Dubronovik Gears Up for WTC 2015

The Croatian Association for Tunnels and Underground Structures and the International Tunnelling Association (ITA) will host the 41st annual World Tunnel Congress and General Assembly in Dubrovnik, Croatia, from May 22-28, 2015.

Croatia is located in the middle of South-East Europe (SEE) and is part of the European Union (EU) since July 2013. The SEE region is the EU region with the most expectations and plans in developing infrastructure in next two decades in Europe.

The theme of the WTC 2015 is “Promoting Tunneling in the SEE Region.” Urban underground space use is rapidly increasing worldwide as a means of accommodating better infrastructure and new urban facilities in major and historic urban centers. So far none of SEE countries have had an opportunity to organize on World Tunnel Congress and this happening will strongly and certainly help further development of underground infrastructure in the future.

Dubrovnik is the old city port on the Adriatic coast and is a center of tourism, and is host to a congress center that is able to accommodate thousands of guests. It is also one of centers of the infrastructure works with unique underground solutions (city road tunnel, light rail to airport, new road roundabout) that will all be in construction in 2015.

Dubrovnik will provide an excellent technical and social setting for the WTC 2015. Croatia’s hosting of WTC 2015 is supported by ITA and with the support of countries with ITA membership (Austria, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece and Turkey).

Organizers are expecting around 1,500-2,000 participants from around the world. For Dubrovnik and Croatia in general, it is of great significance to host such a big and important event on the international level.

The program features technical sessions presented by leading experts from around the globe. Topics include: Planning and Designing Tunnels and Underground Structures; Mechanized Tunneling in Development and Use; Conventional Tunneling Methods in Development and Use; Immersed and Floating Tunneling; Operation and Maintenance of Tunnels and Underground Structures; Equipment of Tunnels and Underground Structures; Fire Safety of Tunnels and Underground Structures; Intelligent Systems, Mechatronics and Robotics in Tunneling; Developments in Use of Underground Space: Case Studies; Urban Planning and Using of Underground Space; SEE Session: Soft Ground Urban Tunneling/Rock Tunneling in Karst; Risk Analyses and Techniques for Underground Structures; Cost Optimization and Financing of Underground Structures; and more.

An exhibition hall is also part of the program, and includes some of the leading manufacturing and service companies from around the work showcasing the latest in tunneling technology.

For more information, visit http://wtc15.com/

Schedule at a Glance
World Tunnel Congress 2015
Dubrovnik, Croatia

Friday, May 22
8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
ITA CET Training Course

Saturday, May 23
9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
ITA CET Training Course

Sunday, May 24
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
ITA General Assembly
2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Working Group Meetings
8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Welcome Reception

Monday, May 25
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Opening Ceremony and Muir Wood Lecture
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Keynote Lectures
12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Exhibit Hall Open
2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Technical Sessions

Tuesday, May 26
8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Report on Activities of Working Groups and Committees
9:00 a.m. – 12:30 a.m.
Open Session – “Underground Space and Natural Resources – Hydro”
10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
ITA-COSUF Workshop – “Aging Tunnels – Safety in Operation and During Refurbishment”
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Exhibit Hall Open
2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Technical Sessions

Wednesday, May 27
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Technical Sessions
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Exhibit Hall Open
2:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
ITA General Assembly
2:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Technical Sessions
5:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Closing Ceremony

Thursday, May 28
All Day
Technical Tours
2:00 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Seminar – “Dubrovnik Underground Infrastructure”

World Tunnel Congress 2016 Call for Papers

The world will come to San Francisco, April 22-28, 2016, for the World Tunnel Congress (WTC). WTC will fold in 2016 NAT. The program/scientific committee for the 2016 WTC has issued a call for papers. Abstracts for consideration are due June 15, 2015.
Prospective authors are asked to submit a 150-word abstract. Detailed guidelines for submitting a successful abstract are provided on the submission website (www.wtc2016.us). Following the abstract review, accepted authors will be invited to submit a paper. Initial manuscripts for review will be due Sept. 30, 2015. Final manuscripts are due Jan. 5, 2016.

Each year, International Tunnelling Association (ITA) holds its General Assembly meeting and, at the same time, holds the World Tunnel Congress (WTC) in a different member nation around the world. WTC is the foremost international conference on tunneling and underground space where participants gather and share information to improve their industry.