Geotechnical works of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Project

Abstract

The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Bridge Project, being situated in the waters of Lingdingyang of the Pearl River Estuary, is a mega sea-crossing infrastructure project currently under construction in the Pearl River Delta of China. It consists of a series of bridges, sub-sea tunnels, viaducts and artificial islands connecting the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region ("Hong Kong"), Zhuhai City of Guangdong Province ("Zhuhai") , and the Macao Special Administrative Region ("Macao"), three major cities situated on the Pearl River Delta of China. The functions of the Project are: (1) to meet the demand of passenger and cargo interflows among Hong Kong, Mainland China (particularly the western Pearl River Delta region) and Macao; (2) to establish a new land transport link between the east and west banks of Pearl River; and (3) to enhance the economic and sustainable development of the three major cities in the Pearl River Delta region. The geotechnical works associated with the Project, including reclamations, onshore and offshore foundations, sub-sea tunnels, artificial islands, earth retaining structures and roadworks are extensive, large-scale, diversified, challenging and complex. In this special lecture, the background of the mega project and pertinent geotechnical works of the Project, in particular components contributed by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government ("HKSARG"), are described. Moreover, green measures implemented to reduce environmental impacts during the design and construction stages of the Project are also presented.