World's Highest Tunnel Bridge: Aizhai Bridge 🌉

Aizhai Bridge
矮寨特大桥
Jishou, Hunan, China
1,102 feet high / 336 meters high
3,858 foot span / 1,176 meter span
2012
64Aizhai2013Wide.jpg

Aizhai was once the world’s highest tunnel to tunnel bridge and among a group of around 20 suspension bridges in China to cross a valley so wide it seems to be connecting two mountain ranges. Back in 2012 Aizhai was one of just 4 large span, high level suspension bridges. The first three were the Siduhe, Balinghe and Beipanjiang Hukun bridges.

Of the world's 400 or so highest bridges, Aizhai has the 5th longest span with a tower to tower distance of 1,176 meters / 3,858 feet. Located deep in the heart of China’s Hunan Province near the city of Jishou, the suspension bridge is the largest structure on the Jishou to Chadong expressway with a deck 336 meters / 1,102 feet above the DeHang Canyon and has also become a major tourist attraction with a walkway partly made of glass accessible via a large group of escalators and elevators.

The main cables have a diameter of 85cm composed of 169 steel strands. The cables follow a layout of 242+1176+242 meters with a sag ratio of 9.6 to 1. The steel truss is 7.5 meters deep and 27 meters wide with each standard section being 14.5 meters long. The unique rail and cable launching method of the 69 truss sections allowed the completion of the entire truss in only 3 months. The entire 1,000 meter long truss weighs 8,000 tons.

The two tunnels on either side of the Aizhai bridge allowed the engineers to use the mountain top for the location of one of the towers, reducing its height to just 50 meters / 165 feet - unusually short for a bridge with a span nearly as long as the Golden Gate bridge at 1,176 meters / 3,858 feet. In addition to cost savings, the stubby support also allows the bridge to blend more naturally into its surroundings. The taller bridge tower is no less unique with side span cables that soar down the backside of a mountain, making first time visitors quizzical as to what exactly lies ahead. With most of the structure hidden from view, the bridge will come as a jaw-dropping surprise whether you enter the canyon from either tunnel. Due to a gap of approximately 100 meters / 328 feet between the last truss suspenders and the tops of the bridge towers, the engineers added some additional ground anchored suspenders to stabilize the two massive suspension cables and reduce any oscillations that could damage other components of the bridge. The overlook and visitors center offer additional views of the broad valley.

𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙄𝙨 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙡 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙡𝙚𝙙𝙜𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙊𝙛 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙨⁉️💬 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙊𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙀𝙭𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙉𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚, 𝘾𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙊𝙛 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙨, 𝙎𝙤 𝙆𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙏𝙪𝙣𝙚 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙒𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙄𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨.
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🅝🅞🅣🅔✎ 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙏𝙪𝙗𝙚 𝙏𝙚𝙖𝙢𝙨♥️ 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙈𝙮 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙡 𝙉𝙄𝘾𝙃𝙀 𝙄'𝙫𝙚 𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙩 𝙊𝙧𝙜𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙊𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙑𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙤𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙀𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙡 𝙇𝙤𝙜𝙤𝙨 𝘽𝙮 𝙈𝙮 𝙎𝙞𝙙𝙚
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘛𝘶𝘣𝘦... .. .
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TITLE : WORLD HIGHEST TUNNEL BRIDGE || AIZHAI BRIDGE 矮寨特大桥 #bridge #infrastructure #travel
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