On the quiet night of January 8 in Pudong, Shanghai, an extraordinary engineering performance unfolded—one that many have since called a silent “air ballet.” China successfully rotated a 10,000-tonne bridge structure into position over an operational high-speed maglev line, marking a historic first in the country’s infrastructure development.

A Precision Feat Completed in Just One Hour

At the heart of this achievement is the Chuansha Super Major Bridge, a key component of Phase II of the Shanghai–Suzhou–Nantong Railway. Its massive continuous beam—equivalent in weight to more than 1,600 adult elephants—was rotated 60 degrees clockwise with millimeter-level precision.

What makes this even more remarkable is the timeframe:
The entire rotation took only one hour, finishing precisely at 11:30 p.m., when maglev traffic disruption could be minimized.

Four intelligent hydraulic jacks, guided by real-time dynamic control systems, executed the maneuver smoothly and silently—without interrupting maglev operations below.

Innovative Construction to Avoid Any Disruption

Rotating a bridge over an active high-speed maglev line is no ordinary task. The project faced two major challenges:

• Zero tolerance for interference with maglev operations
• Extremely high precision requirements

To overcome these, engineers adopted a novel strategy:
“Build first, rotate later.”

The bridge was initially constructed using symmetrical cantilever casting parallel to the maglev line. Once completed, it was then rotated into its final position. This approach dramatically reduced construction risks and traffic disruption.

Custom-built 100,000-kilonewton spherical hinges ensured stability during rotation, achieving:

• Axis deviation under 5 millimeters
• Closure error within 2 millimeters

Such accuracy is rare even in global large-span bridge construction.

A New Benchmark for China’s Infrastructure

This project was built by China Construction Eighth Engineering Bureau and managed by the Shanghai State Railway Construction Management Company. Its success closes a long-standing technical gap in rotating bridge construction over operational high-speed maglev lines.

More importantly, it sets a replicable standard—offering valuable technical and management experience for future projects across China and beyond.

Boosting Connectivity in the Yangtze River Delta

Once completed, Phase II of the Shanghai–Suzhou–Nantong Railway will stretch 111.8 kilometers with a design speed of 200 km/h. The line is expected to:

• Strengthen Shanghai’s role as a national transport hub
• Improve regional mobility
• Accelerate economic integration across the Yangtze River Delta

Engineering That Moves—Literally

While there were no fireworks or crowds, the rotation of the Chuansha Super Major Bridge stands as a quiet but powerful symbol of China’s advancing engineering capabilities. Precision, innovation, and coordination came together to move not just a bridge—but the future of smart infrastructure forward.

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