Skip to main content

Legal case underway over materials testing for Chinese bridge

A legal dispute has arisen regarding some of the materials testing processes carried out for the landmark Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge project. The argument is focusing on whether or not 12 technicians manipulated the results of testing concrete samples taken from the bridge during construction. It is alleged that managers of the test facility told the technicians to change the time settings on the equipment carrying out the tests, due to samples not being tested within the eight hour time period require
January 11, 2019 Read time: 2 mins

A legal dispute has arisen regarding some of the materials testing processes carried out for the landmark Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge project.

The argument is focusing on whether or not 12 technicians manipulated the results of testing concrete samples taken from the bridge during construction. It is alleged that managers of the test facility told the technicians to change the time settings on the equipment carrying out the tests, due to samples not being tested within the eight hour time period required.

There are also allegations that some of the test samples did not perform to the specifications of the project and that these results were also manipulated. The tests being investigated were carried out between 2012 and 2017 as the bridge was being built.

The 2719 Chinese Government has taken major steps in recent times to crack down on corruption, imposing heavy penalties on those found guilty of the most serious offences. Given the high status of this landmark bridge engineering project, it seems likely that should anyone be found guilty, they will be penalised heavily by the Chinese authorities.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Scotland’s new Queensferry Crossing over the Forth Estuary
    December 23, 2015
    The new Queensferry Crossing under construction in Scotland will be the third landmark bridge spanning the Forth Estuary - Mike Woof writes When the new Queensferry Crossing over the Forth Estuary opens at the end of 2016, it will be the third landmark bridge to be built spanning this short stretch of water. Lying alongside the existing road bridge and the historic rail bridge, this new structure will be as groundbreaking as the two earlier crossings were at the time of their construction.
  • Mott Macdonald handling major Hong Kong project
    July 24, 2012
    Engineering firm Mott MacDonald has been commissioned to head the team designing the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge link road. The Dragages-China Harbour-VSL joint venture appointed Mott MacDonald as lead designer for the 9.4km long viaduct section of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. This US$1.66 (HK$12.9 billion) project is the largest single design and build contract ever awarded in Hong Kong. The bridge will carry a dual three-lane carriageway over the Pearl River Estuary, which is one of the world’s bu
  • Mega city transport in Mexico
    June 13, 2012
    Rapid urban growth is resulting in massive mega cities with major transport needs and Mexico City is one of the world’s largest – Mike Woof reports Mexico City is a vast, sprawling metropolis and one of the world’s largest cities, resulting in huge problems for its inhabitants, particularly with regard to infrastructure. Measuring population size is an inexact science for large cities as suburban areas can add to the figures considerably, especially in developing nations where unplanned expansion is as comm
  • New equipment for materials testing
    January 13, 2014
    Leading formwork manufacturers have secured some impressive contracts in Africa, as the continent’s transport infrastructure continues to improve at a rapid pace. Meanwhile, other bridgework equipment companies are also seeing their products in demand in Africa, as well as North America and Australia. Guy Woodford reports