Four twin tunnels to be driven: Prackovice 270 m, consultants Tubes; Padejcin 450 m, consultants Metroprojekt; Libouchec 500 m, consultants Metroprojekt; and Panenska 2 km, consultants Bung. 22 m2 pilot likely to be required at Prackovice. Tenders to be invited in 2001 with completion for 2006. June 1999. D8 highway from Prague to Berlin via Dresden to be driven through mountains between Bohemia and Germany will require several tunnels, both short and long, whatever final route is chosen. Currently in preliminary design. December 1999. Notice of intention to construct two tunnels 495 m-long and 2.02 km-long on D8 motorway for Czech Highways Directorate, Prague, fax +420 28400 9194. Visit www.czech.cz 36/01. On D8 motorway from Prague towards Dresden, 2 x 445 m-long Libouchec and 2 x 2.02 km-long Panenska tunnels are under NATM design for tender late-Spring, 2002. Visit www.bung-gmbh.de and www.metroprojekt.cz 41/01. Open bidding for construction of a 3 km dual two-lane section of motorway D8 including the 2 km-long Panenska tunnel. Work start in November 2002. Visit http://ted.eur-op.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=102876-2002, OJ S 132, or contact Road and Motorway Directorate, Prague, fax +420 284009194. E-mail alois.lichnovsky@rsd.cz 29/02. Tender notice, deadline 29th January, 2004 for construction of a 1,435 m section of motorway D8 including the Libouchec tunnel (535 m + 454 m) and associated ventilation, lighting and communications equipment. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=186962-2003, OJ S 208, or contact Road and Motorway Directorate, Na Pankrí¡ci 56, 14505 Prague or fax +420 284009196. E-mail alois.lichnovsky@rsd.cz 45/03. A JV including Pontex, Faber Maunsell and VIS has pocketed a EUR1 million contract for work supervision of sections 0807/I and II of motorway D8 including the Libouchec tunnel (535 m + 454 m). Visit www.pontex.cz, www.fabermaunsell.com and www.vis.cz 26/04.Skanska and Metrostav will build the 1,435 m section 0807/II part F on motorway D8 Prague-Usti nad Labem for CZK1.04 billion. This section includes the Libouchec tunnel (535 m + 454 m) and associated ventilation, lighting and communications equipment. Visit www.skanska.com and www.metrostav.cz 30/04.Twin Panenska tunnels with nine crosspassages well advanced in paragneiss and orthogneiss featuring tectonic faults and occasional granitic porphyry veins. NATM excavation beneath 80 m cover using four Atlas Copco Rocket Boomer L2 C drillrigs for blastholes 1-3.5 m-deep and rockbolts 4-6 m-long. Excavators with scaling buckets or hydraulic hammers in constant use. Support by lattice girders, mesh, rockbolts and shotcrete. Top heading breakthroughs imminent. Waterproof lining underway concurrent with excavation in order to meet tight deadlines. Libouchec tunnel start delayed by ecological protest. Visit www.metrostav.cz and www.boomer-rig.com 48/04.2 km-long Panenska twin-tube tunnel on motorway D8 between Prague and Dresden more than half excavated in difficult gneisses with graphitic porphyry veins by contractor Metrostav. Top heading and bench driven from north end only using drill/blast and rockbolting with lattice girders, mesh and shotcrete for support in five NATM classes. Excavation cross-section from 75-120 sq m using four complete sets of equipment to achieve 150 m/month/face. Nine crosspassages provide extra face access. 80 m maximum overburden. Visit www.metrostav.cz and www.atlascopco.com 18/05.