In an update from Guangxi, on October 23 at 1 a.m., a significant milestone was achieved in the construction of the Liuwu Railway’s LWZQ-4 section. After two hours of meticulous work, the Guangxi Transportation Investment Group and China Railway Shanghai Engineering Bureau Group successfully completed the continuous concrete beam for the Jintian Zijing River Bridge, spanning the S304 provincial road with dimensions of 48+80+48 meters. This completion means that all continuous beams in the section have been successfully sealed, paving the way for essential bridge construction.
The Jintian Zijing River Bridge features two designed continuous beams, with the latest pouring involving a main span that crosses the busy S304 road, totaling 177.5 meters in length. Given its proximity to the Pingwu Expressway and the surrounding densely populated areas, the project presented high safety risks and technical challenges.
To ensure a smooth sealing process, the project team held numerous technical briefings and safety training sessions, equipping staff and appropriately allocating machinery. They meticulously monitored crucial aspects of construction, including the protective setup, traffic management, and the pouring processes for both the support structures and the sealing segment. During the pouring, engineers continuously checked parameters such as pouring time, speed, quality control, and the condition of support frameworks to maintain the construction standards and timelines.
“The pouring of the middle span is critical to the entire beam construction. Given that temperature fluctuations can cause shrinkage and deformation in the beam after concrete pouring, we scheduled this activity to start at dawn based on our monitored data. This time frame offers the lowest and most stable temperature of the day, making it the ideal time to pour. We ensured that the pouring was completed within three hours,” explained project manager Chu Wenjing.
The Liuwu Railway’s fourth section spans approximately 21.421 kilometers, with a bridge-to-tunnel ratio of 77.5%. Currently, the project reports that tunnel construction is 74% complete, bridge work is at 80%, and subgrade construction has reached 90%.
The Liuwu Railway serves as a vital link between Liuzhou and Guangzhou, and it is a key component of the national medium-to-long-term railway network plan, enhancing accessibility in the southwestern region to the Pearl River Delta. Once completed, the project will alleviate congestion in the national rail network, shorten transport distances, and reduce costs, thus promoting economic development along the Guangxi corridor.
