Kiên tâmtạo giá trị
The left branch of Chư Te Tunnel, part of the Khánh Hòa – Buôn Ma Thuột Expressway project, was officially broken through, marking a major milestone in the construction of this vital route connecting the Central Highlands with the South Central Coast.
Chư Te Tunnel belongs to Package XL03 – Subproject 2 of the Khánh Hòa – Buôn Ma Thuột Expressway (Phase 1), located at Km63+735 in Krông Bông District, Đắk Lắk Province. The tunnel consists of two separate branches: the left branch is 265m long, the right branch 238m, with a center-to-center distance of 30m, a clearance height of 7.7m, and a design speed of 100 km/h.
Groundbreaking took place in late October 2024. Due to weak geological conditions, fragmented rock layers, and low stability, the excavation progress averaged only 1m/day. To overcome these challenges, the project management team implemented special technical solutions such as the NATM tunneling method, segmental excavation, small cross-section blasting to reduce vibration, manual drilling with jackhammers, immediate shotcrete reinforcement after excavation, and installation of an automatic monitoring system for continuous 24/7 displacement and deformation tracking inside the tunnel.
Amid rugged terrain dissected by mountains, rivers, and ravines, the tunnel construction required seamless coordination between engineering solutions and site operations. Added difficulties came from delayed land handover, harsh weather, disrupted material transport, and rising sand prices. Yet, all obstacles were overcome by the unwavering determination and relentless efforts of the project team.
“One of the biggest challenges during the rainy season was the slippery, muddy access roads, which made transporting equipment and materials to the construction site extremely difficult. But with strong determination, we managed to bring every machine and every load of material up to the site, persistently chasing the schedule. That is why the moment we broke through the left branch of Chư Te Tunnel – the very first traffic tunnel ever built by Đạt Phương – was truly emotional. It felt like an outburst of joy, as all our collective efforts were finally rewarded,” shared Mr. Phạm Xuân Núi, Technical Officer.
With the breakthrough complete, the project now enters the acceleration phase for both branches: widening excavation, lowering the foundation, casting the tunnel lining, reinforcing the portal, and preventing landslides. According to the plan, the entire tunnel will be completed by Q1/2026.
Chư Te Tunnel in particular, and Package XL03 in general, play a crucial role as a horizontal axis linking the Central Highlands with the South Central Coast, while also integrating with vertical routes, enhancing the efficiency of infrastructure projects, connecting economic centers with seaports, and meeting the growing demand for transportation.
The milestone breakthrough of the left branch, after more than 300 days and nights of relentless work in the rugged mountains, has reaffirmed the spirit of “daring to think – daring to act – daring to take responsibility” of hundreds of Đạt Phương people at the site. This achievement is not only a technical success but also the opening of a new chapter, bringing the Khánh Hòa – Buôn Ma Thuột Expressway closer to completion.
Building a tunnel within such a key expressway project marks a major breakthrough for the project management team and demonstrates Đạt Phương’s progress on its journey of continuous growth and readiness to embrace new challenges in construction.
More than just the toughest technical bottleneck of the entire route, Chư Te Tunnel stands as a symbol of perseverance. Through over 300 days and nights, nearly 100 engineers and workers of the project management team resiliently conquered the most challenging “steel gate” of the expressway.
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