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Substandard Steel May Cause Building Collapse In Philippines - Experts
Business Mirror reported that the recent spate of earthquakes that jolted northwestern Japan, southern China, the Flores region in Indonesia and several Mindanao provinces, has authorities in the Philippine’s steel industry worried. The lingering fear is that thousands of high-rise buildings in the country built over the last 10 years using substandard, locally made steel bars may be in peril should a high intensity quake hit the country.
Former chairman of the Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines Mr Emilio Morales has raised a worry in the face of recent quakes in the region ie the stability of locally manufactured steel bars for high-rise buildings. Mr Morales revealed that substandard construction materials, particularly reinforced steel bars, are still being used to build high-rise commercial buildings and residential condominiums in key business districts. He explained that “Being near the Pacific Ring is the main reason certain types of steel materials are not recommended for use in high-rise buildings in the country. Substandard construction materials, particularly rebars, would not withstand a 7.2 magnitude earthquake.”
Mr Morales added that big local steel manufacturers changed the steel bar manufacturing process some 12 years ago, without notifying the government or the public.
Mr Morales said China has started banning QT steels bars, with Taiwan banning these outright two years ago, despite inconclusive metallurgy test results undertaken on QT rebars. As a precaution, Taiwan government testers decided that QT steel are only strong on the outer layer due to quenching process.
Mr Morales claimed that the standards of testing steel in the Philippines are not as thorough a product that is made with grade 40 steel could pass as grade 60 because of QT coating.
A 6.8-magnitude earthquake jolted northwestern Japan last Tuesday prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency to issue a tsunami alert. Last Monday, a 6.0-magnitude quake hit Sichuan province in southern China, resulting in the collapse of a hotel in Changning country of Yibin City, southwest of the province, causing the death of 11 people and injury to another 122. Also last Monday, a 5.5 magnitude earthquake happened in Flores region in Indonesia, while six quakes struck in Mindanao, including the provinces of Agusan del Sur, Davao Occidental and Surigao del Sur. Two months ago, a 6.1 magnitude quake hit Luzon, swaying and destroying buildings in Metro Manila and leveling the four-story Chuzon supermarket, in Porac, Pampanga, killing 18 people and injuring 282. In the same month, several 6.1-magnitude quakes rocked Eastern Samar and Zambales.
Source : Business Mirror