Use of Rocket Traction Method to Span Pilot Rope for Long Span Suspension Bridge Construction in Mountainous Area

There are many pilot rope erection methods for spanning the pilot rope as a part of the suspension bridge construction; these include water towing, manual hauling and air traction. Yunnan Puli long span bridge is a 1040 meters suspension bridge in the Karsts region of China. The bridge is crossing a canyon more than 600 meters deep and is very cliffy on both sides. In addition to the very rugged terrain, the ever-changing weather in the canyon and with thick vegetation covering the ground makes it is difficult to erect the pilot rope using the traditional methods. After comparing three types of erection methods, the rocket traction method was chosen for erecting the pilot rope for this project as an innovative exploration method. Through this project, it has demonstrated that the rocket traction method possesses certain favorable characteristics, including easy reparation, fast in the erection operation, cost effective and environment-friendly, and is particularly suited for use in the mountainous region.