The move following a series of arrests by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). The 21 people arrested by ICAC are accused of faking concrete test reports for the bridge (link opens in new tab).
Hong Kong’s government said that all inspections and tests on its part of the scheme show the structures are in sound condition. However, it has ordered site staff to conduct non-destructive concrete strength tests on the bridge's Hong Kong projects, including the Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities, the Hong Kong Link Road and the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Link.
No abnormalities have been found.
According to established procedures, construction material tests for public works are conducted by the Government Laboratory, which is managed by the Civil Engineering & Development Department. The department conducts the tests or outsources them to contractors. It referred the case to the ICAC last year after anomalies were found in concrete cube test reports.
The government said that, as ICAC is investigating, it cannot obtain information on the parts of works involved in the suspected fake concrete tests at this stage.
Non-destructive concrete strength tests on the structures of the three projects will continue in the coming two weeks to ease public concern. The Highways Department is employing an independent professional organisation to expedite testing.
