Jakarta, Hilton News —
A number of witness and expert statements explained the impact of alleged fraud in the Jakarta-Cikampek (Japek) II Elevated toll road project or Mohammed bin Zayed (MBZ) Toll Road.
Concrete and construction expert, FX Supartono revealed about the findings of the decline in the quality of MBZ Toll concrete found by his party when requesting services by BPK. He revealed the findings of concrete testing on the MBZ Toll Road. He said there was a decrease in the quality of concrete which should be 35 MPa (Megapascal). MPa is the unit used for the calculation of compressive strength of concrete.
“Now this is the result, it turns out that almost let’s say 90 percent of the number of test objects taken did not reach the quality of concrete. But what is more troublesome is that the lowest can be up to only 20 MPa from what should be 35 MPa,” said Supartono who was presented as a witness in a hearing at the Jakarta District Court on Tuesday (21/5) as quoted from detik.com.
He said the decline in the quality of MBZ Toll concrete varied. He said some had dropped from 35 MPa to 20 MPa, 25 MPa and 30 MPa.
“Has anything to do with the deterioration of concrete?” the prosecutor asked.
“Because the quality of the concrete is calculated with a strength of 35 MPa, the reality is that it has dropped, sir, some are 30, some are 25, some are 20 too. So if we convert it because it has been said that this is a composite structure, so the cooperation between steel and concrete each contributes and that results in the stiffness (concrete) decreases, “replied Supartono.
Affects the rigidity and durability of MBZ toll roads
In addition, Supartono said that changes in material quality specifications for the construction of the MBZ Toll Road had an effect on the rigidity and durability of the road.
Supartono said the decline in material quality would not make the flyover collapse. In addition, he said, the MBZ Toll Road still meets the standards even though road users complain of inconvenience.
“I said indeed that judging from strength, it seems that this strength will not be problematic, it will not collapse. But in the long term because the stiffness is reduced, the vibrations are enlarged can affect the long-term durability of the bridge,” FX Supartono said in the hearing.
The prosecutor then studied Supartono’s statement which believed that changes in the material quality specifications of the MBZ Toll Road would not make it collapse. He said the specification change had an impact on the stiffness and vibration that the community complained about.
“In the calculations we did, indeed with the planning the difference was only half of 10 percent. That’s 5.6 percent, so there’s no way that those of us who have a safety factor up to that 1.6 [when] affected by that 5 percent will collapse. That doesn’t seem possible,” he said.
“But in terms of rigidity, there have been many things that have been proven from field testing and from calculations, the rigidity is problematic. Once the stiffness is problematic, the vibration will enlarge. That is also what users complain about, the community, users,” said Supartono.
In the future, Supartono said that special studies need to be carried out if you want to know the impact on the age of the MBZ Toll Road on changes in material quality specifications. He said the vibrations produced also depend on the type of vehicle.
“As soon as the vibration gets bigger, the amplitude enlarges. It can result in fatigue. Fatigue is fatigue rather than structure. Because it is swinging constantly, and it makes the lifespan of the structure reduced. But when it decreases to when, when the service life of the structure must be calculated specifically again. And we don’t count but we suspect that it could reduce the lifespan of the structure if left so on,” Supartono added.
Highlight reinforced test points before testing
In the same trial, Supartono, who appeared as a witness for the corruption case of the MBZ toll road project in 2016-2017, admitted that he was surprised to find that there was reinforcement at the test point before load testing. In fact, he continued, it should not be done.
Supartono said the concrete at the load testing site had been strengthened based on a report from the independent quality control MBZ Toll Road.
“There’s another thing I’m a bit surprised at was reading reports from independent quality control. Now here it is conveyed that he said to carry out the load testing, it turns out that the locations to be tested have been strengthened first,” Supartono said in the court.
According to him, strengthening the location should not be done before testing.
“Well, this is also I wonder, is it really so. If this is the case, of course it should not be strengthened first,” said Supartono.
According to him, it could be that the unqualified findings in the MBZ Toll Road project turned out to be greater if the reinforcement at the load test site had not been carried out.
“If this does happen, the conditions I just mentioned, don’t qualify, it could be even more likely not to qualify,” he said.
For information, the Audit Board (BPK) uses the services of PT Tridi Membran Utama, to conduct a physical examination that focuses on the quality of the upper structure of the MBZ Toll Road. Supartono, who was presented as a witness by the prosecution, was the president director of the company.
In this case, the former President Director of PT Jasamarga Jalan Layang Cikampek (JJC) for the 2016-2020 period, Djoko Dwijono, was charged with harming state finances worth Rp 510 billion, in a case of alleged corruption in the construction of the MBZ Flyover Toll Road in 2016-2017. Prosecutors said the corruption case was carried out jointly.
Prosecutors said the corruption case was carried out by Djoko together with the Chairman of the Auction Committee at JJC Yudhi Mahyudin, Director of Operations II of PT Bukaka Teknik Utama since 2008, and the power of attorney of KSO Bukaka PT KS Sofiah Balfas, as well as Tony Budianto Sihite as team leader of planning consultant PT LAPI Ganesatama Consulting and Owner of PT Delta Global Struktur. Each was prosecuted in a separate file.
“Have committed or participated in unlawful acts, enriching oneself or other people or a corporation, which cost the state finances amounting to Rp 510,085,261,485.41 (Rp 510 billion),” said prosecutors at the Central Jakarta District Court on March 14.
Read the full story here.
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