On January 26, the Lupar Cross-Sea Bridge, the largest individual bridge project under construction in Malaysia, achieved closure. It was undertaken by China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Group Co., Ltd, a subsidiary of China Railway Group Limited.
An aerial view of the Lupar Cross-Sea Bridge in Malaysia. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
The Lupar Cross-Sea Bridge, a key project along the coastal highway in Malaysia’s Sarawak State, spans a total length of 4,844 meters. It consists of a 598.8-meter main channel bridge, a 1,197.6-meter southern approach bridge and a 3,047.6-meter northern approach bridge. The bridge deck is 17.3 meters wide and features a four-lane, bidirectional design.
The main channel bridge adopts a double-tower, three-span, double-cable-plane concrete cable-stayed structure, with each main tower standing 111.575 meters tall.
Its construction faced many challenges. The bridge site is situated in a funnel-shaped estuary approximately 4,500 meters wide, characterized by extreme tidal ranges, fast-flowing currents, and powerful wave surges. Also, soft upper soil layers overlying hard, inclined rocks with a solidity of up to 140 megapascals added to the difficulties.
Facing the challenges of rushing tides, whirling waves and solid rocks, the construction team decided to adopt an "all-water construction without trestles" approach. With precise positioning in the rapid water, they constructed 82 piers from the seabed up. These innovative methods reduced the construction costs, and conserved the local marine environment and fish habitats.
As the bridge is completed, Sarawak State will enjoy more convenient coastal transport, less inter-regional travel time, more thriving tourism, and greater ability to develop its local oil, gas and agricultural resources.
(Executive editor: Yuan Ting)
