Ialy Hydropower Plant - A Great Energy Source of Tay Nguyen

The Ialy Hydropower Plant is the largest project on the Se San River and ranks 3rd in the whole country with a total capacity of 720MW and an overage electricity production of 3.68 billion KWh/year.

The Ialy Hydropower Plant, under the Electricity of Vietnam (EVN), was built in 1993 on the Se San River in the district of Chupad in Gia Lai Province and Sa Thay District in Kon Tum Province. After ten years, the plant was put into operation, becoming the largest project in the system of hydropower plants on the Se San River. After the Ialy Hydropower Plant, two hydropower plants, including Se San 3 Hydropower plant and Pleikrong Hydropower plant, were built in 2002 and 2003 with a designed capacity of 260MW and 100MW respectively. Since the plant was put into operation, it has provided the national electricity grid with about 42.6 billion kWh. 

The grandiose beauty of the Ialy Hydropower Plant’s dam during the flood season. Photo: File The Ialy Hydropower Plant’s reservoir has a capacity of 1.03 billion m3. Photo: Nguyen Luan The reservoir is the major place providing water for people in the two provinces of Gia Lai and Kon Tum. Photo: File

Some awards received by the Ialy Hydropower Company: -- “The Green Trademark Award - 2008” by the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations. - “Vietnam’s Top 100 Trademarks - 2008” by the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations. - “Excellent Business in Labor Safety - 2008” by the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs. - “Top ten WTO Integration Trademarks - 2009” by the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations. - “Gold Cup for the Cause of Environmental Protection EPA - 2009” by the Ministry of National Resources and Environment.

The plant consists of four turbines with a designed capacity of 720MW, accounting for nearly half of a total capacity of 1,500MW of the hydropower projects on the Se San River, and an average electricity production of 3. 68 billion kWh/year. It is the only hydropower plant that has a 500kV oil cable system and most of the plant’s operations were built under the mountains.
To meet the demand on the development of the hydroelectric system on the Se San River, EVN turned the Ialy Hydropower Plant into the Ialy Hydropower Company in 2007 with three hydropower plants of Ialy, Se San 3 and Pleikrong with a total capacity of 1,080MW and an average electricity production of 5. 31 billion kWh/year.
According to Ta Van Luan, Director of the Ialy Hydroelectric Company, the effective management and safe operation of three hydropower plants has not only ensured the supply of electricity for economic-socio development and life of people in Tay Nguyen (the Central Highlands), but also contributed to lowering the price of electricity. In 2012, the Ialy Hydropower Company set a record of 5,838 billion kWh (9% higher than the average electricity production/year).

The operation of the plant is run and controlled by a staff of highly professional engineers. Photo: Nguyen Luan The plant’s central control centre. Photo: Nguyen Luan In 2012, the electricity production of the company set a record of 5,838,000 kWh. Photo: Nguyen Luan The transformer station of the Ialy Electricity Plant. Photo: Nguyen Luan

Besides producing electricity, the company has also participated in technical consultancy for several large projects of Vietnam’s leading groups such as Hoang Anh Gia Lai and PetroVietnam. They included the project on experientially refining transformer oil for HaGl-Attapeu Sugar Factory in Laos, experimenting with the electrical insulating oil for over 100 transformers of the Dung Quat Oil Refinery, Doc Cay Hydropower Plant in Thanh Hoa and Hoa Phu Hydropower Plant in Dak Lak…

At present, the company is coordinating with the Power Engineering consulting Joint-Stock Company 1 (PECC1) to complete a report on the project of expanding the Ialy Hydropower Plant with two turbines, each having a capacity of 180MW, increasing the total number of turbines to 6 with a total capacity of 1,080MW.
It is expected that the expansion of the Ialy Hydropower Plant will considerably improve the shortage of electricity in dry season in the Central Highlands and increase the turnover from electricity of 765 billion dong/year.

Besides the electricity potential, the Ialy Hydropower Plant has a large reservoir with an area of 64.5 km2 and a capacity of 1.03 billion m3. The reservoir has become an interesting eco-tourist destination for both domestic and foreign tourists to the Central Highlands. It is also the major place providing water for people in the two provinces of Gia Lai and Kon Tum.

With its great potential and position, the Ialy Hydropower Company will continue contributing to developing the economy, culture and society, improving the lives of people in the Central Highlands and promoting the process of national industrialization and modernization.

Story: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat - Photos: Nguyen Luan & Files

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The traffic in Hanoi

Traffic in Hanoi - it's not a new topic.However, untill now there haven't been a sollution that can solve all problem in Hanoi's traffic. There are many reasons explaining for this thing.It's either a long time to be successfully in having a perfect traffic network in Hanoi on which the people will not see the traffic jam, traffic polution, etc,... Moreover, we need a huge invesment resource to built and upgrade the Hanoi infrastructure.During the economic crisis period at present, it's hard to have the answer about the expenses for infrastructure investment. There are a lot of other reasons related to consciousness of who in traffic, the weakness of management system.

Beside that, we should look back the achivements what Hanoi has reached. First, it's defective unless talking about the ring road III system.This project used Official Developement Assistance (ODA) from Japan.Flyover highway contributed to fast transport from the South to the North of Hanoi. The second is the appearance of overpasses through intersections such as: Chua Boc – Tay Son, Lang Ha – Huynh Thuc Khang, Lang – Le Van Luong, Lang – Tran Duy Hung and Nam Hong Crossroads that reduced congestion in these crossroads. To railway, we prepare to travel around Hanoi with train tube. Hanoi urban railway construction project Catlinh-Hadong that is building.

(to be continue)

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Donaustadt Bridge

Donaustadt Bridge

Facts & Figures

Place/Country

Vienna/Austria

Completion 1998

Business area Bridge Construction

Project Type Cable-Stayed Bridges

Client Magistrat der Stadt Wien, MA 29

Project details

A row of Danube bridges in and around Vienna were built by Waagner-Biro. The Donaustadt Bridge, a striking 343m long cable-stayed bridge, is one of the newest of the Danube bridges created by the company. The bridge, designed in the offices of Holzbauer and Marschalek, is a stunning architectural construction, which, especially at night when it’s illuminated, has a powerful effect on those viewing it.



The bridge initially fulfilled the role of a substitute bridge to carry traffic during the reconstruction of the Prated Bridge.



The City of Vienna, however, thought that the bridge could become part of the city’s subway network, which was why it was already configured for use as a railway bridge during the planning phase. The city’s U2 subway line now runs across the Donaustadt Bridge.



The cable-stayed bridge with its crest-shaped pylon head has a main span of 186m, and its design includes a steel carrier trek, an orthotropic plate and a 75m high steel A-pylon.

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ODA and the Traffic Infrastructure in Hanoi

Hanoi is considered an area that has effectively used the Official Development Assistance (ODA) fund, especially in the construction of the traffic infrastructure. Thanks to this, the image of the urban traffic infrastructure in Hanoi has had great changes and has become more modern and comprehensive.

Opening the traffic bottlenecks
The capital of Hanoi is the political, economic and cultural centre of Vietnam. In recent years it has attracted a large number of people from other areas coming to work and settle. According to the statistics of the General Office for Population Family Planning, in 2012 the population of Hanoi reached over seven million people. Its large population has caused many difficulties, such as in housing, the environment and employment and especially with traffic problems.

Nearly 10 years ago, Hanoians endured traffic jams at some hot spots, such as the section from Phap Van Road to Giai Phong Road at the southern gate to the city, Kim Lien Crossroads, Nga Tu So and Lang Road. In these situations the State and the Hanoi City authority set out suitable solutions, including expanding the capital’s boundaries (2008), building and upgrading the infrastructure with special focus on the traffic projects. However, due to the limited budget, the traffic infrastructure was not solved systematically.

To solve the problem, Hanoi has mobilized the ODA. Transport has always been given top priority in ODA-funded projects. By the end of 2012, ODA funds for traffic in Hanoi accounted for 36.28% of the ODA disbursement (over 1.8 billion USD).

A large population puts much pressure on transport in Hanoi. Photo: Tat Son The sand table of planning and expanding Hanoi administrative boundaries and transport system. Photo: Hoang Ha A part of Belt Road No.3 at the section of Northern Linh Dam Lake. Photo: Trong Chinh The flyover highway above the section of Mai Dich-Northern Linh Dam Lake on Belt Road No.3, 9km long, is the most modern one in Vietnam using ODA from Japan. Photo: Tran Thanh Giang The flyover highway above the section of My Dinh Area on Belt Road No.3. Photo: Cong Dat One of the off ramps from Belt Road No.3. Photo: Cong Dat Passover at Lang Ha-Thai Ha traffic bottleneck. Photo: Cong Dat Thanh Tri Bridge, crossing over the Red River, is constructed using ODA from Japan. Photo: JICA’s file Kim Lien Tunnel. Photo: Tat Son A Japanese expert trains Hanoi traffic police to improve their traffic control skills. Photo: JICA’s file

«...           Some major traffic projects in Hanoi using ODA from Japan - Thanh Tri Bridge is 12,000m long and 33.1m wide with six lanes capitalized at 410 million dollars. - Belt Road No.3, 9km long, is worth over 300 million dollars. - Nga Tu So Overpass. - Kim Lien Tunnel. - Nhat Tan Bridge. - Noi Bai International Airport Terminal 2.

With this source, Hanoi has quickly solved the problem of “traffic bottle-necks” which was once major cause of traffic jams for the residents. The first bottleneck removed was the Phap Van – Giai Phong highway. Before 2000, this route was overcrowded with traffic coming from all directions round-the-clock. Nguyen Thi Phuong who lives in Dai Kim Ward at this area recalled: “In the past, at peak hours, this route was very chaotic with vehicles blocking the road several kilometers long. Living on the road, my family could not endure the dust and noise, so we intended to sell our house to move to another place”. Fortunately, in October 2012, a flyover highway above the section of Mai Dich- Northern Linh Dam Lake on the Belt Road No.3 was built, that improve the traffic at the gate to the city. It is the most modern the most modern flyover highway route in Vietnam using ODA from Japan. This route not only solves the problem of traffic jams but also connects with other routes, such as Highways 1, 5 and 18, and the Phap Van- Ninh Binh, Lang – Hoa Lac and Thang Long – Noi Bai highways, creating a transport system linking the south to the north of Hanoi.

In 2012, with ODA, Hanoi built and put into use 5/18 overpasses at the intersections of Chua Boc – Tay Son, Lang Ha – Huynh Thuc Khang, Lang – Le Van Luong, Lang – Tran Duy Hung and Nam Hong Crossroads. Talking about the effectiveness of these projects, Captain Nguyen Phuong Nam at the Hanoi Traffic Police Department, who is in charge of traffic control at the Chua Boc – Tay Son intersections, said: “Previously, there were serious traffic jams at this place. Since the overpasses were put into operation, the division of lanes has been easier and the waiting time for the red light has been shortened, thus considerably reducing the traffic jams.”

Besides the traffic projects built with ODA funds, the traffic software projects have also been proven effective. Japan is a pioneer in investing in traffic soft skills with the project “Northern Vietnam National Roads Traffic Safety Improvement” with 65 million USD in loans from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Takao Inami, consulting director of this project said: “Our project was implemented in 10 provinces and cities, focusing on Hanoi. Now we are organizing several training courses on capacity enhancement for over 300 traffic policemen in Hanoi. In addition, we have organized 18 training courses on traffic safety for over 900 cadres and 30,204 people in many surrounding provinces and cities.”

Recently, during a visit to some Japanese ODA projects in Hanoi, Tsuno Motonori, Chief Representative of JICA Office in Vietnam said: “Hanoi has used effectively the ODA of the Japanese Government. These projects will help establish a part of a modern traffic system in Hanoi, improve the transport system of goods, solve traffic jams and contribute to the socio-economic development of the city.”

Key projects
At the Consultative Group Meeting held at the end of 2012, the bilateral and multilateral sponsors pledged to continue providing ODA for Vietnam with about 6.5 billion USD in the fiscal year 2013, of which Japan alone pledged to provide about 2.6 billion USD, focusing on the development of the infrastructure and training of human resources.

Hanoi is concentrating on two key projects built with the Japanese Government’s ODA. They include the Nhat Tan Bridge and Terminal 2 of Noi Bai International Airport.

The Nhat Tan Bridge has been defined by the Government as a national key project. As designed, it is a six-span cable-stayed bridge with a total length of 1,500m. It has five gigantic towers which are 110m high, symbolizing the five city gates of Hanoi. The bridge has a unique structure of multi-spans which will be a prominent structure in the history of bridges in the world.

Kenji Matsuno, Deputy Managing Director of the partnership of IHI and Sumitomo Mitsui (Japan), said: “Nhat Tan Bridge is highly aesthetic, so in the past time the construction units have made great efforts to ensure the progress and quality of the project. With the current progress, the contractors have pledged to complete and put the bridge into operation by the end of 2014.”

After completion, the Nhat Tan Bridge will connect downtown Hanoi with the northern provinces and the industrial parks in North Thang Long, Dong Anh, Co Loa, Gia Lam and Yen Vien. In the future, together with this bridge, the belt Road No.2 will be completed, thus shortening the route from downtown Hanoi to Noi Bai International Airport. Nhat Tan Bridge will be the longest cable-stayed bridge in Vietnam and will be a focal point in the landscape architecture of the capital.

At the construction site of Nhat Tan Bridge. Photo: Tat Son Tsuno Notomori (1st from right) - Chief Representative of JICA Vietnam inspects the construction progress of Nhat Tan Bridge. Photo: JICA’s file. Building steel structures of Nhat Tan Bridge. Photo: Tat Son Nhat Tan Bridge is under construction. Photo: Tat Son Building concrete beams of Nhat Tan Bridge. Photo: Tat Son A system of piers of Nhat Tan Bridge. Photo: Tat Son With joint efforts made by Vietnamese and Japanese contractors, Nhat Tan Bridge will be put into operation in 2014. Photo: Tat Son Noi Bai International Airport Terminal 2 is built in close coordination with Japanese construction experts and Vietnamese contractors. Photo: Tat Son Building steel structures of Noi Bai International Airport Terminal 2. Photo: Tat Son Building a foundation buttress of Noi Bai International Airport Terminal 2. Photo: Tat Son Japanese experts and Vietnamese contractors inspect the construction proccess of Noi Bai International Airport Terminal 2. Photo: Tat Son Panoramic view of Noi Bai International Airport Terminal 2. Photo: Tat Son

Under the introduction of JICA in Vietnam we visited the project of Noi Bai International Airport Terminal 2. This project has a total investment capital of nearly 900 million USD, including nearly 700 million USD from Japan’s ODA. As designed, Terminal 2 has four floors with a total area of 139,000m2 and a capacity of handling 10 million passengers / year. It is expected that this project will be completed in November 2014 and will reduce the burden of the overloaded Terminal 1.

According to JICA in Vietnam, the Japanese Government said that besides ODA, Japan would provide support and transfer the large project construction technology to Vietnam. This is clearly shown at the Nhat Tan Bridge and Terminal 2 projects where the Vietnamese and Japanese contractors have coordinated to build the world’s most advanced construction technology of traffic projects.

Some people compare the construction of a traffic infrastructure in Hanoi is like building “a house”, the ODA is a source of capital for Hanoi to complete the southern facade of “the house” with the projects which have operated effectively, such as Belt Road No.3, and the northern facade with key projects, such as the Nhat Tan Bridge and Terminal 2. A system of urban overpasses and the traffic soft skill support projects are an important part of “the interior” of the house.

“The traffic house” in Hanoi is being completed with an important contribution of ODA, especially the Japanese Government’s ODA for Vietnam. The appearance of more and more modern traffic projects in the capital not only confirms that Hanoi has effectively used the ODA source but it also shows the friendship between the two strategic partners, Vietnam and Japan. This is an important focal point in the celebration of the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries (1973 – 2013).

Story: Thong Thien - Photos: Tat Son & Cong Dat and JICA’s files

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The rise of Chinese contractors in Vietnam

Author: Le Hong Hiep, VNU and UNSW@ADFA

By the end of 2009 Chinese engineering companies were involved in projects worth US$15.4 billion in Vietnam, making the Vietnamese market their largest in Southeast Asia.On occasion, Chinese contractors have even accounted for up to 90 per cent of EPC (Engineering/Procurement/Construction) contracts for thermal power plants in the country. Two major factors account for the spectacular rise of Chinese engineering contractors in Vietnam: the conditions attached to the concessional loans and preferential export buyer’s credits that China provides Vietnam, and the ‘flexible’ business strategies of Chinese contractors.

While Chinese grants to Vietnam since 1991 have been limited, concessional loans reached as much as US$500 million by the end of 2010. China’s preferential export buyer’s credits for Vietnam have also been increasing, reaching US$1 billion by the end of 2008. But for Vietnam to receive China’s concessional loans, as well as preferential export buyer’s credits, it has to use Chinese contractors, technology, equipment and services for related projects. Such conditions have undoubtedly contributed to the rise of Chinese engineering companies in Vietnam.

Meanwhile, for projects funded in other ways and that are open to international bidders, there are loopholes in Vietnam’s Law on Tendering that favour low prices over technical aspects. As Chinese contractors are able to offer a markedly lower price than competing bidders they enjoy a competitive advantage. The problem is that after being awarded the contract Chinese companies often try to save costs by persuading project owners to change the contract’s original terms, or even by just ignoring them.

It’s not surprising, then, that the dominance of Chinese companies has produced a number of serious problems for Vietnam.

First, there have been numerous reports in the Vietnamese media of poor performance by Chinese contractors. The most common problems come from the contractors’ failure to ensure quality, their inability to keep deadlines, or the violation of contractual terms and conditions. These additional costs for Vietnamese project owners have hindered the sustainable development of Vietnamese infrastructure.

Second, the condition that projects funded by Chinese preferential loans and export buyer’s credits must import technology, equipment and services from China has contributed to Vietnam’s perennial trade deficit with China. Vietnam’s trade deficit with China, for example, increased from US$9 billion in 2007 to US$16.4 billion in 2012.

Finally, Chinese contractors prefer to use Chinese labourers, which means Vietnamese workers miss out. Chinese contractors explained their preference for Chinese workers by referring to the language barrier, their lack of trust in Vietnamese labourers, and Chinese workers’ more advanced skills.

These problems have significant implications for Vietnam’s economic and political relations with China. First, Vietnam’s dependence on Chinese contractors has generated concerns about Vietnam’s national security, especially energy security. The delays and poor quality of power plants constructed by Chinese contractors have further exacerbated the country’s power shortage.

Second, the presence of Chinese workers, whether legal or illegal, has caused public resentment in Vietnam. As well as fuelling perceptions that local labourers are at a disadvantage, the presence of Chinese workers has caused security concerns. There have been reports of Chinese workers breaking laws, causing social disorder, or even engaging in violent confrontation with local communities. The presence of hundreds of Chinese labourers working for the contractor Chalieco at aluminum plants in the Central Highlands has elicited objections from high-profile figures in Vietnam — including war hero General Vo Nguyen Giap, who argued that the large numbers of Chinese working in the Central Highlands would give China a foothold in this strategically important area of the country.His argument was one of the rationales behind strong protests mounted by Vietnamese civil society against bauxite mining in the Central Highlands.

Third, the poor quality of a number of their projects has created a negative perception of Chinese contractors among a large segment of the Vietnamese population and triggered official responses from Vietnamese organisations and policy makers.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment is revising the Law on Tendering to allow project owners to disqualify bidders who offer low prices but seem unlikely to provide a quality service. The revised law also provides that the winning contractors not be allowed to use foreign workers for jobs that can be done by Vietnamese. It also puts restrictions on imports of goods and equipment that are locally available. Such provisions, once passed, will undermine Chinese contractors’ competitiveness in Vietnam.

Since the normalisation of relations between Vietnam and China there has beengrowing economic interdependence between the two countries, which is a key foundation for a peaceful and stable relationship between them. But interdependence has come at a cost. The dominance of Chinese contractors has generated hostility in the Vietnamese public and further deepened its distrust of China.

Le Hong Hiep is a lecturer at the Faculty of International Relations, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, and is a PhD candidate at the University of New South Wales, Australian Defence Force Academy, Canberra.

A version of the article was first published here by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.

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Civil Engineer Specialisations

Civil engineers usually work in one of the following areas: structural, water resources, soil and foundation, transport, town planning or construction. A civil engineer may specialise:

Airport Engineer 

• specialises in preparing designs for airports, hangars and control towers 
• supervises the construction, maintenance and repair of runways, taking into consideration factors such as weight, size and speed of aircraft 
• advises contractors on technical problems during construction. 

Geotechnical/Soil Engineer 

• inspects proposed construction sites to work out soil and foundation conditions by conducting drilling and sampling programs 
• oversees and participates in field and laboratory testing of soils, and makes sure that test equipment and machinery is properly set up 
• prepares reports of test results and makes recommendations for the solution of engineering problems identified in test reports 
• prepares specifications of soil mixtures for use in roads, embankments and other construction, and calculates and advises on the required slope at cuttings and the thickness of soil dams and retaining walls. 

Harbour Engineer 

• designs and supervises the construction of harbour facilities such as breakwaters, navigation aids, navigation channels, jetties, wharves, heavy-duty pavement surfaces, cargo sheds and bulk handling plants for grain, ore and other cargo 
• ensures that the designs satisfy safety and serviceability requirements 
• makes efficient use of funds and materials to achieve the safety and serviceability requirements. 

Highway Engineer 

• specialises in analysing population and growth statistics and traffic patterns and volume to project future requirements 
• talks to government officials and other specialists to help design efficient and safe traffic systems 
• studies roadway and embankment design, the geometry of highway interchanges and the maintenance of facilities such as culverts and overpasses. 

Hydraulic/Water Resources Engineer 

• designs and supervises construction, and advises on the operation, maintenance and repair of, water resource facilities such as dams, aqueducts, hydro-electric plants, and water supply, drainage and sewerage systems 
• works on beach protection, harbour design and river control projects 
• manages waterways with a focus on erosion and flood protection 
• is concerned with environmental management including the prediction of the mixing and transport of pollutants in surface water. 

Irrigation/Drainage Engineer 

• using tests and measurements, works out the characteristics of soil, such as salinity, water table level, areas of subnormal plant growth, soil type and surface profile 
• calculates or estimates rates of water flow 
• supervises the preparation of plans showing channels, conduits, mains and ditches, and the construction of laboratory models to study construction and flow problems. 

Local Government Engineer 

• administers and supervises the design, construction and maintenance of projects such as roads, drainage systems, pedestrian and cycle facilities, bridges, buildings, recreation grounds, parks, waste disposal and water treatment schemes within a local government area 
• talks to the community and with government departments 
• supervises other engineers such as those employed in design and construction, and other employees of the council or corporation such as supervisors and building surveyors. 

Materials and Testing Engineer 

• conducts research, development tests and evaluation of the quality or suitability of materials and products related to projects 
• coordinates and directs the research, development and testing of materials such as asphalt, concrete, steel, cement, timber and plastics, taking into account factors such as stresses and strains, estimated load, water pressures, wind resistance and temperature fluctuations 
• advises contractors and others on materials most suited to meet individual construction requirements. 

Pipeline Engineer 

• specialises in preparing design proposals for pipelines and pipeline equipment, facilities and structures in consultation with petroleum and mechanical engineers 
• works out a suitable layout of lines based on accurate mapping and surveying, and analyses operations and maintenance costs to determine efficiency and devise improvements or innovations in the system 
• provides technical advice on the operation of machinery and equipment used to transport petroleum products through pipeline systems. 

Railway Engineer 

• studies design proposals and advises on the construction, maintenance and repair of railway systems including tracks, terminals and yards 
• studies the natural features of proposed routes and plans the types of rail beds, rail size and curves to meet train speed and load requirements 
• conducts traffic surveys to establish suitable routes for rapid transit or urban railway systems. 

Structural Engineer 

• designs the framework of buildings, towers, bridges, water treatment structures, tunnels and other structures to make sure of strength and rigidity 
• studies new materials and methods and their impact on design and construction.

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