Cracks appear at the section where the Langqi Minjiang Bridge body connects to the road surface


The connection between the Langqi Minjiang Bridge body and the road surface is visibly cracked

“Why has the Langqi Minjiang Bridge experienced settlement and cracks?” Recently, a Fuzhou netizen posted on Weibo that the section of the Langqi Minjiang Bridge leading to Lianjiang, which was completed and opened to traffic just this New Year's Day, has developed multiple cracks and settlement. A series of questions and speculations about safety hazards and whether the project cut corners have also been heatedly discussed online.

The day before yesterday, reporters arrived at the scene to verify and found that there were indeed multiple obvious cracks and settlement on the ramp. In response, a staff member of the construction party, Fuzhou Langqi Road and Bridge Construction Co., Ltd., explained that this is a normal situation of “post-construction settlement.” In addition, he stated that although the degree of settlement and cracks exceeded expectations, it would not affect the safety of the main structure of the entire bridge, let alone the collapse phenomenon feared by netizens. Director Lin of the Highway Supervision Division of the Provincial Department of Transportation also confirmed this staff member's statement.

Cracks: About 10-meter-long cracks on both sides of the ramp

Settlement: Obvious bumpiness felt while driving

At 12:40 noon the day before yesterday, reporters drove to the ramp indicated by netizens. On both sides of the ramp, reporters saw two very obvious cracks, each estimated to be about 10 meters long. Moreover, the widest part of the cracks could fit a thumb. At the same time, the expansion joints of the ramp also showed varying degrees of fracture. On the wall on one side of the ramp, there was a 2-3 meter long crack that had been covered with cement. Judging from the degree of solidification of the cement, it should have been applied very recently.

In addition to the cracks, what is quite concerning is the settlement. When reporters drove down the ramp toward Lianjiang, the approximately 30-meter section clearly felt sunken, with a change in slope and a significant drop from the normal bridge deck. When the vehicle accelerated slightly through it, there was obvious up-and-down bumpiness. Furthermore, reporters noticed that buses, coaches, and dump trucks frequently travel on this section.

It is understood that the Langqi Minjiang Bridge and connecting road project is a key project in the “Twelfth Five-Year” plan of the Ministry of Transport of the People's Republic of China. It is not only a key project of the province but also a key project of Fuzhou City's implementation of the “Five Major Campaigns.” The bridge adopted a variety of advanced domestic technologies and techniques. For bridge deck paving, the bridge used the most advanced and technically demanding cast asphalt concrete paving technology in China, introducing aircraft carrier rust removal technology equipment and the most advanced domestic cast asphalt concrete paving techniques, which can effectively ensure the quality and service life of the bridge deck.

This bridge was just completed and opened to traffic this New Year's Day.

Construction party: Cracks and settlement do not affect the safety of the main structure

Repair work to be carried out after “May Day”

“Cracks and settlement are normal phenomena and will not affect the safety of the main structure of the entire bridge,” explained a staff member of the construction party, Fuzhou Langqi Road and Bridge Construction Co., Ltd. In their professional terminology, this phenomenon is called “post-construction settlement,” which refers to a certain amount of settlement that occurs during the period from the completion of construction until the settlement stabilizes.

The staff member said that the section with settlement and cracks pointed out by netizens is actually not part of the main body of the Langqi Minjiang Bridge but rather the ramp connecting to the bridge, which belongs to the roadbed section. He explained that the roadbed with settlement and cracks this time is located in the Tingjiang section, where there is 20-meter-deep flow-plastic silt underground, belonging to deep soft foundation. In addition, the pile foundation treatment methods for the abutment (roadbed) and the approach bridge are different, and the abutment (roadbed) has a relatively high fill height in design and construction, which also led to a relatively larger gravity load and settlement amplitude at the beginning.

“In road and bridge construction, settlement and cracks will occur,” the staff member said. The phenomenon of the Langqi Minjiang Bridge is not an isolated case; such projects all have an observation period after completion. Although the degree of settlement and cracks this time exceeded expectations, it will not affect the safety of the main structure of the entire bridge, let alone the collapse phenomenon feared by netizens.

Director Lin of the Highway Supervision Division of the Provincial Department of Transportation also expressed support and confirmation of the staff member's statement. He told reporters that the early opening of the bridge also shortened the preloading time of the ramp, thus under the action of external forces, the settlement amplitude was relatively large. Although it affects the appearance, it indeed does not affect the safety of the main structure.

In addition, the construction party's staff member also stated that during the construction of the Langqi Minjiang Bridge, the higher-level transportation authorities were responsible for full-process quality supervision and management. “Completion and opening to traffic only means that the main bridge part has passed completion acceptance, while these roadbed sections have not. Part of the reason for the relatively large settlement this time is that some regulatory departments have not fully implemented the prohibition management of overloaded and overweight vehicles.”

“At present, the bridge has settled to a certain extent and has basically passed the observation period,” the staff member said. They have arranged to carry out repair work on the abutment in May and also call on relevant departments to implement management of restricted vehicles as soon as possible.