On the morning of May 24, local time, the River Bay Bridge in Zambia was repaired and opened to traffic. More than 300 people attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, including the Minister of Housing and Construction of Zambia, the Governor of Western Province, and senior local chiefs and groups from all walks of life.
The Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Zambia pointed out that the River Bridge was completed on May 24, 1973, with the assistance of the Chinese government. After 50 years, it symbolizes the long-standing friendship between China and Zambia, which is also why the ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on May 24.
The 270-meter-long Zambian River Bend Bridge in the Kafue National Forest Park of Zambia is an essential strategic road connecting Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, with the Central and Western Provinces. Years of wind and rain erosion have caused different degrees of damage to the abutments and piers of the bridge.
As the bridge bears the historical origin and long-term friendship of the Chinese and Zambian people, the Zambian government requires that the bridge be repaired based on retaining the original bridge deck, which adds many technical difficulties to the repair construction of the bridge and puts forward higher requirements for the construction standards.
The project department completed the construction of the bearing platform in water using the self-designed "steel cofferdam of the hanging box of the bearing platform." The pier is replaced by the method of integral jacking of the existing bridge. Many innovative achievements have not only won the national utility model patent, Henan provincial construction method, and QC achievement award but also saved a lot of concrete and steel for the project and achieved significant economic and social benefits, which has been highly praised and promoted by the Ministry of Housing and Construction of Zambia.
