STUVA Conference 2019: Parallel Lectures on Tunnel Construction and Operation
This year's STUVA Conference in Frankfurt am Main from 26 to 28 November impressively demonstrated why it is regarded as the most important fair of its kind worldwide. For the third time in a row, the event has set a new visitor record for tunnel builders and tunnel operators: More than 2000 registered participants attended the conference with more than 60 lectures in two parallel sessions.
Sophisticated Two-Day Lecture Program
While the session on tunnel construction was held in the the large “Harmonie” conference hall, the series of lectures for tunnel operation was located in a smaller adjoining hall. All Tuesday and Wednesday more than 60 individual lectures on various topics followed. The tunnel builders initially focused on major international projects on Tuesday: special construction logistics features for the TBM driving of the Brenner Base Tunnel, value engineering for the Semmering Base Tunnel and the special features of the Thames Tideway Tunnel, together with presentations on the major Stuttgart 21 project, were the top topics of the Tuesday morning. After the lunch break, everything revolved around current developments in tunnel boring technology. On the first day of the conference, the lecture event for tunnel operation dealt with the topics of operational safety, ventilation and energy supply, before current projects such as the U5 in Hamburg were used to shed light on the significance of underground railways for urban development. The final block dealt with crisis and disaster management and hazard and resistance analyses for underground railway systems.
The second day offered the participants another rich lecture program. The topics of the tunnelling segment were: tunnel construction in swelling subsoil, subsoil freezing, tunnel lining and sealing as well as new construction contract models. Tunnel operators focused on the subjects of BIM applications, fire protection and safety as well as special planning aspects. The final session of the STUVA conference “Underground construction in the Frankfurt region” was presented to all participants in the large hall.
