Author: SL Lee
Date: 06-24-03 06:00
Jiangnan Shipyard is in Shanghai. The bottom picture shows the new bridge across the river. I believe it is the longest one in the world for this construction style. Last year, it was still under construction. The difficulty for such bridges is the two sides must meet high precision to close up in the middle to have a perfectly level surface.
I watched it almost in completion from the Oriental Pearl TV tower, the tallest building in Asia.
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http://www.abc.net.au/ra/newstories/RANewsStories_695554.htm
China has completed the world's largest steel arch bridge.
It's a 3-point-9 kilometre long structure which stretches across Shanghai's Huangpu River.
Construction of the six-lane 'Lupu Big Bridge' began in October 2000 and cost 265 million US dollars
Some 35,000 tonnes of steel was used.
The bridge is the fourth to cross the Huangpu River and will be open to vehicle traffic in the first half of next year.
08/10/2002 11:08:47 | ABC Radio Australia News
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http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200208/02/eng20020802_100815.shtml
Construction of the Shanghai Lupu Bridge, the "world biggest arch bridge" with a span of 550 meters, has entered a crucial stage, leaving only an opening of 70 meters waiting to be joined up.
According to Shanghai Construction Group, the most difficult task lies in the last three arch ribs, and the bridge could be completed in September if things go smoothly.
The steel frame of arch ribs, which will extend out 28 pairs of hangers linking the bridge deck, plays a role in containing the bridge floor. The arch ribs are composed of 27 sections, 24 of which have been completed. The last three sections waiting to be joined up are the most difficult and need precise calculation. So it will take them at least one month to complete...
After sections of the steel arch bridge are joined, only a "virtual" bridge is completed. A real bridge capable of allowing the passage of motor vehicles can be declared completed only after the 28 hangers on the arch ribs are connected with the bridge deck. The whole project is expected to be finished in May next year.
Currently the world biggest arch bridge is the New Virginia Bridge in the United States, with a main span of 518 meters. The Lupu Bridge, the fourth one with a span reaching 550 meters over the Huangpu River, will be "the world's No.1 Arch Bridge" worthy of the name. Reports say, as an all-steel framework, the Lupu Bridge consumed 46,000 tons of steel, almost equal to that used for six 10,000-ton-class ships.
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SL Lee
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