Global fixed link bridges: state of the art

Abstract

This paper benchmarks the challenges involved with major sea, or fixed link, bridge crossings from their planning to final construction. An overview of existing major fixed link crossings globally, including statistical information such as length and inflation-adjusted project costs, is given. Data for well-known links such as the Øresund Crossing in Europe and the more recent Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge are included. The construction methods required to surmount the challenges of bridging such crossings and how advancements are making long-mooted crossings more feasible are discussed. Statistics on the construction durations of these crossings are presented and links between construction time, cost aspects and carbon dioxide emissions are considered. Finally, the paper looks to the future and considers how the data can be used to better bound estimates of time, costs, and emissions for fixed link projects. The viability of some of the more notable future fixed link projects is also addressed.