ILOILO City – The results of the geotechnical investigation for the P802-million Aganan flyover in Barangay Aganan, Pavia, Iloilo will be submitted by Abinales Associates Engineers + Consultants this Sunday, December 15, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 6.
DPWH-6 director Engineer Sanny Boy Oropel confirmed to the media on Friday, December 13, that the third-party consultant has completed the investigation and will meet the promised deadline.
“They have finished their study and will submit the results as promised,” Oropel told Panay News when asked for an update on the Aganan flyover.
Geotechnical investigation involves assessing the physical properties of soil and rock beneath the earth’s surface at a proposed construction site.
According to Trenchlesspedia, this process helps engineers decide on the appropriate tools and methods for excavation while considering environmental impacts. It is a crucial step in ensuring the success of infrastructure projects.
Once the report is received, Oropel said, DPWH-6 will review the findings and evaluate the recommended scheme for the flyover. However, he did not rule out the possibility that the recommendations could be similar to those made for the Ungka flyover which suffered from vertical displacement.
“Maybe what we did for the Ungka flyover will also apply to the Aganan flyover, except that the Aganan site does not have settlement issues,” Oropel noted.
Both the Ungka and Aganan flyovers share the same general location and were designed by United Technology Consolidated Partnership (UTCP), a firm hired by the DPWH Bureau of Design.
Recent confirmatory and seismic tests conducted by DPWH-6 revealed discrepancies between their findings and UTCP’s soil data. While UTCP reported that hard soil was found at a depth of 20 meters, DPWH-6’s tests indicated that it is only reached at 40 meters or deeper.
To verify the results, DPWH-6 engaged a third-party consultant for P13 million to conduct a more detailed geotechnical investigation.
For the Ungka flyover, approximately P10 million per pier was spent on jet grouting. With 21 piers in the Aganan flyover, the estimated budget for repairs could reach P210 million.
“I already secured an initial commitment from DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan to source funding from the DPWH Central Office for the Aganan flyover rectification,” Oropel disclosed.
The rectification activities are targeted to begin in the first quarter of 2025 and are expected to be completed by September 2025./PN
