Regarding the fire at the parking lot under Vinh Tuy Bridge on August 30, Hanoi Department of Construction stated that the fire caused the protective concrete at the bottom of span N1’s girder to crack and peel, exposing transverse stirrups and some longitudinal reinforcement bars.
On September 1, Hanoi Department of Construction issued a press release related to the fire at the parking lot under the bridge on August 30.
Accordingly, on the afternoon of August 30, a fire broke out under the bridge at Ramp CV1C, heading from Vinh Tuy to Nguyen Khoai embankment, from pier T4 to abutment M1 (on the south bank of the Red River).
This location is managed and operated by a company assigned by the city to provide vehicle parking services.
According to the Department of Construction, after the fire was extinguished, the department directed its specialized divisions and related units, and also invited leading bridge experts, scientists, and the consulting inspection unit to the scene immediately to inspect and assess the structure of the project.
Through inspection, the department confirmed that the protective concrete at the bottom of span N1’s girder cracked and peeled, exposing transverse stirrups and some longitudinal reinforcement bars. The protective ducts for prestressed steel strands were not exposed and no damage was detected.
Additionally, the protective concrete at the bottom of span N2’s girder cracked and peeled, partially exposing transverse stirrups. Longitudinal reinforcement and protective ducts for prestressed steel strands were not exposed and no damage was detected.
The fire also caused the protective concrete to peel off, and at some localized positions on pier T2, the reinforcement was exposed.
For abutment M1 and the bearing on abutment M1, there are currently no signs of heat damage.
Furthermore, the fire caused a short circuit in lighting cabinet T2A, resulting in a power outage for 54 light poles on Vinh Tuy Bridge in the direction from Long Bien to the inner city.
The Department of Construction stated that survey results at 4:30 PM on August 30, 6:30 AM on August 31, and 3:00 PM on August 31 did not detect any abnormal developments regarding displacement and overall structural deformation after the fire.
“The consulting inspection unit conducted tests on the bridge ramp under the effect of load schemes corresponding to approximately 50% of the design load (equivalent to vehicles under 18 tons crossing the bridge) to measure deflection due to static load; strain in the girders due to load.
It was concluded that the structure and materials (concrete, prestressed steel) of the girder are working within the elastic limits,” the Department of Construction informed.
Regarding solutions to ensure traffic safety and the structural safety of Vinh Tuy Bridge, the department stated that for the immediate term, Ramp CV1C will have its traffic organization adjusted, operating with a load <18T (corresponding to 50% of the design load), and the condition of this ramp will continue to be monitored.
Additionally, to determine in detail the level of damage and the load-bearing capacity of the structure for the design load of the HL93 project, the Department of Construction stated it will continue to carry out inspections for the damaged bridge components. This will provide a basis for proposing renovation and repair solutions to ensure the project’s operational capacity according to the original design parameters.
Hanoi Department of Construction will coordinate with the consulting unit and the road management unit to review and soon have an assessment of the impact on the structure and safety of Vinh Tuy Bridge after the fire.
