“Clear rivers reflect vividly the trees of Hanyang, and fragrant grasses lushly cover Parrot Isle.” In March, Wuhan—the “River City”—basks in sunshine, surrounded by verdant trees, emerald lawns, and a brilliantly blue sky. Cherry blossoms are in full bloom, brimming with the vibrant spirit of spring. From March 28 to 29, the 6th Biannual Board of Directors Meeting of the International Association for Large-Diameter Engineering Wells (Piles) was solemnly held at the Mingzhu Howard Johnson Hotel in Wuhan. Over 50 heads of director units from across the country gathered together, united by their shared responsibility and mission to drive industrial innovation and development and strengthen the association’s growth. Participants spoke freely, pooled their wisdom, and engaged in lively discussions. The meeting agenda was tight yet highly efficient, and all directors were filled with enthusiasm and intellectual brilliance.

Jointly discuss the grand plan for the association's development.

　　In the afternoon of March 28, Wang Huirong, Chairperson of the Association and Chairman of Zhejiang Zhongrui Heavy Industry Technology Co., Ltd., chaired the meeting of the Association’s Chairpersons. First, Ye Wujin, Secretary-General of the Association, reported to the Chairpersons’ meeting on the completion of the Association’s work in 2016 and outlined the work plan for 2017, also introducing the agenda for the Board of Directors’ meeting scheduled for the 29th. The attendees carefully reviewed these two items. Finally, Chairperson Wang Huirong delivered a speech: Since the holding of the sixth General Assembly of the Association more than six months ago, all the vice-chairperson units present have made diligent efforts, visiting numerous industry experts and scholars, and have refined and revised industry standards and the Association’s management system. These efforts have provided a solid theoretical foundation for guiding China’s large-diameter pile foundation construction industry toward greater standardization and technological advancement.

　　On the morning of the 29th, the Association’s second session of the 6th Council, which had been long in the making, was held as scheduled. According to the meeting agenda, all council members first reviewed and approved the “2017 Association Work Plan” and the “2017 Association Budget.” Vice Chairman and Chairman of Luoyang Jiujiu Technology Co., Ltd., Chao Huanqing, provided several explanations regarding the proposed amendments to the Articles of Association. Based on the feedback received on the amendments to the Articles of Association, the Supervisory Board was duly elected. Immediately afterward, Yang Jingrui, the newly appointed Chairman of the Supervisory Board, delivered a statement outlining the duties, tasks, and scope of authority of the Supervisory Board.

　　Chairman Wang Huirong delivered the closing remarks at the conference. He began by thanking all the directors for attending this meeting and expressing his gratitude to the Foundation Engineering Branch of China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Group for its full support of the conference. He then announced that, following the election held on the afternoon of the 28th, nine organizations—including “China Coal Special Shaft Sinking Co., Ltd.” and “Shanghai Yuanyuan Foundation Engineering Co., Ltd.”—had been appointed as standing executive directors of the association. This further refined the association’s three-tier management structure—“Members’ Congress—Board of Directors—Standing Committee of the Board”—and brought the association’s standardized operations to a new level.

　　He said that since the organizational transition last year, the association has meticulously designed its organizational framework from the top down. It has established a advisory committee led by academicians Wang Sijing, Qin Shunquan, and Wei Dunshan; an academic committee headed by chief bridge expert Shangguan Xing; and a pool of experts composed of elite professionals from various fields of large-diameter pile foundations. As industry representatives, they serve as the technical backbone of the association, ensuring its ability to “promote technological advancement in the industry.” He believes that the future prospects for the large-diameter pile foundation industry are infinitely bright.

　　2017 was a pivotal year for the association’s development. The association will implement three of the “Four Ones” goals: establishing a unified brand, building a website, and launching a publication. We will also broaden the channels for serving our member companies, ensuring that the association’s responsibilities are truly put into practice through effective measures.

　　He likened the association to a guiding beacon in the large-diameter pile foundation industry—a vital assistant to the government in promoting industry regulation, and a bridge and link connecting numerous enterprises and ground foundation professionals. The association must make concerted efforts to enhance its own management standards and professional competence, and also focus even more on service and innovation. It should provide its member units with an increasing number of personalized and specialized services tailored to their specific needs. To this end, he specifically put forward three recommendations for consideration by all board members—

　　“We must fully recognize the status and role of the articles of association and put great effort into promoting and implementing them. We must also put great effort into providing member enterprises with diversified, high-quality, and efficient services. Furthermore, we should strengthen our own institutional development and devote significant effort to brand-building. We should strive to become a well-known brand within the industry association.”

A Journey Through the Museum of Culture

　　At 2 p.m. on the 29th, the meeting scheduled a visit for all attending directors to the China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Group’s “Bridge Culture Museum” (hereinafter referred to as the Museum). Also known as the “Wuhan Bridge Culture Museum,” the Museum is located adjacent to the China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Group Corporation and features two floors. A display panel featuring the “Song of the Bridge Bureau” is prominently placed at the entrance. This is the corporate anthem of the Bridge Bureau—a song that contains not a single word “bridge.” With its rousing and inspiring melody, it resonates deeply in the hearts of the more than 20,000 employees of China Railway.

　　The main exhibition hall upstairs covers an area of roughly 1,000 square meters and features a striking layout. The walls around the perimeter are adorned with displays of photographs and text, while the central space showcases bridge models, trophies and medals, as well as literature and periodicals related to bridges. Facing the entrance, the entire red wall serves as an eye-catching “Patent Wall,” proudly displaying all the patents that China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Group has obtained—both domestically and internationally—for its bridge-building expertise. This wall is the crystallization of the wisdom and hard work of generation after generation of CRB engineers. The board members were deeply moved and filled with pride by this “team dedicated to building an outstanding national bridge-building force.” They posed for photos in front of each honor, each bridge model, and each photograph of these iconic bridges, allowing the spirit and glory of the “outstanding national bridge-building team” to infuse their own future dreams.

　　Established in April 1953 to construct the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge, China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Group has weathered more than 60 years of trials and tribulations. Over the decades, the group has built over 2,000 diverse and spectacular bridges, earning itself numerous world-first accolades. As a comprehensive enterprise integrating bridge research, engineering design, civil construction, and equipment development, the group possesses the capability to build all types of bridges under various challenging conditions—be it across rivers, lakes, seas, or in environments characterized by harsh geology and hydrological conditions. This remarkable capability is the result of deep-rooted experience accumulated over the years and the dedicated contributions of generations of bridge builders. A string of engineers’ names remains etched in the hearts of bridge professionals: Wang Jujian, Mei Yangchun, Wang Xusen, Chen Shourong... Their superb technical expertise and indomitable spirit have lived on alongside the bridges they built, bringing blessings to future generations.

　　Thirty-two National Awards for Scientific and Technological Progress are prominently displayed—among them, the new technology developed for the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge, awarded the Special Prize; the construction of the Chengdu-Kunming Railway, also awarded the Special Prize; the Qinghai-Tibet Railway project, awarded the Special Prize; the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway, awarded the Special Prize; the technology for constructing the Qiantang River Second Bridge—a large-span cable-stayed bridge—in areas with strong tidal currents, awarded the First Prize; the new bridge-building technology used for the Jiujiang Yangtze River Bridge on the Beijing-Kowloon Railway, awarded the First Prize; the technology for building the Wuhan Yangtze River Second Bridge—a large-span prestressed reinforced concrete cable-stayed bridge—awarded the First Prize; the technology for constructing the Wuhu Yangtze River Bridge—a large-span low-pylon cable-stayed bridge with a composite slab-and-truss structure—awarded the First Prize; and the key technologies and applications employed in the Donghai Bridge (an exceptionally long offshore bridge), awarded the First Prize...

　　The Bridge Culture Museum of China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Group is also a base for patriotic education in Wuhan. As a treasure trove of spirit and wisdom, it chronicles every step forward taken by the Bridge Engineering Group. In April 1955, the Bridge Engineering Group held its first Congress of Party Members, mobilizing all Party members and employees to “face the Yangtze River, face the bridge,” and putting forth the slogan: “Build and Learn.” In September 1955, construction began on the First Yangtze River Bridge in Wuhan. Two years later, this first bridge across the mighty Yangtze River was completed and opened to traffic. Mao Zedong visited the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge three times and penned the magnificent lines: “A single bridge spans north and south, turning a natural barrier into a smooth thoroughfare.” Since then, bridge technology innovation in China has advanced rapidly and dramatically, surging forward with great momentum and reaching out to the world.

　　After the tour concluded, all the directors gathered in front of the China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Group’s office building for a group photo, ensuring that this gathering would remain etched in their memories. On the way back, the directors passed by the Parrot Island Bridge Theme Park. Standing beneath the majestic red bridge—the Parrot Island Yangtze River Bridge—they once again felt the grandeur of Wuhan, the “City of Bridges.” As they gazed at the Yangtze River before them and the distant Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge in the distance, a special sense of emotion welled up within them. Everywhere here tells a story of bridges. The park’s long relief wall, adorned with carvings of 57 renowned bridges from both China and abroad, reveals to you: This is a city devoted to bridges, and its builders are none other than the China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Group.

A heartwarming forum

　　At 5 p.m. on the 29th, Liu Ziming, Chairman of the Bridge Bureau, made a hurried visit to the hotel despite his busy schedule, bringing the board members an exceptionally unique forum. Before the session began, he modestly remarked that it might not exactly feel like a traditional forum—after all, he hadn’t prepared any PowerPoint slides. One board member quietly whispered, “Maybe it’s actually better without the PPT.” And indeed, his half-hour speech was a resounding success: apart from occasional knowing chuckles, the entire room was utterly silent. With a presentation that was both lively and engaging, and delivered with genuine sincerity and heartfelt openness, this leader from the Bridge Bureau deeply touched every attendee.

　　Liu Ziming holds multiple positions and has received numerous awards. He is a member of the Wuhan Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, a professor at Wuhan University, a leading expert in bridge construction in China, a recipient of the First-Class National Award for Scientific and Technological Progress, an outstanding Chinese entrepreneur, a specialist receiving a special allowance from the State Council, and more. This half-hour was entirely the result of him “squeezing in some leisure time amidst his busy schedule.”

　　His speech focused on the outlook for China’s bridge construction market. As an expert, he rattled off one set of data after another—serving as both a wake-up call and a beacon of hope for the construction professionals in attendance. He discussed the current gap between China’s bridge-building capabilities and those of Europe and the U.S., highlighted the critical importance of bridge construction to China’s future economic development, and explained how general contractors and subcontractors can foster mutual respect and trust.

　　What is the current status of China’s road and bridge construction? By the end of 2016, the country’s railway network had a total operational length of 120,000 kilometers, of which 90,000 kilometers were conventional railways and 20,000 kilometers were high-speed railways. With an operational railway length of 120,000 kilometers, China ranks second in the world; the United States, with 230,000 kilometers, holds the top spot. China’s highway network spans 4.5 million kilometers, encompassing national highways, provincial highways, and county roads. This translates to 45 kilometers of highways per 100 square kilometers of land area—a doubling from the 13 kilometers recorded in 2002. Liu Ziming believes that without the development and upgrading of these transportation infrastructures, it would be hard to imagine any significant economic growth.

　　In response to the questioning from some media experts and scholars—who asked, “Why build so many roads?”—he presented a set of data: On Germany’s Rhine River, there’s an average of one bridge every 10 kilometers; whereas on China’s Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, there’s only one bridge every 40 kilometers—and these bridges are all located in provincial capital cities. Are China’s bridges really that numerous? Actually, we still have a huge gap compared to developed countries! This gap must be closed—said he firmly.

　　Another piece of good news he shared with the board members was this: The future belongs to the high-speed rail era, and bridges will play a central role. This is because high-speed trains require “zero settlement,” which is virtually impossible on soft ground like that found in East China. Thus, using bridges to carry the railway route has become an excellent choice. Someone asked, “Why didn’t we do this earlier?” The answer is simple: Economic conditions simply didn’t allow it.

　　For the International Large-Diameter Pile Foundation Association, the future holds tremendous promise. By 2020, another 80 bridges will be built across the Yangtze River (with more than 10 already under construction). Additionally, with projects such as the Pingtan Strait Bridge, the Qiongzhou Strait Bridge, the Dalian Bay Bridge, the Second Channel of Hangzhou Bay, and the Yongzhou Passage connecting Zhoushan to Ningbo, even more bridges will transform formidable natural barriers into smooth, seamless passages. In this ongoing endeavor, large-diameter pile foundations are poised to usher in a new wave of market prosperity—because only large-diameter pile foundations can effectively withstand wind and waves, ensuring both the safety of bridge construction and the high quality of the completed structures.

　　He commends the internationally recognized general contracting and subcontracting collaboration model. As an example, he points out that the Qiantang River Bridge in Hangzhou, built during the Republic of China era, also employed this very same general contracting and subcontracting approach. He believes that in the future, it will be imperative for society to pursue increasingly refined specialization within industrial chains—there’s absolutely no need for every single link in the chain to be handled entirely by one’s own team. He hopes that general contractors and subcontractors can manage their relationship effectively, respecting each other, prioritizing quality, and ensuring that their equipment meets the highest standards. He particularly emphasizes: “Super-scale projects invariably require state-of-the-art equipment—and this ‘state-of-the-art equipment’ is precisely what we’re talking about.”

　　In recent years, Liu Ziming has frequently visited construction sites to conduct inspections and found that the quality of work performed by subcontractors varied widely—some were excellent, while others fell far short of standards. Sometimes, the substandard contractors would try to shirk responsibility by claiming, “You paid us too little, so this is all we could do.” Liu Ziming criticized this practice as utterly irresponsible, asking, “With the same amount of project funds, why can others deliver high-quality results while you can’t? Where exactly did your money go?” This event was not only a sharing session but also an educational and communicative forum that left a deep impression on every participant.

Reposted from: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/mIKT7cspsXIOV4MLZG-TMw