Safe(r) Tunnels - From a viewpoint of fire safety in road and rail tunnels, and confined spaces

Abstract: Fire in confined spaces, especially underground, are a constant threat for the users and our (socio)economy. A sustainable development of our economies relies heavily on safe and reliable structures, “future” proof. In this paper, a focus is presented on passive fire protection, as an essential part in designing and operating underground spaces, with examples and approaches inspired by tunnel fire safety research and passive fire protection applications from the recent past.