In the southern mountainous area of Jinan in September, day and night are almost two seasons. On September 20, 2026, as the temperature rapidly dropped with sunset, surveyors checked the elevation of the beam end repeatedly, waiting for the fleeting window of low temperature. As the final concrete is poured into the mold and compacted, the continuous beams of the Jizao Railway Bridge spanning 317 Provincial Road and the Ganggou Bridge spanning the Beijing Shanghai Expressway Bridge spanning the Hancang River, which were constructed by China Railway 21st Bureau, have been successfully joined together. The two beams achieved millimeter level precision docking at an altitude of tens of meters, opening up key nodes for subsequent beam erection operations.

The highest beam on the entire line

These two continuous beams are both cast using the hanging basket cantilever casting process, which is a typical high-altitude and difficult project. The terrain in the construction area is undulating, with significant temperature differences between day and night. Every aspect of beam alignment control, settlement observation, and stress monitoring cannot be taken lightly. Among them, the continuous beam of the 317 Provincial Road Extra Large Bridge is the highest continuous beam on the entire Jizao Railway. Below it is an existing provincial road with dense traffic and mixed passenger and freight traffic, with a daily average traffic volume of over a thousand and complex traffic conditions. The triple pressure of pier height, road crossing, and temperature difference has pushed the construction difficulty to the peak of the section.

Vehicles under the bridge continue to pass as usual

The road needs to be repaired, but it cannot be blocked. The construction of cross provincial roads adheres to the principle of no road closure and continuous traffic diversion. The project team optimizes the construction organization and traffic diversion plan in advance, scientifically plans the diversion route, and arranges dedicated personnel for two-way diversion during peak hours to minimize the interference of construction on local traffic. At the same time, the pre process of basket entry acceptance and load preloading will not be neglected, and a control mechanism for stopping work in special weather conditions such as strong winds and temperature differences will be established simultaneously to avoid risks from the source.

A river of clear water cannot be injured

The continuous beam spanning the Ganggou Bridge over the Beijing Shanghai Expressway and the Hancang River is another test. This beam has a total length of 171.5 meters and adopts a continuous beam structure of 44+80+45.8 meters. Block 0 and the side span cast-in-place section are poured with triangular brackets, while the remaining sections are poured with diamond shaped hanging baskets and cantilevered. High altitude water crossing operations should not only ensure safety, but also adhere to the ecological red line: excavate slopes and cover them with grass protection in a timely manner, collect and dispose of construction waste in a centralized and closed-loop manner, protect vegetation along the line, and strictly prevent construction pollution from entering the river.

At the critical stage of the closure, technical personnel continuously monitor the stress, elevation, and settlement data of the beam 24 hours a day, finely control key processes such as pouring, curing, weight loading, and graded unloading, and regularly carry out safety technical briefings and duty inspections. Ultimately, the beam achieves millimeter level precision docking and all indicators meet the standards.keywords:Engineering infrastructure

The combination of two beams is a microcosm of the overall battle of the Jizao Railway. As of now, there have been 47 continuous beam closures along the entire line, and 10 of the 18 tunnels have been connected. The roadbed, bridge, and tunnel projects have been completed by 58%, 75%, and 72%, respectively. This high-speed railway, with a total length of 268.48 kilometers, a designed speed of 350 kilometers per hour, and a total of 10 stations, connects one mountain, one water, one saint, and the ancient city of Taierzhuang. After completion in 2027, it will be interconnected with the Rilan High speed Railway, Jiqing High speed Railway, Jiaoji High speed Railway, and Jibin High speed Railway, injecting new energy into the construction of Shandong on the track.Editor/Yang Meiling