Recently, at the construction site of the Xiaoxiang Ship Lock Project of the Xiangjiang Yongzhou-Hengyang Class III Waterway Project undertaken by CCCC Second Harbor Engineering Co., Ltd., a scene of bustling activity prevails. Builders have stayed at their posts, seizing the "golden period" of winter construction to concentrate on tackling key challenges and go all out in a sprint, ensuring the "waterway expressway" opens to navigation on schedule and boosting the high-quality development of Yongzhou's economy.

Construction site of the Xiaoxiang Ship Lock Project of the Xiangjiang Yongzhou-Hengyang Class III Waterway Project

At present, the main ship lock structure of the Xiaoxiang Ship Lock Project of the Xiangjiang Yongzhou-Hengyang Class III Waterway Project has begun to take shape, with the main lock structures on the left and right sides lying across the banks of the Xiangjiang River like two giant dragons. Construction sections are carrying out operations in an orderly manner. The site is crowded with large machinery, workers shuttle across the site, machines roar, and cranes, rotary drilling rigs and excavators operate in an orderly fashion to fully advance project construction.

The Xiaoxiang Ship Lock Project is located in the core area of a wetland park, with strict environmental and water-conservation requirements. During construction, the project also encountered unfavorable geological conditions such as karst caves, weak interlayers and thick silt layers. The project construction unit overcame numerous difficulties and steadily advanced various construction tasks. At present, in addition to the main ship lock structure construction, supporting main facilities such as the downstream mooring dolphin pile foundations and the Xihe auxiliary dam are also under simultaneous construction.

Zhu Lianzhong, deputy secretary of the Party branch of the Project Management Department of the Xiaoxiang Ship Lock Project of CCCC Second Harbor Engineering Co., Ltd., explained that as of now, the Xiaoxiang Ship Lock Project has deployed more than 320 construction personnel and over 60 sets of machinery and equipment. Excavation of earth and rock for the main lock foundation pit has been completed at 93%, and more than 120,000 cubic meters of concrete have been poured for the main lock structure, accounting for 66% of the total 180,000 cubic meters. Because there is a karst trough about 20 m wide and 2.1 to 48 m deep in the main foundation pit that requires pile foundation reinforcement, 101 piles have been completed, accounting for 66% of the total number of foundation treatment piles (153).

Xiaoxiang Ship Lock Project of the Xiangjiang Yongzhou-Hengyang Class III Waterway Project

The Third Phase Project of the Xiangjiang Yongzhou-Hengyang Class III Waterway Construction is a key water transport infrastructure project of the Ministry of Transport and Hunan Province for the 14th Five-Year Plan period. The Xiaoxiang Ship Lock Project is the main construction content of this project. The project plans to complete concrete pouring for the main structure by the end of 2024 and complete the construction of metal structures and other ancillary facilities in 2025, ensuring that the ship lock meets navigation conditions.

"We are seizing this golden construction season and organizing carefully. Under the premise of ensuring quality, safety and environmental protection, we will complete the first pour capping of the first warehouse of the upper and lower lock heads on the right side by the end of this month, and by the end of the year all remaining lock chamber walls will be capped except for foundation treatment. We are expected to complete ahead of schedule all construction and production tasks assigned by the project headquarters at the beginning of the year," said Zhu Lianzhong, deputy secretary of the Party branch of the Project Management Department of the Xiaoxiang Ship Lock Project of CCCC Second Harbor Engineering Co., Ltd.