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The Challenges and Innovations in the Nanjing Xianxin Road Yangtze River Crossing, China

When: 8 May 2026, 14:00 - 15:00 hrs CET 

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Speaker: Heqiang Tang, Professor Level Senior Engineer, Project Design Manager of the Nanjing Xianxin Road Yangtze River Crossing, China

Moderator: Limin Sun, Vice President of IABSE, President of Chinese NG, Prof. Dr. Civil Eng., P.E., Tongji University, China

The Nanjing Xianxin Road Yangtze River Crossing, located in China’s busiest inland river port area, has a total length of 13.17 km. The project comprises the main bridge, approach bridges, tunnels, interchanges, roadbeds and other structures.

The design and construction face exceptional challenges, including wind resistance and fire protection for the super-long-span suspension bridge, structural durability, cost control, and the protection of ecological parks, railways, cultural relics and Yangtze River embankments.

To address these challenges, the team implemented a series of technical innovations, including low-damping wind-resistant technology, integrated fire and corrosion protection technology, innovative foundation design methods, advanced material development, and carbon emission reduction technologies. After five years of construction, the project was opened to traffic and has become a new landmark in the region.

From Safety to Resilience: A Comprehensive Perspective on the Seismic Performance of Buildings

When: 19 May 2026, 15:30 - 16:30 hrs CET 

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This presentation addresses the seismic performance of reinforced concrete buildings from a modern resilience-oriented perspective, moving beyond the traditional life-safety focused approach. Within the framework of performance based earthquake engineering, it will be shown how key aspects such as economic losses, functional continuity, and recovery times can be incorporated from early design stages, enabling a more comprehensive understanding of building performance under seismic events. From the Chilean experience, characterized by recurrent large-magnitude earthquakes and stringent, advanced seismic design codes, a methodological approach based on FEMA P-58, adapted to local contexts, will be discussed. This approach incorporates not only technical variables but also realistic occupancy conditions. The presentation will emphasize how these tools can support decision-making in the design and assessment of assets, creating opportunities to optimize costs, enhance resilience, and reduce lifecycle risk in the built environment. Finally, the applicability of these approaches to other contexts, such as Europe, will be explored, highlighting opportunities for collaboration toward more resilient, sustainable infrastructure aligned with current industry demands.

Bio:

Marco F. Gallegos Calderon is a Civil Engineer and faculty member at the Faculty of Engineering at the Universidad del Bio-Bio (Chile), where he conducts teaching and research in earthquake engineering. His work focuses on the performance and risk assessment of structural systems, with an emphasis on performance-based and resilience-oriented approaches. He has participated in international projects and collaborations across the Americas and Europe aimed at advancing safer and more sustainable infrastructure. His research integrates probabilistic methods with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual/augmented reality, applying them to real-world engineering problems. This approach has enabled him to effectively bridge research and teaching, contributing to the education of future engineers and the development of innovative solutions for the industry.

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