SAFETY ASPECTS IN ITALIAN TUNNEL INFRASTRUCTURE

Francesco MauroSenior consultant for sustainabilityc/o URS Italia, Via Frattina, 35 00187 Rome, Italy

Italy: Country of tunnels

Tunnels represent a distinctive component of the carefully manmade Italian landscape.

The art of tunnelling goes back to the ancient times of the Italian civilizations.

History of tunnels in Italy

Etruscans (IX to III century BC)Romans (753 BC to IV century AD)

Tunnels for: urban streets inter-urban roads network drainage and irrigation systems urban sewage collection systems fresh water aqueducts underground artificial lakes and

swamps emissaries cryptoportica (artificial urban

tunnels)

Restored by popes in late Middle Age, Renaissance, Baroque, and modern times

The epopee of rail (tunnel) building

18391st railroad Naples-Portici 1864the Porrettana line Bologna-

Florence 1870the Frejus tunnel Modane-

Bardonecchia (13 km) 1906the Simplon tunnel Brig-

Domodossola (20 km) 1934the direttissima Bologna-

Florence

The autostrada tunnels 1956-1964

Autostrada del Sole (Bologna-Florence)

1967Autostrada dei FioriGenoa-Leghorn

1984the Gran Sasso tunnel (10 km) & laboratory

The Physics Laboratory in the Gran Sasso Tunnel

Tunnels in Italy today: 4,000 km

1,200 km for railways (vs. 105 to 750 km)

900 km for the various types of roads (vs. 30 to 370 )

150 km for underground metropolitan railroads (more under construction)

the remaining for water works (including modern aqueducts)

Tunnels in Italy: protests and delays

Bologna-Florence new TAV line (71/78 km)

Gran Sasso 3rd tunnel

Lyon-Turin TAV Val di Susa (53 km)

Brenner Base Tunnel (56 km)

Protest against the high speed train line

Tunnels in Italy: dichotomy

preoccupation for the effects on the environment, questioning of the reasons for expanding and modernizing

evident advantages: for higher mobility, economic development, protection of the environment, sustainable development: necessary to built both TAV and underground

metropolitan lines: shorter travel times and decrease of traffic congestion

softer impact on landscape and terrestrial surface integrity

New tunnels for Italy (200 km already under construction)

updating of traditional railroad lines (including Parma-LaSpezia)

completion of the TAV network (Bologna-Florence, Milan-Genoa “Terzo Valico” > Giovi 34 km, crossing of the major urban areas)

improvement of the expressway network (including the “Variante di Valico” Bologna-Florence, 24/40 km)

further underground metropolitan railways

530 km railroad tunnels programmed (> 400 km in project) by the Public Works Framework Law

Road tunnels safety (fire) 2001 Frejus tunnel 19 injured1999 Mont Blanc tunnel 39 victims1996 near Palermo 5 victims1983 Autostrada dei Fiori 9 victims1965-1991 30 fires (13 promptly terminated)1-2% fire as a cause of vehicle stopping in

tunnels85 tunnels longer than 1 km

Effects of road tunnels on safety(% in the toll expressway system)

Incidence of tunnels in the network

Accidents in tunnels in respect to total accidents

Fatal accidents in tunnels in respect to total accidents

Road tunnels safety: actions in Alpine tunnels

ventilation transit control (speed limits, strict

regulation about transport of dangerous substances)

fire fighting illumination fire shelter areas traffic and smog video monitoring emergency communications boxes traditional and electronic fixed and variable

signs improved underground communication

technologies

Safety: Research activities

FITENEA ENEA, FIAT, Autostrade, Frejus C, etc,

SITI Consorzio TRAIN, CAT99

Railroad tunnels safety

Terrorist attacks: 1974 (12), 1984 (17) Bologna-Florence

1,679 tunnels now: 2,000261 longer than 1 km 300 (1,050 km)34 longer than 5 km60% built before 190525% built in 1905-1940

being built longer than 5 km:15 for traditional lines7 for TAV lines

being built longer than 1 km: 36 (170 km)being built all lengths: 85

Railroad tunnels safety (fire): RFI improvements:

fire detection in the train fire detection in the tunnel (fire

sensors) automatic fire extinguishment in

the train fire shelter areas automatic train stops in front of

safety exits and escape routes traveler information

Evolving regulatory framework: Road

1973 CNR document1988 ministerial decree for metropolitan railroads1993 President of the Republic decree (1993),

applying directive 89/106/CEE, concerning fire prevention in new construction products

1999 ministerial decree concerning vehicles transporting dangerous substances

2001 ministerial decree on road tunnel safety: inspection of the state of existing tunnels adequate signaling of maintenance works in

progress updating of signals, visibility conditions, and ad hoc

traffic limitation regulations updating of illumination systems definition of an enhanced safety program and risk

evaluation criteria2003 ministerial decree: inter-ministerial (road and

railroad) Technical Working Group: risk analysis

Evolving regulatory framework: Railroad

ministerial decree: role of RFI confirmed responsible of the tunnel responsible of the tunnel safety independent experts for risk

analysis

collaboration with Protezione Civile

The Italian Decree

Scopo del Decreto del Ministero delle Infrastrutture e dei Trasporti (elaborato dal Gruppo di lavoro tecnico per la redazione di norme per la sicurezza delle

gallerie ferroviarie) è di assicurare un livello adeguato di sicurezza nelle gallerie ferroviarie mediante l’adozione di misure di prevenzione e protezione atte alla riduzione di situazioni critiche che possano mettere in pericolo la vita umana, l’ambiente e gli impianti della galleria, nonché mirate alla limitazione delle conseguenze in caso di incidente.

Evolving regulatory framework: Europe

directive proposal (Italy approved) UPTUN FIT

International guidelines in preparation

Alpine Countries Working Group Position

Italy, France, Austria and Germany have developed an alternative approach based on establishing safety objectives and defining consequent technical solutions according to the characteristics of each individual tunnel

Conclusion for Italy

Technical aspects of tunnelling appear to be more than adequate

The economic, environmental, and social sustainability of tunnels should be thoroughly analyzed and transparently discussed

Further effort could be appreciated to improve maintenance and safety conditions of tunnels

The tradition and the expertise of such an important tunnelling country may deserves a renewed motivated effort

AV/AC SYSTEM IN ITALY