April 13, 2022 

First tower in the country to use  seismic rubber bearings 

LANGKAWI: The Hevea Langkawi  Training Centre (AHML) is the first  building (tower) in the country to  use seismic rubber bearings  created specially by the Malaysian  Rubber Board (MRB). 

This marks a major breakthrough by  researchers at the MRB as the  seismic rubber bearings offer  maximum structural protection from any damage due to tremors  from earthquakes. 

AHML serves as a centre for the  development of upstream and  downstream rubber for all industry  players, civil servants and  researchers. 

"It is among efforts by the MRB to  implement various courses related  to national rubber development,"  said Minister of Plantation  Industries and Commodities, Datuk  Zuraida Kamaruddin during the  official opening today.

With this centre, she said the  ministry was confident the  potentials of upstream and downstream rubber products could  be enhanced and further contribute  to the post Covid-19 economic  recovery. 

Academy Hevea Malaysia (AHM)  was set up in 1996 under the  Rubber Research Institute of  Malaysia (RRIM) and on Oct 1, 2006,  it was rebranded under the MRB. 

AHM is able to offer courses to  2,000 participants each year which  include short term technical courses and also the long-term  Certificate in Rubber Technology. 

On seismic rubber bearings, Zuraida  said the production was a joint  venture between MRB laboratories  and the Tun Abdul Razak Research  Centre in UK and Sungai Buloh  Centre for Rubber Technology. 

"The results of this joint venture  were called the High Damping  Natural Rubber Bearings (HDNR) or  seismic rubber bearings which are  widely used in over 10,000  structures worldwide.

"These include those in earthquake prone countries like the United  States (US), China, Japan, Turkey,  New Zealand, India, Taiwan and  Armenia," said Zuraida. 

The MRB plays a key role in  supporting the construction and  rubber industries in the country and  is currently also a consultant for the  Penang Second Bridge Project. 

The bridge is the first commercial  project in the country to use the  seismic rubber bearings to offer  maximum protection to the  structure from any possible  earthquake tremors.

This technology also provides  significant savings in terms of  construction costs where the piling  system does not need to be  reinforced. 

Apart from the Sultan Abdul Halim  Muadzam Shah Bridge or Penang  Second Bridge, other structures in  the country using seismic rubber  bearings are the Anjung Getah  Lahad Datu building and AHML. 

As for overseas structures, these  include Park House in Oxford Street,  London; the Foothills Communities and Justice Centre and the USC  University Hospital in California, US. 

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