The Hwayang-Jeokgeum road construction project was divided into four sections. As excellent design and economic feasibility were considered a key to winning the project, competition was fierce among builders to receive the order for Section 2 including bridge construction. A consortium led by Hyundai E&C was successfully awarded the deal to be in charge of Section 2 by suggesting the eye-catching tower design and the outstanding construction capability to minimize damage to the environment.

The Section 2 of the Hwayang-Jeokgeum road construction project includes the construction of an 854-meter cable-stayed bridge and a 1.2-kilometer access road. What is notable is that the Hwayang Bridge (tentatively named the Johwa Bridge) with a central span of 500 meters between two pylons is considered Korea’s longest concrete cable-stayed bridge completed.

In addition, the builder applied a wide range of technologies to build 170-meter-high towers. It chose parallel wire stands (PWS), connected to the towers, to reduce wind load. The auto climbing system (ACS) was introduced to construct high pylons. The ACS enabled the automatic lifting of formworks through the use of the hydraulic system without additional dismantlement and reinstallation, contributing to increasing work efficiency and managing construction quality in an easier way.

The biggest challenge to the construction work conducted high in the air and the marine construction involving the handling of heavy materials was irregular weather conditions. The construction site had to fight against frequent fog, heaving seas and strong winds. Under these circumstances, the construction site committed efforts to securing safety for its workers by monitoring wind velocity in real time.

The Section 2 project was commenced in December 2011 and successfully completed in February Last year. The successful construction of the new road allows residents in the neighboring island to go to the land without using a ship around the clock, and the Hwayang Bridge, which has emerged as a new landmark in the southern coast, is expected to help vitalize the local economy as a tourist attraction.