Jinsha River Grand Bridges Over Tiger Leap Gorge between Lijiang and Shangri La, Yunnan

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Overview:
Jinshajiang Bridge Hutiaoxia (香丽高速高铁虎跳峡金沙江大桥) is a prominent suspension bridge located just upstream from the famous Tiger Leaping Gorge in Yunnan Province, China. This bridge is renowned for its striking appearance and significant engineering achievements. It is one of the most photographed and recognized suspension bridges in Yunnan.

Significance:

• Location: The bridge is a key feature along the Xiangli G0613 Beijing-Tibet Expressway, which connects the popular tourist destinations of Lijiang and Shangri-La. It represents a major upgrade from the former hazardous local G214 road, reducing travel time from three hours to a scenic 90-minute drive.
• Engineering Feat: Jinshajiang Hutiaoxia Bridge is notable for its impressive engineering. It is the largest and highest of the many spectacular bridges on this route, crossing the Jinsha River gorge and numerous deep creek canyons and valleys.

Design and Construction:

• Initial Designs: Early design concepts included a conventional two-tower suspension bridge with a 902-meter main span and a multi-span extradosed bridge with three spans of 260 meters.
• Final Design: The final design opted for a narrower location downstream with a 766-meter main span. Due to the challenging steep slope on the west side, engineers chose to anchor the cables into a mountain tunnel, creating the world’s largest single-tower suspension bridge span at the time.
• Record and Comparison: Although the Jinshajiang Hutiaoxia Bridge was the largest single-tower suspension bridge until 2022, it was later surpassed by the Lvzhijiang Bridge in Yunnan Province, which boasts a 780-meter main suspension span.

Dimensions and Features:

• Total Length: 1,020 meters, including six approach spans of 41.5 meters each.
• Tower Height: The south tower stands at 149.5 meters.
• Truss Sections: The truss sections are 11.5 meters in length and 6.615 meters in depth.

Scenic and Practical Impact: The bridge enhances the travel experience across the picturesque Jinsha River gorge and showcases significant advancements in bridge engineering, contributing to the improved accessibility of the scenic areas of Lijiang and Shangri-La.

Click on the excellent YouTube channel “Chinese Bridge” to see a video of the Jinshajiang Bridge Hutiaoxia. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvjBaeUG2vo