Indoor atmosphere hazard identification in person entry urban utility tunnels

Urban underground space is a finite and non-renewable resource. Sustainable use of valuable shallow subsurface space requires the wide use of utility tunnels. However, traditional trenching has been adopted in many projects arguing utilidors present atmosphere hazards related to any multipurpose confined space. Utility tunnel operational risks might seem discouraging at first, but urban planning for an underground sustainable future needs these efficient facilities. The aim of this work is to characterize utilidor indoor atmosphere hazards to show how these risks could be minimised, in order to guarantee a better standard of safety and health protection.