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Brazil Activity Report PDF

The most important actions of the Brazilian Tunnelling Committee (CBT) in 2013 were related to promoting underground construction in Brazil and the investment on technical knowledge of the Brazilian professionals.

The biggest example of this caring was the CBT, along with ITACET, providing professionals with two Seminars which dealt with brand new techniques and technology.

The Mechanical Excavation Seminar, held in April, reunited 150 professionals of several fields oftunnel building to discuss mechanical excavating.

The Imersed Tunnels Seminar, held in November, reunited 120 professionals and students of the tunnel field to debate and analyze case studies of immersed tunnels from all the world.

It also shall be noted that throughout 2013 the CBT have been organizing and divulgating the upcoming WTC 2014, one of the biggest events of the field and a great opportunity to Brazilian professionals to demonstrate their expertise and experience.

Brazil is enjoying today one of its most promising phases, with international events such as the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic Games in 2016, and the economic stable scenario. At the same time, the country is facing the need for massive investments in infrastructure, whether to ensure the growth of its economy, or to improve the degree of social development of the population, which isbecoming more and more urban.

In this scenario, the implementation of large projects arises, such as the Belo Monte hydropower plant, the high speed train linking Rio de Janeiro-Sao Paulo-Campinas (TAV), transposition of the Sao Francisco river, investments in Pre-Salt and urbanmobility works, mainly in large cities.

The tunnelling industry was very busy in 2013 in Brazil,especially with respect to the construction of hydroelectric power plants, with underground hydraulic schemes.

Most of those belong to private investors. It is also important to mention that Petrobras (The Brazilian Petroleum Company) has definitely moved towards tunnelling as a solution to underpass environmental protection areas. Underground mass transit systems have continued in major cities such as Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.

The Sao Paulo Metro Line2- Green extension is to begin in 2014. The extension will add 13,5km to the 14,7km length of the Line.

The extension of Sao Paulo Metro Line 4 - Yellow, currently in execution, is to have all stations of its extended 12,8km length fully operational throughout 2014.

Construction of Sao PauloMetro Line 6 - Orange was bid by the ending of 2013 by PPP (Public-Private Partnership), with the execution to be started in 2014 and be partially functional by 2018.

The work will consist of two  parallel, 3-lane, 2.7 km long tunnels. The bid concession of the 520-km long Campinas – Sao Paulo – Rio de Janeiro high speed rail line is scheduled to be bid in the ending of 2014 or beginning of 2015.

The total underground length of the line will be in the range of 110km to be constructed by TBM and conventional tunnelling. The Rio de Janeiro subway begun its expansion works, with part of Line 3 to be operational in 2014, with work completion by 2016, and line 4 to be operational by 2016.

The project Porto Maravilha, which consists on the local restructuration of part of Rio de Janeiro port area, will count with total length of 4km of tunnels, along with many other reurbanizationand construction works.

The modernization works for BR-040 highway, with cross Petropolis hills, had begun, counting with a 5km long tunnel, and is completely operational, currently having biddings for concession.

Other important cities are preparing underground mass transit systems to start in 2014 and to be finished by 2016, like Curitiba, Belo Horizonte and Porto Alegre.