Qingdao Bridge passes through Jiaozhou Bay, which connects the eastern and western parts of the Qingdao region in China. The construction reduces the distance from Qingdao to Lesser Qingdao, the Red Island and the Yellow Island by 30 km and allows access to the airport. It is estimated that more than 30,000 cars drive it every day.
The Qingdao bridge is 42.5 km long, about 26 km are located directly above the water. The building has no equal among similar structures thrown through the water, and therefore deservedly takes its place in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's longest bridge over water.
Project development
Qingdao Bridge was built as part of a strategy to provide better connectivity between two fast-growing industrial regions on both sides of the bay. Qingdao, as one of the open coastal cities, played a key role in the country's development strategy. Huangdao District was connected to Qingdao via ferry services through Jiaozhou Bay, but the ferry was not enough due to the growth of passenger and cargo flows. The six-lane bridge is part of the Qingdao Municipal High Speed Bridge and Tunnel Project. It is considered the starting point of the Qingdao Lanzhou Expressway.
Construction phases
Construction began in 2007 and lasted 4 years. It took 450,000 tons of steel and 2.3 million cubic meters of concrete, as well as the participation of more than 10,000 people who worked on its construction around the clock. The average project price, according to various sources, is from 8 to 12 billion dollars. Construction began at both ends of the bay at the same time, and then workers met in the center of the bridge.
The work was carried out in two stages. Phase I covered 28.8 km and phase II 12.7 km. The first included the construction of the Kangkou, Dagu and Red Islands bridge, laying wires to the Yellow and Red Islands. Two interchanges, three flights and payment stations in Qingdao were also built at this stage. It was completed in December 2010.
The second phase included the construction of a road on a bridge, power supply and distribution, fencing, lighting, development and site improvement.
Contractors and Suppliers
The bridge was designed by Shangdong Gausu Group. Shandong Hi-Speed Qingdao Highway, a subsidiary of the Shandong High-Speed Group, has been designated for the construction, operation and management of the bridge. She will be responsible for him for 25 years. The company also receives a fee from the Jiaozhou Bay Expressway, owns the rights to advertising, tourism development, operation of Qingdao Bridge and Jiaozhou Bay Expressway.
Special features
The photo of Qingdao Bridge shows the concrete piles on which it lies. Their number is 5127. The T-shaped road structure has the ability to withstand earthquakes of magnitude 8, as well as strong typhoons and a shock from a ship with a displacement of 300,000 tons. Jiaozhou Bay is annually covered with ice for 60 days, and the bridge is the largest structure on the frozen waters of China. . A minimum life of 100 years is expected.
There is a tunnel under the bridge that reduces the distance between Qingdao and Huangdao by 29 kilometers. It is located at a depth of 81 meters below sea level. The length of the tunnel is 9.47 kilometers.