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.

The Tsuen Wan drainage tunnel is a single drive tunnel 5.1 km long sloping with an average of 0.95%. The tunnel cut diameter is 7.27 m segmentally lined with a minimum operational internal diameter of 6.5 m. The HKD1.123 billion contract is a design and build contract awarded to Maeda Corporation, China Railway Engineering Corporation (CREC) and SELI. The tunnel requires the construction of an intake cascade (Intake I-1), two shaft / chamber / adit complexes (Intakes I-2 and I-3), and a cascade structure (Outfall O-1). The project also includes construction of surface elements such as stream diversions, an outfall cascade, tunnel portal works, access roads and ramps, and slope stabilisation. The tunnel will be excavated dominantly in high-density, extremely strong and abrasive, fresh rocks, including crystal ash tuffs of the Tsuen Wan volcanic group, the Tai Po granodiorite, and a variety of cross-cutting dykes, including basalt, rhyolite, fine-grained granite, and quartz. The very high strength and abrasivity of these rocks, and the presence of zones of blocky and closely-jointed rock, will yield difficult conditions for TBM boreability and mechanical excavation. The tunnel will encounter a number of faults and fault zones (F1 to F6 and P1 to P7), and three contact zones between tuff and granodiorite. Of particular importance is Fault F1 near Intake I-1, which consists of approximately 300 m width of blocky and highly fractured rock, and enclosing a zone of mixed soil and rock approximately 85 m wide. Note that these widths are measured along the tunnel alignment. Much of the alignment passes below extensive side-slope terrain flanking the Tai Mo Shan highlands. The weathering profile is typically 15 m thick. The water table lies near rockhead, with locally artesian or depressed conditions, and sudden high-pressure inflows will occur in the absence of effective ground treatment. Pre-excavation grouting will be required over much of the tunnel length to meet the specified groundwater control criteria.

TBM and back-up delivery is scheduled for September 2008. The excavation will be performed with SELI’s double shield universal (DSU) TBM. The TBM, back-up and rolling stock are designed and manufactured by SELI. There will be only one excavation face. Tunnel lining is precast reinforced concrete segments, 250 mm thick with 6.5 m intrados diameter. Annulus gap will be filled with pea-gravel and grouted on a second phase. The mucking system comprises a 5,300 m-long 800 mm-wide continuous belt conveyor designed and manufactured by Marti Technik. The belt will be powered by 420 kW at five driving spots (head drive, three boosters and tail drive) due to the tight curves along the tunnel path. A compact belt storage in front of the portal will provide a belt reserve of 400 metres. A 30 m stacker conveyor will feed a 850 cu m silo. Visit www.selitunnel.com and www.martitechnik.ch 36/08.