EGRESS-DOORS IN ÖBB RAILWAY TUNNELS – BASICS, DECISIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS

Increasing demands on a modern public transport infrastructure result in ever more extensive and complex projects including long tunnels. This usually also entails increased expenditure on rail technology equipment (including control and instrumentation systems and sensors). The aim of the overall rail tunnel system must be to ensure that railway operations must be safe, punctual and, as far as possible, uninterrupted. Aspects of maintenance, servicing and renewal must never be forgotten in this context. Emergency exit doors represent an important element in a rail tunnel, especially in the event of an incident for people fleeing and seeking for safe areas. It is of great importance and in many aspects a great challenge to define reasonable requirements for egress doors with regard to statics, serviceability, fire protection, operability, among others. Such requirements are finally often associated with compromises.