Function
Respondent General Information
All of the questions were open ended questions with some question having
proposed multiple choice answers. The analyses were qualitative to identify the
theme and the poll of opinion regarding the subject matter. The main sections of
the structured interview design were directed to answer the research question and
toward achieving the stated objective. No specific method intended to approach
the qualitative analysis nature of the structured interview design, it is very much
depending on the knowledge and skill of the researcher including the opinion
and knowledge on the respondent. The proposed Telephone Survey used similar
structure interview format to streamline the data obtained.
3.6 Summary
Research design is a long process that demands careful attention. The
research design initially started from the first chapter in bits and pieces
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explaining the design that goes right through this chapter in describing means and
ways in the creation of the whole research. The entire research designs were
comprehensively describes in figure 3-1; the research design procedure. Every
research design topic and sub topic started with a short literature review, that
continue with a precise step by step design interconnected directly to this
research. Where some research procedure were describe in the previous chapter
the data gathering process and instrumentation procedure were describe in refine
detail. Document Study, Questionnaire Design and Structured interview were
elaborated in immense aspect. By this clarification, it is easier to understand the
proceeding chapter.
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CHAPTER 4
DATA ANALYSIS
4.1 Introduction
Raw data from Public Work Department, Klang Municipal Council and
the concession company (Road Care Sdn Bhd) is analyzed and identify major
periodic maintenance works that are carried out. The collected data is also used to
analyze and identify the incurred costs for periodic maintenance works carried
out by the concession company (Road Care Sdn Bhd) and routine maintenance
by Public Work Department and Majlis Perbandaran Klang.
4.2 Document Study
Document study are also conducted by reviewing all of the recorded
information from various department such as road and bridge section in Public
Work Department and public relation and engineering department. Majlis
Perbandaran Klang. All raw data were collected from daily report and statistic
which was prepared by the department.
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4.3 Road Maintenance
There are two agencies that involved on road maintenance in Klang
district. They are Majlis Perbandaran Klang and Public Work Department. The
maintenance work will be executed as mentioned below.
4.3.1 Road Maintenance By Majlis Perbandaran Klang
Road maintenance by Majlis Perbandaran Klang will be executed after all
information or complaint received by Engineering department. Normally the
complaint will be received from Public Relation Department as shown on figure
4.4 or directly to engineering department. The complaint will be issued to Road
and Bridge division where the complaint will be solved by three team (two team
for South Klang, two team North Klang).Normally the maintenance work will be
done departmentally and the material will be supplied from the appointed
supplier and normally will be awarded by contract basis. However , due to the
urgency or the volume of work the maintenance work will be contracted out in
order to solve the problem on time.
The state government also appoint the contractor for the maintenance
work as the federal government transfer the fund to state government. Normally
the appointment of the contractor is through traditional method where the
Municipal Council will supervise the maintenance work.
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Figure 4.1: Complaint Chart From 2004 Till 2006
(Source: Public Relation Department, MPK)
Table 4.1: Public Complaint From 2004 to 2006
From the data shown in table 4.5, the public complaint is almost at the
average of 250 complaint every year except in 2006 where the complaints on
pothole or defect was increasing to 100% from the average amount. The
complaints on road pavement also increasing in 2006. The normal defect or
complaints are as follows:
YEAR
DESCRIPTION OF WORKS
2004 2005 2006
ROAD PAVEMENT 295 292 508
PATCHING POTHOLES 272 194 325
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
NO.OF
COMPLAINT
2004 2005 2006
YEAR
ROAD
PAVEMENT
PATCHING
POTHOLES
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4.3.2 Road Maintenance By Public Work Department
Road maintenance by Public work Department will be executed after all
information or complaint received by Engineering department. Normally the
complaint will be received directly from public to engineering department. The
complaint will be issued to Road and Bridge division where the complaint will
be solved by either internal or the periodic or routine as agreed on the
privatization agreement.
4.3.3 Periodic Maintenance
Firstly, the scattered data is grouped and categorized into 17 types of
works as carried out by the company and both of the agencies. Then the length
for every type of work for each state is calculated and analyzed.
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Table 4.2 explains the length involved under periodic road maintenance that the
concession company undertook in 2005, 2006, and 2007.
Table 4.2: Length of Periodic Work Activities
(Source: Road Care Sdn Bhd.)
2005 2006 2007 Activity
Km % Km % Km %
Mill and Pave 13.91 7.40 0.00 0.00 32.71 26.81
Pave 5.15 2.74 12.75 7.37 5.46 4.48
Regulate 1.07 0.57 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Mill, Regulate &Pave 2.96 1.57 55.67 32.18 19.43 15.93
Mill, Scarify, Regulate & Pave 29.14 15.50 13.54 7.83 0.00 0.00
Reconstruct & Pave 8.19 4.36 0.83 0.48 4.03 3.30
Mill, Scarify & Pave 1.07 0.57 1.31 0.76 0.00 0.00
Reconstruct & Regulate 7.44 3.96 4.13 2.39 0.00 0.00
Scarify & Pave 52.87 28.12 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Scarify, Regulate & Pave 40.47 21.53 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Scarify, Raise & Reconstruct 3.27 1.74 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Regulate & Pave 22.48 11.96 63.56 36.74 48.20 39.51
Reconstruct, Mill, Regulate &
Pave
0.00 0.00 4.13 2.39 0.00 0.00
Reconstruct, Mill, Scarify
,
Regulate & Pave
0.00 0.00 6.61 3.82 0.00 0.00
Reconstruct, Scarify,
Regulate
0.00 0.00 8.21 4.75 0.00 0.00
Others Others (Pavement, Shoulder,
Drainage
0.00 0.00 2.23 1.29 0.00 0.00
Strengthen&Pave 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 12.18 9.98
Total 188.04 100 173.00 100 122.01 100
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From Table 4.2, it can be seen that Mill and Pave was done for a stretch of
13.91 kilometers for 2005. The process involved milling of existing road surfaces
using the milling plant and paving it afterwards to refurbish the existing pavement.
The year 2006 however did not involve Mill and Pave at all. However, this was not
the case for year 2007 where 32.71 kilometers of roads were maintained using this
activity.
Pave activity involved the work of paving a layer of premix on the existing
pavement to strengthen and prolong the life span of the pavement. This activity for
year 2005 was carried out by the company for a total length of 5.15 kilometers of
roads. The year 2006 saw gradual increment up to 12.75 kilometers. This increment
however was retarded and in year 2007, the total length of road maintained using
Pave activity dropped to a length of 5.46 kilometers.
The activity of Regulate consisting of works to normalize the uneven
surface of existing pavement is not popular in a sense that in year 2005 a total length
of 1.07 kilometers alone was carried out. The years 2006 and 2007 did not see any of
this activity at all.
However, this was not the case for Mill, Regulate and Pave. This activity
involves the milling of existing pavement to a certain depth, and then normalizing the
uneven surfaces, and finally paving the surface. In year 2005, a total length of 2.96
kilometers of roads was rehabilitated using this activity. This increased to 55.67
kilometers in the following year. However, in year 2007, the length dropped to a mere
19.43 kilometers of roads.
The activity of Mill, Scarify, Regulate, and Pave involved works of
milling the existing pavement, scarifying the pavement to allow for the new paved
surface to properly fix to the surface, regulate the existing surface, and finally pave.
This activity was carried out for a length of 29.14 kilometers in the year 2005. This
111
length however was reduced in the following year to 13.54 kilometers. The year 2007
did not involve this activity at all.
Reconstruct and Pave involves works of repairing the existing road structure
and paving on it afterwards. In year 2005, this activity was done for a total length of
8.19 kilometers. The following year, this activity was only done for a 1.00 kilometer
length. In 2007, the numbers increased a bit to 4.03 kilometers.
The activity of Mill, Scarify, and Pave involves works of milling existing
roads, scarifying the surface, and paving it in the end. This activity was carried out
only for the years 2005 and 2006 involving road lengths of 1.07 and 1.31 kilometers
correspondingly. The year 2007 did not engage this activity at all.
Reconstruct and Regulate involves works to strengthen the existing structure
of roads and to make even the uneven road surfaces. This activity too was carried
out only for the years 2005 and 2006 involving road lengths of 7.44 and 4.13 kilometers
respectively.
However, the activities of Scarify and Pave, Scarify, Regulate, and Pave,
and Scarify, Raise and Reconstruct were only carried out in the year 2005. The
lengths of roads maintained using this activities are 52.87, 40.47, and 3.27
kilometers in that order. These activities was not carried out for the years of 2006
and 2007.
The activity of Regulate and Pave was quite common. In year 2005, a total
length of 22.48 kilometers of roads was renewed, followed by a drastic 63.56 and
48.20 kilometers for 2006 and 2007 respectively.
112
The activities of Reconstruct, Mill, Regulate and Pave, Reconstruct, Mill,
Scarify, Regulate and Pave, Reconstruct, Scarify, Regulate and Pave, and other
periodic maintenance works were only carried out for year 2006. The lengths of roads
maintained using this activities are 4.13, 6.61, 8.21, and 2.70 kilometers in that order.
The activity of Strengthen and Pave involved works of strengthening of the
existing road structure and paving it afterwards. This activity was only undertaken in
year 2007 for a total length of 12.18 kilometers.
Furthermore, the first year of privatization has seen more often than not
Scarify and Pave with a 28.12 percent, followed by Scarify, Regulate and Pave
with a 21.53 percent, and Mill, Scarify, Regulate & Pave with a 15.50 percent.
However, the second year of privatization has seen some drastic changes,
where the company most frequently undertook Regulate and Pave with 36.74
percent, followed by Mill, Regulate and Pave with 32.18 percent. However, the
case was similar for the year 2007. The company most frequently carried out
Regulate and Pave with a 39.51 percent, followed by Mill, and Pave with
a 26.81 percent and Mill, Regulate and Pave with a 15.93 percent.
However, from table 4.1, it can be seen that the total length of roads that
undergone periodic maintenance works are declining. Year 2005 involved a total
road length of 188.04 kilometers. The following year involved only 173.00
kilometers, a reduction of 8.00 percent. In year 2007, the number again dropped
another 29.48 percent totaling road lengths of only 122.01 kilometers.
113
Figure 4.2 illustrates the total periodic maintenance works executed from
2005 to 2007 in terms of length.
Figure 4.2 : Total Periodic Maintenance Works Executed From 2005 to 2007
(Source : Road Care Sdn. Bhd)
From Figure 4.2, it can be concluded that Regulate and Pave has been
carried out the most by the company. Mill, Regulate and Pave however comes in
second as the most common type of periodic maintenance work, followed by
Scarify and Pave.
Reconstruct, Mill, Scarify, Regulate & Pave
Activity
Others (Pavement, Shoulder, Drainage)
Reconstruct, Scarify, Regulate & Pave
Reconstruct, Mill, Regulate & Pave
Mill, Scarify, Regulate & Pave
Scarify, Raise & Reconstruct
Scarify, Regulate & Pave
Reconstruct / Regulate
Mill, Regulate & Pave
Reconstruct & Pave
Mill, Scarify & Pave
Strengthen & Pave
Regulate & Pave
Scarify & Pave
Mill and Pave
Regulate
Pave
0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00 25.00 30.00
Percentage (%)
114
Figure 4.3 demonstrates the length of roads that was maintained periodically
for each of the four areas within the concession area.
Figure 4.3: Percentage of Periodic Maintenance of Federal Roads in Terms of
Length from 2005 to 2007
(Source: Road Care Sdn.Bhd.)
From Figure 4.3, it can be seen that periodic maintenance works was carried
out the most in the area of South Klang with a 67% of total length of road
maintained, much more than the other three area within the concession area.
Likewise, Figure 4.4 illustrates the percentage of the total road length within the four
area.
Figure 4.4: Percentage of Total Road Length within the Concession Area
(Source: Road Care Sdn.Bhd.)
South Klang
67 %
East Klang
3 %
North Klang
21%
West
Klang
9 %
East Klang
7 %
North Klang
32 %
West Klang
7 %
South Klang
54 %
115
Figure 4.4 shows that South Klang has the most total road length to be
maintained of 54 percent, followed by North Klang with a 32 percent and East Klang
and West Klang with a 7 percent each.
From Figures 4.3 and 4.4, it can be concluded that priority has been
given to South Klang. The percentage of road length is 54 percent but the length
of maintained road accounts for 67 percent within the concession area. This is
followed by West Klang which has a total road percentage of only 7 percent but
accounts for 9 percent of maintained road length.
The state of North Klang however, although has 32 percent of overall road
length within the concession area, it is only accountable for a mere 21 percent of
maintained roads. The least priority is given to the area of East Klang having owned
7 percent of total length of roads within the concession area, is only accountable for 3
percent of roads being maintained.
116
4.4 Incurred Costs for Periodic Maintenance
Table 4.3 shows the cost incurred for periodic maintenance works in year 2005.
Table 4.3: Costs Incurred in Carrying out Periodic Maintenance Works for 2005
(Source: Road Care Sdn.Bhd.)
Activity Cost (RM) Percentage (%)
Mill and Pave 495,794 7.96
Pave 151,354 2.43
Regulate 24,914 0.40
Mill, Regulate & Pave 131,422 2.11
Mill, Scarify, Regulate & Pave 1,654,309 26.56
Reconstruct & Pave 520,085 8.35
Mill, Scarify & Pave 63,531 1.02
Reconstruct / Regulate 211,771 3.40
Scarify & Pave 1,016,503 16.32
Scarify, Regulate & Pave 1,172,217 18.82
Scarify, Raise & Reconstruct 269,074 4.32
Regulate & Pave 516,971 8.30
Reconstruct, Mill, Regulate & Pave 0.00 0.00
Reconstruct, Mill, Scarify, Regulate & Pave 0.00 0.00
Reconstruct, Scarify, Regulate & Pave 0.00 0.00
Others (Pavement, Shoulder, Drainage) 0.00 0.00
Strengthen & Pave 0.00 0.00
Total 6,227,945
100
Table 4.3 shows that Mill, Scarify, Regulate, and Pave accounts for the
most incurred cost in 2005 with an amount of RM 1,654,309. This is followed by
Scarify, Regulate, and Pave which accounts for RM 1,117,217, and Scarify and
Pave amounting RM 1,016,503. These three activities accounts for 61.70 percent of
the amount incurred in year 2005.
Table 4.4 shows the costs that incurred for periodic maintenance works in year 2006.
117
Table 4.4: Costs Incurred in Carrying out Periodic Maintenance Works for 2006
(Source: Road Care Sdn.Bhd.)
Activity Cost (RM) Percentage (%)
Mill and Pave 0.00 0.00
Pave 428,040 6.02
Regulate 0.00 0.00
Mill, Regulate & Pave 2,968,550 41.75
Mill, Scarify, Regulate & Pave 720,273 10.13
Reconstruct &Pave 170,647 2.40
Mill, Scarify & Pave 95,989 1.35
Reconstruct / Regulate 186,289 2.62
Scarify & Pave 0.00 0.00
Scarify, Regulate & Pave 0.00 0.00
Scarify, Raise & Reconstruct 0.00 0.00
Regulate & Pave 1,361,622 19.15
Reconstruct, Mill, Regulate & Pave 125,141 1.76
Reconstruct, Mill, Scarify, Regulate & Pave 246,016 3.46
Reconstruct, Scarify, Regulate & Pave 165,669 2.33
Others (Pavement, Shoulder, Drainage) 641,349 9.02
Strengthen & Pave 0.00 0.00
Total 7,109,585
100
Table 4.4 indicates that Mill, Regulate, and Pave costs the most in 2006
with a cost amounting to RM 2,968,550 and is followed by Regulate and Pave with
a cost of RM 1,361,622, and Mill, Scarify, Regulate & Pave which accounts for
RM 720,273. These three activities accounts for 71.03 percent of the amount
incurred in year 2006.
Table 4.5 shows the costs that incurred for periodic maintenance works in year 2007.
118
Table 4.5: Costs Incurred in Carrying out Periodic Maintenance Works for 2007
(Source: Road Care Sdn.Bhd.)
Activity Cost (RM) Percentage (%)
Mill and Pave 1,788,083 27.41
Pave 287,685 4.41
Regulate 0.00 0.00
Mill, Regulate & Pave 791,297 12.13
Mill, Scarify, Regulate & Pave 0.00 0.00
Reconstruct & Pave 189,180 2.90
Mill, Scarify & Pave 0.00 0.00
Reconstruct / Regulate 0.00 0.00
Scarify & Pave 0.00 0.00
Scarify, Regulate & Pave 0.00 0.00
Scarify, Raise & Reconstruct 0.00 0.00
Regulate & Pave 2,035,975 31.21
Reconstruct, Mill, Regulate & Pave 0.00 0.00
Reconstruct, Mill, Scarify, Regulate & Pave 0.00 0.00
Reconstruct, Scarify, Regulate & Pave 0.00 0.00
Others (Pavement, Shoulder, Drainage) 0.00 0.00
Strengthen & Pave 1,430,597 21.93
Total 6,522,817
100
Table 4.5 shows that Regulate and Pave costs the most in 2006 with a cost
of RM2,035,975 followed by Mill and Pave with a cost of RM 1,788,083, and
Strengthen and Pave with a cost of RM 1,430,597. These three activities accounts
for 80.55 percent of the amount incurred in year 2007.
The activity Mill, Scarify, Regulate and Pave incurred highest cost in 2001
with an incurred cost amounting to 26.56 percent of the total costs incurred for that
year. However, this activity became the third activity incurring high costs in year
119
2006 with 10.13 percent. This activity was not included in the work program for the
year 2007. Therefore does not account for any incurred costs in year 2007.
Scarify, Regulate and Pave although incurred second highest cost in year
2005, did not incur costs in years 2006 and 2007.The activity Scarify and Pave that
was accountable for the third highest incurred cost in year 2005, did not incur costs
in years 2006 and 2007.
In year 2006, Mill, Regulate and Pave incurred highest cost accounting for
41.75 percent of the total incurred costs. However, dropped to the fourth place in
year 2007 with only 12.13 percent. This activity was also accountable for the
costs incurred in year 2005 with a 2.11 percent accountability.
Regulate and Pave accounted only for 8.30 percent in year 2005, became the
second highest activity incurring high costs in year 2006 with 19.15 percent. This
activity further increased and became the activity incurring highest cost in year 2007
with 31.21 percent.
Mill and Pave was accounted for 7.96 percent of incurred costs in year 2005.
However, this activity was not carried out in year 2006. But, year 2007 saw some
changes where Mill and Pave the activity incurring second highest cost in year 2007
with 27.41 percent.
The activity Strengthen and Pave was only undertaken in year 2007 and it
was accounted for as the activity incurring third highest cost with 21.93 percent.
From this, can be seen that the periodic maintenance activities are
executed with no specific interest on a particular rehabilitation method as the
activities varies very much from year to year.
120
It can be seen that the periodic activities undertaken from year 2005 to 2007
are moving towards reduced fragments of activities. The percentage of allocation of
costs for top three activities increased gradually from 61.70 percent in 2005 to 71.03
percent in 2006, and 80.55 percent in 2007.In addition, Figure 4.5 shows the cost for
every meter of works executed.
121
From Figure 4.5, can be seen that Other specific works costs much more than the
common periodic maintenance works. However, Scarify, Raise, and Reconstruct
holds the record for being the most costly periodic maintenance work from 2005 to
2007.
Figure 4.5: Cost per Meter of Periodic Maintenance Activities Executed
(Source: Road Care Sdn.Bhd.)
Figure 4.5 also suggests that Reconstruct, Scarify, Regulate and Pave,
Reconstruct, Mill, Regulate and Pave, Regulate and Pave, and Scarify and Pave
costs the least.
Activity
Reconstruct, Mill, Scarify, Regulate & Pave
Others (Pavement, Shoulder, Drainage)
Reconstruct, Scarify, Regulate & Pave
Reconstruct, Mill, Regulate & Pave
Mill, Scarify, Regulate & Pave
Scarify, Raise & Reconstruct
Scarify, Regulate & Pave
Mill, Regulate & Pave
Reconstruct & Pave
Mill, Scarify & Pave
Reconst / Regulate
Strengthen & Pave
Regulate & Pave
Scarify & Pave
Mill and Pave
Regulate
Pave
0.00 250.00 500.00 750.00 1000.00 1250.00
Cost/Meter (RM)
122
From Figure 4.6, can be seen that Mill, Regulate and Pave incurred the highest costs
for periodic maintenance activities. This is followed by Regulate and Pave and
then by Mill, Scarify, Regulate and Pave.
Figure 4.6: Incurred Cost for Periodic Maintenance Activities from 2005 to 2007
(Source: Road Care Sdn.Bhd.)
In addition, the incurred costs percentage for each of the states from the years
2005 until 2007 is as shown in Figure 4.7.
0.00 2.00 4.00 6.00 800 10.00
Mill and Pave
Pave
Regulate
Mill, Regulate & Pave
Mill, Scarify, Regulate & Pave
Reconstruct & Pave
Mill, Scarify & Pave
Reconst / Regulate
Scarify & Pave
Scarify, Regulate & Pave
Scarify, Raise & Reconstruct
Regulate & Pave
Reconstruct, Mill, Regulate & Pave
Strengthen & Pave
Reconstruct, Mill, Scarify Regulate & Pave
Reconstruct, Scarify Regulate & Pave
Others (Pavement, Shoulder, Drainage)
Activity
Total Cost ( in million of RM)
123
Figure 4.7: Incurred Cost Percentage for the Area
(Source: Road Care Sdn.Bhd.)
Figure 4.7 illustrates the incurred costs percentage for the respective area
within the concession area. South Klang being the area that incurred highest cost
accountable for 69 percent from the total amount spent followed with North Klang
accountable for 15 percent, West Klang incurring 13 percent, and East Klang
accounting for 3 percent.
By referring to Figure 4.4, although South Klang has a road network
covering 54 percent of the concession area, it is accountable for 69 percent of the
incurred costs. West Klang having only 7 percent of road network within the
concession area is accountable for 13 percent of incurred costs. North Klang having
road network covering 32 percent of the concession area are only accountable for 15
percent of the incurred costs. East Klang having 7 percent of road network, is only
accountable for 3 percent of the incurred costs.
Besides, Figure 4.8 indicates the annual periodic maintenance costs that has
incurred from year 2005 to 2007.
East Klang
3 %
North Klang
15 %
West
Klang
13 %
South Klang
69 %
124
124
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
2005 2006 2007
Total Cost (in a
Millions of RM)
Figure 4.8: Annual Periodic Maintenance Costs
(Source: Road Care Sdn.Bhd.)
Figure 4.8 indicates the rapid decline of the incurred costs for periodic
maintenance since the privatization from RM 2.2 million in year 2005 to RM 3.1
million in year 2006, to RM 2.5 million in year 2007.
The 20 percent decrease in the annual periodic maintenance cost for the year
2006 and a further 31 percent decrease in year 2007 is within the governments control.
125
125
Figure 4.9 : Road Maintenance Cost From 2004 To 2006
Table 4.6 : Road Maintenance Cost From 2004 to 2006
YEAR
CATEGORIES
2004 2005 2006
SMALL < RM 5,000 591,14.00 455,143.88 430,912.96
MEDIUM < RM 20,000 1,310,817.85 429,948.50 709,036.10
BIG > RM 20,000 1,074,732.00 1,064,106.20 410,400.00
TOTAL 2,444,663.80 1,949,198.50 1,550,349.00
-
250,000.00
500,000.00
750,000.00
1,000,000.00
1,250,000.00
1,500,000.00
1,750,000.00
2,000,000.00
2,250,000.00
2,500,000.00
AMOUNT
(RM)
2004 2005 2006
YEAR
BIG > RM 20,000
MEDIUM < RM 20,000
SMALL < RM 5,000
126
126
From table 4.6, indicated that the amount for contracting and the maintenance
work in Majlis Perbandaran Klang from 2004 to 2006. From the study the cost can be
reduced to 30%, if MPK do the maintenance work by using internal worker by saving
their cost on work force and maintenance as survey carried out earlier.
The work order were divided to three categories [small (<RM 5,000), medium
(< RM 20,000 and big (> RM 20,000] project, which normally will be awarded to the
contractor based on Treasury Law or General Order
4.5 Defect
Listed below are the defect identified from during the maintenance work.
4.5.1 List Of Defect From Majlis Perbandaran Klang
From the data taken from daily report and complains from road users recorded
by Public Relation Department, the defects that was identified during the maintenance
work are as follows:
127
127
Figure 4.10: Nos. Of Defect From 2005 Till 2007
4.5.2 List Of Defect From Public Work Department
From the data taken from daily report and complains from road users recorded
by Public Work Department, the defects that was identified during the maintenance
work are as follows:
NOS. OF DEFECT
0
300
600
900
1200
1500
1800
2100
2400
2700
3000
3300
3600
3900
4200
4500
Pothole Crocodile Crack Surface
Deformations
Rutting Corrugations Depression False Complaint
YEAR
NOS. OF
DEFECT
2
0
0
5
2
0
0
5
2
0
0
5
2
0
0
5
2
0
0
5
2
0
0
5
2
0
0
5
2
0
0
6
2
0
0
6
2
0
0
6
2
0
0
6
2
0
0
6
2
0
0
6
2
0
0
6
2
0
0
7
2
0
0
7
2
0
0
7
2
0
0
7
2
0
0
7
2
0
0
7
2
0
0
7
128
128
Table 4.7 : Nos. Of Defect Based On Yearly Report
Detailed below description of defects that have been recorded.
YEAR DEFECT NOS.
2005 Pothole 130
Crocodile Crack 160
Surface Deformation 120
Rutting 144
Corrugation 102
Depression 88
False Complaint 52
2006 Pothole 114
Crocodile Crack 122
Surface Deformation 99
Rutting 103
Corrugation 98
Depression 103
False Complaint 41
2007 Pothole 101
Crocodile Crack 115
Surface Deformation 140
Rutting 160
Corrugation 147
Depression 65
False Complaint 20
129
129
4.5.1 Crocodile Cracks
Crocodile cracks are interconnected or interlaced cracks which form a network
of multi-sided blocks resembling the skin of a crocodile. The block size can range from
100 mm to about 300 mm.
Crocodile cracks is a consequence of the inability of the structure to support the
repeated loads due to a softening of the material normally associated with increase in
moisture content. The cracks in the sub base or sub grade tend to spread rapidly under
rain and traffic causing blocks of surfacing to be displaced and broken up.
a) Severity Levels
Severity level of defect will be changed with a different type of physical effect as listed
below:
i) Low
Interconnected or interlaced hairline cracks running parallel to each other; cracks not
spalled.
ii) Moderate
A pattern of articulated places formed by cracks that may be lightly spalled. Cracks may
be sealed.
130
130
iii) High
Pieces more severely spalled at edges and loosened; pieces rock under traffic; pumping
may exist.
4.5.2 Surface Deformations
Deformation takes place when a road surface undergoes changes from its
original constructed profile. It may occur after construction due to trafficking or
environmental influences. In some cases, deformation may be built into a new pavement
owing to inadequate control during construction. It influences the riding quality of a
pavement and may reflect structural inadequacies. It may lead to cracking of the surface
layer.
The major types of surface deformation covered in this section are:
i. Rutting.
ii. Corrugation.
iii. Depression.
iv. Shoving.
131
131
4.5.3 Rutting
Rutting is longitudinal deformation or depression in the wheel paths which
occur after repeated applications of axle loading. It may occur in one or both wheel
paths of a lane. The length to width ratio would normally be greater than 4 to 1.
a) Severity Levels
Severity level of defect will be changed with a different type of physical effect as listed
below:
i) Low
Rut depths of less than 12 mm 9measured under a transverse 1.2 m straight edge)
ii) Moderate
Rut depths of between 12 mm to 25 mm 9may include slight longitudinal cracks).
iii) High
Rut depths of greater than 25 mm (may include multiple longitudinal or crocodile
cracks).
132
132
4.5.4 Corrugations
Corrugations are regular transverse undulations, closely spaced alternate valleys
and crests with wavelengths of less than 2 m. generally, it will result in a rough ride and
will become worse with time.
a) Severity Levels
Severity level of defect will be changed with a different type of physical effect as listed
below:
i) Low
Noticeable (based on observation of its appearance and its effect on riding quality).
ii) Moderate
Rough ride.
iii) High
Very rough ride. Vehicle may lose control because of its presence.
133
133
4.5.5 Depressions
Depressions are localized areas within a pavement with elevations lower than
the surrounding area. They may not be confined to wheel paths only but may extend
across several wheel paths. Generally, it results from settlement, slope failure, or
volume changes due to moisture changes.
a) Severity Levels
Severity level of defect will be changed with a different type of physical effect as listed
below:
i) Low
Noticeable swaying motion. Good control of vehicle still present. (Based on the
interaction between vehicle and pavement surface depression).
ii) Moderate
Fair control of vehicle when driving over pavement.
iii) High
Poor control of vehicle when driving over pavement with driver always having to
anticipate depression ahead.
134
134
4.6 Clients Level of Satisfaction
In order to identify the clients level of satisfaction, questionnaire was submitted
to technicians, technical assistants, engineers, administration personnel, and
Management personnel from JKR district and state, and to UPPJ (Unit Penyeliaan
Penyenggaraan Jalan) staffs. A total of 30 responses were collected and analyzed.
135
135
Table 4.8: Clients Level of Satisfaction Attributes For Road Care Job
Respondent Frequency
Attributes
5 4 3 2 1
Average
Index
(a) JKR is satisfied with the quality of
roads after the privatization of
maintenance for federal roads.
2 21 6 1 0 3.80
(b) RCSBs employees are skilled and
experienced in carrying out road
maintenance works.
2 20 8 1 0 3.83
(c) The monitoring of road maintenance
activities by RCSB is sufficient.
3 21 5 1 0 3.83
(d) JKR receives many complaints from
the public regarding the condition of
the roads.
5 16 8 1 0 3.83
(e) The response time by RCSB to carry
out i nst ructed repair works is
satisfying.
2 15 11 1 1 3.53
(f)
RCSB carries out periodic
maintenance works within the
specified time.
2 16 8 4 0 3.53
(g)
RCSB often delays maintenance
works with technical, financial, or
dispute excuses.
3 12 10 5 0 3.43
(h) RCSB notifies JKR in case of an
emergency work as soon as possible
for further instructions.
2 10 14 4 0 3.33
(i)
RCSB have sufficient financial
resources to do road maintenance
works efficiently.
2 16 11 1 0 3.63
(j) RCSB normally claims for quantity
of work more than the actual quantity
of work.
1 14 10 5 0 3.37
(k) Road maintenance work done by
RCSB is more expensive as
compared to before.
3 15 11 0 1 3.63
(l)
The Government pay monthly claims
without delays.
4 10 14 2 0 3.53
5=Very Satisfied 4=Satisfied 3=Neutral 2=Quite Dissatisfied 1=Very Dissatisfied
136
136
Respondent Frequency
Overall
5 4 3 2 1
Average
Index
(a) Are you satisfied with the overall
performance of Road Care
Sdn.Bhd.?
1 17 9 3 0 3.53
5=Very Satisfied 4=Satisfied 3=Neutral 2=Quite Dissatisfied 1=Very Dissatisfied
Referring to Table 4.7, the average index of 3.80 indicates that JKR is neither
satisfied nor dissatisfied with the quality of roads after the privatization of
maintenance for the federal roads. The average index of 3.83 resembles that client belief
that the companys employees are neither skilled nor unskilled in carrying out the
maintenance works effectively.
In terms of monitoring, an average index of 3.83 indicates that the client
beliefs that the maintenance activities by the company are neither sufficiently nor
insufficiently monitored. However, an average index of 3.83 designates that the client
agrees that they receive many complaints from the public regarding the condition of the
roads.
An average index of 3.53 indicates that the client beliefs that the response time
by the company to carry out the instructed repair works is neither satisfying nor
dissatisfying. Nevertheless, an average index of 3.43 indicates that the client feels that
the company neither carries out nor delays periodic maintenance works within
specified time.
An average index of 3.43 again indicates that the client beliefs that the
company neither delays nor completes maintenance works with technical, financial, or
137
137
dispute excuses. In addition, an average index of 3.33 also indicates that the client
beliefs that the company neither notifies nor does not notify JKR in case of an
emergency work as soon as possible for further instructions.
In terms of finance, the client beliefs that the company neither has sufficient
nor insufficient financial resources to do road maintenance efficiently with an average
index of 3.63. The client also beliefs that the company claims for quantity of work neither
more nor less than the actual quantity of work done, as resembled by the average index
of 3.37.
Further, the average index of 3.63 resembles that the client agree that the road
maintenance work done by the private company is more expensive as compared to before.
The client also agrees that the government pays monthly claims by the company
without any delays, with an average index of 3.53.
With an average index of 3.53, the client is neither satisfied nor dissatisfied with
the performance of the company.
138
138
Table 4.9: Clients Level of Satisfaction Attributes For MPKs Contractor Job
Respondent Frequency
Attributes
5 4 3 2 1
Average
Index
(a) MPK is satisfied with the quality of
roads after the privatization
maintenance for being done by
contractor.
5 17 5 1 1 3.70
(b) MPKs Contractor employees are
skilled and experienced in carrying
out road maintenance works.
5 12 10 1 1 3.53
(c) The monitoring of road maintenance
activities by MPKs Contractor is
sufficient.
4 11 12 1 1 3.43
(d) MPK receives many complaints from
the public regarding the condition of
the roads.
7 12 10 0 0 3.77
(e) The response time by MPKs
Contractor to carry out i nstructed
repair works is satisfying.
3 9 12 3 2 3.17
(f)
MPKs Contractor carries out
periodic maintenance works
within the specified time.
2 10 13 2 2 3.17
(g)
MPKs Contractor often delays
maintenance works with technical,
financial, or dispute excuses.
4 7 15 2 1 3.27
(h) MPKs Contractor notifies MPK in
case of an emergency work as soon as
possible for further instructions.
4 6 17 1 1 3.27
(i)
MPKs Contractor have sufficient
financial resources to do road
maintenance works efficiently.
3 8 13 4 1 3.17
(j) MPKs Contractor normally claims
for quantity of work more than the
actual quantity of work.
2 11 10 5 1 3.17
(k) Road maintenance work done by
MPKs Contractor is more expensive as
compared to before
1 11 14 2 1 3.20
(l)
The Government pay monthly claims
without delays.
2 13 11 2 1 2.60
5=Very Satisfied 4=Satisfied 3=Neutral 2=Quite Dissatisfied 1=Very Dissatisfied
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Respondent Frequency
Overall
5 4 3 2 1
Average
Index
(a) Are you satisfied with the overall
performance of MPKs Contractor?
2 14 9 3 1 3.33
5=Very Satisfied 4=Satisfied 3=Neutral 2=Quite Dissatisfied 1=Very Dissatisfied
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Table 4.10 illustrates the clients level of satisfaction attributes.
Table 4.10 : Clients Level of Satisfaction Attributes For MPKs Internal Workers Job
Respondent Frequency
Attributes
5 4 3 2 1
Average
Index
(a) MPK is satisfied with the quality of
roads after the privatization of
maintenance for federal roads.
3 19 7 0 0 3.73
(b) MPK employees are skilled and
experienced in carrying out road
maintenance works.
2 18 10 0 0 3.73
(c) The monitoring of road maintenance
activities by MPK is sufficient.
2 14 12 1 0 3.47
(d) MPK receives many complaints from
the public regarding the condition of
the roads.
5 14 7 3 0 3.60
(e) The response time by MPK to carry
out i nst ructed repair works is
satisfying.
4 11 9 5 0 3.37
(f)
MPK carries out periodic
maintenance works within the
specified time.
3 7 14 3 2 3.10
(g)
MPK often delays maintenance
works with technical, financial, or
dispute excuses.
2 13 11 3 0 3.37
(h) MPK notifies JKR in case of an
emergency work as soon as possible
for further instructions.
2 8 13 6 0 3.10
(i)
MPK have sufficient financial
resources to do road maintenance
works efficiently.
3 11 10 5 0 3.30
(j) MPK normally claims for quantity of
work more than the actual quantity of
work.
1 10 13 4 0 2.93
(k) Road maintenance work done by
MPK is more expensive as
compared to before.
3 6 13 6 1 3.03
5=Very Satisfied 4=Satisfied 3=Neutral 2=Quite Dissatisfied 1=Very Dissatisfied e
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Respondent Frequency
Overall
5 4 3 2 1
Average
Index
(a) Are you satisfied with the overall
performance of MPKs Workers?
1 10 14 4 0 3.17
5=Very Satisfied 4=Satisfied 3=Neutral 2=Quite Dissatisfied 1=Very Dissatisfied
Referring to Table 4.9 and 4.10, the average index for satisfaction with the
quality of road maintenance done by the internal worker is higher compared to
maintenance by MPKs Contractor, where the average index is 3.70 compared to 3.73.
The average index of 3.53 compared to 3.73 resemble that the road user belief
that MPKs internal workers are more skilled than contactors in carrying out road
maintenance work.
In terms of monitoring, an average index for the client beliefs that the
maintenance activities by the contractor or internal workers are neither sufficiently nor
insufficiently monitored shows that the average index 3.43 compared to 3.43 where the
road user preferred maintenance by MPKs internal workers.
However, an average index 3.72 compared to 3.60 that the road user received
more complaint from road maintenance by MPKs Contractor.
An average of 3.17 compared to 3.37 indicates that the road user beliefs that the
response time by the MPKs internal worker is more satisfying than the contractors.
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Never the less, an average index of 3.17 compared to 3.10 indicates that the road
users feels that the contractor carries out periodic maintenance work within the
specified time.
An average index of 3.27 compared to 3.37 again indicates that the road users
belief that the MPKs internal workers often delay maintenance works with technical
financial or dispute excuses. In addition, an average index of 3.27 compared to 3.10 also
indicates that the MPK contractor notifies MPK in case of emergency work as soon as
possible for further instructions.
In term of finance, the client belief that MPKs have sufficient financial
resources to do road maintenance work efficiently with an average index 3.30 compared
to 3.17.
The road user also belief that the contractor normally claims for quantity of
work more than the actual quality of work as resembled by the average index 3.17
compared to 2.93.
The average index of 3.20 compared to 2.93 reasonable that the road user agree
that the road maintenance by contractor is more expensive that MPKs internal workers.
The road users also agreed that the government pays monthly claims without
delay to the internal workers with an average index of 3.03 compared to 2.60.
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With an average index 3.33 compared to 3.17, the road users satisfied with the
overall performance by MPKs contractor.
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CHAPTER 5
DISCUSSION
5.1 Introduction
For the purpose of this study, data analysis as elaborated in Chapter 4 is used to
analyze the collected data. By combining the analyzed data with the findings from
literature study and the analysis a few conclusion can be established.
5.2 Road Maintenance Management In Klang District
From the study it can be concluded there are an advantage an disadvantages on
road maintenance management from each of the agencies , from the study also shows
that the road users are more prefer on the road maintenance by the internal workers
rather than contracting out the maintenance work. The are also a list of the defect
which identified in chapter 5 , where it should be take to consideration on focusing on
the maintenance work and to study on the action to be taken to prevent it in the future.
The complaints from the public explains the concerns of the road engineers
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regarding the privatization of road maintenance for federal roads. The more expensive
road maintenance work by the private company also proves the reason for the
concern.
The decreasing cost for maintenance suggests that the government is
reallocating budget for other more important sectors, in order to develop the nations
economy. However, the type of periodic maintenance works carried out also suggests
that the government is cutting costs by allowing more simpler rehabilitation works to be
carried out such as Mill and Pave, Pave, Regulate and Pave, and Strengthen and
Pave. This would enable the company to rehabilitate a lengthier road network with
lesser budget. However, by the implementation of a good agreement contract, the
risks of non-performance and non-conformance are minimized. The government being
the controller and the facilitator secures up to a certain degree the taxpayers rights.
Without, the advantages of competition, the concession agreement that allowed
the company to monopoly the public service, may be the reason for costlier services. By
introducing competition in this type of contracts, the performance and quality of services
can definitely be increased drastically. The finding also conclude the maintenance work
by internal workers is the most valuable and better management on road maintenance in
term of time, cost and quality. From the study, a conclusion related to the objectives of
the study are made. The conclusion for all three objectives are as follows.
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5.2.1 Road Maintenance Management in Public Work Department
5.2.1.1 Privatization Agreement (Public Work Department)
The concession type of privatization agreement revolves around the
performance-specified type of contracts. Since the agreement term is for 15 years, risks
of carrying bad incentives are reduced. This allows the company to provide better quality
in order for the work to last longer.
Having a detailed description of the payment methods, the schedule of rates, the
performance specifications and calculation methods for alterations or changes, reduces
significantly the possibility of disputes and dissatisfaction caused by noncompliance.
The agreement also allows the government to monitor the companys works
within the concession area. This allows for a continual monitoring of the company by
the government. Moreover, efficient monitoring by the government will prevent
overcharges or higher claims for poor quality performance by the company.
By retaining existing government employees, the company benefits by having
an experienced workforce. Furthermore, having a detailed termination and dispute
resolution methods in the agreement, allows both the contracting parties to be on safe
grounds with options to choose from in case of a disagreement.
By including the defects liability period of six months for works below
RM100 thousand, and a period of one year for works above that amount minimizes the
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risks carried by the government. It also causes the company to be more careful in
completing the works.
Having clause for the Event of Force Majeure is also an added advantage as in
case of an unexpected occurrence, both the parties will know their rights as in the
agreement. Having a Performance Bond clause as a method of compensation for the
government reduces the risk of non-conformance by the company.
The agreement also contains the types of maintenance works that the company is
obliged to perform. Routine maintenance works are to be carried out as specified in the
agreement, after submitting the annual proposed works program schedule to the
government.
Similarly, the government, followed by the submission of the annual proposed
works program schedule, will instruct periodic maintenance works. Emergency works
are also carried out in accordance to the agreement.
The works specifications in the agreement are concise enough to prevent any
major road deterioration. Conversely, only minor slopes and erosion control works are
specified as the government contracts out the works separately. Being contractually
obligated with a private company, the comprehensive agreement have clearly defined the
specified parties road management and maintenance responsibilities.
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5.2.1.2 Work Process
The work process for the privatized road maintenance are summarized in Figure
6.1 below.
Figure 5.1: Work Process for Road Maintenance
Road Care S/B
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5.2.2 Advantages and Disadvantages of Privatization of Road Maintenance
Work
5.2.2.1 Advantages of Privatization of Road Maintenance Work Compared To
Internal Maintenance Work
1. Achieving cost savings
Private companies bid in a competitive environment offering prices that are
considerably low. While wanting to increase the profit margin, the company strives to
save costs. Privatization also creates new tax revenues from private contractors who pay
taxes and license fees, whereas government units do not.
2. Increasing flexibility
Public officials have greater flexibility to meet the publics needs. They can
replace a firm that fails to meet contract standards, cut back on services when demand
declines, and add to service during peak periods.
3. Improving service quality
Competition induces service providers to deliver better service in order to keep
customers satisfied and retain contracts.
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4. Increasing efficiency and innovation
Private management can use its more flexible personnel practices and job
categories, modernized operating procedures, and simplified procurement processes to
work more efficiently and lower operating costs.
5. Spurring innovation
The freedom to invent allows old processes to be discarded in favor of entirely
new ones in order to improve the work efficiency.
6. Gaining access to expertise
Partnerships can solve staffing problems and gain access to new or specialized
expertise that is not available in-house.
7. Meeting peak demands and speeding project delivery
The flexibility of private sector staffing enables consultants to shift resources more
readily to meet time constraints. Contracts also allow for project completion guarantees.
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8. Better managing risks
Privatizing through partnerships allows government agencies to shift risk to
contractors or in some cases to the developer.
9. Allowing policymakers to spend more time on policy decisions
Privatization allows government leaders to spend more time on policy decisions rather
than on overseeing service delivery.
10. Increasing accountability for quality performance
Contractors know they can be let go if quality drops. Nevertheless, it is harder to
hold civil servants directly accountable for lack of performance.
5.2.2.2 Disadvantages of Privatization of Road Maintenance Work
1. Costs more
Governments often omit the costs for contract preparation, administration,
service monitoring, and renegotiation. Often the cost of using in-house facilities or
equipment is omitted as well.
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2. Decreases flexibility
The contractor has the right to refuse to do even the smallest task that is not in
the contract.
3. Decreases service quality
The profit motive provides incentives to cut corners on service quality in order
to hire inexperienced, transient personnel at low salary, skimp on contract requirements,
or provide inadequate supervision.
4. Promotes corruption
Using contractors to perform public services can produce widespread corruption
including bribery, kickbacks, collusive bidding, conflicts of interest, and charges for
works that was never performed.
5. Creates dependence on private sector providers
Monopolies and price fixing among private providers can result in higher costs and
reduced quality of service when the public becomes dependent on private essential
services providers.
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6. Reduces accountability of public officials to citizens
Public officials often use contracting to wash their hands of administrative
hassles and to avoid responsibility and blame for service failures.
5.2.3 Major Periodic Maintenance Works in Terms of Length carried out by
the Contractor
The lengthiest activity the company carried out is Regulate and Pave for a
length of 76.93 kilometers of roads in year 2006. This is followed by Mill, Regulate
and Pave for a length of 67.38 kilometers in the same year. Falling in third is Scarify
and Pave with a length of 64.64 kilometers as performed by the company back in the year
2005.
Also, the first year of privatization has seen more often than not Scarify and
Pave with a 28.12 percent, followed by Scarify, Regulate and Pave with a 21.53
percent, and Mill, Scarify, Regulate & Pave with a 15.50 percent.
However, the second year of privatization has seen some drastic changes, where
the company most frequently undertook Regulate and Pave with 36.74 percent,
followed by Mill, Regulate and Pave with 32.18 percent. Nevertheless, the case was
similar for the year 2007. The company most frequently carried out Regulate and Pave
with a 39.51 percent, followed by Mill, and Pave with a 26.81 percent and Mill,
Regulate and Pave with a 15.93 percent.
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Though, the activity that has been carried out the most by the company for
the 2005 to 2007 period is Regulate and Pave with a total length of 149.38 kilometers.
This activity is followed by Mill, Regulate and Pave with a total length of 89.11
kilometers. Falling in the third place is Scarify and Pave with a total length of 64.64
kilometers.
On the other hand, the total length of roads that undergone periodic
maintenance works severely declined. Year 2005 involved a total road length of 229.88
kilometers. The following year involved only 209.40 kilometers, a reduction of 8.91
percent. In year 2007 the number again dropped another 45.66 percent totaling road
lengths of only 113.78 kilometers.
5.2.4 The Periodic Maintenance Works that Incurred High Costs
The work that incurred the highest cost that was carried out by the company is
Mill, Regulate and Pave for a cost of RM15, 494,364.45 in year 2006. This is followed
by Mill, Scarify, Regulate and Pave for a cost of RM12, 293,227.71 in year 2005.
The third work that incurred the highest cost is Scarify, Regulate and Pave for a cost
of RM8, 713,704.13 in year 2005.
The activity Mill, Scarify, Regulate and Pave incurred highest cost in
2005 with cost amounting to 26.56 percent of the total costs incurred for that year.
However, this activity became the third activity incurring high costs in year 2006 with
10.13 percent.
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Scarify, Regulate and Pave although incurred second highest cost in
year 2005, did not incur costs in years 2006 and 2007. The activity Scarify and Pave
that was accountable for the third highest incurred cost in year 2005, did not incur costs
in years 2006 and 2007.
In year 2006, Mill, Regulate and Pave incurred highest cost accounting for
41.75 percent of the total incurred costs. However, this activity dropped to the fourth
place in year 2007 with only 12.13 percent. This activity was also accountable for the
costs incurred in year 2005 with 2.11 percent accountability.
Regulate and Pave accounted only for 8.30 percent in year 2005, became
the second highest activity incurring high costs in year 2006 with 19.15 percent. This
activity further increased and became the activity incurring highest cost in year 2007
with 31.21 percent.
Mill and Pave was accounted for 7.96 percent of incurred costs in year
2005. However, this activity was not carried out in year 2006. Nevertheless, year 2007
saw some changes where Mill and Pave the activity incurring second highest cost in
year 2007 with 27.41 percent.
The activity Strengthen and Pave was only undertaken in year 2007 and
it was accounted for as the activity incurring third highest cost with 21.93 percent. The
periodic maintenance activities are executed with no specific interest on a particular
rehabilitation method as the activities varies very much from year to year. The periodic
activities undertaken from year 2005 to 2007 are moving towards reduced fragments
of activities. The percentage of allocation of costs for top three activities increased
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gradually from 61.70 percent in 2005 to 71.03 percent in 2006, and 80.55 percent in
2007.
The activities Reconstruct, Scarify, Regulate and Pave, Reconstruct, Mill,
Regulate and Pave, Regulate and Pave, and Scarify and Pave costs the least.
However, Mill, Regulate and Pave incurred the highest costs for periodic maintenance
activities. This is followed by Regulate and Pave and then by Mill, Scarify, Regulate and
Pave.
5.2.6 Road Maintenance by Majlis Perbandaran Klang
From the data analysis, it was shown that the majority of the road users
preferred the maintenance that being done by Majlis Perbandaran Klangs contractor.
The fata involving the quality, time and cost also shown that the road user mostly
preferred the a maintenance work done by Majlis Perbandaran Klangs contractor.
Majlis Perbandaran Klang also have to monitor on the claim of the contractor to prevent
any excessive claims.
The response time from internal workers is much more better due to the direct
instruction given to the workers that normally in stand by situation every day.
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5.3 Road Defect
From the data analysis, the defects that normally occurred are:
5.3.1 Crocodile Cracks
Crocodile cracks are interconnected or interlaced cracks which form a network
of multi-sided blocks resembling the skin of a crocodile. The block size can range from
100 mm to about 300 mm.
Crocodile cracks is a consequence of the inability of the structure to support the
repeated loads due to a softening of the material normally associated with increase in
moisture content. The cracks in the subbase or subgrade tend to spread rapidly under
rain and traffic causing blocks of surfacing to be displaced and broken up.
Measurements To Be Taken
In order to avoid or reduce the possibility of the defects happened again, the
following action (refer to Table 4.11) should be undertaken in the future which is
related to:
a) area affected.
b) Predominant crack width
c) Predominant cell width
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Table 4.11 Probable Action to Be Taken (Crocodile Crack)
5.3.2 Surface Deformations
Deformation takes place when a road surface undergoes changes from its
original constructed profile. It may occur after construction due to trafficking or
environmental influences. In some cases, deformation may be built into a new pavement
owing to inadequate control during construction. It influences the riding quality of a
pavement and may reflect structural inadequacies. It may lead to cracking of the surface
layer.
The major types of surface deformation covered in this section are:
i. Rutting.
ii. Corrugation.
iii. Depression.
iv. Shoving.
NO. POSSIBLE PROBABLE
1. Inadequate pavement thickness Strengthen the pavement or reconstruction
2. Low modulus base Strengthen the base or reconstruction
3. Brittle base Base recycling or reconstruction
4. Poor base drainage Improve the drainage and reconstruct
5. Brittle wearing course Replace or treat wearing course
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5.3.3 Rutting
Rutting is longitudinal deformation or depression in the wheel paths which
occur after repeated applications of axle loading. It may occur in one or both wheel
paths of a lane. The length to width ratio would normally be greater than 4 to 1.
Measurement To Be Taken
In order to avoid or reduce the possibility of the defects happened again, the
following action (refer to Table 4.12) should be undertaken in the future which is
related to:
a) Maximum depth under a transverse 1.2 m straight edge.
b) Length.
Table 4.12 Probable Action to Be Taken (Rutting)
NO. POSSIBLE PROBABLE
1. Inadequate pavement thickness Strengthening overlay or reconstruction
2. Inadequate compaction of structural
layers
Reconstruction
3. Unstable bituminous mixes Replace or recycle bituminous surfacing
or use stiffer mix/HCM
4. Unstable shoulder material which do
not provide adequate lateral support
Shoulder improvement and overlay
rutted area with bituminous surfacing
5. Overstressed sub grade which
deforms permanently
Reconstruction
6. Unstable granular bases or sub-bases Base or sub-base strengthening
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5.3.4 Corrugations
In order to avoid or reduce the possibility of the defects happened again, the
following action (refer to Table 4.13) should be undertaken in the future.
Table 4.13 Probable Action to Be Taken (Corrugations)
NO. POSSIBLE PROBABLE
1. Inadequate stability of bituminous
surface
Replace bituminous surface
2. Compaction of base in wave form Base reconstruction
3. Faulty paver behaviour with some
mixes
Replace the faulty mixes and correct the
faulty paver behaviour
4. Heavy traffic on steep downgrade or
upgrade
Mill of corrugated surface and replace
with stiffer mix or use HCM
5. Stopping at intersection stop light or
roundabout
Mill of corrugated surface and replace
with stiffer mix or use HCM
6. Inadequate stability of base course Base reconstruction
5.3.5 Depressions
Depressions are localized areas within a pavement with elevations lower than
the surrounding area. They may not be confined to wheel paths only but may extend
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across several wheel paths. Generally, it results from settlement, slope failure, or
volume changes due to moisture changes.
Measurements To Be Taken
In order to avoid or reduce the possibility of the defects happened again, the
following action (refer to Table 4.14) should be undertaken in the future which is
related to:
a) maximum depth under 1.2 m straight edge.
b) area of depression
Table 4.14 Probable Action to Be Taken (Depression)
NO. POSSIBLE PROBABLE
1. Differential settlement of sub grade
or base material
Sub grade or base reconstruction
2. Settlement of services and/or
widening trenches
Reconstruction of service and/or widening
trenches
3. Volume change of sub grade due to
environmental influences
Improve sub-soil drainage and reconstruct
4. Settlement due to instability of
embankment
Embankment stabilization
5.4 Level Of Satisfaction of Road Maintenance Management
An average index of 3.73 designates that the client receives many complaints
from the public regarding the condition of the roads. Further, the average index of 3.85
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resembles that the client agree that the road maintenance work done by the private
company is more expensive as compared to before. The client also agrees that the
government pays monthly claims by the company without any delays, with an average
index of 3.75.
However, with an average index of 2.81, the client is neither satisfied nor
dissatisfied with the performance of the company.
In terms of monitoring, an average index of 3.83 indicates that the client
beliefs that the maintenance activities by the company are neither sufficiently nor
insufficiently monitored. However, an average index of 3.83 designates that the client
agrees that they receive many complaints from the public regarding the condition of the
roads.
In terms of finance, the client beliefs that the company neither has sufficient
nor insufficient financial resources to do road maintenance efficiently with an average
index of 3.63. The client also beliefs that the company claims for quantity of work neither
more nor less than the actual quantity of work done, as resembled by the average index
of 3.37.
The average index of 3.53 compared to 3.73 resemble that the road user belief
that MPKs internal workers are more skilled than contactors in carrying out road
maintenance work.
In terms of monitoring, an average index for the client beliefs that the
maintenance activities by the contractor or internal workers are neither sufficiently nor
insufficiently monitored shows that the average index 3.43 compared to 3.43 where the
road user preferred maintenance by MPKs internal workers.
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An average of 3.17 compared to 3.37 indicates that the road user beliefs that the
response time by the MPKs internal worker is more satisfying than the contractors or
by Road Care Sdn Bhd.
.
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CHAPTER 6
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
6.1 Conclusion
From the data analysis , it is concluded that the study that being executed was
successful and the achievement of the study can be summarized as listed below.
6.1.1 Objective 1 :Road Maintenance Management
From the study it can be concluded there are advantages and disadvantages of
road maintenance management carried out by each of the agencies involved. The study
also shows that the road users are more prefer on the road maintenance by the internal
workers rather than contracting out the maintenance work. The are also a list of defects
which identified in chapter 5 , which should be take into consideration when focusing
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on the maintenance work and to study on the action to be taken to prevent it in the
future. The complaints from the public explains the concerns of the road engineers
regarding the privatization of road maintenance for federal roads. The more expensive
road maintenance work by the private company also proves the reason for the
concern.
6.1.2 Objective 2 : Road Defect
The types of defects identified from this study are:
a) Crocodile cracks
b) Surface deformations
c) Rutting
d) Corrugations
e) Depressions
6.1.3 Objective 3 :Level of Satisfaction of Road Users
The average index of 3.53 compared to 3.73 resemble that the road user belief
that MPKs internal workers are more skilled than contactors in carrying out road
maintenance work.
In terms of monitoring, an average index for the client beliefs that the
maintenance activities by the contractor or internal workers are neither sufficiently nor
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insufficiently monitored shows that the average index 3.43 compared to 3.43 where the
road user preferred maintenance by MPKs internal workers.
An average of 3.17 compared to 3.37 indicates that the road user beliefs that the
response time by the MPKs internal worker is more satisfying than the contractors or
Road Care Sdn Bhd.
6.2 Recommendation for Future Study
This study is conducted based on literature reviews and data analysis on
collected questionnaire. It is not a conclusive study. However, there are other aspects
that can be studied in the future. For future studies, the following aspects can be
considered as a resource for the study:
(a) The major improvements that was experienced after privatization as compared
to before privatization.
(b) The challenges of implementing a successful privatization project
normally used in developed nations.
(c) The quality of road network before and after the privatization.
(d) Road user satisfaction throughout urban and rural area.
(e) Centralisation of appointment of maintenance contractor from State
Government.
(f) Standardisation of schedule of rate for road maintenance.
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