World’s longest suspension bridges

China has developed a number of suspension bridges in the last decade, strengthening its road network across the country. It is home to six of the ten longest suspension bridges in the world.

Road Traffic Technology lists the ten longest suspension bridges in the world, based on their central span length.

World’s longest suspension bridges: Top ten

1. Akashi Kaikyo Bridge – 1,991m

2. Yangsigang Yangtze River Bridge – 1,700m

3. Nansha Bridge East – 1,688m

4. Xihoumen Bridge – 1,650m

5. Great Belt Bridge East (Storebaelt) – 1,624m

6. Osman Gazi Bridge – 1,550m

7. Yi Sun-sin Bridge – 1,545m

8. Runyang Yangtze River Bridge South – 1,490m

9. Hang-Rui Dongting Bridge – 1,480m

10. Fourth Nanjing Yangtze Bridge – 1,418m

 

1. Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, Japan – 1,991m

The Akashi Kaikyo Bridge is located in Akashi Strait, stretching between Kobe and Awaji Islands in Hyogo Prefecture in Japan. Akashi Strait is an international shipping canal, connecting the Pacific Ocean to the Sea of Japan.

With the central span of 1,991m, the bridge runs to a total distance of 3.9km.

The bridge was opened to the traffic in 1998 after construction for a decade. It can withstand strong winds of 80m/sec and powerful earthquakes such as the 1995 Southern Hyogo Prefecture Earthquake (7.2 magnitude in Richter scale).

The Akashi Kaikyo Bridge features a three-span and two-hinged stiffened truss-type structure with 60m deep-sea foundations that can withstand the fast tidal current of approximately 4.5m/sec. The structure has a total weight of 193,200t that supports a 120,000t vertical force. The bridge has a clearance height of approximately 65m over the sea.

2. Yangsigang Yangtze River Bridge, China – 1,700m

The Yangsigang Yangtze River Bridge, also known as the 10th Bridge, located in Wuhan, China is a double-deck suspension bridge that spans across the Yangtze River, connecting the Hanyang and Wuchang Districts.

The bridge was opened to traffic in October 2019. With the main span of 1,700m, the total length of the bridge is 4.13km. The main bridge accommodates 12 lanes in both directions. The upper deck of the bridge features a 2m-wide footpath, and eight rest and sightseeing areas to enjoy the view of Yangtze River.

The lower deck of the bridge includes two 2.5m-wide non-motorised lanes. A 1.5m-wide walkway on each side of the deck allows the pedestrians to walk without getting soaked during rain.

3. Nansha Bridge East, China – 1,688m

The Nansha Bridge, previously known as Second Humen Bridge, comprises two suspension bridges, totalling 12.89km-long, over the Pearl River, China.

The bridge links the cities of Guangzhou, Dongguan, Foshan, and Shenzhen through their traffic networks. It reduced the distance between south Guangzhou and Dongguan by 10km, as well as reduced the traffic pressure across the Pearl River.

The central length of the east span of the bridge is 1,688m with a width of 49.7m. Opened to traffic in April 2019, the bridge is fully covered with a 5G network. The Nansha Bridge accelerates the economic development in the Greater Bay Area. Approximately 100,000 vehicles pass over the bridge every day.

4. Xihoumen Bridge, China – 1,650m

The Xihoumen bridge is a three-span, steel-box girder suspension bridge with the central span of 1,650m. Located in Zhejiang province in China, the bridge connects the Jintang and Cezi islands in the Zhoushan Archipelago in the East China Sea.

The suspension bridge features a 95m deep-water foundation. The steel-box girder of the bridge has four-lane expressway deck with the vertical clearance of 49.5m.

Opened to service in 2009, the bridge has a clearance height of 50m above the sea. The Xihoumen Bridge was designed for high wind resistance and can resist the force of 17 super typhoons.

5. Great Belt Bridge East (Storebaelt), Denmark – 1,624m

The Great Belt Bridge comprises two bridges (East Bridge and West Bridge) and a rail tunnel, connecting eastern and western parts of Denmark. The 18km-long bridge was opened in 1998.

The Great Belt Bridge stretches between Zealand and Sprogo. It has a total length of 6,790m with the central span of 1,624m. It spans over the Eastern Channel, which is an international waterway and has a clearance height of 65m above the sea.

The East Bridge comprises a concrete sub-structure and a steel superstructure. The sub-structure has the pylons, anchor blocks, bridge piers and abutments while the superstructure has bridge spans and cables.

6. Osman Gazi Bridge, Turkey – 1,550m

The three-span Osman Gazi Bridge is located over Izmit Bay in the southern shore of the Marmara Sea. It is a part of the extended 426km-long Gebze-Orhangazi-Izmir Highway, connecting Izmir and Istanbul. The highway system reduced the travel time by about six hours.

The Osman Gazi Bridge has a total length of approximately 3km and its central span measures 1,550m-long. The tower height of the bridge is 252m while the bridge width is 35.9m.

Opened in June 2016, the bridge reduced the crossing time of Bay from north to south to six minutes from one hour and 20 minutes by road around the Bay.

7. Yi Sun-sin Bridge, South Korea – 1,545m

Yi Sun-sin is a three-span suspension bridge with a central span of 1,545m and the total length of 2,260m. The bridge connects Gwangyang to Yeosu city in South Korea.

The concrete tower of the bridge has a height of 270m while the height from the sea level to the underside of the bridge is 85m.

Opened to traffic in 2012,  the bridge forms a part of the approach road to the Yeosu Industrial Complex.

8. Runyang Yangtze River Bridge South, China – 1,490m

The 3.56km-long Runyang Yangtze River Bridge is located in the western side of Zhenjiang and Yangzhou in Jiangsu Province, China. The bridge is a part of the Beijing-Shanghai Expressway.

The bridge includes South Branch Suspension Bridge and the North Branch Cable-Stayed Bridge.

The South Branch is a 2,430m-long steel box girder suspension bridge with the central span of 1,490m.

Opened to traffic in 2005, the bridge improved Jiangsu’s highway network and transportation between Zhenjiang and Yangzhou.

9. Hang-Rui Dongting Bridge, China – 1,480m

The 1,933.6m-long Hang-Rui Dongting Bridge is a two-way lane steel truss girder suspension bridge with the central span of 1,480m.

It is a part of Hangzhou-Ruili Expressway and located at the junction of Dongting Lake in Yueyang, Hunan Province; and the Yangtze River.

The deck of the bridge is 34.5m-wide with 9m-tall stiffening girders. The bridge was opened to traffic in February 2018.

10. Fourth Nanjing Yangtze Bridge, China – 1,418m

The Fourth Nanjing Yangtze Bridge is a three-span continuous suspension bridge with the central span of 1,418m-long. It stretches across Yangtze River near the city of Nanjing in eastern China. The bridge has a total length of 5,437m.

The tower height of the bridge is 229m. The LR19 type expansion joints between beams surface allow 1,920mm longitudinal deck movements at both ends of the structure.

The four sets of RESTON® SA hydraulic dampers allow dissipation of a large number of energies arising from sudden dynamic loadings such as heavy vehicles movement or earthquakes. The bridge was opened to vehicular traffic in 2012.