Bridges · Akhnoor, Jammu & Kashmir
Chenab Bridge
Among India's longest free-cantilever spans — 160 m, and an ICI award winner.
- Location
- Akhnoor, Jammu & Kashmir
- Client
- Border Roads Organisation (Project Sampark)
- PCI's role
- Design
- Structure
- Balanced-cantilever PSC road bridge
- Total length
- 280 m
- Central span
- 160 m
- Road
- Jammu–Akhnoor–Poonch road
- Recognition
- ICI Outstanding Concrete Structure Award
The bridge over River Chenab at Akhnoor on road Jammu–Akhnoor–Poonch in J&K State was lying incomplete for more than three decades as two agencies had left the work incomplete due to site challenges. The crossing bridge was necessary to find ways and means to complete the permanent bridge to meet the strategic needs of the Nation. The tremendous pressure from the political leadership and the Army authorities for the completion of the bridge made BRO take many bold & dynamic decisions. Span Arrangement 60+160+60m was selected for tender & approved for detailed engineering. This bridge was completed in 18 months & was inaugurated by Honorable Dr Manmohan Singh, then Prime Minister of India.
Design Criteria for preserving & complementing, even enhancing the existing landscape have been given weightage. The simplicity in form, slenderness of the deck and continuity of the lines make the structure aesthetically pleasing. The structure should stand as a proud inheritor of the Indian tradition of bridge building.
Salient Features
- Span Arrangement 60+160+60m; Non-prismatic continuous prestressed concrete box girder erected by free cantilevering on hollow piers and abutments.
- Largest cantilever span in India at the time.
- Fastest construction cycle of 6 days for cast-in-situ segments.
- PSC box depth 9.75m at the pier & 3.4m at the centre. Span depth ratio for mid span – 16.4 at root and 47 at mid span.
- Prestressing Cables: 62 Nos; each 19 Strands, 15.2mm dia.
- Straight Tendon Configuration: Simplicity in design and construction; ~10% saving of weight of prestressing cables.
- Stability Cables to prevent uplift at the abutments.
