"Significant rectification works" needed to repair Sydney's Opal Tower: report

Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-15 15:07:01|Editor: xuxin
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SYDNEY, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- An interim report into Sydney's Opal Tower has found that while the building is not in danger of collapse, it will require "significant rectification works" before it is habitable.

Made public on Tuesday, the New South Wales (NSW) state government commissioned an independent investigation after a four-month-old, 36 storey apartment building was evacuated after residents heard "loud cracking noises" on Christmas Eve.

Conducted by university professors Mark Hoffman, Stephen Foster and John Carter, the report said that while there are no "definitive conclusions" as to what caused the cracking just yet, they have narrowed the problem down to localized structural design and construction issues.

"We can confirm that, while the building is structurally sound, significant rectification works are required to repair and strengthen damaged hob beams and in some cases the panels that rest on them," the authors said.

"We recommend that independent and qualified structural engineers be engaged to check final proposals in detail before major rectification works begin," the authors said.

Unfortunately for the building's 3,000 residents who have been living in hotels for around three weeks, this repair process could take some time, according to the investigators.

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