Traffic tunnels – Development of a cross‐asset, reliability‐based life cycle management

Abstract

Tunnels within primary road networks are complex systems. The prerequisite of a good level of service is the seamless interaction of the various tunnel components (structural elements and technical equipment). Due to their heterogeneous nature, electrical and structural components are subject to divergent aging processes which require recurring maintenance procedures and rehabilitation measures. Considering the diversity of specifications and requirements among electrical/mechanical and structural components, it is evident that there is a considerable mismatch of maintenance cycles among them. Hence, tunnel asset management faces the challenge to develop strategies to integrate both the necessary functional integrity of the individual components over their respective lifecycle and the requirement of an optimized management for the overall system. Yet, the synchronization of measures towards maximizing system availability must not contradict positive wear‐and‐tear contingencies of the various tunnel components. Evidence based forecasting and reliability centred decision models are key elements of modern life cycle management. They must include interdependencies between the diversity of components and their manifold maintenance cycles.

Sustainable Tunnelling – An infrastructure operator's, planner's, contractor's and scientist's perspective

“…On the other hand, in the case of peripheral system components, such as operating structures, for example, the question arises whether massive construction is the right choice if, in the foreseeable future, these compo nents have to be renovated at 20year intervals anyway due to the comparably short useful life of the equipment. These types of questions can only be answered by consid ering the overall system including all trades and are also regarded as equally important project goals like the tradi tional functional requirements [2]. Today, involving tun nel planners in questions of life cycle management (e.g.…”

“…B. Betriebsgebäuden, die Frage, ob die Massivbauweise die richtige Wahl ist, wenn absehbar ist, dass diese aufgrund der vergleichsweisen Kurzlebigkeit der Ausrüstung ohnehin alle 20 Jahre umgebaut werden müssen. Derlei Fragen lassen sich nur im Gesamtsystem über alle Gewerke beantworten und stellen -neben den traditionellen funktionalen Anforderungen ebenso we sentliche Projektziele dar[2]. Heute stellt eine Beteiligung des Tunnelplaners an diesen Fragen des Lifecycle Ma nagements eher die Ausnahme (z.…”