The consortium Spie Sud Est/Yvroud Europeenne des Fluides, Feyzin secured the EUR7.6 million contract for equipment maintenance in the Grand Lyon tunnels, the most important of which are Fourviere (1,850 m), Croix-Rousse (1,750 m), Brotteaux-Servient and Vivier-Merle (336 m). For more, contact Communaute Urbaine de Lyon, fax +33 478 957097, or visit http://marches.grandlyon.com. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=058386-2010. 11/10...

Gähler und Partner AG of Ennetbaden have secured the EUR2.28 million contract for PM designer for safety refurbishment in 1.14 km-long Mosi tunnel on A4, near Brunnen. Contact OFROU, Zofingen, tel +41 6274575-11, fax -90, e-mail beschaffung.zofingen@astra.admin.ch. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=062920-2010. 11/10...

IG BP2, c/o Bänziger Partner AG of Zurich, secured the EUR2.63 million contract from BAMO for 5.7 km-long N3 Kerenzer tunnel. Contact OFROU, Winterthour, tel +41 522344-711, fax -790, e-mail winterthur@astra.admin.ch. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=062921-2010. 11/10..

Construction contract for Kuechelberg tunnel awarded to PAC SpA consortium, value EUR34,695,272 excluding VAT. More from PAC in Capo di Ponte, tel +39 0364331037, fax +39 036442303, e-mail info@pacspa.it and client APB in Bozen, tel +39 04714125-14, fax –39, e-mail gare-11.5@provincia.bz.it Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=071475-2010. 11/10...

Rete Ferroviaria Italiana SpA is inviting companies to prequalify for civil engineering work on railway tunnels in Italy. Further information and documents from Iacomino Raffaele at Gruppo Ferrovie dello Stato in Milan, tel +39 02637 148-19, fax –20, e-mail dns-qs@rfi.it to whom requests to participate should be sent. Visit

Pre-feasibility study being undertaken by ILF Consulting Engineers for construction of single track railway line along the Karakorum highway between the end of the existing railway network in the south at Havelian and the border between Pakistan and China near the famous Khunjrab Pass in the north.

Prequalification underway by MTR for tender reference no 703 for West Island Line SHW to SYP tunnels value EUR30 million with a view to selective invitations to tender being issued in 4Q/2008 for contract award in 3Q/2009. Expressions of interest to Malcolm O’Neill, tel 3921 3383, e-mail moneill@mtr.com.hk Visit www.mtr.com.hk/eng/tenders/new_projects.html 45/08.

ENEL awarded the construction of the headrace tunnel for the Crevola Toce III hydropower scheme to a joint venture led by Monti and Giacomini Comm. Alberto, with SELI as other partner. Visit www.montispa.it, www.agifin.com/giacominispa/index_giacominispa.html and www.selitunnel.com or www.selitecnologie.com
The length of the headrace tunnel is 9,128 m. Its cross-section is 13.85 sq m, the outer diameter is 4,200 mm and the inner diameter equals 3,900 mm. A TBM will bore 8,589 metres while 565 metres will be drilled and blasted.
From the geological point of view, the area of the headrace tunnel entirely involves litotypes belonging to lower Pennidic Units and among these the bedrock through which the tunnel will be excavated is composed of Valgrande gneiss (fine grain granitic gneiss), a series of Teggiolo metasediments (carbonatic rocks of the Mesozoic age comprising marble, dolomites and micaschists) intercalated between the Valgrande gneiss and the Antigorio gneiss (ortogneiss), metasediments of the Baceno syncline, a carbonatic sequence interbedded between the Baceno micaschists and the Antigorio gneiss, consisting of dolomitic marble and/or micaschists, calcareous clayey schists, dolomitic marble and anhydrite, and Baceno micaschists and micaschists.
The tunnel path runs mainly through the Antigorio gneiss, but the detailed analysis of the preliminary studies identified a series of geomechanical issues that the tunnelling will face through the metasediments, approximately at chainage 6,500 and stretching for a length of 350 to 500 metres. The metasediments comprises the following lithology: marble and averagely to highly fractured calcareous clayey schists, massively to averagely fractured anhydrites, locally with micaceous contents, and dolomitic sediments completely wheatered with characteristics of soil.
The TBM and the back-up have been completely designed by SELI and will be constructed in SELI's facilities in Aprilia. The basic concept is to produce a compact TBM system easy to transport, assemble and operate and capable of reducing the construction costs while keeping the typical productivity and versatility of double schield TBMs. It is a notable technical innovation especially studied for multiple use in small diameter tunnels, for small to medium lengths.
The TBM System DSU Compact will be outfitted to install traditional supports: rock bolts, welded mesh, steel arches, shotcrete, fibre-glass rods and steel bars, as required by the geological conditions. The rock will be run out on a conveyor belt to the mouth of the tunnel.
Tunnelling is programmed to begin on 16th June, 2008 and to end on 15th September, 2010. 06/08.