Precision Forged Components for Bridge Construction – Custom Engineered Solutions
— Weforging provides core fastening solutions for Century Engineering
Introduction
The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge – a 55-kilometer engineering marvel officially opened on October 24, 2018 – stands as one of the modern ‘Seven Wonders of the World,’ holding multiple world records. This monumental achievement in bridge engineering incorporates groundbreaking technologies, including WeForging’s high-performance locking nut systems. Our mission-critical forged components, particularly the massive anchor nuts securing the undersea tunnel’s fixed ends, play a pivotal role in ensuring the structure’s unprecedented 120-year design lifespan.
The Ultimate Challenge of a Century Project
Harsh Marine Environment Test
The Lingdingyang Sea presents a tough challenge for any infrastructure, with its harsh marine environment:
High Salt and High Humidity Corrosion: The annual salinity level of the sea area reaches 3.4%, 1.5 times the typical salinity of regular sea water.
Typhoon Impact: The bridge must withstand typhoon loads equivalent to a Category 16 storm, with wind speeds up to 5000 tons (the equivalent of the weight of the Eiffel Tower).
Ship Collision Risk: The bridge must endure the impact energy of a 300,000-ton freighter.
World-Class Technical Standards
Meeting world-class standards was essential for this project:
Double Standard Compliance: Weforging’s nuts were designed to meet both British BS 3692 Grade 10.9 and Chinese GB/T 3098.2 standards.
120 Years Maintenance-Free: All components were designed to have a corrosion rate of less than 0.01mm/year.
Nanometer Size Control: Installation precision for embedded parts was kept to ±0.05mm.
Weforging’s Technical Solutions
Forging Revolution for Deep-Sea Fixed-End Large Nuts
Material Innovation: Weforging utilized high-strength, corrosion-resistant special alloy steel with added Cu/Cr/Ni composite elements.
Tensile Strength: ≥ 1040MPa for enhanced strength and durability.
Nut System That Never Loosens
Double Thread Locking Structure: The system employs a 30° wedge oblique thread and 60° bearing thread composite design.
Vibration Test Results: Preload loss < 5% after 1 million cycles.
Lifecycle Monitoring
100% Inspection: Every nut undergoes strict testing.
Unique ID Code: Each nut is laser imprinted with a unique identification code for tracking.
Performance Verification
Salt Spray Test: > 10,000 hours in compliance with ASTM B117 standards.
Temperature Cycle Test: The nuts endured -40℃ to 150℃ temperature cycles.
Stress Corrosion Threshold: KISCC ≥ 35MPa·m¹/².
The highlight of the bridge construction
Forging revolution of deep-sea fixed end large nuts
Immersed tube tunnel docking in 2016:
The 368 sets of embedded nuts used in the E15 sinking tube achieve ±2mm butt accuracy at 45 meters underwater
2017 Typhoon resistance verification:
During Typhoon “Hato”, the whole bridge fasteners failed zero
Conclusion:
Weforging leveraged its space-grade manufacturing technology and extensive marine engineering experience to provide over 150,000 key fasteners and forging lugs for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge super project. Our innovative solutions ensured the bridge’s longevity and performance under the most extreme conditions.
