IMS risk evaluation system for financing and insuring tunnel projects

Tunnelling works have become progressively more risky, due to their increasing scale and sophistication as well as the variability of the geological conditions in which they are being constructed. This, coupled with risk avoidance by many clients in Asia for example, is leading to a high frequency of disputes and litigation over contract and insurances claims. As a result new initiatives are expected soon from insurers that will impact upon clients, designers and contractors requiring a higher standard of risk management and the implementation of a new code of practice for such works. (Anon, 2003) Whilst the new code is an important first step it does not go far enough in the experience of the writer in helping the tunnelling industry identify, quantify and manage major inherent risks in tunnelling works today. A series of case histories of completed tunnel projects covering the widest range of tunnelling methods, ground conditions and risks types has been used as a basis for identifying the nature of the risks commonly encountered in major tunnel projects. This research was presented in previous work by the writers together with a quality risk assessment system recommended for use in conjunction with the IMS risk evaluation system. The IMS system (see Table 1 below) has been developed from the writers' experiences and a data bank of over 50 major projects largely undertaken in Asia covering all aspects of tunnelling activities and related risks. The scoring system has been tried and tested by evaluation of all 17 case histories. This check has demonstrated that the system works well in terms of providing a simple assessment of the project risk level, risk categories and risk types. This approach guides the user towards identification and evaluation of real engineering risks to be mitigated when conducting risk assessments for projects. A reporting format is included to provide separate sections for financing and insuring purposes. (A) "Reprinted with permission from Elsevier". For the covering abstract see ITRD E124500.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/08867798
• Authors:
  • MCFEAT-SMITH, I
  • HARMAN, K W
• Publication Date: 2004-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p334
• Serial:
  • TUNNELLING AND UNDERGROUND SPACE TECHNOLOGY. UNDERGROUND SPACE FOR SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT. PROCEEDINGS OF THE 30TH ITA-AITES WORLD TUNNEL CONGRESS SINGAPORE, 22 - 27 MAY 2004
  • Volume: 19
  • Issue Number: 4-5
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0886-7798

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Conferences; Evaluation and assessment; Frequency (Electromagnetism); Insurance
• Geographic Terms: Asia
• ITRD Terms: 8005: Asia; 8525: Conference; 9020: Evaluation (assessment); 6997: Frequency; 1568: Insurance
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; I25: Design of Tunnels;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01011528
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Dec 19 2005 3:15PM