Rama VIII Bridge

Project NameRama VIII Bridge

Name of CompanyArun Chaiseri Consulting Engineers Company Limited

Name of Associated Firm None

Project Location Across the Chao Phraya River, between Somdetch Phra Pinklao Bridge and Thonburi Bridge, Bangkok, Thailand

Project Owner Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Thailand

Project Cost 3,100 Million Baht

Scope of Services Independent Checking Engineering for the civil and structural design of foundations and structures of the bridge.

Project Description A 475-meter long Rama VIII bridge is an asymmetric tower cable-stayed bridge across the Chao Phraya River in Central Bangkok near the Palace between the existing Somdetch Phra Pinklao Bridge and Thonburi Bridge. The Rama VIII Bridge has been named in commemoration of H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej’ s elder brother.The main bridge is a 475-meter long asymmetric structure supported by a single tower.

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The main river span is 300 meters in length. The land span consists of two 50-meter back and a 75-meter anchor span. The main span deck is 29.2 meters in width, accommodating two traffic lanes each way with a 5.3-meter wide sidewalk for pedestrians and cyclists on each side. The main span deck is composite steel-concrete deck.

The anchor span deck is 28.4 meters in width, accommodating three lanes of traffic each way, allowing for exit and entry ramps in the viaduct just beyond Pier 45. Between Pier 42 and Pier 41, the roadway width tapers from three lanes each way to two. The deck is 27.7-meter wide from Pier 41 to the face of main tower.

The pedestrian walkways on either side of the bridge end at Pier 41 and Pier 39 with stairway to ground level. The anchor and back span consist of 9.25-meter and 2.5-meter deep single cell post-tensioned concrete box-girders, respectively. These box girder section support transverse concrete ribs carrying the concrete deck slab.

The main span is supported by two planes of stays arranged in a semi-fan configuration anchored on each side of the deck section. The two plans provided torsional stiffness to the open main span deck section. In the land span, the stays are arranged in a single central plane which has a near harp configuration. At Pier 39 and Pier 41 the deck is supported on single shaft piers shaped to match the piers of the approach viaducts.

The construction of the main bridge and associated approach viaducts was constructed under a design-build contract between the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the CPB Joint Venture.

The Independent Checking Engineering service was performed during the year of 2000 to 2001.

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