Images | China Railway Group completes challenging bridge build over deep canyon

The Jiangdi Niulanjiang Bridge between Huize County in Yunnan Province, and Weining Country in Guizhou is 568.8 metres long, with a 160m-long main span of a rigid-frame continuous beam. It is supported by two 122.5m-high main piers.

China Railway Group said the bridge, in a canyon area on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau that features steep, V-shaped mountains, is prone to unfavourable geological conditions like rockfalls and landslides.

Tower cranes operate alongside the Jiangdi Niulanjiang Bridge during its construction (Image courtesy of China Railway Group)

The bridge will carry the Chongqing-Kunming High-Speed ​​Railway and crosses the G213 highway.

Among the challenges faced by China Railway No. 2 Engineering Group’s project team during construction were the significant difference in terrain height in the construction area, the risks presented by working at height, the complex and changeable pier structure.

CRCC said it overcame the challenges by optimising the construction design, strictly implementing safety control measures, and continuously improving the construction process flow.

The Chongqing-Kunming High-Speed ​​Railway, is a key component of the Beijing-Kunming corridor within the nation’s “Eight Vertical and Eight Horizontal” high-speed railway system. It is the first high-speed railway in Yunnan Province to reach a designed speed of 350km/h and is expected to be completed in 2026.

The Jiangdi Niulanjiang Bridge during its construction (Image courtesy of China Railway Group)