EDSA sinkhole: what is the probability that this will happen?
By pitstryke
@pitstryke (310)
Philippines
August 4, 2012 10:45pm CST
I am a regular commuter, I ride on buses, in taxi cabs, in jeepneys and on Mrt. As a regular commuter I notice somethings irregular about the road of EDSA. Are there some portions sinking centimeter per centimeter every other day? There are parts of that highway that are not leveled with the others and you will also notice that its quite deep. Just like in Guadalupe, there is a portion there that when a bus or a truck passes you will notice that the road would sink but eventually will return to its original position. In Cubao area, there are these asphalt covered portions that if you will take look closer you will also notice that these are low leveled parts in EDSA. Just between Cubao and Anapolis area there is a part there that is not leveled also with the others. In Estrella not to far from Guadalupe, when I wait for bus in front of 7-11, you will feel the road would rock when buses and trucks pass by. Are these part of low budgeted construction works in that highway or there is a possibility that a sinkhole is already building up in those areas?
1 person likes this
2 responses
@rsa101 (38166)
• Philippines
6 Aug 12
Well I think we can never know if there is a sinkhole in that area. But if that is true then it is impossible that engineers that build the MRT and the roads and flyovers would not notice this since they have dug the roads over and over again and they could have saw this one already. I think that slope of EDSA would never be straight since it was once a hilly area before and the roads just follow the contour of the land they are placed.
The possibility is always there but I think when that happens it would be a big disaster if no one would notice it coming.
@rsa101 (38166)
• Philippines
6 Aug 12
Actually it takes millions of years before they become visible at all. If that would happen right in the middle of NCR then that is really a disaster.
Well the rocking of the roads is not a sign though. We all know Manila is basically made from adobe material. It is a soft kind of stone but a sturdy one. Since we put pavements and asphalt over it over time it may have soften it that is the reason why some of the roads do sink in. The EDSA part is partly a forested areas and some were even farmlands like the ones in Cubao. So you would expect the consistency of the soil there is soft. Now that it is primarily paved already you cannot expect that it already hardened already. Every now and then when rainy season do come it will soften it and will affect the strength of the roads there. But that does mean that sinkhole is developing there. It will take time before it will show up.
As far as I know it shows up during earthquakes when water and soil are shook up and softens it.
@pitstryke (310)
• Philippines
6 Aug 12
It is possible that a sink hole is not yet building up underneath when they build the mrt, the roads and the flyover. Since sink hole may appear in a period of time, I just hope that this will not happen because it is very dangerous specially to the very busy roads of EDSA. The slopes of EDSA could also be the reason why some parts of it are rocking like a rocking chair when a bus or truck passes by.
1 person likes this
@Fulltank (2882)
• Philippines
5 Aug 12
I don't think it will happen to the most busiest highway in our country. The Philvocs would have had known it already. I think the most dangerous part of EDSA is the accidents that is happening everyday. Aside from the notorious hold-up groups that operates along this major highway. I would recommend that instead of sink holes, we should better be prepared of the common problems that EDSA brings to us.
@pitstryke (310)
• Philippines
5 Aug 12
I strongly agree that the most dangerous part of EDSA is the accidents that happen everyday. Reverberation? A great conclusion, yes it could be since I mentioned that these are buses and trucks. But still we can't be too sure since sinkholes could be build up anywhere right?
