On September 22, Qian Qihu, winner of the National Highest Science and Technology Progress Award and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, along with 9 academicians and more than 10 industry experts, gathered in Jinan to attend the expert consultation meeting for the Jinan Huanggang Road Yellow River Crossing Tunnel project undertaken by China Railway 14th Bureau Group, "precisely diagnosing" this world-class engineering project.

Academicians Liang Wenhao, Zhang Jianmin, Feng Xiating, Li Shucai, Du Xiuli, Xu Weilin, and He Chuan from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Academician Li Hui from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and more than 10 experts from the industry, as well as leaders and representatives from units involved in the construction, survey, design, supervision, construction, and scientific research of the Jinan Huanggang Road Yellow River Crossing Tunnel project, attended the consultation meeting.

After discussion and questioning, the expert panel determined that the tunnel is the world's largest-diameter underwater shield tunnel project. The implementation of highly intelligent, mechanized, and green technologies during construction will push China's shield tunnel technology forward by a big step, and the completion of the tunnel will have milestone significance for the construction of underwater transportation tunnels in China.

Aerial view of the tunnel construction site, beginning the journey across the Yellow River

Xu Weimin, Party Secretary and Chairman of Jinan City Construction Group, attended the meeting and delivered a speech. He stated that the Yellow River crossing bridges and tunnels are landmark projects and brand engineering works of Jinan, and the construction of the Yellow River crossing tunnel in particular has pioneered many firsts in the construction of super-large-diameter shield tunnels in China. In the future, the construction of Jinan's Yellow River crossing tunnels will still face many challenges. We will earnestly study and absorb the insights and constructive suggestions put forward by academicians and experts in tunnel construction and related fields, advance the construction of the Huanggang Road Tunnel and subsequent Yellow River crossing tunnels with high quality, and jointly promote the intelligent construction and innovative development of large-diameter underwater shield tunnels.

Zhou Changjin, Party Secretary and Chairman of China Railway 14th Bureau Group, said in his address that the group has established an "Academician and Expert Workstation" and invited Qian Qihu to serve as a specially invited guiding academician. Through years of effort, the expert consultation system has been increasingly improved. Through the expert team's "diagnosis and guidance," a number of innovative achievements have been successfully applied in major projects involving crossings of rivers, lakes, seas, and cities, pooling wisdom and strength for advancing the building of a tunnel powerhouse and establishing China's large shield brand. In the future, China Railway 14th Bureau Group will continue to draw wisdom and strength from the academician and expert team, increase scientific and technological research and development, scientifically and efficiently advance the construction of the Jinan Huanggang Road Yellow River Crossing Tunnel and other projects, and make greater contributions to helping Shandong take the lead in ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin.

Li Fangdong, General Manager and Deputy Party Secretary of China Railway 14th Bureau Group, presided over the meeting. He stated that the experts have drawn a new blueprint for high-quality large shield construction and pointed out a new direction for technologically intelligent tunnel construction. China Railway 14th Bureau Group will shoulder its mission, adhere to the principle of "treading on thin ice, facing an abyss, sitting on pins and needles," put the construction safety and engineering quality of shield tunnels first, earnestly control every procedure, ensure that high-quality shield tunnel construction is linked closely at every step, and contribute the strength of the 14th Bureau once again to promoting the continuous advancement of China's shield tunnel technology.

World's largest: China's shield tunnel technology will take a big step forward

The Jinan Huanggang Road Yellow River Crossing Tunnel is, after the Jiluo Road Yellow River Tunnel and the Jiluo Road Yellow River Crossing North Extension Tunnel, another extra-large-diameter Yellow River crossing tunnel undertaken by China Railway 14th Bureau Group in Jinan. The tunnel has a total length of 5,755 meters, the shield machine has an excavation diameter of 17.5 meters, and the excavation cross-sectional area reaches 240 square meters, larger than half a standard basketball court. It represents the current trend of China's shield tunnels moving toward larger diameters, longer distances, higher water pressure, and greater burial depth.

The "Shanhe" shield machine is steadily tunneling, forming an extra-large-diameter completed tunnel

Extra-large tunnel: saving underground space resources and creating unique advantages

Interior design layout of the Jinan Huanggang Road Yellow River Crossing Tunnel

The biggest feature of this tunnel is its size! It is the first tunnel under the Yellow River to adopt a single-tube double-deck design. Compared with conventional twin tunnels, this 17-meter-class tunnel has a two-way six-lane layout inside, with a clear height of 4.2 meters, which can meet the passage needs of buses, firefighting, management, and rescue vehicles. At the same time, it makes full use of underground space and will save about 15% of total investment.

Academician Qian Qihu presiding over the expert consultation meeting

Qian Qihu introduced that the construction of extra-large tunnels has formed unique advantages in saving space resources and other aspects. Especially for places where shoreline resources are relatively scarce, a single tunnel both saves costs and achieves full utilization of internal space.

Crossing rivers and seas: key large shield construction technologies help build a world-class super tunnel cluster

The Jinan Huanggang Road Yellow River Crossing Tunnel is a major livelihood project for Jinan's "carrying the river north for cross-river development." Once completed, it will help interconnect Jinan's main urban area with the Starting Area for the Conversion of Old and New Growth Drivers, promote Jinan's transition from the "Daming Lake era" to the "Yellow River era," and help Shandong take the lead in ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin.

Segment assembly site at the tunnel face

At present, China Railway 14th Bureau Group has mastered key large shield construction technologies and taken new steps in building a world-class super tunnel cluster through underground space development technology, covering the entire industrial chain of underwater tunnel construction and providing a complete set of solutions for solving the problem of limited urban development space.