The Working Group met on Sunday 23rd April 2006. The meeting was attended by 12 participants from nine countries, namely Denmark, Finland, France, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom and United States. A second meeting was held the following day with 14 participants including one from China. To better represent immersed tunnel knowledge world-wide, the Working Group would like to recruit members from unrepresented countries such as China, India, Korea, Mexico and Russia as well as new younger members. The Animateur is Christian Ingerslev, the vice-Animateur is Jon Baber and the Tutor is Yann Leblais.
At the meetings, a report was made of the past year's activities, a work plan was established for the coming year, information was exchanged on new projects and developments around the world, and the working group discussed the ITA website. It was agreed that the mission of the Working Group is to share and distribute knowledge of immersed and floating tunnels with the community; participants were concerned that existing expertise might otherwise be lost. To do this, as identified in last year's report, the working group is going ahead with its plans to establish a searchable database on the ITA website in order to update its earlier State-of-the Art reports as well as to include the contents of those reports. A number of the participants volunteered to contribute in-depth material to the database on some of the identified topics. Use by the Working Group of the ITA Forum was discussed, and it is proposed to use it again.
Presentations were given on the Naha City, Busan-Keoji, Bjørvika and Bosphorus tunnels, and on future ideas for floating tunnels. It was also agreed that this Working Group is the right place to pursue future ideas about the use of floating immersed tunnels to traverse larger expanses of water; a potential crossing will be identified for which there is a need and where other forms of tunneling are not possible so that concepts can be taken further, such as crossing active faults.
After a framework is identified for the on-line information, time will be required from the Webmaster and others to place the Working Group's information on the ITA website and to insert identified links. It is requested that some budget be made available for this purpose so that the Working Group might start to achieve its aims.
The Working Group met on Sunday, 8th May 2005. The meeting was attended by 16 participants from 8 countries, namely France, Japan, Korea, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom and USA. A second meeting was held the next day with 8 participants to organise the working group activities.
Jan Saveur (of the Netherlands) stepped down as Animateur. The new Animateur is Christian Ingerslev (of USA). He was elected by a large majority out of two candidates.
In the first meeting information was exchanged on new projects and developments around the world. Presentations were given on 4 subjects, namely on present construction work for the Bosporus tunnel; on “crown-seal” joints for very large flexibility; on leakage repair; and on an “Owner’s Guide for Planning, Constructing and operating an Immersed Tunnel”, effectively on how to prepare useful information for publications in a manner, more suitable for the members of the working group. The remainder of the meeting was dedicated to the follow up of this item. Presently available on the ITA’ s website is the Catalogue of Transportation Tunnels, the full 1997 State of the Art report, and the contents of the Special Tribune issue of April 1999.
The second meeting was to organize the work. The method is to provide question-based introductory textblocks of 1 to maximum 3 pages on a variety of immersed tunnel subjects. References and maybe “links” will be included to related textblocks and other in-depth material. Together it can be used as a set of guide lines. The working group aims to have at least half a dozen subjects implemented on the website before the end of 2005, and will continue to update and expand the list on an ongoing basis. Meanwhile work will go ahead to add in-depth material.
Working group 11 is the only international platform of expertise on Immersed Tunnels. With the increasing number of projects around the world experience is growing, and also the demand for information. The working group wants to continue it’s contribution to exchange of information. New members who want to participate actively are very welcome.
The working group met on the 23rd of May 2004 at Nayang Technological University. The 14 participants represented 10 countries, namely China, Hungary, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, The Netherlands, Norway, Singapore United Kingdom and United States of America.
It was a pleasure to have Indonesia, Hungary and Singapore represented for the first time. Chris Marshall has requested to step down as vice-animateur. The working group owes him a lot for his contributions. The working group elected Johnathan Baber (United Kingdom) as the new vice animateur.
After the initial personal introductions, an around the world information exchange presentations were given by the Norwegians about the Oslo-tunnel and about their concept of IDN (Instrumentation, Documentation and Verification). This is a system to assure the viability of a facility from its conceptual stage and throughout its operational life. If it is properly defined who really wants to verify, better specification can be prepared in the future.
The working group decided to start a new activity, namely to list the specific aspects of immersed tunnels to be recommended for IDV.
The working group will continue with the preparation of its report on “Settlements of Immersed Tunnels”. The outline presented in the meeting uses material of the publications of Walta Grantz of 2000 and 2001, but will emphasize structural response, settlement control in design and construction and remedies.
The participants requested to provide additional case histories and settlement records. The Catalogue of Immersed Tunnels is now on a CD ready for ITA’s webmaster to implement onto the ITA’s website. After this is materialised, more information on the technology will follow.
The number of immersed tunnel projects is steadily growing worldwide with new countries entering the field. It is hoped that representatives of these new countries will continue to participate in the working group because the benefit of information exchange is mutual.
The Working Group met on Sunday afternoon and Monday afternoon, April 13 and 14.
Each meeting had 20 participants from 8 countries, namely China, Czech Republic, Germany, Japan, The Netherlands, Norway, UK and USA.
The first meeting was used to exchange information on new developments in the countries of the participants and elsewhere within their knowledge. Three special presentations were given. Namely by Walter Grantz on the Bustunnel across Fort Point Channel in Boston, being a combination of 3 different tunnel concepts of which the immersed tunnel part required very delicate squeezing in. Havard Ostlid reported on his ideas of future evolution of Submerged Floating Tunnels. The present concept not being a new development, because it is purely based on existing proven technology. Christian Ingerslev reported on aspects of the Bosphorus Tunnel project, as far as permissible at this stage.
In the past year members of the working group were invited to participate in the First US workshop on submerged Floating Tunnels in Seattle. It may be said that the input from the working group had been very effective for the further development of the concept for Lake Washington. Another interesting event was the contribution of members of the Working Group to Discovery Channel on their intended TV coverage on Immersed Tunnels and Submerged Floating Tunnels. The one-hour programme will be aired right today in the USA. Another activity of the working group was the joint effort to prepare for the ITA Open Session, “Immersed Tunnels, The Next Generation”, which was successfully performed yesterday.
The priority of the Working Group is still to bring the merits of immersed tunnels to the attention of the world. This is best served by transferring its knowledge and experience to engineers and planners around the world. This should be done via the Internet rather than via printed updates of the State of the Art Reports. Outlines for the contents have been prepared and the Catalogue of Tunnels is available in digital form. The actual set-up of the website, which has suffered delay, was discussed in the meeting in the presence of ITA’s new webmaster, Gregor Kiesling. A demo was shown. It will be like a book with chapters with an internal navigation system. All the contents will have consensus of the Working Group. The website will be integrated into ITA’s website as soon as a reasonable part of the contents is included. Acquisition of the necessary funds for the website design and for upgrading of the graphics needs to be undertaken forthwith. The Working Group agreed to continue with the project. Meanwhile some of the presentations of the ITA Open Session, which have a high pictorial content will soon be uploaded on ITA’s website.
There are still many aspects of Immersed and Floating Tunnels that the Working Group likes to discuss and that deserve preparation of reports. Each of the participants tabled his or her priority subject, in addition to the list proposed by the animateur. It was decided to prepare a report on the problem of differential settlements. Although the builders of immersed tunnels have always managed to solve this problem one way or the other, they were often caught by surprise. A working group report may serve the industry. Case histories will be given. Questions how to deal with it in the design and how to deal with it in unexpected situations will be answered.
Working Group 11 held two meetings during the Congress in Sydney, involving 12 participants from 8 countries, namely Australia(partly), Korea, Japan, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and USA. The first meeting was used to exchange information on new projects and new developmetns in the countries represented and also to discuss the set up of the ITA Open Session to be held during the next World Tunnel Congress in Amsterdam in April 2003 under the title: Immersed Tunnels the next generation. The second meeting was used to coordinate the contributions for the next State of the Art Report.
Prof Kiyomiya gave a very intresting presentation on the fabrication of Immersed Tunnel elements using the steel-concrete sandwich concept, as used for the Naha tunnel at Okinawa. The Working group as a whole is supporting the ITA Open Session on Immersed Tunnels in 2003. In addition to the special presentations that we will prepare, 11 abstracts have meanwhile been registered for the 2003-Congress.
The State of the Art Report will be made especially for publication on the Web. It will be incorporated in ITA¹s website. It will be divided into chapters and subchapters with easy access to the various parts. The target is to have a substantial part operational by April 1, 2003, to enable demonstration during the Congress. The intention is to extend or update contents at regular intervals. The aspects covered are: Introduction, Basic engineering concepts, Dredging, Foundation, Joints, Design for earthquake, Structural design, Environmental aspects, Maintenance and repair, Durability, Documentation and instrumentation and the updated Catalogue of immersed tunnels. New technology developments will be covered.
The Internet report will not only require major commitments from the members of the Working Group, but also external professional support for good graphics and for the website preaparation. The out of pocket cost for the professional help is estimated up to Euro 20,000. The working Group will call on ITA for partial financial support.
Working group 11 is actually the only true international expertise platform on Immersed and Floating Tunnels. The objective is still to encourage Immersed tunnels as viable solutions for traffic links by providing knowledge about the trade around the world. This comprises the basic principles and aspects for engineers and owners who are new in the field and new developments for practicing engineers. The working group also welcomes participation by engineers who want to learn.
Working Group 11 held two meetings in Milan involving 20 individuals from 12 countries. Following an initiative at the 2000 conference in Durban, members of the working group prepared five papers on immersed tunnelling topics, all of which were published in the Milan proceedings.
Four technical presentations were made to the Working Group by participants: two case studies on the Rostock and Oslo Harbour Tunnels, and two technical studies on tunnel foundations and tunnel joint design for seismic conditions.
The Working Group decided that its next task should be to prepare a new version of its 1997 State of the Art Report in time for the 2003 conference in Amsterdam. The new edition will both update existing material and include new sections on trench dredging and disposal, foundations, joints, design for seismic conditions, fire, ventilation and inspection and maintenance. The very helpful communication via internet and the private Forum will be intensified.
This will not only require major commitments from the members of the Working Group, but also external professional support to realise a professional publication. The preliminary estimate for the external support and for the publication is in the range of Euro 100.000. So one major activity is the raising of funding. The Working Group also seeks solutions for a better worldwide access to the information to be published from within ITA.
In time, the Working Group hopes that the material which has been developed for the State of the Art Reports can be developed into a more comprehensive good practice guide on immersed tunnel design and construction.
The WG met 3 times during the Durban congress. There were 13 participant representing 8 countries. This time, presentations were given in the meetings, namely by Prof. Kyomiya on composite structures and steel wave joints and by J. Saveur about shear transfer in expansion joints. During the last year the WGs has carried out most of the activities planned and specially the distribution of copies of the special issue of Tribune devoted to immersed tunnel to participants at the PIARC conference in Kuala Lumpur. A quarterly bulletin was issued and distributed to the WG's members and Member Nation representatives. Height contributions were submitted by the WG's participants. These concerned the planned areas of study namely: foundation aspects, settlement records, joints, SFT, reports on new projects, inspection and maintenance. On the basis of these contributions and of the material presented during the meeting, the WG has decided to submit a large block of papers for the ITA congress in Milan. The WG has decided to prepare a "handbook" on immersed tunnels for owners. This will be an improvment and extension of last year's special Tribune issue, but without advertisement to keep the objective clear. The WG will call on ITA for financial support to cover the cost of layout, printing, distribution and putting on the internet. A priority for the WG is the transfer of the wealth of international experience covered by the WG to young engineers world wide. The WG wants to do this through "the Handbook" for engineers. The present study activities are actually a substantial part of the material for this handbook. The present undertaking is to prepare plans for this ambitious project. The WG wants to make use of the private forum facility that ITA is going to provide on the internet. The WG wants to undertake some public relation efforts to attract participants from more countries.
|
