Information about the sub-projects

Road tunnel strategy

To administer, harmonize and coordinate the work by developing a comprehensive strategy for tunnels including planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance and the upgrading of existing tunnels.

Tunnels – a planning element in road systems and local communities

The desire to build more tunnels is a general societal trend. The consequences of building tunnels in terms of costs and safety must however be better clarified. The Norwegian Public Roads Administration, as a professional organisation, is responsible for this. A more uniform and restrictive practice in relation to regulations is necessary.

Tunnel school

In view of  tunnel incidents in 2007 and previous experience, there is a need for greater expertise on tunnels at NPRA. A tunnel school that will supplement and increase the knowledge gained from current internal and external courses is envisaged.

The innovative with respect to the tunnel school is that it will focus on an understanding of the expertise involved in different phases, from the early planning phase to the operational phase. In other words, it will focus on the interdisciplinary aspects of tunnels. Networking among experts and strengthening of crucial tunnelling expertise in the various project phases will be important.

Adequate standards and safety in road tunnels

Focus on safety in road tunnels has increased during recent years. Large investments are now being made to upgrade tunnel safety. In this respect, there is a need to document the usefulness of what is done and develop new and better safety measures.

The link between technical standards in tunnels and traffic accidents, developing a modern risk analysis method, developing concepts such as acceptance and tolerance criteria and issues related to tunnel evacuation will be covered.

Tunnel linings

Based on the results achieved in the recently concluded R&D project Tunnel Development Phase 1, the work to further develop fireproof water and frost protection will continue. The main objective is to develop a fireproof lining.

Fire safety and material requirements

In Norway, fire safety in tunnels is primarily linked to fire safety in large concrete tunnels and the fireproofing of flammable materials. It is also increasingly linked to evacuation and fire-fighting systems. Harmonization and standardization of regulations concerning testing, understanding critical fire safety solutions and increasing expertise with respect to tunnel fire issues are also in focus in this subproject.

Tunnel documentation

Tunnel incidents in recent years have revealed an inadequate administrative system for tunnels. This project will provide spesifications for a new system based on data from the different existing systems.

A standardized, simple and functional methodology for registration, presentation and storage of geological and rock support data from tunnels will also be developed.

Tunnel design

Are our tunnels constructed in such a way that they satisfy the requirements for an important part of our national infrastructure? This applies to accessibility in terms of height, width and geometry, and to the technical equipment in tunnels.

New methods to improve tunnel design profiles will be covered with the overall aim of reducing the current need for rock support and linings for water and frost protection.Tunnel design work will be linked to tunnel safety, uptime and the service lifetime in different tunnel classes.

Operation, maintenance and upgrading

A major focus will be on establishing awareness and consensus about the function that maintenance should have in satisfying long-term goals for the development of tunnel standards. Accessibility, navigability, safety and uptime will be considered. Upgrading implies both geometrical and technical challenges.