ITA-AITES
2023
EXPANDING UNDERGROUND
Knowledge & Passion to Make a Positive Impact on the World
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The full paper Proceedings of the ITA-AITES World Tunnel Congress 2023 have been published as an Open Access volume for the first time.
The Poster Sessions took place at the same time as the Technical Sessions.
The Off-site Event took place at Lavrion Technological and Cultural Park (NTUA) & Archaeological Site of Cape Sounion
A set of remarkable social events were planned by the Organizing Committee for the Conference participants.
Technical Visits on the tunneling and underground excavations projects be in progress in Attica.
Leading Media Partners, in the field of construction and tunneling, strongly support WTC. For more information follow the link below.
Expanding Underground
Knowledge & Passion to Make a Positive Impact on the World
Rapid urbanization, natural hazards, climate change and extreme weather phenomena, sustainable energy geo-resources, people’s mobility and transportation of goods are first-priority demanding challenges that the globe is facing.
Cities, infrastructure and logistics expansion towards underground provide safe, sustainable and green solutions facilitating the transformation of millions of people’s lives into a more resilient lifestyle.
A comprehensive understanding, rethinking and reshaping of the underground spaces has become even more vital and crucial in the urban transformation of future cities, where overground space will be more and more valuable. For the latter to be attained, a holistic approach is required not only in terms of spatial organization or overcoming engineering challenges, but also with regard to the establishments of policies, regulations and consideration of social factors.
WTC 2023 in Athens will highlight the multiple advantages and solutions that underground space can provide, at the prospect of a whole new era of smart technology where sophisticated “digital tools” change investigation, design, construction and operation methods and strategies rapidly. WTC 2023 will additionally provide an ideal opportunity to showcase recent innovations and the perspective of technology to further efficiently upgrade underground infrastructure assets, transforming the industry and the societies it serves.
We strongly believe that WTC2023 held in Athens (Greece) will provide a valuable opportunity and a fertile soil for the international underground society to make a literally positive impact on the world.”
Dear Colleagues and Friends of the Tunnelling and Underground Space family,
It is with great pleasure on behalf of the Greek Tunneling Society (GTS) to invite you to the World Tunnel Congress 2023 that will be held in Athens – Greece, from the 12th to the 18th May 2023.
Athens, the city of myths, monuments, gods and ancient glory could offer unique experiences for the distinguished delegates of the ITA family. Contributions from all parties of the supply chain of the underground industry i.e. consultants, contractors, software producers, machine / equipment manufacturers, investors as well as operators and clients are welcome to attend since they will be able to exchange knowledge, promote their expertise / knowhow and define future needs.
Ioannis
Fikiris
Chair of the Organizing Committee
ITA – AITES World Tunnel Congress 2023 / Athens
The theme of WTC2023 “EXPANDING UNDERGROUND”, will focus on the Knowledge and Passion that our industry offers to Make a Positive Impact on the World.
During the last 5 – 6 years Greece experiences an explosive recommencement of the construction sector including large scale infrastructure projects, along with numerous tunnel and underground projects within the complex geological environment of the country. Such coincidence offers various opportunities for exciting technical tours during the congress.
The Venue of the Congress ”Megaron Athens International Conference Centre” is located in the city centre offering a unique opportunity for the delegates to explore, in parallel of the congress, the unparalleled beauty of the rich inheritance of ancient monuments and artifacts. Moreover, mid-May is an ideal season to visit Greece which is located in a blessed natural environment and surrounded by the “deep blue” Mediterranean Sea.
While GTS is getting prepared for an in-person WTC2023 participation, as we all vigorously anticipate restoring our lives to normality, there will also be an option for a virtual participation. Hence, WTC2023 will be carried out in hybrid mode.
GTS is committed to organize a successful and memorable ITA-AITES World Tunnel Congress 2023 and offer what has been known as a traditional Greek hospitality.
We are looking forward to welcoming you in Athens.
Ioannis Fikiris
Chair of the Organizing Committee
ITA – AITES World Tunnel Congress 2023 / Athens
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Tarcisio Celestino was previously ITA President (2016-19) and President of the Brazilian Tunnelling Committee. He was the Animateur of the ITA Working Group 12 on Sprayed Concrete Use (2005-10). He earned his doctorate degree in Civil Engineering (Rock Mechanics) from the University of California, Berkeley (1981).
He is currently Professor at the University of Sao Paulo and employed by Themag Engenharia Ltda., Sao Paulo (Brazil), where he leads the Geotechnical Engineering, Engineering Geology &Transportation Engineering Design Groups. He is also responsible for the geotechnical designs of several hydroelectric power plants, subways, highways etc., including major underground works (since 1990). He has also acted as consultant.
Professor Celestino continues to contribute his knowledge for the graduate courses & research areas on Rock Mechanics & Underground Works, at the São Carlos Engineering School, University of São Paulo and for the ITACET Foundation.
Our destination is the exploitation galleys of one of the largest underground mines of Attica. The chambers of metal extraction, rich in recognisable minerals, combine the mystery of ancient drifts with the beauty of caves. We will wander underground for up to 3 hours and explore the maize of drifts, the chambers supported by natural as well as carved-out pillars and the stalactites decoration reminiscent of natural caves. Each of the routes we follow hides surprises waiting to be discovered!
After we will visit the great “Chaos” sinkhole, a heart-shaped sinkhole formation 150m in diameter and 55m deep. This chiasm may have been formed by the collapse of a cave roof as many of the area’s mining tunnels end there.
Scientific theme: Underground mining activity in Lavrio
Duration: 6 hours inclusive
Detailed program
9.30-10.30 Athens-Lavrio
10.30-13.30 Underground mines
14.00-14.30 Stop at dolin “Chaos” and return to Athens
14.30 – 15.30 Lavrio-Athens
Cost per person: 40,00 €
*limited participation on a first come first served basis. In case participants are less than 20, the respective event will be cancelled and a refund wil be given.
How many surprises can the Athens underground have in store for its visitors? The stroll will start from underground shelters and detention areas of the German Kommandatur, remnants of the 2nd World War in Athens. Then, we will take the steps that start off under a timeworn trap door on the side of a road or hidden away in a sidewalk flower–bed, that will lead us in a different, forgotten underground area of the city! For hundreds of years, underground pathways have been used for various and mysterious purposes. Some say that all underground pathways are interconnected although there is no proof of this. Nevertheless, the allure of an unknown world is always there, beneath the ground we walk on. We lift up the antiquated hatch and descend the stone steps. In the catacomb, we come across tunnels of ancient aqueducts, roman baths and byzantine crypts. The Athens river is also found hidden below the ground, running in old galleys under the most central streets of Athens – we can hear the cars passing over our heads!
We invite you to discover together the hidden secrets of our city!
Scientific theme: underground constructions of the 19th and 20th century.
Duration: Maximum of 4 hours.
Detailed program:
11.00 Meeting outside Metro Station Panepistimio
11.30 Memorial Site (Korai Street). Two-level underground shelter below the Mansion of Ethniki Insurance Company.
13.00 Catacombs of the Russian Church (Filellinon Street). Inside the catacombs a tunnel and a shaft from ancient Peisistratus aqueduct, ruins from roman baths and crypts of the Byzantine order of Likodimos -11th century.
14.00 Ilissos River (area of Panathenaic Stadium). The buried riverbed of Athens river Ilissos.
Cost per person : 35,00 €
*limited participation on a first come first served basis. In case participants are less than 20, the respective event will be cancelled and a refund wil be given.
Professor Kyriazis Pitilakis has more than forty years of intensive academic, research and professional experience in civil, earthquake and geotechnical engineering. Vice-President of the European Association of Earthquake Engineering (EAEE), ex- Chairman of the Technical Committee “Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering andAssociated Problems” (TC203) of the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE), and past President of the Greek Society of Earthquake Engineering. He is presently Professor Emeritus in Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece and since 2019 visiting Professor in Tongji University, International Laboratory of earthquake Engineering (ILEE), Shanghai, China.
Coordinator and scientific responsible of numerous European research projects, namely EUROSEISTEST and SYNER-G, he has a long experience in European research activities in earthquake engineering, geotechnical engineering, vulnerability and risk assessment of civil engineering structures, infrastructures and lifelines. According to the recent Stanford classification he is among the top 10 leading researchers in Civil Engineering in Greece, and among the top 10 leading international researchers in specific topics like Soil Dynamics, Engineering Seismology and Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering.
Chairman of several international conferences including the 16th European Conference of Earthquake Engineering, Thessaloniki 2018 and invited keynote lecturer in many International Conferences. Author of more than 650 scientific papers (h-factor 57) published in peer review scientific journals, and conference proceedings, author and co-author in several books, editor of four books published in Springer Editions, all in relevant subjects of earthquake engineering, seismic risk and geotechnical earthquake engineering. Professor Kyriazis Pitilakis is founder and coordinator of EUROSEISTEST, a large scale experimental facility in earthquake engineering, soil dynamics and engineering seismology that is unique in Europe and worldwide. He supervised more that 30 PhD thesis and numerous of his students hold academic positions in Greece and worldwide.
Professor Kyriazis Pitilakis is strongly involved in the ongoing revision of EC8 (Part 1-Seismic Actions and Part 5-Seismic design of foundations, retaining structures, soilstructure interaction, liquefaction, slope stability and underground structures), while he has been international expert for the revision of other seismic codes worldwide.
He is member of the editorial advisory board in Springer editions (Geotechnical, Geological and Earthquake Engineering), member of the editorial board and reviewer of numerous scientific journals and member of many international societies in earthquake and geotechnical engineering.
Honors: Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes Academiques, French Republic.
Thessaloniki 06.06.2022
The 12th Muir Wood lecture will be delivered by Professor Marc Panet during the WTC2023 in Athens. His nomination being a Muir Wood lecturer was proposed by the French Tunnelling & Underground Space Association (AFTES) as per ITA’s Statues and By-laws.
Marc Panet graduated in Civil Engineering at the École des Mines de Paris and obtained a Master degree at the University of California at Berkeley. He started his career in 1965 at the Laboratoire Central des Ponts et Chaussées, in Paris, where he was a Research Engineer, Head of the Geotechnical Department and Technical Director. In 1982 he joined the SHP Group, in Paris, as Scientific Director. From 1984 to 1996 he was the President and CEO of SIMECSOL; and from 1996 to 2000 President and CEO of FC International SA. Since then he has been working as a consultant. He taught at the École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées, at the École des Mines and at the École Centrale des Arts et Manufactures, in Paris.
Marc has been in charge of numerous studies in geotechnical engineering for underground works, highways, bridges, and natural hazards. Among the main projects are: the Mont Blanc Tunnel (11.6km), the Frejus Road Tunnel (12.9 km), the Large Electron–Positron Collider (CERN in Geneva), the Channel Tunnel (from 1967 to the end of the construction), the Millau Bridge, the Loetschberg Base Tunnel (43 km), subways in Paris, Rennes, Caracas, Athens and Algiers, the slides of the city of Constantine (Algeria), the project of the suspended bridge on the Straits of Messina (Italy) and the project of the cable-stayed bridge on the Golden Horn (Turkey). He is presently involved in a large number of geotechnical projects.
He is the author of a large number of publications in professional journals and international conferences and of the well-known book “Calculation of tunnels using the convergence-confinement method”.
Marc Panet is a Honorary Member of the French Academy of Technology, Knight of the National Order of Merit and Knight of the Order of Academic Palms.
