Phuoc Khanh Bridge on Ben Luc–Long Thanh Expressway achieves closure milestone

Phuoc Khanh Bridge on the Ben Luc–Long Thanh Expressway has reached a key construction milestone following the successful closure of its main span, according to the Southern Expressway Projects Management Unit (SEPMU) under the Vietnam Expressway Corporation (VEC).

Phuoc Khanh Bridge on the Ben Luc–Long Thanh Expressway reaches a major construction milestone with the successful closure of its main span.

The bridge's closure segment was concreted on the afternoon of July 22, officially connecting the two central spans of the bridge.

Phuoc Khanh Bridge links Binh Khanh Commune in Ho Chi Minh City with Dai Phuoc Commune in Dong Nai City. It is one of the most important components of the Ben Luc–Long Thanh Expressway project.

The bridge is part of Contract Package J3 of the Ben Luc–Long Thanh Expressway project. Construction was suspended before completion after the contractor consortium encountered numerous difficulties. VEC later terminated the J3 contract and created replacement package J3-1. More than 15 months after work resumed, the bridge, Vietnam's cable-stayed bridge with the highest navigational clearance, has achieved this important milestone, paving the way for the completion of the entire project.

Workers carry out finishing works on Phuoc Khanh Bridge.

According to SEPMU, overall construction of Phuoc Khanh Bridge has surpassed 95 percent of the total contract value. Following the closure of the main span, the contractor will continue installing expansion joints, guardrails, lighting systems, traffic signs, medians and other traffic safety facilities.

More than 200 engineers and workers, together with specialized equipment, are currently deployed at the site, with multiple construction teams working simultaneously at the two main pylons and finishing areas.

Phuoc Khanh Bridge features a cable-stayed design with a slender steel girder supported by high-strength stay cables connected to two H-shaped pylons standing about 155 meters tall. Each pylon is equipped with two fan-shaped cable planes comprising 56 stay-cable bundles. One of the bridge's distinctive engineering features is its continuous stay-cable system, which extends over the tops of the pylons and is anchored to the stiffening girder at both ends. This configuration allows the girders on both sides to share structural loads through a continuous cable system, improving the bridge's structural performance while demanding an exceptionally high level of precision in construction, alignment and technical control.

By P. Tung – Translated by M.Nguyet, Minho