Puli Bridge Explained

Bridge Name:Puli Bridge
Native Name:普立大桥
Native Name Lang:zh
Carries:G56 Hangzhou–Ruili Expressway
Locale:Xuanwei, Qujing, China
Design:Suspension
Material:Steel
Mainspan:628m (2,060feet)
Width:25.4m (83.3feet)
Height:154m (505feet)
Below:485m (1,591feet)[1]
Complete:2015
Open:August 2015
Coordinates:26.3231°N 104.5867°W
Mapframe-Zoom:8

Puli Bridge is a suspension bridge near Xuanwei, Qujing, China. The bridge, at 485m (1,591feet), is one of the highest in the world. The bridge forms part of the G56 Hangzhou–Ruili Expressway between Liupanshui and Xuanwei and was opened in August 2015.[2] [3] The bridge and associated expressway reduced the travelling time from Xuanwei to the Guizhou border from four hours to one hour. The bridge crosses a small stream beside the Gexiang River gorge.[4]

Design and construction

The Puli Bridge has a main span of 628abbr=offNaNabbr=off and a total length of 1040abbr=offNaNabbr=off. The road deck is 24.5abbr=offNaNabbr=off wide and the main suspension cables are 26abbr=offNaNabbr=off apart. The bridge cost 440 million yuan (about US$71 million). Similar to the Sidu River Bridge, the first cable used to erect the span (the pilot cable) was placed using a rocket.[5]

Notes and References

  1. There is some discrepancy among references regarding the height of the bridge deck above the bottom of the valley. www.wanhuajing.com lists the height as 500 m and states it is the third highest in the world. www.highestbridges.com lists the height as 485 m. Guo et. al. state the distance from tower top to valley floor is 450 m.
  2. Web site: zh:普立特大桥主体工程顺利开工. http://www.mbec5.com.cn/news.asp?id=2815. mbec5.com.cn/. 15 April 2013. zh.
  3. Web site: 普立特大桥—已建成的世界第一高桥_旅游_万花镜. 普立文化旅游网. 31 January 2016. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160212233408/http://www.wanhuajing.com/d142614. 12 February 2016.
  4. Web site: Puli Bridge. highestbridges.com wiki. 15 April 2013.
  5. Guo. Dajin. Zhou. Wenhuan. Yu. Zhengfu. Xia. Guobang. Li. Xiao. Liu. Wei. Yang. Biyu. Hu. Mingfang. amp. 2015. Use of Rocket Traction Method to Span Pilot Rope for Long Span Suspension Bridge Construction in Mountainous Area. TRB 94th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers. Washington, DC. Transportation Research Board.