Proposed Banning of Hand-Dug Caissons in Hong Kong

Born in Hong Kong, Mr Ng Sai-ho spent his childhood years in turbulent times. Hong Kong experienced disastrous fires in squatter areas in the early 1950s and, at the same time, found itself with a rapidly increasing population and major resettlement problems. Nevertheless, the territory was also experiencing increasing affluence and against this background, Mr Ng‘s early years were formed.

A settlement at Kowloon City has existed since the Sung Dynasty when it was used as a military base to manage a salt trade. In 1688 the City became fortified when a signal station was established. About 1810, a small fort was built at the City; its strategic, administrative and economic position remained relatively insignificant until the commencement of British administration of Hong Kong Island in 1841. Since then, the Chinese increased their presence at the City and by 1847 a perimeter wall had been built, and the ‘Kowloon Walled City’ came into being. J.W. Fearns

The Building & Construction Department of the City University (BC) is expanding its research programme in a number of areas. Since the department deals with matters across the industry, many of these areas are concerned with such matters as construction management, production management, quantity surveying, and building surveying. However, for the purposes of this article only research into matters that affect structural engineering are dealt with. Professor A.P. Jeary