It is not known who and when was the first to throw the log across the river in order to cross to the other side. But from that moment, mankind began to gradually approach the construction of modern bridges with advanced technologies. The invention of the hinged crossing can be called one of the cornerstones of historical progress. Bridges not only unite the coast - they unite the destinies of people, they allow you to admire the beauties of nature from an unusual angle. Often they themselves become an object of interest and admiration due to their venerable age, the beauty of architecture or unique parameters. One of the categories that characterize bridges is their height. And thanks to progress, the list of the highest bridges in the world is gradually increasing. We will consider them in the article.
Tallest bridge in the world
The active development of bridge building in China has led to the fact that a large number of record bridges are located in this country. At the end of 2016, they were joined by the Beipanjiang bridge, thrown across the river of the same name and uniting the southwestern provinces of Yunnan and Zhejiang. The title of the highest suspension bridge in the world has already been assigned to this object - the highest point is at a 565-meter mark or at the level of 200 floors of a skyscraper. In addition, he is considered one of the pioneers of buildings of this type in the Asian mountainous regions.
Beipanjiang Bridge is a cable-stayed suspension structure. It relies on two pylons in the form of the letter "N" on opposite sides of the river gorge. Reliability of the building, in addition to steel cables, is provided by a stiffener under the main span. The construction of the 4-lane bridge, which is part of the highway, took 3 years and required an investment of $ 150 million.
Millau (France)
In the list of the highest bridges in the world, Millau Viaduct over the Tarn Valley is far from last. This building is considered one of the signs of France - the cable-stayed bridge is part of the highway connecting the capital and the town of Beziers, in which many elite educational institutions are located. Therefore, a quick connection between the two cities is especially important. If we take the total height with the pylons, the viaduct (343 m) is slightly lower (40 m) than the Empire State Building, but exceeds the "growth" of the Eiffel Tower (37 m). A car lane with 4 lanes hovers above the valley at an altitude of 270 meters.
Millau Viaduct, the tallest bridge on the planet, was commissioned at the end of 2004. Design work has been ongoing for 10 years, and construction has been delayed for 3 years due to strong winds and difficult terrain. Design workshops participated in the construction, designing at one time the main symbol of Paris. The metal roadbed was installed on the supports by the method of extension from opposite sides, giving commands via satellite.
Quite often, a thick fog envelops the valley of the river - and then the bridge floats among the clouds. But the viaduct looks especially spectacular at night. Backlit by 7 pylons with red lights at the top and wings of tensioned cables are similar to alien ships at the start. And the light from 7 pillars, "walking" through the valley, turns it into a mysterious world.
Russian bridge (Russia)
Among the highest bridges in the world, a worthy place is given to the Russian. He is only slightly inferior to the French Millau in the height of his two pylons. The height of the Russian bridge is 321 meters (against 343 French meters). The name of the relatively young (2012) bridge was given by Fr. Russian, which thanks to this facility received automobile communication with the coast of Vladivostok.
The construction of a bridge over the Eastern Bosphorus Strait was brewing throughout the 20th century. But the engineering projects of 1939 and 1960 did not meet the assigned technical tasks. In 2008, in preparation for the APEC summit, the most advanced plan at that time was designed, which was put into practice in 2012. The bridge as a developing transport system in Vladivostok, the link instantly became a symbol of the capital of Primorye - it is called one of the wonders of the Far East.
The uniqueness of the Russian bridge lies in its three-kilometer length and the length of the central span, which extends 1104 meters at a height of 70 meters from the water - this indicator is the first in the world among the cable-stayed bridges . In addition, the latest methods were used during construction: continuous concreting and the use of self-compacting concrete.
The bridge is designed only for car traffic (4 lanes) - pedestrians are strictly prohibited from passing through the structure. The beauty and significance of the Russian bridge is confirmed by its image on the new 2-thousandth banknotes of Russia.
Sutun. Pride of china
The Sutong cable-stayed bridge from the numerous cohort of the highest bridges in China has been operating since mid-2008. This cable-stayed giant in its parameters in the list of the highest bridges in the world immediately follows the Russian giant - each of its two pylons reaches 306 m in height, and the central span is not enough m to the span of the Russian bridge.
The task of the builders of the bridge was to interconnect two cities from different districts of China, with which they successfully coped. The cable-stayed Sutong bridge (China) enters the delta of the river in a smooth arc Yangtze River and extends over 8206 m above its main fairway. The car bed was raised 62 m above the water for unhindered passage of ships and container ships. The bridge has become a landmark of China, it plays an important role in the rapid economic growth of areas in the southern reaches of the river. Yangtze, where cities like Shanghai are located.
Sutun is the engineering and economic pride of the Celestial Empire, since the design and financing of the gigantic structure took place on its own with the state without international assistance.
Bridge in japan
The engineering miracle of Japanese bridge builders is the Akashi-Kike suspension bridge, or Pearl. It is the connecting link between the islands of Honshu and Awaji. At the time of opening (1998) it was considered the highest bridge in the world, since its two pylons rose 282.8 m above the waters of the Akashi Strait. Later, more impressive structures were built in height, but the scale and uniqueness of Akashi-Kayke were not affected.
The Japanese giant is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the suspension bridge, the longest in the world (3911 m) - it is equal to about 4 Brooklyn bridges. The length of its central span is also phenomenal - 1991 m. A museum is opened next to the bridge, telling about its construction.
The longest Pearl Bridge was made by the earthquake that occurred during construction and moved one of the pylons away from the project site by 1 m. But otherwise it is an extremely stable object: it is not dangerous for tremors up to 8.5 points, it withstands the strongest currents of the strait and wind speeds up to 80 m / s. The service life of Pearl is designed for 200 years, and in the future it can become both a road and a railway crossing.
But the bridge has a significant drawback - travel on it is expensive, so most residents use a ferry or public transport.
Highest railway bridge
The highest railway bridge, like many automobile bridges, which for some time wore the title of highest in the world, is located in China. This facility connects the slopes of the famous Beipanjiang Canyon in the southwestern province of Guizhou in the vicinity of Lupanshui. The bridge belongs to the arch type constructions with one span and passage along the upper part. The highest point of the structure is at 275 meters. The railway bridge has been operating since 2001.
Transport facilities
The list of the highest transport bridges in the world is constantly changing. But currently it looks like this:
- Beipanjiang Automobile Bridge (China) - 565 m.
- Millau car viaduct (France) - 343 m.
- Automotive Russian Bridge (Russia) - 321 m.
- Sutong Automobile Bridge (China) - 306 m.
- Automobile Pearl Bridge (Japan) - 282.8 m, and in the future - railway.
- Beipandjiang Canyon Railway Bridge (China) - 275 meters.
Pedestrian bridges of the world
Kokonoe Yume Suspension Bridge is for pedestrians only. This is one of the highest foot bridges in Japan - its structures reach a height of 173 meters. The facility is located in the city of Kokonoe. At the same time, 1800 tourists can walk along the bridge, admiring the Kyushu valley, Sindu waterfall, or simply pictures of nature underfoot through the lattices of the central span. An unusual pedestrian bridge on the island of Langkawi (Malaysia) bears the name of Heavenly Bridge for its location at an altitude of 700 meters and magnificent paintings that open from it. The entire arched structure, as it were, soars in the air, relying on a single support - a column of 82 meters. This bridge is not the highest, it is only located at an unprecedented level. But he holds another record - it is the longest in the world among curved suspension bridges (125 m).
The highest pedestrian bridge is a glass structure in China. It started working for visitors in 2016 and is located in Zhangjiajie Forest Park. The height of its structures is 300 m, and the bridge itself is thrown from a cliff to a cliff at an altitude of 260 meters. A complex technical system consists of a steel frame and glass panels in the amount of 120 pieces. The structure can support the weight of 800 people walking on it at one time.
Bridges always attract a person’s attention with their technical characteristics or special appearance. They fascinate the opportunity to admire the scenery from unusual points of view. And the inquiring human mind will always create new bridge designs with the largest parameters.