Terrain evaluation in west Malaysia. Part 2: land systems of south west Malaysia.

This report describes land system mapping applied in the south of west Malaysia. Together with part 1, terrain classification and survey methods, it demonstrates the use of terrain classification and evaluation in a humid tropical environment. The purpose of terrain evaluation is to assist project managers and field surveyors to locate the most suitable areas for a project and to plan a field sampling programming appropriate to the variability of the soils. Its particular advantages are speed of mapping, application in several different disciplines, and storage of information in an accessible and re-usable form. The terrain is classified into small and large scale mapping units (land systems and land facets). A description of the topography, soil profile and water relations is given for each land unit, with additional information on the engineering properties of the soils. Land systems are identified on a 1:250000 scale map, grouped into major topographic and geological units. Differences in the engineering properties of the soils were found to be significant only at this level, owing to the intense nature of the weathering. The map also forms the key to the land facet associations, to provide a complete breakdown of the topography and soils for site investigations.(a) (part 1 is IRRD abstract no 204382).