Three-part story

This article describes the new US$1.5 billion Busan-Geoje Fixed Link project in South Korea. The project is designed to provide a direct link to Geoje Island from Busan, boosting tourism and cutting journey times. The project was set up as a build-transfer-operate project run by a concession company called the GK Fixed Link Corporation, a consortium comprising seven Korean contractors led by Daewoo Engineering Construction Company. The sea crossing is split into three sections and consists of two cable-stay bridges, designed by Cowi, and an immersed tube tunnel designed by Halcrow and Tunnel Engineering Consultants. The project will use a fast track system with concurrent design, construction and approval and a high degree of prefabrication of structural elements. Prefabrication will take place onshore at Anjung, with the completed units transported by sea to the construction site. Details are given of the caissons, wind resistance testing of the cable-stayed bridges, use of the floating deck system, and collision protection for the pylons. (A)