Development of a Logistics Reference Model for Subsurface Construction

Abstract

Tunneling and subsurface construction is an important economic sector in Central Europe, due to the topographic situation, the extension of hydropower plants, the improvement of traffic networks as well as the urban infrastructure. Currently, projects like the Swiss New Railway Link through the Alps (NRLA), the Vienna and Stuttgart Central Stations and the Austrian Southern Railway are under study or construction. In the past, the methods of construction of modern subsurface installations have been supported by numerous studies and research work. A field of research which is rarely represented in this context compared to the other disciplines is logistics. Even though there have been a few initiatives in research and application, an integrated logistics view and model is missing. Due to the specific situation, every subsurface structure is unique and has special characteristics, and the requirements on logistics planning and execution differ. Especially geologic formation and the applied construction method change on every site. Still, there are numerous processes and tasks which remain the same for any project. A methodical approach to describe the structure, the actors, the interfaces, the processes and their interaction are process reference models. They are used in different branches, companies and level of detail to lay the foundation for controlled and repeatable processes, and give the possibility to benchmark them. Moreover, the framework and elements of these models can be reused for various applications in their domain. This research analyzes the framework for the application of process reference models for subsurface construction logistics and defines requirements on the structure and processes as well as the interaction between them. Furthermore, the development of a construction logistics reference model for subsurface construction is shown.