Unprecedented in Vietnam: “Genie” Lifts 11,000-Ton Bridge by 1 Meter—Which Company is Behind This Feat?

Starting August 23, the Bình Triệu 1 Bridge Clearance Enhancement Project in Ho Chi Minh City officially commenced, with an anticipated completion date of late November 2025.

This project stands as a complex endeavor, unprecedented in Vietnam.

Vietnamese Engineers Take the Lead

Employing a synchronized hydraulic lifting system, the method allows for elevating the entire structure, weighing tens of thousands of tons, without the need for dismantling or new construction. The intellectual core of the Bình Triệu 1 Bridge clearance enhancement project lies in the survey and design phases, expertly handled by Vietnamese engineers.

Bình Triệu 1 and 2 bridges serve as vital gateways connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Binh Duong province and the Southeast region. Constructed before 1975, after numerous repairs and expansions, the bridge now faces limitations with a clearance of only 5.5 meters, below the standard 7–9.5 meters, hindering large-capacity vessels from accessing Saigon Port.

With a total investment of approximately 133 billion VND, the bridge enhancement project aims to elevate the entire 11,000-ton structure by over 1 meter.

Over 100 engineers and workers are collaborating to operate 106 hydraulic lifts positioned beneath the bridge, including 76 with a 400-ton capacity and 30 with a 500-ton capacity. All are interconnected with sensors and controlled via a central computer, maintaining an error margin of less than 1 mm. The bridge elevates by 4-8 cm daily, with continuous vibration monitoring.

The bridge consists of 16 concrete spans and three main steel spans. During the 2010 renovation, the contractor connected them into 4 continuous spans, each 140 meters long. The lifting process proceeds sequentially from span 1 to 4, then repeats, ensuring uniformity.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction (project investor), this solution resembles the “genie” technique used in house lifting but is significantly more complex, saving thousands of billions compared to new construction.

The most challenging phase is the lifting, lasting about a month, followed by two months of reinforcement and load testing before reopening. Upon completion, the bridge will achieve a 7-meter clearance, aligning with Bình Triệu 2 Bridge and preventing previous vessel collision issues.

To maintain traffic flow, cars are redirected to Bình Triệu 2 Bridge, while motorbikes continue using Bridge 1 via a flexible steel temporary bridge system during the lifting process.

The temporary bridge is designed in two sections, connected by hinges; one end is fixed at the bridge abutment, and the other rests on the lifting span. As the main span reaches 1.07 meters in height, the temporary bridge acts as a flexible joint, ensuring safe and smooth passage for motorbikes over the height difference.