쌍용건설

"The era of winning contracts with the lowest price in the overseas construction market is over. Now, we have to look at technology, reliability and safety. There is a great amount of expectation for Ssangyong E&C in Singapore, so all of us have a sense of responsibility to maintain that gold standard level of effort and performance. (Dong Hoon Ryu, Site Manager, Ssangyong E&C)

Throughout Singapore's southeastern Marine Parade Road, construction of Thomson East Coast Line (TEL) subway line is fully underway. This route is commissioned by Singapore&rsquos national government in order to fill any subway gaps in the city. It runs from Changi International Airport to the city center, and with strong push by the government, the construction has reached its full swing last year.

Area T308, an area contracted to Ssangyong E&C involves a construction of a 1.78 km-long section that includes tunnels and the Marine Terrace Station. Last year, the Korean firm received orders from the Singapore Land Transportation Authority (LTA) for $ 252 million (about 305 billion KRW) and is currently conducting construction with the aim to complete the project in 2023. The construction is in the early stage with a progress rate of 12%. 

During the visit, Area T308 was undergoing the 'D-wall (bulkhead)' erection process, where supporting bulkheads are erected as the ground is excavated. It is a basic structural work to build walls on the edges while digging the ground from the surface. This work is considered to be the most important step to shorten the construction term and serves as the foundation for following works.

◇ A Hyper-difficult&rsquo Construction Taking Place Right Next to an Apartment Complex

Unlike other construction sites, Area T308 is situated in a densely populated residential area with adjacent apartments and schools. This naturally creates a great potential for civil complaints, and with fragile ground, the construction process demands utmost precision and attention. 

Ssangyong E&C applied the Top-down method to reduce road disturbance as much as possible in the station section (400m). After completing the construction of the subway ceiling first and then constructing the subway, the road can be used as it was once the ceiling construction is completed. In order to minimize disturbance and inconvenience, the 1.34-kilometer tunnel section that connects to the Siglap station is constructed by using a large tunnel excavator (TBM), while leaving the upper part left untouched.

Ssangyong E&C is working on the construction of colored barriers on both sides of the roads to reduce the noise of surrounding sites and protect the urban aesthetics. Because the construction site is located on a landfill, the ground is fragile and it is necessary to dig the land up to 60m to firmly erect the D-walls. Approximately 300 concrete walls with the width of 6m will be needed.

In order to prevent the support wall from collapsing during construction, it is necessary to repeat the method of injecting the chemical solution bentonite at the same time as the excavation and extract them just before the pouring concrete. This is to ensure that internal force is preserved. In the vicinity, several yellow cylindrical plants for the injection of bentonite were present.

Site Manager Dong Hoon Ryu is a old hand with 25 years of service in Ssangyong E&C. However, he always remains humble and prudent for projects adjacent to residential areas. Ryu said, "I joined the firm in 1992 and have been doing subway construction for 20 years out of 25 years I worked in Ssangyong E&C.&rdquo I have to say construction near residential areas are the most tough. The project affects the surrounding areas greatly, which means there are so many matters that require utmost attention, he added.

In Singapore, any construction projects must progress while leaving the ground transportation network intact. In order to excavate the road, one must construct a detour prior to proceeding to the excavation. Power lines and drain pipes embedded in the ground must be transferred as they are. Ryu said, "We are making every effort to maintain the traffic while ensuring safety. We are planning to complete 16 road transfers to prevent traffic disturbance."

In addition, Ssangyong E&C is installing a dense network of measuring instruments such as water gauge, dipper, inclinometer and noise meter around the site in order to minimize the complaints of local residents and ensure safety. It is also the role of Ssangyong E&C to directly visit the apartment communities, explain the details of construction, seek the understanding of the residents, and establish ties with them through volunteer activities.

A resident in a nearby apartment building said, "I know that Ssangyong E&C is making a lot of efforts to reduce noise, improve road traffic and reflect complaints so that it does not cause discomfort to the residents." There are many residents who appreciate such consideration,&rdquo he added.

◇ Lowest Bidder No Longer Wins: Technology, Reputation, and Safety are Keys to Success

Thanks to its high marks in the non-price categories, Ssangyong E&C was successfully awarded the contract for Area T308 over numerous foreign firms despite not submitting the lowest construction price. This was because Ssangyong E&C received superior scores non-price categories compared to other companies in the bidding process that used the price quality method (PQM), which comprehensively evaluates construction capability, technology, safety management, and management evaluation.

This is because Ssangyong E&C proved its superior technology and safety management capability in Singapore for a long time. 

Ssangyong E&C pioneered the Singapore market in 1980 as the first Korean construction firm to do so. Since then, the firm has won 39 projects (5.3 billion USD) and spread the Korean Wave in Singapore. Ssangyong E&C's reputation with the Singapore government and local residents has been a good foothold for other Korean firms that followed. 

The most iconic building in Singapore is the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, built by Ssangyong E&C. This hotel, which is well known in Korea as one of Singapore&rsquos most popular tourist attractions, was once a troublesome project due to its highly complex and difficult design, which led even the client to express concern. Ssangyong E&C completed this miraculous hotel in 27 months, with a total of 12 million accident-free man-hours. 

As a result, Ssangyong E&C is well known among Singaporeans as a construction company that can safely construct even the most difficult projects. Thus, the firm enjoys more prestige in Singapore over its native country of Korea. Other landmarks in Singapore, including Raffles City, the Marina Coastal Expressway, and the Bedok Complex Development, are the works of Ssangyong E&C.

Last year, Ssangyong E&C broke the record that will remain unbroken in the history of construction in Singapore. During the construction of Area 921 of Downtown Line (DTL) subway, the firm racked up unparalleled 16 million accident-free man-hours. The previous record number of accident-free man-hours in the Singapore subway construction was 7 million. The project was ed as Best Management for Land Transport Excellence Awards (LTEA) 2016, Singapore's most prestigious award in civil engineering. Ssangyong E&C is the first company in Korea to win the Best Management award. 

These achievements only served to add humility and a great sense of responsibility to Ssangyong E&C employees. "The expectation of the Singapore government and residents on Ssangyong E&C is different from other construction companies," said Ryu. "We will not be complacent. This is a great responsibility, and we will do our utmost to keep our accident-free record going."

He added, "we will try to complete the construction of Area T308, with any safety incidents." "We will minimize civil complaints and our goal is to receive words of thanks from the residents once we are done with the construction.