India’s first bullet train project (Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Corridor) has reached another milestone with the completion of the 8th steel bridge over DFCC tracks near Bharuch, Gujarat.
About Steel Bridge
This development marks the successful installation of the 8th steel bridge for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) project. Out of the total 28 steel bridges planned along the entire corridor, 17 are located in Gujarat. The MAHSR corridor spans approximately 506 kilometres and will feature 12 stations, significantly enhancing high-speed connectivity between Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
Fabrication Process
This bridge was fabricated in the workshop of Trichy. Subsequently, it was brought to the location with the help of trailers. The bridge fabrication involved the use of approximately 55,300 Tor-Shear Type High Strength (TTHS) bolts for structural integrity. A C5 anti-corrosion painting system was applied to enhance durability in harsh environmental conditions. Additionally, elastomeric bearings were specially designed to support a lifespan of 100 years.
| Characteristics of the Bridge | |
|---|---|
| Length | 100 meter |
| Height | 14.6 meter |
| Width | 14.3 meter |
| Weight | 1400 metric tons |
Launching Process
The engineering team utilised an 84-meter-long launching nose to execute the launching of the bridge. The weight of the launching nose was about 600 metric tons. The entire bridge structure was meticulously assembled at the project site at an elevation of 18 meters above ground level, supported on temporary trestles. For the launching process, a precision-controlled mechanism was deployed using two semi-automatic jacks. Each jack had a capacity of 250 tonnes. These jacks operated in coordination with Mac-Alloy bars to pull the superstructure into its final position.
Details of completed steel bridges in Gujarat for the Bullet Train Project
| Sr. No. | Location | Length of the steel bridge (in meters) | Weight of the steel bridge (in MT) |
| 1 | Across National Highway 53, Surat | 70 | 673 |
| 2 | Over Vadodara-Ahmedabad main line of Indian Railways, near Nadiad | 100 | 1486 |
| 3 | Over Delhi-Mumbai National Expressway, near Vadodara | 230 (130+100) | 4397 |
| 4 | Near Silvassa in Dadra & Nagar Haveli | 100 | 1464 |
| 5 | Over Western Railways, Vadodara | 60 | 645 |
| 6 | Over two DFCC Tracks and two Western Railways tracks, Surat | 100,60 | 2040 |
| 7 | Over two DFCC tracks, near Vadodara | 70 | 674 |
| 8 | Over DFCC tracks near Bharuch | 100 | 1400 |
