1.1. Recall of the Association's aims
To encourage the planning of the use of the subsurface and to promote advances in the preparatory investigations for subsurface constructions and in the design, construction and maintenance of such buildings, by bringing together information thereof and by studying questions related to. The Association fulfills its mission by interchange of information among its various member national organizations (for instance, exchange of knowledge from highly industrialized to developing countries) by holding meetings, public or not, at intervals, by organizing and co-ordinating studies and experiments, by publishing proceedings, reports and documents.
1.2. Evolution of the geographic representation since 1996
- the number of "member nations" has increased from 42 to 47 : new members from Saudi Arabia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Ukrainia, Singapore, Iran, and 1 expulsion, Croatia.
- the number of "affiliate members" has increased from 206 (81 corporate and 125 individual members) to 271 (85 corporate and 186 individual members) ; 2 countries not yet "member nations" are represented by "affiliate members" : Costa Rica, Lebanon.
4.1. Sponsorship and participation in international congresses
ITA sponsored and participated in the following congresses :
- in Austria in April 1997 on the topic "Tunnels for People"
- in Brazil in April 1998 on the topic "Tunnels and Metropolises"
- in Norway in May-June 1999 on the topic "Challenges for the 21st Century"
- in South Africa in May 2000 on the topic "Tunnels under pressure"
These congresses attracted between 500 and 1,000 international participants.
4.2. Sponsorship and participation in workshops
ITA sponsored and participated in the following workshops:
- in 1996 in Sandness (Norway) at the conference on immersed and floating tunnels, in Istanbul at the conference HABITAT II, in Sydney at the conference organized by the Australian group, in Cracovia at the conference of the Polish group, in Turin at the meeting of the General Council of ISRM, in Brasov at the 2 nd international congress organized by the Roumanian group, in Chambery at the workshops of the French Association, in Turin at the meeting of the Road Tunnel Committee of the World Road Association, in Paris at the congress of CEIFICI on accidents in tunnels, in Brussels at the workshops on the programme of the European Union in terms of transport infrastructures, in Slovenia, in Russia, in Taiwan and in Germany,
- in 1997 in Genoa at the NO DIG conference, in Cork (Ireland) at the conference on immersed tunnels, in Lillehammer at the Symposium EUROCK, in Athens at the Executive meeting of AIGI, in Singapore at the Symposium "fibre concrete", in Bangkok at the seminar "Asia Tunnelling", in Moscow at the seminar on investments in underground projects in Russian cities, organized by the national Russian group, in Lyon at the ceremonies to celebrate AFTES 25 th anniversary, in Basle at the international conference on underground works in difficult conditions, in Montreal on the occasion of the 7 th Congress of ACUUS (Associated research Centres for the Urban Underground Space), in Prague, at the seminar organized by the national Czech group, in Hamburg at the conference "NO DIG Germany", in Slovenia at the international seminar on underground technology in soft ground, in Tokyo on the occasion of the opening of the Crossing of the Tokyo Bay (TTB), in Buenos Aires at the seminar on planning of underground construction,
-in 1998 in Madrid at the seminar on safety, in Singapore at the seminar organized by the members of the future national Singapore group, at the 25 th anniversary of the national Swiss group, at the congress of IABSE, in Bratislava at the Slovakian Symposium on road tunnels, in Stockholm at the Symposium organized by the national Swedish group, at the beginning of June 1998 in Lausanne at the annual meeting of ISTT, in Kuala Lumpur at the 2 nd Asia Tunnelling Meeting, in Lisbon at the World Mining Congress, in St-Petersburg at the congress organized by the national Russian group, in Vancouver at the meeting of the Council of IAGI, in Malmoe at the meeting of the working group of PIARC on Fire, in Basle at the seminar SIKA, in Ljubliana on the construction of tunnels in difficult conditions, in Salzburg at the first "Tunnel Day" of the national Austrian group, in Prague at the 4 th national conference of ISTT, in Basle at the congress organized by ITC (International Tunnelling Conference) on risk reduction,
- in 1999 in Cairo at the congress organized by the national Egyptian group, in the Netherlands at the conference INFRA TUNNEL, in Tokyo at an internal meeting of the Japan Tunnelling Association, in Melbourne at the 10 th conference of the national Australian committee, at the conference organized by the Slovakian group, at the conference organized by the Russian group, at the conference organized by the Korean group, at the ACUUS congress in Xian in China, in Brazil at the PanAmerican conference on soils and geotechnics, at the meeting on safety in tunnels in operation organized by the European Union, at the NO DIG conference in Budapest, at the PIARC congress in Kuala Lumpur, at the conference on motorways construction in Greece, at the conference organized by the French group in Paris, at the workshop of the national Belgian group, at the 40th anniversary of AIT in Bangkok, at the conference organized by the national German group, at the conference organized by the Norwegian group in Oslo, at the 25 th anniversary of the national Italian group.
4.3. Working groups
ITA has twelve working groups permanently in operation ; the current groups are : Research, Contractual Practices, Subsurface Planning, Health and Safety in Underground Works, Maintenance and Repair of underground structures, Immersed and Floating Tunnels, Shotcrete Use, Direct and Indirect Advantages of the Achievement of Underground Works, Mechanization of excavation, Environment, Quality, Long tunnels at great depth.
4.4. Web Site (http://www.ita-aites.org)
The web site of the Association was created in 1998 ; it includes over 300 pages ; it had an important consultation in 1999 : 285,000 successful requests from 10,000 persons from 80 countries.
4.5. Glossary
The Association has opened on its web site a glossary of terms used in underground works.
4.6. Preparation and publication of international recommendations since 1996:
Safety in fire in underground works (Encl. TUST Vol. 13 N¡ 3) Ð State of the Art , ITAÕs position on types of agreements (Encl. TUST Vol. 11 N¡ 4) - Immersed and floating tunnels Ð State of the Art (Encl. TUST Vol. 12 N¡ 2) - Health and safety in terms of shotcrete (Encl. TUST Vol. 11 N¡ 4) - Underground Works and environment (Encl.).
4.7. Journal Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology (TUST)
16 issues have been published since 1996.
4.8. TRIBUNE
The Association created in 1997 the internal journal "TRIBUNE", addressed to the members of the Association. 4 issues are published every year ; each of these issues includes a Focus on a given country.
