Runway cracks widen at Suvarnabhumi

[limbo]

Runway cracks widen at Suvarnabhumi

 

Cracks in the runways at Suvarnabhumi Airport runways have expanded and may affect passenger safety, according to the head of a panel looking into the construction of the multibillion-baht facility.

 

 

"The cracks in the runway

 

 

and taxiways are truly an urgent matter that could become cri-tical, particularly to the safety of passengers, if nothing is solved," said Prapan Koonmee, chair-

 

 

man of the National Legislative Assembly's Suvarnabhumi Airport subcommittee.

 

 

Prapan and his panel visited the airport yesterday to inspect the construction-related problems, as well as alleged irregularities in the space allocated to duty-free shops.

 

 

The panel found several

 

 

cracks on the runways and taxiways as well as in the terminal buildings and floors, which they believe are a result of construction flaws.

 

 

"If the airport had been operational for two or three years we could put it down to heavy use. But the current situation shows the problems at Suvarnabhumi are likely to come from its construction," said Prapan.

 

 

He added the runway and taxiway cracks had spread and as much as 100,000 square metres of tarmac would be affected if nothing were done.

 

 

"It is crucial that the involved parties find the causes and solutions to this matter," said Prapan.

 

 

He claimed debris from a cracked runway overseas had caused an aircraft accident that killed 130 people.

 

 

The subcommittee will conclude its investigation in two to three weeks and then report to the government.

 

 

It will ask parties involved in the airport's construction to give evidence on Friday.

 

The Nation 22/01/07

[shygye]

Really quite symbolic of Thailand, in general.

[bust]

Well I believed you Jeab.

[Hugh_Hoy]

Close it down and make it another "World Heritage" site. More than that, make it mandatory that all transportation engineers, planners, contractors attend month/week-long seminars there on how NOT to build and administer the contstruction of a world class airport.

 

HH

[Guest]

Anyone got any pictures of the cracks??

[bust]

Like this.....and these were taken months ago apparently

[jitagawn]

The proper construction money went into Suriya's pocket but it got there when Pojaman(sp?) handed it to him. She was the bag lady for the previous "administration." I am 100% sure of this. They stole cause they could-pure and simple-

[elef]

Bangkok Post

Today

Link

 

Sub-standard work likely cause of cracks, wavy surfaces

AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK

 

The head of the inquiry into the construction of Suvarnabhumi airport suspects the cracked and uneven surfaces of runways and taxiways stems from substandard construction.

 

 

Praphan Khoonmee, head of the inquiry sub-committee set up by the Suvarnabhumi airport committee of the National Legislative Assembly, and panel members yesterday inspected runways and taxiways where surface cracks are mushrooming.

 

 

They found many surface cracks at holding areas for both the western and eastern runways.

 

 

The cracks are fine, short and longitudinal and believed caused by the weight of aircraft waiting to take off.

 

 

Many parts of the taxiways are uneven and cracked. Most of the flaws are waves in the pavement. The cracks are about a palm wide, a few centimetres deep and less than a metre long at each spot.

 

 

Mr Praphan said he heard from staff of Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) that the problem began only two weeks after Suvarnabhumi opened on Sept 28. It had spread to more than 100 spots with the combined area of taxiway damage more than 100,000 square metres.

 

 

The problem surfacing just two weeks after the opening indicated it probably resulted from poor construction, he said.

 

 

The actual cause of the damage had yet to be determined. That might prohibit the Civil Aviation Department from issuing the airport a permanent licence, he said.

 

 

Somjet Tinapong, an adviser to the inquiry and former managing director of New Bangkok International Airport Co, which supervised the airport's construction, said the cracks on the eastern runway were very fine, but those on the western runway were bigger and could affect safety.

 

 

Underground water had not been drained properly before construction in areas that join taxiways and the passenger terminal.

 

 

Kusol Chumpolrat, AoT's director for airports and buildings, admitted that unless the real cause was discovered, the problem could recur.

 

 

Suvarnabhumi airport director Somchai Sawasdeepol said engineers from the Highways Department, the Asian Institute of Technology and other institutions should have answers in the next few weeks.

 

 

Veerasak Pinthong, construction manager of Obayashi Co, which built the runways, insisted they had strictly followed the design and that core sampling had not revealed any water seeping into the foundations under the runway.

 

------------

 

 

A temporary repair on a taxiway at Suvarnabhumi airport is pointed out yesterday by Praphan Khoonmee (right), head of the sub-committee inquiring into the airport's construction, and fellow inquiry member Democrat Thavorn Senniem. â?? SURAPOL PROMSAKA NA SAKILNAKORN

 

------------

 

 

IMO here's the explanation:

 

Underground water had not been drained properly before construction in areas that join taxiways and the passenger terminal.

[Flashermac]

When the Post quoted a foreign "expert" on the poor state of the runways, Mr T got the reporter fired and forced the Post to run a retraction.

 

Maybe the guy can get his job back at the Post now.

 

 

[hooper]

They say the cracks started two weeks after the opening.Anyone who has a memory can remeber that there were cracks before it opened.If you buy the cheapest materials money can buy and pocket the rest this is what happens.