[Photo/VCG] WUHAN - A total of 1,361 illegal wharfs along the main channel of the Yangtze River have been demolished or renovated, according to the National Development and Reform Commission. Increasing human activity has damaged the ecological environment in the Yangtze River water area, as well as endangered rare species and biological resources over the years, said Xiong Qiquan from the commission. Xiong said 1,254 wharfs had been torn down to make room for greenbelt areas, and the remaining 107 had been upgraded. In the meantime, crackdowns on illegal sand mining, chemical pollution and sewage disposal have been carried out to restore the river environment and protect the water source. Nearly 900 nature reserves had been established along the main channel of the Yangtze as of the end of 2017. custom wrist bandspurple rubber braceletrheumatoid arthritis silicone braceletsneon wristbands for eventscustom wristbands
An aerial photo focuses on the Macao entry port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge that will open on Wednesday. [Photo/Xinhua] Soft clay on seabed posed biggest challenge for engineers The complex geology of the Pearl River estuary in South China was a driving force behind the technological innovation that makes the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge stand out from similar projects around the world, according to civil engineers. They point to the estuary's variable soil conditions, with thick layers of soft alluvial clay that subject its undersea tunnel section, at a depth of about 50 meters, to high hydraulic pressure, and say the entire 55-kilometer structure may be the most complex and challenging sea crossing ever built - in addition to being the world's longest. Hans de Wit, managing director of Tunnel Engineering Consultants, a leading tunnel construction company based in the Netherlands, said complicated infrastructure projects like the bridge typically stimulate innovation. De Wit, who has nearly 30 years of experience in immersed tunnel projects, was the lead consultant for the design and construction of the HZMB's island and tunnel project. The size of the bridge project and its immense budget allowed for study and innovation, he said. Additionally, these large infrastructure projects very often contain technical challenges beyond the current state of the art. This is also the case with the HZMB.
