| Underground construction
older, maintenance and rehabilitation become critical. Implementing effective strategies for maintenance is essential for ensuring their long-term functionality and safety. Tunnel safety remains a top concern during construction and operation and advances in safety protocols, equipment and training are continually improving the safety of underground projects. In addition, governments and industry organisations are continually updating standards to ensure the safety and quality of projects. An emerging trend, especially in densely populated urban areas, is the use of underground space for various purposes, such as parking, underground farming, data centres and storage. Of the 17 sustainable development goals adopted by the United Nations, the use of the underground can contribute to seven of them. As such, there is no need to argue that an underground urban future should be part of city development.
Facilitate collaboration Founded in 1974 through the initiative of 19 Nations
in response to the growing importance of tunnelling and underground construction in various engineering projects worldwide, the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association (ITA) is a non- governmental and non-profit organisation which is globally recognised as a world leading organisation dedicated to underground engineering, space development and use. It was formed to: Facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing among professionals involved in underground projects.
Establish best practices in the field. Promote and advance the science and technology of tunnelling and underground space use. Inform about the multiple advantages of the construction and operation of tunnels and generally underground projects at an environmental, social, technical, and economic level. Over the years ITA has developed considerably and currently gathers 79 Member Nations and more than 260 corporate or individual affiliate members. Since its creation, committees and working groups have been an important cornerstone of ITA’s organisational structure. Their contribution is key and they drive membership engagement and communication across the organisation on issues, challenges and opportunities. ITA has four different committees dedicated to the operational safety of underground installations (ITA-COSUF), underground space (ITACUS), new technologies (ITAtech), training and education (ITA-CET), as well as 25 working groups, 15 of them very active. ITA carries out its mission through various activities, including the annual World Tunnel Congress (WTC) which provides a leading platform for experts, engineers, and professionals to discuss the latest developments, share experiences and present innovative underground projects. It also organises the annual ITA Tunnelling Awards which recognise outstanding achievements in tunnelling and the underground industry. The ITA Awards showcase the industry’s best practices and inspire further advancements in tunnelling techniques and methodologies, playing a crucial role in acknowledging and promoting excellence in the world of tunnelling and underground construction. The ninth edition will take place in Mumbai, India at the occasion of the Tunnelling Asia Conference
2023 organised by the Tunnelling Association of India and will be held in a hybrid format on 24 November 2023. The ITA Awards programme encompasses a variety of categories, each designed to highlight different aspects of industry excellence and include awards for large scale projects in terms of budget, innovative projects in terms of both design and construction, groundbreaking tunnelling technologies, environmental sustainability in tunnelling projects, and safety initiatives etc. One of ITA’s missions is to pass on knowledge and information through a wide range of documents and it publishes regular reports and guidelines related to tunnelling and underground construction, contributing to the dissemination of knowledge in the field. Among the seven documents published in 2023 one deals on urban underground space with the aim of discovering the challenges of urban areas and finding practical and innovative solutions through a sustainable and responsible approach to the planning, design, construction, operation, and long-term end use of urban underground space. Others deal with logistics aspects of long and deep tunnels, plus the third edition of the code of practice for risk management of tunnel works. Within ITA-AITES, a young member group operates. Officially founded in 2014, it aims to engage and support early-career professionals, under the age of 35, who are interested in the field of tunnelling and underground constructions. Key objectives are knowledge sharing, professional development, engagement in association activities, promoting the industry, networking, mentoring and support and organisation of social and cultural activities to foster a sense of community among young members.
Fascinating feats Underground projects are fascinating engineering
feats that serve multifaceted roles, including water transportation and supply, energy transmission, and even underground cities. Underground projects work towards prioritising sustainability, provide resilient solutions, and minimise environmental impact. The myth regarding the high construction costs of underground projects is debunked by the long-term benefits that such structures provide. We believe that the significance and potential of tunnelling in solving urban challenges and advancing infrastructure is nowadays well-established. Underground space development is a testament to human ingenuity and a solution to modern urbanisation challenges.
Author info
The author is Ioannis Fikiris, Vice-President of the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association (ITA), Principal Design Manager at EDAFOS Engineering Consultants SA in Greece.
References
More information about the ITA Awards and the latest winners is available on ITA’s official website at
https://www.awards.ita-
aites.org/
www.waterpowermagazine.com | October 2023 | 21
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