Shell Bitumen help complete major section of iconic bridge

Bitumen solutions and technical expertise play vital role in world’s longest bridge over water

ON 1 August 2017 China marked the completion of the main bridge deck section on the mainland-China side of the iconic Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge using bitumen solutions from Shell Bitumen.

The bridge has been designed to tackle extreme conditions such as high temperatures and humidity and high salt content in the air, as well as heavy traffic loads and extreme vibrations caused by strong winds along the Lingdingyang channel.

These factors, coupled with the anti-deformation and anti-rutting requirements of the bridge design, meant that specialized bitumen solutions and technical expertise were required for the successful completion of this section.

‘The bridge deck project required solutions that would meet the stringent specifications we set to ensure high-quality performance as well as consistent quality and supply reliability,’ said Zhang Yucai, chief engineer of the CB07 section of the project. ‘We are very pleased with the quality of bitumen products and services provided by Shell,’ he added.

Shell Bitumen have been involved with the bridge deck project since 2013, providing technical support and consulting on materials selection and design.

‘We are proud to provide our bitumen solutions to this iconic project,’ said Jason Wong, global vice-president for Shell Bitumen. ‘We are a global leader in bitumen solutions and have been working on other major infrastructure projects in China for many years.’

The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is a landmark project consisting of a series of bridges and tunnels crossing the Lingdingyang channel that will connect Zhuhai, a special economic zone in Guangdong Province, to Hong Kong and Macau.

The 55km link will help alleviate traffic congestion at the Hong Kong–Shenzhen cross-border checkpoints and also reduce travel times by road from 3.5 hours to 30 minutes.