Dialogue ＂Made in Chongqing＂ Chief Designer of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge： There are more ＂century projects＂ waiting for us in the future.
Today (24th), after six years of preparatory work and nine years of formal construction, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge was officially opened to traffic. Behind this "century project" that shocked the world, there is a person who deeply participated in the whole process of bridge construction. He is Meng Fanchao, a bridge and tunnel student of Chongqing Jiaotong University in 1978 and now the chief designer of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. In his busy schedule, he accepted an exclusive interview with a reporter from Hualong. com.
Meng Fanchao (left) Respondents Photo courtesy of Hualong. com.
The heart of serving the country-
He devoted himself to the first-line exhibition and cultivated the bridge field for nearly 40 years.
The total length of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge is about 55 kilometers, of which the main works include a 22.9-kilometer bridge, a 6.7-kilometer submarine tunnel and artificial islands in the east and west connecting the tunnel and the bridge. From scheme design to construction, China has created one project after another, breaking the limit of offshore bridge engineering in the world. It took 15 years from the establishment, construction and completion of the bridge, and the chief designer Meng Fanchao witnessed the whole process.
As early as 1980s, Meng Fanchao visited developed countries, and wherever he went, a modern transportation system had already been built, which deeply stimulated him. "We should do the same. We must step up planning and construction of expressways and bridges." Meng Fanchao said that it was this sense of urgency that prompted him to devote himself to the front line, to practice in his own field and to catch up.
Since 1982, Meng Fanchao has been deeply involved in the bridge design industry for nearly 40 years, witnessed the modernization of the national transportation system from toddler to soaring, and presided over and participated in the design of more than 20 advanced bridges in China and even in the world.
"It is the reform and opening up that has brought us opportunities, and thanks to the country for providing us with a stage to display our ambitions." Meng Fanchao said.
Meng Fanchao (sixth from left) took a group photo with some Chongqing Jiaotong University alumni on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. Photo courtesy of the school Hualong net hair
Overcome the "century project"-
Put forward the concept of "four modernizations" and complete hundreds of scientific research innovations
In 2004, Meng Fanchao received the task of designing the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and began to undertake the feasibility study of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. Since then, Meng Fanchao, together with more than 30,000 bridge builders, has challenged this "century project".
In Meng Fanchao’s view, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge is not only a traffic construction project in China, but also a super project in the world. Therefore, the construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge must have an international vision and mind. "We must build a leading bridge in the world today."
As a world-class super project, it must be supported by world-class quality. It is the special location of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the positioning of super-projects, the complexity of construction conditions and the requirements of technological innovation that determine that there are four major challenges in the construction process-engineering technology challenges, construction safety challenges, environmental protection challenges and construction management challenges.
Under the pressure of these "four challenges", Meng Fanchao put forward the concept of "large-scale, factory-oriented, standardized and assembled", also known as "four modernizations", which was recognized and supported by the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Administration and Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao.
By the eve of opening to traffic, the research team of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge had completed 31 innovative construction methods, 13 innovative software, 31 innovative equipment and 3 innovative products, and applied for 454 patents. "This is the most innovative project in a single bridge and tunnel in the world. It can be said that without innovation, there would be no Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao today." Meng Fanchao said.
At present, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge is a sea-crossing bridge with the longest mileage, the longest service life, the largest steel structure, the most difficult construction, the longest immersed tunnel, the highest technical content and the largest scientific patents and investment amount in the world. The technology and equipment scale of the bridge project have created many world records.
On October 22nd, after returning to his alma mater for a lecture, Meng Fanchao took a group photo with the students. Photo courtesy of the school Hualong net hair
Ingenuity does not forget the way-
I went back to my alma mater Chongqing Jiaotong University many times to talk to young students.
On the eve of the official opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, on the afternoon of October 20th, Meng Fanchao returned to his alma mater, Chongqing Jiaotong University, to participate in a series of commemorative activities of "Meet for 40 Years" for the alumni of the Department of Road and Bridge.
According to official website of Chongqing Jiaotong University, on the same day, in the academic exchange session with the theme of "New Achievements and New Thinking of Transportation Science and Technology", Meng Fanchao gave a wonderful speech entitled "My Bridge Experience and Practice", detailing all the major projects he participated in the construction and design since his employment, especially when he mentioned the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. Facing the world-class bridge designers, the teachers and students present were absorbed and listened carefully.
In the view of Li Shijiao, director of the Liaison Office of Chongqing Jiaotong University, Meng Fanchao is a modest and low-key person who treats teachers, students and all walks of life as a gentleman. "Even if he didn’t have time to go home and take care of his family, he returned to his alma mater many times to guide the construction and development, and the dialogue encouraged the students to grow up, which well explained the two-way spirit of’ going into the endless road’ that his alma mater has always adhered to. The heart of boxing is evident." Li Shizhen said.
李世佼说，几十年来，孟凡超始终不忘当年恩师、全国知名桥梁专家顾安邦教授对桥梁人的热切期盼，希望早日实现从桥梁大国迈向桥梁强国的梦想。而今，他终于圆梦港珠澳大桥，以勇气、担当、协作，煅造着交大烙印的“匠心精神”，我们感到由衷地自豪和骄傲。
孟凡超作精彩演讲。 校方供图 华龙网发
》》对话孟凡超
华龙网：昨天港珠澳大桥举行开通仪式时，您在哪里？
孟凡超：我作为大桥管理和施工方面的代表之一，在东人工岛接受习总书记会见，他与我们一一握手、亲切交谈，让我倍感振奋，深受鼓舞。
华龙网：这些年多次上桥，正式开通后的感受有什么不同？
孟凡超：2016年6月份大桥主体结构就完工了，那时候就已经可以在上面跑了，但到处都是热火朝天的施工场景。现在不同了，大桥开通后，再到桥上去，感受更多的就是壮观、豪迈、大气，看到沿途的景观艺术、建筑风采都完整地呈现出来，就像自己孕育的孩子一样，满是自豪。
Hualong. com: After the opening of the bridge, many residents went to experience it today. In your opinion, what impact and effect will the bridge bring?
Meng Fanchao: The bridge connects Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao into a whole, and makes Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area realize urbanization and integration. Like new york, San Francisco and Tokyo Bay Area, it is more convenient to promote the life of Bay Area residents through the transportation in the same city, but the future population and economic aggregate of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area will not be comparable to any existing world-class Bay Area.
The great significance of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge is that it will completely change the population structure, economic structure and traffic status of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, promote the emergence of new lifestyles and new development models, and promote the integrated development of the three places. The indirect GDP may reach several trillion yuan or even more than ten trillion yuan.
As far as the bridge construction itself is concerned, in the ten years of bridge design and construction, we have made great efforts to innovate and trained a large number of engineering talents who have mastered the core construction technology, and the level of engineering design, construction and construction will reach a new level. It has accumulated experience and confidence for other large-scale projects in the future.
Hualong. com: The life expectancy of the bridge is 120 years. What measures are taken to ensure its realization?
Meng Fanchao: The construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge stands at the height of the whole country and is of great significance to promoting the development of Greater Bay Area. This urges us to adopt ultra-high standards for construction quality control, such as the thickness of concrete protective layer, corrosion-resistant steel bars, the dimensional accuracy of immersed tube steel bars in island tunnel projects, and the docking error of submerged tubes, and so on.
To ensure the service life of the bridge for 120 years means that all possible natural disasters, the erosion of the bridge structure by seawater and atmosphere, and even the fatigue and aging of the bridge itself should be taken into account. Therefore, during the construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, we adopted the methods of large-scale, factory-based, standardization and assembly (that is, "four modernizations"). On the one hand, our principle is no blind area, all-round, all requirements can be reached, inspected, repaired and replaced; On the other hand, for permanent structures that cannot be replaced, we will guarantee the service life of more than 120 years.
Under the concept of "four modernizations", the problems of bridge island tunnel landscape culture and art, steel pipe composite pile foundation, high-precision assembly technology of bridge island tunnel and 120-year durability technology have been overcome, and hundreds of patent achievements have been obtained in this way.
Hualong. com: Are there any other projects you want to challenge after the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge?
Meng Fanchao: To the north of the Pearl River Delta, there are at least five or six large bridges waiting for us, such as Taiwan Province Strait Bridge, Qiongzhou Strait Bridge and Bohai Bay Passage. For us, the economic strength, technical level and engineering resources of bridge construction are still full of confidence, especially after the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has accumulated a large number of talents and technical experience.
Hualong. com: As an excellent graduate of Chongqing Jiaotong University, what do you think of your college career?
Meng Fanchao: It happened in 1978 when I entered the university. Everyone cherished the hard-won opportunity to study. At that time, our life was very simple. Every day, there were three points and one line in the classroom, dormitory and canteen, reading, self-study and homework. When we were tired of reading, we asked a few people to play ball games for a change and exercise. It’s not easy to become a college student. At that time, I thought I must study hard and make contributions to national construction.
Hualong. com: Over the years, you have come back to Chongqing many times. What do you think of Chongqing?
Meng Fanchao: The development of Chongqing is obvious to all. Especially after the direct administration, Chongqing’s transportation system has developed rapidly and high-rise buildings abound, showing a prosperous scene. Together with the natural environment where the two rivers meet, it has created this unique mountain city that is rare in the whole country. As a student coming out of Chongqing, I feel very gratified and proud. It is hoped that Chongqing will be able to build more high-quality bridges in the future, improve the rapid transportation system and boost the high-quality development of the city.
Hualong. com: What messages do you have for young students?
Meng Fanchao: First of all, we should devote enough energy to basic study and professional study. On the premise of laying a solid foundation and ensuring intensive study, we should also have a certain breadth of knowledge. An excellent engineer, whether engaged in construction or design, has a wealth of knowledge. After entering the post, it is not only things in books that show his ability, but also humanities, politics, economy, history, geography and so on can help you broaden your horizons.
Nearly 3000 Chongqing people participated in the construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. Respondents for the picture Hualong. com
"Pay tribute to Chongqing and these people who participated in the construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.
Meng Fanchao is just a microcosm of the participation in the construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. It is proud that nearly 3000 Chongqing people participated in the construction of this bridge, and they made our pride with their wisdom and sweat. Hualong. com reporters collected a list of some Chongqing builders who participated in the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (in no particular order) to pay tribute to all the builders who participated in the bridge construction.
Liu Wei: chief supervision engineer of traffic engineering for the main project of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.
Liu Wei is a master of engineering in Chongqing Jiaotong University in 2005, and once worked as the chief supervision engineer in the traffic engineering of the main project of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. He said that the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge is a milestone in their lives, the most memorable day in their lives, and an indelible mark in their work. "For many builders, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has gone from the design to the completion, and everyone has entered the middle age without doubt from the passionate youth. The most exciting years in life are accompanied by the construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge."
Zhang Hong: Responsible for prefabrication of submarine immersed tunnel for Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao project.
In December 2010, the construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge started. In 2011, Zhang Hong, the chief engineer of Chongqing, came to Zhuhai to participate in the construction. His job is the prefabrication of submarine immersed tunnel. "In order to let the 10,000-ton ship pass through, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge designed a submarine immersed tunnel. 33 tunnels were completed in a nearby factory in advance, and then they were seamlessly connected like Lego bricks." Zhang Hong said that in the past seven years, he has challenged various technical problems and suffered many failures. "But now the magnificent bridge is in front of me, and I can’t remember the painful days I have experienced at all."
Pay tribute to this group of Chongqing people who participated in the construction. Respondents for the picture Hualong. com
Zhang Baolan: Major Female Professors Overcome the Key Technology to Make the Cross-Harbour Tunnel "Water-tight"
The key to the successful completion of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge lies in the submarine immersed tube tunnel. Concrete is the most important thing to ensure that the immersed tunnel will not leak water on the seabed for 120 years. Zhang Baolan, an alumnus of the Building Materials Department of the 1983 School of Materials of Chongqing University, has overcome the key technology to make the cross-harbour tunnel "watertight". She is also the only female professor and senior engineer who always insists on working in the front line of this project. She said that the most important thing is to be calm and calm when encountering such a good project as the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and overcoming many difficulties to persevere and lead the team to achieve good results.
Yang Shaobin: Main Force of Artificial Island Construction, General Manager of No.2 Company of CCCC Second Navigation Bureau.
Yang Shaobin graduated from the Department of Road Engineering of Chongqing Jiaotong University in 1998. The Second Company of CCCC No.2 Navigation Bureau, where he works, is the main force in the construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, undertaking numerous construction tasks and creating a series of engineering miracles.
Jiang Shuping: technical director of research on disaster reduction and prevention system of Zhuhai-Hong Kong-Macao Cross-Harbour Tunnel.
Jiang Shuping is the project science and technology director/consultant of China Merchants Chongqing Transportation Research and Design Institute Co., Ltd., and the winner of Chongqing Science and Technology Award in 2018-Outstanding Contribution Award for Science and Technology. He led the team to develop a 1:1 full-scale disaster prevention and mitigation test platform for immersed tunnel of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and the largest high-temperature test furnace in the transportation industry, and developed comprehensive test technologies such as combustion, smoke exhaust and escape. In 2015, they also conducted a real car burning fire test in the tunnel.
Jiang yuanqing: director of the first project department of traffic engineering of hong kong-Zhuhai-Macao bridge of China railway construction corporation
Participated in the development of the first domestic three-place charging system. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge is used by cars licensed by the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao. It took his team more than a year to develop an application software system to adapt to the toll lanes in three places. This charging system is the first in China.
Lv Zhengrun: Captain of the optical cable operation team of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge of China Railway Construction Corporation. Leading a team of 8 people, specializing in the connection of more than 2,300 kilometers of optical cables.
Bing Lin, a native of Nan ‘an District, is a doctor of Tongji University, a professor-level senior engineer and an electromechanical expert in Chongqing, and serves as the deputy chief supervision engineer of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.
Xi Song, a native of Tongnan, is a registered safety engineer, and serves as the director of the safety and environmental protection department of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao traffic engineering supervision.
Wanquanquan, a native of Nan ‘an District, is a senior engineer, serving as the director of the supervision contract department of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao traffic engineering.
Lin Bo, a native of Yuzhong District, is a registered supervision engineer, and serves as the director of traffic engineering supervision engineering department of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.
Chen Yidong, a native of Jiangbei District, is a registered supervision engineer, a professional supervision engineer of traffic engineering in Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao, and the deputy chief engineer of traffic engineering in Zhongyu Company.
Tan Jiangli, a native of Nan ‘an District, is a registered supervision engineer. She is a professional supervision engineer of traffic engineering in Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao, and the deputy chief engineer of traffic engineering in Zhongyu Company.
Luo Xiaolin, a native of Qijiang District, is a registered professional supervision engineer and works as a professional supervision engineer for traffic engineering of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.
Wu Xiaodong, a native of Nan ‘an District, is the traffic engineer of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.
Hu Guanghui, a native of Banan District, is the traffic engineer of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.
Some Chongqing builders who participated in the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge took a group photo at the opening ceremony of the bridge. Respondents for the picture Hualong. com