Falsification of Concrete Report of Hong KongZhuhaiMacau Bridge Section -- Prisoner's Dilemma

Tech 2023-07-07 18:42:11 Source: Network

However, a year before the completion of this Megaproject, a surprising news was revealed that there was a problem in the quality of concrete in Hong Kong.Million cementThe construction materials required for this amazing project are astronomical

However, a year before the completion of this Megaproject, a surprising news was revealed that there was a problem in the quality of concrete in Hong Kong.

Million cement

The construction materials required for this amazing project are astronomical. Among them, concrete, as the protagonist, contributes a weight of millions of tons, and its importance is beyond doubt.

Concrete, a common partner in construction engineering, is closely related to the quality and skill of engineers. Just like a delicacy that cannot be separated from the chef's meticulous cooking, excellent concrete also requires the careful mixing of engineers.

Only by strictly following the formula and following the steps can concrete with expected performance and strength be produced.

Will the negligence of engineers and their mistakes lead to the collapse of the steel dragon standing on the Lingdingyang?

Under normal circumstances, there is no need to worry about these, as concrete strength testing strictly follows the specifications and its results need to be certified by HOKLAS (Hong Kong Laboratory Accreditation Program), that is, to obtain the HOKLAS logo, demonstrating its authority and effectiveness.

Any human error can result in the report losing the HOKLAS flag and becoming a 'non HOKLAS report'.

The testing process includes:

After receiving concrete samples, measure and record them, and place them in a water tank for curing ("brick curing").

Employees fill out a work form ("work paper") and archive it according to the testing date.

After the expiration date, retrieve the concrete ("bricks") to be tested from the sink according to the working paper data.

After removing the bricks, clean the remaining water in the concrete and weigh it ("weighing bricks").

Next, strength testing ("pressing bricks") will be carried out, and after the testing, the equipment will generate a record sheet.

Finally, prepare a test report with relevant materials attached and signed by the chief technician.

Samples with critical brick pressing steps, errors, or substandard strength will not be able to obtain HOKLAS certification in their reports and cannot be retested.

Mysterious report, thought-provoking

In May 2017, the Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption suddenly received a hasty and anonymous report letter. However, the content in the letter was like a huge bomb, exploding into the calm sea, making everything breathtaking.

Not long ago, the Independent Commission Against Corruption received an equally eye-catching document, which was a concrete testing report submitted by Jiake Company.

However, this seemingly flawless report was pierced by professional gaze, revealing the suspicion of fraud hidden within it.

Now, the situation mentioned in this anonymous report letter is surprisingly consistent with the doubts in the previous report, making Jiake Company suddenly a target of criticism, becoming the focus of public attention and rigorous investigation by the Independent Commission Against Corruption.

In this seemingly calm May, a storm is brewing, and the once glamorous commercial giant, Jiake Company, is now shrouded in a shadow and has become the focus of public discussion.

Those hidden dark facts are also gradually surfacing, exposed by a pair of sparkling eyes.

This company has a dedicated laboratory located in Xiaohao Bay, north of Lantau Island, dedicated to testing the compressive performance of the concrete required for the bridge.

The detection of concrete quality involves a rigorous process, including steps such as shaping, curing, and pressure measurement, to ensure that the concrete meets the engineering quality requirements. Usually, each testing stage is recorded by professional equipment with parameters, and the system automatically issues test reports.

On this summer morning of July 26, 2016, sunlight poured down, illuminating the Xiaohao Bay Experimental Institute and also illuminating a hidden event in the shadows.

On this day, four years after the establishment of the testing institute, a meticulous technician from the Hong Kong Works Department was conducting routine detailed inspections of inspection reports when he suddenly discovered some worrying doubts amidst a pile of complex numbers and reports.

These doubts, like clouds of doubt, began to envelop this project.

First of all, a Attention seeking concrete brick appeared not only once but twice in the record sheet.

What's going on here? The concrete bricks were already crushed in the first rigorous pressure test, like a soldier falling on the battlefield and unable to recover.

So, why do we need to conduct a second test? What kind of strange link is this?

Secondly, when the technician flipped through the record sheets, they found that the test time displayed on the two record sheets was only a short difference of over one minute.

This reminds people of the Teleportation in the film, but in reality, this is impossible.

Because during the pressure testing process of concrete, standards have strict restrictions on the rate of pressure application. For high-strength samples such as concrete that need to withstand ultimate pressure, a complete test at a constant speed takes at least 2 to 3 minutes.

Once again, the technician discovered that different batches of sample bricks unexpectedly underwent interlaced testing.

Because according to the conventional process, the previous batch of samples should have completed all tests before they can turn to the next batch of samples for testing, as the receiving time of the latter batch of samples is already relatively late.

Finally, what is even more confusing is that some records of the same batch show that the test numbers are not arranged in sequence, but there are instances of skipping numbers.

However, the record sheet is automatically generated by a computer, and the generated numbers should be arranged in a meticulous order, just like our human DNA sequence, any disorder can cause confusion.

If there is a skip number in the middle, the missing number should be a record of another test conducted by the machine.

Four doubtful points emerge together, just like four icebergs on the sea, making it impossible to doubt whether there are some unknown secrets hidden in this seemingly normal process of concrete quality testing.

After in-depth investigation, the Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption has reason to believe that Jiake Engineering Consulting Co., Ltd. has significant suspicion of fraud, and all evidence points in this direction, including detailed evidence in anonymous reports.

Immediately, they conducted a comprehensive investigation into the employees of the Xiaohouwan Experimental Institute and seriously questioned those who may be suspected of fraud.

However, the interrogation process was not as smooth as expected. Based on existing evidence, officials from the Independent Commission Against Corruption speculate that 18 employees may have been involved in fraud, but these individuals have gritted their teeth and, in order to avoid punishment, they have shifted responsibility.

The stubborn denial caused a deadlock in the progress of the case.

In the face of this dead end, the ICAC case handlers had a brainstorm and thought of a classic theoretical model in Game theory - "Prisoner's Dilemma".

This may be an important strategy for them to break the deadlock and search for the truth.

Prisoner's Dilemma

"Prisoner's Dilemma"

When two suspect are interrogated separately, they must choose between silence and confession.

The police gave them a reminder that if both individuals remain silent, they each only need to serve one year in prison; If one person chooses to confess, the person who confesses will be immediately released, while the other person will face ten years in prison; If both individuals choose to confess, they will each serve eight years in prison.

A rational prisoner will find that regardless of the other person's choice, they are more inclined to confess, as this can minimize their potential losses.

"""Prisoner's Dilemma"

In concrete fraud cases, the 18 employees involved are like 18 prisoners, each of whom faces the same choice. Initially, they chose to remain silent in order to protect themselves.

However, when they realized that as long as one person confessed, the others would face more severe punishment, tension and suspicion began to grow in their hearts.

"Prisoner's Dilemma"

"Prisoner's Dilemma"

The behavior of prisoner 5 was like a stone breaking the balance, causing the originally stable lake surface to begin to fluctuate.

He revealed the details of the falsification of the concrete report, including the reasons and methods:

On the one hand, due to inadequate supervision, the normal testing time for concrete was missed, resulting in them having to falsify the proof of timely testing by changing the computer time;

On the other hand, due to problems with some concrete during the testing process, in order to improve the qualification rate, they had to replace it with other materials in an attempt to deceive and pass the inspection.

The confession of prisoner 5 broke the original balance, causing other suspects to reassess their choices. Faced with possible heavier sentences, some prisoners choose to admit their crimes and hope to receive a reduction in their sentence.

"Prisoner's Dilemma"

In this way, the truth is gradually revealed in this process, like a huge web, slowly unfolding and capturing all fraudulent behaviors.

Reveal the truth

The summer of 2013 was still an ordinary summer, with sunshine shining in every corner, and everything seemed peaceful and peaceful. However, within the four walls of the Xiaohuowan Experimental Institute, beneath this peaceful surface, undercurrent surges.

The Xiaohouwan Experimental Institute is like a young man who has just left school, everything seems fresh and full of vitality.

However, in the second year of operation, with the sharp increase in testing workload, the personnel inside the laboratory began to appear inadequate, like an overused machine that began to experience various malfunctions.

There are two common mistakes: one is that the concrete curing time is overdue. Concrete, the cornerstone of this engineering building, requires careful maintenance in water for 28 days.

However, due to chaotic management, this critical curing time has been ignored, and many concrete samples have exceeded the specified 28 day testing time.

The second reason is that the sample made operational errors during the stress testing process, resulting in a low sample qualification rate.

Imagine these concrete samples, which were supposed to support great buildings in solid structures, but they seemed to have lost their strength due to repeated operational errors, with a heartbreaking low qualification rate.

The leadership of the laboratory had a long understanding of these issues, and they were aware of them. However, they did not take any measures to correct them. Instead, they chose a simpler method that had a profound impact on the entire company: concealing errors.

They are like cunning foxes, instructing their subordinates to deeply bury errors by adjusting computer detection dates and replacing samples with hard objects such as metal columns, hoping to escape a disaster.

At the bottom of the company, those ordinary employees have no right to choose. Their world only has one rule, which is to execute orders from superiors.

The pressure they face is like a mountain, and any questioning or resistance to commands can lead to an immediate collapse of their lives.

Therefore, they chose to remain silent and began making false concrete reports, only for the faint sense of security.

In this massive criminal network, no one can escape responsibility.

A wild and arrogant idea sprouted in their hearts: 'The law does not hold the public accountable', spreading like a virus, driving their behavior to become more reckless, almost causing major mistakes to occur.

However, at this moment, the judge's sharp gaze penetrated the chaotic situation. They found that this organization, which is comparable to a criminal group, chose to commit fraud for more than just trying to exonerate themselves.

In the darkness shrouded by the senior directors of Jiake Company, things gradually became clear.

On November 5, 2021, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) launched a heavy punch. They filed a fraud lawsuit against two senior directors of Carco involved in the case, revealing that they had committed continuous and in-depth fraud against the Civil Engineering and Development Department. They deliberately concealed the detection fraud of their subordinate units, and even illegally obtained a detection fee of HK $2 million.

In this abyss, no one can escape, and everyone has to pay the price for their actions.

In this world blinded by evil, truth will eventually illuminate the darkness, and the laws and regulations, that sharp sword, will pierce into the hearts of those who sin.

real-time processing

Fortunately, this concrete report fraud incident was ultimately dealt with in a timely manner, deepening the public's emphasis on honesty and integrity, and alerting society to the need for regulation.

This case once again reminds us that although cheating may bring certain benefits in the short term, in the long run, the consequences of these behaviors will be discovered and may result in serious punishment.

Finally, 18 suspects were convicted and received corresponding punishments, and their actions caused huge losses to society. Not only in terms of finance, but also in the use of human and material resources, it has caused unnecessary waste.

Their actions have also caused harm to the public's trust.

Prisoner's Dilemma

Finally, for any engineering project, it is necessary to strictly comply with regulations and standards, and report the results fairly and publicly.

Any fraudulent or fraudulent behavior is unacceptable, regardless of the underlying motivation. This lesson is an important warning for all engineers and related personnel.

References:

Prisoner's Dilemma 202110

-END-

Author: Li Li

Editor: If so

Disclaimer: The content of this article is sourced from the internet. The copyright of the text, images, and other materials belongs to the original author. The platform reprints the materials for the purpose of conveying more information. The content of the article is for reference and learning only, and should not be used for commercial purposes. If it infringes on your legitimate rights and interests, please contact us promptly and we will handle it as soon as possible! We respect copyright and are committed to protecting it. Thank you for sharing.(Email:[email protected])

Mobile advertising space rental

Tag: of Falsification Concrete Report Hong KongZhuhaiMacau Bridge Section Prisoner