On January 7, Zheng Jielian, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, expert in road and bridge engineering, and Professor at the School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, GXU, delivered a lecture of GXU’s Junwu Grand Forum, themed “Construction Practices and Key Innovations of Super-Long-Span Arch Bridges.” Xiao Jianzhuang, President of GXU, attended the lecture.

In his presentation, Zheng Jielian began by tracing the evolution of arch bridge technologies in China, systematically reviewing the construction practices of world-class arch bridges such as Guangxi Pingnan Third Bridge and Tian’e Longtan Bridge. He emphasized key innovations in the foundations of thrust arch bridges in non-rocky areas, the reduction of costs and risks of large-scale temporary construction facilities for arch bridge construction, the key engineering materials for arch bridges, and the design calculation methods for main arches. He highlighted that technological innovation serves as the core driver advancing arch bridge development. Through concrete engineering cases, he shared the ingenious solutions for constructing 600-meter-span concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) thrust arch bridges under complex geological conditions. He also elaborated on how his team reduced the longitudinal reinforcement ratio in the encasing concrete of the steel-reinforced concrete (SRC) arch bridge to 1/16 of the original standard through systematic innovations, significantly improving economic efficiency without compromising safety.

Zheng Jielian emphasized that engineering practice must be grounded in a solid understanding of mechanical principles and adhere to the scientific spirit of bold hypothesis and rigorous verification. By comparing the development history of arch bridge technologies in China and abroad, he pointed out that China has achieved a technological leap from catch-up to leadership in the field of concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) arch bridges, providing China’s solutions for advancing global arch bridge technology.

During the lecture, Zheng Jielian engaged in in-depth exchanges with faculty and students on topics including the impact of temperature stress on bridges, long-term performance monitoring of arch bridges, and the application prospects of new materials. He encouraged teachers and students to cultivate systematic engineering thinking, dare to innovate while maintaining rigorous scholarship, and contribute their expertise and strength to national infrastructure construction in the future.