Difference between revisions of "Puli Bridge"

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普立特大桥<br />
 
普立特大桥<br />
 
Pulixiang, Yunnan, China<br />
 
Pulixiang, Yunnan, China<br />
1,115 feet high / 340 meters high<br />
+
1,306 feet high / 398 meters high<br />
 
2,060 foot span / 628 meter span<br />
 
2,060 foot span / 628 meter span<br />
 
2015<br />
 
2015<br />
[[File:PuliComputerView.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:PuliBridgeWideView.jpg|750px|center]]
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
  
Puli Bridge will become the highest suspension bridge in Yunnan Province when it opens in 2015.  The main span of 628 meters will be unique among China's highest suspension bridges in that it will have a thin, box deck girder instead of the usual truss.  The bridge crosses the creek just 200 meters before it empties into the spectacular Gexianghe River gorge.   
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Puli Bridge will become the highest suspension bridge in Yunnan Province when it opens in 2015.  The main span of 628 meters will be unique among China's highest suspension bridges in that it will have a thin, steel box deck girder instead of the usual truss.  The Longjiang Bridge - also under construction in Yunnan Province - will also utilize an aerodynamic box deck girder.  The entire main span is composed of 52 segments of 12 meters in length.  The bridge crosses Puli creek just 600 meters before it empties into the spectacular Gexianghe River gorge.
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The first pilot line for the main cable was shot across the canyon tethered to the back end of a rocket in early 2013This is only the 3rd time this has ever been done after the Siduhe and Lishuihe Bridges. 
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The span is part of the new G56 expressway that will connect the city of Xuanwei, Yunnan with Liupanshui, Guizhou as well as the G76 expressway in Bijie, Guizhou.  This entire Yunnan/Guizhou border region is becoming a new hot spot of high Chinese bridges.  In addition to Puli they include the Beipanjiang Railway, Beipanjiang 2013, Beipanjiang 2016, Dimuhe, Zongqihe and Yuzuo Bridges.
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<div style="text-align: center; font-size: 25px;">
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Just How High Is Puli Bridge?<br />
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</div>
  
The span is part of a new expressway that will connect the city of Xuanwei, Yunnan with the G56 and G76 expressways of Guizhou ProvinceThis entire Yunnan/Guizhou border region is becoming a new hot spot of high Chinese bridgesIn addition to Puli they include the Beipanjiang Railway, Beipanjiang 2013, Beipanjiang 2016, Dimuhe, Zongqihe and Yuzuo Bridges.   
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The inaccessible terrain on the east and west slopes along Puli Creek made it difficult for the bridge engineers to create an exact topographic model of the bottom of the Puli Creek canyonEstimates show the water surface to be at 1,430 meters or approximately 398 meters below the known center road deck level of 1,828 metersWith the Gexiang River at around 1,230 meters elevation, the Puli Bridge deck height would seem to be around 400 metersI will update the actual height of Puli Bridge when I measure it with my laser rangefinder. 
  
  
 
<div style="text-align: center; font-size: 25px;">
 
<div style="text-align: center; font-size: 25px;">
[[File:PuliElevComingSoon.jpg|750px|center]]<br />
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[[File:PuliElevationFinal.jpg|750px|center]]<br />
 
Puli Bridge Elevation<br />
 
Puli Bridge Elevation<br />
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
  
The official photo and computer rendition above shows how the bridge would look if it crossed over the Gexiang River gorge. The bridge will actually cross the above view 90 degrees adjacent by coming straight from the left side slope and directly towards you. The Puli River is a tributary of the Gexiang and is hidden below the view of the camera.  
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[[File:PuliEastTowerLonglensView.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:PuliEastTowerView.jpg|450px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:PuliEastTowerFogWide.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:PuliEastTowerLonglens.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:PuliRocket.jpg|750px|center]]
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Puli Bridge rocket launch to bring the main suspension cable pilot line across the canyon.
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[[File:PuliBridgeEngineers.jpg|750px|center]]
  
  
[[File:PuliValleyView.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:PuliRocketTether.jpg|450px|center]]
A clean view of the Gexiang River gorgeThe cameraman is standing on the approximate location of the Puli Bridge west tower while the east tower will be on the green slope on the left side.  If the Gexiang River were to be crossed by a suspension bridge it would likely be more then 500 meters high!
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:PuliRocketLaunch.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:PuliRocketLaunch2.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:PuliPilotLine.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:PuliTowersAlignment.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:PuliApproachSupports.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:PuliWestAnchorageFog.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:PuliWestEndOfBridge.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:PuliWestApproaches.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:PuliWestTowerBottom.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:PuliWestTowerBase.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:PuliWestTowerSide.jpg|450px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:PuliBridgeConstRoads.jpg|750px|center]]
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A 2011 view of the construction roads.
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[[File:PuliWestTowerLonglens.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:PuliWestSlopeView.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:PuliSlopeToGexiang.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:PuliComputerView.jpg|750px|center]]
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A rendering of the Puli Bridge showing the span across the Gexiang River and not Puli CreekThey probably did this due to the extreme difficulty of driving to on overlook on the south side of the Gexiang River canyon.
  
  
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[[File:PuliBridgeConstRoads.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:PuliBridgeGroup.jpg|750px|center]]
In 2011 a series of construction roads were created to access the foundation of one of the bridge towersConstruction of the bridge will begin in 2012.
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A group of Yunnan engineers visit the bridge site in 2011.
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[[File:PuliModel.jpg|750px|center]]
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A group of Chinese engineers discuss the bridge designThe simplified terrain below the model does not show the full height of the V-shaped valley.
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[[File:PuliModelView.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:PuliSatelliteImage.jpg|750px|center]]
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Puli Bridge satellite image.  Note how the bridge crosses the Puli River just before it empties into the Gexiang River that flows off to the right.  The Puli Creek descends as much as 200 meters during this last stretch before it joins the Gexiang River.
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[[File:PuliSatelliteMedium.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:PuliSatelliteWide.jpg|750px|center]]
  
[[File:PuliBridgeGroup.jpg|750px|center]]
 
A group of Yunnan engineers visit the east slope of the bridge site in 2011.
 
  
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[[File:PuliLocationMap.jpg|750px|center]] 
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Puli Bridge location map.
  
[[File:PuliSatellite.jpg|750px|center]]
 
Puli Bridge satellite image with bridge and highway drawn in.  Note how the bridge crosses the Puli River just before it empties into the Gexiang River in the lower right.  The Puli likely tumbles down a waterfall-like cascade for the last 100 meters of descent before it blends into the Gexiang River. 
 
  
 
[[Category:Bridges in China]]
 
[[Category:Bridges in China]]
 
[[Category:Top 10 Highest Bridges]]
 
[[Category:Top 10 Highest Bridges]]

Revision as of 07:48, 27 June 2014

Puli Bridge
普立特大桥
Pulixiang, Yunnan, China
1,306 feet high / 398 meters high
2,060 foot span / 628 meter span
2015

PuliBridgeWideView.jpg


Puli Bridge will become the highest suspension bridge in Yunnan Province when it opens in 2015. The main span of 628 meters will be unique among China's highest suspension bridges in that it will have a thin, steel box deck girder instead of the usual truss. The Longjiang Bridge - also under construction in Yunnan Province - will also utilize an aerodynamic box deck girder. The entire main span is composed of 52 segments of 12 meters in length. The bridge crosses Puli creek just 600 meters before it empties into the spectacular Gexianghe River gorge.

The first pilot line for the main cable was shot across the canyon tethered to the back end of a rocket in early 2013. This is only the 3rd time this has ever been done after the Siduhe and Lishuihe Bridges.

The span is part of the new G56 expressway that will connect the city of Xuanwei, Yunnan with Liupanshui, Guizhou as well as the G76 expressway in Bijie, Guizhou. This entire Yunnan/Guizhou border region is becoming a new hot spot of high Chinese bridges. In addition to Puli they include the Beipanjiang Railway, Beipanjiang 2013, Beipanjiang 2016, Dimuhe, Zongqihe and Yuzuo Bridges.

Just How High Is Puli Bridge?

The inaccessible terrain on the east and west slopes along Puli Creek made it difficult for the bridge engineers to create an exact topographic model of the bottom of the Puli Creek canyon. Estimates show the water surface to be at 1,430 meters or approximately 398 meters below the known center road deck level of 1,828 meters. With the Gexiang River at around 1,230 meters elevation, the Puli Bridge deck height would seem to be around 400 meters. I will update the actual height of Puli Bridge when I measure it with my laser rangefinder.


PuliElevationFinal.jpg

Puli Bridge Elevation


PuliEastTowerLonglensView.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


PuliEastTowerView.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


PuliEastTowerFogWide.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


PuliEastTowerLonglens.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


PuliRocket.jpg

Puli Bridge rocket launch to bring the main suspension cable pilot line across the canyon.


PuliBridgeEngineers.jpg


PuliRocketTether.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


PuliRocketLaunch.jpg


PuliRocketLaunch2.jpg


PuliPilotLine.jpg


PuliTowersAlignment.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


PuliApproachSupports.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


PuliWestAnchorageFog.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


PuliWestEndOfBridge.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


PuliWestApproaches.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


PuliWestTowerBottom.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


PuliWestTowerBase.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


PuliWestTowerSide.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


PuliBridgeConstRoads.jpg

A 2011 view of the construction roads.


PuliWestTowerLonglens.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


PuliWestSlopeView.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


PuliSlopeToGexiang.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


PuliComputerView.jpg

A rendering of the Puli Bridge showing the span across the Gexiang River and not Puli Creek. They probably did this due to the extreme difficulty of driving to on overlook on the south side of the Gexiang River canyon.


PuliBridgeDrawing.jpg

Another early computer rendering of the Puli Bridge.


PuliBridgeGroup.jpg

A group of Yunnan engineers visit the bridge site in 2011.


PuliModel.jpg

A group of Chinese engineers discuss the bridge design. The simplified terrain below the model does not show the full height of the V-shaped valley.


PuliModelView.jpg


PuliSatelliteImage.jpg

Puli Bridge satellite image. Note how the bridge crosses the Puli River just before it empties into the Gexiang River that flows off to the right. The Puli Creek descends as much as 200 meters during this last stretch before it joins the Gexiang River.


PuliSatelliteMedium.jpg


PuliSatelliteWide.jpg


PuliLocationMap.jpg

Puli Bridge location map.