On June 30 at 3:00 PM, the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge Tunnel officially opened for trial operation, reducing the travel time between Shenzhen and Zhongshan from approximately two hours to just 30 minutes. TMT provided product and technical support for the construction of this bridge tunnel.
The Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge Tunnel spans approximately 24 kilometers and integrates bridges, islands, tunnels, and underwater interchanges. It has set ten world records and is one of the most complex and challenging cross-sea cluster projects in the world. The bridge can withstand an 8-magnitude earthquake and a 17-level typhoon, and this is thanks to the flexible "joints" designed by TMT — the anisotropic friction pendulum bearings.
The anisotropic friction pendulum bearings are designed with a maximum size of 1.5 meters in length, 1.6 meters in width, and 0.42 meters in height, with a maximum load-bearing capacity of 1,750 tons. These bearings serve multiple functions, including support, limitation, and guidance, and they accommodate the displacement caused by thermal expansion and contraction of the beams as well as rotation caused by load changes. They essentially function like the "joints" of the bridge. Additionally, the bearings can be customized with different seismic parameters based on the bridge's longitudinal and transverse seismic capabilities, allowing the bridge’s mechanical abilities to be fully optimized.
One of the key bridges in the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge Tunnel project, the non-navigation span bridge, has 35 bridge piers. A total of 140 anisotropic friction pendulum bearings developed by TMT have been installed between the tops of these piers and the bottoms of the bridge beams. In the event of an earthquake, these bearings can create swinging and damping effects, essentially suspending the beam structure in mid-air.
In addition, TMT also supplied OMEGA waterstops for the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge Tunnel, providing a "waterproof coat" for the buried tunnel to ensure that its interior remains dry and safe.
In recent years, TMT has leveraged its technology and experience in rubber-metal products for locomotives and its expertise in seismic isolation bearings for construction. From material and process development to manufacturing and performance testing, TMT now covers the entire production process and has developed a comprehensive product range. The company also offers systematic solutions for product selection and plan optimization, and has led or contributed to multiple national standards. TMT products have been widely applied in over 100 large-scale bridges and structures both domestically and internationally, including the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge Tunnel, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the Xiangxi Aizhai Grand Suspension Bridge, and the Wuhan Qingshan Yangtze River Bridge.
