By outdoor-nature-child.com On October 9th, at 9:58 AM sharp, the last steel box girder was successfully lowered into place, marking the completion of the Uwei Yellow River Bridge, a key structure of the Baoyin High-Speed Railway. This milestone signifies Inner Mongolia’s first cable-stayed railway bridge.
The Uwei Yellow River Bridge stretches a remarkable 2,190.79 meters in total length, supported by 51 designed piers, with a main span of 310 meters crossing the Yellow River. It stands out as the tallest and longest bridge on the Baoyin High-Speed Railway, earning it the prestigious title of “First Span over the Yellow River” in the route’s history.
Throughout the construction process, the Uwei Yellow River Bridge team encountered a series of formidable challenges, including relentless sandstorms, extreme environmental conditions, and significant fluctuations in temperature.
Zhang Chi, the engineering manager for the Uwei Yellow River Bridge project, detailed the innovative strategies employed to tackle the logistical hurdles of transporting the bridge’s components. They utilized longitudinal beam transportation techniques alongside horizontal placement and installation methods, effectively addressing the issues associated with moving the bridge deck. Additionally, the team introduced a new hydraulic automatic climbing system that enhanced safety during construction, allowing for reinforced automatic positioning of rebar, integrated automatic pouring of pump pipes, and fully enclosed intelligent maintenance, which significantly boosted the construction quality of the bridge towers.
The Baoyin High-Speed Railway is a vital component of China’s ambitious “eight vertical and eight horizontal” high-speed rail network, stretching a total of 519 kilometers. The section running through Inner Mongolia spans 402 kilometers. Once fully operational, travel time between Baotou and Yinchuan will be slashed from over six hours to just two, establishing a fast transit route connecting western Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, and Beijing.