The Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge is the worlds longest bridge stretching 164.8 km. The bridge has a span of 260 ft and is on average 100 ft above the ground. It was constructed for a high speed train connection between Shanghai and Nanjing. The bridge was opened in June 2011 after four years of work. Overall it took 10,000 people and $8.5 billion to build. Because of this bridge China now holds all top three spots for the worlds longest bridges.
How It Works:
The Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge is supported by over 9,500 concrete pillars. When constructing the bridge designers and engineers had to take into account the rivers, lakes, canals, deltas, lowland rice paddies, and uneven terrain. Also since the bridge is so immense they had to consider the curvature of the Earth. The main part of the bridge spans a 9 km section of the Yangcheng Lake. This section alone used 2,000 pillars and 450,000 tons of steel structure. This section was built to withstand magnitude eight earthquakes and collisions with naval ships that weigh up to 300,000 tons.
Pros:
- Provides quick transportation between Shanghai and Nanjing
- Breaks many different bridge records
- Provided many jobs
Cons:
- Expensive
- Time consuming
Future:
In the Future this bridge will be used as an outline to complete many other projects like it. China has already announced that they are planning to construct an even longer bridge or add onto the Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge to connect their entire country.
Works Cited
“Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge: The Longest In The World • Lazer Horse.” Lazer Horse, 25 Mar. 2018, www.lazerhorse.org/2014/05/24/danyang-kunshan-grand-bridge-longest-world/.
“The World's Longest Bridge - Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge.” Longest Bridge in the World - Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge - Facts and History, www.historyofbridges.com/famous-bridges/longest-bridge-in-the-world/.
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