ABSTRACT
Managing the maintenance of a tunnel after the construction phase is a necessary challenge for the operator or maintenance contractor. Pathologies, whether by construction defects, degradation by utilization or traffic and those due to structural problems or geological constraints can pose a serious risk to maintain a smooth and uninterrupted operation of the service and could involve downtime costs and affections to the users. Therefore, proper maintenance management can ensure an extension of the tunnel life and safe operation during the tunnel active service.
The application of digitization techniques to maintenance management involves great benefits to the entire flow of information that accompanies the detection of a pathology. The first step, is the introduction of automated inspection by data capture systems or through digital devices, providing objectivity by parameterizing inspection criteria. This parameterized data will allow a transformation into quality information for the operator, providing a real overview of the condition of its infrastructure through customized control panels adapted to each type of tunnel and type of service. The next step that goes with these digital techniques is to achieve a kind of predictive maintenance based on a completely objective and parameterized historical record that allows to precisely know the evolution of any pathology to have it perfectly identified in aspects such as position, criticality, or risk to the operation. These benefits bring a better life to the infrastructure and very complete control about its condition, providing the operator with knowledge that areas or points are critical and must act on them.
