Construction union frustrated over length of investigation into cause of column cracks at Kodo apartment building on Angas Street

THE state’s construction union is concerned about the handling of an investigation into how columns cracked during construction of a $100 million city apartment building.

10.7.2018.Investigations have been launched into the construction of concrete panels at the Kodo apartments on Angas Street after the discovery a concrete panel had "shattered".PIC TAIT SCHMAAL.

THE state’s construction union is concerned about the handling of an investigation into how concrete columns cracked during construction of a $100 million city apartment building forcing its temporary evacuation.

It has been three weeks since builder Watpac launched an inquiry into the failure of two support beams on the Kerry Stokes-backed Kodo apartment tower site on Angas Street.

Structural work was halted nd more than 1000 props installed in the building to support completed floors pending the findings of an engineer’s report into potential cause of the cracking on what will become Adelaide’s tallest residential building at 103m.

Builders of the Kodo apartments tower installed more than 1000 props to support the structure because of cracking to two concrete columns. Picture: Tait Schmaal

But Construction Forestry Maritime Mining and Energy Union acting state secretary Andrew Sutherland said the union is worried about the progress of the investigation.

“The CFMMEU has been requesting information regarding the engineers’ findings for the past two weeks without success,” he said.

“It is the view of this union that establishing the cause of the column failures should have been carried out as a matter of urgency, so as to establish how widespread the issue could potentially be.

“Is this issue contained to columns at the Kodo site, or is this just the tip of the iceberg, with historic systematic errors that could potentially affect multiple existing buildings?”

He said the union had emailed Watpac on July 17 and July 23 suggesting engineers conduct a concrete scan of the structure but that as of yesterday that process had not been completed.

The Sunday Mail has sought a response from Watpac regarding the union’s concerns.

The paper separately asked during the week if the inspections on the columns had been completed, if a cause of the cracking had been identified, and when structural work would recommence.

A company spokeswoman said in an emailed statement sent on Wednesday that “an update regarding the investigation is expected to be released in the coming days”.