Application of concrete-filled steel tubular arch bridge without any wind braces

Concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) arch bridge without any wind braces above the deck, is also called open arch bridge. This type of bridges are widely adopted in the last ten years in China, because of the advantages in traditional CFST arch bridge, the architecture, high headroom above the deck and low car-driving repression. Meanwhile, China has become a leading country of the domain in the amount and the span, with the longest one reaching 160 m so far. However, the weakness in lateral stability of arch ribs without wind braces restricts this type of bridge to short span and wide deck, which has become a key issue in research. In this paper, with the domestic and oversea examples of the CFST arch bridge without wind braces, the general structural measures to enhance arch rib lateral stability, the main types and characteristics of the bridges are analyzed; furthermore, the back to back type CFST arch bridge is introduced, which is a new-arisen type of bridge without lateral braces in China. In the end, some ideas and advices for the development of the CFST arch bridge without wind braces are brought forward.