Recently, the main structure of the Urumqi New Passenger Station project by China Construction Communications was successfully topped out, one week ahead of schedule. As the largest provincial-level railway station under construction in China and the terminal station of the second double line of the Lanxin Railway, the Urumqi New Railway Station will become a key gateway and high-speed railway hub in northwest China. Upon completion, it will serve as a strategic support point for Central Asia and extend its influence throughout Xinjiang.
Today, the station blends seamlessly into the Urumqi skyline with its streamlined design, reflecting the majestic snow-capped peaks of the Tianshan Mountains, the historic Silk Road, and the vast desert sands. Its architecture tells the compelling story of the Tianshan Snow Sea and the Pearl of the Silk Road.
Innovative Technology Leads to Overcoming Challenges
Optimizing technical solutions played a crucial role in overcoming the project’s challenges. From the outset, the project team engaged in extensive discussions, adopting modular unit improvements combined with Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology. This approach greatly enhanced project performance and efficiency, contributing to its success.
The construction of the steel structure grid, covering over 60,000 square meters, was the project’s biggest challenge. The Urumqi New Railway Station features a hyperbolic large-span welded spherical grid structure with a two-way orthogonal square grid and multi-point support at the lower chord.
This partly three-layer grid structure spans a maximum of 66 meters, with its highest point approximately 30 meters above the elevated floor. The challenge was assembling, welding, and installing nearly 20,000 irregular rods and almost 10,000 hollow spheres swiftly and accurately, ensuring foolproof construction. To tackle this, the project department consulted leading universities and invited prominent domestic steel structure experts for repeated discussions. They ultimately decided to apply steel structure unit integral lifting technology, using four hydraulic synchronous lifting devices developed by Tongji University to simultaneously raise each unit’s canopy from the ground to its predetermined position. This technique marked its first use in Xinjiang.
Thanks to this innovative solution, construction became more manageable. The first phase of the grid structure began on May 22, 2014, and reached topping out and precise positioning by October 22—completing the schedule ahead of the owner’s deadline. On October 28, the Urumqi Railway Bureau sent its first congratulatory message to China State Construction Engineering Corporation Limited. After the main structure was capped a week early in May 2015, the owner sent another message of congratulations to the company.
Building Information Modeling (BIM) Enhances Performance
The application of BIM technology significantly boosted project performance and efficiency. Its integrated use earned the project the Excellent Project Award at the 2013 China Construction Industry Building Information Modeling (BIM) Invitation Competition, the Third Prize at the 2nd China Engineering Construction BIM Application Competition, and the Third Prize for Best Expanded Application at the 2014 China Construction Industry BIM Invitation Competition. These achievements highlight the progress made in the digital construction of high-speed rail projects.
Ensuring Safety Throughout Construction
Constructing the new station while maintaining the existing railway lines was like “dancing with chains on.” The project team had to ensure the safe and punctual operation of the Lanxin Railway mainline, demonstrating China Construction Transportation’s responsibility and professional coordination capabilities.
Three major transfers took place during the new passenger station’s construction. The project team was responsible not only for construction and personnel safety but also for ensuring uninterrupted operation of the original Lanxin main line. This responsibility was immense. Many project employees had prior experience from the Qinhuangdao station building project, and they once again showcased their expertise.
To guarantee railway safety, the team implemented stringent protective measures known as “Make Zongzi” to shield existing railway lines from water and dust intrusion during construction. They developed specialized safety protocols, monitoring systems, and emergency plans for lifting operations above the active tracks. On August 7, 2014, the newly built Lanxin four main lines were successfully connected to the new passenger station building, earning praise from the Urumqi Railway Bureau Construction Command.
Building a Brand to Expand Market Presence
The high-quality delivery of the Urumqi high-speed railway new passenger station has been highly praised by the owners. Moreover, the project forged a team of employees who are capable, courageous, and skilled—laying the foundation for China Construction Communications’ professional reputation in railway station construction and supporting its expansion into the northwest market.
Guided by a clear strategy, China Construction Communications set out with the concept of “Strong foundation, two highlights, and two expansions.” Their development strategy focuses on making railway business one of the group’s core strengths. Alongside participating in railway line projects such as Harbin-Dalian, Wuhan-Huangshan, Shendan, Chengdu-Chongqing, Ganshao, and Baolan, they have undertaken 32 railway station projects including Nanguang Railway, Wuhan-Huangshan Intercity Railway, Hanhuang Railway, Qinhuangdao Station Building, Shijiazhuang Airport Station, and Hebang Passenger Dedicated Line.
China Construction Communications has received multiple commendations from China Railway Corporation and local railway bureaus. More importantly, it has established a strong brand in China’s high-speed railway construction sector, reinforcing the group’s confidence and determination to leverage its professional strengths and grow within the infrastructure industry.
The Urumqi New Railway Station project stands as a testament to China Construction Communications’ commitment to high-quality performance as the foundation for sustainable development. With ongoing efforts to cultivate the northwest market, the company recently secured its third successful bid in the Urumqi high-speed railway region.
Though heaven and earth have boundaries, travelers do not. Building on the project’s high-quality achievements, China Construction Transportation actively explores new markets. With a long-standing presence in the national high-speed railway sector and strategic alignment with the Belt and Road Initiative, the company is poised to continue writing new success stories for transportation professionals worldwide.
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