The mysterious swaying in Huaqiangbei’s SEG Plaza two months ago was caused by a vortex-induced resonance from the two high masts atop the building, according to Shenzhen’s official investigators.
The investigators, including five academicians from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said that the building is overall safe for use and that rectification work is needed, including removing the long masts and repairing damages accumulated over the past two decades, according to an official statement of the city government Thursday morning.
The conclusion was made based on numerous surveys, monitoring, experiments and data analysis conducted by architecture research institutes and housing safety and construction project quality inspection centers.
The city’s housing and construction bureau confirmed Thursday that the masts will be dismantled as soon as possible.
The lightning rod and navigation mark for flights on the masts will be redistributed. The mast removal and damage repair will take 32 days, it said.
The skyscraper and neighboring roads will be cordoned off starting 6 p.m. Friday for the mast removal, according to a notice by the building’s management office Thursday. Tenants were told to move their valuables out of the building as soon as possible.
The investigators’ verdict came two months after the 350-meter landmark skyscraper began swaying May 18, prompting authorities to evacuate thousands of occupants and shoppers in the plaza. The building was shut for safety inspections after more tremors were reported in the following days.
On May 18, SEG Plaza started wobbling at around 12:31 p.m., sending shoppers scrambling for safety. The 20-year-old building, housing the SEG electronics market and offices, is one of the tallest buildings in Shenzhen.
Completed in 2000, the skyscraper has a roof height of 292 meters plus masts that make it 356 meters tall.