History of the Bridge & Tunnel group (1958⁠–⁠2018)

1. General introduction

The Department of Bridge and Tunnel Engineering grew out of the Bridge Section of the Department of Structures, Faculty of Construction, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, established in 1958. The first staff member of the Bridge Section was Mr Lê Văn Thưởng. In October 1959, in response to the needs of training and the growth of the teaching staff, the sections of the Department of Structures were separated into four independent departments: the Department of Bridge and Tunnel Engineering, the Department of Roads, the Department of Steel and Timber Structures, and the Department of Reinforced Concrete. The first staff of the Department of Bridge and Tunnel Engineering were Messrs Lê Văn Thưởng (head of section), Nguyễn Trâm and Nguyễn Tiến Oanh.

In 1966, after ten years of effort and growth, the Faculty of Construction (including the Department of Bridges and Tunnels) of Hanoi University of Science and Technology was separated from that university to form the University of Civil Engineering (now HUCE). Since then the Department of Bridges and Tunnels has belonged to the Faculty of Bridges and Roads of the University of Civil Engineering.

To meet practical needs, in May 2008 the Department of Bridges and Tunnels was renamed the Department of Bridge and Tunnel Engineering (Bộ môn Cầu và Công trình ngầm).

Since its foundation, 43 staff members have worked or are working at the Department, including 2 Doctors of Science, 4 Professors, 5 Associate Professors, 14 PhDs and 7 Master's degree holders; 6 teachers have been awarded the title of Meritorious Teacher, and 15 staff members have moved to other organisations.

From its foundation the Department set out its development goals under the motto: generalising content, modernising knowledge, industrialising construction, and automating and optimising design. Every member of staff has actively studied and pursued professional development in line with these requirements and goals.

To date the Department of Bridge and Tunnel Engineering has trained many engineers, Master's graduates, PhDs and others whose quality meets the demands of industrial practice. Staff of the Department have been involved in the country's major bridge and tunnel projects: Sông Gianh, Mỹ Thuận, Cần Thơ, Phù Đổng, Bãi Cháy, Bính, Thanh Trì and Nhật Tân bridges, the Hải Vân Tunnel, and others. Staff of the Department have directly taken part in the design and construction of many important works such as the underground complex of the Hòa Bình hydropower plant, the Đakrông cable-stayed bridge and the Sông Hàn swing bridge.

Building on the Department's traditions and giving concrete form to its development goals, the staff of the Department of Bridge and Tunnel Engineering have kept close to industrial practice, actively pursued scientific research and continuously improved their qualifications in order to integrate with advanced countries in the region and the world.

2. Development history, 1958 to 1976

Building the staff

In 1958, after graduating in bridge and road engineering from the Tangshan Railway Institute (China), Mr Lê Văn Thưởng returned to work in the Bridge Section of the Department of Structures, Faculty of Construction, Hanoi University of Science and Technology.

In October 1959 the Department of Bridges and Tunnels was established with three teachers: Lê Văn Thưởng (head of section), Nguyễn Trâm and Nguyễn Tiến Oanh (engineers of the first intake of Hanoi University of Science and Technology). In its first years the Department was assisted by the Soviet expert Professor B.E. Ulisky.

In 1960 Mr Nguyễn Biên graduated from MIIT (Moscow Institute of Railway Engineering) and joined the Department. The Department organised the first engineering refresher course for all its staff and many key officials of the Ministry of Transport; the lecturer was the Soviet expert Assoc. Prof. B. Erin, Candidate of Sciences, with Mr Nguyễn Biên as interpreter for the course. Assoc. Prof. Erin assisted the Department until 1962.

In 1961 the Department seconded Messrs Nguyễn Trâm and Nguyễn Tiến Oanh to the Institute of Waterway and Road Transport Design, where they were assigned the design of Đoan Vĩ Bridge (Hà Nam – Ninh Bình).

In 1962 Messrs Nguyễn Như Khải, Phan Duy Pháp and Hoàng Đình Chuân, having graduated from universities in the Soviet Union, came to work at the Department, and Ms Nguyễn Thị Mỹ Hảo, a graduate of the Transport Vocational School, became the Department secretary. In August 1962 Mr Vũ Văn Tuấn, who had been teaching exploratory drilling at the Faculty of Mining and Geology, transferred to the Department; at the end of 1962 Mr Lê Đình Tâm (third intake) joined the Department. By this time the Department had 10 staff, comprising 9 teaching staff — Lê Văn Thưởng, Nguyễn Trâm, Nguyễn Tiến Oanh, Nguyễn Biên, Phan Duy Pháp, Nguyễn Như Khải, Hoàng Đình Chuân, Lê Đình Tâm and Vũ Văn Tuấn — and one Department secretary, Ms Nguyễn Thị Mỹ Hảo.

In 1963 Mr Nguyễn Tiến Oanh studied Chinese and went as a visiting scholar to Tongji University in Shanghai. The Department taught the first in-service (part-time) class in bridge and road engineering (led by Mr Nguyễn Biên and Mr Nguyễn Trâm). At the end of 1963 Mr Lê Văn Thưởng went to the Soviet Union as a PhD candidate, and Mr Nguyễn Biên was appointed Head of Department.

In 1964 Mr Vũ Văn Tuấn became acting head of the Department in place of Mr Nguyễn Biên (for health reasons); Mr Nguyễn Trâm remained deputy head of the Department and was also deputy head of the Bridges and Roads trade union group.

At the end of 1965 Mr Trần Bình returned to the Department after defending his Candidate of Sciences (PhD) thesis; he had researched pile foundations to support the maintenance of traffic. While studying in the Soviet Union, Mr Lê Văn Thưởng and Mr Trần Bình had early on identified a new research direction — the application of computers to bridge analysis and design — and Mr Trần Bình went directly into this new field. With the support of Professor B.E. Ulisky, Mr Trần Bình mastered programming and the use of the Minsk-22 computer for structural analysis. In the following years Mr Trần Bình and several other members of the Department, such as Mr Nguyễn Trường Luyện and Mr Nguyễn Tiến Cường, were the first to train staff inside and outside the university in programming and in using computers to automate the analysis of complex structural problems.

On separating from Hanoi University of Science and Technology, the University of Civil Engineering was evacuated to Hà Bắc. In 1966 the Department was reinforced with two staff: Nguyễn Tiến Cường and Nguyễn Mạnh Thuần (sixth intake). At the end of 1966, having defended his Candidate of Sciences (PhD) thesis, Mr Lê Văn Thưởng returned and resumed his role as Head of the Department of Bridges and Tunnels and became Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Bridges and Roads; Mr Nguyễn Biên was assigned by the University to lead the Faculty of Economics. Also in 1966 Mr Nguyễn Trâm was sent to the Soviet Union as a PhD candidate, and Ms Nguyễn Thị Mỹ Hảo moved to the University's Administration Office.

In February 1967 the Department was reinforced with Mr Nguyễn Thế Phùng (seventh intake, Urban Planning) and Mr Nguyễn Hữu Bảng (seventh intake, Bridges and Tunnels), while Mr Hà Văn Thuấn (seventh intake, Urban Engineering) was retained to do propaganda and education work for the Faculty and the Department of Bridges and Tunnels; in 1970 he moved to other work in Thái Nguyên. Ms Nguyễn Thị Kim Quỳ became Department secretary (until 1970). Also in 1967 the Department set up a Tunnel Group comprising Messrs Vũ Văn Tuấn, Nguyễn Tiến Cường, Nguyễn Thế Phùng and Nguyễn Hữu Bảng. The members of the Tunnel Group studied on their own and each completed a project equivalent to a graduation project in tunnel engineering, so as to take on the teaching of the Transport Tunnels course as soon as possible, with a fairly complete set of lecture notes, for the 11th and 12th intakes of Bridges and Tunnels; Mr Nguyễn Tiến Cường was sent to gain practical experience in building tunnels on the Thái Nguyên – Kép railway.

At the beginning of 1968 Mr Nguyễn Trường Luyện joined the Department. The Department set up a specialist group on programming and computer use, working towards the automated design of bridges and roads, comprising Messrs Trần Bình (group leader), Nguyễn Tiến Cường, Nguyễn Trường Luyện and Trần Sanh (Department of Roads). In 1968 Mr Lê Đình Tâm went as a PhD candidate to the Leningrad Institute of Railway Engineering (LIIT), USSR (until 1972). From 1968 to 1970 the whole Department took part in the first phase of “Going down to the roads” to keep traffic moving, under the motto of studying while working directly on the traffic-maintenance sites (Long Biên, Đuống, Ninh Bình, Đò Lèn, Lai Vu, Phú Lương, etc.). Mr Nguyễn Tiến Oanh led the traffic-maintenance team on the Hà Nội – Hải Phòng railway together with 60 students.

In 1969 Mr An Văn Nhân and Mr Lương Quang Hải (ninth intake) joined the Department.

In 1970 Mr Phan Duy Pháp went to Czechoslovakia as a PhD candidate, Mr Hà Văn Thuấn transferred to Thái Nguyên, and Mr Nguyễn Trâm successfully defended his Candidate of Sciences (PhD) thesis and returned home.

In 1971 Mr Nguyễn Trâm translated part of the book “Design and analysis of reinforced concrete and steel bridges” by Prof. N.I. Polivanov, DSc, which was printed by stencil duplicator; in 1979 Mr Nguyễn Như Khải translated the steel bridges part so that the Science and Technology Publishing House could typeset and print the book. The Department began to take charge of one of the Subcommittees for preparing and examining PhD candidates going abroad, under the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Vocational Education. Mr Lê Văn Thưởng and Mr Nguyễn Trâm sat on the Bridges and Tunnels Subcommittee: giving specialist lectures, organising examinations and marking scripts for candidates nationwide.

During this period the Department prepared a reform of the bridge and road engineering curriculum along the lines of generalising content, modernising knowledge, automating design and industrialising construction, and set out the following specific tasks:

Bridge Group: continue teaching while combining study and work, and take part in keeping traffic moving in support of the war effort. Staff were deployed at almost all the key points targeted by enemy bombing in the North. The Department twinned with the Hưng Hà [transport maintenance] section, both to help keep traffic moving and to provide sites where students could do placements and take part in production.

Tunnel Group: actively build up capacity to take part in constructing underground works for the war effort and the Sông Đà hydropower project, and prepare to develop underground construction after the war; the group contributed advice on the construction of project A315 and air-raid shelters for national defence.

Computer Group: prepare to spread knowledge of computers and programming (even though there were no computers at the time). Mr Trần Bình was assigned to give specialist lectures on computers inside and outside the university, so when the State Science Committee imported the Minsk-22 computer the members of the group were able to use it straight away. By 1971 the curriculum for the 12th intake had genuinely been changed in line with the goals set by the Department.

At this time the establishment of the Underground Works and Computer groups did not have the support of the university leadership. In 1971 the university decided that Mr An Văn Nhân and Mr Lương Quang Hải should enlist in the army; Mr An Văn Nhân fell on the Quảng Trị battlefield (in 1972). In 1972 the university again decided that Mr Nguyễn Tiến Cường and Mr Nguyễn Trường Luyện should enlist; at the same time Mr Trần Bình was transferred to the Faculty of Basic Sciences as head of the Computing Section, and Mr Nguyễn Hữu Bảng moved to the Hanoi University of Mining and Geology, so the Tunnel and Computer groups no longer had the strength they once had.

In 1972 Mr Lê Đình Tâm completed his Candidate of Sciences (PhD) thesis and returned; Mr Lê Văn Thưởng went to France for a one-month placement. Mr Nguyễn Trâm wrote a monograph on semi-precast structures, published in issue no. 5 of the journal of the Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of the State Committee for Science and Technology. Mr Nguyễn Trâm joined the research group on the organisational structure of the capital construction sector (directed by Deputy Prime Minister Đỗ Mười), with Mr Đỗ Quốc Sam, Vice-Rector, in charge. Mr Lê Văn Thưởng and Mr Nguyễn Trâm joined the group reviewing the design brief for Thăng Long Bridge at the State Planning Committee. The university set up a group to translate Soviet codes and standards (GOST) under a contract with the State Committee for Capital Construction, and Mr Nguyễn Trâm took part in the translation. Mr Nguyễn Mạnh Thuần died of illness at Phủ Doãn Hospital at the end of 1972, after the “Điện Biên Phủ in the air” battle over Hà Nội. The Department was thus left with only 8 people.

In 1974 Mr Phạm Văn Thái (14th intake) was retained by the Department and, together with Mr Lê Đình Tâm, took part in the design and preparations for the construction of the first cable-stayed bridge, Đakrông Bridge. The Department took charge of the first (full-time) engineering refresher course in bridge and road engineering; Mr Lê Văn Thưởng and Mr Nguyễn Trâm were responsible for monitoring the course and drawing up the timetable, the allocation of teaching and the specialist curriculum (including for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th courses).

In 1975 several staff of the Department — Lê Văn Thưởng, Nguyễn Như Khải, Lê Đình Tâm and Phạm Văn Thái — together with Messrs Lều Thọ Trình, Lê Đức Thắng, Đào Văn Toại and Đỗ Tạo went to Trường Sơn to study the treatment of the Đakrông Bridge foundations and organise construction of the bridge, while also studying approaches to building a number of structures on the Trường Sơn road. Mr Lê Văn Thưởng and Mr Nguyễn Trâm were responsible for teaching the bridge part of a specialist construction course for officers of Group 559 of the Trường Sơn Army. In February 1976 Mr Nguyễn Minh Hùng (15th intake) joined the Department.

In 1976 construction of the Đakrông cable-stayed bridge was completed, and the Department also completed a series of bridge designs on the Trường Sơn road, which were handed over to the Command of Army Corps 559 for implementation. Mr Nguyễn Thế Phùng went to the Soviet Union as a PhD candidate (until 1980). Mr Lê Văn Thưởng and Mr Vũ Văn Tuấn were appointed Vice-Rectors; Mr Phan Duy Pháp became Dean and Mr Nguyễn Trâm Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Bridges and Roads. Mr Nguyễn Trâm taught bridge construction on a training course in bridge and road engineering for the General Department of Economic Construction of the Ministry of National Defence at Ba La Bông Đỏ (Hà Đông).

Several staff of the Department moved to other organisations: Assoc. Prof. Dr Trần Bình became the first head of the Department of Information Technology at the University of Civil Engineering, later became Director of the Department of Science and Technology of Bình Định Province and a Deputy of the National Assembly; Assoc. Prof. Dr Nguyễn Tiến Cường became Deputy Director of the Institute for Building Science and Technology and Deputy Director of the Construction Quality Inspection Department of the Ministry of Construction.

Training

Even while still part of the Structures Section, the bridge and tunnel staff, with the help of Prof. B.E. Ulisky and Assoc. Prof. B. Erin, Candidate of Sciences (former Soviet Union), taught students of the Construction programme at Hanoi University of Science and Technology from the very first intake. During this period, alongside training students, the first members of the Department actively built up the teaching staff and the curriculum. By the end of 1962 the Department of Bridges and Tunnels had 8 teaching staff and was able to teach the entire bridge and tunnel syllabus for all intakes. Many students trained by the Department took part in construction projects, went down to the roads to keep traffic moving and fought in every region of the country; an outstanding example is the courageous combat and sacrifice of Bùi Ngọc Dương, a seventh-intake student of bridge and road engineering, who was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces by the State.

To improve the quality of training, from the very beginning the bridge and tunnel staff wrote many textbooks, such as: Reinforced concrete structures – Lê Văn Thưởng – 1959; Reinforced concrete bridges – Lê Văn Thưởng – 1964; Timber bridges (textbook) – Nguyễn Như Khải, Lê Đình Tâm; Steel bridges (textbook) – Nguyễn Biên, Nguyễn Như Khải; Worked examples of reinforced concrete and steel bridge design – Nguyễn Trâm, Nguyễn Như Khải; Guide to the steel bridge design project – Nguyễn Như Khải, and others.

Thanks to many improvements in training content and methods, and to the teachers' love of the profession and their enthusiasm, the quality of training in bridge and tunnel and in bridge and road engineering was good and highly regarded by industry; outstanding examples include the students Đỗ Hữu Trí, Đặng Hải, Trịnh Xuân Cường, Trịnh Quang Nguyên, Hoàng Hòa and others.

Scientific research and production work

Besides teaching, the Department has always valued scientific research and the application of scientific and technical advances to industrial practice and to the country's war effort. A number of specialist courses and practical activities were undertaken by the Department from its very first days:

In 1958⁠–⁠1959 the Department taught a specialist course on prestressed concrete at the Ministry of Transport.

In 1960, together with the Institute of Transport Science, it made test beams in grade 400 concrete with prestressing cables.

In 1961 Mr Nguyễn Trâm and Mr Nguyễn Tiến Oanh took part in the design and construction supervision of 2 small bridges in the new campus of Hanoi University of Science and Technology.

In 1962 a research group on prestressed concrete was set up, comprising the Bridge Department of Hanoi University of Science and Technology, the Institute of Transport Engineering, the Institute of Transport Design and the University of Transport. Mr Lê Văn Thưởng, Mr Nguyễn Biên and Mr Nguyễn Trâm took part in this group. The group designed and built Phủ Lỗ Bridge, with 3 spans of 18 m, the first prestressed concrete bridge; Mr Nguyễn Trâm was assigned to design the bridge girders by the limit state method and to train workers in construction methods at the Phủ Lỗ Bridge site. The Department subsequently designed Đồi Bridge and Đại Thủy Bridge.

In 1964 Cửa Tiền railway bridge with a 29 m span was built; research and design were carried out for strengthening and enlarging a number of caves in Quảng Bình for national defence; bridges and culverts on the border road from Sapa to Phong Thổ (Bình Lư district, Lai Châu province) were inspected and commented on, Mr Nguyễn Trâm going with two teachers from the Department of Roads (Nguyễn Khải and Nguyễn Xuân Đào, fourth intake); Bòn Bridge was designed for the Tam Đảo State Farm, with Mr Nguyễn Như Khải and Mr Nguyễn Trâm taking part in the design.

In 1963⁠–⁠1966 research was carried out on cable-stayed bridges, and a method was developed for calculating the effects of creep in highly statically indeterminate structures.

In 1965 the Department joined a research group on field (military) suspension bridges with the Ministry of National Defence. Mr Nguyễn Trâm took part in research on two-cable suspension bridges in the research group of Hanoi University of Science and Technology, which included Messrs Đỗ Quốc Sam, Nguyễn Văn Hường, Lều Thọ Trình and others.

In 1970 the Department designed and directed the construction of Quan Bridge (Vĩnh Phú); Mr Nguyễn Tiến Oanh, with 2 students of the 12th intake, designed and directed the construction of a bridge over the Cà Lồ River for Bình Xuyên district, Vĩnh Phú.

In 1971 Messrs Lê Văn Thưởng, Nguyễn Như Khải, Nguyễn Trâm, Nguyễn Thế Phùng, Nguyễn Trường Luyện and An Văn Nhân, together with Messrs Lều Thọ Trình and Nguyễn Mạnh Yên (Department of Structural Mechanics), designed 16 bridges for Construction Department CT2 in the ATK (safe zone) area (Bắc Thái).

In 1972, at the 3rd Scientific Conference of the University of Civil Engineering, Mr Nguyễn Trâm co-presented a paper on the equation of instantaneous gradient in pontoon bridges. Mr Nguyễn Tiến Oanh led the University of Civil Engineering traffic-maintenance team of 17 teachers and 200 first- to fifth-year students that went to repair Thị Cầu Bridge (Bắc Ninh); the team, attached to the General Department of Railways, designed the repair scheme and directly carried out the repair of Thị Cầu Bridge successfully and on schedule, and at the end of the mission was awarded the Feat of Arms Order, Third Class. Messrs Lê Văn Thưởng, Nguyễn Trâm and Nguyễn Như Khải, together with Messrs Lều Thọ Trình and Nguyễn Mạnh Yên (Department of Structural Mechanics), researched and designed pontoon bridges and means of evacuating bridges using oil drums for the railways, and designed the restoration of 3 railway bridges: Phú Lương, Lai Vu and Tam Bạc. The Department took part in designing preliminary options for Chèm Bridge over the Red River (Thăng Long Bridge) together with other organisations such as the Design Institute, the University of Transport and the Institute of Transport Engineering (the Department designed 2 options). Mr Nguyễn Trâm took part in the first research group on “reinforced earth” in Việt Nam with teachers from the Department of Roads (Messrs Đặng Hữu and Dương Học Hải) and Soil Mechanics (Mr Đinh Xuân Bảng), which built a trial section on the La Thành dyke, on the slope down to the dormitory of the Railway and Road Transport Vocational School.

In 1973 Mr Nguyễn Trâm applied the results of his research in the Soviet Union to the design and construction of Tam Canh Bridge (Vĩnh Phúc), the first semi-precast bridge without diaphragms (cross-beams) in Việt Nam, with Mr Nguyễn Tiến Oanh taking part in directing construction. This solution was subsequently applied to many bridges in Vĩnh Phú province. Mr Nguyễn Như Khải led the design of 4 small bridges on the road from the Đạo Tú precast concrete plant to Đại Lải; Mr Lê Văn Thưởng led the design of the Quảng Ninh tunnel, and Mr Nguyễn Thế Phùng was seconded to work in Quảng Ninh from April to December 1973.

In 1974 the cable-stayed bridge type was used to build Đakrông Bridge, with a 128 m span (Quảng Trị province), on the Trường Sơn road to serve the campaign to liberate the South. The Department worked with the Department of Structural Mechanics, the Department of Soil Mechanics and Foundations and the Structures Laboratory to develop a rational structure and direct construction under wartime conditions, without equipment; the construction workforce consisted of soldiers of Battalion 99, Group 559 (the Trường Sơn Army Corps), and the materials were mainly salvaged in the liberated zone of Quảng Trị. After completion, load testing was carried out and technical parameters were measured, concluding that the bridge could carry H13 loading, with vehicles able to travel at 60 km/h. Mr Lê Văn Thưởng and Mr Nguyễn Trâm took part in and presented papers at the 1st Conference on Solid Mechanics of North Việt Nam. Mr Nguyễn Trâm, together with Nguyễn Trung Thành, a K14 Bridges and Tunnels student, designed Đăm Bridge (outskirts of Hà Nội). The Department joined the team competing in the architectural design competition for the Thăng Long Bridge bridgeheads, led by architect Nguyễn Đức Thiềm, with Mr Đỗ Bá Chương and Mr Nguyễn Trâm taking part together with the Design Office (including building a timber model; the competition entry won a prize and was applied in practice). Subsequently, Mr Nguyễn Trâm produced the detailed design of the approach bridges for non-motorised traffic at both ends of Thăng Long Bridge.

3. Development history, 1977 to 1987

After the reunification of the country, the Department's activities changed to suit the new era: postgraduate training and participation in the construction of major works.

Building the staff

In 1977 the Department of Bridges and Tunnels was one of the first departments of the university, and one of 6 universities, to be assigned by the State the task of training the first PhD candidates under the special-admission scheme. Mr Nguyễn Tiến Oanh spent a year studying and writing a Master's dissertation in Padua (Italy), funded by UNESCO.

In 1978 Mr Nguyễn Phi Lân (graduate of the Moscow Institute of Civil Engineering), Mr Nguyễn Sơn Hiền and Mr Tống Văn Mạnh, graduates of the 18th intake, joined the Department.

In 1979 Mr Nguyễn Văn Mợi (graduate of the Moscow Institute of Railway Engineering) joined the Department.

In 1980 Mr Nguyễn Trâm was awarded the academic title of Associate Professor in the very first round, together with 8 teachers from other departments of the University of Civil Engineering. Mr Nguyễn Thế Phùng returned to the Department after completing his Candidate of Sciences (PhD) thesis.

In 1981 Mr Nguyễn Trâm went abroad for second-level doctoral study, writing a DSc thesis at the Moscow Automobile and Road Institute, USSR.

In 1982 Mr Nguyễn Thế Phùng was seconded as Technical Deputy Director of the Underground Works Company, directly taking part in building the underground works of the Hòa Bình hydropower plant. After completing this assignment he returned to the Department at the beginning of 1987, and in 1993 he became Director of the Project Management Unit and Deputy Head of the Office of the National Centre for Social Sciences and Humanities (now the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences).

In 1983 Mr Lê Văn Thưởng was appointed by the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Vocational Education as Director of the Department of Higher Education, and Mr Nguyễn Như Khải became Head of Department.

In 1984, having completed his DSc thesis, Mr Nguyễn Trâm returned to the Department, and Mr Phạm Duy Hòa, a graduate of the 24th intake, joined the Department. Mr Lê Văn Thưởng was awarded the academic title of Professor, and Mr Trần Bình and Mr Phan Duy Pháp were awarded the title of Associate Professor. Mr Nguyễn Trâm became Head of Department and Mr Nguyễn Tiến Oanh Deputy Head.

In 1985 Mr Nguyễn Như Khải went abroad for second-level doctoral study, writing a DSc thesis in Ukraine; Mr Lê Đình Tâm was sent by the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Vocational Education as an education expert to the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria (USTO, Oran) until 1990.

In 1986 Mr Nguyễn Ngọc Tuấn graduated from the Moscow Mining Institute and joined the Department to prepare to teach underground works; in 1987 he gained practical experience at the Sông Đà hydropower project.

In 1987 Mr Nguyễn Trâm was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Postgraduate Studies while remaining Head of Department. Mr Lê Văn Thưởng left the Department of Higher Education of the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Vocational Education to serve as an education expert at the University of Chlef, People's Democratic Republic of Algeria (until 1991). Mr Vũ Văn Tuấn went abroad to manage experts (until 1990), then returned to the Department and retired in July 1992. Mr Nguyễn Tiến Oanh was sent as an education expert to Marien Ngouabi University (Republic of the Congo) (until 1988). Mr Lê Trọng Quang, a university graduate from Poland, joined the Department (until 2002).

Training, scientific research and production work

In 1978 the Department admitted its first full-time PhD candidates. The first was PhD candidate Nguyễn Văn Lạp, followed by PhD candidate Bùi Đức Tân (supervised by Lê Văn Thưởng and Nguyễn Trâm). Subsequent PhD candidates included Phạm Quang Nhật (1979⁠–⁠1987) and Nguyễn Ngọc Long (1984⁠–⁠1989).

In 1979 the Department supervised students of the 19th intake carrying out their graduation projects in Pleiku (2 rounds). A graduation project defence ceremony was held at Army Corps 12 (Cù Hanh Airfield), to which Vice-Rector Nguyễn Xuân Trọng was invited. The committee comprised Messrs Nguyễn Trâm, Nguyễn Tiến Oanh, Phạm Văn Thái, Nguyễn Phi Lân and others, with Mr Nguyễn Xuân Trọng and Colonel Tô Đa Mạn, the unit commander, also invited to sit on the committee. The Chair of the Graduation Committee was Mr Nguyễn Trâm.

Once the country had achieved complete independence, the main task of this period was to restore the structures destroyed in the war and to build new ones to serve the country. Faced with this new task, the Department of Bridges and Tunnels carried out surveys and designs for 40 small bridges on the Trường Sơn road in the Western Quảng Bình section and the section from Từ Xơi to Khâm Đức (1978). It inspected and planned the design of bridges from Đakrông to Kon Tum (for the Army), proposing many options for large bridges such as Thạnh Mỹ, Bùng and Giàng bridges; all the design documents were handed over to Group 559. It surveyed the N2 defence line (northern border) and the Cát Bà defence line in 1978⁠–⁠1979, and took part in the Thăng Long Bridge project (Hà Nội).

The Department also sent many staff and students to take part in building the Hòa Bình hydropower plant and many other key projects throughout the country.

In 1977 Messrs Nguyễn Trâm, Phan Duy Pháp, Nguyễn Minh Hùng, Nguyễn Quang Đạo (Department of Roads), Nguyễn Xuân Diến and Nguyễn Văn Hiến (Department of Engineering Geology) surveyed and designed 10 bridges in Western Quảng Bình (from U Bò to Gìn Gìn), Khe Đót, and Đạo–Hùng Bridge. At the 2nd National Conference on Mechanics, Mr Nguyễn Trâm co-presented a paper, “A general algorithm for solving structures on elastic supports”. In Collected Scientific Works no. 5 of the University of Civil Engineering, Mr Nguyễn Trâm co-authored 2 papers: “Load distribution factors based on a beam model with general elastic connections” and “Automation and optimisation of internal forces in bridge superstructures by the ‘elastic support’ method”.

In 1978 the Department surveyed and designed 33 bridges from Khâm Đức to Tân Cảnh (the border tri-junction), at a time when the reactionary FULRO forces were highly active in the area being surveyed. The survey team comprised Messrs Nguyễn Trâm, Nguyễn Tiến Oanh, Nguyễn Phi Lân and Nguyễn Sơn Hiền and 3 teachers from other departments: Nguyễn Văn Kỳ (Department of Soil Mechanics), Thái Khắc Kính (Department of Surveying) and Nguyễn Xuân Diến (Department of Geology). As a result a whole series of bridge names appeared, given by Mr Nguyễn Trâm to make them easy to distinguish, such as the bridges ĐakLan, Đakl'ing, Đakriel, Đakky, ĐakTr'Oanh, Đak Paco, Đaktr'ưng, etc. Lieutenant Colonel Thường, Deputy Director of the Bridges and Roads Department, was assigned by the Command of the Trường Sơn Army Corps to escort and protect the team.

In 1980 the Department cooperated in many areas with the Hải Phòng Department of Transport on Niệm Bridge, Thượng Lý Bridge, An Dương Bridge, Bính ferry terminal and others. It researched the repair and strengthening of the 32 m span Thượng Lý Bridge (Hải Phòng); Messrs Nguyễn Trâm, Nguyễn Văn Mợi, Nguyễn Minh Hùng and Nguyễn Phi Lân worked directly with the Department of Transport and the Hải Phòng Design Company.

In 1984 Mr Lê Văn Thưởng and Mr Nguyễn Trâm sat on the State Acceptance Committee for Thăng Long Bridge. At the 7th Scientific Conference of the University of Civil Engineering, Mr Nguyễn Trâm presented “A proposal on the theory of structural analysis based on a generalised model”.

In 1985, at the Workshop on Applied Mechanics in Production and National Defence held at the Military Technical Academy, Mr Nguyễn Trâm presented 2 papers: “Pontoon bridges and connected beams in floating structures” and “Development of the transfer matrix method in applied mechanics”. At the scientific workshop “Offshore engineering structures” organised by the University of Civil Engineering and the General Department of Oil and Gas, Mr Nguyễn Trâm presented the paper “A method of integrated analysis for drilling platform structures”.

In 1986 Mr Lê Văn Thưởng and Mr Nguyễn Trâm sat on the State Acceptance Committee for Chương Dương Bridge (technical subcommittee). At the 1st Conference on Building Structures (March 1986), Mr Hà Huy Cương and Mr Nguyễn Trâm gave a joint presentation in the Structural Theory subcommittee: “Development trends of numerical methods in structural mechanics”. The Department presented 2 papers: “Research on and application of new structures in small and medium bridges” and “General analysis of frame structures on pile supports working together with the foundation soil”.

The Department designed 3 railway bridges for the Pom Hán – Ore Shed No. 1 line (apatite mining area, Hoàng Liên Sơn province), namely Ngòi Đường, Làng Dạ and Ngòi Trát bridges; Mr Nguyễn Trâm led the contract with the General Department of Chemicals.

Mr Lê Văn Thưởng and Mr Nguyễn Trâm sat on the subcommittee investigating the failure of Rào Bridge (Hải Phòng), a prestressed concrete bridge erected by balanced cantilever, the first of its kind built in Việt Nam, in which prestressing cables broke 7 years after the bridge opened to traffic. The Department designed Mai Động Bridge for the Hà Nội Department of Transport; Mr Nguyễn Trâm led the contract, with Messrs Nguyễn Văn Mợi, Phạm Văn Thái, Nguyễn Minh Hùng and Phạm Duy Hòa taking part.

In 1987, at the 7th Scientific Conference of the University of Civil Engineering, the whole Department jointly registered 4 papers: “Composite structures”, “Vibration of frame structures on pile supports working together with the foundation soil”, “Characteristic matrices of thin-walled beam elements” and “Curved finite elements in three-dimensional space”.

4. Development history, 1988 to 2008

Building the staff

In 1988 Mr Nguyễn Trâm was one of two staff members of the university recognised by the State with the title of “Meritorious Teacher” in the first round of the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Vocational Education. Mr Nguyễn Như Khải successfully defended his DSc thesis, returned to the Department and became Head of Department. Ms Đặng Thị Tuyết became Department secretary (until 2003).

Mr Nguyễn Bình Hà, a graduate of the 28th intake, won an A prize in the national competition for the best graduation projects of universities offering capital construction programmes (now the Loa Thành Award), and was granted special admission to the list of candidates for PhD study abroad, but instead joined the Department as a direct-entry PhD candidate and afterwards stayed on there.

The young teachers of the Department and Mr Nguyễn Bình Hà (then a 28th-intake student) attended the university's first engineering Master's course, opened by the Faculty of Postgraduate Studies (Continental Shelf Structures programme); Mr Nguyễn Trâm taught three specialist topics: numerical methods (the finite element method and the transfer matrix method), optimisation theory, and load distribution theory.

The Department took part in compiling the “Encyclopaedia” [of Việt Nam]: Mr Nguyễn Trâm in the Mechanics group and Mr Nguyễn Như Khải in the Structures group.

In 1990 Mr Nguyễn Như Khải was recognised as a Meritorious Teacher (2nd round). Mr Nguyễn Trâm was sent by the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Vocational Education as an education expert to the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria (taking up the post with the rank of Professor, grade 7/10).

In 1992 Mr Lê Văn Thưởng was recognised as a Meritorious Teacher (3rd round).

In 1995 Mr Nguyễn Trâm was awarded the Medal “For the Cause of Education”.

In 1996 Mr Lê Đình Tâm and Mr Nguyễn Tiến Oanh were recognised as Meritorious Teachers (5th round).

In 1997 Mr Nguyễn Tiến Oanh was awarded the Medal “For the Cause of Transport” and retired that year. Mr Nguyễn Trâm retired from the university and was taken on by Hanoi Architectural University as Head of the Department of Steel and Timber Structures, later also serving as Director of the “Centre for Consultancy and Technology Transfer” of the Institute of Tropical Architecture, Hanoi Architectural University, to the present day.

In December 1999 Mr Khúc Đăng Tùng (graduate of K39, Bridge and Road Engineering) and Ms Nguyễn Thị Như Mai (graduate of K39, Bridge Informatics) joined the Department. From August 2002 to May 2004 Ms Nguyễn Như Mai, and from January 2003 to January 2005 Mr Khúc Đăng Tùng, studied for Master's degrees at the University of Florida, USA.

In 2000 Mr Nguyễn Văn Mợi went abroad as a research trainee and defended his PhD thesis in 2002 at the Moscow State University of Railway Engineering.

In January 2001 Mr Nguyễn Ngọc Tuyển (graduate of K40, Bridge Informatics) joined the Department; from 08/2003 to 07/2005 he studied for a Master's degree and from 08/2005 to the present has been a PhD candidate at New Mexico State University.

In 2002 Mr Phan Duy Pháp was recognised as a Meritorious Teacher (8th round), and Mr Nguyễn Minh Hùng was awarded the academic title of Associate Professor (Decision 92, 17/4/2002).

In 2002 Mr Phạm Anh Tú (graduate of K41, Bridge and Road Engineering) joined the Department and has completed a Master's degree.

In 2003 Mr Nguyễn Phi Lân was awarded the academic title of Associate Professor (Decision 223, 28/12/2003).

In 2004 Mr Đoàn Tùng (graduate of K41, Architecture, and K43, Bridge and Road Engineering) and Mr Nguyễn Tiến Thành (graduate of K43, Bridge and Road Engineering) joined the Department. Mr Thành came to join the tunnel teaching group. In August 2006 Mr Đoàn Tùng went to study for a Master's degree and then became a PhD candidate at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, USA. From August 2007 to January 2009 Mr Nguyễn Tiến Thành studied for a Master's degree at the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom.

In 2005 Mr Đầu Khắc Cường (graduate of K44, Bridge and Road Engineering) joined the Department. In June 2008 Mr Đầu Khắc Cường left teaching to work at VN Tower Co., Ltd.

In 2006 Mr Phạm Tuấn Lê (graduate of K45, Bridge and Road Engineering) joined the Department; he is currently studying for a Master's degree in the USA.

In 2007 Nguyễn Hướng Dương and Trần Việt Hùng (graduates of K46, Bridge and Road Engineering), and in 2008 Trần Hanh (K47, high-quality engineering programme) and Nguyễn Nguyệt Hằng (K47, Bridge and Road Engineering) joined the Department. Mr Trần Hanh is currently studying for a Master's degree at the École Normale Supérieure de Cachan, France.

The Department currently has 18 permanent staff (as at 31/7/2008), with an average age of 36.61 years; 3 are over 54 (including 2 Associate Professors), 11 are under 35, and 3 are women. There are 3 Associate Professors, 6 PhDs and 6 Master's degree holders. Four members of the Department are currently abroad: 1 PhD candidate and 3 Master's students. In both 2007 and 2008 the Department recruited 2 new staff. The Department has invited 1 Professor and 1 Associate Professor (both retired) to continue teaching. The number of staff directly involved in teaching is 14 (not counting 2 staff on probation).

Building the Bridge Engineering Laboratory

In response to the need for learning to be closely linked with practice, in 2005 the Department of Bridges and Tunnels established the Bridge Engineering Laboratory.

In addition to State investment, some of the test equipment was bought with funds contributed personally by the Department's teachers: the SDA-830C digital vibration meter, the TDS-303 multichannel digital static strain meter with 30 built-in channels, mechanical static strain measuring equipment (Deformeter – Extensometer EL35-2884, Tensomet, Indicator), the EL35-2505 crack-width measuring device, the PIT-F pile integrity tester, the TICO concrete ultrasonic tester, the SCANLOG rebar locator, and transducers: KG-5A crack-opening gauges, CDP-50 displacement transducers, ARF-20A-T triaxial accelerometers, ARF-20A uniaxial accelerometers, etc. This equipment has been used for load testing of Bãi Cháy Bridge (Quảng Ninh), Thanh Trì Bridge (Hà Nội), Lê Lợi railway overpass (Thanh Hóa), and others.

Thanks to the laboratory, lectures for undergraduate and Master's students are more engaging, and the quality of graduation projects and of Master's and PhD theses is improved.

The successful establishment of the laboratory is a breakthrough and a major achievement of the Department of Bridges and Tunnels, contributing to a qualitative change in teaching, scientific research and its application to practice.

Training

The Department currently teaches full-time programmes in Bridge and Road Engineering, Bridge and Tunnel Engineering and Bridge Informatics, as well as the high-quality engineering programme and the nominated-student (cử tuyển) programme. To date it has trained thousands of bridge and tunnel engineers. Since 2000 the number of students supervised by the Department for graduation has kept increasing; the Department now supervises more than 100 students each year.

Postgraduate training: the Department trains PhDs in the specialisation of Bridges, Tunnels and Other Road Structures, has supervised 7 PhD theses to successful defence and co-supervised a further 3 successfully defended PhD theses. It is responsible for teaching the Master's programme in Bridge and Tunnel Construction, currently teaching 16 courses. The Department is now supervising 2 PhD candidates and teaching and supervising the Master's dissertations of more than 40 students. It also provides professional development for young teaching staff of the Da Nang University of Technology and the private Duy Tân University (Đà Nẵng).

Many staff of the Department have taught, and are teaching, specialist courses on construction supervision consultancy throughout the country for engineers currently working on construction projects.

To fulfil its ever-growing training mission and deliver high-quality graduates to meet the needs of the country's economic development, over the years the Department has actively written many textbooks and teaching materials; 14 specialist books have been published, and these materials are used at many universities throughout the country. Many materials have been prepared to update the knowledge of undergraduate and Master's students.

As a result of integration into the world economy, in 2001 the Ministry of Transport issued a new bridge design specification, standard 22TCN 272-01, now 22TCN 272-05, based on the US AASHTO LRFD 1998 bridge design specification. As early as the 2001⁠–⁠2002 academic year some groups of students, and subsequently most students of Bridge and Tunnel Engineering, did their graduation projects in accordance with AASHTO LRFD 1998. The Department has taught according to the new standard since the 2006⁠–⁠2007 academic year.

Achieving this has required creativity, unceasing effort and continual updating of knowledge on the part of the Department's staff. The teaching staff are proficient in using computers and specialist software and regularly use the Internet; the Department regularly holds academic seminars and site visits to bridge and tunnel projects that apply many new technologies, such as Bãi Cháy Bridge, Kiền Bridge, Thanh Trì Bridge, Cần Thơ Bridge, Rạch Miễu Bridge and the Hải Vân Tunnel.

Teaching methods have been improved to be learner-centred, using teaching aids such as projectors and overhead projectors and collecting a wealth of film and photographic material from major projects under construction in Việt Nam and from abroad; the Department has invested its own funds in digital cameras, digital video cameras and computers capable of video editing to make lectures more engaging and closely linked to practice, enabling students to become familiar with many new technologies quickly.

Successive generations of students trained by the Department are increasingly highly regarded by domestic organisations and foreign companies. Many students supervised by the Department have won top prizes in the national competition for outstanding graduation projects in capital construction (now the Loa Thành Award), for example: Nguyễn Bình Hà (28th intake, Bridge and Road Engineering), supervised by Mr Nguyễn Trâm, won an A prize; Hoàng Thanh Hải (35th intake), supervised by Mr Lê Văn Thưởng, and Nguyễn Như Hùng (35th intake), supervised by Mr Phan Duy Pháp, won first prizes. Trần Đức Giang (40th intake, Bridge and Road Engineering) and Đoàn Tùng (43rd intake, Bridge and Road Engineering), supervised by Mr Nguyễn Bình Hà, and Nguyễn Ngọc Tuyển (40th intake, Bridge Informatics), supervised by Mr Nguyễn Phi Lân, won second prizes.

Several Bridge and Tunnel Engineering graduates, such as Hoàng Phương Hoa (24th intake) and Nguyễn Xuân Toản (30th intake), went to Da Nang University of Technology to join Mr Lê Văn Lạc (a K18 Bridge and Tunnel student) in teaching at the Department of Bridges and Tunnels, Faculty of Bridges and Roads, Da Nang University of Technology.

Scientific research and production work

In 1989, at the Symposium “Vibration in Engineering” (February 1989), Mr Nguyễn Trâm co-presented the paper “Vibration analysis of structures by numerical methods”. Messrs Trâm, Thái, Hùng, Lân, Mợi and Hòa attended the Scientific Conference on Research and Application of Solid Mechanics (July 1989, Tam Đảo). In 1990 Mr Nguyễn Trâm wrote “A method for analysing axisymmetrically loaded shells of revolution” in Collected Scientific Works on Offshore Engineering Structures, no. 1/1990.

In 1992 Mr Nguyễn Trâm presented a paper at the International Scientific Conference on “Bridge operation and repair” in Tlemcen (Algeria) and wrote a monograph in French for the bridge and road programme (VOA) at USTO (Oran). During his 5 years in Oran Mr Nguyễn Trâm successfully supervised 4 Magisters (Master's degrees) and is supervising 2 PhD candidates.

In 1994 the Department produced the design for strengthening and repairing Tunnel No. 8 at Gia Phú Pass on the North–South (Thống Nhất) Railway, led by Mr Lê Văn Thưởng, and developed a tunnel structural analysis program for teaching and design.

In 1995 Messrs Nguyễn Trâm, Nguyễn Phi Lân, Phạm Văn Thái, Lê Đình Tâm and Nguyễn Minh Hùng wrote 7 research papers in the Collected Scientific Works on Bridges and Roads and Geomechanics, no. 3-1995.

In 1997 the Department designed the strengthening and restoration of Nam Ô railway bridge (Đà Nẵng); the teachers involved were Mr Lê Văn Thưởng, Mr Pháp and Mr Nguyễn Trâm. It also carried out the design review of the powerhouse of the Yaly hydropower plant.

In 1999 it designed the A Roàng road tunnel on the western branch of the Hồ Chí Minh Road, Thừa Thiên Huế province.

In 1995 all rubber expansion joints used in Việt Nam had to be imported at very high cost, so the Department of Bridges and Tunnels carried out the project “Research on the use of rubber expansion joints for road bridges in Việt Nam” (B96-34-05-TĐ), from 1/1996 to 12/1996, led by Prof. DSc Nguyễn Như Khải. The cost of the expansion joints researched and trial-manufactured by the Department was only one third of that of imported joints. The Department's staff directly applied the project's results on Sài Gòn Bridge (Hồ Chí Minh City) and Nha Bích Bridge (Sông Bé); the successful practical application was highly rated by specialist agencies, and to this day the type of expansion joint proposed by the project is the most widely used type throughout Việt Nam.

With urban traffic becoming ever more congested, solutions had been proposed but had not yet resolved the problem fully. The Department of Bridges and Tunnels carried out the research projects “Urban viaducts” (B98-34-39), 1998⁠–⁠1999, led by Dr Nguyễn Phi Lân, and “Research on bridge structures in grade-separated (multi-level) traffic systems in Việt Nam” (B2003-34-49), led by Dr Nguyễn Văn Mợi, from 1/2003 to 12/2004. The conclusions of these projects have supported and guided the design of grade-separated interchanges in Việt Nam and confirmed that we are capable of designing complex urban transport structures.

Over the past ten years or more there have been remarkable developments in materials worldwide, and many new types of bridge structure are being researched and applied. The project “Research on the applicability of composite structures of high-performance steel and high-performance concrete in bridges in Việt Nam”, code B2003-34-44, led by lecturer Nguyễn Bình Hà (from 1/2003 to 12/2003), recommended a number of bridge structural forms using high-performance materials that could be applied immediately and would bring economic benefits to investment.

In response to the need to build large bridges, the State-level project (KHCN KC10-06) “Cable-stayed bridges”, led by Prof. Dr Lê Đình Tâm, and the Ministry-level project “Construction technology for long-span reinforced concrete bridges” in 1992⁠–⁠1993, led by Prof. Dr Lê Văn Thưởng, have promoted and progressively enabled mastery of the construction of many large bridges in Việt Nam, such as Kiền, Phù Đổng, Bãi Cháy and Rạch Miễu bridges.

Rạch Miễu Bridge over the Tiền River, linking Mỹ Tho city with Bến Tre province, is the first long-span cable-stayed bridge designed and built by Việt Nam. Two key Ministry-level projects carried out jointly with Civil Engineering Construction Corporation No. 1 (CIENCO 1) — “Research on the design and manufacture of construction equipment for reinforced concrete cable-stayed bridge pylons”, code B2005-34-79-TĐ, led by Dr Phạm Duy Hòa (1/2005–12/2006), and “Research on the design and manufacture of equipment for balanced cantilever casting of reinforced concrete cable-stayed bridge girders”, code B2005-34-80-TĐ, led by Assoc. Prof. Dr Nguyễn Phi Lân (1/2005–12/2006) — made an important contribution to delivering the first long-span cable-stayed bridge built by Việt Nam. The project on pylon construction equipment won the First Prize of the Ministry of Transport’s Youth Creativity Award and the Second Prize of the Vietnam Science and Technology Creativity Award (VIFOTEC).

The key Ministry-level project “Research on criteria and methods for assessing the service capacity of road bridges”, code 2004-34-62-TĐ, was led by Assoc. Prof. Dr Nguyễn Minh Hùng (1/2004–12/2005). It responded to a practical need: Việt Nam has a great many bridges built before 1975 in both the North and the South, designed to different standards, which after many years in service have deteriorated to some extent through age and war. It is therefore necessary to assess how many tonnes of load each bridge can safely carry and what maintenance and repair is needed in order to make full use of the structure's remaining capacity and save on investment in new construction.

In addition to the notable projects above, many members of the Department of Bridges and Tunnels have also taken part in State-level and Ministry-level projects of the University of Transport and Communications, the Institute of Transport Science and Technology and others, and have taken part in many university-level research projects, completing on average 1 to 2 projects a year.

In 2002, to broaden international cooperation and exchange experience in bridge construction, the Department of Bridges and Tunnels used its own funds to send 10 of its teaching staff to China to visit bridges and a dynamics laboratory and to hold working sessions with Tongji University (Shanghai).

Alongside teaching, the teachers have always encouraged and helped students in the student research movement. Since 2000 there have been more than 50 student research projects in Bridge and Road Engineering and Bridge Informatics, many of which have won top university prizes, including in particular 3 VIFOTEC student research awards: a Second Prize to 44th-intake students Phạm Quốc Hùng, Nguyễn Hùng Sơn and Vũ Hoàng Long for the project “Research, analysis and development of a program for internal-force analysis, section checking and automated layout of prestressing tendons for continuous spans built by balanced cantilever, according to the 1979 specification and AASHTO LRFD 98”; a Third Prize to Lê Quốc Anh (42nd intake) for the project “Automated internal-force analysis of continuous prestressed concrete bridges built by balanced cantilever using SAP2000”; and a Consolation Prize to Phạm Anh Tú (41st intake) for the project “A program for the automated design of bridge piers”, all supervised by Mr Nguyễn Bình Hà.

Applying scientific research and taking part in construction projects are regular activities of the Department. In 2004 the Department established the Transport Structures Design Consultancy Workshop (Workshop 7) under the University of Civil Engineering Consultancy Company to carry out production work. Over the years staff of the Department of Bridges and Tunnels have been involved in major projects in Việt Nam, such as:

Appraisal: the Bãi Cháy Bridge project (Quảng Ninh), Cần Thơ Bridge, Trà Nóc Bridge and Bình Thủy Bridge (Cần Thơ), and the feasibility study for the project to rehabilitate bridges on National Highway 1, Phase III, Cần Thơ – Năm Căn section. Review of detailed designs: Tân Đệ Bridge (Thái Bình – Nam Định), Mỹ Lợi Bridge on National Highway 50 (Hồ Chí Minh City); the alignment, interchanges and bridges on the Quản Lộ – Phụng Hiệp road (Hậu Giang – Sóc Trăng – Bạc Liêu – Cà Mau), packages 11, 17 and 18.

Load testing and establishment of baseline condition for the bridges: Phù Đổng (Hà Nội), Như Nguyệt (Bắc Ninh), Xương Giang (Bắc Giang), Chi Lăng and Đồng Đăng (Lạng Sơn), Quý Cao (Hải Dương), Câu Lâu (Quảng Nam) and Trà Khúc (Quảng Ngãi), all major bridges built in Việt Nam with ODA loans. We have also travelled to remote, hard-to-reach border areas to load-test Na Mèo Bridge on the Việt Nam – Laos border in Thanh Hóa province, among others.

Design of the swing span of the Sông Hàn swing bridge (Đà Nẵng), which has become a symbol and a source of pride for the people of Đà Nẵng; surveys and detailed/construction design for Phú Tảo Bridge (on the South-Western road, Hải Dương City) and Khe Thơi and Khe Choang bridges on National Highway 7.

To date the Department has carried out load testing and inspection of more than 200 bridges across all three regions, from Đồng Đăng to Cà Mau; its staff have travelled along every national highway in the South and to the Northern mountains and the remote Central Highlands.

While fulfilling their teaching and research duties, the members of the Department still find time to travel to every part of the country, from developing economic zones to remote and rugged mountain areas, to contribute to building works that serve economic development, security and national defence. Through these field trips we have applied the scientific advances arising from our research, while new research topics have also emerged from them, and this practical knowledge makes our lectures richer and more practical.

5. Development history, 2008 to 2018

Organisation and staffing

In 2010 Mr Cù Việt Hưng, top graduate of the 2007⁠–⁠2009 Master's cohort, joined the Department.

In 2011 Mr Nguyễn Quốc Bảo joined the Department after defending his PhD in France.

In August 2013 Mr Nguyễn Đức Phúc, a graduate of the 53rd intake, was retained by the Department.

In November 2015 Mr Vũ Thái Sơn joined the Department after defending his PhD in France.

In February 2016 Mr Bùi Huy Tăng, a graduate of the 55th intake in Civil Engineering (Transport Structures), was retained by the Department and assigned to teach underground works.

In April 2016 Mr Lê Bá Danh defended his PhD in France, and Mr Nguyễn Hùng Sơn joined the Department, taking charge of the Department's laboratory testing work.

Scientific research

In 2017 the Department carried out the State-level project “UHPC Programme”, with Mr Phạm Duy Hòa as principal investigator and Mr Khúc Đăng Tùng as deputy principal investigator. The project was divided into 6 sub-projects, 4 of which were led by members of the Department: Mr Nguyễn Bình Hà, Mr Nguyễn Minh Hùng, Mr Cù Việt Hưng and Mr Nguyễn Ngọc Tuyển. The remaining two sub-projects were assigned to the Faculty of Materials and the Faculty of Economics.

Also in 2017, Mr Khúc Đăng Tùng led the Ministry of Education-level project “Research on a method for measuring the dynamic displacement of structures using computer vision technology for structural assessment and inspection”.

In 2018 Mr Lê Bá Danh was awarded a contract to carry out a NAFOSTED project.

In addition, a great many key Ministry-level and university-level projects were carried out by the Department's staff during this period.

6. Other activities

Having grown up within the Department, many members of the Department of Bridges and Tunnels have been appointed to important positions in the Ministry of Education and Training and the University of Civil Engineering, such as:

• Director of the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education and Training: Prof. Dr Lê Văn Thưởng.
• Rector of the University of Civil Engineering: Prof. DSc Nguyễn Như Khải; Assoc. Prof. Dr Phạm Duy Hòa, Meritorious Teacher (2014⁠–⁠2023).
• Vice-Rector of the University of Civil Engineering: Prof. Dr Lê Văn Thưởng; Dr Vũ Văn Tuấn; Assoc. Prof. Dr Nguyễn Minh Hùng; Assoc. Prof. Dr Phạm Duy Hòa, Meritorious Teacher (2009⁠–⁠2014).
• Chair of the University Trade Union: Dr Vũ Văn Tuấn; Dr Nguyễn Bình Hà.
• Dean of the Faculty of Postgraduate Studies: Prof. DSc Nguyễn Trâm; Assoc. Prof. Dr Nguyễn Bình Hà.
• Dean and Deputy Deans of the Faculty of Bridges and Roads: Prof. Dr Lê Văn Thưởng; Assoc. Prof. Dr Phan Duy Pháp; Prof. DSc Nguyễn Trâm; Prof. DSc Nguyễn Như Khải; Prof. Dr Lê Đình Tâm; Assoc. Prof. Dr Nguyễn Minh Hùng; Dr Phạm Duy Hòa; Dr Nguyễn Ngọc Tuyển; Dr Cù Việt Hưng.
• Head of the Training Office: Dr Nguyễn Văn Mợi.
• Deputy Head of the Science and Technology Office: Assoc. Prof. Dr Nguyễn Phi Lân.
• Chair of the Trade Union of the Faculty of Bridges and Roads: Ms Nguyễn Như Mai, MSc.

7. Achievements

The Bridges and Roads Section was one of the first two sections in the education sector to be recognised as a Socialist Labour Team, and Mr Lê Văn Thưởng was awarded the title of Emulation Fighter. Building on these achievements, the Department and its members have received the following distinctions:

Department:

• 1977: Second-class Labour Order;
• 1977: Third-class Feat of Arms Order;
• 1962: Third-class Labour Order
• Continuously awarded the titles of Socialist Labour Team and Excellent Labour Collective.
• 2007: Certificate of Merit from the Ministry of Education and Training
• 2008: nominated by the Ministry of Education and Training for the Prime Minister's Certificate of Merit

Individuals:

• Third-class Labour Order: 2 staff members
• Second-class Resistance Order: 2 staff members
• Third-class Resistance Order: 5 people
• Prime Minister's Certificate of Merit: 2
• Certificate of Merit from the Ministry of Education and Training: 5

8. Published textbooks, course books and reference materials

• Giáo trình cầu (gỗ, đá, BTCT, thép), viết tay (Nga văn) - 1959 B.E. Ulitxky. [Bridges course book (timber, masonry, reinforced concrete, steel), handwritten (in Russian)]
• Kết cấu bê tông cốt thép - Lê Văn Thưởng – 1959 - ĐHBK [Reinforced concrete structures – Hanoi University of Science and Technology]
• Cầu bê tông cốt thép viết, in rônéô - Lê văn Thưởng - 1960 . [Reinforced concrete bridges – written, stencil-printed]
• Kết cấu thép viết tay - Nguyễn Biên - ĐHBK - 1961. [Steel structures – handwritten – Hanoi University of Science and Technology]
• Xây dựng cầu viết tay - Lê văn Thưởng - ĐHBK - 1961. [Bridge construction – handwritten – Hanoi University of Science and Technology]
• Hướng dẫn thiết kế cầu BTƯST theo TTGH dịch, in rônéô - Nguyễn Trâm - ĐHBK - 1961 . [Guide to the limit state design of prestressed concrete bridges – translated, stencil-printed – Hanoi University of Science and Technology]
• Tính toán mố cầu Dịch, in rônéô - Nguyễn Tiến Oanh - ĐHBK - 1961 . [Design of bridge abutments – translated, stencil-printed – Hanoi University of Science and Technology]
• Thiết kế phương án sơ bộ dịch, in rônéô - Nguyễn Biên - ĐHBK - 1962. [Preliminary option design – translated, stencil-printed – Hanoi University of Science and Technology]
• Đặc trưng Kinh tế Kỹ thuật cầu dịch, in rônéô - Nguyễn Biên - ĐHBK - 1962 . [Technical and economic characteristics of bridges – translated, stencil-printed – Hanoi University of Science and Technology]
• Khái luận mở đầu CT cầu cống viết, in rônéô - Nguyễn Trâm - ĐHBK - 1963. [Introduction to bridge and culvert structures – written, stencil-printed – Hanoi University of Science and Technology]
• Hướng dẫn thiết kế cầu thép dịch, in rônéô - Nguyễn Như Khải - ĐHBK - 1963. [Guide to steel bridge design – translated, stencil-printed – Hanoi University of Science and Technology]
• Giáo trình cầu gỗ - Nguyễn Như Khải, Lê Đình Tâm - ĐHBK [Timber bridges course book – Hanoi University of Science and Technology]
• Cầu thép viết, in rônéô - Nguyễn Biên, Nguyễn Như Khải - ĐHBK - 1963. [Steel bridges – written, stencil-printed – Hanoi University of Science and Technology]
• Những ví dụ tính toán cầu BTCT và cầu thép - Nguyễn Trâm, Nguyễn Như Khải - ĐHBK [Worked design examples for reinforced concrete and steel bridges – Hanoi University of Science and Technology]
• Hướng dẫn thiết kế đồ án cầu thép - Nguyễn Như Khải - ĐHBK [Guide to the steel bridge design project – Hanoi University of Science and Technology]
• Khai thác, kiểm định, gia cố và thí nghiệm cầu cống viết, in rônéô - Nguyễn Trâm - ĐHBK - 1963 [Operation, inspection, strengthening and testing of bridges and culverts – written, stencil-printed – Hanoi University of Science and Technology]
• Sổ tay thiết kế cầu viết tay - Nguyễn Trâm - 1964. [Bridge design handbook – handwritten]
• Cầu gỗ viết tay - Hoàng Đình Chuân - 1965. [Timber bridges – handwritten]
• Cầu đá viết tay - Phan Duy Pháp - 1965 [Masonry bridges – handwritten]
• Khôi phục cầu cống viết tay - Nguyễn Trâm - 1965 [Restoration of bridges and culverts – handwritten]
• Thi công cầu viết, in rônéô - Nguyễn Tiến Oanh - 1966 [Bridge construction – written, stencil-printed]
• Thi công cầu - Lê Văn Thưởng, Nguyễn Tiến Oanh, Nguyễn Trâm, Phan Duy Pháp - 1968 - ĐHBK [Bridge construction – Hanoi University of Science and Technology]
• Thiết kế cầu BTCT và cầu thép trên đường ô tô (dịch từ tiếng Nga) - Nguyễn Trâm, Nguyễn Như Khải - 1979 - NXB KHKT [Design of reinforced concrete and steel highway bridges (translated from Russian) – Science and Technology Publishing House]
• Cơ sở thiết kế công trình ngầm - Lê văn Thưởng, Nguyễn Tiến Cường, Đinh Xuân Bản, Phí Văn Lịch - 1981 - NXB KHKT [Fundamentals of underground structure design – Science and Technology Publishing House]
• Thiết kế sơ bộ cầu BTCT và cầu thép - Phạm Văn Thái - 1982 - ĐHXD [Preliminary design of reinforced concrete and steel bridges – University of Civil Engineering]
• Cầu kim loại tập I, II - Nguyễn Như Khải, Lê Đình Tâm - 1985 - ĐH và THCN [Metal bridges, vols I and II – Higher and Secondary Vocational Education Publishing House]
• Hướng dẫn đồ án môn học cầu thép - Nguyễn Minh Hùng -1986 -ĐHXD [Guide to the steel bridge course project – University of Civil Engineering]
• Nguyễn Trâm, Lê Đình Tâm Thi công cầu thép - 1986 - NXB GTVT [Construction of steel bridges – Transport Publishing House]
• Giáo trình cầu - Nguyễn Như Khải - 1990 - ĐHXD [Bridges course book – University of Civil Engineering]
• Cơ sở thiết kế và ví dụ tính toán kết cấu nhịp cầu BTCT và BTCT ƯST - Nguyễn Phi Lân, Nguyễn Văn Mợi, Nguyễn Như Khải – 1994 – ĐHXD [Design fundamentals and worked examples for reinforced concrete and prestressed concrete bridge superstructures – University of Civil Engineering]
• Thi công cầu BTCT - Nguyễn Tiến Oanh, Nguyễn Trâm, Lê Đình Tâm - 1995 - NXB BXD [Construction of reinforced concrete bridges – Construction Publishing House]
• Thi công cầu thép - Lê Đình Tâm, Nguyễn Tiến Oanh, Nguyễn Trâm - 1996 - NXB BXD [Construction of steel bridges – Construction Publishing House]
• Thi công mố trụ cầu - Nguyễn Trâm, Nguyễn Tiến Oanh, Lê Đình Tâm, Phạm Duy Hòa - 1997 - NXB BXD [Construction of bridge abutments and piers – Construction Publishing House]
• Khai thác sửa chữa và gia cố cầu - Nguyễn Như Khải, Nguyễn Văn Mợi, Nguyễn Ngọc Long - 1997 - NXB BXD [Bridge operation, repair and strengthening – Construction Publishing House]
• Thi công Hầm - Nguyễn Thế Phùng, Nguyễn Ngọc Tuấn - 1997 - NXB KHKT [Tunnel construction – Science and Technology Publishing House]
• Cơ sở thiết kế và ví dụ tính toán cầu dầm và cầu giàn thép - Nguyễn Bình Hà, Nguyễn Minh Hùng - 2004 - NXBXD [Design fundamentals and worked examples for steel girder and truss bridges – Construction Publishing House]
• Cầu thép bê tông cốt thép liên hợp - Nguyễn Như Khải, Nguyễn Bình Hà, Phạm Duy Hòa - 2005 - NXBXD [Steel–reinforced concrete composite bridges – Construction Publishing House]
• Cầu BTCT trên đường ô tô - Lê Đình Tâm - 2005 - NXBXD [Reinforced concrete highway bridges – Construction Publishing House]
• Cầu Thép - Lê Đình Tâm - 2005 - NXBXD [Steel bridges – Construction Publishing House]
• Phương pháp số (Phần tử HH & Dải HH) - Nguyễn Trâm -1997 - SĐH ĐHXD [Numerical methods (finite elements and finite strips) – Faculty of Postgraduate Studies, University of Civil Engineering]
• Phân tích KCN cầu và LT phân bố tải trọng - Nguyễn Trâm -1998 SĐH ĐHXD [Analysis of bridge superstructures and load distribution theory – Faculty of Postgraduate Studies, University of Civil Engineering]
• Lignes d'influence - Nguyễn Trâm - 1999 - ĐH GTVT [Influence lines (in French) – University of Transport and Communications]
• Những vấn đề chung và mố trụ cầu - Nguyễn Như Khải, Nguyễn Trâm, Phạm Duy Hòa - 2000 - NXB BXD [General principles and bridge abutments and piers – Construction Publishing House]
• Cầu dây văng - Lê Đình Tâm, Phạm Duy Hòa - 2000 - NXB KHKT [Cable-stayed bridges – Science and Technology Publishing House]
• Pont en béton armé et béton précontraint - Nguyễn Trâm - 2001 - ĐH GTVT [Reinforced and prestressed concrete bridges (in French) – University of Transport and Communications]
• Kết cấu thép nhà cao tầng - Nguyễn Trâm - 2002 - Viện ĐTBDC Bộ XD [Steel structures for high-rise buildings – Institute for Training and Professional Development, Ministry of Construction]
• Tkế và XD cầu hầm GT đô thị - 2003 - Nguyễn Trâm - Viện ĐTBDC Bộ XD [Design and construction of urban transport bridges and tunnels – Institute for Training and Professional Development, Ministry of Construction]
• CT ngầm đô thị (Thi công lộ thiên và hạ chìm) Viết tay - Nguyễn Trâm - 2005 - ĐHKT [Urban underground structures (cut-and-cover and immersed construction), handwritten – Hanoi Architectural University]
• GT Kết cấu thép (Dịch theo hợp đồng Quỹ Ford) - Nguyễn Trâm 2009 - ĐHKTHN [Steel structures course book (translated under a Ford Foundation contract) – Hanoi Architectural University]

Note:

The “Department Yearbook” was compiled by Assoc. Prof. Dr Nguyễn Bình Hà in March 2009; Bùi Huy Tăng added the section covering the period from 2008 to 2018.

Source: the department yearbook on bomoncau.huce.edu.vn (Vietnamese), translated into English.