Successful Closure of the Left Half of the B3 Arch Bridge under Lot 2 of the Georgia North-South Corridor Highway Project

TBILISI, Georgia, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On October 20, with the completion of concrete pouring for the final section of the arch ring, the left half of the B3 Arch Bridge, a key control project of Lot 2 of the Georgia North–South Corridor Road Project constructed by China Railway 23rd Bureau Group Co., Ltd., was successfully closed. The entire arch ring is expected to achieve arch closure by the end of the year. This closure marks a significant achievement in the construction of the core structural component of the largest-span cast-in-situ concrete arch bridge in the Caucasus region, laying a solid foundation for the full completion of the project and improved north–south connectivity in Georgia. It also once again demonstrates China Railway Construction Corporation's formidable capabilities and benchmark standards in overseas infrastructure development.

The B3 Arch Bridge is located deep within the Khada Gorge in the Caucasus Mountains and is a critical bottleneck-crossing project along Georgia's North–South Corridor Road Project. The B3 bridge has a total length of 437.875 meters, a clear main arch span of 286 meters, and a deck elevation 164 meters above the valley ground. It adopts a deck-type reinforced concrete arch bridge configuration with two separate box-section arch ribs and is being constructed using the cable-stayed buckling system and cantilever casting with form travellers. Construction conditions are exceptionally challenging, and the project management team has worked tirelessly to overcome numerous difficulties and technical barriers throughout the construction process. The bridge site is exposed to persistent strong winds, with winter temperatures dropping as low as -20°C and snow depths reaching up to 2 meters. The combination of extreme cold, strong winds and complex terrain places exceptionally high demands on the bridge's wind resistance, structural durability and construction accuracy. Furthermore, the arch ring has a cross-sectional width of only 3.5 meters and a height of 4.7 meters, making it the smallest in dimensions among comparable long-span arch bridges. This slender arch structure significantly increases the difficulty of cantilever casting and geometric alignment control.

To address these construction challenges, the project management team collaborated with a domestic university to conduct full-life-cycle wind tunnel tests and field verification of wind resistance, establishing a comprehensive wind-resistance monitoring and safety assurance system covering both construction and operation. Throughout construction, the project management team has strictly controlled construction methods, refined quality control procedures and precisely managed the arch ring geometry, achieving the successful closure of the left half of the arch ring with high precision. All relevant indicators comply with European design standards. Upon completion, the B3 bridge will become the largest-span reinforced concrete arch bridge in the Caucasus region, with a span ranking among the world's leading examples of comparable cantilever-cast arch bridges.

As a key hub structure along Georgia's North–South Corridor, the completed B3 Arch Bridge will eliminate a major bottleneck in north–south transport across the Caucasus Mountains, substantially reduce travel times between northern and southern Georgia, significantly improve regional road transport efficiency and traffic safety, and further enhance the local integrated transport network. The project is also a major infrastructure and public welfare initiative in Georgia and a landmark project under the Belt and Road Initiative. It will play an important role in deepening China–Georgia cooperation in infrastructure development, promoting regional economic and trade exchanges, and stimulating economic growth along the corridor.

Moving forward, the project management team will make every effort to advance the remaining bridge construction works, maintain rigorous control over safety, quality and progress, and strive towards the target of opening the entire project to traffic. The project management team will work tirelessly to bring this world-class bridge into service as soon as possible, improving local livelihoods and injecting fresh momentum into practical China–Georgia cooperation and regional connectivity.