The chair was established in 1938 at Yerevan Polytechnic Institute’s department of “Road Bridges”, specialization known as “Road Work”. The faculty and the department were active until 1944. “Automobile Roads” Chair was launched in the restructured department of Construction at Yerevan Polytechnic Institute in 1957 (Head of Department was the honored scholar of science and technology and a candidate of technical sciences, Professor S. Hovnanian). The graduates obtained the diploma of the communication roads’ engineer. The chair prepared bachelor degree engineers specialized in automobile roads’ construction” of the “Construction of Transport Routes and Infrastructures, their Management and Operation” profession.
Since 1938 renowned scholars and industry experienced professionals including K. Zavriev, A. Azatyan, H. Antonyan, G. Hakobyan, A. Araratyan, Q.Filoyan, A. Vardanyan, Yu. Vatyan, H. Gaspartyan, R. Atabekyan, S.Hakobyan, V. Dandurov, N.Kurisko, S. Baghdasaryan, E. Janazyan, S. Janazyan, R.Gyanjumyan and others were in the faculty. Since 2000 the department was named after professor S. Hovnanyan. Teaching and learning activities of the Chair are currently organized by docent R. Makaryan, H. Gyulzadyan, E. Bezoyan, assistants V. Ter-Simonyan, E. Hakobyan, A. Gasparyan, H.Bayramyan, senior laboratory technicians L. Avagyan and A. Mkrtchyan.
The specialists of the Chair participated in design and construction of prominent buildings of our Republic such as the
- Victory Bridge (authors S.Hovnanyan, V.Gazazyan, architect A.Mamikonyan, consultant K.Zavriev);
- Reinforced concrete arch bridge over the river Qasakh in Ashtarak city (authors S.Hovnanyan, A.Vardanyan);
- Hrazdan Great Bridge on the continuation of Kievyan street (authors V.Pinajyan, N. Slavinski architect G. Aghababyan, chief engineer of the construction S.Hovnanyan).
To facilitate the educational process in accordance with time demand the Chair has cooperation agreements with “Armroadproject”, “Yerevanproject”, “Artsakhroad” design institutes, where trainings are being organized using the laboratory equipment of modern automated design.
