Bridge Wind Barrier Project-Hunan Expressway
The Aizhai Bridge is one of China’s most iconic mountain bridge infrastructures, spanning across the Dehang Grand Canyon in Hunan Province. The bridge forms part of the Jicha Expressway and is recognized as one of the world’s most technically challenging canyon suspension bridge projects.
The total route length is approximately 1,779 meters, with the main bridge extending 1,414 meters and a bridge deck height reaching approximately 355 meters above the canyon floor. The project is notable for being one of the few large-span canyon suspension bridges equipped with a dedicated bridge wind barrier system.
Due to strong crosswinds generated at the tunnel portal areas on both ends of the bridge, vehicles exiting the tunnels were exposed to sudden wind environment changes that could negatively affect driving stability and traffic safety. To address this issue, bridge wind barriers were installed near the tunnel exits to reduce side-wind impact and improve vehicle operational safety during windy conditions.
Installation completed in February 2012, covering approximately 740 meters of bridge infrastructure.
Products
PC Wind Barrier
Sector
Bridge infrastructure
The Challenge
The Aizhai Bridge project presented highly complex aerodynamic and environmental challenges due to its extreme canyon location and high-altitude suspension bridge structure.
Key engineering challenges included:
- Strong canyon crosswinds affecting vehicle stability
- Sudden wind environment changes at tunnel exit sections
- High-altitude bridge exposure and dynamic airflow conditions
- Long-term UV exposure, temperature variation, and environmental aging
- Strict operational safety requirements for expressway traffic
The bridge wind barrier system needed to provide reliable aerodynamic protection while maintaining long-term structural durability under severe outdoor conditions.
Technical Features
Crosswind Protection Performance – The curved-slot wind barrier system was specifically designed to reduce sudden side-wind impact on vehicles exiting tunnel sections and improve traffic safety under windy conditions.
Canyon Wind Environment Adaptation – The system delivered stable aerodynamic performance under complex canyon airflow and high-altitude bridge wind conditions.
Long-Term Weather Durability – The PC wind barrier panels provided excellent resistance against UV exposure, temperature fluctuation, and environmental aging in harsh outdoor environments.
High Impact Strength and Structural Reliability – The polycarbonate material offered outstanding impact resistance, flexibility, and long-term structural stability suitable for suspension bridge applications.
Execution and Outcomes
The successful completion of the Aizhai Bridge Wind Barrier Project demonstrated the effectiveness of polycarbonate wind barrier systems in improving traffic safety under extreme canyon bridge wind conditions.
The project established a reliable engineering solution for suspension bridge wind protection in mountainous environments and further validated the application of PC wind barrier technology in complex transportation infrastructure projects.