The 345-kilometer long West Taiwan High Speed Rail Project will require construction of 275 kilometers of elevated structures. Over 263 kilometers of these structures will consist of standard viaducts with spans of 25 to 30 meters. Due to the large number of these typical spans, even a small cost saving for each span would provide significant cost saving to the Project.

OPAC prepared a feasibility study for the Provisional Engineering Office of High Speed Rail in Taiwan to evaluate the potential cost saving of incorporating high strength concrete and transverse post-tensioning into the typical viaduct cross section. Modifications to the original design were made to increase the efficiency of the cross section geometry, prestressing layout and mild reinforcing steel layout. The new design was validated under rail car loading, thermal gradients, and seismic design criteria.

With the proposed structural system modifications and with the use of high strength concrete and transverse post-tensioning, the study concluded that a cost saving in the superstructure of up to 25% could be achieved.