The Second Wuhu Yangtze River Bridge: A Cable-Stayed Bridge with a U-Shape Anchoring System

The Second Wuhu Yangtze River Bridge is another crucial highway passage crossing the famous Yangtze River in Wuhu city with a total length of 55.512 km. Its main span is a double-pylon cable-stayed bridge arranged 100 + 308 + 806 + 308 + 100 m. A split steel box girder with a width of 53 m as well as a split-limb concrete pylon with a height of 259.48 m is designed. To address the cracking risk of concrete in the cable-pylon anchoring region, an innovative U-shape anchoring system is proposed, which transfers the cable force to the concrete pylon in the form of radial pressure. The durability and anti-sliding performance of the system are proved through a series of tests in fatigue, fretting, and friction. The installation of the U-shaped anchoring system is guaranteed by the integral hoisting technology. Besides, inclined dampers are designed to connect the pylon and the main girder, which show good cooperative performance and can dissipate energy in both longitudinal and transverse directions. Based on reasonable design and construction technologies, the bridge fits well with the requirements of aesthetics, bearing capacity, and durability.