The South Korean government plans to finalize a reinforcement or reconstruction strategy for the missing rebar incident at the Samsung Station section of the GTX-A express railway by the end of the year. It is anticipated that GTX-A trains will be able to pass through Samsung Station without stopping in the first half of next year.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on November 3, a government inspection team has been investigating the adequacy of design and construction, as well as the causes of construction errors, across all four sections of the Yeongdong-daero complex development project since May 21, which includes the section where the rebar was found to be missing.
During the inspection, minor issues such as improper installation of safety railings have been corrected, and additional verification of structural safety is ongoing. The existing two-dimensional (2D) structural analysis results are being validated through three-dimensional (3D) analysis, while discussions are underway regarding additional reinforcement for issues related to insufficient cover thickness and compressive strength identified during rebar inspections. Violations of guidelines and regulations are set to be addressed by year-end, with plans for penalties and administrative actions.
The options for reinforcing the columns have been narrowed down from an initial 12 to two. Currently, methods utilizing high-strength mortar for cross-sectional enlargement and a composite reinforcement method using both high-strength mortar and steel plates are being evaluated for seismic performance, impact on train operations, and construction feasibility.
The Korean Concrete Institute, responsible for the reinforcement review, has determined that due to the significant missing rebar at Samsung Station, the structural integrity of the columns has been compromised, making it difficult to apply existing steel plate reinforcement cases directly. Therefore, they are validating the performance and fillability of the reinforcement materials through actual model tests. A separate review of the demolition and reconstruction option is also underway.
The Ministry plans to select the optimal solution by year-end, considering safety, constructability, and construction duration. Once the reinforcement plan is finalized, it is expected that GTX-A trains will be able to pass through Samsung Station without stopping by the first half of 2027, following construction and operational testing. However, the specific timeline may vary depending on the final solution and the feasibility of concurrent construction and testing.
Kim Tae-byeong, head of the Ministry's Railway Bureau, stated, "We will prioritize public safety in our thorough inspection and review of the construction errors at Samsung Station. We will do our best to determine the optimal solution by year-end and inform the public accordingly."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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