Slide mitigation of highway in Vietnam

NGI has recently been on an assignment in Vietnam on an ongoing project to carry out field investigations along the Ho Chi Minh highway where landslides consistently block the road. The work is done with Vietnam Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources (VIGMR).

VIGMR lies under the "Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment" and provides advice to the Vietnam government on an upcoming and planned infrastructure projects in Vietnam, related to water induced disasters with emphasis on landslides. NGI was requested by VIGMR to co-operate on this project, which is financed by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Norwegian Authorities is helping to strengthen the relationship between the Vietnamese and Norwegian organizations and to mitigate geohazards in Vietnam.

In the beginning of April this year, NGI had three representatives in Vietnam to investigate vulnerable areas along the Ho Chi Minh highway, where landslides consistently block this important National Highway from Saigon to Hanoi. Some critical sections along the highway were investigated where there are possibilities to realign the existing road through tunnels. Other remedial measures for stabilizing the potential landslides were also looked into. An example is shown in the picture above.

At the end of the four day field mission, NGI's representatives were asked to present the findings in a workshop at VIGMR's offices in Hanoi. Here Vietnam's National TV channels, VTV1 and VTV2, were present. Apparently, the TV newsbreak with the findings and results of NGI's work were broadcasted three times.

Vietnam is in the process of rapidly developing its economy and is one of the fastest growing economies in Asia, together with China and India. One of their priorities is to improve and expand the existing road and rail system in the country for safe and efficient transportation. A number of tunnels are planned to be constructed in the new transport plan for rail and roads.