- Author
- Almand, K. H.
- Title
- Safety and Security in Roadway Tunnels. Final Report.
- Coporate
- National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA
- Sponsor
- Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC
- Report
- Final Report, March 2008, 102 p.
- Book or Conf
- Safety and Security in Roadway Tunnels. Final Report. Workshop. November 29-30, 2007, Irvine, CA, 2008
- Keywords
- tunnels | highways | design fires | fire detection | fire suppression | smoke | ventilation | structural materials | fire safety | egress | signage | first responders | fire fighters | training | education | budget | costs | transportation | human behavior | heat release | risk management | standards
- Identifiers
- design fires for roadway tunnels; effective incident detection; effective fire suppression; fire and smoke ventilation system design methods; performance of structural materials in tunnels in fire incidents; guidelines for tunnel geometric design for fire safety; develop requirements for egress and emergency signage; application of ITS to emergency operations in tunnels; design basis for egress systems; tunnel operations and first responders; benchmarking tunnel incidents; National Cooperative Highway Research Program; wayfinding
- Abstract
- The AASHTO Subcommittee on Bridges and Structures created the Technical Committee on Tunnels (T-20) to address increased concerns for safety and security in the U.S. tunnel inventory. In support of the activities of the T-20 Technical Committee, an FHWAAASHTO sponsored scanning trip was undertaken in late 2005. The focus of the scan was on equipment, systems, and procedures incorporated into modern underground and underwater tunnels by leading international engineers and designers. Team members identified a number of underground transportation system initiatives and practices that varied from those in the U.S. in some respect. The team recommended that nine of these initiatives or practices be considered for further study in the United States. As a next step, the Technical Committee on Tunnels requested and received approval through the Transportation Research Board's National Cooperative Highway Research Program to conduct a workshop on research needs for safety and security in roadway tunnels. Project 20-7 Task 230 was approved in May of 2007. A project panel was formed to oversee the project and plan the workshop. The Panel met by teleconference three times in 2007 to develop the agenda, recommend speakers and invited participants. Panel membership roster is located in Appendix A. SCOPE: The goal of the workshop was to review the state of the art and develop recommendations on research needs for improving safety and security in roadway tunnels for consideration by the Technical Committee on Tunnels.