BG-M

AGAZ

INE

2013 Edition

WATER SUPPLY IN ALGERIAOur aim: drinking water for everybody

CENTRE DES ARTS, GENEVAThe art of collaboration

SPECIAL REPoRT oN RISk

The BG GroupComprehensive. The BG Group is an international engineering and consulting firm. It offers services in the areas of in­frastructure, environment, building con­struction and energy. Its expertise is par­ticularly strong in the sectors of water and transport. BG is best known for its realisation of complex interdisciplinary projects. The Group provides customised, sustainable solutions for all its clients and projects.

International. BG was founded in Switz­erland in 1954 and today employs around 600 people. The Group has subsidiaries in Switzerland, France and Algeria. It also undertakes projects in a number of other countries.

Integrated. As from 2013, the Group will operate under the single brand of BG. Occasional references to the individual brands of the Group will occur until then. BG will fully unveil its new visual identity on its 60th anniversary in 2014. J

BG 2013 ■ 3

Editorial

Prof. Dr. LAurENT VuLLIETCEO, BG Consulting Engineers

“We are in fact witnessing a

paradigm shift.”

The ability to manage risks is an increasingly sought-after skill. We are always faced with the same questions no matter whether it is in the

industry, finance, transport, energy, health, or the environment sector: What risks are we exposed to? Are they acceptable? How do we manage them? How do we react in the face of adverse events?

We are in fact witnessing a paradigm shift from the simple response to danger to the integrated risk management. Several factors explain this evo lution. First of all, the risks have objectively increased over time, and not just because of the population growth. At the same time, risk aversion has reached a critical threshold: what was once accepted as inevitable is now deemed as unacceptable. Furthermore, the systems involved are becoming more complex, as witnessed for example in the world of finance. Finally, our limited resources force us to make choices: Where should we invest as a priority in order to manage these risks in the best possible way?

All this calls for new methods, new approaches and new skills.

The 2013 edition of the BG-Magazine shines the spotlight on the subject of risk. The president of the Swiss extra-parliamentary commission for Natural Hazards describes a strategy that addresses risks from the politi-cal level down to ground level applications. The manager of the Risk Competence Centre at BG exemplifies the strong skills of a hundred or so of our engineers in this area, by means of a few projects ranging from the safety of tunnels to protection against flooding.

Whether it is in the infrastructure, environment, building or the energy sector, BG provides credible solutions to the challenges of today and tomorrow in the management of risk and more generally in creating a sustainable living environment. The following pages will give you a glimpse into the great disciplinary and cultural diversity of our activities.

Laurent Vulliet

4 ■ BG 2013

Contents

More disasters – Mega-city risk –

Supply riskPage 20

Three trends

European innovation in civil engineering

Page 6

BG-Inside

More energy in Marseille

Page 7

BG-Inside

“At BG we have great creative

freedom”Page 8

People

A new science for engineers

Page 10

Integrated risk management

“The most important thing is that people

talk about the risks”Page 15

Interview with Andreas Götz

SPECIAL rEPorT oN rISkPage 9

radioactive waste: underground mission

Page 18

Underground laboratory

BG 2013 ■ 5

our aim: drinking water for everybody

Page 21

Water supply in Algeria

Lots of clever people under one roof

Page 36

BG Neuchâtel

The art of collaboration

Page 24

Centre des Arts

“Night work is becoming ever more prevalent”

Page 26

Commuter rail station

Electricity on demand

Page 29

Nant de Drance

Inter-cantonal flood protection

Page 32

The River Birs

Committed to sustainability

Page 34

Verbier Sports Centre

Addresses and telephone numbers

Page 38

Contact/Publication details

“flash & Splash”

Page 39

Final point

6 ■ BG 2013

Time for change

“Dare” to shape the futurePromoting the engineering profession is a task that BG takes very much to heart. Encouraging women to enter the profes­sion is a very natural part of this process. A new opportunity arose on the “Oser tous les métiers” day in November 2012 to attract young people, girls and boys alike, into technical professions. This occasion proved to be even more remarkable than had first been anticipated, as out of the 15 school children who were welcomed at BG that day, 13 of them were girls!

Guided tour and workshop. The “Oser tous les métiers” day is an initia­tive of the canton of Vaud to give children aged between 10 and 13 years old the chance to discover different types of pro­fessions. They are invited to accompany their parents in their working environ­ment. The children who visited BG en­joyed a day full of fun and educational events that focused on environmental issues. After a presentation by an engin­eer, they went on a guided tour of the wastewater treatment work in Lausanne; they then attended a workshop, which

demonstrated the water cycle, before meeting the CEO of the Group for an in­formal chat. The day at BG, made all the more enjoyable with a delicious lunch, was coordinated by Dania Zamofing, HR

Assistant at BG: “I was pleasantly sur­prised by the children’s curiosity and their awareness to the problems of recy­cling and the environment”, she said. The event will take place again in 2013. J

BG-Inside

research

European innovation in civil engineeringWhat innovations are possible in the con­struction, operation and maintenance of tunnels? How are new challenges to be overcome? How can the competitiveness of European civil engineering be strength­ened?

Innovative thinking required. These and similar questions should be resolved by the spring of 2017 within the context of the European research project NeTTUN (New Technologies for Tunnelling and Underground Works). Thanks to its recog­nised expertise in civil engineering and scientific expert appraisals, the BG Group has qualified to participate in this project. A total of 21 partners from industry, re­search and the economic sector from

nine European countries have been de­veloping new approaches in civil engin­eering since 1 October 2012. The research

and development project is headed by the French manufacturer of tunnel boring machines, NFM Technologies, and it is funded through the Seventh Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration of the European Commission.

Full-scale tests. The work programme of NeTTUN consists of eleven projects and covers the entire life cycle of civil engineering projects. New developments should be tested under real conditions wherever possible, for example in the Rome Underground, the tunnel under the Guadalquivir River in Spain and the Frejus road tunnel between France and Italy. J

AN AMBITIouS ProjECT: BG is involved in the European

research and development programme NeTTUN.

A DAy of DISCoVEry for ThESE SChooL ChILDrEN VISITING BG. The girls, who outnumbered the boys, showed their keen interest in technical profession.

BG 2013 ■ 7

BG in German-speaking Switzerland

from wrestler to engineerHeinz Suter can look back on numerous successes in his “Schwingen” (Swiss wrestling) career. In 1998, he came second at the Federal Wrestling event. But Heinz Suter is forging his professional career as an engineer at ARP. He has been head of the Infra­structure & Transport Unit of BG in German­speaking Switzerland since the be­ginning of 2013, which brings together around 70 employees from the ARP branches in Baar, Schwyz, Lucerne and Zurich, as well as BG Bern and Zurich. His aim is to fur­ther expand the activities of the BG Group in German­speaking Switzerland in the area of infrastructure. “The expansion will be both thematical and geographical. We want the services that the BG Group offers to cover all of German­speaking Switzerland,” Su ter points out. J

hEINZ SuTEr, former top

wrestler: “I do not crave the

limelight.”

A NEw wAVE of PowEr IN ThE SouTh: BG Marseille has doubled its workforce.

BG-Inside

Southern france

More energy in MarseilleA long­standing working relationship led to the French engineering company ENR Concept joining BG on 24 September 2012. This integration will expand BG’s business in the energy sector and on the French market. ENR Concept has specialists in the areas heating, ventilation, sanitation, energy management and renewable ener­gy sources. BG is optimally prepared for the growing demands in the construction and energy sectors, not least with the new unit called Building and Energy France, which was set up following the merger.

Marseille is in a good position. The office in Marseille has been the main player to benefit from the merger of

the two companies. The number of its employees has doubled with the addition of ENR Concept staff. The position of BG in Southern France will continue to

strengthen. In France, the Group is now also present in Montpellier, in addition to its existing branches in Paris, Lyon, Saint­Genis­Pouilly and Aix­les­Bains. J

First steps

Career moves

Greatest success

Biggest setback

Future prospects

Heinz Suter as a wrestler

“As a 10­year­old boy, when a school friend suggested I should go to wrestling with him because of my build.”

“I won my first crown at 18, my first federal crown at 20 and my first major victory at the Central Switzerland Wrestling Event at the age of 22.”

“Second place at the Swiss Federal Wrestling Festival in Bern in 1998 and four wins at the Brünig wrestling competition.”

“My main regret is that I was not as fit as I could have been for the Federal Wrestling Festival in 2001.”

“Helping to organise wrestling festivals and being an advisor for up­and­coming young talent.”

Heinz Suter as an engineer

“At around 13, I was fascinated by the fact that the carrying capacity of structures could be calculated.“

“After graduating I worked as a civil engineer in various engineering companies. I have been at ARP since 2006.”

“The fact that I trained simul taneously to become an engineer and a top wrestler.”

“It was frustrating when I did not get the contract for an interesting project and could not understand the rationale behind the decision.”

“Help to further advance BG in German­speaking Switzerland.”

People

Xavier rich talking about Pierre Epars:Pierre brought me into his Building and Energy Domain in 2009, when BG relocated from La Ciotat to Marseille. We decided to speed up the development of our establishment in the south of France. To move forward you need to create a spark and then see it through to the end. The entrepreneurial spirit that characterises Pierre makes him the right partner to do just that.

Attentive and appreciated. All customers feel a sense of ap­prehension about their projects, as they cannot always envisage the

end result. When embarking on a project, you first have to make it real. We under­take this task while Pierre, patient and attentive, encourages us every step of the way. We feel guided and supported. He does not trifle with hypocrisy and jar­gon, instead he fuels his troops with the desire to excel. He is a highly appreciated boss. In brief, he is everything you’d ex­pect from a boss.

The energy of ideas. The seawater loop from Marseille is our best joint pro­ject to date. In brief we use a water net­work that pumps in seawater and pumps it back out again once the energy has

been harnessed (for heating in the winter and air­conditioning in the summer). Then an underground industrial water circuit transports it to the heat exchanger pumps of buildings to either heat or cool them. This project corresponds exactly to the philosophy of joint develop­ment that characterises Pierre. He energises, develops initiatives, makes decisions and takes action. I am glad to say that with him, the construction industry has a very bright future. J

“At BG we have great creative freedom”

Pierre Epars talking about Xavier rich:Xavier is an underwater hunter, always on the lookout. Quietly, hold­ing his breath, he observes and analyses very quickly, he then de­cides and acts. He has the same attitude at work as when he is under water. It is incredibly effective.

The freedom to act. We enjoy a lot of entrepreneurial freedom at BG, primarily tackling matters ourselves. You therefore have to be daring and take it upon yourself to get things done. Xavier is pugna­cious to say the least, he combines development and commercial attitudes, whilst never taking his eye off the objectives. With this extremely me­ticulous technical and financial approach he always gets the right results.

His approach to the projects he has been involved in exceeds that of a man simply doing his job. He provides ideas and can also find solutions to fund them. He touches on all aspects across the horizontal structure of BG and in doing so masters the extremely wide range of prod­ucts on offer. What makes him an expert in cross­selling is his ability to always find the key to helping clients with projects. He also knows how to create the demand.

Human benchmark. His capacity for work is incredible; he never falters and remains attentive at all times. He likes people and is empathetic towards them. People turn to him when they have a problem, because they know he will support them and that they will bene fit from his vast technical expertise. As with his favourite sub­ject, free diving, he knows how to be demanding and bring the best out in everyone. He enjoys life, especially in a good restaurant. J

PIErrE EPArS AND XAVIEr rICh: “Entre­preneurship means to dare and take action!”

Xavier Rich gained a BTS (brevet de technicien supérieur) in 1980 making him a senior technician in geological exploration and he graduated in geotechnical engineer-ing in 1991. His experience includes geothermal heating projects, plus geological, geotechnical and hydrogeolog-ical studies and even the realisation of the earthworks of high-speed rail lines. He was project manager, sales manager and subsequently branch manager in Paris, then in Marseille; he joined BG at the end of 2007. The BG Marseille branch now has twenty-one employees.

Pierre Epars graduated as a civil engineer from EPFL in 1986. He joined BG in 1989. He has gained extensive experience from dams to road and rail tunnels, and building technology, owing to the vast career opportuni-ties offered by BG. In 1997, he went back to the classroom and attained an MBA at the University of Lausanne. He returned to BG, took over the Building and Energy Do-main where he is developing comprehensive building engineering. He is a partner and member of the Execu-tive Board of BG.

8 ■ BG 2013

riskwhat is the relationship between natural hazards, radioactive

waste and road tunnels? They all pose a risk to humans. The com-plexity of risk management is constantly increasing as is the need

for security. what does this development mean for engineering? This special report touches upon some of the answers.

Page 15

Interview with Andreas Götz:

natural hazards

Page 18

radioactive waste: under-

ground mission

Page 20

Trends: the risks of

the future

SPECIAL REPoRT oN RISk

Page 10

Integrated risk

management

BG 2013 ■ 9

10 ■ BG 2013

SPECIAL REPoRT oN RISkIntegrated risk management

A new science for engineering

Whether natural or technological, risk is part of our everyday life. No engineer, no matter how clever he is, can ever

avoid it. But reducing it, that is another matter. Engineering can turn a potential major hazard, into a measured residual risk.

The expertise of BG incorporates all the stages: analysis, assessment, prevention and management.

Risk is no longer what it used to be. What was once always natural has now become technological with the development of industrialisation, human activities and ur­banisation. As this development continues to evolve, BG’s engineering responds with a methodology that is constantly updated and uses precision tools to analyse and evaluate accidental events, put forward

measures, help make decisions and deter­mine what is to be done in a world still full of uncertainties.

A Risk Competence Centre at BG. The integrated risk management at BG is synonymous with transversality. Infra­structure, environment, building, energy: the Risk Competence Centre of BG can

call on all their internal skills as required in all of these sectors. For as surely as the dangers lying in wait can combine and multiply in various forms, the solutions must integrate multiple disciplines. “We are able to develop methodologies for the technical authorities,” said Raphaël Defert, manager of the Risk Competence Centre. “In all, I can count on one hun­dred engineers at the heart of the Risk Competence Centre from Paris to Zurich and from Lyon to Lausanne. We are used to working together and we share our methods.”

The engineer is not alone. The inte­grated risk management does not just draw on internal skills. It involves all the

parties concerned, including multiple interactions with the authorities and government services, public emergency services (fire department, police, etc.), experts, financiers, politics, associations and industrial circles — on an internation­al level, too. BG is also recognised for its

CuMuLATIVE rISkS. Vernier (GE), a real estate project between oil depots, a railway track and motorway.

responses to hazards must pool

multiple disciplines.

ChILLoN VIADuCT: undergoing improvements to deal with

the seismic risks in particular.

BG 2013 ■ 11

Transjurane: safety from one end to the other85 km through the canton of Jura and Bernese Jura, the Transjurane motor-way, with two and four lanes, connects the Franco-Swiss border (Delle-Bon-court) to the city of Biel from north to south. Its safety is at the heart of BG’s commission, both for the investigations and for monitoring the performance of the electromechanical equipment.

The reality on the ground. The 34 km stretch already open to traffic in the canton of Jura are subject to the security protocols that the Confederation stipulates for all its motorways, with each territorial unit being monitored by its own security manager. But it is on the ground that these safety concepts are implemented and refined.

With our French neighbours. “We work closely with the ‘blue lights’ organ-isations,” says Daniel Stadelmann, in charge of the electromechanical section at the Service of bridges and roadways in the canton of Jura. “As operators of the A16 chiefly in the canton of Jura, we are in charge of the technical man-agement of the facilities to ensure the safety of its users. If there is a serious accident on the A16, obviously the emergency services will be the first in line. In the border area, we have adapted our shared response protocols, especial-ly with our French neighbours from the area of Belfort. We continue to work with BG and its office in Delémont for issues involving technical monitoring, and we find that this collaboration is more than satisfactory.”

12 ■ BG 2013

knowledge of European, French, Swiss, German and British standards and regu­lations. Its experience has grown in stat­ure beyond Europe, especially on the African continent. After all, risk itself does not recognise borders either.

The emblematic tunnel. “Our cus­tomers like to deal with just one office that takes care of everything, from the diagnosis, study, design and follow­up monitoring phases to the operational phase,” adds Raphaël Defert. Tunnels are

emblematic of this very process. Whether road or rail, urban or rural, single or twin tube, they do not involve the same types of risk or the same type of design, not forgetting the fact that we do not treat old and new constructions in the same way either. One thing that tunnels do have in common is that they are within confined spaces, and as such the risks in­crease and access becomes vital. The fire in the Mont­Blanc tunnel, in March 1999, highlighted some shortcomings in trans­port infrastructure and triggered a broad international movement to reduce risks in tunnels.

For example, BG conducted a “Specific Hazard Investigation” for the Duplex A86 tunnel (a 10 km long double­deck tunnel in the region of Paris). The title may sound straightforward, but it covers cross­sec­tional studies to ultimately manage the

safety of its users, right from when the incident is triggered (breakdown, acci­dent, fire, etc.) to controlling these inci­dents. The detailed study presented the opportunity to analyse the sequence of

“we are able to develop methodologies

for the technical authorities.”

Simulation through the creation of a model is crucial for assessing

natural hazards.

CoNTroL rooM. Bridges, tunnels and highways under permanent technical supervision

for the benefit of its users.

TrANSVErSALITy. From the initial studies to the action taken, risk management envisages

the worst­case scenario in order to avoid it.

BG 2013 ■ 13

events and consequences of multiple sce­narios in order to optimise the safety fea­tures and operation of this exceptional construction.

Innovative methods. In terms of in­dustrial risks, the major real estate pro­ject in the Quartier de l’Etang, in Vernier

(canton of Geneva) seemed to attract all the disadvantages: it is located between several oil depots, a railway track, motor­way and a major oil pipeline. Commis­sioned with fulfilling the requirements of the cantonal authorities, BG conducted a risk assessment by providing three­ dimensional simulation software and presenting the worst­case scenario in order to prevent it and, if necessary, to contain it.

Simulation is also crucial for the evalu­ation of natural hazards. Simulating floods in Delémont in order to avoid a repeat of the floods in 2007, simulating rockfalls in Haut­Bugey (France) where the TGV line runs along a steep cliff, both entail measuring the potential size of a

major accident with the use of powerful tools. And subsequently to provide a re­sponse plan of action to reduce the risks so as to guarantee an adequate level of security.

Extensive responsibilities. BG act­ed as the project expert for the presti­gious Rolex Learning Center, “a centre of knowledge and a place for living” in Lau­sanne; a powerful symbol, as the history of BG is closely linked to that of the EPFL. It was also a challenging commission,

oBSoLESCENCE: some of the piers on the Chillon viaducts must be reinforced, their

concrete repaired and their foundations lined with reinforced concrete.

Public pressure forces policy makers to

properly set the threshold of acceptability.

“BG is recognised for its knowledge of European standards

and regulations.”

14 ■ BG 2013

which included developing the concept of fire protection: detection and control, emergency lighting, signage and sound system for evacuations. This is just one example among many of the scope of re­sponsibility affiliated with risk manage­ment at every step.

The pollution of soil, water and air is another one of BG’s areas of competence in the field of risk. Land that has become damaged for a long period of time due to human activities constitutes an acci­dental or chronic risk. BG conducted a clean­up operation to rehabilitate the land at the production site of the for­ mer Givaudan factory in Lyon, which will

consequently be used for various pur­poses.

And what of the obsolete structures that hide a latent danger? What risk would a motorist be taking as he crosses the viaduct of Chillon if engineers neg­lected the effects of both its aging and exposure to multiple stresses? As a result of newly acquired knowledge in the field of seismic risk, repairs must be under­taken as a matter of urgency.

A project for society. It concerns risks in tunnels as well as other areas. These risks are potentially rare, but soci­ety does not accept that disasters strike. At any price? Surely not. But public pres­sure forces policy makers to properly set the acceptability threshold; it is the com­promise between the challenges and the damage that may ensue. Investment of­

ten responds to the rule of “common sense” and “common sense” will then search for solutions that are equivalent in terms of the level of safety, but less costly for society.

Finally, the integrated risk manage­ment is more than just pure engineering. Of course, the most scientific methods allow us to assess the risks in selected scenarios. But the hypotheses may be numerous, systems are often ill­defined, hazards are physically complex and the consequences of adverse events can be difficult to identify. But who will decide what is acceptable or not? There are multiple factors involved: social, eco­nomic, political, environmental and cul­tural. And then, what mode of prevention or protection should be chosen? Should we build to protect? Should we regulate to reduce the exposure to the hazard? Should we contact an insurance compa­ny for cover? Should we be educated to improve our conduct? Should we organ­ise ourselves to be ready to respond? No doubt a little of all of this needs to be adopted.

Is the integrated risk management a new science? A new art for the engineer? It is certainly a project for society in all instances. J

ThE rISk CoMPETENCE CENTrE CoMMITTEE: Raphaël Defert,

Marc Emery, Antoine Magnollay, Thierry Buchs and Khalid Essyad.

In brief

BG and SecuritasIt is not commonplace for an engineering company to collaborate with a provider of security services, but that is what BG and Securitas have achieved and the end product is as simple as it is sensible: a package of comprehensive measures for the security of buildings and infrastruc­tures.

The logo of this product, FS&S, refers to protection and security against fire. The collaboration between BG and Secu­ritas began at the end of 2012 and to­gether they offer customers a package of comprehensive security measures for both seismic safety and fire protection,

as well as the prevention of burglary and terrorism. The two initial schemes of­fered focus on the safety of people, build­ings and infrastructures.

• Global audits and concepts for fire pre­vention and fire protection (Fire Safe­ty).

• Global audits and concepts for the pre­vention of intentional damage (Fire Se­curity).

FS&S is available from both BG and Securitas; the two companies have the complementary expertise to implement these projects. J

There are multiple factors involved: social,

economic, political, envir-onmental and cultural.

obsolete structures can hide

a latent danger.

Andreas Götz is president of the Swiss Platform for Natural Hazards PLANAT and Deputy Director of the Federal Office

for the Environment. In this interview he talks about risk awareness, the national risk strategy and his meteoric career

in the voluntary fire service.

SPECIAL REPoRT oN RISkInterview with Andreas Götz

“The most important thing is that people

talk about the risks.”

BG 2013 ■ 15

The manAndreas Götz is president of the Nation-al Platform for Natural Hazards, PLA-NAT. Between 2006 and the summer of 2013, he served as Deputy Director of the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) responsible for the areas of risk prevention, forestry and climate. He be-gan his career as a civil engineer with a specialisation in water and worked at the Federal Office for Water and Geology between 1973–2005. Andreas Götz was born in Interlaken (CH) in 1948 and now lives in the municipality of Vechigen near Bern.

Would it have been safer to phone instead of calling on you?Götz: I wouldn’t say that. It is well known that the most dangerous place to be is in bed – that is where most people die (laughs). But otherwise if your house or your office is in a vulnerable zone, you are safer here in my office.

Natural hazards are not an immediate threat to me if I live and work in the city, right?Götz: You believe that! The human mem­ory for flood disasters stretches back just seven years on average, you simply for­get so much. The greatest threat to cities is earthquakes. The Basel earthquake in 1356 would cause about 60 billion Swiss Francs worth of damages today, not least because of insufficient preventive meas­ures. This equates to 20 times that of the record flood in 2005.

Do natural hazards tend to be underestimated?Götz: The significance of natural hazards has indeed been underestimated in the past, because Switzerland did not experi­ence any natural disasters for several decades, not until the 80s of the last cen­tury. However, the series of major events

in recent years, notably the floods in 1987, has quickly led to a rethink. It was found that some areas did not give enough consideration to natural hazards in their spatial planning.

We can influence certain risks and escape others. Where does one’s personal responsibility start?Götz: The important thing is that people talk about the risks. If you do not know what can happen, you cannot take any responsibility for it. Therefore, risk com­munication is the key to risk awareness, risk awareness in turn is a prerequisite for personal responsibility.

The Swiss Federal Council launched the National Platform for Natural Hazards PLANAT in 1997. Why?Götz: The federal government wanted the people to protect tangible assets such as buildings and natural resources against natural hazards on a nationwide basis. The Federal Council commissioned PLANAT with identifying any gaps in safety planning, to develop strategies for integrated risk management and pro­mote its actual implementation.

Integrated risk management is a cornerstone of the national risk strategy. What does it entail?Götz: Integrated risk management is in fact a central issue. It means that all pos­sible risks are systematically analysed and all the measures for prevention, in­tervention and restoration are examined. Concepts for protection are evaluated according to their environmental com­patibility, economic efficiency and social cohesion.

Do the hazard maps replace old local knowledge?Götz: Yes, absolutely. For a long time old local knowledge and storm reports were the most important basis for planning measures. Today, people no longer live their entire lives in one place. We there­fore no longer have this knowledge. The hazard maps fill this gap.

Risk management is a buzzword of the hour. How can you manage risks?Götz: It’s about taking advantage of all the opportunities to reduce the risk. Spa­tial planning measures take priority in this. When planning the use of space, pos­sible hazards to be considered must in­clude natural hazards. Where the plan­ning is not sufficient, the risk is then miti­gated by structural measures. Either way, there must be a contingency plan.

The funds are often limited. What are the priorities?Götz: The principle is: “High protection

“rising prosperity and the expansion of urban-ised areas increase the potential for damage.”

ANDrEAS GöTZ: “It was immediately clear to me that a flood could put a large part of the residential area under water.”

16 ■ BG 2013

“The existing flood defences are getting

on in years.”

only for high­value properties.” You do not need to protect a potato field in the same way as you do a schoolhouse. By classifying the protection goals, you can minimise the structural interventions and thereby save a lot of money.

Defence structures are aging, incidents caused by extreme weather conditions are increasing. It all starts adding up for the engineers.Götz: Yes indeed! The existing flood de­fences in particular are getting on in years. And because of climate change they will be under even more pressure in the future than they are now. If Switzer­land wants to preserve today’s level of protection, it will cost billions in the com­ing decades.

Has the damage potential changed?Götz: Yes, because of rising prosperity and the steady expansion of urbanised

areas, the damage potential has in­creased considerably. Then there are the consequences of global warming. An event that usually only happens every hundred years today, will probably be­come a twenty year event in 50 years time. We must adapt to these changes.

Have you ever personally experienced the dangerous side of nature?Götz: I have. I live in Vechigen, near Bern. I bought a house there in 1985. While visiting the neighbourhood I noticed a stream behind the new residential area. Although my house was safe on a hill, it was immediately clear to me that a flood could put a large part of the residential area under water. The municipality did not take my warning seriously. Just one year later, three 100­year events took place within 14 months resulting in tens of millions worth of damages. During the third flood I had a meteoric career as a

volunteer firefighter, I went from sandbag carrier to head of operations.

I understand you will be retiring this year. Could you tell us your plans?Götz: I will never stop being involved in the area of natural hazards even after I retire. On the one hand, I will be presiding over PLANAT for a new term of office, i.e.

until 2015. On the other hand, I have al­ready been asked to give lectures around the world. I maintain very good contacts in China in particular. So you will there­fore see me more often there. J

PLANATThe National Platform for Natural Hazards, PLANAT, is an extra-parlia-mentary commission, which was launched by the Federal Council in 1997. It is committed, at a strategic level, to the environmentally sustain-able, socially equitable and economi-cally efficient prevention of natural hazards in Switzerland. The commis-sion’s objective is a paradigm shift, from pure protection against haz-ards to a management of risk culture.www.planat.ch

“you do not need to protect a potato field in

the same way as you do a schoolhouse.”

ANDrEAS GöTZ: “The earthquake of Basel in 1356 would cause about 60 billion worth of damages today.”

ANDrEAS GöTZ: “If you do not know what can happen, you cannot assume any responsibility.”

BG 2013 ■ 17

AT THE HEART oF THE LAB2000: start of construction40 m of galleries at –445 m

1,200 m of galleries at –490 mwww.andra.fr

SPECIAL REPoRT oN RISkUnderground laboratory, France

radioactive waste: underground mission

An underground laboratory in Bure, France, is dedicated to the research for the deep storage of radioactive waste. BG contributes

its expertise and triggers an innovative approach.

18 ■ BG 2013

SPECIfIC TEChNIQuES: for studying the methods of excavation and retaining.

AT THE HEART oF THE LAB2000: start of construction40 m of galleries at –445 m

1,200 m of galleries at –490 mwww.andra.fr

On the borders of the Meuse and Haute­Marne, Bure is home to an Underground Research Laboratory for scientific and technological experiments. There are no radioactive elements on site, but engin­eers are focused on a single mission: to evaluate the properties of containment of the geological formation located 500 metres underground. This underground laboratory is one of the research facilities of the National Agency for Radioactive Waste Management (Andra), commis­sioned by the French government. BG’s work at the Bure site involves excavating the tunnels, constructing the support structures and installing networks in the galleries.

Access and pace. The laboratory cur­rently has over 1,200 metres of galleries excavated at 445 and 490 metres under­ground, and two access shafts, measur­ing 4 and 5 metres in diameter respect­ively. This restricted accessibility poses some constraints for BG as it necessitates the use of specific or adapted materials and techniques. The most recent example

to date is a tunnel boring machine with a special drilling head, specially manufac­tured, which is lowered down in parts and then reassembled inside the laboratory. It means that the support structures can be gradually erected in step with the excav­ation work.

Working without water. The labora­tory also studies the impact of the sup­port structure and excavation methods (cracking, deformation of the walls, etc.). In fact, the hydro­geomechanical proper­ties of the argillite can be affected at the

BG 2013 ■ 19

edges of the structures depending on the excavation method used. They are tested in a geological layer of Callovian­Oxfor­dian argillite, some 160 million years old, which is impervious to any natural infil­tration. But these properties, which are

the very reason why the site of Bure was chosen, may degrade in the area dis­turbed by the excavation if the moisture content of the argillite greatly increases. This is where other important technical constraints arise as it is not possible to use water, either to spray the area to con­trol the dust, or to prevent the machines from overheating during the boring pro­cess.

Profitable experiences. BG engin­eers monitor the construction phases in perfect harmony with the technical and scientific requirements of Andra, and at the pace required for their observations. “Andra is an exceptional and demanding

client with exacting requests and techni­cal constraints that enter new territories, so we have to be constantly alert and flexible,” notes Elisabeth Demas, Project Manager for BG. “Our close connection with Andra provides us with some inter­esting feedback on our work.”

With a parallel commission for equip­ping the galleries, the Bure site gives BG the opportunity to further broaden its understanding of the conditions so that it can build scalable facilities — ventilation, cooling, production and distribution of power — that take into account future requirements. J

Argillite, some 160 million years old,

impervious to any natural infiltration.

with exacting requests and technical constraints that enter

new territories. INNoVATIVE AND rESPoNSIVE: Régis Desbief, Laurent Chantron,

Cheikh Fall Gueye, Elisabeth Demas, Leslie Marquiand and Cédric Kaufmann.

CroSS-SECTIoN of ThE SITE: two shafts to access the centre of the lab.

Auxiliary shaft entry

Access shaft entry

Surface facilities

–20m

–120m

–420m

–550m

Oxfordian

TithonianKimmeridgian

Callovo-Oxfordian

Dogger

Underground facilities

Auxiliary shaft

Access shaft

Experimentation galleries(–490m)

Experimentation recess(–445m)

450m

Source: ANDRA

Disasters around the world are on the in­crease, whether natural or man­made. The reinsurance company, Swiss Re, pub­lishes a detailed analysis every year in its company magazine sigma, wherein the preamble defines the notion of a disaster as being: total economic losses of about

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

201020052000199519901985198019751970

Man-made disasters

Natural disasters

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ALArMING INCrEASES: most countries are reacting.

SPECIAL REPoRT oN RISk Three trends

Swis

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12

Shortages by 2030By 2030, the world will be a radically dif­ferent place than it is today. We will no longer have a single hegemonic country. Individual accountability and the distri­bution of power between countries help to create informal networks that are in­creasingly complex.

This horizon of 2030 as released by the American National Intelligence Coun­cil alludes to an inevitable increase in potential risks and threats, as for exam­ple access to weapons, the increase in terrorism and instabilities affiliated with the migration of populations. The NIC also notes that the growth in our need for resources (water: +40%, food: +35%) brings with it the risk of shortages that will affect much of the world’s popula­tion. Jwww.acus.org

Mega­cities represent a new place where dangers can emerge, according to the International Risk Governance Council (IRGC). In 1950, there were two such mega­cities, New York and Tokyo, com­pared with 26 in 2010; the largest is still Tokyo with 34 million inhabitants. Mega­ cities (a city with over 10 million inhabit­ants according to the definition of the United Nations) attract risks more than other cities because their size and com­

Disasters on the increase$ 90 million or casualties of no less than 20 dead, 50 injured and 2,000 homeless.

The rise in natural disasters, which claim the greatest number of victims, is linked to the growth in population, rapid urbanisation and the degradation of the environment, evident factors in countries

with low and medium revenues and rapid­ly growing economies. In response, most countries have set up risk prevention or­ganisations, such as the Federal Emer­gency Management Agency (FEMA) in the United States. Jwww.swissre.com/sigma

plexity amplify phenomena such as natu­ral risks, failure of infrastructures, pollu­tion, shortages in food, water and energy, poverty, crime and corruption and social tensions.

The IRGC, founded in 2003 in Geneva, is designed to help raise awareness and improve the governance of systemic risks. Jwww.irgc.org

Systemic risks

MEGA-CITIES like Tokyo are a magnet for risks.

20 ■ BG 2013

our aim: drinking water for everybody

In Algeria, BG is involved in construction work that will help supply essential drinking water to the country and its people. The Chéliff

dam is an example of such a construction as it provides nearly 160 million m3 of water to 2.5 million inhabitants.

ThE ChéLIff DAM: a water intake to stop the water deficit of three wilayas.

BG 2013 ■ 21

PoRTFoLIoAlgeria: water supply

22 ■ BG 2013

In Algeria, BG is now a major player in the supply of drinking water for the country and its people. The towns of Mostaga­nem, Arzew and Oran in the southwest of Algeria close to the coasts of the Mediter­ranean Sea, have been suffering from a water shortage for many years. The Alge­rian government has launched a huge project valued at 800 million euros to tackle the problem. The project name is based on the first letter of the three towns: M.A.O. BG acts as project manager and assumes the commission for techni­cal assistance. “This national project af­fects the people of these three wilayas whose population is the equivalent to that of as many departments in France,” says Hacène Bekhouche, head of BG Algeria.

Vital need. The only way to combat the water shortage in this area is to direct the much­needed water here. It is estimated that over 340,000 m3 of water is needed to meet the daily requirements of the population in the M.A.O. area. The desal­ination stations currently supply 80% of this daily requirement, the groundwater (pumped) provides 3%, whilst the dams and reservoirs fulfil the remaining 17%.

Hacène Bekhouche: “This is where BG can step in thanks to its experience, by adapting and reconfiguring the solutions already applied elsewhere to solve the problems here!”

Looking for water. The Nile is Egypt’s reservoir of water. By analogy, the Chéliff is Algeria’s largest river (approx. 750 km

long). It rises in the Tell Atlas at almost 2,000 metres above sea level. It then fol­lows an erratic course in the northwest of the country and has a very irregular flow as can be seen from the flooding. It floods a fertile valley along the way, which is quite aptly named the “granary of Alge­ria”, before finally emptying into the Mediterranean Sea, 100 km east of the city of Oran.

Analysis and solutions. “We’re not going to let this water simply go out to sea without doing anything with it, espe­cially since the remainder is rather sub­stantial,” notes the head of BG Algeria. The problem in a nutshell. On the one hand there is a large watershed, already four or five dams, the sea is close, there is hardly any gradient and no geomorpho­logical dip. “It is therefore impossible to drown the area.” On the other hand, there are large volumes available without a watershed where nobody lives. Hacène Bekhouche: “The obvious solution is to build a dam over the water with a power­ful pumping station at the end of the river. Then we would need to build a larger holding reservoir in the uninhabited area and divert the pumping water to store it, before then distributing it to the people as and when they needed it.”

Attractive and convincing. Simple and effective, the solution proposed by BG has won again and avoided a stale­mate. Today, the diversion dam from the

The four lots of the “M.A.o. corridor”The system is set out as a group of four packages. Firstly, the intake dam of Chéliff, its pumping station, the pipeline between the intake and the water treatment plant, and the intermediate regulation basin. Secondly, the Kerrada dam (70 million m3) and the conduits between the intake dam and Kerrada. Thirdly, the supply lines to the M.A.O. corridor (90 km) and lastly, the treat-ment plant of Sidi Lahdjel (capacity 6.5 m3/s).

In numbers. The Chéliff dam has an intake, settling and raw water pumping system. The pumping station supplies the water to the treatment plant, which is powered by the network, and has a total power of 55 MW for a maximum flow rate of 9.5 m3/s. It is equipped with eight sludge traps measuring 50 metres in diameter. The 8 km long cast steel pipeline, which stretches to the treatment plant and the intermediate 1,600 m3 reservoir, measures an impressive 2,000 mm in diameter.

ThE SuPPLy of wATEr is vital for the entire population, in Algeria just as it is elsewhere.

“This water supply project, valued at

800 million euros, is a nationwide concern.”

“we’re not going to let this water simply

go out to sea and do nothing with it.”

BG 2013 ■ 23

Chéliff has a total capacity of 50 million m3 and a usable capacity of 20 million m3. It is made of concrete and has an embank­ment wing. Its equipment includes four sluice gates measuring 15 x 11.5 metres and spillways for an annual flooding of 840 m3/s (which corresponds to a 25­me­tre municipal swimming pool being emp­tied in one second).

The job of the Chéliff is to supply water to the Kerrada dam, which is upstream, and simultaneously supply a drinking water treatment plant. “The principle be­hind the whole system is to direct any ex­cess water upstream in order to optimise the resource,” says Hacène Bekhouche.

Numerous and delicate missions. BG’s involvement in the success of the Chéliff dam project is crucial. The engin­eering firm is committed to the technical, administrative and financial aspects of the project. The summarised clauses of the contract also explain that “BG pro­vides support to the Algerian National Agency for Dams and Transfers in all of its tasks pertaining to project manage­ment and procurement (studies, work, control, etc.) up to when the work is com­pleted and accepted.” Any disputes aris­

SPECIALISTS IN BLuE GoLD: Hacène Bekhouche, head of BG

Algeria, and Jean­Noël Cretenet, project manager.

THE CHéLIFF DAMMaximum height: 48 mCapacity: 50 million m3

Watershed: 43,700 km2

Treated volume: 160 million m3

ing from the above­mentioned project are also part of the agreement and BG, says Hacène Bekhouche, “at the request of the Administration and in the frame­work of an international arbitration re­lated to this project, will provide the Ad­ministration with an internationally re­nowned expert”.

The water flows. The M.A.O. already structures the transfer of water between the Chéliff dam and the three affected towns since 2009. It is improved on a regular basis. The wilaya of Oran, with a population of over 1.5 million inhabitants, is the main beneficiary with 110 million m3 of treated water delivered every year. This equates to about one tenth of the volume of Lake Biel, which as a whole

represents the total volume of water consumed per year in Switzerland. It supplies no less than 45 million m3 of water every year via the pipelines to the wilaya of Mostaganem and its 800,000 inhabitants. Nowadays, these people simply have to turn on the tap in their homes for the water to flow, the source of life.

Tomorrow. Although this supply may meet the demand for drinking water in the coastal cities today, a part of Algeria still suffers from a shortage of water. Linking up a distribution system for more remote areas and smaller settlements is a persistent issue that is still to be re­solved. Like other issues, for example rationalising the distribution and the abil­ity to supply the coastal towns with sea water from desalination stations. A new desalination plant project (550,000 m3/

day) is in its final stages at El Maktaa and as a result, other towns will soon be con­nected to the M.A.O. corridor.

Supplying the entire population with water is an option being considered by the new management of water resources of the Oran plane (the region of Oran). It would use water dams to revive agricul­ture and irrigate the land. Hacène Bek­houche remains vigilant: “We are at the heart of the events and always remain attentive to help find the best and the most effective solutions.” J

Kerrada dam

Chéliff dam

Pumping station

Oran II reservoir

Oran I reservoir

Mostaganem reservoir

Water treatmentplant

Algeria

Pumping station

Mostaganem

Arzew

Oran

Mediterranean Sea

ThE M.A.o. wATEr SuPPLy CorrIDor. Geographical location of the various works.

“we are at the heart of the events and always

remain attentive.”

“Nowadays, these people simply have to turn on the tap in their homes for the water to flow.”

Sour

ce: D

atab

ase

Nat

iona

l Dam

s A

genc

y

24 ■ BG 2013

The art of collaboration

Renowned architects, Wilmotte & Associés (Paris) and Brodbeck-Roulet (Carouge), are building the new Arts Centre

of the International School of Geneva with BG and its multidisciplinary engineering team.

PoRTFoLIoCentre des Arts, Geneva

We’re in the 21st century, so why create an arts centre on a school campus? The International School of Geneva (EIG) in Switzerland wants to open up the oppor­tunities for students to discover, learn and develop the values and modes of art­istic expression. And then present their work to the public, in a world where cul­ture is by definition part of education.

Collaboration. Let’s go back to 2004, when the notional seed of a new arts centre was planted and subsequently germ inated in 2009. Since then, different models were put forward by the renowned architects Wilmotte & Associés in Paris.

Parts of the project were presented on site by their local counterparts in Ca­rouge, Brodbeck­Roulet SA. The different approaches submitted for the future Arts Centre of the EIG began to take form in June 2010 with the completion of the first studies, which subsequently con­tinued until December 2011.

“BG and its multidisciplinary teams became involved in the project after the architects had made their choice,” notes

Nicolas Siniciali, project engineer for the technical facilities. “We offer all our vari­ous professional skills. That is why we ap­pealed to the architects, our partners, with whom we worked as a real team.”

Multidisciplinarity. The skills of the various specialists involved in the project, whether in civil engineering works or those engaged in solving the complex problems of heating, ventilation, sanita­tion, electricity or fire safety, were of a huge advantage to the client who was able to benefit from not having to out­source numerous suppliers and special­ised agencies. It should be borne in mind that as a pluridisciplinary commission, the client has a single point of contact: BG.

“Multidisciplinary, BG is the choice partner

for architects.”

BG’s commission. To construct the Arts Centre of EIG, BG has to per-form all aspects of engineering work, not only, for example, civil engin-eering services at the excavation level, geotechnical works, structure and safety, but also heating, ventilation, sanitation, electricity, fire safety and building physics. BG manages all of the coordination and responsibilities associated with these techniques in-house.

The project. The project is of a high architectural quality and must meet the Minergie standards as a low energy consumption building thanks to its thermal envelope. The building will include a 400- seat auditorium, a 180-seat theatre, classrooms and modular studios for visual arts, music, dance and drama. It will cost 25 million Swiss francs.

PLurIDISCIPLINArITy IN forCE: Vincent Popolillo, Cyril Michel (inset), Alice White, Nicolas Siniciali and Patrick Heck.

“This pluridisciplinarity simplifies the steps involved. We only need to liaise with the main contractor Losinger, and as the

work progresses we can incorporate any ideas for improvement, simplification and savings that are put forward and dis­cussed.”

Technology and flexibility. The tech­nical solutions applied incorporate nu­merous innovative solutions. For exam­ple, the challenge of how to get the pre­fabricated concrete walls measuring 10 metres high onto the construction site: “There is no room for error; before erect­ing the walls we have to position the openings for the electrical conduits and pipes in advance, and everything has to line up perfectly,” says the BG project manager.

He also knows that they have to be ready for changes; for example when the EIG changed their mind and decided to remove a concrete slab separating the two floors so that they could create a mini rehearsal hall with a surface area of 100 m2, which was also to include ele­

ments of scenography. “We consequent­ly quickly set about reworking the tech­nical drawings.” This demonstrates their flexibility and resourcefulness and also the strength of the teams working to­gether towards their common goal, that of inaugurating the Arts Centre of the EIG on time in September 2014. J

ThE ArTS CENTrE of ThE EIG: inside, functional space for students and concert halls to accommodate the public. Seen from the outside, it is a haven of light.

“with BG as the sole respondent, the steps

of the client are greatly simplified.”

“flexibility and resource-fulness are the strengths

of the teams working together on the project.”

BG 2013 ■ 25

“Night work is becoming ever

more prevalent”ARP is responsible for the new commuter rail station

in a prosperous commercial area of the municipality of Steinhausen in the canton of Zug. Is it a classic project

for engineers? The project manager responsible Peter Bisang tells us more.

PoRTFoLIoCommuter rail station, Switzerland

Peter Bisang, the construction of a new commuter rail station seems to be a completely typical engineering project. Or are we being deceived?Bisang: Yes, it is deceptive. A few new stations have been built around Zug in the last five to ten years, but every site has its own characteristics.

What was different in this case?Bisang: The station is located in a major industrial area. Some of the companies based there have delicate manufacturing processes that are sensitive to vibrations. Right next to the station, for example, there is a company that manufactures high­precision machines for the semicon­ductor industry. There is even a printing

house that uses special processes direct­ly next the station. In order to respect the needs of these businesses and also for safety reasons, we did all the pile driving work at night, i.e. positioning the sheet

piles and foundation piles. The site was a hive of activity night after night for about a month.

Is working at night a new concept for you?Bisang: Night work is commonplace in the rail sector. It is becoming more and

more common elsewhere, too, such as work on the national and cantonal roads. Night work reduces the problem of long traffic jams or complicated diversions. In brief, the people travelling suffer the fewest restrictions possible when work is carried out during off­peak times. The drawback though is that local residents

The new commuter rail station rigiblickThe former farming village of Steinhausen has become a large community with an important industrial area. The canton of Zug is able to service the rapid growth and flow of commuters with the new commuter rail station. As from December 2012, there are half hourly services on the suburban S9 line linking the station with other major destinations. ARP was entrusted with the engineering services for the planning and implementation of the new station. The contract included:

• a new platform with a waiting area• stairs, ramps and a pedestrian subway• several areas to store bicycles• improvements to the existing railway tracks

The station is 320 metres long making it up to three times longer than other commuter rail stations. Due to its length, trains with three train units can operate at peak times. The expensive new system cost 10.65 million Swiss francs, which was provided jointly by the canton of Zug, the Infrastructure Fund of the federal government and the municipality of Steinhausen. It was commissioned by the canton of Zug, but it is owned and operated by the SBB.

“The atmosphere at night is special.”

26 ■ BG 2013

BG 2013 ■ 27

PRojECT STAGESBeginning of the contract: May 2010Start of construction: January 2012

Operational: December 2012

have to endure the inevitable noise at night …

… so the construction phase is shortened overall. Would this not be a reason to work even more at night?Bisang: In terms of this project it would not have made sense to work more at night. We had plenty of time and were well on course for finishing the station and it being operational for the timetable change. But in other construction pro­jects, including private ones, it may well be the case. Night work quickly makes a project more expensive. The builders and suppliers are paid at higher rates, and there is also the cost of the lighting on site. The quality of the work is not better than that done in daylight. The supply of materials must also be organised. Of course, the concrete plant works even at night, if need be, but the organisation and coordination is a lot more complicated.

What is it like to work on a construction site at night?Bisang: The atmosphere at night is spe­cial. The site is illuminated with powerful spotlights, most construction workers also have a head lamp on their helmet. It is very quiet — apart from the noise at the construction site of course. But there are no trains, traffic, hardly anybody is out. Because the temperatures fell to minus fifteen degrees in February, the builders also had to work in some very harsh con­ditions.

Were you on site every night with the rest of the team?Bisang: As project manager I had to come back at night from time to time, but it was not necessary for me to be there all the time. I was sort of on­call. But we made sure that one of the three super­visors visited the site at night. Further­more, there was always a security guard from the SBB on site. He had to close the route in the evening and open it again in the morning for the trains.

You mentioned foundation piles: Is the station on stilts?Bisang: Yes, incidentally, so are all the

other buildings here. We are on the for­mer shores of Lake Zug. The top sixteen metres of the ground are made up of soft clays, underneath which is the clay from the bottom of the lake. The water content of the soil is very high, its resilience and carrying capacity are therefore rather low. We had to drive 28 metre long piles into the ground. We had to seal off the entire area because we built the subway and ramps in the groundwater area. We even had to take precautions against

buoyancy, that is why individual compo­nents are solid and the entire facility has a sufficient net weight.

Do you require any special knowledge when working on marshy ground?Bisang: A geologist working for SBB ex­plained the nature of the soil. We used his results as the basis for our planning. We quickly realised the ground could on­ly be built on using foundation piles. The

ENGINEEr PETEr BISANG at the new station, the Rigi mountain in the background.

“I was sort of on-call at night.”

28 ■ BG 2013

NIGhT owLS:Heinz Bucher, Marco Hodel,

Patrick Staub and Peter Bisang.

question was then rather how to sink the foundation piles in the immediate vicin­ity of the track. We were able to resolve most of the issues within our team be­cause we have a lot of expertise and ex­perience.

Steinhausen has changed a great deal over the past few decades, from a rural village into an important commercial area. Is this development typical of the region?Bisang: Yes, there is actually a lot of building in the region. The plain between Zug, Cham and Steinhausen is slowly growing together. Around five hundred

companies have already settled in the area of the new station. And the potential is obviously still far from being fully ex­hausted. Even from our office you can see several construction cranes.

Is that gratifying for you to see as a civil engineer?Bisang: Development is not without con­troversy, and even civil engineers want to see green pastures! I am convinced that our buildings will become increasingly taller and closer together.

The construction work took about one year. Were there any special milestones in the project?Bisang: In order to build the subway, we had to completely close the track for two weekends. We separated the tracks and

put up a temporary bridge instead. The trains could then run across the excav­ation pit, directly over the heads of the builders! It only took us an hour to re­spectively set up and later dismantle the

bridge, but these were important mile­stones in this project. The SBB only has a limited number of such temporary bridges and they are practically in con­stant use on all kinds of building sites in Switzerland. We had to reserve this bridge over a year before the construc­tion even began!

The canton of Zug commissioned the project but delegated its management to the SBB. How did this collaboration work? Bisang: It was interesting for us to work with the SBB because they have a lot of

their own specialists, for example in pile driving, utility lines, architecture and much more. It just so happened that I found myself sitting at a coordination meeting with twelve specialists from SBB at the table. The exchange with these ex­perts was very valuable. You could cer­tainly sense that everyone wanted to contribute something worthwhile to the final product.

The new station has been running since December 2012. When was the project completed in your eyes?Bisang: The project was no longer part of my day­to­day business since autumn last year and so it felt almost complete to me. But of course there is still some work to be done, the site management has to settle the project, the plans of the work carried out must be updated and this kind of work can take a few months.

The Rigiblick station is not on your route to work. Do you ever personally benefit from a project you have carried out?Bisang: Although I do not need the sta­tion for my daily commute to the office, I use it in my spare time, which seems to me to be more gratifying. If I go for a bike ride with the children, it is the ideal place to cross the railway. (grins) J

“The builders worked under very harsh

conditions, down to minus fifteen degrees at time.”

“The trains could then run across the excavation

pit, directly over the heads of the builders!”

ThE MoST CoVETED ITEM oN ThE CoNSTruCTIoN SITE: the temporary bridge.

Electricity on demand

A pumped-storage plant first stores water and then generates huge amounts of electrical energy in a very short time,

especially when it is needed. In Valais, BG is an integral part of one of the two Swiss flagship projects: the Nant de Drance.

PoRTFoLIoNant de Drance, Switzerland

Switzerland faces a shortage of electri­city in 2035. This is the result of an imbal­ance between the availability of energy and the consumption of energy. This fore­cast by the Swiss government followed its decision in 2011 to phase out nuclear power. This risk is compounded by the ob­ligation to shut down five reactors that are currently still running.

Potential breakdowns. The energy needs of the Western world, electricity in particular, are steadily increasing. The demand for electricity rises during cold periods, with the increase use of heating systems. In fact, the conventional oil burn­ers, like the ecological systems powered by heat pumps, all work thanks to a supply of electricity.

During the winter of 2012—2013, im­ages of hundreds of people queuing at petrol stations in Greece and Spain shocked the public. But according to some experts, the consequences of a shortage of electricity would be far more serious than those related to the lack of fossil fuels. At the heart of it are soaring prices per kilowatt hour, but more impor­tantly there is the risk of the power grid collapsing. The grid could be managed with drastic restrictions in order to avoid

the paralysis of the system and the econ­omy. To ensure the obligatory steady supply, one solution is to anticipate the demand in electricity. So it then becomes a question of providing additional electri­cal energy resources that can be made available very quickly. Wind or solar ener­gy does indeed have a renewable origin but both are dependent on the weather and so ultimately cannot currently guar­antee stability on their own.

Balancing energy. Once it is produced, electrical energy must be consumed im­mediately otherwise it is lost. A so­called “balancing” energy is needed to contin­uously balance the supply and demand, in particular at peak times. One must also consider the variations in the levels

BG 2013 ■ 29

AN ENErGETIC TEAM: Nima Nilipour, Kathy Widmann, Michel van Mark,

Etienne Garin and Cosimo Mega.

BG’s missionsThanks to its multidisciplinary skills and expertise, BG has been in-volved in establishing the bases for the submission and analysis of the proposal to increase the power from 600 to 900 MW for the caverns, verification of their pre-sizing, assistance in geological surveys and rock mechanics.

Moreover, BG is responsible for the construction design of the main caverns, both machine and transformer caverns, with respect to the excavation, retaining framework and implementation of the structural work. Overall this represents some 1,500 implementation construction drawings. These caverns will each house six 150 MW pump-turbines for which BG has also provided the calculations of the dynamic effects on the structure. The engineering group is also involved in the on-site supervision of the work headed by Nant de Drance SA.

“The demand for electricity rises during

cold periods.”

30 ■ BG 2013

of alternative power available, i.e. ener­ gy generated from renewable sources, which are sometimes low due to adverse weather conditions. “The pumped­stor­age plants can fulfil this increased need,” notes Nima Nilipour, project manager at BG. The method is cost­effective and it is a real alternative. Its yield return is about 80%.

Using the example of the water travel­ling back and forth between Lake Geneva and the Hongrin reservoir in the canton of Vaud, “the pumped­storage plant is not a new technique in Switzerland, but it is being continuously improved,” says the project manager at BG. As proof, another great national project will be commis­sioned in Linthal, canton of Glarus, in 2015, equalling the dimensions those of the Nant de Drance. Together, they open a new era of major development in the

storage of water and the generation of electrical en ergy in Switzerland.

Historical production site. The Nant de Drance development is built in the Emosson lakes region. This site is par­ticularly suitable for the construction of hydraulic reservoirs: the Barberine dam was completed in 1925, the Vieux­Emos­son dam in 1955, and then the Emosson dam in 1975. The brook Nant de Drance connects the last two dams and so lends its name to the new development.

Nima Nilipour: “To produce electricity, we also utilise the downslope between the Lac du Vieux­Emosson and the Lac d’Emosson.” The Lac du Vieux­Emosson is 2,200 metres above sea level, and the project plans to raise the height of the dam by a further 21 metres. “We are con­structing a new underground hydroelec­tric power plant between the two lakes, which will be supplied by two 440­metre high shafts.” The fall of the water through the turbines will therefore be between 250 and 395 metres, depending on the filling level of the lakes.

Underground cathedral. Originally, BG was commissioned with an initial com­mission to verify the preliminary sizing of the general caverns. The main cavern has a volume of 270,000 m3, with sides that are 194 metres long by 32 m wide and

How it works. The pumped-storage plant uses the difference in altitude between two reservoirs. The water flows through turbines that power generators to generate electricity when energy demands are high, and thereby bridge the gap of power available on the national grid. By contrast, during off-peak hours, it is possible to cost-effectively pump up the water stored in the lower reser-voir. The flexibility of such a facility and the ability to immediately re-spond to peaks in demand, make it an indispensable tool for balancing the energy network.

Main players. The client is the com-pany Nant de Drance SA, based in Martigny. Since late 2012, its four shareholders are Alpiq (39%), SBB (36%), Industrielle Werke Basel IWB (15%) and Forces Motrices Valais-annes FMV (10%). The engineering firm AF-Consult, based in Baden, is responsible for the overall planning and coordination between the pro-ject’s various stakeholders. The civil engineering works are, in turn, car-ried out by GMI consortium which is made up by the companies Marti and Implenia. Alstom provides the elec-tromechanical equipment of the main cavern.

“The pumped-storage plant is not new in Switz-

erland, but it is being continuously improved.”

BG 2013 ■ 31

52 m high. The turbines will be housed at the heart of the system, while the trans­formers will be installed in a second cav­ern that is 130 metres long. The main cavern, which is like a real underground cathedral, is characterised by its static and dynamic structural complexity, as well as the influences of the various par­ties involved throughout the project.

As the work progressed and due to the multidisciplinary nature of BG, “we were asked to take on more and more tasks. Focused on solutions, we face new chal­lenges with pleasure,” says the CEO of BG, Laurent Vulliet.

The awarding of the Nant de Drance contract, which is renewable, covers a

span of eighty years, and expires at the beginning of 2100. The amount of civil engineering work represents 767 million Swiss francs, from a total budget cost of 1.8 billion francs.

Features. The scale of the site, local conditions and the number of players make it a particularly complex project that will last about seven years for BG.

Progressive: the Nant de Drance pro­ject has grown from a capacity of 600 to 900 MW during the implementation phase in order to increase the profitabil­ity of the development.

The main access tunnel, which is 5.6 km long and 9.45 metres in diameter, starts in Chatelard and passes under the Lac d’Emosson reservoir.

The power of water. The commission­ing of the first two pump­turbines is planned for 2017. The other four turbines are expected to start producing their energy gradually by the end of 2018. When at full power, all six devices can release an incredible 900 MW in just a few minutes. The energy produced here is enough to cover the annual electricity needs of 625,000 households in Switzer­land. J

LAC D’EMoSSoN, the second largest reservoir with a hydroelectric dam in

Switzerland (vol. 227 million m3).

THE PRojECT IN FIGURESInstalled capacity: 900 MW

Production: 2500 GWh/year Cost over 11 years: 1.8 billion Swiss francs

“we are working over 600 metres

underground to build the power plant.”

32 ■ BG 2013

Inter-cantonal flood protection

The extent of the damage during a flood, depends in part on the design of the banks opposite. The boundary of

two cantons meets at a section of the River Birs. So who carries out the work and who pays for it?

PoRTFoLIoThe River Birs, Switzerland

DrEAMy VALLEy – at least when the water levels are low.

BG 2013 ■ 33

kEY DATESFlood: August 2007

Public consultation: December 2010Completion: 2012/2013

On 10 August 2007, the day after the big flood in Switzerland, the former Swiss President Micheline Calmy­Rey went in the small hamlet of “Les Riedes” in the canton of Jura. Everywhere she went she met people busy cleaning up. In an other­wise idyllic hamlet on the River Birs the world seemed out of joint. Water, mud and debris had flooded the farmland fill­ing garages, cellars and ground floors.

Damages caused by flooding can quickly run into the millions. But what measures can prevent such a disaster? And who picks up the bill?

Clear responsibilities. In Switzerland, the municipalities are usually responsible for the protection against floods. How­ever, it is not such a rare thing for rivers to form a natural border between two municipalities or, as in the case of the River Birs, between two cantons. Since

the condition of a river bank depends on that of the opposing bank, there is the legitimate question of who is responsible for what actions are to be taken. Accord­ing to article 5 of the Fed eral Act con­cerning hydraulic engineering, the can­tons that share inter­cantonal waters can coordinate their actions and share the cost. And in practice it shows that the engineers involved in such a project can make an important contribution to its successful outcome.

Negotiation skills are a must. “Since we are dealing with an inter­can­tonal project, even more people than usual are involved in the project,” says Antoine Magnollay, project manager at BG. “We work together with two cantons from two different linguistic regions. Not only must we have expertise in engineer­

ing, but also effective negotiation skills, persuasion and perseverance.” And so it transpired that those in charge of the cantons, the municipalities, the civic community of “Les Riedes” and repre­sentatives of the Federal Office for the Environment met at the start of the pro­cess. Around a dozen people were sitting at a table with the engineers.

A two-part project. Although the River Birs forms the cantonal border between Soyhières and Liesberg, the two cantons found an even more interesting division for the project: the canton of Jura is responsible for the upper section of the Birs. As its owner it must carry out and finance all hydraulic engineering measures, even though these are partly on the territory of the canton of Basel­ Landschaft. The scenario is the other way around with regards to the lower section of the river.

Shortly after the flood, BG was com­missioned with analysing the event. It was necessary to mark out the flood areas and represent them on maps. Then a flood protection concept needed to be drawn up for both cantons. Subsequently, the inter­cantonal building project was addressed under the decisive leadership of BG. This was followed by field surveys, hydraulic calculations, investigations in relation to the hydrogeology and geo­morphology of the area, as well as an ecological analysis. The first measures have been under construction since 2012.

Integral hydraulic engineering. The objectives of the project at the River Birs were set very high. “One can speak of real integral hydraulic engineering,” ex­plains Antoine Magnollay. The flood pro­

tection consists of a combination of pro­tective structures as well as a significant widening of the river bed. The individual measures all interact and correspond to the surrounding conditions. The built­up area is better protected, and the ecologic al value of the river greatly in­creased at the same time.

After the flood of 2007, the severity of the situation was soon forgotten across the country. Long­term measures to pro­tect against flooding can sometimes take a long time, fortunately this was not the case at the River Birs. They were able to proceed with the protection concept and continue on to the start of construction without any objections or further delays. The work in the upper section was to be completed by mid­2013. J

The engineers had to have effective

negotiating skills.

oN ThE CANToNAL BoArDEr:Khalid Essyad and Antoine Magnollay.

BirsSpatial requirements for biodiversityDamCantonal boundaryGroynes

Les Riedes

Canton of Jura

Canton of Basel-Landschaft

ToGEThEr AT work: the canton of Jura and the canton of Basel­Landschaft protect the hamlet of “Les Riedes”.

The cantons coordinate their measures

and share the cost.

34 ■ BG 2013

Committed to sustainability

The mythical Valais ski resort at the heart of the Alps wants to adapt its impressive sports programme for

its guests and local residents. In future, summer and winter sports enthusiasts will practice their passion

in a centre powered by renewable energy.

PoRTFoLIoVerbier Sports Centre, Switzerland

Verbier wants to rebuild its sports centre, which dates back to the 1970s, and make it even more beautiful than before. The project is part of a complete audit that revealed some of the site’s problems, shortcomings and inadequacies. A plan of emergency measures to be implement­ed over two, five and ten years was drawn up, and the investment required amounts to millions of Swiss francs.

First the structural framework of the ice rink had to be sanitised for safety reasons (the weight of the snow is the main factor to be taken into considera­tion in the mountains). “Then the town of Bagnes wanted to go further, with a complete overhaul of the centre to meet the high requirements of visitors to the Verbier resort and the local residents,” notes Gilles Pirat, responsible at BG for the Construction Management unit.

Valued players. Owing to its success­ful experiences with BG in the past, with whom it has already sanitised the waste­

water treatment plant in Bagnes and completed real estate developments in Bruson, the town looks again to the engi­neering firm that it knows so well. BG has been involved in the sports centre project with studio “dar” architects in Ecublens.

Gilles Pirat: “We tried to answer the question: What can we turn this centre into?” Architects and engineers then pres ented a dozen or so studies and op­tions back in March 2011. Redefining their needs, the authorities and commissions from the tourism sector and the sports centre then required a more detailed project. The legislative body adopted it in September 2011 and granted a commit­ment appropriation of almost 45 million Swiss francs.

Architects and engineers then went back to work collaborating with local firms. They modified the project by intro­ducing plans for an energy concept and an extension of the multi­purpose sports hall, which would be mainly underground. They presented the new plans to the pub­lic, neighbouring villages and parties con­cerned.

Multidisciplinary thinking re qui red. The requirements here are numerous. It must propose solutions that fulfil the legal requirement, which stipulates that the stream flowing under the ice rink must return back to the open air. Further­

more, it must specify methods of heat recovery to produce the ice in the rink, and to then heat the water in the swim­ming pool and spa pool. “Our added value is our ability to act very early on, and thereby support every client through all their deliberations. We succeed in doing this thanks to our multidisciplinary ap­proach, which is supplemented with our interdisciplinarity,” points out Gilles Pirat.

BG’s skills relate to the engineering of all the building trades. The entirety of building physics, the structural aspects of existing and future three­dimensional wood frameworks, and the elements of comfort such as ventilation, air condition­ing, sanitation, electricity or water treat­ment hold no secrets for these specialist engineers. Gilles Pirat adds: “We are flexi­

VERBIER SPoRTS CENTREIce rinks, swimming pools, spa,

multi­purpose sports hall, restaurantInvestment: 45 million CHF

“The town wanted to go further, with

a complete overhaul of the centre.”

“our added value: we act very early on

and support the entire thought process.”

BG 2013 ■ 35

ble, we can put forward proposals and progress in line with our architect partner. Our responses are mutual contributions from both parties.”

Renewable energies and the chal-lenge. True to BG’s philosophy, the re­mote heating system selected will be eco­logical. Pellet boilers will be supplied with wood from local forests and also linked to solar panels. “Half of the energy pro­duced, about 1,800 kilowatts out of 3,600, will be used to power the sports centre. The other half will then heat around twenty chalets,” argues Gilles Pirat.

Another challenge for the future sports complex, which is away some distance from the centre of the village of Verbier: to bring the restaurant to life. Pierre Epars, member of the Executive Board and head of the Building and Energy Domain, reveals: “BG then contacted the hospitality management school, l’Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne.” The students re­viewed the location for their term papers and were drawing up some ideas for menus. Objective: “To bring people to the restaurant and inspire sports centre cus­tomers to stay for dinner.” J

PooLED EXPErTISE: Gilles Pirat, Jean­Baptiste Brunet, Laurent Giansetto,

Alessio Salerno and Laure Cadi.VERBIER SPoRTS CENTRE

Ice rinks, swimming pools, spa, multi­purpose sports hall, restaurant

Investment: 45 million CHF

“our responses are a mutual contribution

from both engineers and architects.”

ThE SuN, which often shines in Valais, will provide some of the renewable energy for the new Verbier

sports centre through the solar panels.

The entire staff at the BG Neuchâtel branch has been united for a year in the same office. Here is a glimpse of a large

open space full of busy people.

Lots of clever people under one roof

LoCATIoN REPoRTBG Neuchâtel

“This gentleman is a true genius in his field,” says Pierre Roelli, manager of the BG Neuchâtel branch. He introduces a man who is bending over some large­scale plans. The man seems embarrassed. “Yes, yes,” Roelli insists with a smile, “we are proud of the fact that we have this kind of talent in our team.” We then con­tinue on our tour of the office to the next work station: “Do you know Lucky Luke, the man who shoots faster than his shadow? Well, this lady does the accounts faster than her shadow.” The lady in ques­tion laughs, apparently pleased with this compliment from the boss.

Relaxed concentration. The atmos­phere is relaxed this morning at the BG Neuchâtel branch in the suburb of Mon­ruz. This does not mean that people are fooling around or have their feet up on the table. Even though one cannot discern any palpable hustle and bustle, there is a buzz in the air. Could it be the concentration of these people who are clearly at work? Pierre Roelli speaks of the great responsibility that is inherent in the engineering profession. A small

mistake can have serious consequences. The person who calculates the load car­rying capacity of a building or designs the highly complex electro­mechanical sys­tem of a motorway tunnel, is fully aware that he must be answerable for his work. “That is what also makes our profession so interesting,” says Roelli from years of experience.

Beautiful views. The BG Neuchâtel branch employs 36 men and women: 15 engineers, 17 technicians and draughts­men, and 4 administrative staff. They share a half floor in a large office building built in the 1970s and enjoy magnificent views over the nearby Lake of Neuchâtel and the Alps shining white on the hori­zon. After sitting for hours in front of a

TEAMwork for ThE CuSToMErS: Pierre Roelli and Jean­François Vuilloud.

36 ■ BG 2013

screen or brooding over plans that look more like an inextricable labyrinth of lines, figures and letters in miniature size to the untrained eye, they need an uplift­ing view from time to time.

Most of the BG office, which measures just under 1,000 square metres, is an open space. An employee admits that she was a little anxious before moving into the large office back in June 2012, think­ing that she would be constantly dis­turbed by the conversations of her col­leagues. But her fear never materialised owing to the fact that the acoustics of the room dampen the noise and there is ample distance between the work sta­tions. In fact, it is quite the reverse: the “accessibility” offers several advantages.

A team of individualists. Engineers are specialists in their field. “Actually, they are individualists who often work as a team,” says Jean­François Vuilloud, project manager and logistics manager at BG Neuchâtel. It is clear that only an intense collaboration of numerous ex­perts can bring about the realisation of complex projects.

The teams can be made up of employ­ees from different BG branches, as well as representatives from several com­

panies. So even lively exchanges within the office are not hampered by dividing walls. “Yes, the borders disappear more and more,” says Pierre Roelli pleased. Borders? “We must not forget that the workforce has only been working togeth­er under one roof since June 2012. So now that which belongs together can grow together.”

It is essential that we recap for a mo­ment. BG has been based in Neuchâtel since 1986. The branch focused primarily on civil engineering work. However, FMN Ingénieurs SA (FMNi) that emerged from Forces Motrices Neuchâteloises in 1988 specialised in the electromechanics of infrastructure, road, rail and energy projects. Because both companies had always worked together successfully, BG’s acquisition of FMNi in early 2009 came as no surprise. Then there was the task of merging two sets of employees and two corporate cultures in order to fully exploit the potential for synergy and to offer the customer even more exper­tise from a single source. The relocation to the joint office was a prerequisite in successfully completing this process. They are now on the same home ground and can get to know each other better during their coffee breaks in the canteen.

Tricky interfaces. The draughtsman Maurizio Dondo is currently busy on the screen reviewing the plans for the A8 tunnel of Sachslen (OW). The project costing 134 million Swiss francs includes, among other things, the renewal of the

operating and security equipment (BSA) and the ventilation system. At BG Neuchâ­tel, the microtechnology engineer, Erich Nyffenegger is working on the BSA sec­tion of the monitoring, communication and control systems: “We have been work­ing on this project right from the start and will continue to do so until it is completed in 2019, and we will be responsible for su­pervising the construction.”

Nyffenegger and Dondo are now con­stantly putting their heads together to discuss the difficult interfaces with the

other BSA sections, they then enter these details with great precision on the plans. They do not even notice how the open­plan office is slowly emptying as most of their colleagues go for their lunch break. But that is just part of everyday life in a company that currently handles around 40 exciting projects in Switzerland and abroad. J

A BuZZ IN ThE AIr: engineers at work, in body and soul.

“An office without dividing walls offers several advantages.”

“Even more expertise for the customer from

a single source.”

BG 2013 ■ 37

38 ■ BG 2013

Contact/Publication details

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Publication detailsPublished by BG Consulting Engineers Ltd, www.bg­21.com

Editorial committee Roland Bechtiger, Daniel Collomb, Enrica Voegeli, Laurent Vulliet

Concept & overall coordination naturaqua PBK: Corinne Roth, Michelle Lehmann

Text editorial naturaqua PBK, Françoise Beeler, Fabio Gilardi, textatelier.ch

Photography BG: pg. 1, 6b, 7b, 9, 10, 12b; M. F. Arnold: pg. 3; ref: pg. 6t, 14b, 21, 22, 28t, 39l; iStockphoto: pg. 7t, 20; Maurice Schobinger: pg. 8, 11, 13, 27, 28b, 30/31, 32, 33, 35l, 36/37; International Fire Academy: pg. 12t; Hansueli Trachsel: pg. 14t, 15, 16, 17, 23b, 24, 29, 35r; Andra/Graphix images: pg. 18; Philippe Thery: pg. 19t; Wilmotte & Associés: pg. 25; European Space Agency ESA: pg. 39r

Translation interserv.ch

Design Büro eigenart: Stefan Schaer

Print outbòx AG

BG 2012 ■ 39

Final point

“flash&Splash”The “Flash&Splash” project started quite innocently during a student competition, and it has continued to evolve. The young researchers persevered with their research and are now literally swept off their feet conducting the research work.

In cooperation with the European Space Agency ESA, the Flash&Splash team monitors drops of water. That in itself would be nothing special if the researchers were not doing it at zero gravity. They use a mere 22 seconds of weightlessness on parabolic flights to study the phenomenon of cavitation in more detail. Cavitation refers to the formation of vapour bubbles in liquids such as water, which discharge explosively and can therefore, for example, cause damage to hydraulic turbines. BG has supported the project since 2010. http://bubbles.epfl.ch.

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