Chinese Bridges

Martial Media, Culture and Other Arts Off Topic
21

Beipanjiang Bridge

Wow. That’s a serious bridge. :eek:

Beipanjiang Bridge, the world’s tallest, opens to traffic in rural China


The four-lane road span of the Beipanjiang Bridge soars more than half a kilometre over the river below CREDIT: XINHUA/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK

Ed Wiseman
29 DECEMBER 2016 • 4:31PM

The world’s highest bridge has opened to traffic in a remote, mountainous part of China, adding to the country’s impressive roster of megastructures.

The Beipanjiang Bridge links the province of Guizhou and Yunnan and is expected to reduce road travel times from Liupanshui to Xuianwei from five hours to two. Its 1,341-metre span of four-lane road deck soars 564 metres over the Beipan River, making it the highest – if not the tallest – in the world.


A vehicle crosses the Beipanjiang Bridge, possibly unaware that there’s half a kilometre of air between the road span and the river below. CREDIT: XINHUA/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK

China is also home to the second and third highest bridges - the Sidu River Bridge and the Puli Bridge, respectively - as well as other modern wonders such as the Three Gorges Dam (and its ship lift, the world’s largest) and growing high speed rail network.


The bridge is in a remote, mountainous part of China, a few miles downriver of the enormous Guangzhao Dam. CREDIT: XINHUA/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK

The Guangzhao Dam is a concrete gravity dam a few miles north of the Beipanjiang Bridge, designed to generate electricity using hydroelectric power generation.

The Beipanjiang is the highest rather than the tallest bridge. The tallest bridge - the bridge with the tallest structure, regardless of distance from the valley floor - remains the Millau Viaduct, a joint British-French venture on the A75 Autoroute. The road deck here is held a mere 270 metres – less than half the height of the Beipanjiang Bridge.


This diagram shows the difference between ‘highest’ and ‘tallest’ CREDIT: KEOW WEE LOONG / BARCROFT IMAGES

The Beipan river, over which the Beipanjiang Bridge carries traffic, is part of the great Pearl River basin. Because of its geography, the bridges that cross it tend to be remarkably high.

22

The Lucky Knot bridge in Changsha, China

Wow. Now that’s a cool bridge.

China’s new topsy-turvy bridge actually has three bridges woven into one
Leanna Garfield
Jan. 12, 2017, 11:13 AM


A rendering of the Lucky Knot bridge in Changsha, China. Next Architects

A bridge doesn’t need to include the standard, gray concrete beams, cables, and deck. They can twist and turn and pop with color.

That’s the philosophy behind the Lucky Knot bridge in Changsha, China, which was designed by Next Architects.

Spotted by Designboom, the whimsical pedestrian bridge actually has three bridges woven into one structure. Next Architects was awarded the project after their design proposal won an international competition in 2013, Michel Schreimachers, a partner at the firm, tells Business Insider. The steel bridge in Changsha’s newly redeveloped city center was completed in late 2016.

Check it out below.

The Lucky Knot stretches over a highway and the Dragon King Harbor River, sitting 78 feet above the river so boats can travel beneath it.

Next Architects

The 600-foot bridge is actually three separate bridges intertwined into one. Pedestrians can access it from eight street entrances.

Next Architects

The three walkways overlap at five points, which Schreimachers calls “moon gates.”

Next Architects

The bridge’s design mimics that of roller coaster tracks. Rather than just connecting the two sides, Schreimachers says, it also functions as a pedestrian playground.

Next Architects

The design team was inspired by the Chinese knot, which is how the bridge got its name.

Next Architects

In ancient Chinese folk art, the knot stands for luck and prosperity, Schreimachers says. The color red also symbolizes good fortune and joy.

Next Architects

Next Architects is known for creating unconventional bridges. The firm also built one in a Netherlands floodplain last year that can be submerged in water.

Next Architects

Source: Wired and Next Architects

Like Next’s other designs, the Lucky Knot is anything but ordinary.

Next Architects

23

Over-budget again

Some build bridges. Some build walls. Both go over-budget, no matter what the developers say.

HK$117.7bn Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge may run over-budget again, says Transport Sec.
10 February 2017 11:16 Elson Tong 2 min read

The Hong Kong government said on Thursday that the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge project, plagued by repeated overspending, may run over-budget once again.

Secretary for Transport and Housing Anthony Cheung Bing-leung said that the bridge’s main section may incur greater expenses than originally estimated, but did not have a precise figure. The main section is jointly funded by the governments of Hong Kong, Macau and the mainland.


Transport and housing secretary at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge. Photo: GovHK.

Originally, the main section was estimated to cost an initial RMB 15.73 billion (HK$17.75 bilion).

Hong Kong would contribute RMB 6.75 billion (HK$7.62 billion), around 43 per cent of the total whilst Macau and mainland China would contribute RMB 1.98 billion (HK$2.23 billion) and RMB 7 billion (HK$7.9 billion) respectively.

“[I] believe if there really are to be additional expenses, each of the three sides will maybe have to contribute funds according to that ratio,” said Cheung.

Construction review

He added that each of the three sides have already hired expert consultants in order to review construction progress and information provided by contractors on the bridge’s main section. “So later we will have a more reliable estimate, and we will explain this to society.”


File photo: HKFP/Tom Grundy.

Apart from the initial RMB 15.73 billion, the three sides have also obtained RMB 22 billion (HK$24.82 billion) in loans to construct the main section, to be jointly repaid after 35 years.

Cheung said that the three sides would arrive at a decision later as to whether they would have to obtain additional loans.

He added that the management of the project expected the main section to be completed by the end of this year.


Construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. File Photo: GovHK

Hong Kong section within budget

Cheung said on Thursday that the Hong Kong section of the bridge project would not incur more expenses than currently budgeted. This is because the original budget has already been amended.

In 2011, the Legislative Council passed a motion authorising the government to spend HK$48.5 billion on the Hong Kong section, which consists of border checkpoints, connections to the main bridge and highways.

However, it has been plagued by repeated delays and overspending. Hong Kong is now reported to have spent a total of up to HK$117.7 billion on the bridge project.

24

Slightly OT

Not quite a bridge, but who is really paying attention to that here?

LOOK: Bikini models strut their stuff on glass skywalk, 1,000 meters above the ground
BY ALEX LINDER IN NEWS ON MAY 10, 2017 4:00 PM

Due to China’s fiercely competitive glass-bottomed bridge scene, a see-through skywalk built alongside a scenic cliff above a 1,000-meter drop is no longer enough to draw in the tourists, you’re also going to need some girls in bikinis.
Over the weekend, a group of bikini models posed for pics on a glass skywalk alongside Baiyuan Mountain outside of Luoyang, Henan province. The photoshoot was apparently part of a local “tourism ambassador contest.”









Fortunately, none of the women seem to suffer from acrophobia.

[Images via Sina]

25

Come on. It’s free!

This seems ill-advised…:eek:

LOOK: 10,000 tourists cram onto glass bridge after scenic spot opens it for free
BY ALEX LINDER IN NEWS ON JUN 13, 2017 8:20 PM

A scenic spot in central Henan province offered tourists a free walk across their terrifying glass-bottomed bridge over the weekend. It’s not clear if the place knew what it was in for. Because if there’s one thing that Chinese tourists love more than glass bridges; it’s free stuff.

On Sunday, 10,000 visitors flocked to the 216-meter-long bridge located in a mountainous area outside of Pingdingshan city, People’s Daily reports.
While in the past officials have been forced to reassure visitors of the solidity of their glass skywalks, using sledgehammers and SUVs, these brave souls were apparently completely confident in the bridge’s integrity, frantically trying to squeeze in for a view of the 96-meter-drop to the ground below.

Tourist sites across China have been attempting to cash in on the country’s glass bridge craze for the last couple of years. Last August, the world’s highest and longest glass-bottomed bridge opened in Zhangjiajie, only to be shut down less than two weeks later after too many people wanted to walk on it.
[Images via dfic.cn]

26

Slightly OT

This is a skywalk, not quite a bridge, but with all the glass bridges in this thread, I figure it needs to be posted here.

Cracks appear in glass skywalk above Pacific Ocean in Taiwan
A man was seen hitting the glass with a rock: reports
By Matthew Strong,Taiwan News, Staff Writer
2017/07/12 14:48


Cracks appeared in the Fengbin Skywalk Wednesday.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Less than two weeks after its inauguration, cracks in the glass skywalk above the Pacific Ocean in the Hualien County township of Fengbin () forced a shutdown Wednesday.

The first visitors were allowed to walk across and watch waves crashing into the cliffs 50 meters below on July 1.

Around Wednesday noon, reports emerged that one plate of tempered glass covering half the width of the path had cracked.

The local government immediately shut down the whole 150-meter-long path, of which a 20-meter-long stretch consists of steel beams and glass, and sent a crew to replace the broken segment. Their work was completed by Wednesday afternoon, allowing the authorities to announce that the skywalk would be open for business again on Thursday morning. Surveillance cameras would be installed, reports said.

Officials reportedly said a man had been seen hitting the glass with a rock but had run off when tourists approached. Since it had been unable to identify and locate the culprit, the local government was not planning to file a lawsuit for the time being, reports said.

Construction of the skywalk () lasted three years and followed a track dating back to the Japanese colonial era. The entrance of the path is located next to the southern entrance of the Xinfeng Tunnel () at kilometer mark 41.5 on the Hualien-Taitung Coastal Highway.

It’s always some nut job with a rock…

27

Shandong wobbly bridge

Would YOU dare? Terrified boyfriend is dragged by his girlfriend across a glass-bottomed bridge that WOBBLES at 360 feet high
Couple were crossing a new see-through bridge in Shandong, eastern China
The man struggle to stand on the glass panel as his girlfriend held his hand
When there are many people on it, the walkway could sway from side to side
Designers of the structure were inspired by the Millennium Bridge in London
By Tracy You For Mailonline
PUBLISHED: 08:52 EDT, 16 August 2017 | UPDATED: 09:16 EDT, 16 August 2017

To cross a glass-bottomed bridge hundreds of feet above the ground could be a frightening experience - more so if it sways.

A man who was trying to make his way through one such footbridge in China got so scared he had to be helped by his girlfriend.

The woman held her boyfriend’s hand and comforted him as they stood on the walkway packed with tourists 110 metres (360 feet) above the ground.

A man was so scared of crossing a see-through walkway he had to be helped by his girlfriend. The glass-bottomed bridge, in China, is situated 110 metres (360 feet) above the ground


Opened to the public in June, the transparent footpath cost £5.8 million to build

The couple were visiting the newly opened glass-bottomed bridge in eastern China’s Shandong Province.

Footage shared by China’s social media platform Pear Video shows the man’s struggle on the swaying structure as he saw the nerve-wrecking drop right beneath his feet.

The brave woman told her petrified boyfriend: ‘Let’s go. It’ll be fine. Let’s just try to walk and see.’ However, the man appeared reluctant as he held firmly onto the handrail.

Passersby laughed at the man as they walked past them, but one onlooker encouraged the man: ‘It’s going to be okay. Don’t despair. Just keep walking.’

Situated on the Tan Xi Mountain near the city of Zibo, the walkway could sway from side to side slightly when there are many visitors on it or when there is wind blowing, according to the management company of Tan Xi Mountain.


A spokesperson said the bridge could sway from side to side due to its unique design


It’s claimed that the bridge wobbles when there are many people on it or when there is wind


The bridge’s glass floor panels and movement have not deterred Chinese tourists as adults and children are seen enjoying themselves and jumping on the terrifying structure

A spokesperson of the company, Mr Chen, explained to MailOnline: ‘This is due to the bridge’s unique design. Our designers were inspired by the famous Millennium Bridge in London.’

Millennium Bridge, a £18.2 million structure situated on the Thames in the British capital, wobbled under the weight of thousands of pedestrians when it first opened in June 2000.

A £5 million repair programme had to be carried out in May 2001 to reduce the bridge’s movement to acceptable levels.


Tourists take a glass lift to the top of the cliff before stepping onto the popular bridge. The transparent footpath, which cost £5.8 million to build, connects two sides of the cliff face


Designers of the glass-bottomed bridge in Shandong, China, were said to be inspired by the Millennium Bridge on the Thames in London, which also sways from side to side

The management company claimed that their ‘wobbly’ glass-bottomed bridge was ‘perfectly safe to use’.

The bridge is said to be able to carry up to 500 people at the same time and a high-tech alarm system would send out an alert if it detects potential danger.

‘In theory, our bridge could bear a maximum weight of 900 tonnes,’ said Mr Chen, the spokesperson.

Opened to the public in June, the transparent footpath cost 50 million yuan (£5.8 million) to build.

The structure measures 117 metres (383 feet) long and 2.45 metres (eight feet) wide, and is connected to the ground via two observation lifts.

“their ‘wobbly’ glass-bottomed bridge was ‘perfectly safe to use’” - how reassuring. :eek:

28

Wonder where this is…

The bold - and the big baby! Hilarious video shows fearless woman charging across vertigo-inducing bridge, before being followed by screaming, shaking man who has to CRAWL over it
Visitors to China bridge are filmed screaming and shaking as they cross
The red steel bridge looks like a ladder and has no railings or safety net
A woman and man crossing the bridge have two hilariously different reactions

By Marlene Lenthang For Dailymail.com
PUBLISHED: 17:28 EDT, 18 August 2017 | UPDATED: 07:32 EDT, 19 August 2017

A bridge crossing in China gives adrenaline-junkies a run for their money with the serious vertigo-inducing challenge.

The red painted steel bridge has no railing, glass or safety net to protect from falling in between the rungs. Aside from a zip line, the only thing that lies between crossers and the bridge is frightening altitude.

In a video two bold adventurers decided to cross and have hilariously different reactions to nearly walking on air.


Dare devil! A young girl crossed this bridge hundreds of feet in the air in China that has no railings, glass, or safety net in seconds, championing the terrifying, vertigo-defying challenge


Don’t look down! This woman can’t help it because in between the rungs of this rickety ladder, there is nothing but pure altitude. Tracking each step carefully, she made it across safely

A young woman faced the challenge first. Fastly attached to a zipline, she crossed the ladder bridge that connected two mountain ledges with confidence.

The young girl stepped boldly onto the bridge and crossed like she would any other bridge. She showed no sign of fear and her knees never gave in to the fright of the height. She stood up the entire way, her eyes glued to the ladder to track each next step.

But her confident stride didn’t last so long. Vertigo eventually hit the girl who paused for a moment near the end of the track. She swayed slightly and stared into the massive depth of the canyons below her.

A breath later she collected herself and made it safely across, all within a matter of seconds.

Another bridge crosser, however, did not have such luck in keeping his head held high, or up at all for that matter.

The young man who followed the girl hilariously succumbed to fear and a case of the shakes right after his first step, and it was all caught on camera.


Scaredy cat: A man followed the woman’s courageous crossing, but he could not measure up and began to scream wildly and shake uncontrollably after his first step on the bridge


Holding on for dear life: The man decided to crawl his way down after his knees betrayed him

After just one step the man began to yelp and shake uncontrollably in fear. He continued on, screaming ‘This is too tall! F***! I’m so scared!’ with every single step.

By the third rung he abandoned efforts to walk upright and sunk to his knees and decided to crawl across.

Commentors on the video dubbed it a ‘Gollum’ walk as the man crawled across rung by rung.

At one point he gained an ounce of confidence and began to rise, but realized he acted too soon and went right back down. The man hilariously never stopped screaming and swearing and at the end sped up his crawl to Spiderman speed to get the challenge over with.

I’d crawl too. I’m not proud.

29

Cracks - intentional cracks

‘takes the biscuit’ - couldn’t have said it better myself, mate.

The glass-bottomed walkway in China that cracks under your feet


Walkers on a glass bridge at Shiniuzhai National Geological Park - one of many glass walkways in China CREDIT: GETTY

Soo Kim, travel writer
11 OCTOBER 2017 • 11:55AM

China has developed something of an obsession with terrifying glass-bottomed walkways. But its newest see-through bridge really takes the biscuit.

A tour guide braving the East Taiheng Glasswalk in Hubei province had the shock of his life when the glass panels beneath his fee began to crack. It was all captured in a video posted by China’s People Daily.

He need not have panicked. The cracking effect is actually a special feature designed to frighten visitors. Sensors that detect passing pedestrians, triggering the visual and sound effects.

If it’s of any comfort, the feature has been installed towards the end of the bridge, which is around two metres (6.5 feet) wide and 266 metres (872 feet) long.

The East Taiheng Glasswalk joins a string of other vertigo-inducing attractions in China, such as the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, the world’s longest and highest glass bridge, suspended 260 metres (853 feet) above the ground in the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park of Hunan province.


China’s Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge - the world’s longest and highest glass bridge CREDIT: GETTY

Last year, the country unveiled plans to build an “invisible” footbridge in the same region, made with mirrored stainless steel and reflective black stone, suspended 300 metres above the ground between two mountains in the Zhangjiajie Canyon.


A rendering of the “invisible” footbridge to be built over the Zhangjiajie Canyon in China

Other dizzying bridges in the country include a 69 metre (226 feet) glass walkway in the mountains of Shaanxi province, which was unveiled this July. In the same week, a walkway outside the 88th floor of the Jinmao Tower opened in Shanghai. Set 340 metres (1,115 feet) above the ground, visitors must attach themselves to the building using a safety rope to scale it.

Back in 2015, one tourist in China was left terrified while crossing the glass-floored Yuntain Mountain Walkway when the glass panel below his feet began to crack – but this time it wasn’t a special effect. The bridge was closed temporarily for repairs after the incident.

30

Shiyan Ecological Park bridge

We’ve discussed these Chinese glass-bottom bridges a lot here. Has anyone here walked on one yet?

Spectacular aerial footage shows China’s new glass-bottomed bridge built to connect two islands at 490 feet high
China has opened its first cross-island glass bridge at an eco park in Hunan
Measuring 984 ft long, the bridge provides a panoramic view over Shiyan Lake
It is unveiled as the latest attraction to Shiyan Ecological Park on September 30
The bridge can hold a maximum of 1,200 people at one time, claimed experts
By TIFFANY LO FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 12:33 EDT, 4 October 2017 | UPDATED: 16:04 EDT, 4 October 2017

China is continuing its passion for glass-bottomed bridges.

The country has just opened its first cross-island glass bridge to the public in central China’s Hunan Province on September 30.

The multi-glazed glass bridge measures 300 metres long (984 ft) and set 150 metres (492 ft) above water across Shiyan Lake.


China’s first glass bridge that connected two islands with a distance of 300 metres (984 ft)


It is built with three layers of reinforced glass and held by strong suspensions along the bridge

Drone footage posted by People’s Daily Online captures a breath-taking view of the glass bridge on October 2.

Visitors can enjoy an all-round view of the lake and the scenic view around.

The glass-made suspension bridge is the latest attraction of Shiyanhu Ecological Park in Changsha.

According to Dr Yin Xinping from the design institute of Hunan University, the glass bridge can hold a maximum load of 1,200 people.


The bridge was open to public on September 30 as the latest attraction of Shiyanhu Eco Park


The glass bridge was proved to withstand strong wind and strong vibration, claimed experts


Visitors can enjoy a clear view beneath their feet as they cross over the green waters

‘The material used on the bridge are three layers of reinforced glass. Each layer is separated with plastic. The bridge can allow a six-tonne car to drive through,’ explained Dr Yin.

The bridge can also withstand strong wind and vibration under rounds of safety inspections.

It’s set to be China’s first cross-island glass bridge, to provide a magnificent view of Shiyan Lake to visitors.

Shiyanhu Ecological Park is recorded as a 4-As tourist spot, surrounded by mountains along with Chinese traditions such as pagodas and temples.

31

3d? Wth?

This is like playing Grand Theft Auto while carjacking. :confused:

3D glass bridge over Yellow River becomes instant hit
Han Jing
14:00 UTC+8, 2017-10-18
An eye-catching all glass-decked bridge spanning the Yellow River in Zhongwei city of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region has opened to the public.



The thrilling bridge has quickly become the latest Internet sensation as it is also China’s first 3D glass bridge. Visitors can enjoy lifelike 3D images on the glass floor from certain angles as they cross it.




The bridge measures 2.6 meters in width and 210 meters in length, and it hangs 10 meters from the surface of the rushing river. Each piece of glass can bear a load of three-tons.


Source: SHINE Editor: Han Jing

32

World’s Longest Glass Bottom Bridge Opens in North China

//youtu.be/pfx13wdFXzU

33

The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge

March 29, 2018
A bridge so far: China’s controversial megaproject
March 29, 2018


A bridge to somewhere: The project linking Hong Kong, Macau and mainland china is 55 kilometres long and contains enough steel to build 60 Eiffel Towers

Touted as an engineering wonder, the world’s longest sea bridge, which connects Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China, includes a snaking road crossing and an underwater tunnel and reportedly uses enough steel to build 60 Eiffel Towers.

Nine years after construction began on the 55-kilometre (34-mile) crossing, a preview organised by the Chinese government this week offered a first peek into the megaproject.

The bridge will link Hong Kong to the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai and the gambling enclave of Macau, cutting across the waters of the Pearl River Estuary.

Although the opening date has not been confirmed, officials expect the bridge to be in use for 120 years and say it will boost business by cutting travel time by 60 percent.

The 420,000 tonnes of steel used for the project represent 60 times the amount used in the Eiffel Tower, China’s official Xinhua news agency said.

Gao Xinglin, the bridge’s project planning manager, said the construction of the 6.7-kilometre underwater tunnel gave him sleepless nights.

“There were many nights where I couldn’t fall asleep, because there were too many difficulties during the construction,” Gao told reporters Wednesday.

“Linking the 80,000-tonne pipes under the sea with watertight technology was the most challenging,” he added.


The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge project.

The total price tag for the project, which includes artificial islands, linked roads and new border-crossing facilities, is unclear but some estimates run to over 100 billion yuan ($15.1 billion), leading critics to slam it as a costly white elephant.

Opponents in Hong Kong say the project is part of Beijing’s drive to tighten its grip on the semi-autonomous city.

Dogged by delays, budget overruns, accusations of corruption and the deaths of construction workers, the bridge failed to open by the end of 2017 as hoped.

There have also been safety concerns after 19 lab workers were charged over faking concrete test reports, with one man jailed last December.


Eyes right: Cars will have to change sides of the road when they get into Hong Kong, which drives on the left


The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge was nine years in the making


The crossing is not in use yet, but is expected to cut travel times by up to 60 percent


For whom the toll booths? There will be a charge for driving from Zhuhai to Hong Kong


The world’s longest sea bridge will not be a place for pedestrians when it finally opens

The only time I ever rode in a hovercraft was between Hong Kong and Macau. It was cool.

34

Bridge collapse

I love that no one was fazed. :smiley:

Crowded Chinese bridge caves in under weight of tourist numbers
Spectators at Guangdong dragon boat race appeared unfazed and continued to walk along the crossing

PUBLISHED : Friday, 05 October, 2018, 4:58pm
UPDATED : Friday, 05 October, 2018, 4:58pm
COMMENTS: 2
Simone McCarthy

A pedestrian bridge crowded with sightseers caved in during a dragon boat race in southern China.

“There were a lot of people crowded on the bridge today, and the deck bent down,” a staff member told Beijing Time. “No one was hurt.”

Video footage shot after the collapse on Wednesday showed visitors to the Green Sand Island park in Foshan, Guangdong continuing to cross the bridge after it had been bent into a deep V-shape over the waterway.

The bridge was eventually evacuated for repairs and reopened the following day, park staff told local media.

The incident occurred as the number of tourists visiting attractions across China are surging during the nation’s national holiday week, a period when hundreds of millions of people are on the move within the country.

Last year, the number of “golden week” travellers totalled 705 million, around half the nation’s population, according to the China National Tourism Administration.

THREADS
China’s National Day & Golden Week
Chinese Bridges

35

Wansheng Ordovician Theme Park

Lucky Tourist Crosses Terrifying Gap Bridge in China as Safety Rope Breaks Off
by Carl Samson 1 day ago


A male tourist in central China narrowly escaped likely death when he reached the end of a gap bridge just as his safety harness broke off.

The incident took place on Monday at the Wansheng Ordovician Theme Park, a thrill-seeker’s paradise 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Chongqing.

In the video, the tourist is seen hopping on individual planks that make up the cliffside bridge 150 meters above the ground.

To his surprise, the tourist found his safety rope detached just as he reached the last plank.

The video quickly drew alarm on Chinese social media, with many calling to shut the theme park down.

Following an investigation, officials from the Wansheng Economic Development Zone announced Thursday that the terrifying mishap was caused by an error on a staff member’s part.

As a result, the attraction, known as “Extreme Leap,” was closed until further notice.


Image via Sohu

Interestingly, a theme park spokesperson claimed that the video was nothing but a marketing stunt by a private enterprise.


Image via Net Ease

Aside from “Extreme Leap,” the park is known for its high-altitude, adrenaline-pumping attractions, including a triangular glass-bottomed bridge that extends 80 meters from the base and a bunch of cliffside swings that dangle riders 300 meters above the ground.

There are no safety nets reported in any of the attractions.


Image via China News

Netizens feared the dangerous attraction (via Asia One and South China Morning Post):

“If someone had died in the video, what would they call it then?”

“This marketing tactic only successfully demonstrates that the activity is far too dangerous.”

“If it’s a marketing ploy, I hope it closes down soon.”

“It’s not marketing – it’s true. The [authorities at this] scenic area just want to hide the facts. The video is so clear – the safety cord really broke off. You must not go, you’d be risking your life.”

THREADS
Chinese Bridges
Chinese Theme Parks

36

Hong Kong-Zhuhai bridge

34 miles - WOW. That’s a long time to be on a bridge.

Hong Kong-Zhuhai bridge: World’s longest sea crossing opens to quiet start
7 hours ago


REUTERS
Officials said traffic was not expected to be busy on the first day

The world’s longest sea crossing bridge opened to the public on Wednesday but traffic was light on its first day.

Officials said they did not expect many vehicles to immediately take to the road, adding that it could take “time to build”.

The $20bn (£15.3bn) bridge spans 55km (34 miles) and connects Hong Kong to Macau and the mainland Chinese city of Zhuhai.

It was officially opened by Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday.

“Every big infrastructure [project] has a relatively low volume of passenger and traffic flow in the initial period. It takes time to build up,” transport secretary Frank Chan told reporters.

There were virtually no cars or lorries to be seen on the bridge but the route was plied by private shuttle buses, said the BBC’s Martin Yip, who crossed from Hong Kong to Macau on Wednesday aboard one of these buses.

There was a considerable crowd queuing up for shuttle buses at the Hong Kong terminal. “The atmosphere at the terminal was buzzing - it was quite busy and people were queuing up, though many of them were pensioners. There weren’t many young people,” he said.


REUTERS
Shuttle buses have been bringing eager commuters across the border

Some eager passengers documented the entire journey on their phones, with one woman telling news agency AFP that she wanted to “check out the view”.


GETTY IMAGES
Private drivers who want to cross the bridge have to obtain special permits, which are allocated via a stringent quota system. All vehicles also have to pay a toll.

Only 10,000 permits are available for Hong Kong residents who want to drive to Zhuhai, which is located in the province of Guangdong. The permits are valid for five years.

Only people or organisations that have made “certain financial or political contributions on the mainland” will be awarded permits, the South China Morning Post newspaper reports.

To make matters more complicated, drivers will also have to change which side of the road they are on at the crossing.

People drive on the left in Hong Kong and Macau but the bridge is Chinese territory and special merger channels have been built to cope with this.

Authorities initially estimated that 9,200 vehicles would cross the bridge every day. They later lowered their estimations after new transport networks were built in the region.

Special cameras will be on the look-out for drivers on the bridge who show signs of getting sleepy, among other checks - yawn three times and the authorities will be alerted, local media report.

An engineering marvel
Designed to withstand earthquakes and typhoons, the bridge was built using 400,000 tonnes of steel, enough to build 60 Eiffel Towers.

About 30km of its total length crosses the sea of the Pearl River delta. To allow ships through, a 6.7km section in the middle dips into an undersea tunnel that runs between two artificial islands.

The remaining sections are link roads, viaducts and land tunnels connecting Zhuhai and Hong Kong to the main bridge.

In the past, travelling between Zhuhai and Hong Kong would take up to four hours - the new bridge cuts this down to 30 minutes.

‘Bridge of death’

But the bridge has also earned its fair share of criticism.

It has been dubbed the “bridge of death” by some local media outlets. At least nine workers on the Hong Kong side have died and officials told BBC News Chinese that nine had died on the mainland side, too.

There have also been concerns about the environmental impact, with conservations groups saying the project may have caused serious harm to marine life in the area - including the critically rare Chinese white dolphin.

“The project has made irreversible damage to the sea,” said Samantha Lee, Assistant Director of Ocean Conservation at the WWF. “I am worried that the number will never rise again.”


AFP
It is rare to see Chinese White Dolphins around the bridge after years of construction, say environmental groups

The bridge, surrounding link roads and artificial islands cost a staggering $20bn to build - the main bridge alone cost $6.92bn.

But according to an estimate by BBC Chinese, the bridge will only earn around $86m in tolls per year.

Chinese officials say it will generate up to 10 trillion yuan ($1.44tn; £1tn) for the economy, but doubts have been cast on that figure by Hong Kong lawmakers.

37

Slightly OT

This is slightly OT for both our UNESCO and the politics of culture and our Chinese Bridges threads. But it fits there better than elsewhere.

China-funded bridge risks Unesco World Heritage status of San Agustin church, 3 others
Binondo-Intramuros construction to encroach on buffer zone of country’s oldest church, a violation of 1993 Unesco declaration
By: Edgar Allan M. Sembrano Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:07 AM November 19, 2018


San Agustin Church

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) has warned that San Agustin Church and three other Baroque churches around the Philippines may be delisted from the prestigious World Heritage List as a result of the construction of the controversial Binondo-Intramuros Bridge across the Pasig River in Manila.

The bridge would encroach on the “buffer zone” required by the Unesco for San Augustin Church as a World Heritage Site, according to Unesco National Commission (Unacom).

Aside from San Agustin Church in Intramuros, the three other churches that may be removed from the Unesco list are San Agustin in Paoay, Ilocos Norte; Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion in Santa Maria, Ilcoos Sur; and Santo Tomas de Villanueva in Miag-ao, Iloilo.

All of them were originally built by Augustinian friars and are called “Baroque Churches of the Philippines” and collectively declared as a “Unesco World Heritage Site” in 1993. If San Agustin Church is delisted, the three others will follow.

Unesco has expressed its concerns in a letter, which has been forwarded by the Unacom to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Len Barrientos, deputy executive director of Unacom, said .

Funded by the Chinese government, the construction is announced in giant billboards along the Pasig by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) even without consultation with stakeholders, especially the cultural sector, considering it would affect Intramuros and old walled city’s cultural treasures and historic landmarks.

Ironically no cultural agency and neither NCCA nor Intramuros Administration (IA), both agencies holding office in Intramuros, has formally notified DPWH that the bridge would affect the historical, cultural and engineering integrity of Intramuros and San Agustin Church, the oldest church in the Philippines.

In fact, only after the Order of St. Augustine (OSA) formally raised the concern in a letter did cultural agencies start taking notice.

Earlier, Fr. Peter Casino, OSA vicar for the Orient, sent a letter dated Oct. 30 to the ecclesiastical heads and city, municipal and provincial heads of the affected Unesco heritage churches, urging collective action on the matter.

NCCA, IA and other cultural agencies will join the OSA friars and local government unit (LGU) and ecclesiastical representatives in a meeting with the DPWH on Nov. 21.

‘Outstanding’

In its 1993 declaration, Unesco noted that the Spanish colonial religious edifices “are outstanding examples of the Philippine interpretation of the Baroque style, and represent the fusion of European church design and construction with local materials and decorative motifs to form a new church-building tradition.”

It is for that reason that if one is affected by “unwanted development” and faces possible delisting, all other churches will be dropped as well, said former Unacom commissioner Eric Zerrudo.


Miag-ao Church –PHOTOS BY EDGAR ALLANM. SEMBRANO

The controversial project will stretch from Binondo to Plaza Mexico in Intramuros near the Bureau of Immigration building.

Zerrudo said the bridge would affect the buffer zone of San Agustin Church, which includes the walls of Intramuros and immediate areas outside.

Conservation strategy

According to Unesco, the protection not only of the core zone but of the buffer zone is important since the surroundings of a World Heritage (WH) property are “essential component[s] of the conservation strategy.”

Zerrudo explained that the buffer zone should be protected since any negative effects of a major construction project would threaten the outstanding universal value (OUV) of a WH property. This will affect its status in general, he added.

“The bridge is more than just an encroachment,” he said. “It impacts negatively on the site’s OUV which includes the core and buffer zones.”

He pointed to Operation Guidelines 172 to 174 of the World Heritage Center (WHC), which states that any negative impact on a WH site should be reported immediately, so that the WHC could assess the situation and recommend remedies.

“The key there is that you go through a very long process of consultation, conferences, collaboration, compromises [with the WHC] and eventually you come up with the right solution still to uphold and maintain its OUV,” he said.

Zerrudo said there have been cases in which a compromise was agreed by the state party and WHC. Turkey reduced the size of a planned bridge whose original size would affect the “Historic Areas of Istanbul.” The modification, Zerrudo said, was made so that the OUV of the inscribed property would not be affected.—CONTRIBUTED

38

3D printed bridge

Shanghai opens world’s longest 3D-printed concrete bridge
Published 23rd January 2019


-A team led by Xu Weiguo at Tsinghua University’s School of Architecture completed the world’s longest 3D-printed concrete bridge in Shanghai.Courtesy JCDA

Written by Emily Dixon, CNN

It’s 86 feet long and was created entirely with a 3D printer. Shanghai is now home to the world’s longest 3D-printed concrete bridge, produced by a team from the Tsinghua University School of Architecture in Beijing.
The pedestrian crossing was modeled on the famed Zhaozhou Bridge, which was built between 589 and 618 in Hebei province, northern China, and is the country’s oldest standing bridge. That crossing was made from limestone slabs, while the new structure, found in Shanghai’s Baoshan district, was created using far more modern construction techniques.


Shanghai is now home to the world’s longest 3D printed concrete bridge. Credit: Courtesy JCDA

The record-breaking bridge may not be as beautiful as its ancient predecessor, but what it lacks in aesthetics it makes up for in technology – it was produced in just 450 hours and cost just a fraction of the usual price.
Designed by professor Xu Weiguo, the bridge’s body consists of 44 3D-printed concrete units, each measuring about 3x3x5 feet, while the flowing sides are made from 68 separate concrete slabs.
The bridge was printed piece by piece, using two robotic arms and technology developed by Xu. Tsinghua University claims the project cost a third less than a standard bridge of equivalent size.
Before construction started, a smaller model was created to test the design’s integrity and prove its ability to support pedestrians. The bridge also contains systems that monitor internal stress and strain, helping its designers to track the structure’s condition in real time.
How artificial intelligence and robots can change your living spaces
The world’s first 3D-printed concrete bridge opened in the Netherlands in October 2017, measuring a comparatively small 26 feet. Created by Eindhoven University of Technology in the town of Gemert, the structure was designed to carry cyclists and comprises about 800 layers of concrete.

THREADS:
Chinese Bridges
Syn, printed prosthetic

39

This confirms so much about this thread

China closes dozens of “unsafe” scenic glass walkways
Turns out, many of China’s glass-bottomed bridges were built in a hurry without sufficient attention paid to safety
by Alex Linder October 30, 2019 in News

The last few years have been China’s golden age when it comes to glass-bottomed scenic walkways, however, that ambitious age may now be coming to an end.

Chinese media reports that “many” tourist spots across the country are now closing their glass walkways which were built “without sufficient care for safety and management.” There is no nationwide safety standards or supervision for these type of structures, so it’s left up to provincial authorities to ensure that people don’t die.

A total of 32 glass bridges and walkways have been closed in Hebei province over the past 18 months while six such sites in Guangdong have also received warnings.

It remains to be seen, however, if inspectors will be able to keep up with the rate of construction. Prior to the Golden Week holiday, we saw a flurry of glass-bottomed attractions opened up. It’s estimated that China is home to some 2,300 glass bridges.
The glass bridge fad really exploded back around 2015 in China and hasn’t slowed down much since, even after a newly-opened bridge on Henan’s Yuntai Mountain cracked.

Scenic spots have even stayed busy coming up with new and more daring transparent attractions. Back in June, one person was killed and six others injured after falling off a glass slide at a Guangxi tourist site.

Just can’t trust fads like this, can ya?

40

Poor boar

Wild boar becomes frozen in fear after stumbling onto one of China’s infamous glass walkways
It’s not only us humans who are terrified of these things
by Alex Linder November 5, 2019 in News

A young wild boar was recently spotted regretting its life decisions after finding itself standing on one of China’s glass walkways.

In video from a scenic spot outside of the Zhejiang city of Hangzhou, the poor animal is seen lying, frozen in fear, on the transparent walkway, scrunched up as close as possible to the cliff wall, presumably trying to stop itself from looking at the ground, some 230 meters below.

Eventually, officers from the local forestry bureau arrived to rescue the boar and take it away from this terrifying invention of man.

While designed to attract and scare humans, China’s glass bridges have also freaked out animals including another wild boar outside of the Guangdong city of Qingyuan last year.

Presumably this most recent boar had been reading the news and knew that China has recently closed dozens of its transparent walkways for being “unsafe.”

Now I’m imagining being on this bridge with a wild boar…:eek:

THREADS
Chinese Bridges
Year of the Pig 2019