Swiss Tunnel Congress 2016in the KKL Lucerne
The 15th Swiss Tunnel Congress (STC) will take place in the Kultur und Kongresszentrum Luzern (KKL) from 15 to 17 June 2016, organised by the Swiss Tunnelling Society (STS).
The annual STC with accompanying exhibition and an additional excursion day has ensured itself a fixed place in the calendars of tunnellers as a platform for clients, designers, engineers, suppliers, service providers, contractors and the industry. The STC 2016 will once again provide an opportunity to gain a first-hand insight into Swiss and international tunnel projects and will also enable the making or improving of personal contacts with the numerous specialist visitors.
The introductory speech on 16 June by the former Swiss Federal Council member Moritz Leuenberger on the significance of the Gotthard Base Tunnel for Switzerland and Europe will be particularly worth looking forward to. “He is known as an incisive and brilliant speaker,” says STS president Luzi Gruber.
15 June: Colloquium “Fire and Safety”
The congress programme starts already on 15 June with the Swiss Tunnel Colloquium, being held this years under the title “Fire and Safety” – a subject which, as Gruber explains, “is more current than ever, considering the controversy surrounding the refurbishment of the original tunnel and the building of a second single-carriageway tunnel at the Gotthard.” The content of the Colloquium will amongst other things be concerned with the ventilation of road tunnels and underground rail facilities in case of an incident. Proven concepts such as escape route lighting will be presented as well as optimised strategies for rescue deployments.
16 June: Conference
The congress day on 16 June includes a wide palette of talks about Swiss and international projects in tunnelling and underground construction. For example Christian Späth will report for Implenia about experience gained in the new construction of the underground line U5 in Berlin; Heinz Ehrbar from DB Netz AG will explain the status of the Rastatt Tunnel as a key project with regard to the approach routes to the new railway link through the Alps NEAT and as a BIM pilot project of the German Transport Ministry.
Line 1 of the Panama Metro will also be a subject, as well as the West Link in Swedish Göteborg. The construction of the Eurasia Tunnel in Istanbul, winner of the ITA Award “Major Project of the Year”, will also be described in more detail with all the special features of this project. In connection with the forthcoming opening of the longest rail tunnel in the world, Renzo Simoni will talk for Alp Transit Gotthard AG about the “Concept and challenges at the Gotthard Base Tunnel”.
17 June: Excursion Day
Friday the 17 June is then reserved for excursions. This year, participants can choose either the Ceneri Base Tunnel, the A9 road tunnel at Visp, the refurbishment of the Belchen Tunnel or the Schlossparking Thun project, where parking for about 300 spaces is being constructed underground.
Further information about the Swiss Tunnel Congress 2016 and the page for online registration can be found under //www.swisstunnel.ch" target="_blank" >www.swisstunnel.ch:www.swisstunnel.ch. The closing date for registration to take part in the Congress is 13 May 2016. The fees for all participation in the various Congress events include the Proceedings of the STC.
