The year 2003 was a turning point for Czech geotechnology, as in the aftermath of the XIIIth European Conference of the Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (EC ISSMGE) which was held in Prague at the end of August, an opportunity presented itself for a direct confrontation not only with the current situation in Europe and worldwide, but also with the main trends in the future development of this field. It can now be confirmed that the Czech field emerged out of the comparison, especially in the area of practical applications, in very good standing. At the same time it became evident that the main trends in development are the kinds of trends that are occurring not only in throughout the sphere of civil engineering but in many aspects also in the field of environmental protection.

In the field of classic geotechnology this involves primarily the interaction of the structure itself with the ground environment and also with the other structures immediately nearby. This applies particularly in the case of dense urban construction, where this interaction is almost a priority, and also in the case of the tendency to locate new buildings on sites with a more complicated and difficult base.

It can be concluded that the role of geotechnology is generally growing, and not only because it affects the work of almost all civil engineers but also because of the increasing role it is playing in environmental protection and in the assessment of the influence of structures on a particular environment. The field also plays a significant role with regard to natural catastrophes, where the matter of a correct risk assessment can be the source of many advantages, and in a way it is even adopted in the designing of all geotechnical constructions. The field of construction on brownfields will in the near future become the most rapidly developing field, as it combines the trends of classic geotechnology and environmental geotechnology, and does so in the most demanding areas.

Earth-covered bridge structures are among the oldest types of bridge constructions and for a very long time were among the form of bridge structure most employed. A typical representative of this category of bridge construction is that of the stone arch bridge, of which there are examples in the Czech Republic and elsewhere that have managed to serve almost without difficulties for over a century, and even older structures are not exceptional. However, the design and implementation of earth-covered bridge structures is not merely an historical practice. At the current time, earth-covered bridge structures are used for structures with smaller spans (usually across small waterways, ecoducts, underpasses, and even overpasses across railway lines and roadways), either in the form of a frame or arch bridge.

As promised in issue no. 9, we are continuing this month with the next in the series of contributions looking at the state of preparation the Prague traffic system is currently in. This time the focus is on one specific section of construction - the Zlíchov-Radlická section of the circle road, which came into operation on October 28, 2002. The article presents information on the process of the preparation and implementation of this section and on the experiences following the first full year of operation for this roughly 2-km section of road.

The entry of the Czech Republic into the European Union, which, on the condition of the successful completion of the ratification process in member countries, is expected to take place on May 1, 2004, will, among other things, have a fundamental influence on both the Czech legal amendment regarding the acquisition of property on the part of aliens, and on the possibility of Czech citizens (physical persons) and legal entities resident in the Czech Republic acquiring property on the territory of any member state in the EU. The stipulation of equal conditions surrounding the acquisition of property in member states of the European Union is an integral part of one of the basic principles of a functioning common market, which is the principle behind the free flow of capital as indicated in the general level amendment in article 56 and the resultant current reading of the Contract on European Communities.