Stonecutters Bridge: Geotechnical Monitoring Instrumentation
Stonecutters Bridge is a high-level cable-stayed bridge in Hong Kong that connects Nam Wan Kok, Tsing Yi and Stonecutters Island.
The project covered a part of Highways Department Route 9 and included the Stonecutters Bridge, which connected Stonecutters Island to Tsing Yi.
The Stonecutters Bridge was completed on April 7, 2009, to solve the issue of traffic jams. It became open to the public on December 20 of that same year. After completion, the bridge became famous as the world’s second-longest cable-stayed span.
The bridge has been instrumental in solving traffic issues and connecting various parts of the city. The bridge connects Sha Tin, Cheung Sha Wan, Tsing Yi Island, Ma Wan, and Lantau Island on Hong Kong’s Route 8.
You’d be surprised to know that the Stonecutters Bridge won the 2010 Supreme Award at the annual Structural Awards. The award was presented by the Institution of Structural Engineers in the United Kingdom.
Now, let’s dig deeper to understand the structure and design of the Stonecutters Bridge.
It’s a two-tower cable-stayed bridge, one on Tsing Yi Island and the other on Stonecutters Island. The Stonecutters Bridge has three lanes in each direction and spans 1.6 kilometres (0.99 miles).
After the Sutong Bridge and the Bridge to Russky Island, the Stonecutters Bridge features the world’s third-longest cable-stayed span at 1,018 m (3,340 ft). It cost approximately HK$2.76 billion to construct.
The bridge’s design concept was chosen through an international design competition organised by Hong Kong’s Highways Department. The winning proposal came from a team that included bridge architect Dissing+Weitling, engineering firms Halcrow Group, Flint & Neill, and Shanghai Municipal Engineering Design Institute.
For future design development, the design was chosen as the Reference Scheme. The Reference Scheme’s subsequent design development and detailed design were carried out by a group led by Arup with COWI A/S as the principal sub-consultant.
The concept was a cable-stayed bridge with a double aerodynamic deck suspended from two 295m-high single-pole towers. These towers have a 24m x 18m base that tapers to a 7m diameter at the top, and the deck allows for a 73.5m navigation clearance over the entire Container Port entrance.
The two towers are made of concrete until they reach a height of +175 metres, and then they are made of a composite material that consists of an inner concrete ring with a stainless steel skin for the final 120 metres.
Monitoring Solutions by The Encardio-rite Group
We already know that the project was a part of Highways Department Route 9. This section included the Stonecutters Bridge, which connected Stonecutters Island to Tsing Yi.
The scope of work for Tysan Foundation Geotechnical Limited was to build bored pile foundations for the bridge East and West Towers, as well as approach piers, consisting of 18 2.0 m dia., 34 2.5 m dia., and 56 2.8 m dia. bored piles with depths ranging from 50 m to over 100 m.
Due to a fault zone at West Tower, a few piles had to be driven up to 100 m below existing ground level. Forty-two bored piles with a diameter of 2.0 m were also installed to support the false works for the bridge …[Continue reading]
