User safety, structural reliability and security during tunnel operation are clearly a part of the main focus of each tunnel owner. For tackling all the corresponding questions lots of research has been done during the past 15 years, providing decision-makers with sophisticated approaches and a steadily growing set of infrastructure and operational safety measures to make our tunnels a safer environment. Since a major part of our infrastructure is aging, the refurbishment and safety upgrading of the existing building stock becomes more and more the center of attention. Some imminent questions are usually brought-up:

•How can one rehabilitate a tunnel and keep up the availability of the infrastructure? •What about risk levels during rehabilitation? Are they possibly increasing? •Is safety during rehabilitation only a matter of working space safety or are there lingering problems that were not part of past risk assessments of the tunnel? •Are our safety systems safe enough to deal with incidents during rehabilitation works? •Is there any measure for a temporary upgrade of tunnel system’s safety?

These and others questions will be tackled during the ITA-COSUF workshop which is especially devoted to the safe operation of underground facilities in times of rehabilitation and refurbishment. Speakers from all over Europe will show case studies, new technologies and new approaches.

The workshop is endorsed by the European research project ROBO-SPECT – linked with ITA-COSUF Activity Group 3 ”Research and New Findings”.