STUVA Conference ’15 in Dortmund: “Family Gathering of Tunnellers”
From December 1 to 3, 2015 it will again be time for the 2015 edition of the STUVA Conference, the international forum for tunnels and infrastructure. More than 1500 participants from over 20 countries will come together at this most important forum for underground construction for an intensive exchange of views on the present and future of the industry. Two days filled with lectures (with German/English and English/German simultaneous interpretation), the exhibition covering 6000 m² accompanying the conference, visits to sites and operations on the third day and of course the grand festive evening on December 1 will once again cater for that very special STUVA Conference atmosphere: basically nowhere else is it possible to establish contacts in such a pleasant and effective manner as at the “Family Gathering of Tunnellers”.
STUVA Conference reinventing itself
with Series of Papers on Tunnel Operation
Enhancing what has proved to be good and venturing even further: in 2015 the STUVA Conference will adopt a new look. For the first time a parallel series of events held in a separate hall will deal with “Tunnel Operation” in addition to the series on “Tunnelling”. In this way the STUVA is accommodating the growing demand for reequipping and redeveloping underground transportation facilities that have either been or are about to be completed.
Structural Transformation in the Ruhr District
The fact that the STUVA Conference is taking place in Dortmund this year is no coincidence – after all the entire Ruhr District and the Emscher Region symbolically stand for a dynamic infrastructural change in a unique fashion involving manifold challenges for tunnelling. The core of this post-industrial transformation is the restoration of the Emscher and all its tributaries culminating in a free-flowing river system with high ecological benefits for the population. This generation-encapsulating project will now provide the Emscher with the world’s most modern sewage system, after the river had steadily developed into a cesspool in the form of an open sewer as a result of 150 years of industrial (mis)use.
The Emscher sewage facility is one of the world`s largest with a length of more than 51 km; it is up to 40 m deep with countless shafts, clarification plants as well as other special facilities. Over practically its entire length it passes through densely built-up areas, with loads of surprises to be encountered underground: old, frequently undocumented supply and disposal lines from many years of industrial use must be mastered as well as numerous explosives that have been in the ground since World War II. The afternoon session on December 2 will thus be devoted to this major project.
Call for Papers for STUVA Members
The “call for papers” was sent to STUVA members in early December 2014. With a few exceptions only STUVA members are permitted to deliver lectures at a STUVA Conference. Apart from concentrating on “Restoring the Emscher” the lectures series will once again reflect the entire spectrum of underground construction:
The Tunnelling Segment includes
Most recent developments in underground construction
International major projects
Safety during construction of tunnels
Design/construction/maintenance/refurbishment/research
Mechanised tunnelling/tunnelling under difficult ground conditions
Sustainability, recovery and use of energy
Economics/contractual issues/financing
The Tunnel Operation Segment includes
Latest guidelines and regulations
Safety equipment, innovative safety concepts, upgrading, modernization
Risk management
Tunnel management, tunnel control systems
Behaviour of tunnel users
Lighting and escape route signage
Fire protection, fire detection
For the third time within the “Young Forum” series of lectures, 4 to 5 highly qualified young engineers (up to ca. 35 years of age) from the circle of STUVA members will receive the chance at the 2015 STUVA Conference to report on their own practical or scientific experiences by presenting a relevant paper. During the Festive Evening on Day 1 of the Conference the lecture selected as the best by the conference participants will be awarded the STUVA up-and-comer prize.
STUVA Prize
On the occasion of the 2015 STUVA Conference in Dortmund the STUVA will present the 2015 STUVA Prize for noteworthy innovations in the sphere of underground construction. Since the STUVA Board resolved to award such a prize back in 1996, outstanding personal achievements or striking key projects have been acknowledged – in various fields such as planning, executing construction, operation, safety issues, environmental protection, theory or marketing.
Former Award Winners
1997 Ltd. Baudirektor Dipl.-Ing. Rolf Bielecki
1999 Dipl.-Ing. Claus Becker
2001 Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Brameshuber
2003 NEAT Project, Switzerland
2005 Dr.-Ing. E. h. Martin Herrenknecht
2007 Betuwe Route Project, Netherlands
2009 Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr.-Ing. E. h. Heinz Duddeck
2011 Citybanan Project, Stockholm
2013 Baurat h. c. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. mont. Georg-Michael Vavrovsky
The STUVA invites all interested parties to tender suitable proposals for a worthy award winner for 2015.
Exhibition accompanying the Conference – secure your Place now!
The ever growing interest from one STUVA Conference to the next to present one’s own company at the accompanying STUVA-Expo will allow a new record to be established this year: only a few days after bookings opened 100 exhibitors had already reserved 1900 m² of space. That’s not really surprising for there’s simply no event in the sphere of underground construction that gets so many experts and decision-makers together in such relaxed surroundings. New opportunities are also available at the STUVA-Expo following the increase in the choice of lectures: make sure to take avail of the chance to present your company in an optimal manner. Please get in touch with us! Initial information is available by accessing //www.stuva-expo.de" target="_blank" >www.stuva-expo.de:www.stuva-expo.de or by telephone: STUVA-Expo-Service telephone: +49 40 357232-0.
