Case Study of Twin Cable-Stayed Bridges for High-Speed Railway in China: Design, Analysis and Construction

Abstract

The construction of twin cable-stayed railway bridges was undertaken near Changsha station of the Shanghai–Kunming high-speed railway (HSR) in China. Because of the inevitability of crossing the existing Wuhan–Guangzhou HSR line, the swing method was chosen so that the construction process does not interrupt the operation of the existing line. The objective of this study is to highlight the features of two cable-stayed bridges. Key structural components along with structural dimensions are discussed. Key issues associated with the structural design are analyzed, including the pylon–girder joint behavior, solar radiation temperature mode of through girder, track–bridge behavior, and the aerodynamic effects induced by high-speed trains. Finally, a brief account of the construction is given. The use of the swing method proved to be an effective solution to span existing HSR lines.