TNAG-1449-FCO40-1953-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 88

Question No. 5

Reply by the Hon. J.R. TODD, CVO, OBE, JP, Secretary for Housing to a question by the Hon CHENG Hon-kwan,

in Legislative Council on 25 June 1986

QUESTION: It is understood that Government has decided to

carry out carbonation tests on some 40 public housing blocks that were completed within the last 5 years.

Will the Government inform this

Council :

(a) what is the particular purpose of these

tests;

(b) what are the standards with which these

tests shall comply; and

(c) what is their cost?

Sir,

The Housing Department is carrying out carbonation

tests designed to collect comprehensive data on the rate of

carbonation. To do this it is necessary to survey samples

of buildings of all ages, including some of these most

recently built.

2.

The survey is part of the Department's research

into ways of increasing the durability of its buildings and

reducing maintenance.

3.

The standard used for testing is laid down in

British Standard 1881 Part 201: 1985. A small hole is

drilled in the concrete and the inside painted with a

chemical which changes colour if the concrete is carbonated.

4.

tested.

The cost of the test is about $1,000 for each block