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. Initially it gives an overview of existing major fixed link crossings globally, including statistical information such as length and inflation adjusted project costs. Well known links such as the Oresund crossing and the more recent Hong Kong Zhuhai Macau crossing have been included in the data. The paper considers the construction methods required to surmount the challenges of bridging such crossings, and how advancements are making long mooted crossings more feasible. The paper presents statistics on the construction time period for these crossings and considers links between construction time, cost aspects, and carbon emissions of such crossings. Finally, the paper looks to the future: How the data can be used to better bound estimates of time, costs, and emissions for fixed link projects. The paper also studies some of the more notable future fixed link projects and their viability.