7 (+1) most amazing and innovative bridges in the world

We present you the greatest works of engineering art - bridges, which are pearls of the world scale. These are one-of-a-kind works designed by world-famous architects and engineers using all modern solutions. Here is our review.

Bang Na Expressway Viaduct (Bangkok, Thailand)

This six-lane Bangkok highway may be the longest or one of the longest bridges in the world. However, some bridge ratings do not take this into account, as for most of its length it does not cross water, although it runs along a river and several small canals. In any case, this project, of course, can be considered the longest overpass viaduct.

It is a toll road that passes over National Highway 34 (Na-Bang Bang Pakong Road) on a viaduct (multi-span bridge) with an average span of 42 m. The viaduct is 27 m high and was built in March 2000. The construction took 1 m800 concrete.

Blackfriars Solar Bridges (London) and Kurilpa Bridge (Brisbane)

Blackfriars is a bridge over the Thames in London, 303 meters long and 32 meters wide (previously 21 meters). Originally designed in the Italian style, built of limestone, it was named the William Pitt Bridge after then-Prime Minister William Pitt and has been billed since its opening. It was completed in 1869. The renovation carried out in recent years has been to cover the building with a roof made of solar panels. As a result, a power plant with an area of ​​4,4 thousand square meters was built in the city center. m. photovoltaic cells that provide the energy necessary for the operation of the railway infrastructure. The facility, covered with solar panels, produces 900 kWh of energy, and its structure is additionally used to capture and harvest rainwater. It is the largest bridge of its kind in the world.

However, the most impressive in this class is perhaps the cable-stayed Kurilpa Bridge (suspension) (photo above), for pedestrians and cyclists, across the Brisbane River. It entered service in 2009 at a cost of A$63 million. It is 470 m long and 6,5 m wide and is part of the city's walking and cycling loop. It was developed by the Danish office of Arup Engineers. It was lit using LED technology. Energy comes from 54 solar panels installed on the bridge.

Alamillo Bridge (Seville, Spain)

The suspension bridge in Seville, stretching across the Guadalquivir River, was built for the EXPO 92 exhibition. It was supposed to connect the island of La Cartuja with the city where the exhibition shows were planned. It is a cantilever suspension bridge with a single pylon balancing a 200-meter span, with thirteen steel ropes of various lengths. It was designed by the famous Spanish engineer and architect Santiago Calatrava. Construction of the bridge began in 1989 and was completed in 1992.

Helix Bridge (Singapore)

The Helix Bridge pedestrian bridge was completed in 2010. It stretches over the water surface in Singapore's Marina Bay, which is a spontaneously developing southern part of the center of Singapore. The object consists of two stainless steel coils that intertwine with each other, mimicking human DNA. At the World Festival of Architecture in Barcelona, ​​it was recognized as the best transport facility in the world.

The bridge, 280 meters long, is completely made of stainless steel, but in the evenings it shimmers with thousands of colors, because its entire structure is equipped with LED lighting, that is, light ribbons surrounding the pedestrian bridge. An additional attraction of the bridge are four viewing platforms - in the form of platforms exposed to the outside, from which you can admire the panorama of Marina Bay, full of skyscrapers.

Banpo Bridge (Seoul, South Korea)

Banpo was built in 1982 on the basis of another bridge. It runs along the Han River, connecting Seoul's Seocho and Yongsan districts. A characteristic element of the structure is the Moon Rainbow Fountain, which makes the 1140 m long structure the longest fountain in the world. 9380 190 water jets on each side of the pier spray 43 tons of water sucked from the river per minute. This one burns at a height of up to 10 m, and the streams can take on various shapes (for example, falling leaves), which, combined with the illumination of XNUMX thousand multi-colored LEDs and musical accompaniment, give amazing effects.

Bridge over the Sidu River (China)

The Sidu River Bridge is a suspension bridge located near the city of Yesanguan. The structure above the Xidu River Valley is part of the G50 Shanghai-Chongqing Expressway, 1900 km long. The bridge was designed and built by Second Highway Consultants Company Limited. The construction cost was about US$100 million. The official opening of the building took place on November 15, 2009.

The bridge across the Sid River is one of the tallest structures above land or water. The distance of the bridge surface from the bottom of the ravine is 496 m, length - 1222 m, width - 24,5 m. The structure consists of two H-shaped towers (eastern - 118 m, western - 122 m). ). The ropes suspended between the towers were woven from 127 bundles of 127 wires with a diameter of 5,1 mm each, for a total of 16 wires. The carriageway platform consists of 129 elements. The trusses are 71 m high and 6,5 m wide.

Sheikh Rashid bin Said Crossing (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)

When completed, this structure will be the longest arch bridge in the world. It was designed by New York-based FXFOWLE Architects and commissioned by the Dubai Roads and Transportation Authority. The structure consists of two arched bridges crossed by an artificial island with an amphitheater, a ferry terminal and the Dubai Opera. The bridge is planned to have six car lanes in each direction (20 23 cars per hour), two tracks for the Zelensky metro line under construction (667 64 passengers per hour) and pedestrian routes. The main span of this structure has a span of 15 m and the total width of the bridge is 190 m. Interestingly, the intensity of its glow will depend on the brightness of the moon. The brighter the moon, the brighter the bridge itself will shine.