About
ITA COSUF create an ecosystem for learning, which benefits both clients and suppliers in the entire underground industry.
We invite all actors and stakeholders (authorities, consultants, academia, research, industry suppliers, contractors, safety officers) to be members.
We serve both road-, rail- and metro infrastructure industry, but also all underground structures and tunnel projects in general, including mining, underground industri, caverns and city services developments.
Our Story
Founded in 1974 by the initiative of nineteen Nations, the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association (ITA) which aims are:
«ITA, the leading international organization promoting the use of tunnels and underground space through knowledge sharing and application of technology»
to encourage the use of the subsurface for the benefit of public, environment and sustainable development and to promote advances in planning, design, construction, maintenance and safety of tunnels and underground space, by bringing together information thereon and by studying questions related thereto.
To reach its objectives, ITA has set up international working groups (WG) to study and report on specific topics. Today, 13 working groups are active.
ITA has 4 committees:
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ITA-COSUF, Committee on Operational Safety in Underground facilities with the cooperation of the World Road Association-PIARC and all the major European fire research organizations
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ITA-CET, Committee on Education and Training, nicknamed «University Network»
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ITA-CUS, Committee on Underground Space
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ITAtech, Committee on New Technologies
ITA has also another group called Young Members Group
The International Tunneling Association (ITA) and the World Road Association have signed a memorandum of understanding to ensure complementarity and synergy in their activities.
In 1957, the World Road Association set up a Technical Committee on "Road Tunnel Operations". The International Underground Works Association, now the International Tunneling and Underground Space Association (ITA), was established in 1974.
In 2005, they signed a memorandum of understanding outlining the respective work scopes and setting a formal framework to organize further cooperation. The World Road Association, in order to provide continuity in the activities carried out since 1957, assumes leadership in study areas of tunnel geometry, equipment, operations, safety and environment in road tunnels. ITA, in the area of road tunnels, assumes leadership in the area of civil engineering, design and construction technology. In addition, ITA is the host of an exchange network on safety matters in tunnels whatever the type of tunnel.
In terms of safety, ITA, in consultation with the World Road Association, has created in 2005 the Committee on operational safety of underground facilities (ITA-COSUF).
Our Vision
To be the Centre of Excellence for world-wide exchange of information and know-how regarding operational safety and security of underground facilities.
Eric Premat
Chairman
ITA COSUF
CETU (France)
Ben Van Den Horn
General Secretary
Activity Group 1 leader
ITA COSUF
Arcadis (Netherlands)
Severin Wachli
Vice Chairman
Activity Group 2
co-leader
ITA COSUF
Nagra (Switzerland)
Marco Bettelini
Activity Group 2 co-leader
ITA COSUF
Amberg Engineering (Switzerland)
Gotz Vollmann
Activity Group 3 leader
ITA COSUF
Ruhr University Bochum (Germany)
John Aldrige
Activity Group 4 co-leader
ITA COSUF
London Bridge Assoc. LTD (Great Britain)
Bianca Janssen
Activity Group 4 co-leader
ITA COSUF
Rijkswaterstaat (Netherlands)
Sanja Zlatanic
Tutor
ITA AITES Executive Board
HNTB National Tunnel Practice (USA)
Roland Leuker
Steering board member
ITA COSUF
STUVA (Germany)
Max Lakkonen
Steering board member
ITA COSUF
IFAB (Germany/Finland)
Roberto Arditi
Steering board member
ITA COSUF
SINA (Italy)
Frank Embert Kreiser
Steering board member
ITA COSUF
Krebs+Kiefer Engineering (Germany)
Arild Petter Sovik
PIARC Liaison
ITA COSUF
Søvik Consulting/ Norwegian Tunnelling Network (Norway)