Tunnel control centre of Hamburg: State-of-the art traffic monitoring and control

Modernised operation of tunnel facilities, updated incident scenarios and efficient communication networks allow for comprehensive, integrated and expandable tunnel operation management.

The civil and traffic engineers of PTV Transport Consult support clients in planning and modernising tunnels.

Traffic control options 

Project description

During expansion of the A7, the tunnel operations centre Elbtunnel will be upgraded to the Hamburg tunnel control centre (TLZ). The latter will oversee three new tunnels (Altona, Stellingen, Schnelsen) as well as the Elbtunnel and several other tunnels in the Hamburg area. The new control centre is responsible for monitoring, controlling, securing and regulating the traffic and technical equipment in road tunnels and on access routes.

PTV Transport Consult was commissioned by DEGES (in a consortium with BHM engineers) to carry out the design and implementation planning for the conversion of the tunnel control centre. In addition, the consultants were commissioned with site management and conversion supervision.

Work packages

Planning touched on four specialist fields:

- Buildings, ergonomics, spatial planning and fire protection,

- Structural design, statics and dynamics,

- Technical building equipment and

- Tunnel traffic control and traffic engineering, integrated operation, video technology, large screen display

A requirements catalogue for a new tunnel control centre was developed based on examination and analysis of the current situation. Various solutions for the conversion were prepared and evaluated from a technical and economic point of view. Implementation planning was finalised, and the corresponding specifications were drawn up. The project was carried out and realised based on the transport model developed.

Several working groups for construction supervision

Construction supervision and site management are taken care of by several working groups that cover IT and telecommunications systems, software and hardware, technical building equipment as well as building construction and object planning.

DEGES awarded PTV Transport Consult a separate contract for site management and supervision (LP 8 and 9 according to HOAI - German Fee Regulations for Architects and Engineers) of the conversion of the Hamburg tunnel control centre.

Working groups were formed to organise the construction and erection activities. They consisted of the project members DEGES, LSBG Hamburg, PKE Verkehrstechnik and PTV Transport Consult. Five groups covered ‘IT and telecommunications systems, software and hardware’, two working groups took care of ‘Technical building equipment’ and one working group was responsible for ‘Structural engineering and object planning’.

The working groups were coordinated by a superordinate project group and by the working group in charge of IT baseline protection. A steering group was responsible for escalation management.

Actions and results

Hamburg’s new tunnel control centre reflects the current state of technical development and allows for comprehensive, integrated and expandable tunnel operations management.

Its modernisation includes:

- Operation and integration of tunnel systems (operating technology and traffic engineering)

- Visualisation of object and system states as well as of video images

- Development and implementation of incident scenarios and SOPs

- Definition of communication networks and interfaces

Hamburg’s new tunnel control centre in figures

- Monitored tunnel length (tube km with new tunnels): approx. 20 km

- Technical connection of approx. 250,000 data points (i.e. measured values, messages, switching actions), 500 display sections and 300 measuring sections

- System monitoring and video image display on two large screen display systems: Control room approx. 16m x 3m and emergency control room approx. 10m x 3m

- Approx. 180 monitors for system monitoring and operation

- 5 workstations in the control room and 5 workstations in the emergency control room

- Built-up area: 1,200 sqm

- Planned power cabling: approx. 25 km

- Planned data cabling: approx. 80 km with approx. 1,000 network connections

- Investment costs: > 40 million euros net

- Completion: >2025

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