Managing Knowledge for Future-proof Tunnels in the Netherlands

Abstract

Determining the scope of (structural) renovation of aging tunnels is a complicated task and modular renovation is becoming increasingly necessary. The COB Tunnel Programme aims at developing the knowledge necessary to renovate these tunnels in a modular fashion, to reduce hindrance as much as possible. Part of this program is the development of a Structural Health Analysis (SHA) for collecting data on the condition of the civil structure of tunnels, which will give tunnel owners insight in the need for research on structural parts of the tunnel, refurbishment and the risks for the tunnel performance in the future. As a lot of knowledge will be gathered and generated, structurally securing of this knowledge is also necessary. To meet this need, the tunnel program also started development of a knowledge management system. This paper describes the aims of the knowledge management system in relation to the overall tunnel program, as well as the tools and methods devised to gather all necessary information for tunnels constructed several decades ago, where not all required information is readily available in digital form, or even in paper archives.