Engineers have been unable to pin down exactly why one of The Strand waterfront's waka sails sculptures crashed to the ground last month.
The 18-metre-high stainless steel sculpture sheered off its foundations in moderate winds on September 10, smashing through a fence and blocking the railway line.
Steve Webb, the
Tauranga City Council's parks team manager, said the report on why the sculpture failed identified that it was a fabrication or design issue. "But it was not definite on exactly why it failed."
Mr Webb said it could have been poor-quality steel or the welding, but it was not because of excessive wind. More tests would be needed, including X-rays, to conclude whether the steel met quality specifications or if the welding was at fault.
The $200,000 sail was one of two erected in 2004. They were to have been joined by three others to represent the Southern Cross star cluster, but were never ordered.
