Title: Construction of World‘s Largest Inland River Provincial Water Ship Lock Underway
By Liao Xin
At the Pinglu Canal Horseway Hub, the construction of the world‘s largest inland river provincial water ship lock structure has entered an important phase. The first warehouse ship lock structure concrete pouring was completed successfully, marking the official commencement of the project. This milestone sets the stage for the completion of navigation by the end of 2026.
The Madao Junction, which serves as the first cascade hub of the Pinglu Canal, will boast a double-line ship lock. As the largest inland water-saving ship lock currently under construction in the world, it requires approximately 3.47 million cubic meters of concrete. The effective scale of the lock will be 300 meters × 34 meters × 8 meters. With a maximum design water head of 29.6 meters, it will also include a three-level water-saving pool and a gravity dam hub water retaining structure. After its completion, it will become the world‘s largest inland river provincial water ship lock.
The concrete pouring for the main navigation wall of the SZD01 section, located on the left bank of the upstream ship lock approach channel, was carried out. A volume of 493.2 cubic meters of concrete was poured, meeting high-quality specifications and construction requirements.
To address the challenges associated with large-volume concrete construction, stringent temperature control measures were implemented. A concrete cloud factory platform was built at the Pinglu Yunhe Madao Junction Mixing Station, enabling automated control over the entire process of raw materials feeding, mixing, and discharge. In order to ensure quality, the Pinglu Canal Group, in consultation with the technical team of the CCCC Second Harbor Engineering Bureau, developed a comprehensive temperature control plan. This included the use of aggregate air-cooling units, chillers, and ice-making units, as well as enhanced insulation during transportation, storage, mixing, and transportation procedures. As a result, the pouring temperature remained below 22 ℃, effectively addressing the challenges associated with large volume concrete pouring.
Thanks to meticulous management and innovative measures, the construction of the Pinglu Canal Horseway Hub ship lock structure has commenced, marking a significant step towards navigation completion by the end of 2026. This project promises to revolutionize the inland river transport system, ensuring smoother and more efficient navigation.
(Editor in charge: Pang Guanhua, Li Minjun)