Why the most long bridge built in the shape of the letter S, how much did the most expensive crossing cost, which bridge took 124 years to build and which of the record-breaking bridges is located in St. Petersburg? You will learn about this from our review.
Golden Gate Bridge, USA
What's the "trick"? The most famous bridge in the world.
Bridge over the Golden Gate Strait. Connects San Francisco and southern part Marin County, near the city of Suasalito.
The length of the bridge is 2,737 m.
Built in 1937
Until 1964 it was the largest suspension bridge in the world. The Golden Gate also has a sad reputation - it is the most popular bridge in the suicide club. On average, a suicide occurs here every two weeks. Statistics were kept until 1995, when the number of suicide cases in the entire history of the bridge exceeded 1,000.
The year 1995 was marked by a “black” record for the bridge; that year 45 people jumped from it, and in 2013 the monthly record was broken - 10 suicides. Sometimes people survive falling into water, but are seriously injured. The only one who was able to swim to shore after the “last” jump was a 16-year-old wrestler who decided to commit suicide in 1985. After he got ashore, he was reported to have said, “I can’t do anything right.”
Great Transoceanic Bridge over Hangzhou Bay, China (Chinese: 杭州湾跨海大桥)
What's the "trick"? The largest transoceanic bridge in the world.
Connects the cities of Shanghai and Ningbo.
The length of the bridge is 35,673 m.
Construction lasted from 2003 to 2007. Opened to traffic on May 1, 2008.
Until 2011, it was the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world. The design lasted more than 10 years. The contractor who carried out the construction gave a 100-year warranty on the serviceability of the structure. Thanks to the emergence of this communication route, the distance between Ningbo (Zhejiang Province) and largest port the country's Shanghai was reduced by 320 km, which allowed the city of Ningbo to become a competitive port in China.
Not only the state, but also local businesses invested in the construction of the bridge, the total cost of which was $1.42 billion. An island platform was built in the center of the crossing, where there is a service station and rest areas for drivers. For road safety, the bridge is designed in the shape of the letter S. This is done to prevent the driver from falling asleep while driving. The bridge also has LED lights that constantly change color. The bridge is also known as a tourist attraction. The fact is that from the island in the center of the bridge it opens beautiful view on natural miracle- the flow of the Qiantang River into the East China Sea.
Photo:goldenrecordrevisited.org
Qingdao Bridge, China (Chinese: 青岛海湾大桥)
What's the "trick"? Longest road bridge across the world's waters.
Connects the cities of Qingdao and Huangdao.
The length of the bridge is 42,500 meters.
Construction began in 2007 and ended in 2011.
What’s remarkable is that the creation of this bridge saves drivers only 30 minutes. The feasibility of building this engineering miracle still raises questions. According to calculations, the bridge is capable of withstanding a magnitude 8 earthquake, as well as a collision with a ship with a displacement of up to 300,000 tons.
Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge (or Mother of Pearl Bridge), Japan (Japanese: 明石海峡大橋)
What's the "trick"? The longest suspension bridge in the world.
Connects the cities of Kobe (Honshu Island) and Awaji (Awaji Island).
Length 3,911 meters.
Construction took place from 1988 to 1998.
During the construction of the bridge, in 1995, an earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale occurred. By this time, two pylons had already been installed. Both survived, but one moved 1 meter to the side. This bridge is included in the Guinness Book of Records twice: as the longest suspension bridge and as the highest bridge (the height of the pylons is 298 m), but subsequently the title of the highest bridge went to the USA. If you stretch out all the steel threads of the supporting cables of the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, then they can encircle globe more than seven times. The bridge is part of one of three highways connecting the islands of Honshu and Shikoku.
Seto-Akashi-Kodima Bridge, Japan (Japanese: 瀬戸大橋)
What's the "trick"? The most expensive bridge in the world.
Connects the cities of Kurashiki (Honshu Island) and Sakaide (Shikoku Island).
The length of the entire overpass is about 13 km.
Construction continued from 1978 to 1988.
The construction cost of this overpass across the Inland Sea of Japan, consisting of 6 bridges and 5 viaducts, amounted to 8.7 billion US dollars. The first attempt to connect the island of Shikoku with the rest of Japan ended in tragedy. A ferry service was built, but in 1955, a ferry crashed into the coast of Takamatsu Island in fog, killing more than 170 people. In 1959, the idea of building a bridge appeared and research continued until 1970. In 1973, the “oil crisis” occurred and the project was frozen. Its implementation began only in 1978; more than 50,000 people took part in construction.
Millau Viaduct, France (French: le Viaduc de Millau)
What's the "trick"? The highest road bridge in the world.
Passes through the valley of the Tarn rivers between the cities of Millau and Cressels.
The total length is 2,460 meters.
Construction took place in 2001–2004.
The roadway is 270 meters above the ground. There is a bridge in the USA, where the bridge is located at a height of 321 meters, but this bridge is a pedestrian one. The Millau Viaduct has the highest support - 244.96 meters, and also the highest pylon in the world - 341 meters (17 meters higher Eiffel Tower). The viaduct is the last link of the A75 highway connecting Paris and Béziers.
Blue Bridge, Russia
What's the "trick"? The widest bridge in the world.
Connects St. Isaac's Square with Antonenko Lane and Voznesensky Prospekt.
Length 35 meters.
Built in 1737 (wooden), reconstruction was carried out in 1818 (cast iron). Finally rebuilt in 1842.
The Blue Bridge is part of St. Isaac's Square and is 97.3 meters wide. It is also called "bridge-square". In 1737, master G. van Boles built a wooden drawbridge over the Moika River, in mid-18th century centuries, the supports of the structure became stone. It is interesting that even with many reconstructions, the bridge has reached us almost in its original form, although some local historians claim that the color of its gratings was brighter.
Lupu Bridge (Chinese: 盧浦大橋)
What's the "trick"? The longest steel arch bridge in the world.
Connects two districts of Shanghai - Pudong and Luwan.
Length 3,900 meters.
Construction took place from 2000 to 2003.
Until 2004, it was considered the bridge with the longest span - 550 m. But in 2004, the Chaotianmen Bridge opened, the span length of which was 552 meters, so the title of Lupu began to sound differently. At the top of the bridge there is an observation deck, which can be reached from the center of the bridge by elevator and then on foot, climbing 367 steps.
Confederation Bridge, Canada (English: Confederation Bridge; French: Pont de la Confédération)
What's the "trick"? The longest bridge in the world, built over ice-covered water.
Connects Prince Edward Island and the province of New Brunswick on the Canadian mainland.
Length 12,900 m.
Construction began in 1993 and was completed in 1997.
There is in France an amazing miracle of engineering and design thought - the famous Millau viaduct(in the French original Viaduc de Millau). This is the highest road bridge at least in Europe, and at most in the world (it all depends on some technical aspects of determining a specific height). It is built using a cable-stayed system - that is, the bridge actually hangs in the air, but is supported by a special structure of rigid supports and flexible steel cables.
Where is the Millau Bridge?
The viaduct can be seen 4 kilometers southwest of the city of Millau (hence the name of the bridge itself) in the south of France in the Occitanie region. It is laid over the Tarn River valley and is part of the final section of the A75 highway connecting Paris with the city of Beziers on the Mediterranean coast.
Geographic coordinates 44.078179, 3.022670
General description
The Millau Viaduct is a fantastic sight. This bridge looks very light and airy. Its length is 2,460 meters. It has 2 lanes in both directions. The total width is 32 meters, this is equivalent to 17 adult men with arms outstretched, as shown in the picture below.
The bridge is amazing in its size. As much as 343 meters in height, which is 19 meters higher than the famous Eiffel Tower. It is worth noting that this absolute indicator the height of the largest support together with the pylon.
A small technical digression: The support is what goes BEFORE the bridge from below, and the pylon is upper part already OVER the bridge.
Maximum height the road surface is 270 meters above the valley, and its thickness is 4.2 meters.
The viaduct was built using cable-stayed technology and is supported on 7 supports with a height of 77 to 245 meters. Each of the supports is installed in 4 wells 15 meters deep and 5 meters in diameter.
The height of all pylons is the same - 87 meters. Each has 11 pairs of heavy-duty steel cables (usually called cables), capable of withstanding a load of 900 to 1,200 tons each (depending on the length, the shorter the cable, the more load it can withstand). There are 154 guys in total. This safety margin is quite justified, since the weight of the steel frame of the road is 36,000 tons (which is 4 times the weight of the same Eiffel Tower).
The Millau Bridge is not straight, but has a slight bend in horizontal plane with a radius of about 20 km, and a slope of 3.025% from south to north.
Don't miss the most steep street in the world. Its slope is such that losing your balance there is extremely dangerous.
The bridge has 8 spans. The outer ones are 204 meters long, and the remaining 6 are 342 meters long.
During construction, 85,000 cubic meters of concrete were used with a total weight of 206,000 tons, while the total weight of the bridge is about 290,000 tons.
Estimated daily traffic flow of up to 25,000 vehicles.
The developer gives a 120-year guarantee for the viaduct.
Cost of work and concession agreement
The total cost of the project is 400 million euros. To raise funds, the French government decided on a concession agreement.
Eiffage won the tender and financed the construction in exchange for the right to collect tolls for 75 years, until 2080 (this is the principle of the concession). But if the concession generates high revenues, the French government may take over management of the bridge sooner.
History of the Millau Viaduct
The construction of the A75 highway and the viaduct became necessary due to the increase in traffic flow along the No. 9 highway. Usually in the summer there were large congestions on it, because this route was chosen by the majority of travelers heading to neighboring Spain.
Before the Millau Bridge was put into operation, all cars passed through the city of the same name and periodically created a traffic collapse there. And this is dissatisfaction local residents, and increased pollution environment. In addition, large traffic jams practically negated all the advantages of the A75 highway.
Initially, 4 options for the final section of the A75 highway were considered, but ultimately they settled on the construction of a bridge in the area of the city of Millau.
The development and implementation of the project was entrusted to engineer Michel Virlogeau (France) and architect Noman Foster (England).
Sequence of events
- In 1987, initial sketches were developed
- In mid-autumn 1991, a decision was made on the specific location for the construction of the bridge.
- In July 1996, the cable-stayed technology for its construction was approved
- The final approval of the concession occurred in October 2001
- The ceremonial laying of the so-called “first stone” took place on December 14, 2001
- In January 2002, construction of the foundation for the supports began, and in September of the same year, the bridge deck was already installed
- Construction of the supports was completed in November 2003.
- Roads from the south and north sides came close to each other on May 28, 2004, and the joining of the roadway was immediately announced, although in fact this took several more days
- The lifting of the pylons was completed in mid-summer 2004
- Testing of the bridge under a load of 920 tons began in November 2004
- The grand opening took place on December 14, 2004 with the participation of Jacques Chirac (at that time the country's president). But the bridge was opened for traffic only 2 days later. It is noteworthy that the bridge was opened ahead of schedule(it was planned to open on January 10, 2005)
Technical features of the Millau Bridge
Such a stunning building has many interesting technical solutions and features.
Guys
Special attention should be paid to steel ropes – shrouds. The metal cable has triple protection against rust.
- galvanic treatment
- protective wax coating
- additional polyethylene extruded coating
By outer surface The ropes have special spiral-shaped ridges running along their entire length. This is done to prevent water from quickly flowing down them. Without this technology, strong vibrations in the cables may occur, especially in rain and strong winds.
Millau Viaduct - bridge over the clouds Road surface
The steel frame of the roadway is covered on top special kind asphalt concrete. It took 2 whole years of research to find the optimal formula for the coating, which is based on mineral resin.
The material turned out to be soft enough to adapt to metal deformations without creating cracks. But it also meets the traditional requirements for road surfaces, such as wear resistance, tire grip, density, lack of sagging and rutting.
A total of 9,000 tons of special asphalt concrete and 1,000 tons of standard asphalt concrete were used.
Electrical and security systems
Such a gigantic structure contains tens of kilometers of various electrical cables. There are as many as 30 km of high-voltage cables, 20 km of fiber optics and 10 km of low-voltage cables. The viaduct has 357 telephone points located in different parts of the bridge. This is done for quick communication of service teams both with the control center and among themselves.
The Millau Viaduct is literally strewn with various sensors and monitoring systems for monitoring the condition of the bridge. This entire set of control equipment is designed to track the slightest hesitation and shifts of the entire structure and its individual areas. The devices measure temperature, changes in slope, wind speed and direction, as well as a host of other parameters.
On the largest support, the deformation of as many as 12 strain gauges is measured. They are able to detect a shift of literally a micrometer. Moreover, up to 100 measurements are carried out per second. All data on the condition of the viaduct flows to the control and management center located in the area of the toll station.
Is the Millau Bridge really the highest?
The viaduct has a lot of competitors. There are designs much taller and wider, but each has its own BUT. These are mainly measurement methods and technical features.
For example, in Colorado (one of the US states) there is the Royal Gorge Bridge (in the original Royal Gorge Bridge). It lies at an altitude of 321 meters relative to the surface of the earth, BUT it is a bridge for pedestrians only.
Now the Millau Bridge is inferior in height to the road directly to the Chinese bridge on the Syduhe River. Its height is 472 meters above the gorge. And there is a “BUT” here - the supports of this bridge, like other high bridges, lie on the hills, and not at the bottom of the gorge being crossed. But the Millau Viaduct has supports installed right at the bottom of the gorge. Therefore, from a constructive point of view, it is the Millau Bridge that has the right to bear the title of the tallest in the world.
Best places to view the Millau Viaduct
Of course, such a landmark bridge is clearly visible from afar, but there are places from which it looks most impressive.
Cape Coast Brunas
Excellent overview of the viaduct and its surroundings. From Millau, take the D 992 towards Albi/Toulouse. At the village of Krissel, turn onto Brunasa Street and walk 5 km along a narrow road to the observation deck.
Geographic coordinates 44.070574, 3.058249
Luzenson
About a kilometer in a straight line west of the village of Saint-Georges de Luzençon there is an observation deck with an excellent view of the Millau Bridge. Follow signs for Albi/Toulouse to Saint-Georges de Luzençon. Then follow the signs to observation deck Luzenson.
Geographic coordinates 44.064485, 2.969102
Village of Peire
It is located on the banks of the River Tarn just 2 kilometers west of the viaduct. Travel there from Millau along the D 41.
Geographic coordinates 44.091668, 2.999611
Rest area at the northern edge of the Millau Viaduct
This observation deck offers unusual views of the bridge. From Millau, take the RD991 heading north. On roundabout Berger, 7 km from the town of Millau, 4th exit towards the recreation area. Then walk about 500 meters to the south.
Geographic coordinates 44.091944, 3.022049
Lerouge Bridge
This bridge is now located on the site of the "old bridge" (Pont Vieux), which was washed away by a flood in 1758. From here you have an excellent view of the Millau Viaduct. Especially at sunset. This viewpoint lies near the city center.
Geographic coordinates 44.092823, 3.075350
Lerouge Bridge Terrace of Beffroy de Millau
This is the bell tower known as the Tower of the Kings of Aragon. The 17th-century octagonal tower rises 42 meters above the center of the old town. Visits are open from mid-June to mid-September. To receive additional information visit the Millau Tourist Center, located opposite the tower.
Geographic coordinates 44.097992, 3.078939
Millau Viaduct and sports
The bridge is not intended for pedestrians, but races still take place across it.
In December 2004, 19,000 runners were able to run across the bridge, but only to the first pylon. They were not allowed further, since the bridge was still closed to traffic.
May 13, 2007 - 10,496 runners finally crossed the Millau Viaduct. The total distance of the race was 23.7 kilometers
Since then, races have been held here every 2 years, during which the bridge is closed to traffic for 3-4 hours.
To learn more about the viaduct, watch the following video. Ignore Millau's signature. This is just a literal translation French name Millau Bridge.
Being part of the A75 high speed motorway, this structure serves the shortest route from Paris via Clermont-Ferrand to Mediterranean Sea, in particular to the city of Beziers, which is located in the south of the state 15 km from the sea coast. Before the construction of the Viaduct traffic between southern France, Spain and the rest of the French cities, plying through the Tarn River valley had some problems - during the holiday season the section suffered from congestion and was filled with traffic jams for many kilometers. Over time, the appearance of a bridge over the valley became the only way out of the situation, which would shorten the journey by 100 km, reduce the load during the holiday season, and also protect the city of Millau from pollution caused by continuous traffic jams.
The first ideas regarding the construction of the Viaduct began to be discussed in 1987. In July 1996, the jury decided to build a cable-stayed bridge with several spans, as proposed by a consortium consisting of the companies of the French engineer Michel Virlogeaux and Norman Foster, an architect from England. The project was implemented by the French design company Eiffage, which includes the workshops of Gustav Eiffel, who built the famous Eiffel Tower. By 2001, it had already formed large-scale project and its implementation began. Huge supports were initially erected, along with temporary intermediate strips, to make installation a little easier. Engineers connected the roadway from two sides at once - attaching sections one after another using specialized equipment.
The bridge structure took almost three years to build - its official opening took place on December 14, 2004.
The engineering wonder of the world is a roadway 2,460 meters long and 32 meters wide, standing on seven concrete supports, one of which is almost 20 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower. In total, the bridge structure has eight spans, the two outer ones are 204 meters long, and the six central ones are 342 meters long. The bridge is made in the shape of a semicircle - its radius is 20 kilometers. The total weight of the Viaduct's steel deck is 36,000 tons. A special screen has been installed on both sides of the highway to protect motorists and the Millau Viaduct from strong gusts of wind.
The condition of the French record-breaking bridge is regularly recorded using a variety of sensors that measure tension, temperature, pressure, acceleration, etc. Initially, the speed limit on the Millau Viaduct highway was limited to the standard limits - up to 130 km/h, but it was soon reduced to 90 km/h in order to reduce the likelihood of accidents, because... Drivers often slowed down to enjoy the surrounding scenery.
The cost of construction of the highest transport bridge in the world was approximately 400 million euros.
The main competitor of the Millau Viaduct for the title of the tallest bridge on the planet is the Royal Bridge, located in the Colorado Gorge in the USA, which lies over the Arkansas River and has pedestrian status. Its height is 321 meters, making it the highest pedestrian bridge in the world.
Engineers suggest that minimum term The Viaduct's service life is 120 years. Held annually testing work, examining the fastening of bolts, cables, and the condition of appearance, so that the bridge is always in excellent condition.
Cost of driving a car on the Millau Bridge highway in summer period(July-August) is 9.10 euros, the rest of the year - 7.30 euros, for freight - 33.40 euros all year round, for motorcycles – 4.60 euros all year round.
IN modern world there are many different structures. Among them are towers, beautiful houses, monuments, monuments and, of course, bridges. The latter are among the most important strategic structures in any country. For a long time, bridges were low and almost always only wooden. However, now engineers are able to create structures of any design and height: railway, suspended and conventional.
The highest bridge in the world
The viaduct is located near the town of Millau. It is believed to be the highest bridge in the world. France is very proud of him. The bridge structure passes through picturesque place- the valley of the Tarn River. The transport bridge provides an opportunity to easily travel from Paris straight to the city of Beziers. Before its creation, it was very difficult to get to Beziers. Citizens had to travel along highway No. 9. At the end of August there was always high traffic here, which contributed to big traffic jams, which sometimes stretched for tens of kilometers. Not only the French, but also many tourists from other countries travel along it. neighboring countries. Most often, for example, from Spain. Tourists choose the Millau Viaduct because it runs almost straight and is free to travel through.
Bridge Maker
The creator is the famous French master Michel Virlojo. Even before the creation of the viaduct, he was involved in the development of bridges. For example, famous bridge Normandy, which is the second longest after the Millau Viaduct, was also built by the talented master Virlogio.
The bridge was constructed in 2004. Its highest point is 345 meters. So, one can rightly say about the Millau Viaduct: “The highest bridge in the world.”
Highest railway bridge
The bridge builders did not ignore the railways for freight and passenger flights. Thus, the highest railway bridge in the world is being built in India. It will be 1320 meters long and almost 360 meters high. This structure will pass through the magnificent Chenab River in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The initiator of the construction was the minister railways India. According to him, the construction of the bridge will save large number time and money for transporting goods and passengers. Its construction will cost almost 100 million US dollars. Engineers promise that it will be ready by 2016 and will be able to serve for at least 120 years. Its construction is necessary, as it will connect two districts of the country. Without it, it is very difficult to travel from Jammu region to Baramulla region. So, the railway bridge over the Chenab River is the second highest bridge in the world and the first among railways.
Highest suspension bridge
So, the next tallest bridge in the world is a suspension structure in Japan.
The Akashi-Kaike Bridge is famous for being included in the Guinness Book of Records as the highest suspension bridge in the world. This structure is located at an altitude of 2000 meters above the magnificent Akashi Strait. The Akashi-Kaike Bridge structure can withstand winds of up to 80 meters per second. The Akashi Strait connects the city of Kobe and the city of Awaji. Also the highest suspension bridge in the world Akashi is one of the three highways between the islands of Honshu and Shikoku.
The Akashi-Kaike Suspension Bridge has total length almost four thousand meters. It was opened for use in 1998. Construction began on it back in 1988. The reason for its construction is very tragic. The thing is that before the bridge appeared, the residents of Japan had to travel by ferry. But this strait was often subject to strong storms. Thus, in 1955, two large ferries were caught in a severe storm. As a result, almost 200 children died. After this terrible tragedy the authorities decided to build the structure. However, construction of the highest bridge in the world began only 30 years later, in 1988. In 10 years he was completely ready.
It is worth noting the high professionalism of the engineers, because building such a large-scale structure in this strait is not only difficult, but also very dangerous. However, the specialists completely coped with their task. Now, in a short period of time, residents can absolutely safely overcome the capricious Akashi Strait.
So, in the age of complex structures, professionals high level They do everything to make our journey easier and safer while traveling.
It is unknown who and when was the first to throw a log across the river to cross to the other bank. But from that moment on, humanity began to gradually move closer to the construction of modern bridges with advanced technologies. The invention of the canopy crossing can be called one of cornerstones historical progress. Bridges not only unite the banks - they connect the destinies of people, they allow one to admire the beauty of nature from an unusual angle. Often they themselves become an object of interest and admiration due to their venerable age, the beauty of architecture or unique parameters. One of the categories that characterize bridges is their height. And thanks to progress, the list of the highest bridges in the world is gradually increasing. We will look at them in the article.
The active development of bridge construction in China has led to the fact that a large number of record-breaking bridges are located in this country. At the end of 2016, they were joined by the Beipanjiang Bridge, spanning the river of the same name and connecting the southwestern provinces of Yunnan and Zhejiang. This object has already secured the title of the highest suspension bridge in the world - the highest point is at the 565-meter mark or at the level of the 200th floor of a skyscraper. In addition, he is considered one of the pioneers of buildings of this type in Asian mountainous regions.
The Beipanjiang Bridge is a cable-stayed suspension structure. It rests on two pylons in the form of the letter “H” with opposite sides river gorge. In addition to steel cables, the reliability of the building is ensured by a stiffening beam under the main span. The construction of the 4-lane bridge, which is part of the expressway, took 3 years and required an investment of $150 million.
Millau (France)
In the list of the highest bridges in the world, the Millau Viaduct over the Tarn River Valley is far from last place. This structure is considered one of the hallmarks of France - the cable-stayed bridge is part of the route connecting the capital and the town of Beziers, in which many elite educational institutions. Therefore, fast communication between the two cities is especially important. If we take the total height with the pylons, then the viaduct (343 m) is slightly lower (by 40 m) than the Empire State Building, but exceeds the “height” of the Eiffel Tower (by 37 m). A road surface with 4 lanes hovers above the valley at an altitude of 270 meters.
The Millau Viaduct, the highest bridge on the planet, was commissioned at the end of 2004. Design work were carried out for 10 years, but construction was delayed for 3 years due to strong winds and terrain difficulties. Design workshops that at one time designed and main symbol Paris. The metal road surface was installed on supports using the method of extension from opposite sides, sending commands via satellite.
Quite often the river valley is shrouded in thick fog - and then the bridge floats among the clouds. But the viaduct looks especially impressive at night. Illuminated 7 pylons with red lights at the top and wings of tensioned cables look like alien ships at the start. And the light from 7 pillars “walking” through the valley turns it into mysterious world.
Russian Bridge (Russia)
Among the highest bridges in the world, a worthy place is given to the Russian Bridge. In terms of the height of its two pylons, it is only slightly inferior to the French Millau. The height of the Russian Bridge is 321 meters (versus 343 French meters). The name of the relatively young (2012) bridge was given by Fr. Russian, who thanks to this facility received road communication with the coastal part of Vladivostok.
The construction of a bridge across the strait was brewing throughout the 20th century. But engineering projects 1939 and 1960 did not meet the technical objectives. In 2008, in preparation for the APEC summit, the most advanced plan at that time was designed, which was brought to life in 2012. The bridge as a development transport system The Vladivostok link instantly became a symbol of the capital of Primorye - it is called one of the wonders of the Far East.
The uniqueness of the Russian Bridge lies in its three-kilometer length and the length of the central span, which at a height of 70 m from the water extends to 1104 meters - according to this indicator, it is the first in the world among bridges. In addition, during construction they used latest methods: continuous concreting and use
The bridge is designed for vehicular traffic only (4 lanes) - pedestrians are strictly prohibited from crossing the structure. The beauty and significance of the Russian Bridge is confirmed by its image on the new 2 thousand banknotes of Russia.
Sutun. Pride of China
The Sutong cable-stayed bridge, one of the numerous cohorts of the tallest bridges in China, has been in operation since mid-2008. In terms of its parameters, this cable-stayed giant in the list of the tallest bridges in the world follows immediately after the Russian giant - each of its two pylons reaches 306 m in height, and the central span is 16 m short m to the span of the Russian bridge.
The task of the bridge builders was to connect two cities from different districts of China, which they successfully accomplished. The Sutong cable-stayed bridge (China) enters the river delta in a smooth arc. Yangtze and extends 8206 m above its main fairway. The road surface is raised 62 m above the water for the unhindered passage of ships and container ships. The bridge has become a landmark in China and plays an important role in the rapid economic growth districts in southern current r. The Yangtze, where cities such as Shanghai are located.
Sutong is the engineering and economic pride of the Celestial Empire, since the design and financing of the gigantic structure took place on our own states without attracting international assistance.
Bridge in Japan
Miracle engineering Japanese bridge builders - the Akashi-Kaike or Pearl suspension bridge. It is the connecting link between the islands of Honshu and Awaji. At the time of its opening (1998), it was considered the highest bridge in the world, as its two pylons rose 282.8 m above the waters of the Akashi Strait. Later, structures that were more impressive in height were built, but the scale and uniqueness of Akashi-Kaike did not suffer from this.
The Japanese giant is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest suspension bridge in the world (3911 m) - it is equal to approximately 4 Brooklyn Bridges. The length of its central span is also phenomenal - 1991 m. Near the bridge there is a museum telling about its construction.
The longest Pearl Bridge was made by an earthquake that occurred during construction and moved one of the pylons away from the design site by 1 m. But otherwise it is an extremely stable object: it is not in danger aftershocks up to 8.5 points, it can withstand the strongest strait currents and wind speeds of up to 80 m/s. The service life of Zhemchuzhny is designed for 200 years, and in the future it can become both a road and rail crossing.
But the bridge has a significant drawback - travel across it is expensive, so most residents use the ferry or public transport.
Highest railway bridge
The highest, like many road bridges that for some time bore the title of the highest in the world, is located in China. This facility connects the slopes of the famous Beipanjiang Canyon in the southwestern province of Guizhou in the vicinity of the city of Liupanshui. The bridge is an arch type structure with one span and a passage along the upper part. The highest point of the structure is at 275 meters. Railway bridge operating since 2001
Transport facilities
List of highest transport bridges the world is constantly changing. But currently it looks like this:
- Beipanjiang Road Bridge (China) - 565 m.
- Millau automobile viaduct (France) - 343 m.
- Automobile Russian Bridge (Russia) - 321 m.
- Sutong Road Bridge (China) - 306 m.
- Road Pearl Bridge (Japan) - 282.8 m, in the future - and railway.
- Beipanjiang Canyon Railway Bridge (China) - 275 meters.
Pedestrian bridges of the world
The Kokonoe Yume Suspension Bridge is for pedestrians only. This is one of the highest pedestrian bridges in Japan - its structures reach a height of 173 meters. The facility is located in the city of Kokonoe. At the same time, 1,800 vacationers can walk along the bridge, admiring the Kyushu Valley, Sindu Falls, or simply pictures of nature underfoot through the bars of the central span. The unusual pedestrian bridge on the island is named after the Sky Bridge for its location at an altitude of 700 meters and the magnificent views it offers. The entire arc-shaped structure seems to float in the air, resting on a single support - an 82-meter column. This bridge is not the highest, it is only located at an unprecedented level. But he holds another record - he is the longest in the world among suspension bridges curved structure (125 m).
The highest pedestrian bridge is a glass structure in China. It opened to visitors in 2016 and is located in Zhangjiajie Forest Park. The height of its structures is 300 m, and the bridge itself is thrown from cliff to cliff at an altitude of 260 meters. Difficult technical system consists of a steel frame and glass panels in the amount of 120 pieces. The structure can support the weight of 800 people walking along it at one time.
Bridges always attract people's attention with their technical characteristics or special appearance. They fascinate with the opportunity to admire the landscapes from unusual vantage points. And inquisitive human mind will always create new bridge designs with the highest parameters.
