Towards more sustainable road tunnels in Australia and New Zealand: recommendations for practitioners

Sustainability is important for many reasons but fundamentally it is not about what we should do for the environment, it is something we must do to preserve our quality of life and of all life on the planet. It is particularly important for road tunnels because compared to a road at grade, a road tunnel has a substantially higher carbon footprint, both during its construction and during the nonstop operation of its systems through its operating life. Practices and methods that promote the sustainability of road tunnels are, therefore, necessary for alleviating the pressure they exert on scarce resources and the natural environment. This paper presents research, commissioned by Austroads, into achieving sustainability for road tunnels in terms of improved environmental, economic and social outcomes. Specifically, it investigates the sustainable practices associated with managing the design, construction, operation and maintenance of road tunnels. This paper provides a range of recommendations to assist practitioners design, build and operate sustainable road tunnels. They are aimed towards inclusion in national best practice guidance for road tunnels and include general sustainability initiatives that can improve ventilation and lighting outcomes, preserve resources, reduce operating costs, utilise recycled materials, and minimise potential adverse environmental and social impacts. This paper aims to provide a benchmark for the sustainability of road tunnels in Australia and New Zealand that can be adapted across the globe.

• Record URL:
  • https://arrbknowledge.com
• Authors:
  • O'Connor, G
  • Louis, L
  • Peglas, T
  • Yeo, R
  • Lloyd, N
• Conference:
  • NTRO International Technical Conference, 2023, Port Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• Publication Date: 2023-10

Media Info

• Pagination: 19p
• Monograph Title: Transport beyond certainty: NTRO International Technical Conference, Melbourne, 25-27 October 2023

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Construction; Environment; Environmental impacts; Street lighting; Sustainable development; Tunnels; Ventilators
• Uncontrolled Terms: Design guide; Ventilation
• Geographic Terms: Australia; New Zealand
• ATRI Terms: Construction; Design guide; Environmental effects; Tunnel; Tunnel lighting; Ventilation
• ITRD Terms: 9011: Design (overall design); 545: Lighting (street)
• Subject Areas: Construction; I54: Construction of Tunnels;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01924671
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB Group Limited
• Files: ITRD, ATRI
• Created Date: Jul 18 2024 10:48AM