CHENAB BRIDGE

DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKR TECHNOLOGICAL

UNIVERSITY

SANDIPANI TECHNICAL CAMPUS

CERTIFICATE
CHENAB BRIDGE
SUBMITTED BY
Nagargoje Pratiksha Sugriv

Under my supervision and guidance, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for

the fourth year (Civil Engineering) from Sandipani Technical Campus Kolpa, Latur.
For the academic year 2021-2022

Prof. Agrawal A.S. Prof. Agrawal A.S.

GUIDE H.O.D.

Prof. Badgire U.S.

PRINCIPAL

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We take this opportunity to acknowledge with deep sense of gratitude towards Our project
guide, Prof. Agarwal A. S., Department of Civil Engineering, Sandipani Technical Campus,
Kolpa for her valuable guidance, constant motivation and continuous support which has led
to the successful completion of this project.

We would like to express our greatest appreciation to the principal Prof. Badgire U. S. who
was continuously source of an encouragement and co-operation throughout.

We are thankful to our HOD also Prof. Agarwal A. S. and professors of Engineering for the
valuable suggestion.

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ABSTRACT

Indian Railways has undertaken the mega-project of construction of a new

railway line in the State of Jammu and Kashmir. The project includes a large number of
tunnels and bridges which are to be implemented in highly rugged and mountainous terrain.
The alignment crosses a deep gorge of the Chenab River, which necessitates construction of a
long span railway bridge. The main feature of the Chenab Bridge is its 467 meters long steel
arch main span located about 320 meters above the surface of the river. The paper describes
mainly the conceptual design, but partly also the structural design of this bridge. In the design
work both national Indian codes as well as several international codes had to be followed
considering that the design standards match the construction standards.

The Chenab Bridge's conceptual design and structural design principles are
described in this study. The major goal is to describe the unique bridge concept in difficult
terrain and to provide an overview of the design solutions employed in one of the world's
tallest steel arch railway bridges. The construction of a new railway line in India has been
taken on by Indian Railways as a mega-project in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The
project includes a large number of tunnels and bridges which are to be implemented in highly
rugged and mountainous terrain. The alignment crosses a deep gorge of the Chenab River
which necessitates construction of a long span railway bridge. The deck height is 359m and
bridge length is 1315m. Indian railways constructing the iconic arch bridge on river Chenab
as a part of the USBRL project to connect Kashmir valley to the rest of nation. Arch bridge
completely made of steel. Foundations and the approach viaduct piers are made of concrete.
This paper describes the design and engineering of the bridge. The bridge has numerous
design challenges such as erection of the steel arch by cable crane, the bridge’s huge
dimensions, and the special design requirements- redundancy of the arch, the earthquake load
and blast load effect. The challenges in the design and erection of the bridge is described in
this paper.

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 INDEX
Chapter
No. Contents Page No.

Acknowledgement
Abstract
1. Introduction 01
 Need for the Chenab rail bridge 03
2. Description of Chenab bridge 04
Contractors involved in constructing the
3. 05
Indian bridge
4. Bridge construction and challenges faced 06
5. Materials used 07
6. Chenab bridge design details 08
7. Geology of site 09
8. Slope stabilization measures 12
 For ensuring long life of the rock bolts
and rock anchors up to 120 years, the 13
following measures were undertaken:
9. Foundation and slope design 14
10. Construction details 16
11. Bridge construction 17
12. Sequence of bridge construction
 Construction Methodology and
19
Sequence
 Construction Sequence of Arch 20
13. Unique features of Chenab bridge 22
14. Conclusion 23
15. Reference 24
 CHENAB BRIDGE

INTRODUCTION

Indian Railways has undertaken the mega-project of construction of a new

railway line in the State of Jammu and Kashmir, from Udhampur to Baramulla. The project
has been declared as a national project. The alignment is a culmination of a large number of
tunnels and bridges, which are to be implemented in highly rugged and mountainous terrain,
with the difficult Himalayan geology. The alignment crosses a deep gorge of the Chenab
River, which necessitates construction of a long-span bridge.

The Chenab Bridge was scheduled to be completed in December 2009. In

September 2008 it was announced that the Chenab Bridge Project was interrupted despite the
completion of substructure of the approach viaduct. As of mid-2009, it was decided that the
original route is back on track and the bridge will be built as originally planned. However, it
was concluded that the main span of the bridge will be modified to be 467 meters.

The current paper describes mainly the conceptual and structural design of the
Chenab Bridge. In the design work the National Codes of India, Indian Railway Standards
(IRS), Indian Road Congress (IRC) recommendations and Indian Standards (IS) have been
supplemented with International standards like British Standards (BS), standards of the
International Union of Railways (UIC) and some national codes.

The Udhampur- Srinagar- Baramulla Rail link project is the most challenging
project. It is highly essential to provide an alternative and a reliable transportation system to
Jammu Kashmir to join Kashmir valley to Indian railways network. Indian Railways has
started on the massive task of building a new railway line from Udhampur to Baramulla in
the state of Jammu & Kashmir.

The project has been designated as a national initiative. The alignment is the
result of a significant number of tunnels and bridges that must be built in extremely harsh and
mountainous terrain, with complex Himalayan geology. The project was launched in 2003.
The 345km long railway line between Jammu and Baramulla regions will enhance mobility
with in the state and across India. The railway line traverse along Jammu- Udhampur- Katra-
Quazigund- Baramulla. Construction of Jammu to Udhampur section was completed and
opened in April 2005. Work is progressing on the Udhampur to Baramulla section. In this
section this railway line passes through the Chenab River at an elevation of 359m from the
riverbed level near Bakkal and Kauri villages. Hence a bridge is under construction at the site
whose piers are supported by two large rock slopes. The alignment spans the Chenab River's
deep gorge, necessitating the construction of a long-span bridge. The bridge is part of the
Ministry of Indian Railways' Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Line (JUSBRL)
project. A 14-meter-wide dual carriageway and a 1.2-meter-wide center verge will be
included in the bridge. Chenab Bridge forms a massive steel arch.

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The Chenab Bridge is a 1315 m long, steel arch railway bridge under
construction in Jammu and Kashmir, India. The bridge is a part of the Jammu-Udhampur-
Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Line (JUSBRL) project being undertaken by the Indian Railways.
The Chenab bridge will have a structural height of 359 m from the riverbed level, the highest
in the world.

The terrain of this railway line is mountainous and will pass through tunnels
and bridges constructed in difficult Himalayan geology. The crossing of the Chenab river is
one of the most challenging parts of the project.

The bridge comprises of a 530 m long approach bridge, and a 785 m long arch
bridge. The main arch spans 467 m, making it one of the longest arches in the world and the
longest arch for rail traffic. The deck will be 13.5 m wide and will include two tracks upon
completion.

Chenab bridge is located in Himalayas and comes with extremely complex

fragile, and geological features like folds, faults, and thrusts. Many challenges are associated
with the structural design of the bridge. Bridge has been designed Blast load in consultation
with DRDO. First time on Indian railways, Phased Array Ultrasonic testing machine for
inspection of welds used. The project is anticipated to be completed by December 2021 and
will have a 120-year lifespan. It will contribute to the state's economic development and
improve transit accessibility inside the state and throughout the country.

Fig.1: Chenab Bridge

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 Need for the Chenab rail bridge

Travelling in and around the mountainous terrain of Jammu and Kashmir has
been a great difficulty for locals. An urgent need to provide better transportation facilities
was recognised by the Government of India. Construction of a national railway project that
will connect J&K with the rest of India was therefore proposed.

The JUSBRL project was launched in 2003 as part of this proposal. The 345
km-long railway line between the Jammu and Baramulla regions will enhance mobility
within the state and across India. The railway line will traverse along Jammu-Udhampur-
Katra-Quazigund-Baramulla. Construction of the Jammu to Udhampur section was
completed and opened in April 2005. Work is progressing on the Udhampur to Baramulla
section.

The project includes construction of several bridges and tunnels along the
route, of which Chenab Bridge is one. It is will span across the deep Chenab river and
provide access to the Kashmir valley from Udhampur.

The project was suspended in 2008 due to construction challenges. The

alignment of the entire JUSBRL project was reviewed to propose solutions for the challenges
faced. The review work was submitted to the Railway Board and approved in 2009. The
design of the bridge, however, was approved in July 2012.

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DESCRIPTION OF CHENAB BRIDGE

1. Client: Northern Railway

2. Executing Agency: M/s Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd.

3. Cost of Bridge: 1486 Cr.

4. Contractor: M/s Chenab Bridge Project Undertaking [Ultra-AFCONS-VSL(JV)]

5. Total length of bridge: 1.315km

6. Number of spans: 17 nos.

7. Length of Main arch span: 467m (linear); 550m (curvilinear)

8. Design life of the bridge: 120 years

9. Design speed: 100 kmph

10. Total Steel Fabrication: 28660 MT (approx)

11. Design wind speed: 266 kmph

12. Designers:

A. Viaduct & Foundations: M/s WSP (Finland)

B. Arch: M/s Leonhart, Andra and Partners (Germany)

C. Foundation Protection: Indian Institute of Science Bangalore

13. Proof Consultant:

a. Foundation & Foundation Protection: Mls URS, UK

b. Superstructure of Viaduct & Arch: Mls COWI, UK

14. Slope Stability Analysis: (Independent Consultant) M/s ITASCA, USA

15. Slope Stability Analysis: Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi

16. Seismic Analysis: Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi & Roorkee

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CONTRACTORS INVOLVED IN CONSTRUCTING THE

INDIAN CHENAB BRIDGE

Amberg Engineering was appointed to carry out review work of the

alignments. Konkan Railway Corporation is executing the project. Design and construction of
the bridge was awarded to a joint venture of Afcons Infrastructure, Ultra Construction &
Engineering Company of South Korea and VSL India in 2004.

Finland-based WSP Group and Germany-based Leonhardt Andra and Partners

are the consultants for the project. VCE Consult ZT-GmbH designed the pylons of the bridge.
Jochum Andreas Seiltransporte installed the cables for the pylon. AkzoNobel was awarded
the painting services contract for the bridge.

AECOM was awarded a contract to provide technical guidance and

monitoring services for design and construction works. The scope includes engineering
services, proof-checking the project drawings and design, ground engineering, planning and
consulting.

Fig. 2: Completed modelling of Chenab Bridge

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BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION AND CHALLENGES FACED

The bridge is being constructed in one of the most complicated and isolated
terrains. One of the biggest challenges involved was construction of the bridge without
obstructing the flow of the river. Approach roads, five kilometres in length, were constructed
to reach the foundations of the bridge.

The deck of the bridge is partly in straight horizon and partly in curves. It is
located on a transition curve with changing radius. Construction is therefore being carried out
in stages following the gradual change in the alignment. This is the first time a bridge is being
constructed incrementally on a transition curve.

Cable cranes and derrick will be used to construct the bridge. The cable cranes
used for the project will be the largest in the world.

Construction of the bridge is expected to require 25,000MT of steel, 4,000mt

of reinforced steel, 46,000m³ of concrete and eight million cubic metres of excavation. The
construction of the bridge was discontinued in 2008 due to alignment and safety issues. It was
resumed in 2010, with estimated completion in 2015, which was subsequently pushed to
2019. The erection of 5,462MT of the 9,010MT of steel was completed as of January 2020,
which marked the completion of 83% of the construction work.

Fig. 3: Chenab Bridge Supported With Cables Cranes

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MATERIALS USED

A unique structure like the Chenab Bridge is built with the help of some unique
materials, which include:

• High quality steel of Grade E250C being used for fabrication of deck superstructure.
The C grade steel has special toughness properties at subzero temperature making the
steel enough ductile in chilly cold weather conditions. Z grade steel used in fabrication
of Arch has special thickness properties preventing lamellar failure of steel plates.

• Double corrosion protected Dywidag bars, pre-stressed high tensile steel threaded bar
used for slope stabilization with the requisite tensile strength.

• Cable anchors are used for stabilization of more critical slopes such as below the
main Arch foundations.

• For steel to steel interfaces, multi-metal grout with pressure has been used for ensuring
100% contact in between, so as to prevent any point loading causing rupture.

• For maintenance, regular painting of large bridges is an intimidating task. Hence, a

painting scheme was developed, having renewal of over 15 years, compared to
approximately 5 to 7 years in most other Indian railway bridges.

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CHENAB BRIDGE DESIGN DETAILS

Chenab Bridge forms a massive steel arch, the first of its kind in India. The
country has no codes or design guidance for such massive structures. Based on experiences
drawn from similar projects worldwide, the design practices for the bridge are being
followed.

BS: 5400 is being used as the basic guideline for the design and construction
of the bridge. The deep Chenab river valley under the bridge is prone to high wind pressure
risking the stability of the bridge.

Norway-based Force Technology Laboratory conducted several wind tunnel

tests to understand the effects of wind speed, static force coefficients and gust buffeting. The
bridge is designed to resist wind speeds of up to 260km/h. The seismic nature of the project
zone was also considered during its design.

The bridge will include 17 spans, as well as the 469m main arch span across
the Chenab River, and viaducts on either side. The main span of the bridge will include two
36m-long approach spans. It will be built as a two ribbed arch with steel trusses made of
concrete-filled sealed steel boxes. The structure will be supported by two 130m-long, 100m-
high pylons on either end through cables.

Steel was chosen to construct the bridge as it will be more economical and
able to resist temperatures of -20°C and wind speeds of above 200km/h. The Jammu and
Kashmir region witnesses frequent terrorist attacks. To enhance safety and security, the
bridge will be made of 63mm-thick special blast-proof steel. The concrete pillars of the
bridge are designed to withstand explosions. It is expected that the structure will be able to
withstand earthquakes of magnitude eight on Richter Scale and up to 40kg of TNT blasts.

A ring of aerial security will be provided to safeguard the bridge. An online

monitoring and warning system will be installed on the bridge to protect the passengers and
train in critical conditions. Footpaths and cycle trails will be provided adjacent to it. The
bridge will be painted with a special corrosion-resistant paint, which lasts for 15 years.

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GEOLOGY OF SITE

The Himalayas are full of geological surprises with faults, folds, shear zones,
etc. present due to ongoing tectonic activities in the region. Therefore, the geology of the
Himalayas should be studied before constructing any major structure at the place. The
geology at the site of the Chenab bridge is described below:

1. The site comprises of Shiwaliks and pre-tertiary rocks.

2. The main sub-type of rocks comprises of dolomite and limestone.

3. Some of the pier locations comprise quartzite and shale rocks.

4. There are no significant shear zones or cavities in both the abutments.

5. Top layers of the rocks at abutments are highly fractured and represent a blocky mass.
However, the bottom layers of rocks are stable and strong enough for a good
foundation.

6. Both abutments have foliation joints with two sets of sub-vertical joints.

7. The spacing between the foliation joints is extremely less.

8. The joints are irregular and very rough, with no or little infilling.

9. The rock mass is dry and highly interlocked.

Fig. 4: Aerial view of Chenab Site

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Geographical coordinates of the centre point of the bridge are latitude 330 04’ 75’’ north of
equator and longitude 740 54’ 57’’ east of Greenwich. The river Chenab is flowing in SW
direction at this location. The proposed railway line is crossing the site in the direction N1250
towards left abutment and N3050 towards right abutment. A schematic diagram of the
sectional elevation and plan of the bridge site with pier locations is shown in Fig. 5. Piers
S50–S80 are resting on the right abutment slope, referred to as S1 and piers S10-S40 are
resting on left abutment slope, referred to as S2 as shown in Fig. 5. Rock types present at the
bridge site and their spatial variation are also shown in Fig. 5. A photograph of the bridge site
showing left and right abutment slopes with the river flowing in between is shown in Fig. 6.

The site comes under area known as Sub-Himalayas or Siwaliks. Intensive geological survey
was carried out at the site which included lithological investigations and mapping of
structural features present at the site. Petrographic examination of the rock showed that the
major lithology in the area is greyish dolomitic limestone with different degrees of fracturing.
The dolomitic limestone formations near the site fall under Sirban series and are presumed to
be belonging to Permo-Carboniferrous age (about 280–340 million years ago) during the late
Paleozoic Era. Geological mapping of the left abutment revealed that the slope is made up of
highly jointed to blocky dolomite. Geological mapping of the right abutment slope revealed
that the slope is made up of highly jointed to blocky dolomite, brecciated dolomite and
brecciated quartzite/ quartzite. Quartzite was observed on the upper parts of slope S1. The
dolomite is fresh, hard and competent on both slopes. Pits were excavated at different
foundation locations to map the joints. In addition, drifts of 40 m length were excavated
along the axis of the bridge at proposed S40 and S50 locations. The dimensions of the drifts
are 2 m * 2 m. The main purpose of the drifts at these locations was to study the geological
features likely to be encountered at the arch abutment foundations and nature of joints which
control the stability of these hill slopes.

The lithological conditions of rock and discontinuity pattern on both the abutment slopes are
more or less similar. The main discontinuities observed at the site are one foliation joint set
(J1) and two sub-vertical joint sets (J2 and J3). About 980 individual discontinuities were
mapped at the site, 720 along slope S1 and 260 along slope S2. Joint parameters such as the
orientation, spacing, persistence, roughness, filling and aperture were determined in the field
in accordance with the ISRM suggested methods (ISRM 1981). Water condition along all the
joints sets was found to be dry. Shows the three prominent joint sets J1, J2 and J3 mapped on
the face of the drift created at S40 on slope S2. Joint orientations were processed using the
software Dips (Rocscience 2014a) based on equal area stereographic projection and dominant
joint sets were distinguished along different elevations of both slopes .

A total of 36 boreholes were drilled at the bridge site with a total footage of approximately
1200 m. Among them, 28 boreholes were drilled on right abutment, two at each pier location,
including the piers supporting foundations of approach road beyond the slope section. Eight
boreholes were drilled along slope S2, two boreholes at each pier location. Additional
inclined boreholes were drilled at arch abutment locations S40 and S50 to examine the spatial
variability of rock mass properties. All the boreholes were located within 1m from the

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intended pier locations, drilled at about 500–750 mm away from the bridge alignment.
Drilling was done using NX size triple core barrels. Diamond bits and reaming shells were
used for drilling. Suitable core catcher springs were used to ensure maximum core recovery
and minimum slippage of cores. Standard penetration tests and packer permeability tests were
carried out at specified depths in all boreholes. Rock core samples from each of the boreholes
at different depths were collected for laboratory testing.

Fig. 5: Schematic diagram of the bridge site with piers S10–S80 locations

Fig. 6: Photograph of the bridge site

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SLOPE STABILIZATION MEASURES

All the 18 piers were constructed on the slope. Piers provide the base for deck construction,
and all the piers of the Chenab bridge are located on the slope. Therefore, to improve the
overall stability of the slope, the following measures were taken for slope stabilization.

1. After excavating the slopes, a 100-mm thick steel fiber-reinforced shotcrete was
applied in two layers of 50 mm each to provide instant stability.
2. Further, a minimum of three to five rows of passive rock bolts of 32 mm size and 11
m length were set up in 100 mm size boreholes perpendicular to the slope. Rock bolts
were provided at 2.5 m spacing.
3. Also, pre-stressed bar anchors of 625 KN capability and 33m length were installed in
five rows at S-60 pier location.
4. Pre-stressed cable anchors of 980 KN capacity and 40m length were installed in five
rows at S-50 pier location.

Fig. 7: Stabilized slope of left bank

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 For ensuring long life of the rock bolts and rock anchors up to 120
years, the following measures were undertaken:

1. A corrosion inhibitor solution was applied to the rock bolts.

2. Further, a minimum grout cover of 25 mm was provided between the rock and the
bolts.
3. The stratum surrounding the pre-stressed rock anchors was grouted to reduce water
ingress through the surrounding material.
4. Then the pre-stressed rock anchors were provided with double corrosion protection
sheets.

Fig. 8: Stabilized slope of right bank

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FOUNDATION AND SLOPE DESIGN

The following points describe the foundation and slope design of the Chenab bridge:

1. The groundwater table is located far away from the base of the foundation. However,
short-term rainwater might develop some hydrostatic pressure. Therefore, the impact
of hydrostatic pressure was considered in the foundation analysis.

2. Other than the usual load combination, a higher load factor was considered for
seismic forces in the foundation analysis because of the presence of the bridge in the
seismic zone-V.

3. For foundation stability, 2-3 m deep trial pits were excavated for all the foundations
from S-10 to S-70 for geological logging and conducting plate load tests.

4. Also, for more stability of foundations at S-40 and S-50, drifts were excavated about
8-10 m below the foundation level as foundation at S-40 and S-50 location are the
most critical arch foundations. All the weight of the arch will be supported by the
foundation located at these locations.

5. Isolated footing and concrete pedestal were constructed for each support on both sides
of the abutments. Steel piers were bolted using a base plate above the concrete
pedestal of each foundation.

6. Structural steel piers were used for the foundation construction of the 18 piers.

7. A wedge failure analysis was carried out at both left and right abutments. For this
purpose, DIPS and SWEDGE software were used.

8. A preliminary analysis indicated the wedge failure at the downstream side of both left
and right abutments. Thus, the risk of wedge failure was avoided by flattening the
slopes from 70° horizontal to 63°.

9. Detailed analysis of wedge failure provided the required amount of anchor bolts and
the degree of stabilization.

10. There was a possibility of toppling failure at S-50 and S-70 piers location; therefore,
to avoid this, flattening of the slope was considered as an optimum and economical
solution.

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Fig. 9: Foundation and slope details of left bank

Fig. 10: Foundation and slope details of right bank

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CONSTRUCTION DETAILS
The steel structures of the bridge will be manufactured in workshops built in
the mountains. The workshops have been moved to the building site, because there is no
proper road network in the challenging terrain. The longest building parts that can be
delivered to the site are 12 meters in length. Therefore, four workshops have been built in the
mountains. Workshops and paint shops built next to them are located on both sides of the
valley.

All steel materials, except for the smallest rolled profiles, are delivered to the
mountains as steel boards. The insufficient infrastructure of the area causes additional
problems. There is no electricity and the water of the river is not suitable for manufacturing
concrete. All electricity must be produced at the site and the water is delivered from further
away in the mountains.

The job is also challenging, because the track has curvature in the approach
bridge. In this section, the construction stage bearings have been designed in such a way that
it is possible to launch the steel deck in the curvature portion as well.

The bridge will consist of about 25000 tons of steel structures, the main
portion of which will be used for the arch bridge section. First, a cable crane will be built
over the valley for constructing the steel structures. The cable crane will move between pylon
towers built on both sides of the valley. The crane can deliver a maximum amount of 40 tons
of steel parts. For example, the over 100 meters long steel columns with bolted couplings will
be constructed using this technique.

When the long steel columns are ready, the steel deck will be pushed on top of
the columns. After this, a derrick crane, which is capable of lifting about 100 tons, will be
placed on top of the deck. The derrick will crane the arch segments from deck level to the
erection front of the arch as shown in Fig.7. Deck erection will proceed simultaneously with
the erection of the arch. Both the arch and the deck cantilever freely by up to 48 meters.
When the next arch pier location is reached, temporary cables will be installed to support the
arch, and the new arch pier will be constructed on the free end. The superstructure can then
be supported by the arch pier and so forth until the last arch pier is reached. The very last
span of the arch and the elements of the key segment will again be delivered by the cable
crane; closure of the superstructure is done by means of derrick erection.

The deck of the bridge will be welded in the workshop upside down in about 8
meters long sections, because the welding points in the final structure are mainly located
under the bridge. When the job is completed, the sections are turned around and delivered to
the next stage of the process.

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BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION
The scaffold's development guideline involves a huge extension curve with
access viaducts at each side. The enormous curve planned as a 2-overlay ribbed curve
including steel supports with platform supports delivered on the spot. 5 scaffold columns for
the entrance viaducts are made of steel and 13 of cement.

The steel constructions of the scaffold will be fabricated in workshops worked

in the mountains. Four workshops have been underlying the mountains. Workshops and paint
shops worked close to them are situated on the two sides of the valley. All steel materials,
with the exception of the little moved profiles, are conveyed to mountains as steel sheets. All
power created at site and water provided from additional away in mountains. The extension
will comprise of 25000 tons of steel structures, the principle bit of which will be utilized for
the curve connect area. Initial a link crane will be worked over the valley for building the
steel structures. The link crane will move between arch pinnacles based on the two sides of
the valley. The crane can convey a greatest measure of 40 tons of steel parts. Derrick crane
introduced, which is equipped for lifting around 100 tons. For the first time continuous
welded plate girder used on railway bridge.

 Foundation:-
To set up the establishments for the extension in the troublesome territory,
safe uncovering at the two sides of the valley is being ready for a terrific scope, penetrating
for establishment. The tallest wharf is 137.7m tall, a particularly tall design is required
gigantic establishment of 150m*36.5m.

 Slope stabilization:-
The side slant of the valley differs from 430 to 770. The incline adjustment
measures are finished by Indian Organization of Science. After uncovering of rock bolt of
design length of 4m, 8.5m and 11.5m are introduced. Permeable lines are introduced to
forestall the hydrostatic pressing factor. Guniting with steel support is given to reinforce and
balance out the slant.

 Deck and arch construction:-

At the point when long steel sections are prepared, the steel deck will be
pushed on top of the segments. After this a derrick crane will be set on top of the deck. The
derrick will extend the curve fragment from deck level to the erection of front of the curve.
Deck erection will continue all the while with the erection of curve. Both curve and the deck
cantilever unreservedly by up to 48m. At the point when the following curve dock area is

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reached, brief links will be introduced to help the curve, and the new curve wharf will be
built on the free end. The superstructure would then be able to be upheld by curve dock, until
the last curve wharf is reached. The absolute last curve range of the curve and the
components of the key fragment will again be conveyed by the link crane; conclusion of the
superstructure is finished through derrick erection. The deck of the extension is halfway
straight skyline and part of the way in bends. It is situated on a progress bend with evolving
span. Development is hence being done in stages following the progressive change in the
arrangement. The deck of the extension will be welded in workshop about 8m long segments,
on the grounds that the welding point in the last construction are predominantly situated
under the scaffold.

Fig. 11: Chenab Bridge Arch Closure Construction

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SEQUENCE OF BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION

 Construction Methodology and Sequence
The following points describe the construction methodology and sequence details of the
Chenab bridge:

1. The structural steel parts of the bridge were fabricated in workshops constructed near
the site due to the lack of proper transportation to the site. Workshops and paint shops
were set up on both sides of the valley.
2. There was no electricity available near the site, and the water available in nearby
channels was not suitable for concrete production. Therefore, electricity was produced
at the site, and provisions were made for supplying river water from far away
mountains.
3. Firstly, the foundation and slope stabilization works were started. A total of 18 piers
were constructed. (More details can be found in the foundation and slope design
section).
4. A cable crane will be used in the main span for the bridge erection. After the
construction, the cable crane will be kept at the site to be used for repair and
maintenance works in the future.
5. The bridge deck panels will be fabricated in the workshop. The size of the panels is
restricted to 8 m as the welding points are located under the bridge.
6. The bridge consists of 25,000 tons of steel structures. Steel columns of 100 m length
will be constructed with the help of a cable crane with a capacity to handle a
maximum weight of 34 tons.

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 Construction Sequence of Arch

The following points describe the proposed methodology for arch construction of Chenab
bridge:

1. The erection of the arch will be done using derrick crane and cable crane.
2. The process has begun with the erection of the main piers by cable crane. After that,
the deck is launched up the axes of support S-40 and S-50.
3. Further, the derrick crane will be placed on top of the deck. The maximum lifting
capacity of the derrick crane is 100 tons. The purpose of the derrick crane is to lower
the arch segments from deck level to the erection front of the arch.
4. The erection process of the deck and arch will be proceeding simultaneously. Both the
arch and the deck will be maintained up to a maximum cantilever length of 48 m.
5. When the next arch pier support would be reached, temporary cables will be set up to
support the constructed arch. After that, the new arch pier will be constructed using
the cable cranes on the free end.
6. The process will be continued until the last pier of the arch is constructed.
7. The superstructure and the arch will briefly form a truss girder, cantilevering out from
the arch abutment.
8. The final segment of the arch will be constructed using a cable crane. Two halves of
the arch will be adjusted using hydraulic jacks before the final connection.
9. Finally, the temporary cables will be removed, and the final connections will be made.

Fig 11: Arch construction process

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S. T. C. LATUR
Fig. 12: Use of derrick and cable crane in arch construction
CHENAB BRIDGE

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 CHENAB BRIDGE

UNIQUE FEATURES OF CHENAB BRIDGE

1. Highest Railway Bridge in the world at 359 m.

2. Cable crane assembly including pylons at span of 915 meters is the longest in
the world. Pylon at height of 127m is higher than Qutub Minar of 72 m.

3. First time on the Globe, Bridge has been designed for Blast Load in
consultation with DRDO.
 Redundancy Kept in Design
 Removal of one pier/trestle
 Bridge shall not collapse and remains operational at 30kmph
 Bridge remains repairable

4. For the first time in country, launching of plate girder by pushing from one
end of curve of 2.74 degrees has been successfully completed (Overall length
of curvilinear portion is 268 m).

5. First time on Indian Railways, use of Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing

machine for inspection of welds in bridges in India.

6. Chenab site lab has been accredited by NABL (National Accreditation Board
for Laboratories) for testing of welded elements for first time on Indian
Railways.

7. Highest structural steel pier at 130.855 M at S-40 foundation, which is higher

than Qutub Minar of 72m.

8. Bridge designed to withstand high wind speed up to 266 Km/Hour

9. Bridge designed to bear earthquake forces of highest intensity upto richter

scale of magnitude 8.

10. First time on Indian Railways, Phased array Ultrasonic Testing Machine used
for testing of welds.

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CONCLUSION

The design of the main arch requires consideration of a number of additional

parameters, such as fatigue, global stability, second order effects, composite action, etc. It
also requires that such a bridge is designed to achieve a consistent level of reliability for all
load cases, and that the design standards match the construction standards. That has been
considered in the current design work as well.

The Chenab Bridge will be the biggest / the longest-span / the highest railway
arch bridge ever built in the world. Its design offered great challenges to the design team, but
the challenges will be even more demanding before the gap between the main arch halves is
filled.

The plan of the primary curve requires thought of some of extra boundaries,
like weariness, worldwide steadiness, second request impacts, composite activity, and so on it
likewise necessitates that such an extension intended to accomplish a predictable degree of
unwavering quality for all heap cases, and that the plan norms match the development
principles. The Chenab Extension will be the greatest, longest range and most elevated
railroad curve connect at any point worked on the planet.

Development of the scaffold is relied upon to require 27000MT of steel,

4000MT of built-up steel, 66000m3 of concrete and 8 million cubic meter of unearthing. The
development of the scaffold was ended in 2008 because of arrangement and security issues. It
is continued in 2010 expected fruition in 2015, which was in this manner pushed to 2019. The
development of the scaffold will be finished by December 2021.

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REFERENCE

1) GSI (1989) Geological Survey India, Special publication no 26.

2) Tiwari G, Latha GM (2016) Design of rock slope reinforcement: Himalayan case study

3) US Army (1999) Risk based analysis in geotechnical engineering for support planning
studies engineering, and design

4) www.wsp.com/en-GL/projects/chenab-bridge

5) www.railway-technology.com/projects/chenab-bridge-jammu-kashmir

6) The constructor.org/case-study/chenab-bridge-construction/63057

7) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chenab Bridge

8) https://www.wsp.com/en-GL/insights/chenab-bridge-connecting-the-arch-up-in-the-clouds

9) https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx? PRID=1709652.

10) https://konkan railway.com/press/details/984.

11) Tekla.com/resources/case studies/bridge information modelling chasing new highs in

India.

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