Zhangjingao Yangtze River Bridge
Where our expansion joint achieves the largest longitudinal displacement capacity ever built, with six degrees of freedom to handle adaptive movements under extreme conditions.
Full speed ahead: a new world record!
Spanning Zhangjiagang, Jingjiang, and Rugao across the Yangtze River, the Zhangjinggao Yangtze River Bridge is scheduled to open to traffic in 2028. The river crossing section extends approximately 7,900 meters, with the south navigation channel featuring a main span of 2,300 meters—the longest suspension bridge span in the world.
助力长三角一体化
The bridge is located between the Jiangyin Bridge and the Husutong Yangtze River Bridge. The full project spans 29.8 kilometers, including a 12-kilometer river crossing section and approach spans. It features four interchanges, one service area, one management center, and one maintenance facility. Once completed, the bridge will provide an additional crossing connection within the region.
The bridge has set six world records and features six world-first design innovations. Once completed, it will facilitate movement in Jiangsu province, serving as a key link in local network to boost regional economic development.
6 World Records
The longest suspension bridge span
The largest-displacement expansion joint
The tallest suspension bridge tower
The longest high-strength main cable
The largest diaphragm wall anchorage foundation
The longest continuous steel box girder
6 World-first Design Innovations
A self-balancing main cable system for ultra-long suspension spans
The composite steel tube–confined concrete tower
The large-scale diaphragm wall anchorage with structural integration
A self-propelled, prefabricated cable saddle
A replaceable anchorage system with integrated sensing
A full-bridge intelligent corrosion protection system
The bridge is a key river crossing project under national and provincial transportation infrastructure plans. To support the national strategies for the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta and promote the development of the Yangtze River City Cluster as well as cross-river integrated growth, the accelerated construction of the Zhangjinggao Yangtze River Bridge will serve as a strong pillar for the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt.
ROABY Solution: Type 3120 Large-Displacement Unitized Expansion Joint
In 2023, ROABY developed the specific product for the bridge. It features the world's largest longitudinal expansion capacity and is designed to accommodate complex multidirectional movement. Independent testing confirmed a total expansion capacity of 3,120 mm (±1,560 mm), with maximum horizontal and vertical rotation angles of ±0.06 rad. Under coupled rotation conditions (0.04 rad in both axes), the whole system maintained smooth movement without functional impairment.
The system integrates 7 key engineering features to accommodate the complex movements required for ultra-long-span bridges
Longitudinal movement
The structure expands and contracts with temperature changes. The system uses interlocking finger plates to accommodate longitudinal displacement up to ±1,600 mm.
Vertical rotation
Vehicle loads and wind cause vertical deflection in the girder. The system accommodates vertical rotation up to ±0.06 rad via vertical hinges.
Horizontal rotation
Wind, solar exposure, and asymmetric loading produce horizontal curvature. The system accommodates horizontal rotation up to ±0.06 rad through a rotating support platform.
Transverse displacement
Lateral shifts occur due to horizontal curvature, thermal expansion, or seismic events. The system handles transverse displacement up to ±300 mm.
Fixed-side horizontal rotation
In applications with extreme displacement and rotation requirements, a horizontal adjustment mechanism at the fixed end allows the system to accommodate combined horizontal rotation and longitudinal movement, with rotation capacity up to ±0.01 rad.
Multidirectional adaptative movement
Under real-world conditions, bridges rarely move in a single direction. The system uses multiple mechanisms to accommodate simultaneous movement across multiple axes.
Anti-warping protection
To prevent debris accumulation from causing finger plates to warp under load, the system incorporates an anti-warping sliding mechanism between the movable and fixed plates.
Data Verifications
The Type 3120 system underwent fatigue testing under varying conditions, accumulating 6 million cycles (three separate tests of 2 million cycles each). No fatigue cracks were observed, and the results met all applicable specifications.
Key Figures
Integrated 7 key features to accommodate the displacement
World's largest‑displacement bridge expansion joint
Designed for main spans exceeding 2,000 meters
