Helping Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge meet sustainability targets with customised coating solution
The Shenzhen-Zhongshan bridge is an important part of China's national highway network across the Pearl River Estuary and a core transport hub project in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The cross-sea cluster project integrates bridges, islands, tunnels, and underwater interchanges. The Shenzhen-Zhongshan crossing is about 24 kilometres long, consisting of a 6.84 kilometre long submarine tunnel and a bridge section of about 17 kilometres. It consists of a 1,666-metre main span suspension bridge with a 270-metre-high main tower, equivalent to the height of a 90-storey building, and a navigational clearance of 76.5 metres.
With vast corrosion protection experience in the Chinese bridge market, Hempel is honoured to provide long-lasting aesthetics and superior corrosion protection for the Shenzhen-Zhongshan bridge.
With vast corrosion protection experience in the Chinese bridge market, Hempel is honoured to provide long-lasting aesthetics and superior corrosion protection for the Shenzhen-Zhongshan bridge.
The Shenzhen-Zhongshan bridge has achieved five world records, including the largest span of an offshore suspension bridge and the highest navigable clearance.
The project has formulated special technical standards to ensure that the Shenzhen-Zhongshan bridge meets the requirements for safety, high quality, high efficiency, durability, economy, sustainability, and aesthetics.
The project has formulated special technical standards to ensure that the Shenzhen-Zhongshan bridge meets the requirements for safety, high quality, high efficiency, durability, economy, sustainability, and aesthetics.
The challenge
Coating application for the Shenzhen-Zhongshan bridge started in 2020 and the bridge opened for traffic at the end of June 2024. This posed a great challenge to the quality and schedule control inspections of the steel box girder production.
As the construction of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan bridge coincided with China’s increasingly strict sustainability standards, this mega project needed to comply with new regulations for minimising environmental harm and preserving the ocean. Therefore, the protective coatings should offer excellent anti-corrosion properties and have a low carbon footprint.
The solution
Long-lasting aesthetics and superior corrosion protection for Shenzhen-Zhongshan bridge
In the early stages of the project, Hempel conducted solid research on site also bringing into consideration our long and vast experience in the Chinese bridge market. Based on these insights, a customised coating solutions was recommended for the Shenzhen-Zhongshan bridge. The Hempadur Avantguard® activated zinc primer offers superior corrosion protection with high durability, while the Hempatop Finish 830 HS fluorocarbon topcoat has excellent light and colour retention, maintaining long-lasting aesthetics even in heavily polluted environments.
By keeping the VOC emissions of the recommended coating scheme to a minimum, Hempel not only helped meet sustainability targets of our customers, but also added a splash of colour to this prestigious project.
At a glance
- Customer: China Railway Baoji Bridge Group Co., Ltd.
Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Gorup Co., Ltd. - Coating system:
- Exterior surface: Hempadur Avantguard, Hempel’s Epoxy MIO, Hempatop Finish 830 HS
- Interior surface: Hempadur Avantguard, Hempadur Mastic 47550
- Application: Spray, roller coating
- Total coating consumption: Around 2 million litres
