“The installation of caissons for the project’s three berths is the key task this quarter. We must race against time and strive for efficiency.” Entering the critical sprint period of the fourth quarter, Liao Jinhe, project manager for the Meizhou Bay Port Luoyu Berths 13-15 project undertaken by The Sixth Engineering (Xiamen) Co., Ltd. of CCCC Third Harbor Engineering Co., Ltd., is leading his team to advance various construction processes in a closely coordinated manner, engaged in a “caisson installation battle” racing against time.
Just as the “race” to accelerate the schedule began, it was put on “pause” by the demolition of marine aquaculture facilities. Lin Wenqiang, the project’s Party branch secretary, immediately led Party members and cadres into the fishing villages. They visited fishermen household by household, patiently explained the expropriation and demolition policies, and helped everyone understand the “long-term benefits.” In just 27 days, they managed to tackle this “tough challenge,” clearing the first major obstacle to the project’s progress.
With the demolition issue resolved, foundation trench excavation immediately “sped up.” A fleet of operation vessels quickly deployed across the work area. The cutter heads of the dredgers operated at high speed, churning up muddy waves, while six hopper barges, under the precise coordination of dispatcher Yang Zhi, “relayed” the transport of dredged material, shuttling back and forth orderly in the channel. In less than two months, the foundation trench excavation was completed as planned. Yang Zhi said with a smile, “Now the caissons have a place to call ‘home’.”
Just as the foundation trench excavation commenced, the precasting of caissons began at the nearby precasting yard.
Early in the construction planning phase, the technical team used BIM technology to model and analyze the rebar cage of the first caisson, simulating the construction process to avoid the risk of on-site adjustments. The technical team also identified a potential risk: during the precasting process, due to the weight of a single caisson reaching 2,849 tons, spacing deviations in the bottom layer of rebar were highly likely to occur during rebar tying.
“Rushing the schedule isn’t just about speed; resolving risks proactively is key to maintaining progress.” Some time before precasting began, Liao Jinhe gathered the project team to review the construction plan against the actual site conditions, focusing on clarifying responsibilities and formulating corresponding measures for the caisson production process, aiming to solve problems before construction started.
Faced with the issue of rebar spacing and cover depth being prone to deviation, the project team proposed an innovative solution: reusing short rebar offcuts, reprocessing them into U-shaped positioning bars. This thoroughly solved the problem of controlling rebar spacing and cover depth. The team utilized a “rebar positioning frame with grooves,” controlling the error in rebar spacing and cover depth to within millimeters.
Simultaneously, the team conducted comprehensive “check-ups” on two rebar bending machines and calibrated their parameters, striving to minimize the error in bend angles. “Equipment checks and parameter calibration take some time, but ‘sharpening the axe won’t delay the job of cutting wood.’ Lower errors in rebar processing mean more stable progress in caisson production. Reducing the need for rework and corrections later is the most practical way to save time,” said equipment manager Long Changhui, pointing at the rebar bending machine.
During this process, the project team also stationed quality inspectors on-site for random checks, implementing front-loaded control procedures. For key processes, they adopted the dual safeguards of “continuous supervision” and “data recording,” ensuring the quality of the caisson production.
With the implementation of these “smart techniques,” the efficiency of caisson precasting improved from initially completing 4 layers in 7 days to 6 layers. The task of precasting 43 caissons was “completed in a sprint” 20 days ahead of schedule, reclaiming a precious half-month for the main quay construction in the fourth quarter.
As soon as the first caisson was “born” at the precasting yard, the “relay race” of installation began in earnest.
The project team had started repeatedly surveying the transport route three months in advance. They worked with the maritime authority to demarcate the no-navigation zone within the construction waters, optimized the navigation control plan, and simultaneously widened and reinforced the transport channel, paving a “smooth passage” for caisson transport.
In less than a month, all 11 caissons were installed, nearly half a month ahead of schedule.
Today, the project has exceeded its annual progress target by 12%. The newly built 700-meter port embankment at Luoyu Port lies across the water like a silver dragon, and the outlines of the three 70,000-ton-class berths are becoming increasingly clear against the sunset.
Content provided by: Zhang Yuwei
