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Combination of Methods

A typical example of underground structure where a combination of methods is employed is a deep base transalpine tunnel, like Gotthard and Lotschberg tunnels in Switzerland.

Some of the reasons that recommend such a method of excavation in these tunnels are a wide range of geological and hydro-geological conditions, the need of excavating complex security intermediate stations (caverns), the excavation of adit tunnels with great steepness, the complex logistical reasons and planning constraints, etc.

Very often, in the construction of very large underground structures, different methods of excavation are applied, combining both mechanized and conventional tunneling. This can be due to different reasons:

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