Chengdu West First Bridge Blossoms: A Triumph by Zaha Hadid Architects

The Chengdu West First Bridge marks the inaugural installation in a series of bridge marvels along Chengdu’s West Line Road. With a commanding length of 295 meters, this contemporary architectural triumph traverses the Jiangxi River, a significant tributary of the Tuojiang River nestled in China’s Sichuan province.

The Chengdu West First Bridge Splendid Design

At its heart, the Chengdu West First Bridge boasts a central span spanning 185 meters, flanked by secondary spans reaching outwards by 55 meters to touch the riverbanks. This multipurpose bridge accommodates pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles, seamlessly uniting the meandering Jiangxi River. This remarkable construction isn’t merely functional; it also ushers in a new era for the West Line Road, transforming it into a vital segment of the Airport New Town ring road and cycle pathway.

The engineering behind the Chengdu West First Bridge showcases the meticulous artistry of structure creation. Embracing the principle that arches provide unparalleled structural efficiency for spans within the range of 120 to 250 meters, this symmetrical masterpiece is a testimony to this wisdom. Two commanding primary steel arches, mirroring each other, gracefully ascend from opposite sides of the road deck. In their ascent, these arches converge at their zenith, forming a tangential connection that safeguards the structure from the forces of lateral winds.

The distinctive curvature of the bridge’s supporting piers and abutments seamlessly blend into its primary arches and the road deck, crafting an iconic landmark within Chengdu’s bustling transport network.
The esteemed Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA), entrusted with constructing this marvel following a design competition in 2019, harnessed the power of structural analysis software to scrutinize the design’s digital blueprint. By dissecting aspects such as material self-weight, the burden of superimposed dead loads, the pressure of traffic live loading, and even environmental factors like wind and temperature, this analysis laid the foundation for a structure that exceeds the requisites for once-in-200-year weather occurrences.

Ascending to a height of 30 meters with an arch span ratio of approximately 1:6, the arches are united at their base by longitudinal box girders that gracefully trace the edges of the road deck. These girders serve as steadfast anchors, effectively countering the outward horizontal pressure exerted by each arch, thereby diminishing the lateral loads impacting the bridge’s foundations.

The meticulous construction process witnessed the placement of concrete abutments on either side, featuring connectors that meld the road deck with the surface of the West Line Road. Notably, the Jiangxi River remains free of foundations, with intermediate piers below the arches’ springing points on each side of the riverbanks.

As the Chengdu West First Bridge came to life, conventional in-situ reinforced concrete methods were employed for the bridge’s bored piles and abutments. The steel box sections composing the arches were premanufactured, optimizing their dimensions for efficient transportation and seamless on-site assembly. The road deck’s edge box girder sections, including cable anchorages, were preassembled and ready to be spliced together using on-site welding techniques.

The bridge’s prefabricated plate cross girders arrived at the site and were seamlessly joined to the edge girders through meticulously designed bolted cover plate splice connections. The concrete road deck, an epitome of durability, emerged from precast panels firmly anchored to the cross girders through in-situ concrete stitch pours.
The meticulous assembly, aided by the precision of mobile cranes, brought together all the prefabricated steelwork and precast concrete components, staying faithful to the Chengdu West First Bridge’s swift assembly schedule. Anticipation runs high as the Chengdu West First Bridge, gracing the expanse of the Jiangxi River, readies itself to welcome the public upon completing the West Line Road’s transformation.