World’s longest suspension bridge inaugurated: six miles, six lane, railway tracks...

On long journeys, crossing a tunnel or bridge can sometimes feel endless – even when they’re far from record-breaking. China, a global leader in technology, has now opened the world’s largest suspension bridge, Chaotianmen, spanning the Yangtze River, one of the longest and most powerful waterways on Earth.

Record-breaking bridge across the Yangtze

According to the South China Morning Post, the bridge extends more than 6 miles and took six years to complete. Its goal is to slash travel times: what once was an 80-minute trip now takes only 20.

The structure is anchored by two steel-and-concrete towers rising 1,150 feet above the water, supporting hundreds of high-tension steel cables. The bridge is built on two levels – the top carries a six-lane highway with a 62 mph speed limit, while below runs a four-lane road alongside a railway designed for trains reaching 124 mph.

The towers were raised by burying huge steel caissons into the riverbed, allowing crews to work in the dry despite fierce currents. Special cranes were designed to precisely maneuver the massive sections, alongside an intelligent lifting tower with unprecedented capacity worldwide.

Weight challenge

Engineers faced a daunting challenge: railway tracks weigh significantly more than roads. To compensate, they had to fine-tune the cable tension and carefully calibrate the weight of each segment during construction. The choice of materials and machinery proved decisive in bringing the project to life.

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