Taking its title as the world’s longest mid-span and highest tower suspension bridge, the 1915Çanakkale Bridge was officially opened in Turkey on March 18, 2022. The €2.5-billion bridge was completed 18 months ahead of schedule and will enable the crossing between the Asian and European continents in six minutes through the Çanakkale Strait (Dardanelles).

Constructed by the Turkish-Korean joint venture partners DL E&C–Limak–SK ecoplant–Yapı Merkezi, the 4,608 m-long bridge features a central span of 2,023 m and a total bridge tower height of 318 m. The structure is named 1915Çanakkale in remembrance of the Çanakkale Battle during World War I that took place between Turkish and Allied forces.

The 4,608 m-long bridge was completed 18 months ahead of schedule. Source: Çanakkale Motorway Bridge Construction Investment Operation

The structure includes 177,000 tons of steel, equivalent to that consumed for the production of approximately 128,000 passenger vehicles. About 227,000 m³ of concrete were used to erect the concrete foundations and anchor blocks. The tower foundations, each measuring 84 m x 73 m, are settled on the sea floor at a depth of 45 m on the Asian side and at 37 m depth on the European side. Tower foundations, also called caissons, are approximately the size of a football field, with dimensions of 84 m x 73 m.

The main span cable consists of 144 wire strands and side spans include 148 wire strands, each consisting of 127 high-strength steel wires. If added end to end, the total wire length would be 162,000 km — equal to four times the circumference of the Earth.