Bold scientific decision-making to lift the antenna

In Ye Keming's office, there is a calligraphy work hanging, with two main characters: "Mingzhu" (Pearl). "It was given to me by a friend when the Oriental Pearl Tower was just completed. He might have been comparing me to a 'pearl' in super high-rise construction, but I prefer to use it to urge myself to 'be a pearl'."

The construction of the Oriental Pearl Tower condensed Ye Keming's countless efforts and wisdom. For example, in the construction of the three inclined tube bodies that were crucial to the success of the entire project, he proposed the use of a segmented demolding and inclined vibration process, overcoming a technical problem that domestic experts believed could not be converted from drawings to reality at the time, leaving an astonishing mark in the history of Chinese and foreign architecture.

What was most exciting at the time was the lifting of the 450-ton steel antenna of the Oriental Pearl Tower. When the antenna was lifted at a speed of 40 meters per day to about 350 meters, a strong wind of level 8 or above, exceeding the lifting construction limit, blew. Should they continue lifting or stop? The risk was so great that many were at a loss. Ye Keming had foreseen this. Based on dozens of previous simulation tests, he formulated measures to resist strong winds on the antenna's climbing track. Finally, with a command, the 450-ton steel antenna was lifted to a height of 468 meters and successfully installed in place.

Frequent visits to the construction site require a strong physique

The master of super high-rise construction engineering came from the construction site. Ye Keming came to the construction site as a construction technician after graduating from secondary school at the age of 18. Since then, while practicing on the site, he studied at Tongji University, step by step, and finally became the chief engineer of Shanghai Construction Group. Ye Keming said: "Theoretical study must be combined with construction practice. No chief engineer can 'cultivate' himself in the office. After me, the chief engineers of Shanghai Construction Group were Fan Qingguo and Gong Jian, and everyone grew up step by step like this."

In recent years, Ye Keming has supervised 6 doctoral and postdoctoral students. He has devoted part of his energy to mentoring young people. His students have continued his ideals for urban construction and technological innovation. For example, in the construction of the extremely difficult Canton Tower "Slim Waist," his student Cui Xiaoqiang put in a lot of effort.

In order to visit construction sites more often, Ye Keming has always paid attention to physical exercise. Before 2011, he swam for an hour every day. After that, following the doctor's advice, he stopped high-intensity exercise and switched to daily walks. "Only when you get older do you have some time to travel. Traveling can also exercise the body. I like to see natural scenery. If seeing historical sites, they must be genuine; those imitations are not very interesting."