Award-winning Chinese bridge engineers set world records with innovative tech

China's engineering prowess has reached new heights with trailblazers building bridges in astonishing mountainous areas, setting fresh records in mega project construction through innovative technologies.

Eighty-one individuals and 50 teams were bestowed the National Engineer Awards for their outstanding contributions to the field of engineering technology in Beijing on Friday.

One of the teams winning recognition is made up of engineers based in rugged mountainous province of Guizhou in southwest China. Developing seven state-of-the-art technologies, the pioneers have also built 12 world-leading bridges despite difficult geographic conditions, fragile ecological environment and other challenges.

With unwavering commitment and resourcefulness, the engineers have accomplished stunning achievements which have not only facilitated local transportation but also brought about ecological and economic benefits, boosting tourism and rural revitalization in the region.

A world first 

The Wumengshan grand bridge, a majestic arch spanning a deep canyon, stands as a testament to their ingenuity. It boasts the world's first fully prefabricated hoisting technique in a mountainous region, a feat that conquered the challenges of terrain and minimized environmental impact.

On January 11, the joining of the main arch of the Wumengshan grand bridge on the Nayong-Qinglong Expressway was completed. Zhang Shenglin, a member of the award-winning engineering team, told China Media Group (CMG) that in canyons within mountains, tunnels are built on both ends of the bridge.

"Traditionally, we have to use a large bridge erecting machine for construction. Instead, we adopted a hoisting system to install all of the components, which has improved efficiency," said Zhang, who is also the chief engineer of a highway group affiliated to Guizhou Communications Construction Group. 

Defying daunting conditions, the team used to transport materials by hand and horseback in the past. Han Hongju, leader of the award-winning engineering team, told CMG that "when we built the Beipanjiang Bridge on the Guanxing Highway, there was no road (to the planned location)."

"All materials were transported by humans or horses. It is more than 10 kilometers from our base to the planned bridge and it took about four hours (for us to travel between them). We went out to the construction site early in the morning to do measure work, and returned after two or three hours," added Han, who is also a chief engineer at Guizhou Communications Construction Group.

Highest in the world

A suspension bridge across the grand canyon over the Huajiang River in Guizhou, the Huajiang grand canyon bridge, promises to rewrite the record books with its planned 2025 opening.

This behemoth of Huajiang grand canyon bridge, upon completion, will be the world's highest suspension bridge, a stunning symbol of China's engineering ambitions.

Han Hongju told CMG that the bridge has a total length of 2,980 meters, a bridge floor that is 625 meters above the water surface and a main span of 1,420 meters.

The main structure of the bridge is expected to be completed by the end of 2024, and it's set to be put into use in early 2025, said Han. 

Upon operation, it will cut the travel time across the canyon from 70 minutes to just one minute, promoting tourism and rural revitalization in the region, Han added. 

Eco-friendly engineering

The bridge across Jiangjie River in Guizhou, constructed by the award-winning team, has not only facilitated local transportation but also brought about ecological and economic benefits.

"When I first joined the project, people living on both sides of the river [had] to spend a whole day walking from one village to another. They [had] to walk, take a carriage or a boat when passing different areas," Zhang Shenglin told CMG.

Fortunately, the Jiangjie River bridge has ended all the inconvenience, and this filled me with a strong sense of accomplishment to encourage me to continue my work, added Zhang. ‬

The Jiangjie River bridge, while facilitating transportation, also fosters harmony with nature. Using eco-friendly materials and minimizing ecological disruption, the engineers demonstrate a responsible approach to infrastructural development.

Mu Jinwei, another member of the engineering team, told CMG that "the materials we use for construction are all recycled earth and stone waste from roadbed construction. We have done detailed analysis and research, as well as a lot of experiments and engineering applications, to produce huge economic benefits."

"With the breakthrough in machine-made sand concrete technology, the use of bridge construction alone has exceeded 100 million cubic meters, saving over 23 billion yuan (about $3.19 billion) in construction funds and offsetting carbon emissions by more than 3.3 million tonnes," added Mu, who is also deputy general manager and chief engineer at Guizhou Communications Construction Group.

The world watches with admiration as China's bridge builders defy limitations and redefine the boundaries of engineering excellence, and the pioneers have carved their names in history by constructing awe-inspiring bridges.

Looking ahead, the impact of these Chinese achievements will transcend borders, offering valuable lessons for sustainable infrastructure development and inspiring collaboration across nations facing similar geographical challenges.