The Penang Second Crossing Design and Construction

When constructed in 1985 the Penang Bridge was, at 14 km, one of the longest sea crossings in the world, linking the island of Penang with mainland Malaysia. The structure is heavily used and was widened in 2009. A second longer crossing was proposed to relieve the first, work started on the design and construction in 2008. The second crossing is a 24 km structure mainly over sea approximately 10 km south of the first bridge. This paper outlines the project history and describes its design and construction. The project blends local materials and international techniques. The paper outlines the key design issues; the use of long spun concrete piles, span-by-span segmental viaduct construction and high-density rubber bearings used as seismic isolation devices.