The Gongbei Tunnel, a key regulatory engineering part of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao (HZM) Bridge Zhuhai link line and the world’s longest super-section curved pipe-roofed tunnel, was completed on Dec 28 after undergoing four years of construction. 

HZM Bridge Gongbei Tunnel completed [Photo courtesy chinahighway.com]

With a length of 2,741 m, the structure encompasses two tunnels and one cross-harbor tunnel, and passes through the entire Gongbei Checkpoint region with six dual lanes. It is called both a “Geological Museum” and “Tunnel Construction Technology Museum” due to incredibly adverse geographical conditions. With curved double-deck design at the port section, the domestically initiated method of “curved pipe-roofing and freezing” took the place of traditional ones. 

The achievement is said to have laid a solid foundation for completion of the 13.4 km HZM Bridge Zhuhai link line and of the bridge opening by the end of 2017. Other two significant projects were the Qianshan River Grand Bridge, which was completed on Sept 9, and Jialin Mt Tunnel that opened on the same day.