Zhao Zhouqiao is an arc single-hole stone arch bridge with a total length of 64.4 meters and a vault width of 9 meters. It has a solid structure and great momentum. Its design completely conforms to scientific principles, and its construction technology is unique. The ancients said that it "makes strange things, and people don't know what it does." Overall, it is a single arch bridge. The arch was 37.4 meters long and was the longest stone arch in the world at that time. Bridge opening is not an ordinary semicircle, but like a bow. The bridge deck is flat and wide, giving consideration to land and water transportation, which is convenient for vehicle and boat operation. This form is called "flat arch". This stone arch consists of 28 arch rings, each of which can stand independently to form a whole, which is convenient for independent construction and maintenance. Such a long-span flat arch has great horizontal thrust on the abutment and is difficult to construct. However, the abutment is a shallow and small ordinary rectangle with a thickness of only 1.529 m, which is made of five rows of stones. Its foundation is sub-clay, and its bearing capacity is small. It is rare in the world to build such a long-span stone arch bridge with such a small bridge abutment on such a foundation.
Zhao Zhouqiao's greatest scientific contribution is that he created the "open-shouldered arch". Four parallel small holes are built on the two shoulders of the big arch, which not only increases the water passage, saves the stone and reduces the weight of the bridge, but also facilitates the passive pressure of the small arch on the big arch and enhances the stability of the bridge. This effectively ensures that Anji Bridge has survived numerous floods, eight major earthquakes and the impact of heavy vehicles in the history of 1400 years, and still stands upright on the river.
The application of Zhao Zhouqiao's "open-shouldered arch" is the first time in the world bridge history. 1883, Antoinette railway bridge built by France on Argo River started the construction of long-span open-shouldered arch bridge in Europe, but it was later than Anji Bridge 1400 years ago. Western scholars admit that the open-shouldered arch building of Anji Bridge has become the ancestor of many modern reinforced concrete bridges, which has opened a generation of bridge style.
Zhao Zhouqiao is another treasure of architectural art, which spans the river like a rainbow and is magnificent. On the arc-shaped flat main arch line, there are four small arches lying symmetrically, like four huge jade rings, dotted on the two shoulders of the bridge. The giant body is ethereal and the lines are bright. In the grandeur, it reveals a magnificent and light aesthetic feeling. An imaginary water-absorbing beast was created at the top of the bridge, which placed people's good wishes that the bridge would not be damaged by water and exist for a long time. All kinds of dragons, animal faces, flower ornaments, bamboo joints, etc. There are carvings on fences and sentries, among which dragons are the most exquisite. The dragon is either entrenched in the game or landed in the water, unpredictable and its expression is extremely moving. The carving method is vigorous and powerful, and the artistic style is novel and bold. 199 1 year, the American Society of Civil Engineers selected Zhao Zhouqiao, China as the 12 civil engineering milestone in international history, which added new glory to the stone arch bridge in China.
The Zhaozhou Bridge
? Zhao Zhouqiao, also known as "Anji Bridge", is located in the suburb of Zhao County, Hebei Province. It exists in the world.
The earliest and best-preserved giant stone arch bridge has a history of 1400 years, and is known as "North China".
One of Four Treasures of the Study. "This is the famous ancient stone arch bridge in China. It is an arc single-hole stone arch bridge.
On the stone arches at both ends of the bridge, there are two coupon holes. This structure is called "open-shouldered arch", which is the first time in the world. Because of the ancient name Zhao County.
Zhaozhou, hence the name. This bridge was built by Li Chun during the period from Emperor Kai of Sui Dynasty to Daye (509-608).
Zhao Zhouqiao is a single hole with a length of 50.82m, a bridge deck width of about10m and a span of 37.35m.. It runs north and south and is vertically arranged by 28 independent stone arches.
Made of brick and stone. The arch ring is 7.23 meters high and the arc is gentle. It is equipped with four small arches, which not only reduces the weight, saves materials, but also facilitates flood discharge.
Add beauty. This design was the first in the history of bridges in the world, and the span was also the first at that time. The railings and sentry boxes on both sides of the bridge are beautifully carved.
It is colorful. The bridge is huge, strong and light, which is ingenious and embodies the wisdom and talent of the ancient working people in China. New China City
After the erection is completed, it will be rebuilt as it is. Now it is listed as a national key cultural relics protection unit and a tourist attraction.
Structure of Zhao Zhouqiao: The main arch is composed of 28 independent arch pieces. When building a bridge, the middle arch coupon should be built first, and then the two sides should be built. Each arch coupon is about 35 cm wide, and the length of each stone varies from 70 cm to 109 cm. Each stone is connected by two waist irons. Each arch ticket can be repaired separately if it is broken. Because the outer arch coupons are easily damaged by weathering, five arch coupons on the west side of the bridge collapsed in the Ming Dynasty and were rebuilt in the Ming and Qing Dynasties (there is no repair record, which is obviously different from the stones in the middle). 1955, reconstruction of five arch coupons collapsed on the east side. The middle 18 arch coupon was built in Sui Dynasty.
In order to prevent the arch specimen from falling off outwards, the following methods are also adopted:
1, narrow at the top and wide at the bottom. In order to prevent the arch coupon from leaning outward, the arch foot is 9.5 meters wide and the vault is 9 meters wide;
2. Connect 28 arch samples horizontally with 9 iron connecting rods. Among the arch coupons, 28 arch coupons are connected by several iron connecting rods with holes at one end and hooks at the other end, and there is an iron riser at the outermost arch coupon (below). There are five poles on the main arch, one on each small arch.
3. Reinforce each stone with a waist iron shaped like a saw, and use two waist irons at the joint of each stone.
4. Pull the outer bridge arch with six stone hooks, place the square stone with a length of 1.8m and a head length of 5cm on the outer side of the bridge arch, and pull the bridge arch inward with the long part. Because each arch is 35 cm wide, stones can hold down the five arches outside. However, its role is limited. For example, the arches on the east and west sides of the bridge have all collapsed, and the five arches on the outside of both sides were repaired in the later stage.
When 1956 was rebuilt, the bridge arch was reinforced with steel mesh.
In the Peking Opera "Little Cowherd" widely circulated in Hebei, it sings:
Who built the stone bridge in Zhaozhou,
Who will leave the jade railing,
Who is riding on the donkey bridge,
Someone ran over a ditch with a wheelbarrow.
Master Lu Ban restored the stone bridge in Zhaozhou,
Jade railings were left by saints,
Zhang rode on the donkey bridge,
Chai Daguan's car turned over the ditch. ...
After the completion of Zhao Zhouqiao, a beautiful legend was fabricated for it. Zhang rode a donkey and Chai pushed a unicycle to visit. They asked Luban if the donkey and cart could pass. Luban thought that so many cars and people had left, and the answer was no problem.
However, when the little donkey and the unicycle stepped onto the bridge, the bridge suddenly shook. In desperation, Lu Ban jumped into the water, held the arch belly with his hands, and added two palm prints of Lu Ban on the bridge belly. It turned out that Zhang put the sun and the moon on the donkey's back, and Master Chai carried the four famous mountains on the car.
The above picture shows a ditch pressed by the legendary Chai Wang when pushing a cart. Because Zhao Kuangyin pulled the cart too hard,
Prince Chai slipped on his right foot and knelt on the bridge, crushing a round hole.
The picture above shows two hoof prints of a legendary donkey on the bridge.
The bridge stone on the original Zhao Zhouqiao above is now hidden in the Zhao Zhouqiao Exhibition Hall, and it is called the Fairy Tale of the Ancient Bridge. The newly built bridge stone has also copied the driveway ditch and donkey's hoof prints.