BridgesBridges are keyfeatures ininfrastructure"No bridge-no traffic"Ofthe 10longestsuspensionbridgesintheworld,5are in ChinaAugust31,2025TTUDelft
Bridges • Bridges are key features in infrastructure • “No bridge – no traffic” • Of the 10 longest suspension bridges in the world, 5 are in China August 31, 2025 6
Xihoumen Bridge 2nd longestmain span 1650 m,4 lanesAugust31,2025TUDelft
Xihoumen Bridge 2nd longest main span 1650 m, 4 lanes August 31, 2025 7
PavementstructureinChinaSHOULDERSLOWLANE3.75mFASTLANE3.75m9.49.29.08.88.68.48.28.07.87.67.47.27.06.86.66.46.26.05.85.65.45.25.04.84.64.44.24.03.83.63.43.23.02.82.622.01.81.61.41.21.00.80.60.40.20.0Distancefromcentre(medianDeptrDepth20 cm20cm30cm+100100August31,2025TUDelft
August 31, 2025 8 Pavement structure in China 9.4 9.2 9.0 8.8 8.6 8.4 8.2 8.0 7.8 7.6 7.4 7.2 7.0 6.8 6.6 6.4 6.2 6.0 5.8 5.6 5.4 5.2 5.0 4.8 4.6 4.4 4.2 4.0 3.8 3.6 3.4 3.2 3.0 2.8 2.6 2.4 2.2 2.0 1.8 1.6 1.4 1.2 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0.0 5 5 10 10 15 15 20 20 25 25 30 30 35 35 40 40 45 45 50 50 55 55 60 60 65 65 70 70 +100 +100 Depth Depth SHOULDER SLOW LANE 3.75 m FAST LANE 3.75 m Distance from centre (median) 20 cm 20 cm 30 cm
Typical bridgedeckstructurewearingcourse50- 70 mmadhesion layerisolation layerbonding layersteel plate 10-12 mmAugust31,20252TUDelft
Typical bridge deck structure August 31, 2025 9 steel plate wearing course adhesion layer bonding layer isolation layer 10 – 12 mm 50 – 70 mm
Road vsBridge StructuresRoadBridgeStructureis fullysupportedStructure is NOT fully supportedAsphalt layer distributes the load toAsphalt layer protects the bridgelower layers and helps carrying thestructuretrafficloadTensilestrainin boundlayerssuchTensile strain in asphalt layer can bevery highasasphalt arefairly lowDead weight is not really importantDead weight is very importantDead weight, traffic, temperature,Traffic,temperature,moisturemoisture,windSoil very important = foundation forSoil very important = foundation forbridgepavement10TUDelft
Road vs Bridge Structures Road Bridge Structure is fully supported Asphalt layer distributes the load to lower layers and helps carrying the traffic load Tensile strain in bound layers such as asphalt are fairly low Dead weight is not really important Traffic, temperature, moisture Soil very important = foundation for pavement Structure is NOT fully supported Asphalt layer protects the bridge structure Tensile strain in asphalt layer can be very high Dead weight is very important Dead weight, traffic, temperature, moisture, wind Soil very important = foundation for bridge 10