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 lectureofGXU’s Junwu Grand Forum, themed “Construction Practices and Key Innovations of Super-Long-Span Arch Bridges.” Xiao Jianzhuang, President ofGXU,attended the lecture.

In hispresentation, Zheng Jielian began by tracing the evolution of arch bridge technologies in China, systematically reviewingthe construction practices of world-class arch bridges such asGuangxiPingnan Third Bridge and Tian’e Longtan Bridge.He emphasizedkeyinnovations inthe 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 materialsforarch bridges, andthe designcalculation methods for main arches.He highlighted that technological innovationserves 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 teamreduced thelongitudinalreinforcement ratio in the encasing concrete of the steel-reinforced concrete (SRC) arch bridgeto 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 technologiesin Chinaand abroad, he pointed out that China has achieved a technological leap from catch-up to leadership in the field of concrete-filledsteel tubular (CFST)arch bridges, providing China’ssolutionsforadvancingglobal arch bridge technology.

During the lecture, Zheng Jielian engaged in in-depth exchanges with faculty and students on topics including the impact of temperaturestress 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 tonational infrastructure construction in the future.