Xintian Yangtze River Bridge after its closure (Picture provided by Wang Ruoqing)

CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- “The bridge is closed! It is closed!” On April 26, with the last section of steel box girder lifted and precisely positioned on the river, the main bridge of the Xintian Yangtze River Bridge, the largest span bridge under construction in Chongqing, achieved closure. The 57 sections of steel box girders, with a total weight of nearly 12,400 tonnes, were gradually spread out in a “building block” manner.

The Xintian Yangtze River Bridge in the process of being lifted (Picture provided by Wang Ruoqing)

Located in Wanzhou, Xintian Yangtze River Bridge is a key control project from Xintian to Gaofeng of Wanzhou, Chongqing. With a total length of 1,770 meters and a main span of 1,020 meters, it was invested and built by CCCC First Highway Engineering Group Co., Ltd. During the four-month lifting process, the project construction team overcame the difficulties of rapid river currents, difficult ship positioning, complex cliff areas near the river, long-distance swinging and other difficulties, and used advanced technology such as cross-cable cranes and long sling swinging to continuously “swing” and relay in the air by lifting vertically twice and following up with horizontal traction, and creatively implemented the “front crane and back support” method. The total length of the single section, 88 meters, set a domestic construction record for the longest “swing” distance in the air.

It is introduced that in the construction of the bridge, the project department has continued to innovate technology. As early as in the pre-planning stage of the project, the project team of CCCC First Highway Engineering Group has systematically built up a Whole Life Cycle BIM+ Technology Application System, cleverly realizing the relocation of the main tower bridge site and the optimization of the anchor square volume, saving construction costs of more than 20 million yuan.

According to plan, the Xintian Yangtze River Bridge is expected to be opened to traffic around August next year. By then, an 80km ring road highway will also be closed in Wanzhou. (Translated by Wang Huixin, Fathom Language Limited)