Major dam failure in China

[Vil_Riker]

Do you have a source about the rebar story? It doesn’t sound credible.

There is a corporation in Thailand called Italian-Thai Development corporation. It gets major infrastructure project contracts from the government with lower bids. A few of their projects, including this building, have collapsed in the past. They tend to save money by using cheaper materials, usually lower rated rebar and concrete. The inspectors were also a well-connected Thai architectural company who greenlit the progress.

The rebar manufacturer in this case is a joint Chinese-Thai company (you can't have solely foreign owned businesses in Thailand, only up to 49% ownership) whom they blamed within the first hours of the collapse of the building. It's easy to blame the foreigners.

 

[Hohn]

All I can say is dam, that's a bummer.

They're probably going to build a huge road along the main flood path and call it "No Dam Way", am I right?

 

[CleanSump]

There is a corporation in Thailand called Italian-Thai Development corporation. It gets major infrastructure project contracts from the government with lower bids. A few of their projects, including this building, have collapsed in the past. They tend to save money by using cheaper materials, usually lower rated rebar and concrete. The inspectors were also a well-connected Thai architectural company who greenlit the progress.

The rebar manufacturer in this case is a joint Chinese-Thai company (you can't have solely foreign owned businesses in Thailand, only up to 49% ownership) whom they blamed within the first hours of the collapse of the building. It's easy to blame the foreigners.

There's more to the story. The company that supplied the rebar had a fraudulent ownership filing. The Thai "owner/partner" turned out to be a front man paid to put his name on the paperwork and use his second rate apartment address as the corporate address. The rebar was tested after the collapse and failed. It wasn't just blaming the foreigner, it was fraud by what was actually a wholly Chinese company. The gov took legal action. My FIL is a Federal Judge in Thailand.

 

[mk378]

It's called "bean curd" construction there because the concrete has the structural integrity of tofu.

 

[CleanSump]

Do you have a source about the rebar story? It doesn’t sound credible.

Here:
https://world.thaipbs.or.th/detail/...llapsed-sao-building-fail-quality-tests/57267
https://thainewsroom.com/2025/04/01...l-bars-at-collapsed-building-are-substandard/

 

[Snagglefoot]

Here:
https://world.thaipbs.or.th/detail/...llapsed-sao-building-fail-quality-tests/57267
https://thainewsroom.com/2025/04/01...l-bars-at-collapsed-building-are-substandard/

Sorry, but this has nothing to do so far with the Venezuela earth quake. I mentioned there are all sorts of reasons for civil engineering fails.
Also, the OP has said there was NO rebar in the concrete high-rises, not substandard rebar. There is a difference.

There is lots to know about rebar, here is just some info. Certainly for a 25 story high rise repair installation is an engineered process. Mods, the screen shot is from a strength chart readily available in the construction industry.

 

[KrisZ]

Now we all know how the chinese can build their infrastructure so fast, they cut corners everywhere they can.
The same will happen with their cars once they have the markets cornered.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Now we all know how the chinese can build their infrastructure so fast, they cut corners everywhere they can.
The same will happen with their cars once they have the markets cornered.

So there going to catch up with all the other auto OEM's you say? Hmmm.

 

[OVERKILL]

Also, the OP has said there was NO rebar in the concrete high-rises, not substandard rebar. There is a difference.

May want to check who the OP is, I said nothing of the sort.

 

[KrisZ]

So there going to catch up with all the other auto OEM's you say? Hmmm.

Depends what you mean by "catch up". If you mean they will eventually outsell them, then sure, they can definitely produce the numbers.

 

[Snagglefoot]

May want to check who the OP is, I said nothing of the sort.

Sorry. It was JavierH19 who suggested there was no rebar in the concrete buildings that fell in Venezuela. Posting #22 near the top of page 2.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Now we all know how the chinese can build their infrastructure so fast, they cut corners everywhere they can.
The same will happen with their cars once they have the markets cornered.

Now we all know how the chinese can build their infrastructure so fast, they cut corners everywhere they can.
The same will happen with their cars once they have the markets cornered.

Just like the GM 6.2 liter engine?

 

[OVERKILL]

Sorry. It was JavierH19 who suggested there was no rebar in the concrete buildings that fell in Venezuela. Posting #22 near the top of page 2.

Correct, it wasn't me.

 

[CleanSump]

If anyone wants a PRC company to build a structure for them, have at it. This defense of PRC construction companies in the face of the evidence is ludicrous.