Jiangyin Suspension Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Jiangyin Suspension Bridge
was the most seaward bridge
to cross the Yangtze River
of China
at the time of its completion, however, the recently completed Sutong Bridge and Shanghai Yangtze Bridge/Tunnel are now more seaward. It connects the cities of Jiangyin
and Jingjiang
. The main span of the bridge is 1385 metres (4,544 ft) meters long, making it the sixth-longest span suspension bridge in the world and the largest in China at the time of its completion in 1999. With the completion of the Runyang Bridge in 2005 and the Xihoumen Bridge
in 2007 it became the third largest in China.
Located in the center of the Jiangsu Province, it carries the traffic
from two national expressways; Tongjiang-Sanya Expressway on the east coast and the Beijing-Shanghai Expressway on the west. There are three traffic
lanes in both directions and pedestrian sidewalks. The location of the bridge was selected because it is a spot where the river is narrow. The height clearance for river navigation is 50 metres (164 ft).
The bridge was planned so that it would be completed in time to mark the 50th anniversary of the Chinese Revolution of 1947. It was the first long-span bridge of its kind to be designed in China. Foundation
work began in 1994. Engineering
, manufacture and construction
of the bridge was completed in just less than three years. The concrete
towers are 190 metres (623 ft) tall, roughly equivalent in height to a 60 story building. The main span is made of flat streamlined steel
box girders. The steel deck was erected by raising pre-assembled units weighing up to 500 metric tons with jacks. ( pictures) The total investment of the bridge adds up to 2.728 billion yuan
. The bridge opened on September 28, 1999. Jiang Zemin
entitled the bridge and cut the ribbon. This impressive construction was conducted by Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company
of the United Kingdom
. Goodwin Steel Castings Ltd
, also of the United Kingdom, manufactured the cable bands for the bridge.
In 2002 the bridge received an award at the International Bridge Conference for "...outstanding achievement in bridge engineering that, through vision and innovation, provides an icon to the community for which it was designed." http://www.eswp.com/bridge/bridge_awards.htm
Suspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck is hung below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. Outside Tibet and Bhutan, where the first examples of this type of bridge were built in the 15th century, this type of bridge dates from the early 19th century...
was the most seaward bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
to cross the Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
at the time of its completion, however, the recently completed Sutong Bridge and Shanghai Yangtze Bridge/Tunnel are now more seaward. It connects the cities of Jiangyin
Jiangyin
Jiangyin is a city in China's Jiangsu province on the Yangtze River. It has population of 1.2 million . The total GDP reached RMB 171.3 billion yuan in 2009, an increase of 11.6% from 2008. The GDP per capita reached RMB 142,572 yuan...
and Jingjiang
Jingjiang
Jingjiang is a county-level city in China's Jiangsu province. It is located on the northern bank of the Yangtze river. Originally belonging to Yangzhou city, Jingjiang was transferred to Taizhou city in 1996...
. The main span of the bridge is 1385 metres (4,544 ft) meters long, making it the sixth-longest span suspension bridge in the world and the largest in China at the time of its completion in 1999. With the completion of the Runyang Bridge in 2005 and the Xihoumen Bridge
Xihoumen Bridge
The Xihoumen Bridge The 5.3-kilometre-long suspension bridge connection has a 2.6-kilometre-long main bridge with a central span of 1,650 metres. The approaches total 2.7 kilometres. When it opened, there was only one bridge with a larger span, the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge in Japan...
in 2007 it became the third largest in China.
Located in the center of the Jiangsu Province, it carries the traffic
Traffic
Traffic on roads may consist of pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using the public way for purposes of travel...
from two national expressways; Tongjiang-Sanya Expressway on the east coast and the Beijing-Shanghai Expressway on the west. There are three traffic
Traffic
Traffic on roads may consist of pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using the public way for purposes of travel...
lanes in both directions and pedestrian sidewalks. The location of the bridge was selected because it is a spot where the river is narrow. The height clearance for river navigation is 50 metres (164 ft).
The bridge was planned so that it would be completed in time to mark the 50th anniversary of the Chinese Revolution of 1947. It was the first long-span bridge of its kind to be designed in China. Foundation
Foundation (architecture)
A foundation is the lowest and supporting layer of a structure. Foundations are generally divided into two categories: shallow foundations and deep foundations.-Shallow foundations:...
work began in 1994. Engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, manufacture and construction
Construction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
of the bridge was completed in just less than three years. The concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
towers are 190 metres (623 ft) tall, roughly equivalent in height to a 60 story building. The main span is made of flat streamlined steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
box girders. The steel deck was erected by raising pre-assembled units weighing up to 500 metric tons with jacks. ( pictures) The total investment of the bridge adds up to 2.728 billion yuan
Yuan
Yuan may refer to:* Chinese yuan, the basic unit of currency in China** Renminbi, the current currency used in the People's Republic of China, whose basic unit is Yuan...
. The bridge opened on September 28, 1999. Jiang Zemin
Jiang Zemin
Jiang Zemin is a former Chinese politician, who served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China from 1989 to 2002, as President of the People's Republic of China from 1993 to 2003, and as Chairman of the Central Military Commission from 1989 to 2005...
entitled the bridge and cut the ribbon. This impressive construction was conducted by Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company
Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company
The Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company is a renowned bridge building and structural engineering company based in Darlington, England. It has been involved in many major projects including the Victoria Falls Bridge and the Humber Bridge.-History:...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Goodwin Steel Castings Ltd
Goodwin Steel Castings Ltd
Goodwin Steel Castings Limited is a heavy engineering firm located in Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, England. The company specialises in the production of large, bespoke, machined steel castings.-History:...
, also of the United Kingdom, manufactured the cable bands for the bridge.
In 2002 the bridge received an award at the International Bridge Conference for "...outstanding achievement in bridge engineering that, through vision and innovation, provides an icon to the community for which it was designed." http://www.eswp.com/bridge/bridge_awards.htm