The Land Transport Authority (LTA) will be reviewing a TPE-PIE viaduct project which collapsed in July 2017, resulting in one fatality and 10 injuries.

Back then, a 40m section of the viaduct had given way, possibly due to viaduct corbels (supporting structures) giving way under the weight of wet concrete.

In a media statement on May 30, 2018, an LTA spokesperson said that it is "studying its options carefully".

In addition, LTA has found cracks on some corbels (supporting structure) at the incident site earlier. Hence, LTA has decided to demolish all the crossheads on the uncompleted sections of the TPE-PIE viaduct, as a safety precaution.

This is an example of a crosshead:

The viaduct project will also be assessed by an independent Professional Engineer. Any areas deemed unsafe by the engineer will be demolished as well.

Immediately after the collapse in July 2017, LTA found 11 cracks in six locations along the incomplete viaduct and erected metal supports to prop up the structure.

Contractor charged in court

LTA's announcement came just after Or Kim Peow Contractors (the appointed contractor for the viaduct project) was charged in court for violating the Building Control Act and Workplace Safety and Health Act.

After the incident in 2017, it was found that OKP had the lowest quality score among all the qualified bidders, but it had the highest price-quality ratio.

Additionally, OKP had a fatal accident in 2015 - a safety lapse for which OKP was fined $250,000 just three days before the TPE-PIE viaduct incident. 

It later emerged that a consultant, Robert Arianto Tjandra, from OKP's subcontractor took on double hat roles of designing the viaduct and checking the construction works - a move which is not illegal but industry players say is not ideal.

If you're interested, below is LTA's media statement in full:

“LTA has decided to demolish all the crossheads on the uncompleted sections of the TPE-PIE viaduct, as a safety precaution following the discovery of cracks on corbels at the incident site earlier. An independent Professional Engineer has also been appointed by LTA to assess the structural integrity of the viaduct under construction. Any other sections, which are assessed to be unsafe by the independent Professional Engineer will be demolished. LTA is studying its options carefully and reviewing the viaduct project with OKP.”

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