Puqian Bridge: A Long-Span Cable-Stayed Bridge in a Meizoseismal Area

Puqian Bridge, which spans Puqian Bay in the far South of China, is the largest independent sea crossing bridge project in Hainan Province to date. The construction conditions of the bridge were extremely complex and challenging. The seismic fortification intensity and the basic design wind speed are the highest anywhere in China. In addition, Puqian Bridge is the only bridge in China to cross an active earthquake fault system. At present, the existing seismic design specifications and relevant regulations are not applicable to the structural design and construction of this bridge project. Therefore, a series of the scientific research and technical solutions have been proposed to address the key design and construction issues over the past decade. This technical report introduces the design concepts and seismic fortification criteria. Then, the overall seismic design schemes and configuration details of this project are presented. Thirdly, investigations on wind-resistant design are demonstrated. Finally, studies on the health monitoring system of near-fault and cross-fault bridges in strong earthquake areas are also introduced.