Pingtan Strait Road-Cum-Rail Bridge to be fully connected by the end of September

On September 14, reporter learned from China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Group Co., Ltd. (MBEC) that as the world's longest cross-strait road-cum-rail bridge and China's first cross-sea road-cum-rail bridge, Pingtan Strait Road-Cum-Rail Bridge is expected to be fully connected by the end of September and open to traffic by 2020.

Pingtan Strait Road-Cum-Rail Bridge runs a total length of 16.34km from Songxia Town, Changle City, Fujian Province, it passes through Renyu Island, Changyu Island, Xiaolian Island and Dalian Island, crosses over Yuanhong Waterway, Guyumen Waterway, Dalian and Xiaolian Island Waterway and Beidongkou Waterway successively, and reaches Pingtan Island through Suao Town. The bridge project consists of three major parts, which include three channel bridges cross Yuanhong Waterway, Guyumen Waterway and Dalian and Xiaolian Island Waterway, approach spans and railway subgrade. The three bridges are all steel truss cable-stayed bridges. The upper deck of bridge is a six-lane freeway with designed speed of 100km/h, and the lower deck is a level I double track railway with designed speed of 200km/h. Bridge construction started in November 2013.

The bridge is situated in one of the three major storm surge sea areas in the world, which gives it characteristics of strong winds, high waves, deep water and torrent. Statistics show that annual number of days with strong breeze and above is over 300, annual number of days with near gale and above is more than 200, and the maximum wave height is around 9.69m.

Wang Donghui, Deputy Chief Engineer of MBEC told China News Services' reporter that Pingtan Strait Road-Cum-Rail Bridge's not only the first cross-sea road-cum-rail bridge in China, but also the first one uses bored pile foundation with super large diameter of 4.9m in bridge foundation, the first one uses double-section fully welded steel truss structure in steel truss cable-stayed bridge as well as the first one uses  fully welded steel truss structure with span of 80m and 88m.

It's worth mentioning that Pingtan Strait Road-Cum-Rail Bridge has also made breakthroughs in techniques for building of platforms in deepwater bare rock areas, techniques for construction of foundation under strong wave force, techniques for building of high towers under regular strong wind environment as well as techniques for building of whole span (section) fully welded steel truss structure.

Besides, Pingtan Strait Road-Cum-Rail Bridge is also the first cross-strait bridge constructed under complicated wind and storm surge conditions, which will satisfy requirements for safe operation of offshore bridge deck under whole gale upon completion of construction.

Reporter learned that Pingtan Strait Road-Cum-Rail Bridge is a critical dominant project for the newly built Fuzhou-Pingtan Railway and Changle-Pingtan Freeway, an extension of Hefei-Fuzhou Railway, an integral part of Beijing-Fuzhou High-Speed Railway and a fast track that connects Fuzhou New Area and Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone. The bridge will greatly reduce time for travel between Fuzhou and Pingtan upon completion of construction, and half-hour "life circle" and "economic circle" between Fuzhou and Pingtan will be formed by then.