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Featured News

Nororiente Motorway opened in Santiago, Chile

Nororiente Motorway opened in Santiago, ChileOn 9th March, 2009 Michelle Bachelet, President of Chile, and Luis del Rivero, Chairman of Sacyr Vallehermoso, opened the 21.5 km-long Nororiente ... More Information

NCE Crossrail Conference

NCE Crossrail ConferenceWill be held on Tuesday 31st March 2009 at the Hotel Russell, London W1The conference explores an expansive range of topics from design to procurement, construction to ... More Information

Rock mechanics, stability and design of tunnels and slopes

Rock mechanics, stability and design of tunnels and slopesProf. Dr.-Ing. Walter Wittke and Dr.-Ing. Bettina Wittke-Schmitt will host the 6th annual WBI-International short course from 26.11.2009 to ... More Information

International Symposium for Shanghai

International Symposium for ShanghaiThe fourth annual symposium on tunnelling, entitled Safety and Environmental Friendliness in Tunnel and Underground Works, is scheduled for Shanghai from October ... More Information

New concept tunneljobs.com relaunched

New concept tunneljobs.com relaunchedtunnelbuilder has relaunched its tunneljobs.com website, accessible through the Jobs button in the toolbar at the top of this page. tunneljobs.com has been ... More Information

RETC 2009 to be bigger, better than ever before

RETC 2009 to be bigger, better than ever beforeFrom ABC to ZED, more than 100 exhibitors are already signed up to RETC 2009, which takes place June 14-17 at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas. A fair ... More Information

Figueres tunnel excavation underway

Figueres tunnel excavation underwayWork has started on the 1.75 km-long Figueres tunnel on the 7.48 km-long Borrassa-Figueres section of the Madrid-Barcelona-French Border high-speed railway line. ... More Information

High speed from Madrid to the Atlantic

High speed from Madrid to the AtlanticThe 87.1 km-long section from Ourense to Santiago de Compostela on the Madrid-Galicia electrified high-speed line is European standard, double track. It passes ... More Information

Italian tunnel upgrades announced

Italian tunnel upgrades announced Autostrade per l'Italia Spa has announced the awards of contracts to upgrade installations in 50 tunnels on the A1 and A7 motorways out of Milano. Medi Impianti ... More Information

Abu Dhabi by 2030

Abu Dhabi by 2030The Capital City District, currently under planning for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in the UAE, will house 350,000 people and provide 150,000 jobs. An integrated, high capacity transit ... More Information

Italian tunnel upgrades announced

Italian tunnel upgrades announced Autostrade per l'Italia Spa has announced the awards of contracts to upgrade installations in 50 tunnels on the A1 and A7 motorways out of Milano. Click here. 09/09. More Information

Excavation of Stafelter tunnel starts in Luxembourg

Excavation of Stafelter tunnel starts in Luxembourg Excavation of the 1.85 km-long twin tube Stafelter tunnel on the A7 Route du Nord began at the south portal on 18.02.2009. The tunnel, 200 m of ... More Information

Recession lessons (10)

Recession lessons (10)"Longterm, American business is a very good place to be, but sometimes the machine gets gummed up, and people get afraid. Fear is contagious: it takes five minutes to become ... More Information

Work starts in Laives tunnel

Work starts in Laives tunnelWork started on 10.02.2009 at the northern portal of the new 2,882 m-long, Laives tunnel in Trentino Alto Adige, Italy, which is part of the ring road between Bronzolo ... More Information

Robbins TBM designed to reduce diameter

Robbins TBM designed to reduce diameterThe Robbins main beam TBM employed at Akkoy II hydro project in northeast Turkey will bore a 6.7 km-long headrace at 4.8 m-diameter before downsizing to 4.0 ... More Information

New BASF excluder grease for TBMs

New BASF excluder grease for TBMsBASF Construction Chemicals has set up a dedicated production plant for main bearing sealing greases for the current generation of large, fast TBMs. Read the full ... More Information

Herrenknecht threesome for Mexico City

Herrenknecht threesome for Mexico CityHerrenknecht is providing three EPBs for the Mexico City Eastern Wastewater Tunnel, which will have a total length of 60 km at depths of up to 200 m. The first ... More Information

North American update

North American updateThe proposed replacement of the Alaskan Way viaduct in downtown Seattle with a 3.2 km-long bored double-deck road tunnel is symptomatic of the current trend in North America to ... More Information

North American update

North American updateThe proposed replacement of the Alaskan Way viaduct in downtown Seattle with a 3.2 km-long bored double-deck road tunnel is symptomatic of the current trend in North America to ... More Information

Almaty metro line 1 to open in 2009

Almaty metro line 1 to open in 2009Line 1 of Almaty metro in Kazakhstan has been a long time coming. Started in 1988, some 7 km of tunnel were bored, only to be abandoned when cash ran out. A new ... More Information

Martin Herrenknecht becomes first European Mole

Martin Herrenknecht becomes first European MoleThe Moles Award 2009 has gone to Dr Martin Herrenknecht for his extraordinary service to the heavy construction industry, and in particular for his ... More Information

Update your shows diary with tunnelbuilder!

Update your shows diary with tunnelbuilder!Our Professional Tunnellers Diary, accessed through the front page button above, is continuously updated. Right now you will find contact details for 28 ... More Information

SELI success in southeast Europe

SELI success in southeast EuropeItalian contractor SELI has been active in Turkey and Greece, with TBMs in the ground in both countries.In December 2008, SELI commissioned to ILCI the new 4.88 ... More Information

Thermal Ceramics wins Bjorvika fireproofing contract

Thermal Ceramics wins Bjorvika fireproof lining contractSome 675 m of the centre section of Bjorvika tunnel comprises six immersed tube elements containing three traffic lanes in each direction. ... More Information

Recession lessons (9)

Recession lessons (9)"After 21 years of experience in the design, production and commissioning of high-tech equipment, the expertise and know-how of our teams is recognized both on the national and ... More Information

Update on Australia and New Zealand

Update on Australia and New ZealandThe Brisbane Airport Link feasibility study has been completed, and a jv of Thiess, John Holland, Macquarie has been selected as preferred contractor. And the ... More Information

Shenzhen metro line 3 progress

Shenzhen metro line 3 progressA trio of NFM Technologies 6.28 m-diameter EPBs has begun excavation of metro line 3 tunnels in Shenzhen, China. The first machine got underway on 14.10.2008 driving ... More Information

Robit Rocktools lead the way!

Robit Rocktools lead the way!We are particularly pleased to announce that Robit Rocktools of Finland is our first new client for 2009. For around 25 years, Robit has been providing high quality rock ... More Information

Recession lessons (8)

Recession lessons (8)"Despondency and constant negativism, attitudes which unfortunately abound today, are not recipes which are of much use to us in the future. Providing young and ambitious junior ... More Information

Marioff milestones

Marioff milestonesFrom its base in Vantaa, Finland Marioff produces its innovative HI-FOG® water mist fire protection systems for use in every corner of the Earth. Each system is tailored to the ... More Information

Update on Australia and New Zealand

Update on Australia and New ZealandAmongst major projects completed by end-2008 in Australia are the Gold Coast desalination plant with 2 x 3.4 m x 1.5 km outfalls bored by 2 off Herrenknecht TBMs ... More Information

Thermal Ceramics wins Bjorvika fireproof lining contract

Thermal Ceramics wins Bjorvika fireproof lining contractThe tender for fire protection at Bjorvika road tunnel in Oslo, see tunnelbuilder archive no/56, has been awarded to IFS, the official ... More Information

Poyry awarded Polish railway engineering contracts

Poyry awarded Polish railway engineering contractsPöyry has been awarded a EUR8.9 million engineering contract by PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe SA for detail design and tender documentation for the ... More Information

Recession lessons (7)

Recession lessons (7)Don't be fooled by imitators! There is only one tunnelbuilder, and the only way to benefit from our 2,000+ readers/day is to promote your company at our websites. That way, ... More Information

Recession lessons (6)

Recession lessons (6)"We need to remake the banking system to better reflect the needs of business. They cannot simply go back to a reliance on mortgage lending." Edmund Phelps, Columbia University, ... More Information

STEC launches its own large-diameter slurry shield

STEC launches its own large-diameter slurry shieldShanghai Tunnel Engineering Company (STEC) has announced the launch on 26.12.2008 of its in-house designed and built 11.22 m-diameter slurry shield. ... More Information

Tunnelling News

IN MEMORIAM - OLIVIER VION (1962-2024)

Through the past decades, the energy and foresight to lead the management of the ITA International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association has been in the hands of Olivier Vion, a man ... More Information

Amtrak awards construction contract for East River Tunnel rehabilitation

The $1.6 billion project calls for demolishing all existing tunnel systems down to the liner, then restoring both tubes. During the project, one tube ... More Information

Strabag in €110 million deal to equip transalpine tunnel

Austrian contractor Strabag has won a €110 million (US$120 million) to equip a transalpine tunnel linking Austria and Slovenia... More Information

19 tunnel boring machines for Manila subway set

A close-up of the tunnel boring machine head, with a diameter of 6.9 meters. ... The first cutter head of the first tunnel boring machine (TBM), named ... More Information

$16 billion Gateway Tunnel Project gets federal funding boost after years of delays

The $16.1 billion project includes a new rail tunnel linking New York and New Jersey — and is set to be open by 2035 ... More Information

Preferred bidder announced for second tunnelling contract

The global consortium of WeBuild S.p.A, GS Engineering and Construction Australia and Bouygues Construction ... Tunnel Project, North East Link ... More Information

Bechtel Picked as CM for $12.7B Single-bore BART Extension

Officials with the VTA are aiming to begin major construction and tunnelling for the $12.7-billion BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension Project next ... More Information

Stonehenge could be put on world heritage danger list over tunnel plan

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has recommended that Stonehenge be listed as ‘World Heritage in Danger’ due to the A303 upgrade scheme and is ... More Information

World’s longest railway tunnel to reopen after a year

The tunnel closed on 10th August last year following the derailment of a freight train, and SBB has since been pushing ahead with repair work... More Information

Afcons Infrastructure Wins Bid for Thane Tunnel Project

Afcons Infrastructure secures the L1 bid for a tunnel project in Thane, marking a significant milestone in infrastructure development. More Information

Kolkata Metro: D-Wall's Construction Work At Victoria Metro Station Is Advancing Swiftly

For the tunnelling work of the stretch from the Khidderpore to Park Street stretch of this Corridor, two Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM) will be deployed ... More Information

K2D Skøyen – Vækerø

Implenia has been awarded the contract for section K2D Skøyen - Vækerø, which is part of the entire Fornebu line that will be completed in 2030... More Information

Massey Tunnel replacement project hits design-build proposal stage

Tunnel replacement project has finally hit the design-and-build proposal stage. The Transportation Ministry announced Wednesday that three bid ... More Information

Barhale wins £36m East London sewer remediation

Thames Water has appointed Barhale to deliver essential remediation works on a Victorian gravity sewer as it passes above the Jubilee Line and Docklands Light Railway in East London... More Information

Reaping Rewards From Continuous Innovation

In boring underground tunnels for Malaysia's MRTs, Gamuda developed the world's first autonomous tunnel boring machine (A-TBM), utilizing in-house ... More Information

5 of the longest tunnels in the world and how they were built

Since the invention of the tunnel boring machine in 1853, engineers have used advanced technology to drill, blast, and bore into the earth. From ... More Information

Femern - inauguration of the first tunnel element

We are pleased to announce that H.M. King Frederik X will take part in the inauguration of the first tunnel element on the construction site on 17 June. H.M. King Frederik X will arrive at ... More Information

HOCHTIEF-MURPHY Joint Venture (HMJV)

A busy first half of the year on the HOCHTIEF-MURPHY Joint Venture (HMJV) Package 5 Headhouses & M&E contract on National Grid’s LPT Phase 2... More Information

Tesla Cybertruck escorts Boring Co's Prufrock-3 tunnel boring machine

The Boring Company's Prufrock-3 tunnel boring machine (TBM) recently completed a tunnel to Giga Texas, and in true Elon Musk fashion, ... More Information

Kazakhstan’s First Automobile Tunnel and Largest Bridge to be Completed this Year

As reported by the Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport, Kazakhstan’s first automobile tunnel through the Shakpak Baba Pass and the country’s largest bridge over the Bukhtarma Reservoir ... More Information

HRBT Expansion Project hits big milestone, could be on track for early completion

The tunnel boring machine, known as Mary ... construction of our two new bored tunnels,” said Project Director Ryan Banas... More Information

TBMs Pass Factory Test For Lesotho Highlands Water Project

A team of engineers and tunnel experts from the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) together with consultants and contractors working on the Polihali transfer tunnel recently ... More Information

Royal Cargo opts for Goldhofer heavy transport equipment

It has also been in action moving tunnel boring machines (TBM) for the Metro Manila Subway project ... machine part posed a significant challenge due ... More Information

Tunnel breakthrough on NI Water's £7.8M Portadown wastewater project

The tunnel boring machine excavated roughly 1,000m3 of material, which would have risen to 8,000m3 of spoil with a more traditional open-cut method. More Information

The Boring Company announces Cybertunnel at Tesla Texas HQ

In January, the company's latest tunnel boring machine (TBM), Prufrock 3, was first spotted near Tesla's Giga Texas. Prufrock-3 has ... More Information

How do you build tunnels and bridges underwater?

Underground construction usually uses powerful tunnel-boring machines to excavate soil directly. This machine is often called a mole for a reason. More Information

Five Huge New Construction Projects Coming To The US

A spokesperson for the project told Newsweek: "The Hudson Tunnel Project is a generational investment that is expected to create 95,000 new jobs and ... More Information

Chennai Metro Corridor 3: Adyar River Tunnel Work Hampered By Geological Setbacks

For the stretch between Greenways Road and Adyar, CMRL engaged two TBMs, 'Kauvery' and 'Adyar.' These machines were launched from Greenways Road ... More Information

French and Danish firms to build Valby 'cloudburst tunnel'

The underground tunnel will be 2,380m long and will be constructed as a drilled tunnel with an internal diameter of 3.4m. The tunnel will have the ... More Information

Howard's approved budgets include $44.9M for Ellicott City tunnel

The Howard County Council has approved a $2.4 billion operating budget for fiscal 2025, along with a $413 million capital construction budget that ... More Information

DC Water Breaks Ground On Potomac River Tunnel Project

DC Water on May 21 hosted a groundbreaking ceremony to officially commence construction activities for the Potomac River Tunnel Project... More Information

Silvertown Tunnel portal connections completed

A complete transformation of the tunnel shape was needed to connect the circular tunnel boring machine (TBM) constructed ... More Information

The $4BN Tunnel to Save Stockholm - The B1M

Above: A tunnel entrance under construction. When it completes in 2030, the $4BN project will be one of the longest road tunnel systems in the world. More Information

OHLA awarded the Gjønnes tunnel in Norway for nearly 160 million euros

The Norwegian Public Roads Administration (Statens Vegvesen) has awarded the company the design and construction of the Gjønnes tunnel for 156 ... More Information

Utilities tunnel dug through 'challenging' ground conditions under River Tees

Main contractor Farrans Construction worked with specialist contractor Joseph Gallagher to construct the tunnel. During its five weeks of tunnelling ... More Information

China develops world's first boring and blasting machine

In a groundbreaking development, the world's first boring and blasting machine, jointly developed by Tsinghua University and China Railway Science and Industry Group, has successfully ... More Information

Tunnel boring machine wedged in hard rock, leaving Snowy 2.0 hydropower project with new issues

Tunnelling problems are plaguing the $12 billion Snowy 2.0 hydropower project, with a boring machine previously bogged in soft ground now wedged in ... More Information

Construction Complete On New High-Speed Rail Tunnel

Inside the completed Desheng Tunnel, and inset, a Chinese high-speed train. Work on the project is now complete. © China ... More Information

DC Water Breaks Ground on Potomac River Tunnel Project

The Project consists of a large-diameter deep sewer tunnel, diversion facilities, drop shafts, and support structures to capture flows from existing ... More Information