Xixihe Guibi Footbridge

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Xixihe Guibi Footbridge
西溪大桥
Linquanzhen, Guizhou, China
(525) feet high / (160) meters high
(738) foot span / (225) meter span
(1998)-2001

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The Xixi suspension bridge is one of many high bridges along the Guiyang-Bijie highway in China’s Guizhou Province. The road is best described as a museum of China's early high bridges that also includes Liuguanghe, still the highest beam bridge on earth. This 100 mile (161 km) stretch of 2-lane highway contains another suspension bridge 600 feet (183 mtr) high as well as another concrete beam bridge 600 feet (183 mtr) high and two arches, 380 feet (116 mtr) and 360 feet (110 mtrs) high. Outside of China, there is no other 100 mile (161 km) stretch of 2-lane road to have so many high bridges.

The Xixihe bridge was one of 4 medium sized suspension bridges that were designed and built in the same time period by the Major Bridge Reconnaissance Design Institute in Wuhan, Hubei, China. The bridges all share common traits including an extremely thin 2 foot (.6 mtr) thick prestressed concrete slab deck and cable suspenders just 16 feet (5 mtrs) apart. Since all 4 bridges were of similar length and in similar gorge settings, it was economical and efficient to design them at the same time. The other 3 include the Beipanjiang 2003, Azhihe and Luojiaohe bridges. All four are among the world’s 60 highest bridges. Luojiaohe is also on the Guiyang-Bijie highway just a few miles (kilometers) west of Xixi bridge.

Xixi is most similar to Azhihe with an elevated side span on the east side of the bridge that leaves the cable anchorages about 100 feet (30 mtrs) below the level of the road deck. The gorge itself is most spectacular on the west side where it drops vertically to the water for nearly its entire 540 foot (165 mtr) height. Interestingly, a recently built dam just downstream of the bridge has created a reservoir below the bridge. Prior to the dam’s construction, the bridge was over 700 feet (213 mtrs) high!


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Xixihe Bridge Guibi Elevation 2001-2006


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Xixihe Bridge Guibi Elevation 2006


西溪悬索桥是中国贵州省的匪夷所思的贵阳至毕节公路上的诸多高桥之一。这条是被誉为“中国高桥博物馆”,其上还有着世界最高的梁桥六广河大桥。这条100英里(161公里)长的公路还有着另一座183米高的悬索桥,另外一座183米高的混凝土梁桥,以及另两座分别高116米和110米的拱桥。在中国之外,地球上在没有一个国家能够在100英里(161公里)长的公路线上有如此之多的高耸桥梁。

西溪大桥是同一时期设计、建成的四座中等跨径的悬索桥之一,由位于中国湖北武汉的中铁大桥局勘测设计院设计完成。这四座桥有一些共同特点,例如,桥面相当薄,仅为合0.6米厚的预应力混凝土桥面板,主缆吊杆的间距仅有5米。因为这四座桥桥长相近、而且桥址的峡谷环境也相似,所以一次性设计四座桥是比较经济和高效的,另三座桥分别为北盘江大桥(2003)、阿志河大桥和落脚河大桥。这四座大桥都在世界前50最高的大桥范围之内。落脚河大桥也位于贵毕公路上,就在西溪大桥以西几英里远处。

西溪大桥几乎和阿志河大桥一样,立面上在大桥的东侧有一个边跨,使得主缆索的锚固位置建在了桥面板以下30米的位置。峡谷自身的西半也边十分陡峭,几乎笔直向下直至极其狭窄的咽喉般的谷底处,几乎是全部的深度,达到165米。十分有趣的是,由于河流下游新近建成了一座大坝,桥下就形成了一个水库。在大坝建成之前,大桥高度超过了200米!


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


9XixiBridgeConst.jpg

A view taken soon after completion before the reservoir began to fill up beneath the bridge.


XixiConstruction.jpg


XixiAerial.jpg

Satellite image showing the Xixi bridge crossing in the center and slightly to the right and the Xixi Gangou arch bridge crossing in the center and slightly to the left.


XixiGanGouSatellite.jpg

A satellite image from around the year 2000 showing a completed Xixi Gangou arch bridge in the upper left and the still under construction Xixi suspension bridge on the right. A narrow, temporary footbridge can be seen crossing the Xixi canyon.


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Xixihe Bridge Guibi location map.


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