The European project UpTun: results of four years of research to improve the level of fire safety in existing tunnels

Abstract

This paper describes how the European economy heavily relies on a sustainable transportation system. In this transportation system, tunnels are a key element. The safety systems of the existing tunnels were designed on the basis of traffic and its estimated growth of two or more decades ago. However, it appears that traffic has grown more significantly and also changed in composition (more combustible and flammable goods). Consequently the safety level in existing tunnels has decreased in cases where no intermediate measures were taken to cope with the changing supply of rolling stock. This holds throughout Europe, for road-, rail- and mass-transit tunnels. The UpTun project main objects have therefore been the development of innovative technologies where appropriate and where relevant comparing to and the assessment of existing technologies for tunnel application. The focus is on technologies in the areas of detection and monitoring, mitigating measures, influencing human response, and protection against structural damage and the main output is a set of innovative cost-effective technologies. This paper will give an overview of the project and the major achievements.