The role of underground construction for the mobility, quality of life and economic and social sustainability of urban regions

Abstract

Tunnelling has been used for several purposes for thousands of years. In the coming years the world's population will increase in the urban areas. So, the urban centres will have to adapt, in order to guarantee that their future population will have the necessary and sustainable growth. Due to the constraints for surface construction, also connected to environmental issues, this population growth will imply a greater use of the underground. With this optimal growth, the population of the cities will have better mobility, quality of life, and economic and social sustainability. In a first phase, this report will present a historic approach to tunnelling and its foreseeable future. Afterwards, we will present some considerations on the three factors which tunnelling impacts: mobility, quality of life and social sustainability. As a case study, we will analyse the 2nd phase of the construction of the Marão Tunnel (TDM) -the longest ever built in the Iberian Peninsula-and describe the options made regarding each of those factors. In this case study, the options implemented made it possible to successfully execute the works. For the industry, this work is important because it describes a successful management of the aspects under analysis.

Risk evaluation in tunneling excavation methods

“…h) "Collapse" -Rm(CEM)=278; Rm(TBM)=131 -Mobile equipment in CEM is more exposed to pavement collapse (Tender et al, 2017b). In TBM, the equipment used is either part of the machine or runs on tracks, and the use of prefabricated segments avoids concrete mixers in the tunnel; and in CEM, there is great use of mobile structures for final lining, which are prone to disengagement or interconnections ruptures.…”

“…The use of mobile stairs in the excavation face, for e.g. topographical marking, increases the risk of fall of person to a lower level (in TBM, this risk occurs inside the excavation chamber, namely in the replacement of cutting discs); more frequent use of lifting platforms and temporary mobile structures (Tender et al, 2017b), generally with the guardrails installed on-site (instead of platforms belonging to the tunnel boring machine and fitted with factory-fitted guards or, in the case of prefabricated segments, outside the tunnel); and a higher number of mobile equipment with potentially slippery steps (if any) that workers have to climb. j) "Musculoskeletal problems" -Rm(CEM)=132; Rm(TBM)=103 -Heavier physical effort, handling heavier loads in varied shapes (Jodl and Resch, 2011); free access to the floor adjacent to the excavation face, with loose blocks at different heights that impede foot traffic; the entire excavation cycle, due to its low mechanization, requires more manual intervention of tools, materials (e.g.…”

“…The use of the underground space is increasing because it can improve mobility, quality of life and social sustainability (Tender et al, 2017a). Risk management has been implemented in these works, but usually focused on structural risk (dealing with geological and geotechnical aspects) rather than occupational risk (dealing with workers' health and safety conditions -not scientifically explored, and which is the core of this study).…”

Real world lessons that can assist construction organisations in implementing BIM to improve the OSH processes

“…There is an undeniable link between population growth and the development of underground infrastructures. Underground infrastructure can improve mobility, quality of life and ultimately social sustainability of the city's inhabitants; concomitantly, as a city's population grows it presents an opportunity to install infrastructure systems which are more economically feasible and environmentally sustainable [2].…”

Otimização Do Método De Separação Sara E Uso De Correlações Matemáticas Na Avaliação Composicional De Óleos Crus

“…The use of underground space has become fundamental in the execution of infrastructures that allow the development of modern society. Currently, a wide variety of underground structures are used to improve people's quality of life, both in and out of large cities (STERLING, 2002;GODARD, 2002;TENDER, 2017). However, according to Broere (2016), in developing countries, infrastructure is relatively precarious, causing problems such as large vehicle congestion, high noise and pollution, floods, among others (BROERE, 2016).…”