EduAsiaNews, Depok – Universitas Indonesia (UI) has once again affirmed its concrete contribution to delivering research-based solutions that support sustainable national development. The latest innovation comes from a doctoral graduate of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering (DTSL FTUI), Andi Muhammad Ifrad, who has successfully developed a modified asphalt mixture formula using local materials—natural asphalt from Buton Island and used motor oil waste. This innovation promises road infrastructure that is more durable, adaptive to tropical climate conditions, and environmentally friendly.
At his open doctoral promotion session held on Monday (25/05), Andi presented his dissertation titled “Response Surface Methodology in Modeling the Rheological Characteristics of Modified Buton Island Natural Asphalt Based on Rutting and Resilient Modulus Review.” Through this research, Andi earned his doctoral degree with a GPA of 4.00 and the distinction of Summa Cum Laude. This achievement also made Andi the 92nd doctoral graduate of DTSL and the 661st doctoral graduate of FTUI.
The Dean of FTUI, Prof. Kemas Ridwan Kurniawan, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D., expressed high appreciation for this achievement, viewing it as a concrete contribution of UI’s engineering research to national infrastructure development.
“This research is a clear example of how Indonesia’s local resources can be processed into innovative and sustainable engineering solutions. FTUI continues to encourage research that not only makes scientific contributions but also has a direct impact on the independence of the construction industry, the strengthening of national competitiveness, and the development of more efficient and sustainable infrastructure,” said Prof. Kemas.
Indonesia itself possesses the world’s largest natural asphalt reserves, located on Buton Island, yet this resource has not been optimally utilized. Andi’s research addresses this challenge by offering a scientific approach to optimizing local potential in order to reduce dependence on imported asphalt materials.
The core of this innovation lies in combining Buton asphalt with elastomeric additives and used motor oil waste. The addition of used oil waste and additives serves to enhance the flexibility, stability, and deformation resistance of the asphalt. The result is an asphalt mixture performance model that is superior in withstanding heavy traffic loads and adaptive to the high-temperature conditions characteristic of Indonesia’s tropical climate.
“Through this research, I aim to demonstrate that Buton Island’s natural asphalt holds great potential to be developed as a leading national material. This innovation is not only capable of improving road pavement performance—making it more durable and reducing maintenance costs—but also supports the principle of sustainability through the utilization of local resources and the application of a circular economy by recycling used oil waste,” Andi explained.
Methodological originality is also present in this research, in which Andi integrated laboratory testing with computer simulations based on the Finite Element Method (FEM). This integrated approach enables the long-term performance of asphalt mixtures under repeated loading to be predicted with a high degree of accuracy, thereby supporting more effective road planning and maintenance processes.
Appreciation also came from the Chair of the Session, Prof. Dr. Ir. Akhmad Herman Yuwono, M.Phil.Eng., Ph.D. “This research demonstrates how material engineering innovation can be developed sustainably. We hope that the results of this research will not only make an academic contribution but also serve as an important reference for the development of adaptive, efficient, and nationally resource-based road pavement technology,” he said.
Serving as Promoter in Andi Muhammad Ifrad’s session was Prof. Dr. Ir. Sigit Pranowo Hadiwardoyo, DEA., with Co-Promoter Prof. Ir. R. Jachrizal Sumabrata, M.Sc. (Eng)., Ph.D., IPU. Meanwhile, the examining committee consisted of Dr. Erly Bahsan, S.T., M.Kom., Prof. Dr. Ir. Sutanto Soehodo, M.Eng., Prof. Dr. Ir. Nahry, M.T., Ir. Andyka Kusuma, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D., and Prof. Dr. Ir. Andri Irfan Rifai, M.Eng.Tech., ASEAN Eng.
Through this innovation, Universitas Indonesia continues to demonstrate its commitment to producing research and technology with far-reaching impact. This innovation also embodies UI’s commitment to supporting the optimization of national natural resources on a sustainable basis, while simultaneously strengthening the independence of the domestic construction industry.
