Skyway can withstand ‘Big One’ –designer

The West Valley Fault may transect a section of the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), but the Skyway can withstand potential tremors, the designer of the elevated road said Tuesday.

Showing the plans and layout of Skyway Phase 2 (Bicutan to Alabang), Engr. Jimmy Cancio told GMA News that the fault beneath SLEX between Sucat and Alabang Interchange was spotted ahead of construction.

The fault diagonally transects northbound and soutbound lanes of SLEX near marker “STA. 16+960” as seen in the General Plan of Skyway Phase 2.

“We surveyed [the fault] and located it exactly on our plan. There was a manifestation, a difference in level between [the Alabang side] and the [Sucat side]. Parang itong [Alabang side] nag-settle ng kaunti,” Cancio said.

In accordance with US design and structural code, Cancio said columns of the Skyway project can resist shaking of up to level 8 intensity. He added that should the fault beneath SLEX move and be vertically displaced by up to a meter, the superstructure—or the highway itself—will not be dislocated from the columns.

In a forum in Muntinlupa Monday, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology Director Renato Solidum said the distance of the columns of Skyway from the fault is crucial.

“Yung [ground] road mata-transect, ang gagawin mo d’yan ayusin mo na agad kapag nabitak. Pero yung Skyway, as long as hindi nakapatong yung poste. And then shaking naman ang issue mo d’yan,” said Solidum.

Two columns of Skyway are erected 22 meters from the fault on either side to minimize the effect of potential ground rapture, Cancio said. —KBK, GMA News