Design and construction of the Second Humen Bridge, China

Abstract

Completed in 2019, the Second Humen Bridge in south China has created a much-needed additional link between Guangzhou and Dongguan in the economocially thriving Pearl River Delta region. It crosses the Nizhou and Dasha waterways with suspension main spans of 1688 m and 1200 m, respectively. The Nizhou crossing is the longest steel box girder suspension bridge in the world and, at 49·7 m wide, both crossings are the widest built. This paper describes their design and construction and the innovative techniques used.

Editorial

“…Elsewhere in the issue we have papers from China, India and the UK, with subjects ranging from design and analysis to innovation, sustainability and rehabilitation. Our lead paper reports on the world's second longest suspension bridge, namely the spectacular new Second Humen Bridge over the Pearl delta in China (Wang et al, 2019). The structure crosses two waterways with spans of 1688 m and 1200 m. Innovative features include the use of 1960 MPa ultra-high-strength steel cables, robot welding of cable saddles and installation of an intelligent anti-corrosion system.…”