130-Meter Long Bridge Installed in Remarkable 24-Hour Feat for Bullet Train Project

Vadodara, Gujarat witnessed a feat of impressive engineering recently, with the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) successfully installing a 130-meter-long steel bridge in just 24 hours. This bridge is part of the ongoing construction for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project. The 3000 MT steel bridge, measuring 18 meters high and 14.9 meters wide, was expertly crafted at a workshop in Wardha, Maharashtra. It was then carefully transported on trailers to the installation site.  "It requires tremendous efforts to pull such a heavy girder which is likely to be the longest over any national highway in the country". The steel bridge was assembled at the site at a height of 15m from the ground on temporary trestles and was pulled with automatic mechanism of two semi-automatic jacks, each of capacity of 250 tonne using mac-alloy bars," an official said.

(Photo credit: NHSRCL) 130-Meter Long Bridge Installed in Remarkable 24-Hour Feat for Bullet Train Project

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The bridge was placed near the under-construction toll plaza of the Delhi-Mumbai National Expressway. While the installation itself took only a day, NHSRCL officials clarified that there were intermittent breaks to allow for the smooth flow of road traffic.

The officials are excited to share that the third of the 28 steel bridges for the bullet train project is now complete! The first two bridges were successfully launched over National Highway 53 in Surat and the Vadodara-Ahmedabad main line near Nadiad. Steel bridges are ideal for crossing highways, expressways, and railway lines, while pre-stressed concrete bridges, which span 40 to 45 meters, are perfect for most other sections, including river bridges.

"India has the expertise of fabricating steel bridges for heavy haul and semi high-speed trains which run between 100kmph and 160kmph. Now, the same expertise in fabrication of steel girders is implemented on the bullet train corridor too which will have a staggering operational speed of 320kmph," official added.

This rapid bridge installation highlights the strides being made in infrastructure development in India. The use of pre-fabricated steel sections and meticulous planning likely played a significant role in achieving this swift completion.

what materials were used to build the 130m-long bridge

The 130-meter-long bridge in Vadodara, Gujarat was constructed using the following materials and techniques:

- The bridge utilized around 1,24,246 tor-shear type high strength bolts with C5 system painting and metallic spherical bearings, ensuring a 100-year lifespan.

- The steel bridge was fabricated at a workshop in Bhuj district, Gujarat and transported to the site for installation.

- The total weight of the main bridge was 1,486 MT, with an additional 430 MT for the 63-meter launching nose.

- The steel bridge underwent high-tech and precise operations of cutting, drilling, welding and painting as per the design drawings prepared by Japanese engineers.

- The welding process was monitored by Japanese International Welding Experts (IWE) stationed at the workshop.

- The painting technique used the C-5 Painting system of the Japan Road Association's "Handbook for Corrosion Protection of Steel Road Bridges".

- The jointing of steel members was done using Tor Shear Type High Strength Bolts (TTHSB), a first for any railway project in India.

In summary, the 130-meter bridge was constructed primarily using high-strength steel fabricated and assembled with advanced techniques and oversight from Japanese experts, showcasing the use of innovative "Make in India" materials and methods.

"The bridge fabrication utilized approximately 124,246 Nos. of Tor-Shear Type High Strength (TTHS) bolts with C5 system painting and metallic spherical bearings, all designed for a 100-year lifespan. The steel bridge was assembled at the site at a height of 15 m from the ground on temporary trestles and was pulled with automatic mechanism of 2 number of semi-automatic jacks, each of capacity of 250 ton using mac-alloy bars" said an official of NHSRCL.

The successful installation of this bridge keeps the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project on track for completion. This high-speed rail line is expected to significantly reduce travel time between the two major cities.