A significant milestone has been reached for the Xiamen section of the Xiamen-Kinmen Bridge project, with the Liuwdian Suspension Bridge’s critical control engineering component successfully connected on September 24th. This pivotal achievement paves the way for the main sea-crossing of the Xiamen-Kinmen Bridge to open to traffic.
A Landmark in Bridge Engineering
The Liuwdian Suspension Bridge is not just any bridge; it represents a first in China’s engineering history. It stands as the nation’s inaugural five-span continuous, three-span suspension combined bridge tower flat cable suspension bridge. Furthermore, it is the largest span bridge in Fujian Province and the first fully offshore, mid-sea suspension bridge.
With an impressive total length of 1948 meters and a main span of 928 meters, the bridge’s deck is comprised of 126 streamlined, flat steel box girders. These girders collectively weigh approximately 53,000 tons. The bridge deck sits about 70 meters above the sea surface, allowing for the passage of 200,000-ton cargo ships through its navigation channel.
Construction Innovations and Next Steps
The construction of the Liuwdian Suspension Bridge employed innovative techniques, particularly in its combined bridge towers. For the main towers, a rebar-free steel-shell concrete composite structure was utilized in the challenging marine environment. The steel components for the tower columns were prefabricated in factories and then transported by sea to the construction site, where large cranes were used for installation, effectively resembling a ‘building blocks’ assembly process.
The bridge’s structural design, a “five-span continuous, three-span suspension” system, means the main girders are arranged continuously across multiple spans, with three of these spans suspended beneath the main cables.
Following this critical connection, the project team is now focused on accelerating the construction of the bridge deck systems and electromechanical, traffic safety engineering works. The goal is to meet the year’s construction targets and ensure the Xiamen-Kinmen Bridge’s main sea-crossing is completed and opened on schedule.
Forging a New Transportation Hub
The Xiamen-Kinmen Bridge, spanning approximately 19.6 kilometers in its Xiamen section, is set to create a new, integrated sea, land, and air transportation network connecting to Taiwan. Upon its full completion, it will work in conjunction with the Xiamen Xiang’an International Airport and the Xiamen-Kinmen shipping route, establishing a comprehensive three-dimensional transport corridor across the Taiwan Strait.
Did You Know? Suspension bridges, a common design for bridges exceeding 1000 meters, consist of key components including the bridge tower, main cable, suspender cable, stiffening girder, and anchorages. Loads are transferred from the suspender cables to the main cable, and then distributed to the anchorages, piers, and towers.
