HomeMalaysia Sabah Port Expansion Onshore PVD Construction Successfully Completed
Release time：Jul 09,2026
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Recently, the onshore Prefabricated Vertical Drain (PVD) construction for the Sepanggar Bay Container Port Expansion Project in Sabah, Malaysia has been fully and smoothly finished. The key soft ground improvement works for the port land area have been successfully accomplished, laying a solid foundation for the subsequent construction of storage yards and roadways within the project.
Steel sheet pile pre-drilling and static insertion technologies are adopted throughout the entire PVD construction process. This method causes minimal soil disturbance while delivering high construction precision and outstanding stability.
Targeting the unique site environment in Malaysia, the project team precisely addressed four major construction difficulties:
· Heavy rainfall and ponding: Temporary drainage systems were installed to drain rainwater promptly and maintain dry working platforms
· Intense ultraviolet radiation: All materials are stored away from light to prevent aging and damage of PVDs
· Seawater salt mist near shore: Regular equipment maintenance and comprehensive anti-corrosion & rust-proof treatments are implemented to guarantee normal operation of machinery
The onshore PVD works mark a practical application of domestic soft ground improvement technologies adapted to complex coastal working conditions in Southeast Asia. Adopting standardized construction and refined site management, the project team efficiently completed soft ground reinforcement works, supporting Sabah in building an integrated regional logistics port.
Source: Guangzhou Sunzo Foundation Engineering Co., Ltd.
If you have ground improvement requirements for your project, please contact SUNZO. We will deliver customized solutions tailored to your project conditions to support safe and efficient project delivery.
1. Project Overview
This project serves as a vital maritime logistics hub under the Belt and Road Initiative. The newly reclaimed port land area is formed by hydraulic sand filling from the bay, with deep layers of soft silt underneath the site. The weak soil poses high settlement risks and cannot directly bear loads from shipping containers and heavy-duty vehicles.
In consideration of local site conditions in Malaysia – high temperature, heavy rainfall, heavy salt mist and stringent environmental protection regulations – Prefabricated Vertical Drains (PVDs) are adopted for the project to rapidly drain pore water from underground soft soil and accelerate consolidation and hardening of weak subgrade.2. Construction Introduction
Simply put, the construction process involves driving PVDs evenly deep into the ground to form underground drainage channels. Together with sand blankets, a complete drainage system is formed to effectively resolve the instability of hydraulically reclaimed ground.Steel sheet pile pre-drilling and static insertion technologies are adopted throughout the entire PVD construction process. This method causes minimal soil disturbance while delivering high construction precision and outstanding stability.
3. Tackling Overseas Construction Challenges Head-on
Targeting the unique site environment in Malaysia, the project team precisely addressed four major construction difficulties: · Heavy rainfall and ponding: Temporary drainage systems were installed to drain rainwater promptly and maintain dry working platforms
· Intense ultraviolet radiation: All materials are stored away from light to prevent aging and damage of PVDs
· Seawater salt mist near shore: Regular equipment maintenance and comprehensive anti-corrosion & rust-proof treatments are implemented to guarantee normal operation of machinery
4. Construction Outcomes
The safety, quality and schedule of this onshore PVD construction fully meet design standards and local regulatory requirements, with zero safety incidents recorded throughout the whole construction period. Post-construction monitoring data verifies that soil consolidation on site has reached specified standards, post-construction settlement can be effectively controlled, and the ground fully satisfies heavy-load operation demands of the port.
Compared with offshore PVD construction, onshore static insertion works are unaffected by tides, wind and waves, featuring higher operation efficiency and more stable construction quality. Synchronized onshore and offshore construction with two-way coordination fully ensures all overall project schedule milestones are delivered on time.The onshore PVD works mark a practical application of domestic soft ground improvement technologies adapted to complex coastal working conditions in Southeast Asia. Adopting standardized construction and refined site management, the project team efficiently completed soft ground reinforcement works, supporting Sabah in building an integrated regional logistics port.
Source: Guangzhou Sunzo Foundation Engineering Co., Ltd.
If you have ground improvement requirements for your project, please contact SUNZO. We will deliver customized solutions tailored to your project conditions to support safe and efficient project delivery.
