EU - TUNConstruct - Technology Innovation in Underground Construction

The goal of the project is the transformation of European underground construction into a high tech, high added value activity, capable of giving cost-efficient, sustainable and novel solutions to societal needs. It addresses underground construction issues, which will contribute to improve the quality of life of citizens for example by reducing traffic congestion and the associated pollution and noise. By moving infrastructures underground, above ground spaces are freed . The project will develop methods that allow a proper assessment of construction risk, innovative materials/techniques and will result in higher quality construction processes beyond the conventional ones used today. This will also impact on the safety of workers. The aim is to perform research and development in order to produce an Underground Construction Integrated Platform (UCIP) which will include all aspects of the life cycle of an underground construction from planning to operation/maintenance. As a consequence of the work proposed underground construction will be more economic (we expect a reduction of 30% of costs and time at the end of the project), safer (the accident rates will be reduced by 50%) and more environmentally friendly. The consequence of this will be that underground space will be increasingly used to alleviate pressing problems that will confront the European society in the next 20 years: Traffic congestion (freight transport is for example expected to increase by 60% from 2000 to the year 2020), increasing urbanisation (mega cities), lack of space and pollution of air and water. In addition the European industry will be more competitive in the world market.