CHENGDU, July 16 (Xinhua) -- For decades, engineers faced a stark dilemma: how to inspect and maintain critical bridge components without halting the flow of traffic. Now, a Chinese firm is helping change that paradigm.
Intelligent Engineering Connections Incorporated (IEC), based in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, is equipping bridges worldwide with what it calls "smart joints" -- high-tech bridge bearings and expansion devices that can calibrate under full load, sense structural stress in real time, and even be disassembled and recycled after use. The technology has helped its products be deployed in over 30 countries and regions, from South Asia to the Middle East and North America.
The company took another major step in its global expansion on Monday, signing a strategic cooperation and exclusive distribution agreement with Malaysia's Pan Sarawak Holdings Sdn Bhd, which will introduce IEC's advanced digital twin system for bridge structural health monitoring to the Malaysian market.
HEALTH CHECK WITHOUT A PAUSE
Bridge bearings serve as the "critical joints" of a bridge's load-bearing system, absorbing external forces from traffic, temperature fluctuations and seismic activity.
For a long time, in-service bridge bearings have operated under continuous loads, making traditional calibration and inspection methods, which require unloading and shifting the bearings, both difficult to carry out and disruptive to traffic.
To check if they were functioning correctly, engineers traditionally had to unload and move the entire structure. It was disruptive, expensive, and often required road closures.
"Traditional connectors are just the 'skeleton' of infrastructure. We want them to become the 'nerves,' meaning they are capable of sensing and even thinking," said Wu Dacheng, IEC chairman.
IEC rewrote the story. Their technology can now calibrate bearings precisely where they sit, without unloading or displacing them.
The technology, officially named a "Structural Intelligent Force Measurement/Calibration Device and Safety Monitoring System," was recently recognized as one of the Chengdu municipal government's first batch of "industrial excellence" products. The company now holds 170 patents, including 27 Chinese invention patents and three international PCT patents.
This breakthrough alone has saved millions of dollars in maintenance costs and countless hours of traffic disruption across multiple projects, said Wu.
The company also embeds IoT sensors into the bearings, which act as a 24/7 "house doctor" for every bridge.
"Our self-developed structural intelligent force measurement, calibration and safety monitoring system enables the bearings to monitor internal forces, displacement, acceleration and other key parameters in real time," said Zhao Weichao, an IEC engineer.
"If something abnormal happens, the system not only sounds an alarm but also makes an adaptive adjustment. It can catch problems before the structure actually gets sick," Zhao said.
FROM CHENGDU TO THE WORLD
In February 2026, the technology proved itself on the Jamuna Bridge in Bangladesh, one of the largest bridges in the South Asian country. Working in the tight, cramped space under the deck, IEC and its local partners retrofitted the structure without stopping a single car above.
"The working space was so narrow that conventional methods were nearly impossible," said Li Shaofang, a manager of CCCC Second Harbor Engineering Company, a partner on the project.
"IEC's smart equipment allowed us to do the job with high precision and full control in that confined space without interrupting traffic. This holds great potential for wider application in both domestic and overseas projects," said Li.
IEC's track record already spans the globe. Its expansion joints have weathered the desert heat on Doha's ring road, built for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Its sliding bearings support the complex roof system of Los Angeles' SoFi Stadium, which is set to host the 2028 Olympics. New service hubs are also planned in Singapore and Brisbane.
The company, already a top-tier player in China's domestic market, has 300 million yuan (about 44.18 million U.S. dollars) in orders secured for this year, targeting 30 percent annual growth in output value.
"We are turning 'Made in China' into a label for intelligent and low-carbon solutions," said Wu. "This isn't just about building bridges. It's about ensuring they last longer, smarter and cleaner." ■
