Title of the Keynote:  Effects of Subsidence Induced by Tunnelling on Buildings: The Sagrada Familia Temple case
Full Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya – Barcelona TECH (UPC), Spain

Biography

Prof. Gonzalo RAMOS(1965) holds a degree of Civil Engineer MSc (1990) and a PhD (1994) from UniversitatPolitecnica de Catalunya – BarcelonaTECH (UPC). Spain. He is P.Eng, C.Eng, MICE, ICCP. Full Professor of Bridges and Construction Methods at UPC since 2008. His main area of expertise is concrete and steel bridges and tunnels. His research is focused on externally prestressed segmental bridges, on the use of Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete in bridges and tunnels, tunnel segments design and effect of tunnelling on structures. Designer or adviser of more than 100 bridges,cut and cover and TBM tunnels in Europe, North and South America and Middle East. Member of the UNESCO International Committee for the assessment of the Gaudi Works World Heritage (Sagrada Familia Temple and Casa Mila) fortunnelling the High-Speed Train Tunnel in Barcelona.

Presentation Summry

The lecture will deal with the controversy that arose over the effects of the construction of a tunnel in Barcelona, for the High-Speed train, on the Temple of the Sagrada Familia. The construction of the tunnel was considered by many as a great structural risk for the temple, as well as for the Casa Milà, both by the famous architect Gaudí. The preventive measures taken, the monitoring implemented, the structural modelling, the control carried out and the results obtained will be explained. It is an example of how to address the risks of a construction which could affect UNESCO World Heritage.