Is there any specialty of FEBA Expansion on Ha Long-Hai Phong Expressway?

The project was commenced on 13/9/2014 and became an important traffic line connecting the economic triangle of Hanoi - Hai Phong - Quang Ninh, shortening the traffic time from Hanoi to Quang Ninh from 3,5 to 1.5 hours; shorting the distance from Haiphong to Halong from 75km to 25km.

This is a modern construction project beginning for the key transporting projects of Quang Ninh province with the total outside the budget investment up to more than 30,000 billion  VND, applied advanced construction technologies including elastic FEBA manufactured by USL (UK) and installed by Vinh Hung JSC.

As assessed by Transport experts,  USL's FEBA is an effective solution and a proper choice. According to Tran Duc Tien, Chairman of the Board of Vinh Hung JSC, the FEBA expansion joint is designed to fully meet the requirements of a joint expansion for the bridge (transposition, smoothing, noise reduction, longevity of works ...) to ensure the best in quality and economy.

Instalation of FEBA expansion joint

The FEBA does not require maintenance during the operating process and can be easily replaced with minor affectsto the traffic route with a typical 12-hour completion time. Besides, FEBA can be constructed at night time and inaugurated in the next morning. This solution ensures longevity, use easiness and aesthetics, suitable for modern traffic works.

FEBA expansion joints have been tested in Vietnam since 2011 at Truong Xa Bridge, Km19 + 240 National Road 39. Since then, FEBA expansion joints have been applied in big projects such as the replacement project of 81 weak bridges on key national routes over 25 provinces; Southern Coastal Corridor project connecting the three countries with the total length of 220km; Hoa Lac - Hoa Binh expressway project.

Apart from the USL's FEBA expansion joints, Vinh Hung JSC supplies and develops the BEJ expansion joints in the Vietnamese market. According to the UK Department of Transportation classification, this is a mortared expansion joint with sliding metal rail, which is widely used all over the world. This kind of expansion joint has a mechanical structure anchored to the pavement deck owing to the adhesion using modern technology of Britflex grout mortar, enabling to construct and maintain more quickly.

 Instalation of FEBA at Truong Xa, Highway 39 from 2011

In order to install 8mm BEJ expansion joints, it will take only an 8-hour working shift and traffic would be opened after 2-3 hours. The BEJ expansion joint does not require maintenance during the first 15 years of use. The replacement cost is low, grouted mortar will be poured into the damaged position without affecting the metal rail and sin wave-shape reinforcement. According to Vinh Hung JSC, BEJ expansion joints can be used for both new installation and maintenance of bridge works

With the advantages of easy and quick installation and replacement, the two types of expansion joints are particularly suitable for infrastructure conditions in Vietnam with various bridges and damaged roads due to backward technologies using. This is the most effective solution for repairing works to enable prolong the life of the bridges.