Structures for urban transportation

The Lucerne Congress (Switzerland) began with 30 papers and almost 100 papers were dedicated to the design and construction of structures for urban transportation.

The majority of papers deals with rail and road bridges and demonstrates the need for durable structures, minimal construction times, and reduced environmental impact through noise control, judicious urban land use, and aesthetics. Although innovative technology can help, these needs can be met by careful design and planning using existing techniques, as illustrated by many papers presenting practical solutions to real problems. Tunnels are proposed as perhaps the most relevant solution to future transportation needs in urban areas, since they increase public acceptance by concealing transport corridors underground, thus saving the cultural heritage, avoiding the segregation of communities, and maintaining land for other use.

Many papers emphasise the importance of creating integrated transportation systems with intermodal railway stations and airport structures that should be made passenger friendly through close cooperation between structural engineers and architects. Structures in and on water can provide innovative solutions to infrastructure needs in urban areas where available land space is limited; examples are presented of structures that are floating, submerged or founded in water. Pedestrian structures are an ideal field for innovation and new ideas in structural engineering, as illustrated by papers covering the design, analysis, construction and rehabilitation of structures employing both basic and high technology.