ITA safety prize for young researchers
08 Jan 2014
ITA-COSUF News Release
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The Committee on Operational Safety of Underground Facilities (COSUF) of the International Tunnelling and underground space Association (ITA) was established in May 2005 following a joint initiative of eight European research projects which all aimed at improved tunnel safety. Since then COSUF gathered among its members some of the most recognised experts, scientists and operators from all continents. The Committee scope is safety in operation and security in tunnels and other underground facilities. ITA-COSUF aims at improving and promoting safety and security underground, through networking activities and dissemination of technical culture and new knowledge.
- The ITA is calling on young researchers and professionals to enter this year's safety prize.
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- As part of its bid to attract a new generation of researchers and tunnelling professionals a €1,000 prize is being offered to the winner, plus the chance to present his/her work to the ITA Committee on Operational Safety and Underground Facilities (ITA-COSUF) during a plenary session of its workshop at this year's ITA World Tunnel Congress in Iguassu Falls, Brazil. The winner will also be awarded travel and accommodation costs, and as a statement of commitment to safety this year's prize fund is double that of previous years.
- "ITA-COSUF aims at a widespread adoption of best practices in the field of safety and security underground," said Roland Leucker, ITA-COSUF Chairman. "Consequently we need to develop the culture and know-how of practitioners and scientists. We wish to attract the interest of new generations of professionals on safety and security of underground facilities," he added.
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Last year's winner Enrico Ronchi
- To qualify for entry applicants need not be ITA-COSUF members, but must be students, young professionals or researchers under the age of 35, who have completed within the last two years research work in theory and/or practice in the area of operational safety or security of underground facilities. The deadline for entries is 28 February, and applications must be made in English using a form available on the ITA-COSUF website.
- Past winners include Ben Nieman (2009), who received the first ITA-COSUF Award for his masters thesis at the University of Delft, Netherlands, which dealt with the ever-present problem of large cracks at the fire-exposed side of tunnel linings. The 2010 award was given to Stefan Kratzmeir from Germany for his excellent record on tunnel safety research while working as a scientific manager on R&D applications. In 2012 the COSUF Award went to Ying Zhen Li of the SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden for his work on fire dynamics in tunnels. His research findings into tunnel sprinkler systems have been published by TunnelTalk.
- Last year the award was handed over to Enrico Ronchi for his contribution in the area of evacuation modelling in road tunnel fires. Ronchi combined and tested various evacuation models to increase the reliability of predictions regarding human behaviour.
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Sprinkler limitations for tunnel fire fighting - TunnelTalk, September 2011
WTC Geneva marks milestones for the ITA - TunnelTalk, June 2013
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