LA IMPLANTACIÓN DE GALERÍAS DE SERVICIO SUBTERRÁNEAS EN CENTROS HISTÓRICOS Y SU PROCESO CONSTRUCTIVO

Abstract

In spite of their high initial cost compared to that of the traditional burial system, many cities have chosen to build utility tunnels as being the best option for the future arrangement of the large amount of service networks which have to be placed underground, at the same time as making it possible to carry out a much more agile and less costly preventive, predictive and corrective maintenance of them. However, only in exceptional cases have municipal authorities elected to use this type of underground tunnel as a key element for the renovation and regeneration of the historic centres of their cities, since their building difficulties are added to the higher cost of the initial investment. For over a decade, this type of tunnel is being incorporated into the Old Quarter of Pamplona with the advances in its reurbanization and pedestrianization. Following this exceptional action, the aim of this article is to describe the logical building process to be followed to set up utility tunnels in consolidated historic areas with the premise of guaranteeing at all times the safety of the workers and of the pre-existing buildings. Keywords: Utility tunnels; utilidors; service networks; urban regeneration; historic quarter, urban science