Li and Qin have been working in the construction industry for nearly two decades and have witnessed the incredible transformation of Guizhou’s transportation network, which has helped residents enjoy better lives. their story is a living proof that love can overcome the greatest challenges. The Jinfeng Wujiang River Bridge construction project saw its completion in July 2020 after several years of construction. It was a challenging project for engineers as it spans the Wujiang River, a location that experiences strong gusts for at least 100 days a year. The couple, Li Zhao, 42, and Qin Guifang, his colleague, led a team of 1,200 construction workers to build the bridge.
They met each other while studying civil engineering at Central South University in Changsha, the capital of Hunan province, in 2000. As both were from Guizhou, they took part in the same classes and extracurricular activities. Gradually, they fell in love and supported each other in study and life.
The construction of a bridge less than two kilometers from the red line protection area of the Yangtze River requires high environmental protection standards, explains Qin, who is responsible for the front-end engineering of the project. The team set a special construction plan to meet the environmental standards, and their construction trash disposal followed strict transportation and placement guidelines. These measures ensured the project met the required environmental protection standards.
Although the construction of the bridge was not the most challenging aspect of the project, the assembly and installation of the steel truss structure was a highly precise and accurate process. Qin led her team in successfully assembling and packing the steel truss beam, despite the high risk of aerial work, heavy hoisting, and the need for accuracy control.
Qin emphasizes that her part in the project was the front-end engineering, and the next phase of the project falls under Li Zhao’s responsibility. From the start of construction to the bridge’s completion, the project only took 20 months, thanks to the hard work and dedication of Qin and Li’s team.
The bridge holds special significance for Qin and Li, who both feel proud to participate in the transportation construction of their hometown. Qin cannot resist taking a photo each time she is near the bridge, while Li finds romance in building bridges in the mountains and hills, rather than in the bustling city.
The construction of a bridge near the Yangtze River requires high environmental standards, precision, and accuracy. Qin led her team in achieving the successful assembly and installation of the steel truss beam, and the project was completed in just 20 months, thanks to the hard work of the team. The project holds special significance for Qin and Li, who find pride and romance in participating in the transportation construction of their hometown.
The couple shared the same goal of making their hometown better with their professional knowledge. To achieve this, they participated in several construction projects in other provinces, including the Guangzhou Xinguang Bridge project in Guangdong’s Guangzhou and the Xiaolan Bridge project in Zhongshan. They were learning and accumulating valuable experience in these projects.
In 2008, Li and Qin went back to Guizhou to work on different projects. Their goal of developing their hometown officially set sail. Li designed a set of steel-structured arch frames that were stronger and lighter and standardized construction of a reinforced concrete bridge. He also founded a technical research and development team to find more efficient ways of construction to ensure safety and quality and accumulate experience of construction in the mountainous area.
Qin used innovative techniques to solve the problems in highway maintenance in Guizhou and extend the service life of the roads. Qin also led her team to design special construction methods such as fulfilling the visualization and 3D simulation of a whole bridge. Besides working on the front line of construction, the couple spent time on research of various new construction techniques and both have become experts of the Guizhou Highway and Transportation Society.
Since 2020, Qin has devoted herself to the construction of Jinfeng Wujiang River Bridge, and Li later joined in the building of the bridge. The couple once again joined hands to work on the development of their hometown. Jinfeng Wujiang River Bridge, with its main tower standing at 650 meters, is 230 meters above the river. Qin was the chief engineer of the bridge, and she knows every detail about the bridge. The difficulties of the construction of the bridge include the high standard for environmental protection, the large number of components needed when assembling the bridge, and the difficulty of transporting the main truss.
Despite spending more time apart than together, Li and Qin’s relationship has become firmer. Li thinks Qin is a responsible person in both work and life. Qin also takes good care of both their parents and child. As people working in the transportation field, the mutual support of family members is quite important. Li and Qin have learned and gained experience under the guidance of a group of skilled masters, from a regular technician to a key member of the breakthrough team, and then to the project’s chief engineer.