Road tunnel design for safety, comfort and aesthetics: The Norwegian approach

Norway's tradition and expertise on underground works is of long standing. So much so that up to the present 800 road tunnels have been built in order to provide good communications, overcoming serious difficulties due to the landscape (mountains and fjords) and a severe climate. The 24.5 km. long Laerdal-Aurland tunnel, currently under construction: will become by the I:urn of the century the longest road tunnel worldwide. Because of this leading position, Norway is increasingly concerned about factors such as driving quality, comfort and safety on road tunnels and their relationship with functional and aesthetic design. This is the main target of the Project shown in this Paper.