The Chengdu West First Bridge, stretching 295 meters, spans the Jiangxi River, a tributary of the Tuo River located in Sichuan Province, China. It is the inaugural bridge in the Chengdu West Highway series. The bridge features a main span of 185 meters and a secondary span of 55 meters that extends all the way to the riverbank.
This bridge accommodates highway traffic, bicycles, and pedestrians, crossing the winding Jiangxi River. It serves as a key segment for the western stretch of the route, integrating the circular highway and bicycle lanes within the Airport New City area.
Arch bridges are the most efficient structural choice for spans between 120 and 250 meters. This symmetrical bridge features two main steel arches that rise from each side of the roadway. As these arches ascend, they converge and intersect at the apex, providing stability against lateral wind forces.
The bridge’s piers and abutments feature dynamic curves that gradually taper, seamlessly merging with the main arches and the deck. This design elevates the bridge into a sculptural landmark within Chengdu’s transportation network.
Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) was commissioned to design the bridge following a 2019 competition. Utilizing structural analysis software on a digital model, they evaluated the bridge’s performance under self-weight, additional loads, traffic, wind, and temperature variations. This ensured the structure and foundation exceed the standards for a 200-year climate event.
The bridge’s arch has a height-to-span ratio of approximately 1:6, standing 30 meters tall. Longitudinal box girders run along the edges of the roadway, connecting the bottom of the arches. These girders resist the outward horizontal thrust from each arch, significantly reducing horizontal loads on the foundations.
The concrete piers at both ends of the bridge include connectors linking the bridge deck to the western roadway. Due to the absence of a foundation in the Gan River, the central pier is positioned below the arch’s bounce point on either bank.
The bridge’s drilled piles and piers were built using traditional cast-in-place reinforced concrete techniques. Each steel box section of the arches was prefabricated to optimal sizes for transport and on-site assembly. The edge box girders along the roadway contain cable anchors, also prefabricated, transported in segments, and welded together on site.
Prefabricated slab beams have been delivered and connected to the side beams using bolted cover plates. The concrete pavement consists of prefabricated panels securely fixed to the crossbeams by stitching cast-in-place concrete.
All prefabricated steel and precast concrete components were lifted into place by mobile cranes within a short timeframe. Once the western road section is completed, the Chengdu West First Bridge will be opened to the public, spanning the Jiangxi River.
Project Drawings
△ General Layout Plan
△ Elevation Drawing
△ Analysis Chart
△ Analysis Chart
△ Analysis Chart
Project Information
Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects
Project Year: 2023
Photographers: There Are Buildings, Liang Xue
Designer: Patrik Schumacher
Project Managers: Charles Walker, Lei Zheng, Ed Gaskin
Project Architect: Han Hsun Hsieh
Site Team: Lei Zheng, Han Hsun Hsieh
Project Team: Jan Klaska, Lei Zheng, Marina Dimopoulou, Stratis Georgiou, Hung-Da Chien, Han-Hsun Hsieh, Martha Masli, Stella Dourtmes, Charles Walker, Ed Gaskin
Project Owner: Chengdu International Aerotropolis Group Construction and Development Co., Ltd
Executive Architect: China Southwest Architectural Design & Research Institute Corp. Ltd
Local Architect: China Southwest Architectural Design & Research Institute Corp. Ltd
Lighting Consultant: Zaha Hadid Architects
Landscape Design: Zaha Hadid Architects
Site Supervision: China Huaxi Engineering Design and Construction Co., Ltd
Structural Engineers: Sinohydro Bureau 7 Co., Ltd, China Southwest Architectural Design & Research Institute Corp. Ltd
General Contractor: Buro Happold, China Huaxi Engineering Design and Construction Co., Ltd
Environmental Consultant: Shenzhen Pengdaxin Energy Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd
Location: Chengdu
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