Two Atlas Copco L2 C Drill Rigs at Arlaban TunnelHighway AP-1 Eibar-Vitoria in Spain's Basque region spans 46.2 km, whereof 31.9 km in Gipuzkoa province and 14.3 in Alava province. The highway has been divided in Gipuzkoa in five sections: Eibar-Bergara north (7.2 km), Bergara north-Bergara south (4.4 km), Bergara south-Arrasate (3.5 km), Arrasate-Eskoriatza (6.3 km) and Eskoriatza-Arlaban (10.5 km). In December 2003, the first section between Eibar and Bergara north was opened to traffic. The section between Bergara north and Bergara south opened in July 2004, whereas the route between Bergara south and Arrasate is due to be inaugurated in June 2005. The design of the Arrasate-Eskoriatza section has been completed at the beginning of the year and tenders for construction will be invited soon. The objective is to open all the highway, from Eibar to Vitoria, at the end of 2007 or early 2008.In June 2004, public company Bidegi - set up by the Gipuzkoa provincial government - awarded to the Ferrovial / Construcciones Sobrino JV the construction of the Arlaban-Eskoriatza section of the highway, for EUR191 million and a time frame of 34 months. The section extends on 10,480 m, one third of which will run below the surface in two tunnels. The Eskoriatza-Arlaban section, which crosses Leniz Valley, connects Gipuzkoa and Alava and its execution represents a complex challenge. The exact junction between both territories will be made by a twin bored tunnel that will cross the Arlaban Pass. Each tunnel measures 3,377 m in length. Out of these, 2,077 m will be constructed in Gipuzkoa and 1,300 m in Alava. Other remarkable structures on the section include the Zarimutz tunnel (2 x 400 m) as well as viaducts in Marin (548 m), Zarimutz (468), Mazmela (404), Uztarreta (240) and Apotzaga (160). Visit www.bidegi.net and www.ferrovial.comTo avoid at all costs that this extremely complex project be delayed, Bidegi warned the builders that they will pay the price if the project is behind schedule. Bidegi's contract stipulates that for every day of delay, the JV will pay a EUR200,000 fine. This figure had been calculated on the tender estimate (EUR205 million) when the project was put out to tender, so that the fine in case of delay will be slightly less as the project was awarded for EUR191 million.The first requirement to make sure that the time frame will be met has been to modify the scoring in the assessment of the bids. In the last years in Spain, primacy was given to contractors who submitted low costs and short time frames. This system has been harmful since the successful contractor, once works were started, was actually forced to increase the budget and extend the time frame, due to the impossibility to comply with the requirements of the tender, or was compelled to work too fast, at the expense of the quality of the job. The new award criteria give priority to the quality of the project. For the Arlaban tunnel, several of the most prominent Spanish tunnelling specialists have been hired to study the offers presented by the candidates who bidded for the project.The excavated cross section is variable depending on the support, ranging from 106 sq m in section type A to 152 sq m in section type F. The geology is characterised by the Marin formation (dark grey-coloured micaceous siltstone), the Bolivar formation (argillites with intercalated sandstone and arenaceous limestone; argillites and gypsum; sandstone with intercalated argillites and arenaceous limestone; and argillites slightly cemented with intercalated sandstone) and the Arlaban formation (siltstone and alternation of siltstone and sandstone; sandstone with intercalated siltstone; limestone; and calcarenites and sandstone). At the moment, the first bore is being excavated from two drives (south and north). The JV is using the drill/blast method, with two computerised Atlas Copco L2 C two-boom drill rigs, one in each drive, which perforate the drill holes in which the explosives are placed. Also, Volvo truck excavators are used as well as two Normet platforms, one at each drive. Visit www.atlascopco.com and www.normet.fiThe tunnel is supported with resin steel bolts (25 mm diameter), anchored by means of the L2 C rigs, welded wire mesh (15 x 15 x 4), concrete sprayed by Putzmeister shotcreting robots and Tedesa steel arches (THN-21, THN-29 and HEB 160). For the mucking-out of the rock, there are Komatsu loaders and Volvo articulated dumpers. Visit www.putzmeister.es, www.gdfsa.com, www.komatsueurope.com, www.kesa.es and www.volvo.com/dealers/en-gb/vcegb/ProductsEach crew progresses at the Arlaban tunnel at an average of three metres daily. There are two shifts. The advance varies very much from day to day, depending on how difficult the faults are and the safety requirements of the job at every moment. Work at the Zarimutz tunnel has not commenced yet, as it is not a crucial part of the project. Click es/60. Visit www.boomer-rig.com 17/05.