A degree in civil engineering,
two master degrees (Geotechnics at La Sapienza, Tunnelling and
TBM at the Politecnico di
Torino) and over ten years of experience working around the world,
at the early age of 35
Giuseppe Gaspari boasts a particularly extensive international
curriculum, making him one of the youngest Italian experts in
underground construction.
Confirming this propensity
towards the global context, on November 7 th this year he was named
"Young Tunneller of the Year" by the jury of the
"ITA-AIT ES Tunnelling and Underground Space Awards"
contest.
His skills, knowledge and
contacts led him to become a member of the Organizing Committee of
the
World Tunnel Congress 2019
(Naples, from May 3rd to 9th).
Giuseppe Gaspari, Young
Tunneller of the Year 2018 «It was totally unexpected – says
Gaspari –especially given the elevated level of the other
participants in the competition. This year, my last on thesteering
board of the Young Members section of the ITA-AITES association, I
decided to give it atry and I was successful.
What helped was that I have
travelled the world extensively in my work and have been involved in
important projects in our industry and in other fields as
well. The jury assesses the progress of the candidates over the
years and their capacity to change their approach every time they
address problems arising in very different situations, from a
cultural perspective as well. In my opinion these are the
fundamental characteristics for anyone in the business of
underground construction: flexibility and significant technical
capacity».
His interest in underground
infrastructure dates back to his university years.
His thesis
project, with which he
graduated in 2008, was a three-dimensional analysis of urban tunnels
with particular attention to the effects of surface subsidence caused
by excavation. His first job took him to Geodata Engineering in
Turin. From the very start he was involved in a variety of projects
in Europe, South America, Asia and more recently in Canada and the
United States.
Among them the Relief Line
South, the Eglinton Line and the York Spadina Subway Extension in
Toronto, as well as hydraulic tunnels such as the West Vaughan Sewage
System in the York Region, the Jarry Tunnel in Montreal, the Deer
Creek Tunnel in Missouri and the Bergen Points Outfall in New York.
Since 2018 he has worked at Arup where he is responsible for
supporting the growth of the local infrastructure group.
Arup’s
underground works in Canada © www.arup.com «The Toronto Downtown
Relief Line is a vital project for the Canadian city. I always like
to think about the positive repercussions –underscores Gaspari –
from a social point of view.
Underground urban
infrastructures have a strong impact on the development of a city.
Connecting areas populated by diverse social groups contributes not
only to the utilization of the urban fabric, but also to aggregation.
Anyone who rides public transportation such as a subway, for
example, shares the same situation in the same conditions
with the other passengers. I have written papers drawn from my own
experiences on this subject.
For example? During a project
in the area of Bangalore, at a certain point we came across a
Buddhist temple and an Islamic cemetery, which we were able to
protect without creating social unrest. It takes a certain skill to
handle highly delicate situations, the outcome of which changes
depending on the feasibility and impact on existing structures. I
have to say that Italy's experience in defending and enhancing its
ancient heritage is a key factor. Different countries have different
regulations and technical standards, which are important factors in
assessing project schedules and estimates.
Furthermore, each reality has
its own specific outlook in terms of contracts and economic
conditions».
The relationship of
underground construction projects with the context and their
appearance as a "non-place" are themes of growing interest
in research studies. A virtuous solution was adopted in Naples where
the decision was made to consider the stations as a public space and,
as such, worthy of being cared for and enriched. «The choice of
Naples as the city to host the next World Tunnel Congress makes sense
– underscores Gaspari – especially if we wish to showcase Italy's
capabilities today and in the past. Works of this type have been part
of our culture since ancient Rome, which built sewage networks,
tunnels and aqueducts that in some cases remain in use after
thousands of years. The configuration of our territory in some cases
has made it a necessity, proving a challenge to engineers of every
era to our very day. The Art Stations represent an excellent
synthesis of technical and artistic capacities, involving a range of
very different actors».
The Cloaca Maxima, in Rome, is
one of the world’s earliest sewage systems ever constructed
The tunnelling and
underground infrastructure sector has considerable impact, but
remains relatively unknown to the general public.
It does not come into the
spotlight except in the cases of major projects such as the
recently-opened connection between Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao
(China), a route 55 km long consisting that counts a number of
bridges and underground tunnels. «Great technical capacities are not
sufficient in and of
themselves, it is also
important to be able to communicate one's capacities. As a category –
explains Gaspari – we must be aware that the only way we can create
a network is to make
people understand that
underground construction projects must be integrated with the
disciplines related to the urban environment. The construction
industry, including tunnelling, suffers a gap in terms of
communication and innovation. Compared to other sectors, new
technologies have not had the expected impact on the production
process because, in my opinion, there is a scarce inclination to take
risks, certainly not because there are no new elements. The ITA
Awards selected special systems such as the square-shaped TBM, or
cutting-edge materials and techniques. This is an inevitable process
however, that will reward those who have the courage to pioneer new
approaches. One example? Ric
hard Branson's Hyperloop and
Elon Musk's Boring Company».
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