WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17, 1994
1
INTERIM REPORT ON ABERDEEN CANOPY COLLAPSE PUBLISHED
THE INTERIM
CANOPY
IN
THE
CONCRETE REPORT ON THE COLLAPSE OF A ABERDEEN ON AUGUST 1 THIS YEAR WAS PUBLISHED TODAY (WEDNESDAY) BY BUILDINGS DEPARTMENT.
FURTHER AND
SAID
CONCRETE
INCLUDING
DIRECTOR THE
OF BUILDINGS, MRS HELEN YU, INVESTIGATION,
TESTS ON SAMPLES OF REINFORCEMENT OBTAINED FROM THE SITE, WILL BE CARRIED OUT.
"THE RESULTS WILL FORM THE BASIS OF A FINAL REPORT. WE AIM TO COMPLETE THE INVESTIGATION IN SEPTEMBER. THIS WILL DEPEND PARTLY ON THE RESULTS OF STRENGTH AND CHEMICAL ANALYSES BY THE GOVERNMENT LABORATORY TO ASCERTAIN THE MATERIAL PROPERTIES, MRS YU ADDED.
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THE INTERIM REPORT, BASED ON INFORMATION SO FAR AVAILABLE, HAS ESTABLISHED THAT THE MAIN CAUSE OF THE CANOPY COLLAPSE WAS THE CORROSION OF ITS STEEL REINFORCEMENT. THE FOLLOWING WERE ALSO FOUND TO BE POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS:
THE ADDITIONAL FINISHING LAYERS OF SURFACE MORTAR ON THE COLLAPSED CANOPY INCREASED THE LOADING AND COULD HAVE AFFECTED THE WATER DRAINAGE ON THE CANOPY;
THE FISH-TANK CONSTRUCTION ALSO AFFECTED THE LOADING INTENSITY AND COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO CRACKING OF THE CANOPY CONCRETE AND THUS CORROSION OF THE STEEL
REINFORCEMENT;
CONSTRUCTION OF THE CANOPY COULD HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE;
OTHER FACTORS INCLUDE:
VALIDITY OF THE DESIGN ASSUMPTIONS OF THE CONCRETE CANOPY;
STRENGTH AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MATERIALS FOR ITS CONSTRUCTION;
WORKMANSHIP IN ITS CONSTRUCTION;
ANY ABUSE OR MISUSE OF THE CANOPY;
ANY ALTERATIONS OR ADDITIONS TO THE BUILDING AND DRAINAGE SYSTEM; AND
ANY
EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES
AND
CORROSIVE
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS.
MRS YU CAUTIONED THAT FURTHER INVESTIGATION MAY BRING TO LIGHT OTHER FACTORS NOT YET IDENTIFIABLE AT THIS STAGE.
"IT WOULD BE PREMATURE AT THIS
CONCLUSIONS ON THE QUESTION OF LIABILITY,
STAGE
TO DRAW ANY FIRM SHE ADDED.
COPIES OF THE INTERIM REPORT WERE PRESENTED TO MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL PANEL ON LANDS AND WORKS TODAY BEFORE MRS YU ATTENDED THE PANEL MEETING TO DISCUSS ISSUES CONCERNING BUILDING SAFETY AND THE COLLAPSE OF THE CANOPY AT 12 SAI ON STREET, ON AUGUST 1 THIS YEAR.
ABERDEEN,
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