Further to a massive rockfall (4,000 cubic metres) on 21st February, 2003, the Grands Goulets road on local road RD 518 in the Vercors Gorges is closed, obliging motorists to do a 30 km detour. A 1.7 km-long single-tube tunnel must be urgently bored. Preliminary studies have been undertaken by CETU (Centre d'Etudes des Tunnels) and Scetauroute. Public hearings will be held from September and the project should be approved at year-end. The tunnel will be blasted in marls and limestone. Support with rockbolts, shotcrete and steel arches. Gradient 4%. One ascending drive with a possible second drive to speed up the project. Civil works to be divided into three calls for tender with first portal in June 2004, then second portal and tunnel later on. Visit www.drome.equipement.gouv.fr 18/03. Preinformation notice for engineering studies for the Grands Goulets (1.7 km) and Petits Goulets (200 m) tunnels on local road RD 518 between Sainte-Eulalie en Royans and Les Baraques en Vercors. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=076060-2003, OJ S 85, or contact DDE de la Drôme, Valence, fax +33 475797565. 19/03. Open call for bids, deadline 30th June, 2003 for engineering studies for the Grands Goulets (1.7 km) and Petit Goulets (200 m) tunnels on county road RD 518. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=085703-2003, OJ S 95, or DDE de la Drôme, Valence, fax +33 475428754. 21/03. Open call for bids, deadline 23rd June, 2003 for core drills, data logging and laboratory testing as part of the construction of the Grands Goulets tunnel (1.7 km) and Petits Goulets tunnel (200 m) on county road RD 518. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=088881-2003, OJ S 99, or contact DDE de la Drôme, Valence, fax +33 475797565. 23/03.Restricted call for tenders, deadline 6th August, 2004 for construction of the 1.7 km two-way dual-lane Grands Goulets tunnel on county road RD 518 in southeast France. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=110363-2004, OJ S 130, or contact Departement de la Drome, Valence, fax +33 475797565 or 475428754. 29/04.Bouygues TP secured the contract to build the 1.7 km Grands Goulets tunnel, a single bore on local road RD 518 in Drome county. There will be one drive from downhill (1.6 km) using the drill/blast method and 100 m from the uphill entrance with a hydraulic breaker. Visit www.bouygues-construction.com 15/05.Bouygues Travaux Publics is currently building the 1,650 m Grands Goulets tunnel in Drome department. The contract includes utility relocation, civil works, the carriageway, painting of the walls and outside access to the valley and mountain portals. The Grands Goulets is a Natura 2000 listed site, at the heart of the Vercors national park. At the valley portal, a 40 m-long cut-and-cover portion and a water basin in case of emergency intervention of fire fighters will be built. There will be also six unlined rescue galleries, 10 sq m of cross section for a total length of 850 m. Visit www.bouygues-construction.comThe geology is mainly limestone (800 m of Barremian type and 600 m of Uronian type) and 100 m of sandstone sands. Twelve faults will be crossed (5 to 50 m). The drill/blast method is used in the limestone. A Robofore three-boom automatic jumbo supplied by Robodrill is used to excavate upwards the 1,550 m-long valley drive. Steel arches will be placed when the faults are encountered. A two-boom manual Robofore is employed for back-up to bore the rescue galleries. The explosives are supplied by Kinsite-Nitro Bickford (solution Morse). Visit www.robodrill-sa.com and www.nitrobickford.frThe mountain drive is executed downwards in a top heading and bench sequence with a Paurat roadheader, able to provide a 200 kW power at the rotary head. As the machine excavates the 100 m of sandstone sands, steel arches are placed every 1-1.5 metres and shotcrete is sprayed in between. The roadheader is used on that section of the tunnel because the sandstone sands cannot be blasted. In the presence of water, they turn into a modelling clay before becoming mud. Two Normet shotcreting robots are operated at the worksite. Visit www.wirth-europe.de/roadheaders/paurat.htm and www.normet.fiFor the drill/blast section, support consists of HA 25 bolts and Expanbol bolts supplied by Emcorsa, HEB 180 steel arches supplied by Arcane and shotcrete prepared with Meyco 170 admixture of MBT-Degussa. Concrete is produced by Béton Rhône-Alpes from a plant at the Auberives jobsite. Visit www.emcorsa.com and www.degussa-cc.frMuck haulage by DTP Terrassement, a Bouygues Construction affiliate, using a loader equipped with side-dump bucket and three to five dump trucks. At the valley worksite, the limestone material is stored at the spot, crushed and recycled as part of another contract. At the mountain site, the sand spoil is stored permanently on a dedicated area which will be modelled at the end of the project.On the valley side, earthworks and construction of the portal are finished. Twenty metres of the cut-and-cover tunnel is completed and work is nearing end. Drill/blast tunnelling of the top heading at the mountain drive had reached 90 m at the end of 2005.Breakthrough is anticipated for end 2006-early 2007. The final blast (rescue galleries) is programmed for July 2007. Completion of the project is foreseen in end 2007. 05/06.Restricted call for tenders, deadline 6th November, 2006 for equipment of the 1.7 km Grands Goulets tunnel (five lots). Click fr/55. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=199608-2006, OJ S 188, or contact Conseil general de la Drome, Valence, fax +33 475759299 or 475428754. E-mail catherine.gerard@equipement.gouv.fr or sg-m.dde-drome@equipement.gouv.fr 41/06.A joint venture led by ETDE with Clemessy, Seitha and SEE SR as partners concluded a EUR4.9 million contract to equip the 1.7 km Grands Goulets single bored tunnel with power supply, lighting, ventilation, radio communication and fire protection. Click here. Visit www.etde.fr, www.clemessy.fr and www.seitha.fr 31/07.

Feasibility studies in hand for two-lane dual carriageway along national road RN 75 with four tunnels including 2 x 2.35 km-long Jocou on the Croix-Haute pass, and Rochette (2 x 110 m), Rochasson (2 x 530 m) and Faye (2 x 700 m). Work also commencing on 2 x 1.3 km-long Sinard tunnel towards Coynelle. 43/01. Tenders for construction of the 990 m Sinard tunnel on A51 to be invited in March, 2002. Single bore with parallel service gallery. Tendering for preparatory works expired since 11th December, 2001. Visit www.area.fr 51/01. Preinformation notice for the construction of the Coynelle-Col du Fau section of the A51 highway. Includes the 1 km Sinard tunnel. Visit http://ted.eur-op.eu.int/ojs/en/frame.htm, OJ S 11, document 8031-2002. Also visit www.area-autoroutes.fr 04/02. Restricted procedure, deadline 12th April, 2002 for the construction of the 1 km Sinard tunnel. Visit http://ted.eur-op.eu.int/ojs/en/frame.htm, OJ S 52, document 40314-2002 or contact AREA, Paris, fax +33 147533820 / +33 1478718886. 12/02.Construction of the 945 m-long dual-lane Sinard tunnel on highway A 51 between Coynelle and the Fau Pass started on 17th November, 2003. The contractors Bec Frères and Carillion BTP are using a three-boom Robofore drill rig to blast the main tunnel in full section (80 sq m) from the south drive. As of 31st March, progress has reached 228 m. Half section excavation (50 sq m) of the parallel safety tunnel with a second three-boom Robofore drill rig. Progress has reached 184 m as of 31st March. A third three-boom Robofore will start at mid-April on the north drive to excavate some 20 m on the main tunnel and 50 m on the safety tunnel to clear space to allow for the construction of a viaduct. This third machine, like one of the other two, is on rental. Three ground profiles are encountered for the main tunnel. Profile 1.2 is good ground requiring 4 cm of fibre-reinforced shotcrete and 3 cm of non-reinforced shotcrete. Six to seven Swellex bolts every two metres vertically and horizontally. Profile 2.2 is ground of lower quality requiring 7 cm of fibre-reinforced shotcrete and 3 cm of non-reinforced shotcrete combined with Swellex bolts every 1.5 m. Profile 5.1 necessitates HEB 180 steel supports every 1 or 1.5 m, sheet plates or shotcrete filling. Drill rigs to be equipped with longer feeds to allow 5 m advances. The safety tunnel is supported with fibre-reinforced and non-reinforced shotcrete. There will be no lining. A Sika-PM500 shotcrete robot is used at the site. First cross passage between both tubes at 150 m and then one every 200 m. Excavation of first cross passage has just started. Visit www.robodrill-sa.com, www.sika-stm.com, www.becfreres.com and www.carillionbtp.fr 15/04.Restricted call for tenders, deadline 11th April, 2005 for firefighting equipment of the Sinard tunnel. This 945 m tunnel is a main tube, for bidirectional traffic, and a parallel safety tunnel, which will become the second tube when traffic increases once the highway is extended farther south. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=047077-2005, OJ S 38, or contact AREA, Bron, fax +33 472353201. E-mail dirc@area-autoroutes.fr 12/05.Restricted call for tenders, deadline 11th April, 2005 for high and low voltage equipment of the 945 m Sinard tunnel (electrical equipment, lighting, centralised management, video monitoring and automatic incident detection, signalling). Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=047075-2005, OJ S 38, or contact AREA, Bron, fax +33 472353201. E-mail dirc@area-autoroutes.fr. Subscribe E-News Weekly 8/2005. 12/05.Yvroud Europeenne des Fluides received a EUR178,000 contract for firefighting equipment in the Sinard tunnel (945 m) on the A 51 highway Grenoble-Sisteron, section Coynelle-Col du Fau. Read E-News Weekly 8/2005. Visit www.yvroud.com 09/06.

Accelerated restricted procedure, deadline 13th January, 2004 for construction of the new SS 125 road Orientale Sarda, section Terra Mala-Capo Boi, Lot 1. Includes three bored tunnels: Arcu Sa Porta (2,635 m), Bruncu Su Campu (624 m) and Is Canaledus (290 m). Drill/blast method anticipated. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=217031-2003, OJ S 244, or contact ANAS, Rome, fax +39 06490326. Also visit www.stradeanas.it 02/04.Safab, Della Morte and GE.CO.PRE won a EUR49.5 million to build lot 1 of section Terra Mala-Capo Boi on road SS 125 Orientale Sarda in Sardinia. The 8.8 km-long 10.5 m-wide road includes three bored single-tube dual-lane tunnels: Arcu Sa Porta (2,635 m), Bruncu Su Campu (624 m) and Is Canaledus (290 m). Radius: 5.25 m. Tunnelling with a three-boom Atlas Copco jumbo. Visit www.safab.it, www.gecopre.it and www.atlascopco.com 04/05.Baldassini Tognozzi-Pontello secured a EUR20.8 million contract to build the third section, first and second stretches (3,547 m) between the Cardedu tunnel and south Barisardo on the east coast road SS 125 between Cagliari and Tortoli, subsection Tertenia-Tortoli. The project includes a 1.6 km single-tube tunnel, excavated section of 90 sq m. The geology is entirely composed of granitic rock with variable consistency. Drilling and blasting will be used on one drive with an Atlas Copco jumbo. The type of machine has yet to be decided. Forepoling support will be employed at the portals (300 metres in all). Since the rock is little weathered, Swellex type bolts are expected to be used, when necessary. Mucking-out with a loader and dumpers. Work to start in July 2006. Visit www.baldassinitognozzi.it, www.atlascopco.com and www.swellex.com 20/06.Further south, on subsection Terra Mala-Capo Boi, a JV of SAFAB, Della Morte and GE.CO.PRE. is building the first section (8,789 m) for EUR72.2 million. There are three single bored tunnels for a total length of approx. 3,500 m. The longest tunnel spans 2.7 km. The excavated section is 90 sq m. A 12 sq m parallel escape tunnel is envisaged although it was not planned in the original project. The geology is entirely granitic rock with variable consistency. To date, 250 metres of tunnel has been driven using a computerized Atlas Copco Boomer 353 for drilling prior to subsequent blasting. There is one drive and a second one is being discussed. Forepoling support at portals. The rock is much better than expected so that expansion shell anchored rockbolts and/or steel beams will be used in the worst situations. For mucking-out, a Cat 330 excavator and Volvo dumpers are used. Click it/94. Visit www.safab.it, www.gecopre.it, www.atlascopco.com and www.cat.com 20/06.Accelerated restricted procedure, deadline 28th December, 2007 for construction of the second lot on the Capo Boi-Terra Mala trunk section to substitute the so-called Orientale sarda road SS 125. This 6.6 km section includes three tunnels and a parallel safety tunnel. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=288230-2007, OJ S 237, or contact ANAS, Rome, fax +39 064456224 or 0644462009. E-mail r.memoli@stradeanas.it 52/07-01/08.Todini won the tender for the construction of the second lot of the Capo Boi-Terra Mala section on the bypass to road SS 125 along eartern Sardegna, between the Geremeas and Terra Mala junctions, in the province of Cagliari. The contract is worth EUR107.8 million, whereof EUR79.8 million (VAT not included). The section will provide a bypass to the existing route, particularly sinuous and difficult, to join the tourist resorts in the southeast of the island. Further to the notice to proceed from the owner, the company will move to the executive phase of the project (120 days), to be followed by approval from the owner (90 days). Construction will then commence, with targeted end in 2011. The project is financed by the region of Sardegna. Visit www.todini.itThis 6 km section includes mainly seven viaducts and three single tube tunnels: Marapintau (1,290 m), Murtineddu (2,590.5 m) and Is Stellas (212.5 m), with a cross-section of 112-124 square metres. Parallel to the Marapintau and Murtineddu tunnels, emergency galleries will also be built, stretching a total of 3,900 metres. Cross-passages will connect the main tunnels with the parallel emergency bores. The Marapiantau and Murtineddu tunnels will be bored from two drives (one after the other for Marapiantau and simultaneous for Murtineddu). The Is Stellas tunnel will be driven from one side.The tunnel route crosses predominantly a granitoid bedrock intercepting, at the portals, shallow layers of granite turned to sand as a result to weathering and a colluvial cover. The granitoid bedrock is interrupted by acid, basic dyke deposits.Excavation will take place mostly by means of hydraulic hammers as well as jumbos and explosives according to the nature of the ground at the face and a TBM for the parallel safety tunnels. For the main tunnels, it is planned to use full-face tunnel driving at each drive, with CAT 330 excavator equipped with Rammer G 90 hydraulic hammer and Krupp HM 2300 Marathon working tool as well as a two-boom Robodrill Pantofore 337 drill rig. The mucking-out will be performed by a CAT 950 wheeled loader and Iveco trucks. Different supports will be adopted according to the type of cross-section. At the portals, forepoles of 101.6 m-diameter 12 m-long steel pipes, steel arches HEA 180 and shotcreting will provide pre-support to the crown. Other pre-support to the crown when excavation has moved forward will consist of 32 mm-diameter 4 m-long grouted steel bars at 30-35-40 cm intervals (cross-section A3). Reinforcement will be achieved with 6 m SuperSwellex bolts (cross-section A1), fibre-reinforced shotcrete (cross-sections A1, A2 and A3) and steel arches HEA 180 (cross-sections A2 and A3). For waterproofing, a PVC liner and geotextile will be installed. The safety tunnels will be built by a 3.9 m-diameter TBM and supported with 2.5 m Swellex bolts, steel arches HEA 100 and shotcrete. Visit www.cat.com, www.robodrill-sa.com and www.swellex.comTodini proposed the following safety systems: reversible semi-transverse ventilation, lighting and emergency lighting, ventilation of the safety tunnel, pressurization of filter housings, fire fighting devices and VES (Voice Emergency System). 27/08.