World's widest double I-steel composite cable-stayed bridge passes load tests
2025-11-07 22:11:38
By Hu Yikai.
The Chaibuxi Bridge, the world's widest double I-steel composite cable-stayed bridge and a key structure on the Yilai (Yidu-Laifeng) Expressway, has successfully completed all required load tests.
Designed as a “four-lane expressway plus two-lane provincial highway” on the same deck, the Chaibuxi Bridge is the first cable-stayed bridge in Hubei Province to integrate expressway and provincial road traffic at one level. Its main bridge spans 904 meters, with a 480-meter main span and a deck width of 44.5 meters.
Load testing in progress on the Chaibuxi Bridge.
Load testing serves as the final inspection before a bridge opens to the public, simulating real traffic conditions to verify structural safety and load-bearing capacity. The tests on Chaibuxi Bridge covered three major systems: as-built state assessment, static load tests, and dynamic load tests. During the static load phase, 19 progressively intensive test scenarios were carried out using a fleet of 35-ton tri-axle trucks. Up to 49 trucks were deployed simultaneously, generating an extreme load of 1,715 tons, equivalent to the total weight of about 300 adult elephants.
The Yichang section of the Yilai Expressway, spanning 91.658 kilometers, is scheduled for substantial completion by the end of 2025, with traffic expected to open in July 2026.
Li Ke and Zhou Xinping also contributed to this story.
The Chaibuxi Bridge, the world's widest double I-steel composite cable-stayed bridge and a key structure on the Yilai (Yidu-Laifeng) Expressway, has successfully completed all required load tests.
A full view of the Chaibuxi Bridge.
Designed as a “four-lane expressway plus two-lane provincial highway” on the same deck, the Chaibuxi Bridge is the first cable-stayed bridge in Hubei Province to integrate expressway and provincial road traffic at one level. Its main bridge spans 904 meters, with a 480-meter main span and a deck width of 44.5 meters.
Load testing in progress on the Chaibuxi Bridge.Load testing serves as the final inspection before a bridge opens to the public, simulating real traffic conditions to verify structural safety and load-bearing capacity. The tests on Chaibuxi Bridge covered three major systems: as-built state assessment, static load tests, and dynamic load tests. During the static load phase, 19 progressively intensive test scenarios were carried out using a fleet of 35-ton tri-axle trucks. Up to 49 trucks were deployed simultaneously, generating an extreme load of 1,715 tons, equivalent to the total weight of about 300 adult elephants.
The Yichang section of the Yilai Expressway, spanning 91.658 kilometers, is scheduled for substantial completion by the end of 2025, with traffic expected to open in July 2026.
Li Ke and Zhou Xinping also contributed to this story.
