PENANG, May 2014 - A group of researchers from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) School of Civil Engineering led by Profesor Dr. Fauziah Ahmad has developed an innovative software to measure hillslope stability in an effort to predict landslips in elevated and landslide proned areas.

According to Fauziah, the software named USlopeM - Innovative Slope Stability Software (carrying USM inside its name) is the first software of its kind that is able to detect multiple slip surfaces to assess whether a slope is safe or otherwise.

“This programme could generate or simulate the possible existence of multiple slip surfaces compared to those on the market now which could only detect one slip surface at a time.

“Hence, this enables engineers to detect all the possible potential slip surfaces that would also be dangerous in a slope in a single computing session,” said Fauziah in a press conference to unveil and promote the product here recently.

“Once the analysis is complete, the software then produces a map of the slope with colours depicting stable and unstable zones, hence providing a more detailed analysis of the slope.

“Because it employs advanced search algorithm and parallel computing, USlopeM can produce a result in less than two minutes for 10,000 calculations, which is much faster than the existing softwares in the market,” added Fauziah who is also the Deputy Dean of USM Institute of Postgraduate Studies.

The software won Fauziah and her team a gold medal as well as the Vifotec Special Award for Best Women Inventor in the 25th International Invention, Innovation and Technology Exhibition (ITEX) 2014 held in Kuala Lumpur recently.

Fauziah started developing the software in 2010 together with her co-researchers Associate Professor Dr. Ahmad Shukri Yahaya and Mohammad Tabarroki also from School of Civil Engineering. 

When asked whether the software is ready for commercialisation, she said it is ready, in fact several local companies such as Public Works Department (JKR) and Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) had already expressed their interest in purchasing the software.

She added that USlopeM had been used for analysing slope failure for Penang Hill slope development project under Public Works Department (JKR) and USM, and also for monitoring slope stability within the university’s Healthy Campus project.

“We have applied to register a trademark for the software and plan to sell it at about USD800 (RM2,600) per copy which is much lower than those currently available, that costs between USD2,500 (RM8,150) to USD4,500 (RM14,670). - Translation: Tan Ewe Hoe/Text: Nor Rafizah Md Zain/Photo: Mohd Fairus Md Isa