Year-end decision on reinforcing or rebuilding the Great Train eXpress (GTX) section at Samseong Station, where rebar was missing

[Financial News] The government will decide by year-end whether to reinforce or rebuild the Samseong Station section of the Great Train eXpress (GTX), where construction errors in columns, including missing rebar, were found. If a reinforcement plan is ultimately selected, trains are expected to be able to pass through without stopping in the first half of next year, after construction and operational test runs. The specific schedule will be set after an alternative is finalized.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) on the 3rd, the Korean Concrete Institute reviewed 12 options for reinforcing the columns at Samseong Station and has now narrowed them down to two. One involves filling the columns with high-strength mortar and adding rebar to increase their cross-sectional area; the other combines this method with steel-plate reinforcement.
Based on the reinforcement effects of the two options and their feasibility for application at the site, the institute is conducting further reviews of their impact on train operations, seismic performance, detailed three-dimensional analyses and construction detail drawings, among other factors.
The institute judged that existing examples of steel-plate reinforcement could not simply be applied, given that the columns have lost structural strength due to the large-scale omission of rebar. Taking into account the differences in infill area and materials, it is using physical model tests to verify the performance, injectability and filling capacity of the infill material.
The Korea Society for Structural Maintenance and Inspection is reviewing the option of demolition followed by reconstruction. MOLIT plans to select the best alternative by year-end after comprehensively comparing safety, constructability and construction duration with relevant organizations, including the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
Since May 21, the government joint inspection team has been examining all sections 1 through 4 of the Yeongdong-daero Complex Development Project, including Section 3, where missing rebar was confirmed. The inspection covers the adequacy of the design and construction, fire and electrical safety, and the causes of construction errors, among other issues.
The contractor has completed corrective work on issues that could be addressed immediately, such as the improper installation of safety railings. The adequacy of the original two-dimensional design analysis is being verified through three-dimensional analysis, and further reinforcement is also under discussion for deficiencies identified through rebar surveys and other checks, including insufficient concrete cover thickness and questions about the adequacy of bearing strength.
MOLIT plans to compile by year-end the violations of guidelines and regulations identified during the inspections and pursue administrative measures, including the imposition of penalty points. On the 30th of last month, it held a comprehensive inspection meeting attended by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Korea National Railway, the government joint inspection team and the institute’s project team to discuss progress and plans going forward.
The schedule for trains on Metropolitan Area Rapid Transit Line A (GTX-A) to pass through Samseong Station without stopping will be finalized after the final alternative is decided, taking into account the construction period and whether operational test runs can take place concurrently.
Kim Tae-byeong, MOLIT’s Director General for Railways, said, “We will put public safety first and carefully inspect and review the construction errors at Samseong Station,” adding, “We will do our utmost to decide on the best alternative by year-end, taking public convenience into account, and inform the public.”
[email protected] Choi Ga-young Reporter