Another Yangtze River bridge in Nanjing

mageba’s reputation as a top supplier of bridge bearings and expansion joints is well established in China’s eighth largest city, where the 5th Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge has now been built with mageba expansion joints – just like the 2nd, 3rd and 4th bridges before it.

The mighty Yangtze River (the third longest river in the world with a length of over 6,000 km / 3,728 mi) is well over a kilometre wide where it passes through the city of Nanjing – a thriving modern metropolis with a proud history, having served as the capital of various Chinese dynasties, kingdoms and governments throughout the centuries. All of the bridges built across the Yangtze here since the first truss bridge was completed in 1968 are long-span cable-supported structures. And what else do all these major bridges have in common? For one thing, they all have mageba TENSA®MODULAR expansion joints installed to facilitate their huge superstructure movements:

And now, another equally impressive structure has been built across the river, again with mageba TENSA®MODULAR expansion joints:

  • The 5th Nanjing Yangtze Bridge – with 13-gap joints, installed in 2020

Also known as the Nanjing Jiangxinzhou Yangtze River Bridge, the main river crossing is a three-tower cable-stayed structure with a main span of 1.2 kilometres (3,937 ft) and a total length (excluding approaches) of 1.8 kilometres (5,905 ft) . The modular joints at both ends are each designed to accommodate longitudinal deck movements of 1,040 mm (41 in), as well as transverse and vertical movements and multi-axial rotations. They were also designed for concreted connections to the bridge’s abutments and welded connections to its steel superstructure, and feature ROBO®GRIP anti-skid coating on their driving surface to enhance vehicle safety.

We are honoured that this great city continues to have faith in our expansion joint products, and in mageba as a reliable supply partner, on the basis of the extensive experience gained in both regards over the last twenty years. And we are determined to keep building on that confidence into the future, so when more bridges are built across the Yangtze, mageba will always be in the running to be the bridges’ expansion joint supplier!

Bridge designer: CCCC Highway Consultants Co., Ltd
Contractor: China Communications Construction Company
Client: Nanjing Public Works Construction Center

The 5th Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge – recently constructed across the Yangtze River in the city of Nanjing, eastern China

Preparation for delivery of one of the 13-gap TENSA®MODULAR expansion joints from mageba’s Shanghai factory

Installation of a TENSA®MODULAR expansion joint at one end of the cable-stayed structure, under mageba supervision

The driving surface of each expansion joint is treated with ROBO®GRIP anti-skid coating to improve tyre grip and enhance user safety

The 2nd Nanjing Yangtze Bridge – with 20-gap TENSA®MODULAR expansion joints, installed in 2000

The 3rd Nanjing Yangtze Bridge – with 13-gap TENSA®MODULAR expansion joints, installed in 2005

The 4th Nanjing Yangtze Bridge – with 19-gap TENSA®MODULAR expansion joints, installed in 2012