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Chenab Bridge COVER STORY Chenab Bridge An Iconic Masterpiece A masterpiece coming in the Making up in India is the Chenab Neha Tripathi Bridge project – an engineering milestone that will be the world’s highest rail bridge connecting Kashmir to the rest of India. “The purpose of the bridge is to connect the heaven on earth, Kashmir, to the rest of India. Work is in progress and is expected to be completed by 2021. The Kashmir Valley has also got a gift of 200 Km of road under the Chenab Bridge project connecting various interior villages to the National Highways and main roads.” known as the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link project (USBRL), constructing which comes with a package of significant engineering challenges. The project involves 200 km of access roads, 27 tunnels and 37 bridges. Out of this 272 km railway route, 161 km length is divided into two stretches. One stretch is of 136 km from Banihal to Baramulla and the second stretch is of 25 km from Katra to Udhampur. This segment of the stretch has already RIDGES are among the greatest inventions of mankind. been constructed and commissioned in different phases from They connect civilisations. They connect two pieces of year 2009 to 2014. The intervening portion of 111 km long Bland. They connect the hearts and souls of people. from Katra to Banihal is more challenging being treacherous and rugged. The alignment crosses a deep gorge of the Chenab Bridges have travelled a long and successful journey. valley necessitating the construction of a high bridge on the From a fallen tree dragged into position to serve as a plank, steep slope. to forest tendrils intertwined as an elementary suspension bridge or rafts tied together in a pontoon, to bridges that stand The bridge is a steel and concrete arch which consists of today as marvellous pieces of architecture. Today bridge two parts. The first part is the arch that helps in bridging the building is like fighting a war up high near the sky or down river. The second part of the bridge is a Viaduct, an approach in the valley. Bridge building has today evolved into a highly span having piers of Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC). technologically intensive and scientific endeavour. Here, to increase the tensile strength, mild steel bars are used in cement concrete thereby reinforcing it. “Chenab Bridge would break the record of the The arch is a large steel framework made of 24,370 tonnes Beipan river Shuibai railway bridge at 275 m height in China’s Guizhou province.” of steel. The chords are sealed steel boxes which are internally stiffened and filled with concrete to assist in controlling wind- induced forces on the bridge. Another advantage of concrete One such masterpiece coming up in India is the Chenab filling is that internal painting will not be required. Bridge project being built in Kashmir. It is going to be an The number of bearings has been minimised, as it reduces engineering milestone in that it will be the world’s highest the maintenance and inspection efforts, and improves the rail bridge being built by the Indian Railways. The purpose of the bridge is to connect the heaven on earth, Kashmir, to riding quality. Chief Engineer of the Chenab Bridge Project the rest of India. Work is in progress and is expected to be Mr B.S. Tomar informs that in one of the foundations of the completed by 2021. The Kashmir Valley has also got a gift main arch, approximately 3.5 lakh cement bags have been of 200 kilometres of roads under the Chenab Bridge project consumed! connecting various interior villages to National Highways and The design of major arch rail bridges requires main roads. considerations of a number of additional parameters such The workers are on a humungous mission at a place as fatigue, global stability, second order effects, composite where geography is not very kind to them. They are busy action, etc. The bridge has anti-terror features. The bridge building the next wonder of the world. This is like a war for is designed in such a way that even if one of the 17 piers is them, where they are fighting with weather conditions, chilly blown up, it would not lead to collapsing of the bridge. and snowy winters, the mountainous terrain, the height and The most stunning part of the entire structure is the the slope, and several other technicalities. level difference between Katra & Banihal. This difference is The Chenab Bridge will be a part of the 272 km railway approximately 890 meters. One side of the bridge is higher route from Udhampur to Baramulla in Kashmir. It is also than the other side, thus making a bridge parallel to the June 2020 | Science Reporter | 15 The bridge has anti-terror features – even if one of the 17 piers is blown up, it would not lead to collapsing of the bridge A challenging aspect of the project was that the height of the bridge was supposed to be increased above all expected levels of trains quite tedious, risky and also at a higher cost as compared. So, there was no option but to have a high bridge across the Chenab River.” Building such a masterpiece required a high level of upgradation in the technology used. However, when the project was initiated, there were no facilities, no roads to ground was next to impossible. So, the height of the bridge travel, no place to relax. But, today approximately 200 km was supposed to be increased above all expected levels. of road has been developed around the area, joining Jammu Principal Executive Director (Bridge), Railway Board, and Kashmir. Mr A.K. Singhal explains, “Of course, engineers had the Constructing such special bridges is always technology option to construct a bridge across the river Chenab at a lower intensive. For instance, to erect such a massive structure at elevation. But in that case for meeting the level difference, the such a height, using a cable crane was a project in itself. gradient between Chenab Bridge and Banihal station would have been much steeper than what was planned. This would “In British era, India witnessed construction of two have restricted the haulage capacity of moving trains. Also, major hill rail lines – one in Shimla and the other in due to steeper gradient, a number of slip and catch sidings Darjeeling. Both of them are narrow gauge lines used would necessarily be constructed making the operation for toy trains with speeds of 10-15 kmph.” The Chenab Bridge would be the highest bridge in the world Chenab Bridge – (Image credit: ddnews.gov) The Highest Bridge • Bridge length: 1,315 m or 4,314 ft • Bridge length includes 650 m or 2,130 ft long viaduct on the northern side • Arch length: 480 m or 1575 ft • Arch span: 467 m or 1,532 ft • Height above river bed: 359 m or 1,178 ft • Height above river surface: 322 m or 1,056 ft • 14 m-wide dual carriageway • 1.2 m-wide central verge 16 | Science Reporter | June 2020 Extraordinary Features Similar Examples of • It is 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower in Engineering Milestones Paris, France for Railways • It is the seventh-largest arch-shaped bridge in the world Bogibeel Bridge on river Brahmaputra in • It is partly in straight horizon and partly in Assam curves - It is the longest rail-cum-road bridge in India • It can withstand winds up to 260 kmph - It measures 4.94 km over the Brahmaputra • Lifespan will be 120 years river - It is India’s first bridge to have fully welded • It can handle speeds up to 100 kmph steel-concrete support beams • Challenging, fragile and daunting geology, - It is situated in an earthquake-prone area treacherous terrains, rugged Himalayan - It can withstand earthquakes of magnitudes Mountains up to 7 on the Richter Scale - It has a serviceable period of around 120 years - It is the fifth longest bridge in India after This type of Arch Bridge Unique Design Bhupen Hazarika Setu, Dibang river bridge, is being constructed for The design of the bridge is unique Mahatma Gandhi Setu and Bandra Worli Sea the first time in the Indian as it would be arch shaped, Link Railways standing tall on two legs far apart. - It is Asia’s second longest rail-cum-road bridge These legs are actually the steel pillars on both sides of the river Pamban bridge at Rameshwaram bank. The pylons on either side of - It is India’s first railway sea bridge the river are about 130 m and 100 - It is situated in a marine environment m high and two auxiliary self- - Designed for wave action and cyclonic storm propelled cable cranes were used - It has a span which could be opened for ship to tow temporary auxiliary ropes traffic across these pylons. The ropes support the partly finished arch parts. After arch completion, the Again, based on life span of the bridge, selection of the trusses will be added; finally the material is decided i.e. Steel Bridge/PSC Bridge/Composite, girder will be constructed as a etc. which in turn again depends on local availability of horizontal sliding type platform. material and cost factor. Geotechnical and environmental The arch is being supported by conditions also play an important role in bridge design as it piers and trusses. This type of may be affected by weak soil, winds, earthquake, corrosive Arch Bridge is being constructed environment, etc. Further, availability of machinery and for the first time in the Indian experienced manpower together with funding, and life cycle Railways.
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