The final conference programme will be available for download in PDF format here soon.
Monday 25 May 2026
HALL ZENIT + NADIR
09.00–09.15Opening ceremony
Alexandr Butovic – Chairman of the Preparatory Committee
Ivan Hrdina – President of the Czech Tunnelling Association
09.15–10.25Keynote lectures I and II
Chairs: Matouš Hilar, Alexandr Butovič
09.15–09.50
Keynote lecture
Radek Mátl (Czech Republic)
Planned and constructed tunnels on the motorway network in the Czech Republic
09.50–10.25
Keynote lecture
Michal Froněk (Czech Republic)
Beroun Tunnel — high-quality railway connection to Western Europe
10.25–10.50Coffee Break
10.50–12.00Keynote lectures III and IV
Chairs: Matouš Hilar, Alexandr Butovič
10.50–11.25
Keynote lecture
Petr Provazník (Czech Republic)
Erzgebirge Tunnel — a key part of the new Dresden — Prague railway connection
11.25–12.00
Keynote lecture
Alun Thomas (Denmark)
Design optimisation for carbon savings on the new lines of the Copenhagen metro
12.00–13.30Lunch
12.45–13.30Poster session – Kepler Hall
13.30–15.30Parallel Sessions 2 and 4
Hall ZENITSession 2: Mechanically excavated tunnels
Chairs: Vojtech Gall, Bai Yun, Zdeněk Žižka, Petr Salák
13.30–13.50
Invited lecture
Vojtech Gall (USA)
Design and Construction of Urban Tunnels Through Pile Foundations: Case Studies and Applications — The Gateway Program in New York City, Manhattan Contract P1B
13.50–14.10
Invited lecture
Bai Yun (China)
A-TBM tunneling in China
14.10–14.30
Angelo Farinetti (Italy):TBM configurations and risks evaluation for the Moncenisio Tunnel in the New Turin Lyon base Tunnel
14.30–14.50
Petr Salák (Israel):Preliminary Design of the Tel Aviv Metro Line M2: Engineering a Major Underground Transit Corridor
14.50–15.10
Zdeněk Žižka (Czech Republic):Current progress in the preparation of the Střešovice Tunnel
15.10–15.30
Petr Vítek (Czech Republic):Cast-in-place lining of tunnels excavated by TBM
Hall NADIRSession 4: Geotechnical investigation and monitoring
Chairs: Adam Dietmar, Alexandr Rozsypal, Václav Veselý
13.30–13.50
Petr Pícha (Czech Republic):Current Status of the Detailed Geotechnical Investigation for the Beroun Tunnel
13.50–14.10
Michal Kubiš (Czech Republic):Results of geotechnical monitoring of the Homole Tunnel carried provided by the contractor
14.10–14.30
Paolo Merlanti (Italy):Construction TBM tunnel – Operating data real time – Red Line Metro and Green Line Metro in Tel Aviv (Israel)
14.30–14.50
Invited lecture
Adam Dietmar (Austria)
Long-term measurements of energy geostructures at the Taborstraße metro station in Vienna
14.50–15.10
Jan Kolomazník (Czech Republic):InSAR as an Operational Component of Geotechnical Monitoring: Practical Application for Subway Line D Construction in Prague
15.10–15.30
Jan Korejčík (Czech Republic):Exploratory adit for the Bílá Skála Tunnel on the route of Prague City Ring Road
15.30–16.00Coffee Break
16.00–18.00Parallel Sessions 1 and 7
Hall ZENITSession 1: Conventionally excavated tunnels
Chairs: Heinz Ehrbar, Libor Mařík, Pavel Růžička, Michal Froněk
16.00–16.20
Štefan Ivor (Czech Republic):New challenge for the Prague metro – construction of the Pankrác D single-vault transfer station
16.20–16.40
Jiří Břichňáč, Šimon Doubek (Czech Republic):Construction of the Gemini Escalator Tunnel as Part of the Prague Metro Line D Project
16.40–17.00
Radek Kozubík (Czech Republic):Construction of the I.D Metro Line in Prague in the ID1a Pankrác–Olbrachtova Section – final lining and technical interesting facts about the interstation section
17.00–17.20
Jan Panuška (Czech Republic):Barrier-free access to the Jiriho z Poděbrad metro station – implementation of a technically demanding underground works in the city intravilan
17.20–17.40
Martin Vaněk, Petr Makásek (Czech Republic):Future tunnel structures in the central part of the Prague railway node
17.40–18.00
Martin Baláž (Czech Republic):Utility tunnel for Václav Havel Airport in Prague – project assumptions and reality
Hall NADIRSession 7: Risk management, contractual relationships and funding
Chairs: Martin Knights, Martin Srb, Jaroslav Beňo
16.00–16.20
Invited lecture
Nasri Munfah (USA)
Ten Recommendations for Avoiding Multi-Contract Disputes in Underground Projects
16.20–16.40
Invited lecture
Haldun Kahyaoglu (Spain)
Pareto Efficiency vs. impartiality and objectivity in construction contracts for tunnels
16.40–17.00
Stephan Assenmacher (Germany):Challenges in small diameter TBM tunnelling on the Eryri Project in Wales
17.00–17.20
Angus Maxwell, Dorota Symonidou (Singapore):Procurement of Monitoring and Data Management: A Review of Contract Practices for Risk Management on Global Ground Engineering Projects
17.20–17.40
Fernando Mondaca Fellenberg (Chile):Early Construction Readiness Assessment for Risk Management in Tunneling: Multi-Project Validation Toward Construction-Ready Status
17.40–18.00
Matthias Flora (Austria):Assistance system as risk management tool for mechanised tunnelling
Tuesday 27 May 2026
08.30–10.30Parallel Session 5 and Open Session
Hall ZENITSession 5: BIM, numerical modelling, research, development and sustainability
Chairs: Munfah Nasri, Eva Hrubešová, David Mašín
08.30–08.50
Invited lecture
Nasri Munfah (USA)
Underground Space Development as a Catalyst for Urban Growth
08.50–09.10
Petr Hybský (USA):New Trends in Face Support Methods for Mechanized Tunneling
09.10–09.30
Enrico Barbero (Italy):Reduction of environmental impact of a TBM project using innovative solutions for soil conditioning and backfilling grout
09.30–09.50
Richard Sturt (England):Analysis of segmental tunnel linings at extreme levels of ovalization caused by soil erosion
09.50–10.10
Johannes Jäger, Clemens Kostner (Austria):Digitalization in the BIM Pilot Project Tunnel
10.10–10.30
Benoit De Rivaz (France):New development with FRC tunnel precast segment with fibre enabled carbon footprint reduction
Hall NADIROpen Session: Planning, design, and construction of underground structures for High-Speed Rail (HSR)
Session chairs: Karel Rössler, Zdeněk Žižka
Topic: Planning
Andrea Pigorini, ITA President, Head of Infrastructure Engineering, FS Engineering, Italy Introduction + Overview HSR Worldwide
Jiří Merta, Advisor to the Director of the High-Speed Lines Construction Management, Správa železnic, Czech Republic Technical and operational concept of high-speed railways in the Czech Republic
Topic: Contractual issues
Heinz Ehrbar, Independent Consultant, Heinz Ehrbar Partner LLC, Switzerland Selection of the most suitable organisational model for long tunnels
Martin Knights, Independent Consultant, Martin Knights Consulting Ltd, Great Britain Key contract features of the UK High Speed 2 Phase 1 Project
Topic: Engineering design
Dr. Monika Mitew-Czajewska, Assoc. Prof., Institute of Roads and Bridges, Warsaw University of Technology, Poland High-Speed Rail Network tunnels in Poland – overview and challenges
Andrea Pigorini, ITA President, Head of Infrastructure Engineering, FS Engineering, Italy Italian High-Speed Rail: 1,000 km through and beneath Cities and Mountains — Engineering the Next 1,000 km towards Southern Italy
10.30–10.50Coffee Break
10.50–12.30Parallel Session 6 and Open Session
Hall ZENITSession 6: Equipment, operational safety and maintenance
Chairs: Robert Galler, Petr Kučera, Miroslav Novák
10.50-11.10
Invited lecture
Robert Galler (Austria)
Experimental investigations on the thermal performance of refractory plaster for tunnel applications
11.10–11.30
Gianpiero Balbi (Switzerland):FEDRO’s Tunnel Renovation Method – Renovation of a non-reinforced primary lining using night shifts while keeping all traffic lanes open during the day
11.30–11.50
Lukáš Rákosník (Czech Republic):Development of (self-)rescue principles during fires in the Blanka Tunnel Complex
11.50–12.10
Vít Strejček (Czech Republic):Modernization of the Technological Equipment of Tunnels D8 – Panenská and Libouchec
12.10–12.30
Michal Hnilička (Czech Republic):New standard sheets of railway tunnel clearance cross-sections
Hall NADIROpen Session: Planning, design, and construction of underground structures for High-Speed Rail (HSR)
Session chairs: Karel Rössler, Zdeněk Žižka
Topic: Operation
Gerhard Harer, Head of Central Coordination BBT, ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG, Austria Aspects concerning the real operational availability of long railway tunnels
Florian Diernhofer, Team Leader Tunnel Safety Projects, ILF Consulting Engineers GmbH, Austria Advanced Equipment, Operational Safety and Maintenance for the Koralm Railway Tunnel
Topic: Engineering design
Patrick Senn, Senior Project Manager / Expert, Amberg Engineering AG, Switzerland Lessons Learned from Major Alpine Railway Tunnels — A Cross-Project Perspective on Design, Risk, and Collaboration
Topic: Construction
Prof. José-Miguel Galera, CEO, SYSTRA Subterra, Spain Geotechnical challenges during the design and construction of high-speed rail tunnels — case studies
Raimundo Jose Saiz Perez, Global Head of Business Development, ACCIONA Construction, Spain Innovative Engineering Solutions to Geotechnical and Hydrogeological Challenges in Lot 1 of the Pajares Tunnels on the León — Asturias HSR Line
12.30–14.00Lunch
14.00–16.00Parallel Sessions 1 and 5
Hall ZENITSession 1: Conventionally excavated tunnels
Chairs: Andrea Pigorini, Libor Mařík, Pavel Růžička, Michal Froněk
14.00-14.20
Invited lecture
Andrea Pigorini (Italy)
Italian High-Speed Rail: 1,000 km through and beneath Cities and Mountains — Engineering the Next 1,000 km towards Southern Italy
14.20-14.40
Invited lecture
Angelos Gakis (Austria)
Shallow Conventional Tunnelling under a Live 21-Lane Highway
14.40–15.00
Jiří Horčička (Czech Republic):Røldal Tunnel: Construction of Norway’s Third-Longest Road Tunnel and Experience with Zero-Emission Excavation
15.00–15.20
Pavel Farský, Zdeněk Chaloupka (Czech Republic):Tunnel Holstein on the A44 motorway: Excavation in Complex Geological Conditions
15.20–15.40
Norbert Hörlein (Austria):The challenges of the first NATM tunnel in Romania
15.40–16.00
Petr Bortlík (Czech Republic):Formwork equipment – its design, manufacture, assembly and operation
Hall NADIRSession 5: BIM, numerical modelling, research, development and sustainability
Chairs: Monika Mitew-Czajewska, Eva Hrubešová, David Mašín
14.00–14.20
Christian Rhein (Germany):Influence of Structural and Operational Constraints on the Effectiveness of Block Backfilling: Findings from Waterproofing of a Deutsche Bahn Tunnel
