He suggested that Chinese businessmen seek the assistance of Dominican professionals to provide them with the appropriate calculations for the structures.
SANTO DOMINGO. Following the closure of several Chinese businesses last September, structural engineer and president of the Dominican Society of Structural Engineers (SINEDOM), Maribel Guzmán, stated yesterday that constructions of this type must be designed in compliance with local requirements, in addition to being previously evaluated and approved by the Ministry of Housing, Habitat and Buildings ( MIVHED) .
He opined that the materials used to build the structures that have generated concern among the authorities responsible for ensuring the safety of constructions in the country should not generate concern if they were properly calculated and designed.
"A properly calculated and designed steel frame system shouldn't present any risk. The problem is that these systems aren't being designed to meet the requirements of national regulations. I've had to supervise some of these projects; they're designing structures that would perform very well in a country without seismic activity," the professional emphasized.
She said that the calculations for the structures are being done directly in China and that when compared with national requirements, the system and its connections do not comply with current regulations, and that she has personally been able to witness the flaws in some of the buildings.
He explained that another problem they've observed is the poor quality. "They're doing shoddy welding. They're not using the required number of bolts . There's no guarantee that the bolts are tightened to the necessary torque. They're building without proper supervision and quality control, and this seriously compromises safety ," he stated.
Guzmán recommended that the plans of the Chinese investors should be studied by the MIVHED to determine if they are correct or not , make the necessary corrections, and if it is determined that they are not correct, seek the services of a structural engineer and build taking into account the approved corrections.
"Many of these corrections involve adding new elements, reinforcing existing ones where it's worthwhile. He also recommended that Chinese companies send the quality certification that approves the strength of the steel used to make these elements.".
Guzmán said that the Chinese structural model has many advantages and should be implemented more widely in the country, provided it is properly calculated. "Just because it's a steel column doesn't mean it's appropriate. There are certain characteristics that columns, beams, and connections must have to be used in areas of high seismic risk, and that's the biggest problem with those Chinese constructions," the expert explained.
He suggested that Chinese investors seek out a Dominican professional in the field, a structural engineer or calculator, who can provide them with the appropriate data so they can place their order with manufacturers in their country, and also be supervised during the construction process to ensure that everything is carried out rigorously.
In context
Last September, the Mivhed Chinese-owned commercial establishments located in various locations, claiming that they were operating without building licenses or inspection certificates.
The entity appealed to Law 687-82 and Decree 232-17 , which establish regulatory mechanisms for the development and execution of engineering and architectural projects and works in the country, as well as to facilitate their periodic review.
Yesterday, after a dialogue process, the parties involved reached a partial agreement, whereby the merchants must present a structural vulnerability study that demonstrates that the stores do not present obvious risks.
