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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Three Gorges dam |
| 2004-06-30 |
| A subject of intense Rantburg interest There will be no crack anymore on the dam of the right bank of the Three Gorges Project, which is now under construction, even the whole dam, said chief of the China Three Gorges Project Corporation. The June saw the first anniversary of the completion of the water storage in Three Gorges reservoir, the concrete construction is underway for the dam of the bank on the right. Cao Guangjing, deputy general manager of Three Gorges Project Corporation, said they would try to ensure there would be no crack anymore on the dam. This is not only a wish and a goal but also an assurance. The Three Gorges Projects consist of three phases: the five-year-long first phase (1993-1997), the second (1997-2003), which is mainly for the dam on the left bank, and the third (2003-2009) phase for the dam of the bank on the right. Cracks had been found in the completed left dam. Now reporters can not find any there. Staff members told that due to factors like weather, over 80 cracks had been found on the left dam, but they were merely 0.1 to 0.2 millimeter’s wide instead of as wide as hand could reach in as rumored. Cao assured that the cracks are not deep enough as to affect the security of the dam. Presently, chemical grouting has been done to eliminate leakage. Sources say that such cracks mentioned above are defined as "quality defects" in official documents. The responsible did face up to the defects and accidents during the construction of Three Gorges Project ten years ago. The responsible person said that serious sum-up and review have been made to avoid the reoccurrence of the same problem. He said, "on the whole good" was the rating given by the expert panel for the quality appraisal of Three Gorges Project under the State Council. But, such wording as "on the whole" will never be affixed on the appraisal of the third phase. As learned, management in quality has been tightened in the third phase with new technologies applied. The cracks on the dam of the left bank originated mainly from the linkages of concrete pouring. During concrete pouring, internal high temperature and low temperature on the surface sometimes led to cracks. But now, after the pouring, cooling process is added for the concrete, and during cold seasons, there will be cover to maintain the proper temperature. New temperature-keeping materials such as polystyrene panel, instead of ordinary foamed materials for the linkages in the second phase, are used in the third phase, said Peng Gang, deputy director of the construction section of Three Gorges Project Corporation. When asked whether cracks would have been avoided if such operations were done for the second phase then, Peng said that reasons for cracks to happen were quite complicated and almost inevitable for all the dams worldwide. With the lesson drawn from the left dam and many tests have been done by the constructors to prevent cracks to happen. |
| Posted by:Chuck Simmins |
| #9 I was wanting to know what type of chemical grout was used on the dam? Thank you John |
| Posted by: John 2004-07-12 11:41:53 PM |
| #8 If they didn't, the dam would STILL be cooling... Quite right, Ptah. Hoover Dam required a continuous uninterrupted 24/7 pour lasting for one entire year. Chilled brine was employed for heat removal during setting and the concrete used could pave a four lane highway from coast to coast. The penstock tubes are big enough to drive a school bus through. One of the greatest civil engineering achievements on earth. I predict thousands and thousands of people will be washed away when the damn dam collapses. Halfass Pete, the final number would be in the millions. Given China's truly crappy civil engineering track record, Three Gorges is merely a disaster waiting to happen. The only thing I dread is that China might somehow use its collapse to fabricate justification for an attack on Taiwan. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2004-06-30 11:10:03 PM |
| #7 Bah, WE'VE known about high temperatures in concrete long before Hoover/Boulder Dam: They had their own refrigeration unit and laid plastic pipes of chilled water while pouring the concrete. If they didn't, the dam would STILL be cooling... |
| Posted by: Ptah 2004-06-30 10:54:20 PM |
| #6 I predict thousands and thousands of people will be washed away when the damn dam collapses. |
| Posted by: Halfass Pete 2004-06-30 10:52:47 PM |
| #5 I don't think that I would care to live downstream once the reservoir fills. I don't think "chemical grouting" will be of sufficient strength comes the day. |
| Posted by: RWV 2004-06-30 10:45:12 PM |
| #4 I imagine the world would be horrified by the loss of life downstream. Should China continue its pattern of aggressive behavior, any destruction of the dam will be of their own making. All blame for the deaths that ensue will rest upon the politburo's shoulders and nowhere else. China cannot possibly be allowed to think that they may proceed unfettered in their aggression against Tibet and Taiwan, yet remain immune from having their major civil engineering projects become strategic targets. This is the price of admission into the global community. Join the ranks and attain security through peaceful coexistence or expect your nation's vital resources to become targets. Nobody gets it both ways, no matter how much China thinks otherwise. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2004-06-30 10:06:43 PM |
| #3 Well, all right. The Chicoms are finally learning how to pour deep sections of concrete. Anyone wanting to keep up on the dam construction and its aftereffects can go the link here. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2004-06-30 9:53:20 PM |
| #2 If, God forbid, we came to serious blows with China, this would be an obvious target. I imagine the world would be horrified by the loss of life downstream. |
| Posted by: Tibor 2004-06-30 9:52:30 PM |
| #1 Anyone care to take odds on just how heavily those politburo Mandarins and PLA top brass are investing in riverbank properties downstream of the dam? [crickets chirping] All righty then! |
| Posted by: Zenster 2004-06-30 9:48:53 PM |