The　Melan　method　originated　from　the　patent　by　Austrian　engineer　named　Josef　Melan.　After　extensive　application　in　Europe　and　America,　this　method　was　largely　abandoned　after　the　1940s,　but　was　revival　in　China　at　the　end　of　the　20th　century　by　introducing　Concrete-filled　Steel　Tube　(CFST)　as　the　embedded　framework,　which　makes　this　method　less　steel　consumption　and　economical　for　construction.　This　paper　briefly　reviews　the　development　of　Melan　method　before　2003,　with　special　focuses　on　the　research　and　application　in　the　last　20 years.　Especially,　the　strong　CFST　framework　in　China,　which　further　facilitates　the　construction　procedure　and　enables　the　technical　possible　to　erect　concrete　arch　bridges　with　spans　longer　than　400 m,　is　further　introduced.　At　last,　the　Tian’e　Longtan　Bridge　in　Guanxi,　China,　which　has　the　span　record　of　600 m　and　is　under　construction　by　the　CFST　Melan　method,　is　introduced　as　case　study.　©　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　license　to　Springer　Nature　Switzerland　AG　2025.