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As a result of the advantages of the steel fiber reinforced concrete pavement structure, which includes high strength, high stiffness, and high stability, a large number of steel fiber concrete pavements will be used for highway construction in China. As a result, numerous cracks develop, which significantly reduces the life of the road; therefore, the study of the jointing problem is vital. As concrete research on the influence of the load transfer capacity and service life of prefabricated steel fiber reinforced concrete joints on the structural design and use function of the whole and pavement panels, the paper proposes two joint forms, tongue-and-groove and overlap. Using experiments and software, the stress and reflection of prefabricated road panels of the two joint forms are analyzed for different axial loads. The analysis reveals that the maximum tensile stress, shear stress, and deflection of the precast panels of both joint forms increase linearly as the axle load of the vehicle increases, while the service life decreases relatively. The load transfer capacity is independent of the axle load magnitude, and the load transfer capacity difference between the two types of joints is minimal and excellent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The project case of Qiwu Bridge using link slab action between simply supported composite spans is introduced. The 60 m-span girder of Qiwu Bridge is the longest and heaviest among the composite girders erected by bridge-erecting machine in China. Qiwu Bridge consists of a series of 3 simply supported spans built with composite girders and connected at the pier supports by a link slab. This solution has both advantages of (1) smooth driving condition and enhancement of durability by removing expansion joints and (2) clear structural behavior as simply supported spans. A finite element model was established to simulate and predict the mechanical response of this semi-continuous solution. Numerical results showed that the removal of the shear connection around the link slab decreased the stress level but also caused a stress mutation. Qiwu Bridge was also monitored by vibrating wire strain gages to follow its actual structural response. From preliminary monitoring data and numerical results, it can be concluded that the proposed construction method and the static scheme is safe for the 60-span composite girder with a large safety margin. Further experimental results will be obtained during the service stage of the bridge to validate the in-service performance of the proposed steel-concrete composite bridge with link slab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge (HZMB) Island-Tunnel Project consists mainly of two offshore artificial islands that serve as transitions between bridges and an underwater tunnel. The artificial islands lie on the critical path of the entire 55 km long HZMB link. To meet the construction schedule, the authors proposed and implemented a novel method of constructing the artificial islands, using deep-insert steel cylinder piling with auxiliary cells. Using this method, two artificial islands, each with a land area of around 100,000 m2, were formed in 6 months, whereas the originally proposed construction methods would have required 3 years. Furthermore, the use of this method in this context minimized the dredging volume required for the artificial island foundations, reduced ship-collision risks and reduced the project's environmental impacts. This approach is now being applied to other projects in China, such as the Shenzhen–Zhongshan Link. This paper discusses the concept and underlying thinking, key technological points and lessons learnt from this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents comments of the author on a paper on the iron and steel industry by Kuei-Sheng Chang. He has adopted a useful approach in analyzing the locational pattern in terms of major nuclei associated with secondary centers in the various regions in China. Based on my current research, however, I fear that the picture of Communist China's iron and steel industry that emerges in this paper is one exaggerated achievement and it is likely to mislead some readers who have not followed recent developments.

This article reassesses whether, and if so how and why, China contests the WTO's liberal trade order. Our framework on 'varieties of contestation' goes beyond the mainstream view of a monolithic Chinese trade policy that either challenges or supports the liberal trade order. We propose a two-step approach that allows for a more differentiated assessment. First, a constructivist analysis captures the extent to which China embraces liberal trade norms. China may contest the validity of the liberal compromise that underpins WTO rules (frame contestation) or merely express disapproval regarding their application (claim contestation). Second, a political-economic analysis of sector-specific preferences allows us to explain why China engages in contestation in some cases, but not in others. Empirically, we examine three sectors that have played a crucial role in recent WTO discussions: steel, agriculture, and information technology. We find that contestation is more prevalent in steel and agriculture compared to IT. It is only with respect to the steel sector, which is state-permeated and where behind-the-border regulation is at stake, that China contests the validity of the prevailing liberal compromise. This pattern of selective contestation suggests that China will neither entirely abandon the WTO nor proactively revive it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a response of the author on comments made by scholar Theodore Shabad on his paper on the iron and steel industry in China. The study of any important aspect of the industrial geography of Communist China involves difficulties and pitfalls seldom encountered in other endeavors. I fully understand what Shabad means by the frustrating process he himself is now engaged in. Aware of limitations of individual effort, from the outset I choose only a limited objective to offer a locational analysis of the major nuclei in the emerging pattern and their effect upon the development of secondary centers in the various regions of China.