ASSET MANAGEMENT | INSIGHT
contemporary demands regarding sustainable practices with respect to resilience, new legislation security, safety, value, net zero and the rising influence of climate change. The aim is to produce a trusted practical template to assist the technical and commercial process when planning for the management of tunnel assets . It will be quite a challenge to achieve consensus of:
a) Key influences and impacts b) A common agreement of the priorities c) The format and content of the Guideline (and importantly, produce a concise, easily-read document that will meet the requirements of a wide stakeholder base). The CIRIA Guidance Manager is Chris Pressdee, and
the CIRIA Contractor preparing the guideline is Mott MacDonald, led by Leo McKibbins. The aim is to publish the guideline by early 2023. It is proposed that a standalone supporting guide is
produced which complements the existing C671 document ‘Tunnels: inspection, assessment and maintenance 2009’.
Key areas for development include: ● Tunnel asset management – development and use of
tunnel asset information systems, smart monitoring and predictive maintenance.
● Tunnel renovation and renewals – technological advances in re-lining, advances in materials and techniques for mitigation and remediation of tunnels, and tunnel structure failure prediction.
● Condition appraisal – automation of tunnel inspections and data capture systems, development of technology and computer vision for data-driven condition appraisal, and smart survey visualisation and assessment systems .
● Case studies – update to include new major projects and upgrade programmes. It is important that the new guide reflects these current industry advances, particularly with reference to developed technological innovation and current tunnel-asset owner requirements. This authoritative guidance will enable asset owners to have a trusted practical guide that can support technical and commercial decision- making, especially upon increasing tunnel asset stocks and aging underground infrastructure.
It is important that the new guide reflects current
industry advances, particularly with reference to developed technological innovation and current tunnel-asset owner requirements. Development of an authoritative document by industry that provides guidance on new approaches and technology will save costs relating to inspection and maintenance of tunnels. Ultimately, this leads to improved health and safety practices by minimising time spent by individuals in tunnels and improved decision-making for when repair or renewals should be carried out. Other advances in health and safety include real-
time monitoring of environmental conditions such as air quality. This will encourage a movement towards predictive maintenance regimes and more proactive
ISO 55000 requires that thorough life management
of physical assets is essential to realise the value of responsible asset management. And the CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) recently published a new code requiring construction, transportation and utility companies to add more substance to their claims that they are fulfilling their obligations to instigate more sustainable practices (‘no window dressing’). The tunnelling industry wants to play its part to fulfil
these contemporary expectations and CIRIA will seek industry and external views and contributions during the preparation of the new guideline. CIRIA will also refer to international best practice and bring lessons learnt from adjacent industries that have more experience in advanced solutions to asset management.
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planning that maximises the availability of the asset for the benefit of users. Changes in current working practices should be implemented across tunnel asset management programmes that build off CIRIA’s current C671 guide, and move the industry forward together with updated recommendations and an agreed route map for future needs.
LESSONS LEARNT The new guideline seeks to inform a wider range
of stakeholders who suffer the consequences when the failure of tunnel infrastructure results in transport delays, disrupted energy supplies, the taps run dry and the drains are blocked. The much-publicised failure of foresight and process regarding refurbishment, and the subsequent Grenfell Tower fire disaster demonstrate that foresight and managing assets go hand in hand. A growing number of conferences incorporate the
themes of asset management that reflect our attitude regarding sustainable practices, value for money maintenance, and carbon reduction. The Institute for Manufacturing published a report this year citing evidence that vital 150-year-old London Underground infrastructure needed proactive asset maintenance regimes – including in-service refurbishment and repairs – which are essential to maintain its value and importance to the economy of London.
Below:
Sprayed concrete repairs at Bo-peep rail tunnel. PHOTO: LEO MCKIBBINS
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