Title: Risk analysis for severe traffic accidents in long road tunnels

Authors: Konstantinos Gkoumas; Carmine Di Santo; Franco Bontempi

Addresses: StroNGER S.r.l. (Structures of the New Generation: Energy Harvesting and Resilience), Incubatore ITech, Via Giacomo Peroni 442-444, Tecnopolo Tiburtino, 00131 Rome, Italy ' Via Delle Benedettine 71, 00135, Rome, Italy ' School of Civil and industrial Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy

Abstract: In the recent years, with a globally increasing private motoring, tunnelling has gained a particular importance. After a series of dramatic accidents, the public opinion has turned its attention to tunnel fire safety. This paper focuses on the risk analysis in road tunnels, using the well-established Europe PIARC-OECD Quantitative Risk Assessment Model (QRAM). In the first part, a brief literature review - also on forensic investigations in tunnels - is performed, and the logic behind this method is briefly reassumed, focusing on the risk indicators. In the second part, a comprehensive risk analysis is performed in a long tunnel in Southern Italy, accounting for multifaceted aspects and parameters. The paper is completed with a sensitivity analysis on specific parameters that have an influence on the risk.

Keywords: risk assessment; road tunnels; tunnel safety; QRAM; forensic investigations; probit analysis; dangerous goods; pressure effects; thermal effects; toxic effects; accident scenarios; severe accidents; road traffic accidents; long tunnels.

DOI: 10.1504/IJFE.2016.075992

International Journal of Forensic Engineering, 2016 Vol.3 No.1/2, pp.106 - 126

Received: 05 Oct 2015
Accepted: 19 Jan 2016
Published online: 20 Apr 2016 *

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