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Project details

SECUREMETRO

Inherently secure blast resistant and fire safe metro vehicles
Safety and security of metro vehicles from terrorist attacks through materials choices and design

Funding: European (7th RTD Framework Programme)
Duration: 01/2010 - 12/2012
Transport themes: Innovative technologies , Rail transport , Regulation, competition and public services , Security and Safety (key theme) , Economic and regional impacts
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Background & policy context

Increased safety and security of metro vehicles from terrorist attacks by explosives and fire bombs through materials choices and design, thereby increasing resilience and reducing the impact of attacks on passengers, staff, infrastructure and property.

Objectives

The goal of SECUREMETRO is to develop validated materials selection and design strategies for building metro vehicles with intrinsic security features. The project will consider threats from conventional explosives and from fire bombs. The project objectives are:

  • Increase metro vehicle resilience to terrorist bomb blast, through the selection of vehicle materials and structural design;
  • Increase security against a fire bomb attack, through the design of fire barriers and fire suppression technology. This also contributes to passenger safety from accidental fires or from vandalism fires;
  • Increase the resilience of vehicles to blasts: this will speed-up recovery following an attack, allowing the rail system to return to normal operation quickly;
  • Reduce the attractiveness of metro systems as a target for attack: reduce deaths and injuries, increase resilience, reduce economic impact and make recovery faster.

Methodology

The project brings together a vehicle builder, system operator and researchers to develop a design methodology validated by laboratory and larger scale tests for building metro vehicle able to cope with blast and fire bomb attacks. It uses innovative solutions to integrate and exploit existing technologies, materials and systems to increase inherent safety and security of vehicles. This includes interaction between the intrinsically more secure vehicle and the infrastructure on which it runs.

SECUREMETRO is divided into several work packages (WP) to meet the aims and objective of the project. These work packages are:

  • WP1 - Scenario definition;
  • WP2 - Design solutions for blast;
  • WP3 - Design solutions for fire and fire bombs;
  • WP4 - Pilot test with application of models;
  • WP5 - Dissemination and standards;
  • WP6 - Project coordination.

Research Programme

FP7-TPT - Transport (Including Aeronautics) - Horizontal activities for implementation of the transport programme (TPT)

Leading institution(s)

Other:

The European Commission

Type of funding

Public (EU)

Project presentation

SECUREMETRO: Newsletter (December 2011) (837 Kb)

Other project deliverable

SECUREMETRO: D5B-02 (179 Kb)

SECUREMETRO: D5B-03 (13682 Kb)

Partners

  • INSTITUT FRANCAIS DES SCIENCES ET TECHNOLOGIES DES TRANSPORTS, DE L'AMENAGEMENT ET DES RESEAUX
  • REGIE AUTONOME DES TRANSPORTS PARISIENS
  • SUNCOVE SA
  • FUNDACIÓN FERROCARRILES ESPAÑOLES
  • METRO DE MADRID SA
  • STAM SRL
  • BOMBARDIER TRANSPORT FRANCE
  • ISTITUTO AFFARI INTERNAZIONALI
  • EXPLOSIVOS ALAVESES SA
  • FUNDACION TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATION

Contact for further information

Nicola DOLMAN (Ms.)
UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
Kensington Terrace, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, UNITED KINGDOM
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
United Kingdom

CORDIS: Project page
Website: SECUREMETRO Project website