The ITA COSUF Webinar on Tunnel Safety (29 April 2021) organised by Activity Group 4 (Tunnels Safety Officers) in collaboration with the Dutch Knowledge Centre for Underground Construction and Inderground Space (COB) was visited by over 200 attendees from all over the world. After a special word of introduction by ITA COSUF Chairman Max Wietek the main programme started by a visionary talk of TSO Andre Stein on tunnels in the 21th century with all future changes in mobility. Andre expressed his view on the self-rescue concept of future road tunnels in an age of disruption. Then the new Köhlbrand crossing in Hamburg was covered in a presentation by Olaf Thiemann (Hamburg Port Authority) and Frank Embert Kreiser with a bicycle tunnel as a special topic. And last but not least the COB paper on cyber security was presented by Jasper Kimstra and Johannes Braams of COB. They went into the details when the paper will be useful during the lifecycle of a tunnel. After the webinar the 22nd meeting of the ITA-COSUF Activity Group 4 was held.

The presentations can be downloaded here.

ITA COSUF Max Wietek: Special word of introduction.

1. Andre Stein: Tunnels in the 21th century – the next level.

2. Olaf Thiemann en Frank Ember Kreiser: The new Köhlbrand crossing, a new tunnel for Hamburg!

Fire test bicycle in tunnelDelft 1/2021

3. Jasper Kimstra and Johannes Braams: Tunnels and Cyber Security

In 2019 - 2020 ITA COSUF has developed a vision based on discussions, both in public and internal workshops in order to carefully consider the latest and future developments of modern means of transportation from the underground infrastructure perspective. The vision development was backed up with a cooperation between ITA COSUF and PIARC, formally governed by a Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations that was signed in 2005. ITA COSUF kindly asks the EC Directorates General in charge of the European Union Framework Programme for Research and Innovation 2021 – 2027 (Horizon Europe) to consider ITA COSUF’s view for more detailed topics to be developed in the coming Work Programmes. This document contains ITA COSUF’s vision on New Operational Road Tunnel Safety Issues in a Low Carbon Economy and Smart Mobility Environment. It was prepared by Ben van den Horn, Roland Leucker, Eric Premat, Götz Vollmann and Max Wietek and approved by the Steering Board.

See the promo of the vision paper

Download the Vision Paper

Click here to learn about the very first ITA-COSUF webinar broadcast on tunnel safety. With three interesting topics and speakers, we think this is a unique opportunity to keep up on tunnel safety related items.  Hope to see you on 29 April 2021.