Practical Integration of Risk Management and Monitoring During Rebuilding of Subway Station CS Rotterdam

In the centre of Rotterdam, extensive reconstructing works are executed in the underground subway station CS during the period 2005 – 2011. The goal is to provide sufficient passenger transfer capacity in the future. Rebuilding of the underground station is part of the overall project Rotterdam Centraal. Governing design condition are: regular underground subway traffic, passenger transfer and safety at the existing underground station will not be affected during the construction works.

Risk management, including monitoring of building activities which might affect surrounding objects ( tunnels, high-rise buildings) and implementation of remedial actions, turn out to be an essential part of the project.

This paper describes the process and the results from evaluation of the project's monitoring experience by comparing the design phase (contract specifications) to the construction phase (control of building activities with monitoring results). Within this context the monitoring of some technical project features will be highlighted. Cases on control of groundwater levels and deformation of the existing subway tunnel are presented. Evaluation of the monitoring will be presented, including the lessons learned. It is concluded that the complete risk control and monitoring format as followed by Rotterdam Public Works has proven to be of vital importance for safe and proper execution of construction works in an urban environment.