Rail bridge upgrade to boost coal transport efficiency

"It serves as a strategic lifeline for ensuring energy supply in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Bohai Rim, and even the eastern and southern parts of China," he noted.

In a working conference held on Jan 8 for railway construction for the year 2025, Song Xiude, general manager of State railway operator China Railway, called for better leveraging the service and support role of railways for major national strategies.

Zhao said the project team from CREC4 has innovatively adopted a precise "longitudinal movement + lateral movement" construction plan.

"The longitudinal movement is carried out by a 16-ton slow speed winch through a 'crossbeam + slider' traction movement, while for lateral movement, two 100-ton continuous jacks are utilized to push and position on the preset lateral slide," Zhao said.

The successful completion of the project not only solved the safety hazards caused by the aging bridge structure, but also ensures a significant rise in traffic capacity of this energy artery, he said.

"Moreover, this successful practice has also verified the advanced construction technology for efficient and precise renovation of large-span and heavy tonnage bridges under complex operating conditions, providing valuable references for the maintenance and renovation of similar busy railways in the country," Zhao added.