Dagu Bridge Wins Eugene Figo Award

Eugene Figo Award, named after the famous bridge designer Eugene Figo, is the top prize in bridge design and construction in the world. Founded by the International Bridge Assembly, the award is granted to the landmark bridges recently built with outstanding imagination and innovation. The first Eugene Figo Award was granted in June 2002.

The award is granted on very strict terms, and each year no more than one bridge is eligible for this award. On the basis of Man-Chung Tang’s scheme the preliminary design of Dagu Bridge was accomplished by Tianjin Urban Construction Design Institute and T. Y. Lin International Inc., and the construction drawing was designed by Tianjin Urban Construction Design Institute.

The construction was undertaken by No. 3 Company, Equipment Company and No. 5 Company of Tianjin Urban Construction Group. Dagu Bridge is designed with two asymmetrical arch rings, indicating a bright future for Tianjin. The eastward one, 39 meters tall, symbolizes the sun.

The westward 19-meter-tall arch ring symbolizes the moon. The 154-meter-long bridge belongs to the three-span continuous beam system. Its design is unique and modern, reflecting the current development trend of bridges: safety, applicability, beauty, economy, and technical innovation. The construction of Dagu Bridge started on July 6, 2003, and asphalt concrete paving was completed on October 6, 2004.

The surfacing used the high-tech content of epoxy asphalt concrete, effectively solving the steel structure of bridge deck closely combined with asphalt concrete problems. This is the first application of the technology in northern China.