The key facts

  • The bridge is part of the Sichuan–Shangri-La expressway; construction is underway in mountainous terrain, where high precision is required for lifting and installing large structures.
  • Two Zoomlion R4300-200 tower cranes are in use: 200-ton lifting capacity, 80-meter boom length, one for each main pier.
  • The cranes are equipped with more than 20 intelligent control and safety functions; operators controlled them remotely from the ground via video cameras.

Bridge construction using intelligent cranes

A major bridge is being built in China that will become part of the Sichuan–Shangri-La expressway. According to Kun.uz, citing data from Zoomlion, construction is taking place in mountainous terrain, where lifting and installing large structures at height requires high precision. Two Zoomlion R4300-200 tower cranes are involved in the work — one for each main pier of the bridge. Their maximum lifting capacity is 200 tons, and the boom length reaches 80 meters.

Intelligent functions and a complex installation site

According to the company, the cranes feature more than 20 intelligent control and safety functions. These include collision prevention systems, automatic adaptation of operating speed depending on the load weight and monitoring to prevent the suspended load from lowering unintentionally. These capabilities proved especially important during the installation of the final 103-meter section of the pier on the Shangri-La side: the builders had to place the final steel and concrete sections on the central crossbeam, while variable winds made it difficult to hold the load and precisely join the structural elements.

Remote operation and results of the work

The operators monitored the progress of the work through video cameras and controlled the cranes remotely from the ground. According to the publication, this setup allowed them to see the elements being installed more clearly and make the necessary adjustments during assembly. According to Zoomlion, the lifting and installation of the pier sections were completed safely. However, the company did not disclose either the total length of the bridge or the date it will open to traffic.

Significance of the event

The project demonstrates how automated functions of heavy construction machinery are applied in building infrastructure under difficult mountain conditions, where installation precision is critical. For the construction industry, it is an example of expanding the use of remote operation and safety systems on super-heavy-class cranes. Practical details — the bridge's length and the timeline for opening traffic — remain unknown, as Zoomlion has not disclosed them.