Downstream of the Yangtze River, the green waves rise high as hundreds of boats of various sizes busily navigate back and forth. A massive “steel dragon” stretches across the river. This is a “super project” that has spanned five years, becoming a key transportation structure and a testament to the remarkable development of China’s bridge and road construction industry.
On June 9, with the completion of the steel connections of the main bridge span, the entire Yangtze Trunk Bridge was officially connected. The bridge has a total length of 10.03 km and sets multiple world records for bridges. The Yangtze Trunk Bridge is expected to open to traffic in the first half of 2025. Once operational, the travel time between the cities of Changzhou and Taizhou will be reduced from over 1 hour to just about 20 minutes.
Located between the two major bridges, Jiangyin and Taizhou, the Yangtze Trunk Bridge acts like a steel ribbon connecting the cities of Changzhou and Taizhou. This bridge consists of several smaller sections, including a cable-stayed bridge, two steel arch bridges, and a continuous steel truss bridge. This not only ensures the load-bearing capacity of the gigantic structure but also creates a unique architectural masterpiece.
According to Yin Zhenjun, deputy commander of the Yangtze Trunk Bridge construction headquarters, the construction faced numerous challenges, particularly concerning waterway traffic. Due to its location in the downstream area of the Yangtze River, the density of vessels is very high. Therefore, the main span of the bridge is designed as a cable-stayed style with a length of up to 1,208 meters to accommodate vessels weighing up to 50,000 tons. This makes it the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world.
The longer the span, the taller the bridge piers and the deeper the foundations must be. To ensure the stability of such a long-span bridge, two diamond-shaped piers rise up to 350 meters, equivalent to a building of over 100 stories. Meanwhile, 64 meters below the water surface are two massive caissons with an area equivalent to 13 basketball courts, securing the bridge’s stability.
In addition to the cable-stayed section, the Yangtze Trunk Bridge also holds the record for the longest combined road and rail steel arch bridge in the world, with a total length of 388 meters.
To meet the transportation needs of ports and terminals, in addition to the main span, the Yangtze Trunk Bridge also features approach spans at Tianxingzhou and Lu’anzhou. For example, with a total length of 727 meters, including a main span of 388 meters, the Tianxingzhou bridge has surpassed the Shanghai-Suzhou railway bridge to become the longest arch bridge for road and rail combined in the world. This approach section uses 40,000 tons of steel to create the arch structure, nearly the same amount of steel used in the Bird’s Nest Stadium in Beijing.
The project is large-scale, complex in system, and diverse in structure. The bridge faces many technical challenges such as flow, terrain and geology, waterway traffic, and airspace restrictions. Therefore, to realize these “world records,” innovative and groundbreaking designs, construction, and management are essential.
“Super equipment” for the largest heavy-duty crane in the world has been put into use. Additionally, an 1,800-ton crane has been used in the construction. The new crane has a maximum lifting capacity of 2,000 tons and a maximum lifting height of 80 meters, equivalent to lifting 1,400 cars to the height of a 25-story building.
Moreover, the project has applied smart technology throughout the construction process, from design, manufacturing of prefabricated components, to safety monitoring and installation. The project has implemented 5G technology, big data, and the internet to control the entire construction process, ensuring quality and progress.
The construction of the Yangtze Trunk Bridge is a clear testament to China’s development, contributing to the realization of the “Made in China 2025” goal. The successful completion of the Yangtze Trunk Bridge not only enhances the road transportation network in Jiangsu province, relieving pressure on existing bridges but also serves as a catalyst for economic and social development.
