China: Longest Sea Bridge in the World

Jiaozhou Bay Bridge:

 Longest SeaBridge in the World

China is currently the number one car market for many manufacturers out there and it’s no wonder why this is happening. It was one of the few countries that managed to smile in front of the recession and boost vehicle sales, while others relied on job cuts and layoffs to face the crisis and thus avoid the carpocalypse.
It’s no doubt that China will continue to play a key role in the automotive industry in the next few years and truth is that it really deserves all praises. Not necessarily because of the way it manages to support new car sales, but also thanks to the support it shows to the whole industry. Which, among others, also includes building the infrastructure that allows new cars owners to take the most out of their vehicles.Jiaozhou Bay Bridge is the living proof that the impossible is actually… well… possible, when you have the necessary know-how, resources and experienced workers.

 A CLOSER LOOK

Built in only four years

Total length - 42.5 kilometers

 

 This is the longest sea bridge in the world, measuring no less than 42.5 kilometres (26.4 mi) in length. In other words, water everywhere you look, at least for the 30 minutes it takes to get from one side to the other by car.Construction took no more than 4 years. Yes, you’ve read it right, 4 (four) years. It all started in late 2007, while the first car was driven on the bridge in mid-2011, with a total of 30,000 vehicles expected to cross it every day. At least, that’s what local authorities hope to happen.

More than 10,000 workers struggled to make this happen, building no less than 5,000 pillars, which are supposed to protect the bridge in case of natural disasters. According to local officials, the newly-built bridge can withstand a magnitude 8 earthquake, as well as severe typhoons and… hold your breath… an impact with a ship weighing 300,000 tons.
Since safety is one of the main concerns for such a project, no less than 450,000 tons of steel and 2.3 million meters of concrete were used during the four years. Another impressive thing is actually what’s under the bridge.  As the engineers advanced with the construction of the bridge, workers were also building a tunnel, which, again, is supposed to fight congestion. Which is actually a very good thing if the estimates are really accurate and 30,000 cars cross the bridge every day. And this is very likely to happen since it cuts the distance between the two areas, namely Quingdao and Huangdao, by 18 miles.

 Jiaozhou Bay Bridge:

• A total of 10,000 workers
• More than 5,000 pillars suport it
• Withstands a magnitude 8 quake
• Total length - 42.5 kilometers
• Built in only four years
• Total time to cross it: 30 minutes

Source:http://www.autoevolution.com/news/world-records-the-longest-sea-bridge-in-the-world-45137.html