###### Abstract  
Bridges are typical structures that provide connections between destinations and therefore achieve transportation functionality. Millions of bridges have been built around the world, becoming an essential part of the modern transportation system. The determination of a bridge span arrangement should satisfy requirements for shipping, construction, and mechanical performance [1], and the engineering economics [2] should also be considered in the process. Therefore, long-span bridges are necessary in some major engineering projects crossing valleys, rivers, or canals. Girder bridges, arch bridges, cable-stayed bridges, and suspension bridges are the most basic types of bridges. Taking advantage of the developments of material properties, construction method and equipment, computational ability, and design theory, the applicable span range for these types of bridges has showcased significant increases. Girder bridges are one of the oldest bridge types. In ancient times, wood and stone were used to build girder bridges. The longest girder bridge is the Shibanpo Parallel Yangtze River Bridge [3], with a main span of 330 m, completed in 2006 in Chongqing, China. The Taoer River Bridge, which is currently under construction in Shandong Province, China, will break this record, with a main span of 338 m after completion. Arch bridges first appeared in the form of masonry arches in Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and later in Ancient Rome. Currently, the longest steel, concrete, and concrete-filled steel tube arch bridges are the Chaotiannen Bridge (552 m) [4], the Shanghai-Kunming High-speed Railway Bridge over the Beipan River (445 m) [5], and the Third Pingnan Bridge (560 m) [6], respectively. The Lantian Fifth Yangtze River Bridge, a steel-box arch bridge of 578 m, the Fenglai Bridge, a steel-truss arch bridge of 580 m, and the Tiane Longtan Bridge, a stiff-skeleton concrete arch bridge of 600 m, will further break these records after completion. All the above arch bridges are located in China. The Swedish Stromsound Bridge, built in 1955 with a main span of 183 m, is often recognized as the first modern cable-stayed bridge [7]. After this, the maximum span of cable-stayed bridges increased rapidly due to their excellent crossing ability. In the 21 st century, the span record for the cable-stayed bridge has exceeded 1000 m with the completion of the Sutong Bridge (1088 m) [8], the Stonecutters Bridge (1018 m) [9], and the Russky Bridge (1104 m) [10]. The Changtai Yangtze River Bridge, which is under construction in Nanjing, China, will set a new record with an anticipated span of 1176 m after completion. Modern suspension bridges, characterized by the use of steel wires to fabricate the main cables, began with the Brooklyn Bridge, which was completed in 1883 in the United States, with a span length of 486 m. In 1931, the George Washington Bridge, with a span of 1067 m, was completed, becoming the world's first bridge with a span longer than a kilometer [11]. In 1998, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, which has a main span length of 1991 m and adopted prefabricated parallel-wire strands, was completed in Japan [12]. In 2022, the 1915 Canakkale Bridge, which has a main span length of 2023 m and adopted a twin-box stiffening girder to enhance the stability under wind loads, was completed in Turkey [13]. Moreover, the Shiziyang Bridge, with a main span of 2180 m, and the Zhangjinggao Bridge, with a main span of 2300 m, are currently under construction in China [14]. Despite the above achievements, there are still some major strait projects in the planning stage, for instance the Bohai Strait, Taiwan Strait in China, the Gibraltar Strait in Italy, and the Bering Strait between the Pacific and Arctic oceans. Therefore, there still exists genuine demand for the construction of record-shattering long-span bridges, and bridge engineers will have to grapple with new unique challenges, such as bridge foundations in deep waters and aerodynamic challenges for long-span cable-supported bridges, to name a few.