ROAD TUNNEL RESEARCH | FIRE SAFETY
scenario deterministically affects the risk assessment
process, and questions arise about the accuracy of the results, which can be evaluated by sensitivity analysis carried out with LBAQRA. This model can also be used to test the modifications on the functionality of tunnel safety measures and emergency strategies. LBAQRA was tested on five UK road tunnels with
lengths between 315m and 1800m and daily traffic between 18300 veh/day and 46900 veh/day.
Sustainability In this model, a new approach is applied to select fire risk analysis scenarios. Both consequences and frequency of scenarios are taken into account to choose appropriate scenarios, a risk-based approach. If only the worst-case scenarios are considered (considering the consequence of a fire incident), conservatism can go too far and lead to larger, more costly, and carbon-intensive fire safety systems such as ventilation. But reduced fire size scenarios, selecting scenarios with lower fire size but with higher frequency, can lead to, for example, a drop in the required airflow to be delivered by the tunnel ventilation system and consequently, reduce the embodied carbon, leading to a more sustainable, wiser either design or refurbishment project. In other words, a risk-based approach to hazardous
natures of fires can allow for less conservative design fire loads and assessing, consequently increasing the level of passengers ‘safety via an efficient, reliable, low carbon footprint process.
AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENT The results of this model were published as in the Fire Journal, Modern Transportation Journal, and Global
Journal of Science Frontier Research, as noted in the references. Case study results were also published in the 19th
International Symposium on Aerodynamics, Ventilation and Fire in Tunnels (ISAVFT 2022) proceedings and the 12th Tunnel Safety and Ventilation (2024) proceedings. LBA was shortlisted for the Road Tunnel Safety Award
for the quantitative risk analysis model for road tunnels in the UK (LBAQRA).
CLOSING REMARK Quantitative risk analysis facilitates more objective decision-making risk assessment, prioritises risks, and identifies preventive measures. This vision encouraged LBA to develop a novel risk-based quantitative risk analysis model, LBAQRA. This socio-economic and quality perspective balance risk analysis model allows a structured, harmonised and transparent assessment of risks for a specific tunnel considering the relevant influence factors, including safety systems and connections between the physical environment and human behavior. The best additional safety measures can be determined and a comparison between various measures can be implemented by LBAQRA. Continuous adaptation of the model based on the latest research leads to continual model improvement and enhances its accuracy and relevance over time. LBA is keen to further explore the opportunity to work
with clients to utilise the knowledge gained through the development of this model.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT This R&D project was carried out by London Bridge Associates Ltd.
REFERENCES 1 Ingason, H. (2005). Fire dynamics in tunnels.
2 GB, S.I. (2008). Fire resistance tests-Elements of building construction-Part 1: General requirements. 3 Beard, A. and Carvel, R. eds. (2012). Handbook of tunnel fire safety. ICE publishing. 4
5 Beard, A. and Cope, D. (2007). Assessment of the Safety of Tunnels. 6
Bjelland, H. and Aven, T. (2013). ‘Treatment of uncertainty in risk assessments in the Rogfast road tunnel project’. Safety Science, 55, pp.34-44.
Amundsen, F.H. and Ranes, G. (1998). ‘Traffic accidents and car fires in Norwegian road tunnels’. Safety in road and rail tunnels (Nice, 9-11 March 1998) (pp. 3-13).
7 Identification and quantification of hazards - fire and smoke DARTS R4.4, 2004 8 PIARC, 2017. Experience with Significant Incidents in Road Tunnels
http://www.piarc.org 9 PIARC 1999, Fire and Smoke Control in Road Tunnels. 1999 10 Truchot, B., Willmann, C. and Guivarch, J. (2018, November). People evacuation in tunnel fires: a cross evaluation of two methodologies. Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1107, No. 7, p. 072004). IOP Publishing.
Publication of Testing and Results ● Fire Journal - https://
www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/6/2/65 ● Modern Transportation Journal -
https://ojs.usp-pl.com/
index.php/ MT/article/view/8855 ● Global Journal of Science Frontier Research: I Interdisciplinary - https://globaljournals. org/GJSFR_Volume23/5-Design- and- Implementation.pdf
● 19th International Symposium on Aerodynamics, Ventilation and Fire in Tunnels (ISAVFT 2022) proceedings ● 12th Tunnel Safety and Ventilation (2024) proceedings.
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