Tunnels

This report documents a project undertaken to investigate the issues associated with managing the planning, construction, operation and maintenance of road tunnels in a sustainable manner. The results of the investigation informed an update to all four parts of the Austroads Guide to Road Tunnels (AGRT). The updates will provide owners, operators, designers and those constructing tunnels with contemporary guidance on how to consider and address sustainability during the life cycle of tunnels.

The AGRT has applied the definition of sustainability as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This requires infrastructure that is designed, constructed and operated to optimise environmental, social and economic outcomes for the long term. These outcomes are defined by the World Road Association (PIARC) as the three pillars of sustainability.

The report details the research undertaken and the changes made to include sustainability in the AGRT. The research involved a detailed literature review and stakeholder engagement including a workshop.