Construction of а cable-stayed bridge to the Russky Island
across the Eastern Bosphorus Strait in Vladivostok

The slipforms that were used to concrete the giant pylon legs of the bridge to the Russky Island have been completely removed. The A-shaped world record breaking pylons are towering 324-meters high in their full splendor.

According to Aleksey Baranov, Director of the OJSC USK MOST Branch in Vladivostok, a total of 41.4 thousand cubic meters of high grade concrete mix were placed in the legs of M6 and M7 Pylons. Installation of elevators and other equipment necessary to support operation of the unique structures is coming to a close inside the pylons.

The bridge builders have also removed the installation rigs, which traveled to meet each other in the middle of the strait while lifting the panels of the channel span main stiffening girder. The intensive work is going on here to finish the roadway: they are putting in place the railing, provide waterproofing, and install lights and electric equipment. The pillars and span structures are being painted.

Meanwhile installation of the monitoring system pickups and stay cable damping system continues, and the builders will have to conduct the final cable tensioning when the roadway asphalt concrete paving has been completed.

Photo by Igor Lischuk / SK MOST

Vladivostok residents by the thousands witnessed a historic event in the night of 11-12 of April: the builders of the bridge to the Russky Island have completed installation of the final, closing panel of the world record breaker 1,104-meter long span connecting the shores of the Eastern Bosphorus Strait.

The operation in the construction site water area was started at 9:00 p.m. local time on April 11, and the builders proceeded immediately with loading off Section Number 52 to “Grigorich” Pontoon, which was custom -equipped for the purpose. The lifting of the closing panel to the design elevation of 70 meters and completing of the joint within the channel span deck have lasted almost until 04:00 a.m., and all that time thousands of people have been watching this exciting process as it happened from vista points and volcanoes. Many residents of the capital city of Primorie Region just could not miss this significant historical event. Two 546-meter long cantilever sections have been closed by a “golden link” right over the middle of the Eastern Bosphorus Strait to connect Vladivostok to the Russky Island.

“Vladivostok residents have dreamed about a bridge that would connect the mainland to the Russky Island for many generations” underscored Aleksey Baranov, Director of the OJSC USK MOST Branch in Vladivostok. “These dreams have come true, and the world record breaker 1,104-meter long channel span has been closed by the “golden link” at the altitude of 70 meters of the Eastern Bosphorus Strait. From the engineering viewpoint, it would be safe to say that the construction project has been completed. We can see today the giant pylons rising up to the 324-meter elevation and the central span structure between them that weighs over 22,000 metric tons, which is suspended on 168 supercompact stay cables that are about 55 kilometers long. The most advanced technologies and design concepts have been used in the various phases of construction, which allowed us to expedite the execution of this unique construction project. They include the drilling of ultradeep boreholes from the water in the eastern Bosphorus Strait, the use of high-grade concrete for pylon erection, and installation of the main stiffening girder paired panels from the water. Implementation of this unique project demanded enormous efforts, emotional contribution and expertise of all of us. I dare say, on behalf of all bridge builders, that we are happy because not so often, once in the lifetime really, one could be honored to be able to participate in the building of such bridge. The most advanced and innovative concepts that have been accumulated in the practice of Russian and world bridge building have been put into practice here, in this particular project. The fact that Vladivostok has been linked to the Russky Island today and a giant tricolor, a symbol of the Russian Bridge, flying over the shores of the Eastern Bosphorus Strait is the major conclusion of this gigantic and crucial undertaking.”

Builders of the bridge over the Eastern Bosphorus Strait proceeded with the closing of the world record breaking 1,104-meter long span to connect Vladivostok to the Russky Island. The end single panel sections of the main steel stiffening girder have been lifted on both sides of the strait to the 70-meter elevation, and only one panel is left which, when installed, will close the gap.

According to Aleksey Baranov, Director of OJSC USK MOST Branch in Vladivostok, a serious preparatory phase preceded the today’s critical operation in the construction site water area. The stay cables on both sides of the strait have been adjusted, the joints have been trimmed to finish them, and the three closing panels underwent trial assembly on the building ways. This scale of preparations allows for high precision of installation at the 70-meter elevation.

The 12-meter long single end panels No. 51 weighing 170 metric tons have been lifted from the strait water to the design elevation on the Nazimov Peninsula side and on the Russky Island side. As a result, the total length of the opposed cantilever sections of the main steel stiffening girder is now 1092 meters or 98.9% of the total length. When the 12-meter gap has been closed, the world record breaker 1104-meter long channel span over the Eastern Bosphorus Strait will be completed.

The bridge builders will have to install the closing central key panel, panel No. 52, which will be lifted while being attached to two installation rigs on both sides to connect Vladivostok to the Russky Island.

Photo by Igor Lischuk / SK MOST

The closing paired steel stiffening girder panel of the bridge to the Russky Island has been lifted from the Eastern Bosphorus Strait water to the 70-meter design elevation. It will take to span 36 meters more in order to close the world record breaker 1104-meter long channel span.

“In spite of a highly challenging conditions in the Eastern Bosphorus Strait, the lifting of paired panel number 49-50 on the Russky Island side has been completed normally,” commented Aleksandr Kishkin, SK MOST Rotation Shift Manager.” “A storm advisory was issued in Vladivostok on March 18th because of a strong wind. It is extremely dangerous for small-size vessels to navigate under storm conditions, which is why motor boats and ferry boats were prohibited from going to sea in any direction. However the strong wind subsided by Sunday evening and sea roughness calmed down. As soon as the decision was made to revoke the storm advisory, we have proceeded with the lifting of the 350-ton structure. Generally speaking, this is a normal thing in building the unique project under Primorie weather conditions where we have to squeeze into “windows” all the time to conduct installation. High expertise of our professionals and workforce and the teamwork interaction in the construction water area made an important contribution as well. The paired closing panel was lifted in the dark time; installation was started at about ten o’clock in the evening and has been completed by midnight.”

“After panel 49-50 has been lifted from the water on the Russky Island side, we have completed installation of paired sections of the channel span deck from the water,” added Aleksey Baranov, Director of the OJSC USK MOST Branch in Vladivostok. “The total length of the opposed cantilever sections of the main steel stiffening girder is now 1068 meters or 96.7% of the total length. To carry on the channel span closing process, we will have to install three final single panels, one on each side of the eastern Bosphorus Strait and the central closing panel, which will finally link Vladivostok to the Russky Island.

Photo by Igor Liwuk, Andrej Savin / SK MOST