Introducing the STAMP method in road tunnel safety assessment

After the tremendous accidents in European road tunnels over the past decade, many risk assessment methods have been proposed worldwide, most of them based on Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA). Although QRAs are helpful to address physical aspects and facilities of tunnels, current approaches in the road tunnel field have limitations to model organizational aspects, software behavior and the adaptation of the tunnel system over time. This paper reviews the aforementioned limitations and highlights the need to enhance the safety assessment process of these critical infrastructures with a complementary approach that links the organizational factors to the operational and technical issues, analyze software behavior and models the dynamics of the tunnel system. To achieve this objective, this paper examines the scope for introducing a safety assessment method which is based on the systems thinking paradigm and draws upon the STAMP model. The method proposed is demonstrated through a case study of a tunnel ventilation system and the results show that it has the potential to identify scenarios that encompass both the technical system and the organizational structure. However, since the method does not provide quantitative estimations of risk, it is recommended to be used as a complementary approach to the traditional risk assessments rather than as an alternative. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Comprehensive review on risk assessment methodologies for HAZMAT transportation between 1995-2015

Issue related to safety, health and environmental has become major priority to be concerned of in the transportation of hazardous materials (HAZMAT) worldwide. Due to the high risk that entailed in the operation of HAZMAT transportation, many accidents in this industry have been reported which include chemicals spillage, fire and explosion. In order to quantify the degree of hazards and risks of these accidents, various assessment methods have been introduced either by the academia, the industry as well as the authority. The methods present various approaches for the assessment, ranging from a simple to highly complicated ones depending on the purpose of the assessment and the available resources and constraints. To date there is yet any study conducted to review those available methods. This paper intends to present a comprehensive review of the existing methods for hazards and risks assessment of HAZMAT transportation between years 1995-2015 which considers road, marine, railway, air and pipeline system. Based on careful screening of the abundance of methods available, 151 of them were selected – that is those specifically meant for hazards and risks assessment of HAZMAT transportation only. The methods are reviewed in terms of the types of assessment; either qualitative, quantitative or hybrid techniques, as well as their specific application in different mode of transportation. Also, statistical analysis was performed to determine the trend of past publications regarding on the type of journal, year of publication and also financial support received in the context of hazard and risk assessment of HAZMAT transportation

QUANTITATIVE RISK ANALYSIS FOR FIRE IN URBAN ROAD TUNNELS

Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH

Strategic decision support system for utility tunnel s planning applying A WOT method

[EN] Future sustainable underground strategies will consist of the ability to reduce overcrowding subsurface space in our cities. To this end, utility tunnels become a key factor in urban underground planning. These facilities improve joint-use of urban underground space (UUS) that may contain multiple utilities such as water, sewerage, gas, electrical power, telephone, and central heating in several combinations or in some cases all together. However, implementing these subsurface tunnels is retarded most by first-cost, compatibility, security and liability problems. All these drawbacks should be addressed in early planning stages taking into account the uniqueness of each city. Therefore, expert consensus panels from public and private organizations should determine appropriate policies for developing utility tunnels network. This research work applies A WOT hybrid method combining SWOT analysis and analytical hierarchy process (AHP) to study utility tunnel planning in urban areas. The hybrid method takes account of internal resources and capabilities (strengths and weakness) and external factors (opportunities and threats). SWOT analysis is a structured way to analyze these four factors, while AHP technique achieves pairwise comparisons among factors in order to prioritize them using the eigenvector method. The quantitative strategic analysis obtained from the decision support system should be used as a preliminary step in urban planning of future utility tunnel networks.Canto-Perello, J.; Curiel-Esparza, J.; Calvo Peña, V. (2016). Strategic decision support system for utility tunnel s planning applying A WOT method. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology. 55:146-152. doi:10.1016/j.tust.2015.12.009S1461525

Investigating the business process implications of managing road works and street works

Around 2.5 million utility works (street works) occurred in England in 2016 with a construction cost of approximately £2 billion. Comparative figures for highway works (road works) are not readily available, but are expected to be similarly significant. Unsurprisingly, the volume of road works and street works (RWSW) activity in urban areas is considered to have a negative impact on the road network causing disruption and premature deterioration, blighting the street scene, damaging local business trade, and significantly increasing social, economic and environmental costs. Indeed the social costs of street works alone are estimated to be around £5.1 billion annually. Despite the economic significance of highway infrastructure, the subject of road works and street works management is under-researched, with greater research emphasis on technology-based, as opposed to policy-based management approaches. Consequently, the aim of this study was to investigate the efficiency and effectiveness of managing the business process of RWSW. Due to limited academic literature in the subject domain, earlier research focused on identifying the industry actors, their motivations, as well as drivers and barriers to RWSW management. Semi-structured interviews with industry stakeholders highlighted the industry s complexity and revealed that several issues contributed to ineffective RWSW management. Principal problems included Street Authorities (SA) failing to take enough ownership of the RWSW coordination process, highway legislation not encouraging joint working due to inherent challenges arising from reinstatement guarantees, and entrenched attitudes and adversarial practices in the construction industry encouraging silo working. The Derby Permit Scheme (legislative tool) was intended to improve RWSW management through giving SAs greater control of highway works. Accordingly, RWSW activity was tested through a statistical time series intervention analysis to separately examine the impacts of the Highway Authority (HA) led works and utility industry led works over 6.5 years. The Permit Scheme was found to reduce utility works durations by around 5.4%; equivalent to 727 days, saving between £2.1 - £7.4 million in construction and societal costs annually. Conversely, the Permit Scheme did not noticeable reduce the HA led works. Instead, the introduction of a works order management system (WOMS) to automate some of the back office road works process was found to reduce works durations by 34%; equivalent to 6519 days and saving between £8.3 - £48.3m per annum. This case study highlighted that more considered practices were required by the HA to reduce RWSW. The stakeholder study and the automated WOMS technology found that well-managed business processes tended to lead to better executed highway works on-site. Informed by these experiences, the sponsor was keen to re-engineer its internal business processes. Business process mapping was adopted to identify inefficient practices and improved coordinated working opportunities on three key internal teams involved in the road works process. Findings revealed that silo working was inherent and that processes were built around fragmented and outdated Information Technology (IT) systems, creating inefficiencies. A subsequent validation exercise found that certain practices, such as restricted data access and hierarchal management styles were culturally embedded and also common across other local authorities. Peer reviewed recommendations to improve working practices were made, such as adopting an integrated Highways Management IT system, vertical integration between the customer relationship management IT system and the Highways IT systems, and the provision of regulatory training. In conclusion, based on the finding of this study, a generic logic map was created with potential to transfer the learning to other local authorities and for their use when evaluating road works administrative processes

Metro systems : Construction, operation and impacts

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The safety case and the lessons learned for the reliability and maintainability case

This paper examine the safety case and the lessons learned for the reliability and maintainability case

Integrated governance of the urban subsurface - a systems-based approach

The ground our cities are built on has always been a constitutive part of urban life, but is only in recent decades starting to become recognised by built environment professionals and academics as an area that might require more intentional governance. While the task of doing so is usually assigned to the realm of urban planning, a major body of literature engaging with this stems from the engineering discipline. This thesis draws on systems thinking and uses London as a case study to bridge these two disciplines and confront currently engineering-centred ideas of urban underground governance. Applying a mixed methods strategy, the thesis presents a review of planning legislation, affirming the central position of engineers and Local Planning Authorities in the current governance arrangement around London’s subsurface. Overarching theoretical and strategic suggestions are drawn from a thematic analysis of interviews with tunnelling and planning professionals, designed to provide insights into discipline specific perceptions of the urban underground, with additional insights provided by a questionnaire with a broader group of practitioners. The research shows that the spatio-material context of the ground is underrecognised when specific functions are managed within it and that despite growing engagement in the field, governance of the subsurface remains fragmented across sectors as well as temporal scales. The findings indicate that (a) an integrated data format and repository and (b) an integrated evaluation of priority for interventions in the subsurface could serve as enabling mechanisms towards a more holistic understanding of subsurface value that extends beyond purely financial assessments, and moves towards more integrated overall strategies. Reflection on ownership models, specific local contexts, early citizen engagement, and consideration of pathways are shown to be key elements of a potentially broader conversation about the role of the subsurface in cities like London today and in the future

BIM implementation for infrastructure projects: Methods and tools for information modeling and management

L'abstract è presente nell'allegato / the abstract is in the attachmen