Meixihe Bridge

From HighestBridges.com
Jump to navigationJump to search

Meixihe Bridge
梅溪河大桥
Fengjie, Chongqing, China
(459) feet high / (140) meters high
945 foot span / 288 meter span
2000

2MeixiheBridge.jpg


Located just upstream from the mouth of the Meixihe River, the gorgeous red Meixihe arch bridge is one of western China’s largest with a span of 945 feet (288 meters). The 2000-built arch bridge was a replacement for an unusual suspension bridge from 1990 that had its main cables anchored directly into the rock cliff face. The short life span of the first bridge resulted from the decision to build the massive 3 Gorges Dam 100 miles (161 kms) downstream from Fengjie across the Yangtze River. The new Meixihe arch was just one of dozens of huge new replacement bridges necessary for travel across the Yangtze River and its many permanently flooded tributaries. About one third of Meixihe's height is now beneath the reservoir.

The main arch of Meixihe is known as a concrete filled steel tube bridge and was constructed using the stayed cantilever method whereby a tower is erected on either side of the gorge and cables temporarily radiate out from it to support individual sections of the arch until the two halves can be joined in the middle. A cable highline between the tops of the two towers was used to move the steel sections into place high above the river. Once the arch was closed, concrete was pumped into the 8 main ribs of the arch span, stiffening and strengthening the entire structure.

Just a short distance upstream of the arch is the new Meixihe cable stayed bridge. Built along the new highway between Yichang and Wanxian, the 4-lane route skirts through the mountains on the north side of the Yangtze River.


坐落在梅溪河河口上游不远,美丽的梅溪河大桥是中国西部最大的拱桥之一,跨度288米。

2000年建成的拱桥,是用来代替原来的1990年开通的悬索桥的,原来的悬索桥把主缆直接锚固到两端的悬崖岩壁之上。这座使用年代很短的悬索桥被迫拆除的直接原因就是奉节下游100英里(161公里)处要修建一个巨大的三峡水库大坝。新建的梅溪河拱桥仅仅是诸多更新的为了跨越长江及其永久淹没区的干流上的大桥之一。

梅溪河拱桥因其采用了钢管混凝土结构而闻名,采用的施工方法固定缆索悬臂施工方法,该方法首先要在河谷两侧的山坡上建立龙门塔架,之后架设临时性的索道,用来吊装架设拱圈的拼装阶段,直至两半拱圈在中间部位合拢。一旦拱圈合拢,8个主钢管拱圈中就会泵送入混凝土,硬化并强化整个结构。

在新的拱桥上游不远处,建有新的梅溪河斜拉桥。新斜拉桥建在从宜昌到万县的长江北岸山区中的4车道公路线上。


MeixiheArchElevation.jpg

Meixihe Bridge Elevation


1MeixiheBridge.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


3MeixiheBridge.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


4MeixiheBridge.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


5MeixiheBridge.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


7MeixiheBridge.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


MeixiheColorRed.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


222MeixiheArchByGeorges copy.jpg

Image by Georges.


223MeixiheArchByGeorges2 copy.jpg

Image by Georges.


224MeixiheArchLonglens copy.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


225MeixiheArchLonglens2 copy.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


9MeixiheBridge.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


10MeixiheBridgeView.jpg

The Meixihe River empties into the Yantze River seen in the distance. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


MeixiheArchView.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


MeixiheBridges2.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


MeixiheArchCableStayed.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


11MeixiheBridge.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


MeixiheArchConst.jpg

Meixhihe Bridge construction view.


6Meixihe.jpg

A view of the Meixihe River gorge before the reservoir formed beneath the bridge. The original 1990 suspension bridge site is now under water.


12MeixiheArch.jpg


13MeixiheArchSuspension .jpg


14MeixiheSuspension.jpg


MeixiheRailway44.JPG

Meixihe towerless suspension bridge anchorage remains.


15MeixiheBridgeArea.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


16MeixiheBridge.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


MeixiheRailwaySatellite.jpg

Meixihe Bridge satellite image.


17MeixiheAerial.jpg

Earlier Meixihe Bridge satellite image.


MeixiheRailwaySatelliteWide.jpg


MeixiheRailwayLocationMap.jpg

Meixihe Bridge location map.