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08-10-2013, 05:20 PM
An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:
Here, the goal is to make public transport a choice mode, rather than a mode of no choice.
To do that, there needs to be a slight shift away from an engineering-centric way of meeting an objective and measuring how successful we have been doing so.
But that does not mean diminishing the importance of engineering. In that respect, the quality of infrastructure needs to be nailed down, since this will eventually determine its reliability and longevity.
In light of recent rail breakdowns, it appears that there are still struggles with water leakage in tunnels - an issue faced by builders since the Central Expressway opened more than 20 years ago, despite improvements in construction material and technology.
These leaks appear to be the root cause of many MRT incidents, including at least two tunnel fires and tracks that corroded barely three years after a new line was opened.
If leaks are indeed unavoidable - as claimed by the Land Transport Authority - then it must be made sure that water is channelled safely away from all operating parts such as rails and cables.
And if such parts cannot be placed out of the path of water, then at least ensure that they are water-resistant.
There is little point stating that Singapore's infrastructure specifications meet international standards - each geographical region poses its own set of challenges.
So engineers here should specify standards that are suitable for local conditions - just as car makers "tropicalise" models meant for hot and humid markets.
It is true that it is the responsibility of operators to ensure operating assets are well-maintained and flaws are fixed quickly.
But that responsibility becomes much more onerous if an infrastructure is prone to one form of failure or another in the first place.
Singapore pays top dollar for its infrastructure. So it is reasonable to expect a high level of robustness.
Christopher Tan, ST
Click here to view the whole thread at www.sammyboy.com (http://www.sammyboy.com/showthread.php?165442-Chris-Tan-we-pay-top-dollars-for-leaking-MRT-infrastructure&goto=newpost).
Here, the goal is to make public transport a choice mode, rather than a mode of no choice.
To do that, there needs to be a slight shift away from an engineering-centric way of meeting an objective and measuring how successful we have been doing so.
But that does not mean diminishing the importance of engineering. In that respect, the quality of infrastructure needs to be nailed down, since this will eventually determine its reliability and longevity.
In light of recent rail breakdowns, it appears that there are still struggles with water leakage in tunnels - an issue faced by builders since the Central Expressway opened more than 20 years ago, despite improvements in construction material and technology.
These leaks appear to be the root cause of many MRT incidents, including at least two tunnel fires and tracks that corroded barely three years after a new line was opened.
If leaks are indeed unavoidable - as claimed by the Land Transport Authority - then it must be made sure that water is channelled safely away from all operating parts such as rails and cables.
And if such parts cannot be placed out of the path of water, then at least ensure that they are water-resistant.
There is little point stating that Singapore's infrastructure specifications meet international standards - each geographical region poses its own set of challenges.
So engineers here should specify standards that are suitable for local conditions - just as car makers "tropicalise" models meant for hot and humid markets.
It is true that it is the responsibility of operators to ensure operating assets are well-maintained and flaws are fixed quickly.
But that responsibility becomes much more onerous if an infrastructure is prone to one form of failure or another in the first place.
Singapore pays top dollar for its infrastructure. So it is reasonable to expect a high level of robustness.
Christopher Tan, ST
Click here to view the whole thread at www.sammyboy.com (http://www.sammyboy.com/showthread.php?165442-Chris-Tan-we-pay-top-dollars-for-leaking-MRT-infrastructure&goto=newpost).