The Helix Bridge, previously known as the Double Helix Bridge, is a pedestrian bridge linking Marina Centre with Marina South in the Marina Bay area in Singapore. It was officially opened on 24 April 2010 at 9 pm, however only half was opened due to ongoing construction at the Marina Bay Sands. It is located beside the Benjamin Sheares Bridge and is accompanied by a vehicular bridge, known as the Bayfront Bridge. The entire bridge was opened on 18 July 2010 to complete the entire walkway around Marina Bay.

1. Helix Bridge
- Architectural & structural innovation
Presentation by,
Akshay Gaurav
GNDEC, Ludhiana
1°17’15.44°N, 103°51’38.15°E

2. Contents
• Introduction
• Architecture
• Material Selection
• Design
• Analysis
• Fabrication & Erection
• References & Bibliography

3. Introduction
• Carries – Pedestrian
• Crosses – Singapore River
• Location – Queen Elizabeth Walk, Esplanade Mall, Singapore
• Official Name – The Helix
• Other Name – Double Helix Bridge
• Material – Duplex stainless Steel
• Opened – 24 April 2010 ( 18 July 2010 )
• Cost at Completion – 82,900 SGD ( 41,45,000 INR / 61,434.26 USD )
• Area – 1379.08 sq.metre
• Architect – COX Group Pte Ltd (Australia) & Architects 61 (Singapore)
• Consultant – Arup (Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Lighting), Tierra Design (Landscape), David
Langdon Seah (Cost)
• Builder – Sato Kogyo (S) Pte Ltd
• Managed & Maintained by – Land Transport Authority

5. Architecture
• Inspiration – Geometric helicoidal arrangement of
DNA
• Team – Cox Group, Arup Engineers & Architect 61
• Lighting – Dynamic multi colored light emitting
diode(LED)
• 4 Viewing pods – Panoramic view of Singapore
skyline.
• World Architecture Festival Awards 2010 - “World’s
Best Transport Building”
• BCA Design & Engineering Safety Excellence
Award 2011 – Building & Construction Authority
(BCA)
• Industrial, Transport & Infrastructure Category 11th
Singapore Institute of Architect’s Architectural
Design Awards.
• World’s first curved double helix bridge

7. Material Selection
Duplex stainless steels have a two-phase microstructure of austenite and ferrite grains.
The duplex structure gives this family of stainless steels a combination of attractive properties.
Duplex stainless steels are about twice as strong as regular austenitic or ferritic stainless steels.
• Local planners place noticeable emphasis on quality urban design.
• Designers are encouraged to use sustainable, low maintenance and
aesthetically pleasing materials.
• Environment of Singapore is hot, humid, industrial and coastal.
• Stainless steel give designers a good option.
• Grade 1.4462 of stainless steel provided the requirements of good availability,
cost effectiveness, ease of fabrication and the structural / architectural
requirements.
• It also provides high resistance to stress corrosion cracking.
• Cost of duplex steel was equivalent to potential costs of using carbon steel.

8. Design
• Selected out of 36 design submissions.
• Two set of spirals, one in another
interconnected by tension rods spiraling in
different directions.
• Total length – 280m
• Width of deck – 6m
• Major helix diameter – 10.8m
• Minor helix diameter – 9.4m
• Total length of steel tubes – 2,250m
• Total weight – 1700 tonnes
• Maximum Capacity – 10,000 people
• Sunshade – Canopies (Fritted glass &
perforated steel mesh).
• Computer controlled LED lighting.

11. Analysis
• Extensive numerical analysis was
completed using structural optimization
software
• Due to complexity of structures, 3D
simulations are used as analysis tool.
• Prior to specifying materials or even
finalizing designs, the bridge was
modelled using 3D software.
• Non-linear analysis was also carried.
• Robustness studies was also important
to carry out.

13. Fabrication & Erection
• The helix is fabricated from approx. 650 tonnes of Duplex stainless
steel & 1000 tonnes of Carbon steel.
• The steel was delivered from the supplier in Europe to Singapore
and then fabricated in Johor, Malaysia.
• The bridge components were fabricated to the maximum
transportable dimension.
• Average length of components was 11m.
• Trial assembly of segments of the bridge was conducted in the
workshop.
• Installation began with the lower deck components and completed
at the highest level of the bridge.
• Major and minor helices were welded on site and all the light struts
and tension rods were pinned.

20. References & Bibliography
1) https://www.steel-sci.org
2) http://www.archdaily.com/185400/helix-bridge-cox-architecture-with-architects-61/
3) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHFpZc3nryE
4) https://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Arup Group
5) https://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Stainless_steel
6) https://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Austenitic_stainless_steel
7) https://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Helix_Bridge
8) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BS_5950