Stonecutters Bridge – Latest Construction Challenges

Stonecutters Bridge will span 1018m across the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong providing 73.5m high clearance above the busy shipping channel. Construction commenced in early 2004. Upper tower construction from level +175m to +293m combines circular duplex stainless steel skin segments with carbon steel anchor boxes at the core and a concrete infill wall to form the composite structure. The 88m lengths of steel twin-box decks around the towers are over land. Individual deck segments were delivered to site by barge and offloaded using a frame cantilevering from the tower. After segment welding, a Heavy Lift operation is used to raise the 4000T decks by 75m, using strand jacks on temporary works supported from the towers and the concrete back spans. Transverse and longitudinal sliding operations are required for final positioning. Trial assembly of the steelwork components during fabrication in China ensures accurate fit up and geometry control during erection so that site operations are not hindered. Main span cantilevering and installation of the prefabricated parallel wire stay cables will follow.