The last months of 2018 have been quite an active period of ITA COSUF. In fall 2018 ITA COSUF has contributed to the PIARC International Conference on Road Tunnel Operations and Safety (3-5 October 2018). On the 2nd of October Activity Group meetings and the General Assembly 2018 took place. Click ITA COSUF News (December 2018) to read all about the interesting work of the ITA COSUF Award Winner 2018 and a preview of the ITA COSUF events scheduled in 2019.

ITA COSUF Workshop in Utrecht. 

New energy carriers (also known as NEC) for road transport, such as battery electric cars, and fuel cell cars, entail new risks for the safety of tunnels and underground parking lots. In order to get an idea of ​​the magnitude of these risks are and how they can be controlled, research is needed, preferably in a European context. That is the most important outcome of the two-day international Workshop on NEC in Road Tunnels that took place in Utrecht on 20 and 21 and was organized by KPT, ITA-COSUF and PIARC.

The first day of the conference consisted of an Expert Meeting on invitation during which the most urgent research needs for the near future were discussed. The second day was a public workshop with several sessions concerning respectively safe operation of tunnels and other underground transport facilities, the perspective of the emergency services, research activities and research, available instruments and future needs. The day ended with a panel discussion.

A long read of the workshop is available and can be downloaded here. The presentations of the workshop can be downloaded here.