Lai Chi Kok Viaduct

The last of 1766 concrete segments has been placed on Hong Kong’s HK$ 1.1 billion (US$ 141 million) Lai Chi Kok Viaduct.

Main contractor Acciona placed the 100 tonne segments using a 170 m long, 900 tonne launching gantry. The last segment was cast on 10 July, and glued in place on 29 August.

UK-based Hyder Consulting oversaw the gluing and stressing of the blocks, which took three years to place. Francis Kung, project director, Hyder Consulting, told iC gluing took place over live traffic in Hong Kong’s busy East Kowloon district. Over 300000 vehicles passed through the site every day, with work also complicated by the proximity of buildings and flyovers. The gluing process used a two-part epoxy glue, mixed in equal amounts. Once mixed, the construction crew had about 1.5 hours to apply it to the concrete segments’ face by hand. Started in September 2003, the viaduct is part of Hong Kong’s Route 8 Project, which, when complete in 2007, will link Cheung Sha Wan in the south and Butterfly Valley in the north.