Arch Bridges

Fig.4 Map of Bridges in Fuzhou city over Min River and Wulong River

Besides these two main rivers, there are many inland rivers and lakes in Fuzhou. As a city with a history longer than 2200 years, various bridges have been built and many of them are very beautiful and with high prestige.

Xiao Bridge is located at the main street of Fuzhou city, was built in 1470 (Fig. 5). It has a clear span of 7.2m, but the arch rib is just 20cm in depth, only half depth of a normal arch. The bridge located in a main street of Fuzhou city, after about 600 years, still can withstand its self-weight and the present-day traffic, much heavier than envisaged when they were built. It is a thin ring stone ring and filled spandrel arch. The space between the deck and the arch were not filled with earth retained by side walls, but with strip stones or aggregates. The filled material was bonded together by a special adhesive material, which may be a compound of black sugar and a special cooked rice etc, because there was no cement at that time. The collaboration of the spandrel fillings to the arch ring can increase its useful ring depth, allow for large carrying capacity on very small depth arch rings.

Fig. 5 Xiao Bridge

There are two stone arch bridges in the famous public park—West Lake Park in Fuzhou, one with five spans and the other with three spans (Fig. 6).

Fig. 6 Two Stone arch bridges in West Lake Park

2. Bridges over the Min River

2.1 Hongshan Bridge

The Hongshan Bridge is situated in the western suburbs of Fuzhou City and is the first bridge crosses the upstream of North Channel of the Min River. It has a history over 400 years and the old bridge has been abolition, only some piers and superstructures are still remained there as shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 7 The old Hong-shan bridge

The new Hongshan Bridge stands next to the old one. It is a prestressed concrete trussed T-shaped rigid frame bridge, completed in Dec. 1985, with a main span of 110m and side span of 67.5m. It was the largest span of such a type bridge in China when it was completed. The fundamental data of the bridge are as follows:
Total length of the bridge: 363.36m;
span length: 2 × 20m +67.5 m +110 m +67.5 m +2 × 30m;
bridge width: net-12m +2 × 1.6m;
Main Bridge: adopting three-dimensional prestressed concrete trussed T-shaped rigid frame structure; The cantilever length of the T-frame is 42.5m

Fig. 8 The new Hongshan bridge

2.2 Jin-shan (Min River) Bridge

The Construction of Jin-shan (Min River) Bridge (Min River Sixth Bridge) was started construction in 1998, and was completed in September 2000, see Fig. 9 and 10. The overall length of this bridge is 1235 m and the main span is 790 m. The main bridge is a continuous rigid frame PC bridge with a navigation span of 110m and side span of 70m.

Fig. 9 Jin-shan (Min River) Bridge

Fig. 10 Night view of Jin-shan (Min River) Bridge

2.3 You-xi-zhou (Min River) Bridge

You-xi-zhou Min River Bridge is a rigid-frame open spandrel PC arch bridge. The construction of it is started in December 2001 and opened to traffic in December 2003. It consists of three parts: the main bridge, north approach bridge (including Riverside road overpass) and South approach bridge. The main bridge has a main span of 120m and side span of 80m. Continuous prestressed concrete rigid framed arch bridges without spandrel members are new development of the application of conventional rigid framed arch bridges.

(a) Image view

(b) Completed bridge

Fig. 11 Youxizhou Minjiang River Bridge

On the north bank of the bridge, there is a Bridge Park as a part of the Min River Park, as shown in Fig 12 and 13.

Fig.12 Plan of the bridge park

Fig.13 Bridge Park

2.4 Shan-xian-zhou (Min River) Bridge

Construction of Shan-xian-zhou (Min River) Bridge was started at the end of 1996, and was opened to traffic in May 1st 1999 (Fig. 14).

The Shan-xian-zhou Bridge is located in the downtown area in north branch of Min River and is also called as Min River 4rd Bridge. It is a PC cable-stayed bridge with a total length of 577m and a width of 30m. It has a single tower with the shape of inverted-Y and a height of 117.5m, standing in the small island Shan-xian-zhou in the river. The main span is 238m and the side span is 179m.The cables in a single plane stayed the 3-cell box PC girder of 3.28m high. The main span was constructed by pre-fabricated segmental cantilever erection method.

Fig. 14 San-xian-zhou (Min River) Bridge

2.5 Jiefang Bridge

By historic records, it was a floating bridge initially built in 1093, comprised of 120 floating boats with the length over 1000 m. The world famous Italian traveler Macro Polo described it as a beautiful long bridge on a beautiful city. In the Yuan Dynasty, it was re-built as stone bridge and the project was the biggest of its kind in Fujian. In 1930, to meet the needs of traffic, the bridge was re-built again which was 2 m higher as shown in Fig.15.

Fig.15 Wanshou bridge in Qing Dynasty （the predecessor of Jiefang bridge）

Since 1949, the bridge is called as Jiefang Bridge. In 1970, the bridge was re-built again with an extra increase of height of 4 m as shown in Fig. 16. The bridge crosses over the river through a small island “Zhongzhou Island” and is comprised of north bridge and south bridge. With a total span of 580 m it is the oldest bridge on Min River with a history of over 600 years.

In 1995, the north bridge of Jiefang Bridge was re-built after destroyed by a flood and completed within a year. The rebuilt north bridge is a CFST half-through arch bridge with five spans and the largest main span is 80m. Its arch axis is parabola curve and arch ribs are dumbbell shaped in cross section. The bridge is transformed into an arc shape with LCD lights. The reflection of Jiefang Bridge over Min River is fabulous, especially during night which can be illustrated from Fig. 17.

Fig. 16 Jiefang Bridge re-built in 1970

Fig. 17 North bridges of Jiefang Bridge built in 1995

2.6 Min River II Bridge

Taking the Jiefang Bridge as the first Min River Bridge in the downtown area of Fuzhou City, the second bridge was built in 1970 and is called as the 2nd Min River Bridge or simply as Min River Bridge because when it was completed there were only tow bridges cross over Min River, one is the Jia-fang Bridge and the other is this Min River Bridge. Though Hongshan Bridge is also a bridge crosses over Min River but in the past time the bridge site is in suburb of Fuzhou City.

The Min River Bridge is a continuous PC T-shape rigid frame bridge. The main bridge has a main span of 80m and side span of 67.5m. In order to satisfy the developed transportation requirement, two steel bridges with the same spans of the main bridge were built and service as bicycle roads and footways as shown in the Fig. 18.

Fig. 18 The 2nd Min River Bridge built in 1970

In 2003, the old bridge was removed after assessment of its safety (Fig. 19) and a new bridge was built along the original bridge axis (Fig. 20). The bridge with a total length of 369.82m consists of two parts: the main bridge over the river and south approach bridge. The main bridge is a rigid frame continues PC bridge with a five span arrangement of (46＋75＋80＋75＋46)m. The south approach bridge is a with a continuous PC box girder bridge with three span arrangement of (16.40+18.706+16.24)m.

Fig. 19 Old 2^nd Min River Bridge under removing

Fig. 20 New 2^nd Min River Bridge rebuilt in 2003

2.7 Ao-feng (Min River) Bridge

Ao-feng (Min River) Bridge was opened to traffic in December, 1993 Min River and is also called as the 3rd Min River Bridge. This bridge is pre-stressed concrete continuous box girder bridge and has two-single chambered box section. The total length of the bridge is 500.9m and consists of 8 spans: 40.45 +6 × 70 +40.45. The width of the bridge is 25.8m: 7.5 × 2m (two traffic lanes) + 3.5 × 2m (two bicycle lanes) + 1.25 × 2m (footways) + 0.4 (Central median strip which is demolished now). The bridge was designed for live load of Super 20 and Trailer -120. The bridge deck pavement is constructed by mesh reinforcement and waterproof concrete.

Fig. 21 Ao-feng (Min River) Bridge

2.8 Kuiqi Railway Bridge

Kuiqi Railway Bridge is one of the excessively longest bridges in Fuzhou-Xiamen Railway across Min River. It was started to build in July 2006 and the structure has been completed in September 2008. The bridge is 2690.64m in length, with a three main spans of continuous steel truss-arch composite structure. The three-span is 396m in length, 15m in width. The side span is 99m, the largest span of the main bridge is up to 198m with the distance from the vault to the water surface about 70 m. The total weight of the steel girder is more than 8600 tons. It is currently the largest span of steel truss-arch composite bridge in the railway for passenger traffic in China. There are 70 piers in total; the pile foundation of the main piers is 2.5 m in diameter.

(a) Image view (b) Completed bridge

Fig.22 Kui Qi Bridge

3. Bridges over the Wu-long River

3.1 Hong-tang (Wulong River) Bridge

The Hong-tang (Wulong River) Bridge is located on the west of Fuzhou and is the second bridge crosses over Wulong River and first bridge in its upstream (Fig. 23). The bridge was open to the traffic in 1990.

Fig.23 Layout of Hong-tang (Wulong River) Bridge

The total length of this bridge has 1849.47m long with a deck width of 12m, Its main span arrangement is 60m+120m+60m, which is a prestressed concrete triangular truss T–shape rigid frame structure. The bridge approach in east side is comprised of 6 span T–shape simply supported PC girders, while the approach bridge in west side is comprised of 6 PC box girders and 8 span T–shape simply supported girders.

Fig. 24 Hong-tang Wulong River Bridge

Fig. 25 The Hong-tang Wulong River bridge after maintain

3.2 Ju-yuan-zhou (Wulong River) Bridge

The Ju-yuan-zhou (Wulong River) Bridge is about 2300 meters in length, and 32.5 meters in width. There’re 6 traffic lanes and 2 bicycle lanes. Its construction was started in December 2000, and opened to traffic in January 1, 2003.

Fig.26 Juyuanzhou Wulong River bridge

3.3 Pushang Bridge

The four main spans of the Pushang Bridge is an extradosed PC bridge with three-tower and a pair cables. Pushang Bridge has a total length of 3083.42 meters. The main bridges are three tower single cable-stayed bridges. The 1464m main bridge has an span arrangement of 72m +2 × 110m +72 m. The bridge is 37.5 meters in width and each pylon is 27m in hight. Saddles are fixed on the top of the pylon. Oblique single cable (2 shares) goes through the saddled top, the two ends of the cable anchor at the ends of the main girder, which form a girder-tower-cable force bearing system.

(a) Image view

(b) View in the deck

(C) Side view (main spans)

(D) Side view

Fig.27 Pushang Wulong River bridge

3.4 Wan-bian (Wulong River) Bridge

Wanbian Wulong River Bridge was completed in 2008. The main span of the bridge is an arch-frame composite bridge with five spans. The north approach bridge has 2 spans of 40m continuous box girders and the south approach bridge has 35 spans of 40m continuous box girders. The deck with a width of 34m carries six highways and two side walkways. The total length of the bridge is 1856m. The total length of the main bridge is 376m with a span arrangement of 45m+90m+106m+90m+45m. In the central three spans, the two separated prestressed concrete continuous rigid-frames are combined in transverse direction by cross beams which is hanged to arch ribs fixed at the V-shape pier. The section of the arch rib is made of concrete filled steel tubes. The shape of bridge is three triangles meaning the three mountains of Fuzhou demonstrating the welcome from Fuzhou people.

(a) Image view

(b) Completed bridge

Fig.28 Wanbian Wulong River Bridge

3.5 Wulong River Bridge

Wulong River Bridge in No.324 National Highway is located in the mouth of the Wulong River Gorge, which is in downstream of the river and about 17km from Fuzhou City. The bridge was built from April 1, 1970 to September 26, 1971. It is the first bridge crosses over the Wulong River as the only southern road link to Fujian south coast area as well as Guangdong province.

The bridge is a pre-stressed rigid T-frame structure with a total length of 549m. There are five spans and the main span is 144m. At the main span, the structure was erected using cantilever assembling and casting method and its cross-section is twin-box. Between every two rigid T-frames there are hung girders to connect them. The lane of the bridge is 9m wide and each of the two sidewalks is 1.5m wide. The design traffic load is lorry-26 and trailer-100 (the old highway bridge design code). The foundations are steel sheet piling cofferdam and pipe column foundations. The general layout of the bridge is shown in Fig.29.

Fig. 29 Layout of Wulong River Bridge

When it was built, its span was biggest among the modern pre-stressed concrete bridges in China. It is still in service and was once selected as the top 30 excellent bridges in China since 1949.

Fig. 30 Wulong River Bridge

3.6 Fu-Quan Expressway Wu-long River Bridge

Fu-Quan Expressway Wu-long River Bridge with a span of 24×25＋10×35＋ 60＋3×110＋60＋5×35＋23×25m， is 2155m in total length and 110m in the longest span. The prestressed concrete continuous box-girder bridge was completed in 1998(Fig. 31), and the load-carrying capacity is Truck-Super20， the critical load is Trailer-120.

Fig. 31 Fu-Quan Expressway Wu-long River Bridge

3.7 Wulong River Railway Bridge

Wulong River Railway Bridge is the bridge at the same railway as the Kuiqi Railway Bridge but crosses over Wulong River. It is a continuous rigid-frame PC bridge and a key project in Fuzhou-Xiamen passenger railway, with a total investment of 133 millions CNY. It has a total length of 868m, crossing Wulong River and the National Highway No. 324. The main span is PC girder which is 80 +3 × 144 +80m, while using 32m simply supported box girder on the side span and the total length is 868.178m.

Fig.32 WulongJiang Railway Bridge

3.8 Qing-zhou Min River Bridge

Qing-zhou Min River Bridge is located at the Ma-wei Harbor where the estuary of Min River is, the Wu-long River has returned to Min River. The Qing-zhou Min River Bridge (Fig. 33) must be highlight among all of the bridges in Fuzhou.

It was completed in 2001. It‘s main-span is 605m long breaking the span record of 602m in Yangpu Bridge and ranking first among the composite-girder cable-stayed bridges in the world. Qingzhou Min River Bridge is a double-pylon double-plane cable-stayed bridge with 5 continuous spans of 41m+250m+605m+250m+50m and one supplemental pier in each side span. The 1,193m-total long bridge was designed to carry six lanes of traffic with width of 29m. The bridge is located in the coastal area with abundant typhoon. The characteristic wind velocity is 46.3m/s, and the critical flutter wind velocity is 70m/s. The total investment for the bridge is 750 million RMB.

The two diamond-shaped towers are of reinforced concrete. The height of the towers reaches 175.5 m having 145.5 m above the bridge deck. Deck consists of a concrete slab supported by two main deep steel plate girders with floor beams spaced at 4.5m. The I-shaped steel girder is 1,123m long and 2.45m high, and its height-span raito is 1/202 which is advanced for the same type around the world. The transverse distance of two main steel girder’s centers is 27m.

There are altogether 168 steel strand cables and these cable are arranged in a fan shape with an interval of 13.5m on the main girder. The longest cable is above 312 m. The pylon fixed connect to the pier is 175.5m high and its top is 145.5m above the deck. Two tower column of the diamond-shaped pylon are jointed by two crossbeams. The foudation adopted 43 steel piles of 2m diameter for one of the main tower and 14 bored RC piles of 3m diameter for the other foundation.

Fig. 33 Qingzhou Min River Bridge

4. Bridges in Future

4.1 Brief review

Dr. Jopseph Lee from Cambridge University of UK indicated in his book entitled Science and Civilization in China "There was an astonishing development of bridges in China in the Song Dynasty. A series of stone bridges were built, especially in Fujian. You could not find any bridges in other places of China or anywhere in the world that can compete with them." One of these astonishing bridges praised by Dr. Jopseph Lee was the Wanshou Bridge in Fuzhou.

Though Fuzhou has a history longer than 2200 years, however there are only two bridges crossed over Min River before 20th century in Fuzhou, one is Jiefang bridge and the other is the Hongshan bridge. For a long time the beautiful river became a barrier for the communication of the peoples in the two side of the river and confined Fuzhou City in the north bank of the Min River.

Between 1970s and 1990s , five bridges come into being.They are Min River II Bridge, Wulongjiang Bridge, Hongtan Bridge, Aofengzhou Bridge, Sanxianzhou Bridge. The city extends its area from the north bank of the Min River to the south.

Stepping into the new century, with the progress of society and the advancement of technologies, the development of city bridges in Fuzhou also progresses with each passing day. During this period，eight bridges were built within only nine years. The Wulong River is included to the city area.

At present, other three bridges are under construction and will soon be completed.

4.2 Gushan Bridge

The construction of Gushan Bridge was started in 2007 and is expected to open to traffic in 2009. Its total length is 1520 m, which is composed of the main bridge, the south and the north approach bridges. Its main bridge adopts the classical and beautiful shape of single-pylon self-anchored suspension bridge. The span arrangement is 50+150+235+35＝470 m. The suspended beam adopts steel box girder, and the overhanging part adopts PC box girder. steel box girder and PC box girder are connected through steel-concrete composite segment. The width of the main beam is 42 m, and the height of it is 3.5 m. The entire bridge looks like a harp playing music over Min River.

Fig.34 Image view of Gushan Bridge

4.3 Kui Qi Bridge

Kui Qi Bridge is designed to be a double pylon cable stayed bridge. Its general layout is 10 × 50 + (105 +240 +105) +3 × 50m, of which 105 +240 +105m are the main bridge. It uses double-columns tower in symmetrical construction. The main beam uses pre-stressed concrete, double longitudinal girder ribbed panel sections. The beam depth is 3m, with the high-to-span ratio is 1/80.The top of the beam is 40m wide, with the width-to-span ratio is 0.167.The slab thickness is 0.25m, and the bottom of rib is 2.5m wide. The main tower uses horizontal width of the H-reinforced concrete frame structure, which consists of two parallel separated tower columns, integrating the image of Fuzhou traditional buildings.

Fig.35 Image view of Kuiqi Bridge

4.4 Luozhou Bridge

Luozhou Bridge is situated on the Longxiang Island, starting from Nantai Island, and ending at Qingkou. The total length is 4.95km, and will become the longest and widest bridge in Fuzhou City. Its main bridge is composed of three self-anchored suspension steel girder bridges.

The bridge has a span distribution of 50 +85 +2 × 186 +85 +50m and of width 40.6m. The longitudinal width of main tower is 10.0m, cross-width is 3.0 m, the tower above bridge is 32.5m high and the tower below bridge desk is 16.5m. The base of the main tower is reinforced concrete piles. The main cable is made up of 37 sections 91 shares Φ5mm galvanized steel wire, the main cable span-sag ratio is 1/6.643, and the anchor tools is the appropriate anchor PESM5-91 HiAm anchor. The main cable changes direction through saddle on the top of the tower.

Fig.36 Image view of Luozhou Bridge

There are still other bridges which are being planed, such as Qianheng bridge, Huian bridge and so on. More and more bridges will be built in Fuzhou. Please pay attention to it.