Sri Lanka Bridge Structure with Large Span

The New Kelani River Bridge is Sri Lanka's largest long-span bridge, featuring a 180-meter main span extradosed design with advanced prestressed concrete and steel box girder technology. Overview of the New Kelani River BridgeThe New Kelani River Bridge, located about 5 km north of Colombo, is the country's first extradosed bridge, combining elements of prestressed box girder and cable-stayed bridges. It was constructed to accommodate the growing traffic between Colombo and Bandaranaike International Airport, forming part of the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway expansion.

The bridge has a main span of 180 meters and two side spans of 100 meters each, making it one of the largest-span bridges in Sri Lanka.

Structural Design and Features

Bridge Type: Extradosed bridge with three-cell prestressed concrete box girders. Support System: Reinforced concrete pylons with 2-meter diameter bored pile foundations, pod bearings, and longitudinally fixed connections at one pylon while others remain free. Construction Method: Balanced cantilever method, allowing efficient construction over the Kelani River without extensive temporary supports.

Pylons: Slanted outward with curved tips for aesthetic appeal, extending 23. 4 meters above the deck, approximately L/9 of the main span. Traffic Capacity: Six-lane bridge designed to handle high urban traffic volumes, including 86,000 vehicles on Baseline Road and 27,000 on Port Access Road.

Technical Standards: Designed according to BS5400 and Japanese bridge design standards, with high-performance steel and epoxy-coated prestressing strands.

Additional Large-

Span Bridges in Sri LankaOther notable long-span bridges include: Sangupiddy Bridge: Connects Jaffna Peninsula, symbolizing regional development. Kinniya Bridge: A major bridge in the Eastern Province, enhancing connectivity. Bridges constructed under the Japanese ODA project: 18 major bridges on national roads, replacing older structures to improve transportation efficiency.

Engineering Significance

The New Kelani River Bridge represents a major advancement in Sri Lankan bridge engineering, integrating extradosed technology, high-quality materials, and international collaboration. Japanese consultants and contractors worked alongside Sri Lankan engineers to transfer technical expertise, ensuring long-term durability and modern design standards. Its combination of long main span, aesthetic pylons, and advanced construction techniques makes it a benchmark for future large-span bridge projects in the country.

This bridge not only addresses traffic demands but also serves as a symbol of modern infrastructure development in Sri Lanka, demonstrating the application of extradosed and prestressed concrete technologies in tropical urban environments.