Part of Betuwe line (see nl/11). Tubecon consortium will start construction in April, 2000 using Herrenknecht 10 m-diameter EPB for 2 x 4 km bores in clays and peaty layers. Overall length of tunnel 8 km to include 2 km-long cut-and-cover sections at each end. Slightly heavier segments than elsewhere on Betuwe line, but 8.65 m inside diameter similar to Botlek to accommodate stacked container traffic. Visit www.herrenknecht.com February 2000.  Herrenknecht advises that its 9.785 m-diameter Mixshield S-150 will be equipped with the revolutionary sonic software probing (SSP) system, a seismic forecasting process that uses sensors installed to the cutting wheel to emit soundwaves into the strata ahead of the machine and receive the reflected signals. The sensors are countersunk into the steel of the spokes and are designed to withstand pressures of up to 6 bar. The data is processed onboard by three high-performance PCs which reproduce a 3-D screen image of the ground up to 40 m ahead. The TBM is being assembled at the launch shaft and boring is scheduled to start in May, 2000. The reception shaft at Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht is still under construction. Contact through www.herrenknecht.com March 2000.

  Twin tube 6.6 km-long undersea highway tunnel using two 11.3 m-diameter Herrenknecht Mixshields from an artificial polder at Terneuzen on the south side to 20 m-deep concrete caissons at Ellewoutsdijk on the north side. Face supported by water/bentonite mix and all spoil is pumped to surface separation plant. Much of the tunnel will be in the very dense Boom clay which varies in thickness between eight and 38 m in the middle of the Schelde, but sand above and below this stratum is of variable quality, sometimes containing glauconite. At deepest point tunnel is 65 m below sea level, and machines are designed to work up to 8.5 bar. Two pressure chambers on each TBM allow transfer of divers by transport capsule from a pressurised habitat at surface to the face for continuous operations, saturation diving over long periods if necessary. Interlocking gasketed lining of 7 segments and key. 26 cross-passages planned at 250 m intervals where five-ring special sections are being installed on advance and freezing will be necessary. Service duct installed at floor level and invert backfilled on advance. Rear 160 m of TBM gantry supported by roller brackets installed to sidewall. Two Schoma locos required on each material train to cope with 4.5% gradient at entrance ramp. TBMs have advanced 600 m in east tube and 500 m in west tube. Contracting jv KMW are to design, construct and maintain tunnel for first 10 years of operation. Opening date March, 2003. Visit www.westerscheldetunnel.nl for further information. February 2000.The record-breaking saturation diving operation conducted at 6.5 bar pressure to install 12 larger profile cutters on each of the TBMs has been successful and both machines are boring again. The changeover took six working days for each machine, and 11 days including decompression. See Hall of Fame entry or visit www.herrenknecht.de August 2000.   KMW reports both TBMs 2 km into 6.6 km drives following recent installation of profile cutters by divers when excessive pressure in waterbearing sands caused distortion to shields. Now advancing at 14 rings/day in Boom clay without difficulty. Visit www.westerscheldetunnel.nl and www.herrenknecht.de December 2000.   The two Herrenknecht Mixshields excavating the Westerschelde tunnel are reported to break record after record. 'Sara', the machine boring the east tube, has recorded an advance of 32 metres in just 24 hours. Only 724 metres are still to go to reach Zuid-Beveland. 'Neeltje Suzanna' only has to bore 210 metres and is expected to arrive in Ellewoutsdjik at the end of January, 2002. Visit www.westerscheldetunnel.nl and www.herrenknecht.com 03/02.   'Sara', the second Herrenknecht Mixshield has completed on 12th February the east bore of the Westerschelde tunnel project following 'Suzanna' which reached its final destination on the west tube three weeks before. See Hall of Fame entry or visit www.herrenknecht.com and www.westerscheldetunnel.nl 09/02.  Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands inaugurated the Dutch longest road traffic tunnel on 14th March. The Zeeuwsch Vlaandren province is cut off from the other parts of the Netherlands by the Westerschelde port entrance to Antwerpen. The new link will provide a faster and more economical route for around 27,000 vehicles a day between Ellewoutsdijk in Zuid-Beveland and Zeeuwsch Vlaanderen near Terneuzen. Central Zeeland and Zeeuwsch Vlaanderen will be permanently linked together. The tunnel is a 6.6 km-long undersea highway tunnel consisting of two tubes, each with two 3.5 m-wide lanes, with 26 cross passages every 250 m. The builders are KMW (Kombinatie Middelplaat Westerschelde), a JV of Philipp Holzmann, Wayss & Freytag, Franki, BAM Infrabouw, Heijmans and Voormolen. 'Sara' and 'Suzanna', two Herrenknecht Mixshields, 11.3 m in diameter, started from an artificial polder at Terneuzen and bored through to 20 m-deep concrete caissons at Ellewoutsdijk. The bulk of the tunnel is running at up to 60 m below sea level, making it the deepest ever to be driven. Both tubes have a concrete lining of 53,000 segments. The €726 million tunnel is open to road users since 15th March. Visit www.westerscheldetunnel.nl and www.herrenknecht.com 12/03.

  Proposed 50 km-long Randstad light railway will link The Hague with Rotterdam and Zoetermeer. 5 km bored tunnel with 7 stations planned between The Hague and Scheveningen, and second line to southwest will require 1.5 km of tunnel and one station. 50-75% public funding envisaged with private money making up the balance. August 1999.   Periodic notice for civil engineering works for a 3 km light rail line section between Centraal Station and the Hofpleinlijn, which is part of the Randstad Rail between Rotterdam, The Hague and Zoetermeer. The section requires a dual 2.5 km-long 6.5 m-diameter tunnel, to be driven using an EPB shield TBM, a 500 m cut-and-cover tunnel and an underground station. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=034578-2003, OJ S 40, or contact Gemeente Rotterdam, Rotterdam, fax +31 10 4894493. E-mail aanbestedingszaken@gw.rotterdam.nl. Visit www.randstadrailaanbesteding.nl 10/03.  Open call for bids, deadline 12th September, 2003 for construction of 2.9 km of twin single-track tunnels, to be driven using a TBM and conventional means, and the Statenweg underground station. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=091376-2003, OJ S 102, or contact Rotterdamse Elektrische Tram, Rotterdam, fax +31 10 4475215 or Gemeentewerken Rotterdam, Rotterdam, fax +31 10 4897855 or 4894493. E-mail j.schouwenaar@gw.rotterdam.nl. Visit www.ret.rotterdam.nl, www.aanbestedingen.rotterdam.nl and www.randstadrailaanbesteding.nl 23/03.Construction of a 2.9 km 6.5 m-diameter twin bored tunnel and the Statenweg underground station as part of the Randstad Rail has been secured by the Saturn consortium, comprising Dura Vermeer Groep, Walter Bau/Dywidag and Zueblin. Contract value: EUR177.8 million. The single-track tunnels will link Franciscus Gasthuis Hospital in Schiebroek and Rotterdam Central Station. A TBM is scheduled to start the job at the beginning of 2005. Meanwhile, the first preparatory works have commenced in Saint Franciscus Triangle and Conrad Street. Visit www.randstadrail.nl, www.duravermeer.nl, www.walter-bau.de and www.zueblin.de 13/04.

  Further to an invitation for registrations of interest (read E-News Weekly 8/2006), three contractors have been invited last spring by Watercare to participate in a tendering process for tunnel contract 4081 of the Hobson project. Those competing are a Fletcher Construction / McConnell Dowell Constructors joint venture, John Holland and a Multiplex / Zueblin joint venture. Following the shortlisting, a two-stage tender process has started. The first stage was successfully completed at the end of June, and tender documents were issued to potential contractors in early July with tenders scheduled for submission to Watercare in early October. The Hobson project includes a 3 km-long 3.7 m nominal internal diameter sewer tunnel approximately 20 m below sea level from Parnell to the Orakei Domain in Auckland. The tunnel will be excavated using pressurised face TBM in conjunction with a precast reinforced concrete segmental lining. It also includes shafts for access to the tunnel, sewer connections and a new pumping station, among other main associated works. It will connect the Orakei main sewer at Parnell with a new pumping station in the Orakei Domain, and will serve a large part of Auckland City. For more, visit www.water.co.nz 40/06.McConnell Dowell Constructors, in joint venture with Fletcher Construction, have been awarded the Hobson sewer tunnel contract by Watercare Services. The scope of work comprises a 3.7 m nominal internal diameter segment lined tunnel under Hobson Bay, approximately 3 km in length, from a purpose built launch shaft with a 10 m internal diameter and 36 m deep. The works also include a new pumping station, which will be 23 m in diameter and approximately 40 m in depth, complete with dry well, pumps, valves, etc. Included are two other vortex drop shafts, each approximately 30 m deep and 5 to 10 m diameter. The scope also includes demolition of the existing Orakei main sewer and connections into existing works. The project commences in May 2007 and has a duration of 32 months. A Lovat EPB TBM will be used. Click here. Visit www.macdow.com.au and www.water.co.nz 15/07.Lovat and contractor McConnell Dowell have recently signed a contract for the supply of a new RME131SE series 24400 earth pressure balance TBM that will be used in the construction of the Rosedale wastewater treatment plant outfall located in Auckland. This is the second Lovat TBM ordered by McConnell Dowell in 2007. Click here. The 3.3 m-diameter mixed face TBM will bore a total of 2,950 metres, with the final 550 metres being driven offshore. As a result, the TBM has been designed for recovery from a subaqueous shaft in the seabed. The groundwater table is estimated at 1 to 3 m below ground surface, with maximum water height above tunnel invert estimated at 18 metres. Maximum water and EPB pressure is anticipated at up to 4 bar. Geology along the tunnel alignment is characterized by the east coast bay formation, a Miocene marine sedimentary sequence, consisting of moderately weathered to unweathered sandstones, siltstones, and mudstones with probable cemented pockets and lenses of poorly sorted sand to boulder-sized conglomerate. The tunnel is expected to be entirely within the east coast bay formation. The TBM is scheduled for delivery in mid 2008. Visit www.lovat.com and www.mcconnelldowell.com 03/08.

  9.8 km x 10 m-diameter tailrace being driven by Robbins TBM equipped with 68 x 432 mm front/back loading disc cutters suited to rock hardness to 200 MPa. Gneisses, quartzites, gabbros, amphibolites and granites expected with faults, blocky conditions and water inflows. Maximum cover 1,220 m. Contracting jv of Fletcher, Dillingham and Ilbau. Value US$ 85 million. TBM operations commenced mid-1998 with support generally comprising rockbolts, mesh and shotcrete. Dec 1998.   Robbins 10 m-diameter hardrock TBM with flat, narrow cutterhead driven by eleven 2-speed electric motors offering torques of 6,300 kNm at 5 rev/min and 9,500 kNm at 2.5 rev/min and total power of 3,500 kW. High-capacity three-axis type main bearing. Cutterhead dressed with 68 x 432 mm disc cutters rated at 267 kN which can be front or back loaded. Ring beam erector and equipment for grouting, roofbolting, spiling and drainage mounted on machine. Rates of up to 30 m/day reported with completion planned for October, 2000. May 1999.   www.southernlakes.co.nz/2mtt/2mtt.htm   During late August, 1999 the TBM passed the 3 km mark and intercepted and crossed the third major fault. Groundwater flows have remained constant at a total of 475 l/sec while water pressures in the probeholes ahead of the TBM are as high as 38 bar. All six permanent pumps have been installed in the dewatering complex and are available if needed. Visit www.robbinstbm.com for more information about the face machine. November 1999.   Aquatic Sciences Inc reports that has been awarded a challenging underwater tunnel inspection for Meridian Energy Limited, New Zealand at Manapouri. An underwater remotely operated vehicle will conduct an internal sonar and video inspection of the existing 9.8 km tailrace tunnel to survey structural conditions. The shutdown period for the inspection procedure to 48 hours, and no dewatering is necessary. The ROV is tethered by a sophisticated umbilical that transmits sonar and video data real-time to the surface via fibre optic telemetry.   ASI has completed continuous surveys of 10 km from a single access point using this robotic system, including inspections of a 120 km water supply tunnel in Finland. More from www.aquaticsciences.com March 2000.  Breakthrough of Robbins TBM reported midnight on 13th March, 2001 can be viewed at www.tunnelcam.co.nz and visit www.robbinstbm.com 12/01.

Competitive procedure with negotiation, deadline 10/03/2020, for engineering design services for and the construction of a 8.4km new 4-lane motorway and accompanying work on the stretch of the E16 Bjorum - Skaret. The area consists of 4.2 km open air zone with high rock cuttings along large parts, includes Bukkesteinshogda (790 m) and Sollihogda (3310 m) tunnels.

For tender documents please click here  where tenders must be sent. Contact Norwegian Public Roads Administration attn Oyvind Storlokken, Tonsberg, tel +47 90853518, email oyvind.storlokken@vegvesen.no. For further tender information click here and here .  Rif.n. 20/26536. 07/20.

Open invitation to tender, deadline 16/03/2020, for a tank Lorry for the Fire and Rescue Service in Rana. It must have a technical execution that enables extinguishing in tunnels and it has to be equipped with a Cannon, foam and four-wheel drive. The duration of the contract is from 22/04/2020 to 31/12/2020. The value of the contract is EUR298,514.51 Euro (NOK3 million), excluding VAT. Contact Rana Municipality, attn Thomassen Frode, Rana, tel +47

75145000, email post@rana.kommune.no. For further tender information please click here. Ref.n. 2020/666. 07/20.

Open invitation to tender, deadline 20/03/2020, for operating and maintenance tasks related to electrical installations on national roads and county roads in Buskerud county. Number of tunnels with electrical installations: 21 on national roads and 7 on county roads. For bid documents click here  where tenders must be sent and here for further information . The duration of the contract is from 01/09/2020 to 31/08/2025. Contact Norwegian Public Roads Administration, attn Christian Noreng, Lillehammer, tel +47 99581125, email christian.noreng@vegvesen.no. Ref.n. 19/244313. 03/20.

Restricted invitation to tender, deadline 23.05.2018, for the new Skarvberg tunnel (3470 m) with 2 traffic lanes and a foot and cycle path on the E69. Approx. 500 m of new road shall be built on the south side of the tunnel, and 2 820 m of road on the north side. For electronic access to information http://eu.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/rwlentrance_s.asp?PID=210004&B=VEGVESEN where offers must be sent. Contact the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, attn. Hanne Seljesæter, Oslo, email hanne.seljesaeter@vegvesen.no. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=178016-2018. Ref. n. 8/85089. 17/18.

Open invitation to tender, deadline 15.08.2018, for the upgrading of the

electrical and technical control installations, site and construction

engineering, as well as traffic flow in Matreberg (1352 m) and Trodal (848

m) tunnels, on the E39. For electronic access to information use

http://eu.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/rwlentrance_s.asp?PID=210058&B=VEGVESEN.

Contact Contact Norwegian Public Roads Administration, Region West, attn

Ronny Vaga, Oslo, email ronny.vaga@vegvesen.no. Visit

http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=205902-2018.

Ref. n. 17/30914. 20/18.