Conference Underground Constructions
12TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE UNDERGROUND CONSTRUCTION PRAGUE 2013
The ITA-AITES Czech Tunnelling Association held its already 12th international conference Underground Construction Prague 2013 from 22nd through 24th April 2013. Its preparation was carried out in collaboration with the ITA-AITES Slovak Tunnelling Association. In addition, the conference was supported by the international tunnelling association, the ITA-AITES. The conference organisation was very well provided by Guarant International s. r. o. agency (similarly as in the cases of the WTC 2007 and the UC 2010).
According to the response from the conference attendees, the conference was very successful, which fact is documented by the high number of attendees, exhibitors and conference partners.
The conference was held in the same hotel as in 2010, the Clarion Congress Hotel in Prague-Vysočany. It was confirmed that this hotel suits the organisation of similar events best of all Prague hotels. In addition to the technical programme, the conference comprised a technical exhibition, a poster section and technical excursions.
The Steering Committee worked under the leadership of Dr. Alexandr Butovič and the Scientific Council was led by Dr. Matouš Hilar.
It is possible to state with pleasure that the membership in the Scientific Council or in the Steering Committee was accepted by prominent foreign experts (see: Preparatory committee and Scientific Council).
BASIC CONFERENCE DATA
Survey of attendees
The total of 600 attendees from 26 countries of the world registered to the conference, 9 of them were attending persons and 73 exhibiting registrations. Actually present were 492 persons (without attending persons and exhibitors).
Survey of attendees according to individual countries
the Czech Republic 355
Slovakia 57
Germany 13
Austria 12
Poland, Italy, Russia 6 each
Great Britain 5
Iran 4
France, Greece, Spain, Switzerland, the USA 3 each
Belarus, Portugal, Slovenia 2 each
Belgium, Bosnia a Herzegovina, China, Denmark, Ireland, Canada, Luxembourg 1 each
For comparison – the PS 2010 conference had 480 persons registered from 22 countries; 460 were physically present.
Papers
The organisers received 143 papers from 18 countries of the world (the UC 2010 proceedings contained 167 papers from 25 countries).
Conference materials
Each participant received the conference proceedings on a CD and printed proceedings containing abstracts of the papers (in Czech or Slovak and in English). It addition they received TUNEL journal issue 1/2013 containing 4 keynote lectures, Geomechanics and Tunnelling journal issue 2/2013 and the April issue of Tunnels and Tunnelling (International Edition). The conference organisers are grateful to the editors of these journals for their helpfulness.
Note: the Geomechanics and Tunnelling journal issue 2/2013 was dedicated to the underground construction industry in the Czech Republic (Czech tunnel projects) and the Tunnels and Tunnelling contained the first of three papers on the history of the Prague Metro.
CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
Conference opening
A series of pictures from underground construction sites in the Czech Republic were projected at the beginning of the conference. The projection was ended by a short video from the simultaneous breakthrough of two EPB shields in November 2012, which meant the end of the driving of running tunnels on the extension of the Line A of Prague metro. The projection was accompanied by a part of the musical poem Z českých luhů a hájů (From Czech Meads and Groves) from Má Vlast (My Country) cycle.
The conference was then opened by speeches of:
Ing. Alexandr Butovič, Ph.D., the chairman of the Conference Steering Committee,
Ing. Ivan Hrdina, the chairman of the Czech Tunnelling Association and vice-president of the AITA-AITES,
Martin C. Knights, ex-president of the ITA-AITES.
Conference Scientific Programme – (see: Scientific Programme)
Poster Section comprised 36 posters (for comparison – 16 posters were at UC 2010).
Technickal exkursions
A total of 5 excursions took place on Wednesday the 24th April 2013:
Exkursion A – Blanka Tunnel Complex, 60 attendees registered
Exkursion B – Metro V.A, 57 attendees registered
Exkursion C – Utility Tunnels in the Historic Centre of Prague, 46 attendees registered
Exkursion D – Regional Underground Research Centre URC Josef, 20 attendees registered
Exkursion E – Main Traffic Control Centre in Prague, 20 attendees registered
SOCIAL PROGRAMME
The meeting of members of the ITA-AITES CzTA Board and the Conference Steering Committee with important foreign attendees, representatives of the state administration and representatives of project owners, deigning organisations and contractors took place on the eve of the Conference opening, on Sunday the 21st April 2013. Invitations to the Welcome Reception held at Prague Lord Mayor’s residence were accepted by 93 persons (120 persons at the UC 2010).
The social evening for all registered attendees, accompanying persons and partners was held in the historical area of the Břevnov Monastery on Monday the 22nd April 2013. The reception was attended by 514 persons (520 attendees were present at the UC 2010 reception).
EXHIBITORS
A total of 35 firms presented their companies within the framework of the Technical Exhibition, which occupied an area of 437m2. The following firms exhibited their trades: 3G Consulting Engineers, s.r.o., Amberg Engineering Brno, a.s., AMTEKO International s.r.o., Anton Vorek, ARCADIS Geotechnika a.s., Atlas Copco s.r.o., BASF Stavební hmoty ČR s.r.o., BEKAERT Hlohovec a.s., DESOI GmbH, Eltodo EG, a.s., FERALPI – PRAHA s.r.o., GEOtest, a.s., Herrenknecht AG, HOCHTIEF CZ a.s., IDEA RS s.r.o., IKP Consulting Engineers s.r.o., ILF Consulting Engineers s.r.o., INSET s.r.o., KRAMPEHAREX CZ s.r.o., LIEBHERR-Stavební stroje CZ s.r.o., MACCAFERRI CENTRAL EUROPE s.r.o., MAPEI, spol. s r.o., METROPROJEKT Praha a.s., Metrostav a.s., Minova Bohemia s.r.o., Mott MacDonald CZ, spol. s.r.o., Promat s.r.o., PUDIS a.s., SIKA CZ s.r.o., SMP CZ, a.s., Subterra a.s., SUDOP PRAHA a.s., SYLEX s.r.o., TIWO, s.r.o., Volvo Stavební stroje Czech s.r.o.
The Czech Tunnelling Association thanks all who contributed to the conference success and all who attended it!
We are looking forward to seeing you again in Prague 2016!
12th International Conference Underground Construction Prague 2013 - Final Programme