The articles of association of AFTES, drawn up in the early 70’s, have been modified over these last years in order to conform with some particularities of its functioning and to the integration of both the Underground Space Committee and the Plant and Equipment Delegation. In 2010, a new evolution is on its way to better guarantee the adequacy to the new ways it operates. AFTES opens up to politicians, becomes more international, upholds French-speaking and confirms its ambitious goals such as its Master’s degree and an active communication strategy. To achieve that, AFTES will increase the number of directors, modify the organization of its Board to make it more “executive” and create new committees and new think tanks.
Regarding the 2011 Congress in Lyon, AFTES, caring about improving technical exchanges between the various actors on the professional stage, Owners, Engineers, Designers, Contractors and Suppliers, will offer some innovations: 2 conference rooms allowing simultaneous presentation of two different topics, a large exhibition hall, a specialized seminar, an opening to Regions and an approach to professions.
On the underground space subject, AFTES aims at setting up some theoretical bases for the underground domain so as to inform the decision-makers, the elected members and all representatives involved in city planning and development of large transportation infrastructures, such as the Grand Paris and Arc Express projects. AFTES has also recently launched a new national research project called “10D-City, City of Ideas” (meaning in French: various sizes for a sustainable and advisable urban development within an up-and-under process).
On the education and training aspect, the new AFTES master’s degree, sponsored by two high schools, aims at providing for civil engineers a complementary education in the field of tunnels and underground structures, thus allowing them to reach faster a position of responsibility either in contracting, engineering, ownership or operation.
In 2010, AFTES also opened up to other associations such as Croatia, Romania, Poland, and to some other countries to help them to create their association (Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Algeria) or to amend their articles of association (Russia).
As of today, 22 working groups, of which 4 are new, are operational (> 300 members). 85 recommendations in French and 40 in English, issued by the Technical Committee, are available. On the website, 53 recommendations in French and 32 in English can be downloaded free. On average, 580 recommendations are downloaded every month. AFTES has also been involved, through several meetings with the Soil Mechanics Association, the Rock Mechanics Association and others, in the final publication of the new Official Manual # 69 related to underground structures and, recently, on request from the French Civil Works Federation(FNTP), in the Working Group # 25 on the new various contractual modes and good practice.
In 2010, several large works either under construction or rehabilitation can be mentioned: 12 km road tunnels (Ponserand, Fréjus, Croix-Rousse, etc.), 9 km metro tunnels (Lines 4 and 13 in Paris and Line D in Lyon), 6.5 km of waste water tunnel (Charenton, Paris) and 8 km electric cable galleries (France-Spain). 20 km of road tunnels, 85 km railway tunnels and 95 km electric cable galleries are currently under study.