The largest sea bridge in China. The longest sea bridge in the world has been opened in China. Longest over water

What is a bridge? This is an artificial structure that can be erected through any physical obstacle, be it a river, ravine, lake, strait, building or anything else. It is believed that bridges appeared in ancient times - they are generally one of the oldest engineering structures that were built by human hands. Initially, the buildings were made of wood, then stone took its place.

Danyang-Kunshan Viaduct (164.8 km)

Our list opens with the Danyang-Kunshan Viaduct. This is the longest bridge in the world, the length of which is as much as 164.8 kilometers! Interestingly, this is a railway bridge located in Eastern China in Jiangsu province between the cities of Nanjing and Shanghai. Mostly located above the ground, but approximately 9 km are above the water surface. The discovery of this stronium took place two years ago.

If we talk about the amount that was spent by the Chinese government, it is huge - more than 10 billion US dollars! At the same time, 500 thousand tons of steel and about 2.5 million cubic meters of concrete were spent on construction! Incredible numbers! By the way, the Danyang-Kunshan Viaduct is listed in the Guinness Book of Records.

Tianjin Viaduct (113.7 km)

Another Chinese viaduct. Is part of the Beijing-Shanghai High Speed Railway and Beijing-Tianjin Intercity Railway, just like our previous contender. Its length is 113.7 kilometers. It starts near Beijing South Railway Station and ends in Tianjin, passing through several areas of Langfang along the way. As in the previous case, its opening took place in the summer of 2011.

Wei Bridge (79.73 km)

Yes, it’s not so easy to believe, but the third place on our list is again occupied by the Chinese bridge! It is interesting because it crosses the Wei River twice during its route. Of course, it also crosses other rivers, but in this case it is no longer so important.

The structure is part of the Zhengzhou High-Speed Rail Line, which connects the Chinese cities of Xi'an and Zhengzhou. It is noteworthy that the facility was ready for delivery back in 2008, but the Chinese government decided to wait. The opening of the bridge took place in 2010 along with the opening of the railway line.

Bang Na Highway (54 km)

Well, we are finally moving from China to nearby Thailand, where the Bang Na highway passes, the length of which is 54 km. Interestingly, it runs right in Bangkok and is an overhead bridge-type structure that has six traffic lanes (three in each direction). The total width of the roadway is just over 27 meters.

The government of the country decided to build a bridge in order to relieve the city from numerous traffic jams. The only problem is that you have to pay to cross the bridge, and not every local resident can afford this.

Work on the creation took more than five years - the opening of the bridge took place in 2000, and the total construction costs amounted to more than one billion dollars.

Qingdao Bay Bridge (42.5 km)

And again China awaits us, or rather, the Qingdao Bridge, which crosses the northern part of Jiaozhou Bay, connecting the industrial area of Huangdao with the city of Qingdao.

Construction took only four years and about $10 billion. The bridge stands on more than 5,000 supports. The roadway is divided into six lanes, the quality of the asphalt is excellent. More than two million cubic meters of concrete were used for construction, as well as about half a million tons of steel. Representatives of the company that built this structure claim that its structure is so strong that it can easily withstand an eight-magnitude earthquake. Interestingly, the workers started building at the same time from both ends and eventually met exactly in the middle of the “distance”.

Meanwhile, local residents are not very happy with the construction, since they do not see any particular benefit - you can get from Qingdao to Huangdao using a lot of other roads, spending twenty minutes more.

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway (38.42 km)

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway is known as a bridge connecting the cities of Mandeville and Metairie, which are located in the US state of Louisiana. The structure crosses Lake Pontchartrain. The idea of its creation appeared in the 19th century, but the construction of the bridge began only in the middle of the 20th century. The creation was completed seven years later, and a parallel bridge was also built. The total cost is about $57 million.

There was always a toll on the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, so motorists had to pay $1.50. However, after 1999, travel conditions changed - now entry from the north side became free, while motorists coming from the south must pay $3.

Great Transoceanic Bridge over Hangzhou Bay (35.67 km)

In front of you is a cable-stayed bridge, which is located in Hangzhou Bay off the eastern coast of China. It connects two cities - Ningbo and Shanghai. This is one of those rare cases when the structure was opened long before the official presentation was supposed to take place - this happened in 2008 instead of the planned 2010.

According to the company that built this highway, its service life reaches 100 years. The maximum permitted speed is 100 km/h, with three lanes available in each direction. Interestingly, about 40% of all funds were provided by private enterprises that were interested in building the bridge. The remaining 60% was taken from various banks.

Thanks to this road, motorists save a lot of time getting from Ningbo to Shanghai - if previously it took them about five hours, now it takes only one hour.

Hangzhou Bay (36 km)

Hangzhou Bay begins in the north of China in Jiaxing and ends in the south in Ningbo. The bridge is a critical stretch of highway on the east coast. Thanks to this building, which, by the way, is curved in the shape of the English letter S, residents of Shanghai can get to Ningbo in just two hours, instead of the previous four, and the distance has been reduced to 120 kilometers. However, some manage to travel this section in just over one hour. There is a speed limit here - no higher than 100 km per hour, and the highway itself has three lanes in each direction, so there are no traffic jams here. The bridge's capacity is about 50,000 cars daily, and this is not so little. By the way, unlike most similar buildings, approximately in the middle of the route there is a kind of island for rest of drivers and passengers, where there are several hotels, bars, restaurants, parking lots, shops and, of course, restrooms.

Construction of Hangzhou Bay began back in 2003, and was put into operation only in 2009. The cost of the bridge was a mind-boggling $1.42 billion.

According to Wang Yong, chief construction engineer, they encountered great difficulties during the construction of the structure. Thus, the environment here is clearly not suitable for bridges, since there are periodic typhoons, and the seabed is so heterogeneous that there were problems with the installation of supports. In addition, there is a very strong current here. However, the bridge is now practically unaffected by natural disasters (for example, it can withstand a magnitude 7 earthquake on the Richter scale). Huge barges and floating cranes were used to install all the elements. The result is a bridge of unreal beauty that outshines any others.

Zhunyang Bridge (35.66 km)

And again we are talking about China. The Runyang Bridge crosses the Yangtze River in Jiangsu Province and connects the cities of Yangzhou and Zhenjiang. Construction began in 2000, and five years later the bridge structure was put into operation. Costs amounted to about $700 million.

Shanghai Maglev (30.5 km)

And now it’s time to talk about more interesting things. The fact is that the Shanghai Maglev is the world's first commercial maglev railway line, which connects the Shanghai Metro with Pudong International Airport. The line carries super-fast trains with a maximum speed of 431 km/h. The train covers just over 30 km in 7 minutes and 20 seconds.

The railway line cost the private company a lot of money because much of it was built through marshy areas. However, passengers have to pay, since even the cheapest ticket costs about $6. His photo is just above.

At 36 kilometers long, this bridge is the longest bridge in the world to cross an ocean. It crosses the Hangzhou Bay in the East China Sea and the Qiantang River in the delta of the great Yangtze River. Apart from its length, it is currently one of the most beautiful bridges in the world. We invite you to take a virtual walk around Hangzhou with us

At the time of writing this article, Huangzhou was the record holder, but now a new bridge has been built, which has grabbed the palm and is the longest in the world - this is the Qingdao Bridge, built in 2011

There is a belief that the Chinese cannot build reliable structures... Perhaps these prejudices will soon dissipate thanks to projects such as this bridge. So, Hangzhou Bay Bridge Built in the shape of the letter S, it is a critical section of China's East Coast Super Highway. The bridge starts in Jiaxing in the north and ends in Ningbo in the south of the country.

The construction of this structure reduced the distance of land transport from Ningbo to Shanghai by 120 km, and the travel time was reduced from four hours to two. The two-way highway contains six lanes and the speed limit is 100 km/h. According to the project, the bridge is guaranteed to last 100 years, after which it can be easily reconstructed

Wang Yong, chief engineer for the construction of the Hangzhou Bridge, said that this bridge is one of the most important not only in China, but also in the world. Not only is it the longest (by sea), but it is also built in the most challenging marine environment - it has one of the three strongest currents on Earth, typhoons are frequent, and the seabed is extremely heterogeneous. The map shows the location of the bridge:

Research work at this location began back in 1994. Construction officially began in June 2003, and was completed in 2008. The bridge was launched in 2009, carrying 45,000 - 50,000 vehicles per day daily.

Of the total project cost of CNY11.8bn ($1.42 billion), approximately CNY149m ($18 million) was contributed by 17 non-governmental enterprises in the region. Approximately 35% of this amount was raised from private companies in Ningbo; 59% were secured as loans from China's central and regional banks. The Songcheng Group is the largest non-governmental shareholder in the project with its investment accounting for 17.3% of the capital stock. Investors say the new Hangzhou Bay Crossing Sea Bridge is a sign of China's growing economic power and has significantly accelerated economic development in the Yangtze River Delta.

According to the governor of Zhejiang, China's fourth-largest economy: “The bridge will help form a more convenient and efficient transportation network in the Yangtze River Delta, allowing each side to develop much closer relations with each other... We believe the bridge will open up many more development opportunities for the area and will significantly increase its economic strength and competitive power.”

China Railway Bridge Bureau Group Co. Ltd. was the main contractor for the project. The consulting and technical services agreement was awarded to the renowned firm Hardesty & Hanover, LLP. International company Ty Lin is the designer of the bridge. Ben C Gerwick is providing shipwreck protection systems for the project. The photo shows the opening ceremony of the Hangzhou Bridge

Hangzhou Bay is a bay in the East China Sea that is home to one of China's natural wonders, the Qiantang River, which creates fast water currents and large waves. The area is also prone to frequent typhoons. These factors made the task difficult for the designers, and the design and construction plan was completed only after nine years of consultation and more than 120 technical studies involving more than 700 experts worldwide.

The cable-supported bridge design was chosen as it was considered best to withstand adverse conditions, multi-directional flows, high waves, and the geological conditions of the site. The bridge design was also designed in accordance with seismic criteria and maintains the integrity of the bridge in earthquake conditions up to seven on the Richter scale. The 36-kilometer bridge has six lanes, each 3.75 meters long, three in each direction. The total width of the bridge will be 33 m. Designed for 100 years of service, the 62 m high bridge allows fourth and fifth generation container ships to pass under the arches. The total length of the cable used in the project will be 32.2 km.

One of the main problems faced by the Hangzhou builders was the release of natural gas in the deep layers of water along the bridge line. A special study was carried out to investigate the gas distribution and soil characteristics during gas release. As a result, this problem was solved, and the possibility of damage to the bridge structure was eliminated

All bridge assemblies were cast on the ground and the completed components were then transported to site for assembly and final installation. Giant floating cranes with precision anchoring devices were used to load and install the purlins at sea. The Hangzhou Bay Bridge consists of nine sections, and 50 RTK5700 GPS systems have been installed to ensure that all bridge slabs and sections are aligned with perfect precision.

In the middle of Hangzhou there is a 10,000 m2 driver's rest island where you can relax and take advantage of full services, including hotels, restaurants, gas stations and an observation deck. The island is popular among tourists who enjoy watching the famous river flow. The service island is built entirely on the pier to avoid destruction and is equipped with the latest security and monitoring systems. There are public parks on both sides of Hangzhou

BEIJING, October 23 – RIA Novosti. The world's longest sea bridge, 55 kilometers long, was opened in southern China, reports China Central Television. It connected Hong Kong, Macau and Zhuhai city of Guangdong province.

The ceremony took place in Zhuhai. It was attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, Vice Premier of the State Council Han Zheng, Secretary of the Party Committee of Guangdong Province Li Si and about 700 other guests.

A trip from Hong Kong to Zhuhai will now take half an hour instead of three hours. Free movement will open on October 24.

According to preliminary estimates, by 2030, more than 29 thousand vehicles and over 120 thousand passengers per day will cross the bridge. It is expected to greatly contribute to the economic integration and development of the three most important cities in the Pearl River Delta Economic Zone, as well as tourism in Hong Kong and Macau.

The bridge consists of several surface parts with a total length of 22.9 kilometers, an underwater tunnel 6.7 kilometers long, several artificial islands, as well as special border checkpoints between mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.

The weight of the bridge exceeds 400 thousand tons. It should last up to 120 years and is designed to withstand a strong typhoon with wind speeds of over 300 kilometers per hour, as well as an earthquake of magnitude eight.

The design also took into account the fact that this area is one of the most navigable in China. Thus, the bridge spans are located at the proper height, and the distance between the supports is sufficient so as not to disrupt the movement of ships.

History of construction

The idea to connect Hong Kong and Guangdong province with a bridge appeared in the late 1980s. In 2003, the central government of China ordered preliminary calculations and development of the project to begin. Hundreds of research organizations were involved in the design. The number of registered patents involved in construction exceeded a thousand.

Hong Kong and Macau are special administrative regions that became part of China in 1997 and 1999 under the principle of “one country, two systems.” Each of the three governments agreed to build the necessary infrastructure on their territory, but for a long time they could not agree on financing the main part of the bridge.

Construction began in December 2009 and was due to be completed in 2016. But the opening was delayed due to corruption, budget revisions, accidents, accidents and unfavorable weather conditions.

In addition, the project was criticized by environmentalists, primarily due to the decline in the population of Chinese white dolphins - symbols of Hong Kong. According to the regional government, from April 2007 to March 2018, only about 50 individuals were recorded in Hong Kong waters.

The longest bridge in the world was officially opened in the south of the country. The ceremony, which took place in Zhuhai, was attended by the leaders of Hong Kong and Macau. One section of the bridge will open for regular traffic on Wednesday, October 24. However, the entire crossing will be put into operation only next year.

The total length of the bridge is 55 km. It connects three coastal cities: the two autonomous self-governing territories of Hong Kong and Macau with the mainland city of Zhuhai.

According to the creators of the bridge, it was built using 400 thousand tons of steel and is able to withstand earthquakes up to magnitude 8 and typhoons. The bridge must last at least 120 years.

About 30 km of the total length of the bridge is located in the Pearl River Delta. In order for ships to pass without hitting the bridge, a 6.7 km section in the middle is lowered into a tunnel located between two artificial islands.

It took nine years to build the crossing. Its cost was about 20 billion dollars. It was assumed that all work would be completed in 2016, but it was delayed. The reason was protests by Hong Kong authorities against the destruction of the bay's ecosystem, which would have been inevitable if the companies building the bridge had used traditional technology to fill the islands. It involves lifting soil from the bottom of the sea and pouring it into a specified location to form artificial islands. Instead, it was necessary to use the technology of driving hollow metal piles into the seabed, which were then filled with inert material for stability.

However, despite this compromise, according to the Hong Kong branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the bridge could cause serious harm to marine life in the area, including the critically rare Chinese white dolphin. Their numbers have decreased over the past 10 years from 148 to 47 individuals. In addition, dolphins no longer swim to the bridge.

In 2015, plans were made to open the bridge only in 2021. However, subsequently they decided to build the crossing at an accelerated pace to the detriment of safety.

So, since 2010, according to BBC, 18 workers were killed during construction and about 600 people were injured. Because of this, some local media called the crossing a “bridge of death.” In addition, 21 company employees responsible for ensuring the bridge complied with safety standards were arrested for falsifying data.

Previously, the journey from Zhuhai to Hong Kong took about four hours, but now this distance can be covered by bridge in just half an hour. However, not everyone can cross the crossing. To do this, you must obtain a special permit, which will be allocated according to a quota system.

In addition, there will be a toll to cross the bridge. There will be no public transport routes running along it - only private buses.

In China, some criticized the construction of such a project and said that it would not bring any economic return.

Chinese officials say the bridge will bring in about $145 billion annually, but that figure is questioned by some politicians.

Legislative Councilor Tanya Chan, who represents Hong Kong Island, said the bridge wouldn't generate as much money if only a small number of motorists used it.

Let us recall, as Gazeta.Ru previously reported, on August 14. Then a 200-meter section of the Morandi Bridge, which was located at an altitude of about 45 meters, collapsed. All the cars, 35 cars and three trucks, fell from a great height. Many cars were literally “crushed into a cake.” The collapse killed 43 people, four of whom were children.

The viaduct collapsed, including residential buildings. Due to the threat of collapse, 311 families, or 632 people, were forced to leave their homes.

Later it became known that the company "Autostrade per l" Italia, which was in charge of the collapsed bridge, notified the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport back in February that the bridge supports had lost 20% of their strength, which meant that the structure required major repairs However, no action was taken to carry out repairs.

Engineering structures erected over obstacles are an indicator of development, an index of the technical progress of civilization. Over their thousand-year history, the hardworking Chinese have built many bridges. Built during the reign of the House of Han, the Chinese Ba Bridge in Xi'an (386 m, 64 spans) is considered one of the oldest multi-span transport structures in the world.

Modern Chinese bridge builders do not forget the traditions of their ancestors: bridge construction in the country does not stop for a moment. Of the twenty longest bridges in the world, thirteen were built in China. All of them have been put into operation already in this century, all are included in the majestic transport network that densely interweaves the Middle State.

Longest over water

The Qingdao Colossus connects the shores of Jiaozhou Harbor, integrating the miracle site into the industrial area of Huangdao (eastern and western regional outskirts). Every day, without breaks or weekends, more than 30,000 passenger and cargo units rush through the Qingdao facility. The enormous communication artifact reduces the province’s cargo and passenger logistics by 30 kilometers.

Length of the man-made object: 42.5 km (26 of them rise above the surface of the bay), the spans of the structure are supported by 5,200 supports.

Important! Official construction cost: one and a half billion dollars. A number of reputable publications claim that the estimate was significantly exceeded and the total price list for the release was 8.8 billion.

The majestic Qingdao masterpiece is a leader among water crossings, and deservedly reigns in the Guinness Register in the China section.

Ideology

The Qingdao project was developed and implemented as part of a national program to improve the interconnections of rapidly developing and growing provinces of the PRC. Strategically important for the development of the entire country, it was simply suffocating in the absence of modern transport infrastructure.

Cargo terminals of the city - the port of Qingdao.

There was a regular ferry service from the coastal metropolis to the industrial area of Huangdao (across the sea). The capacity of the ferry service was critically insufficient to carry out a decent cargo flow.

The six-lane colossus, coupled with a high-speed underground tunnel, became the fundamental basis of a huge national project: the Qingdao-Lanzhou highway.

Construction stages

The grandiose construction project, which started in 2007, lasted four years. More than ten thousand builders worked around the clock on the giant site. The construction of the monumental facility required more than 450 thousand tons of steel and about 2.4 million cubic meters of concrete. During the construction of the transport colossus, the most modern equipment and ultra-progressive construction technologies were used.

first phase: throwing spans (simultaneously from both banks, with a planned meeting with a “bow” in the center of the bay);
second phase: construction and arrangement of entrances to the facility, and improvement of the structure itself (power supply, fencing, asphalt paving, markings, etc.).

Special Features

The designers of the transport facility claim that the Qingdao project is a real engineering masterpiece - if necessary, the facility will withstand an eight-magnitude earthquake, a typhoon, a tsunami, and even a collision with an out-of-control ocean-going vessel with a displacement of up to 300 thousand tons.

The Jiaozhou Estuary is frozen in ice for two winter months: the bridge is the largest man-made structure in the icy expanses of the Celestial Empire. Experts guarantee a hundred-year operational life of the bay’s transport pearl.

Other Bridges of the Middle State

Throughout the history of ancient civilization, Chinese architects and builders shocked and awed the world community. The Celestial Empire has always loved and knew how to surprise: from the Great Wall of China to majestic palaces and pagodas.

Important! The construction of transport arteries is a separate page in the formation of the state.

The difficult terrain stimulated the development and implementation of the latest engineering solutions and technologies. Bridge builders and their products are the pride and heritage of the country.

Danyang-Kunshan Viaduct

The main obstacle to transport routes is the discontinuity of the terrain (ravines, gorges, canyons). Transport and communication facilities built in places with significant elevation differences are called viaducts.

Danyang - Kunshan is the largest viaduct bridge in the world between Shanghai and Nanjing.

The industrial masterpiece Danyang-Kunshan (164.8 km) is located in the Jiangsu region. It is part of the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway, connecting the two industrial cities of Shanghai and Nanjing.

The viaduct was built in record time: 2008-2010.

Hong Kong - Zhuhai - Macau

The world's greatest sea bridge, Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macau, is a masterpiece of bridge-building art. The grandiose transport facility combines a series of spans, a series of underground crossings and groups of man-made islands in the sea.

The long construction time (by Chinese standards, eight years is a very long time) is justified by the strict environmental safety framework of the region. Also, the “long-term construction” was facilitated by lengthy administrative approvals: dedicated administrative units of the Celestial Empire.

The total length of the transport facility is 55 km, the length of the main bridge span is about 30 km. The 420 thousand tons of metal required for construction would be enough to build sixty Eiffel Towers.

Hangzhou Bridge

The majestic Hangzhou Bridge connects Shanghai and Ningbo. The grandiose construction project implemented the ideology of billions of dollars of investment in the state’s transport infrastructure. The economic hub, the consumer goods exporter port of Ningbo, needed guaranteed transport accessibility to China's financial and business headliner, the metropolis of Shanghai.

The length of the transoceanic structure is 36 km, the permitted speed of movement is 100 km/h, the guaranteed service life is more than a hundred years. Bridge cost: 11.8 billion yuan.

Transparent transition

In the Hebei region (China), the world's longest glass bridge is open to pedestrians. 488 m of nerve-wracking walk at an altitude of 230: a 100% tourist highlight and a fetish for adrenaline junkies.

1077 glass panels cover the exotic structure. An additional nervous shock is guaranteed by an option specially announced by the designers: the bridge sways as it passes.

The Hebei Bridge turned out to be fifty meters longer than the previous “transparent” leader: the “Cloud Crossing” across the canyon has been moved from the top position of China’s transparent attractions.

Duge Bridge

The highest suspension bridge in the world connects the banks of the Beipanjiang River and, accordingly, the two provinces of Guizhou and Yunnan.

The complexity of the mountainous terrain required exclusive engineering solutions from the designers of the Duge Bridge. Based on the type of construction, the bridge is classified as a cable-stayed bridge: tower supports and a span suspended on cable-stayed cables.

The Duge Bridge sags at an altitude of 564 m above the river canyon and amazes motorists with its length (one and a half kilometers).

Construction of Lupu

The Lupu does not interfere with navigation on the Huangpu River; its height above the surface of the river waves is 46 m. The “Silver” world position in the category of arched transport structures commutes the two halves of Shanghai. A calling card of the metropolis and a tourist attraction, the central bridge arch stretches for 750 meters.

The modern design of the majestic structure is captivating; the bridge looks most effective at night when illuminated.

Important! At the apogee of the bridge arch, an observation and selfie zone was built: one and a half kilometers along the roadway, a high-speed elevator and... exhausting 367 steps.

The total length of the famous Shanghai Bridge is 3900 m.

Sutun

The 8,206-meter cable-stayed giant across the Yangtze connects the cities of Nantong and Changsha (eastern mainland China).

The enchanting structure was put into operation in 2008. The construct brings the two counties together and amazes tourists and business partners of the country with its ultra-design.

Jiaxing-Shaoxing

The pearl of bridge construction of the Middle State, a wonderful multi-pylon transport facility, adorns Hangzhouwan and brings the two industrial centers of Jiaxing and Shaoxing closer.

The total length of the combined transoceanic bridge crossing is 10,138 meters. The bridge impresses with its urban design and powerful splendor.

How are bridges built in China?

Thoughtful and wisely slow, China simply amazes with the pace of construction. They build in the Celestial Empire quickly and with very high quality. The Chinese love the latest technological innovations and cutting-edge mechanisms. For the construction of roads and the construction of majestic bridges, the incredible giant construction complex SLJ900/32 was created and put into operation in China.

The dimensions of the giant bridge layer are impressive: 90 meters long and 9 meters wide. The ultra-modern monster weighs just over 580 tons.

Conclusion

The bridge is one of the most ancient engineering structures invented and implemented by mankind. The construction of bridges in China is an extremely important task: the explosive pace of economic development of the PRC would be impossible without majestic transport highways. All of China's latest bridge-building masterpieces not only connect industrial and commercial regions, but also give the people of the Middle Kingdom the right to be proud of their country.