Lombardi Switzerland

Our core competence builds on the great Swiss tunnelling heritage. Risk management in tunneling starts with the systematic analysis of the geological and hydrogeological fundamentals, which leads to the detailed representation of ground models (Baugrundmodelle). The relevant hazards (Gefährdungsbilder) can be easily identified on the basis of the ground models and possible concepts for measures can be than drawn up. This systematic approach leads to a robust excavation design even under the most difficult conditions in coventional or mechanized excavation.

In urban underground construction (stations, tunnels and facilities), tunneling methods that protect the the sensitive environment while maintaining appropriate safety factors must be strived for. In addition to conceptual considerations, complex numerical calculations are often required to estimate the extent of settlement as accurately as possible. With regard to the local residents, the stakeholders and the environment, we attach great importance to the sustainability of the planned and realized structures.

The subsurface is gaining more and more importance for large and often complex underground facilities, be it for hydropower plants or research facilities. For the design of caverns with large heights and widths, as well as deep shafts, the detailed study of geotechnical conditions and a deep understanding of the principles of rock mechanics are indispensable.

Complex underground facilities for research or community service facilities are part of our core business.

We are involved in the design of numerous laboratories for scientific use: it is also a mission for our company to contribute to the scientific community. We have historically been involved at Cern in Geneva (1981) and for the sub-nuclear physics laboratories under Gran Sasso (1985). In the recent years (2016-2022), we have been the leader of “HL-LHC Point 5” infrastructure design at Cern (Preliminary Design, Final Design, Detailed Design, Tender Design, Preparation of the tender based on FIDIC Redbook standards.
We are also involved in high-voltage underground connection projects.

In addition to numerous tunnel constructions using underground methods, various cut-and-cover tunnels extend our service portfolio in the field of near-surface tunnel construction. In these structures, the interactions of the existing ground and the new tunnel structure are of particular importance.

Tunnel safety measures are primarily aimed at preventing accidents and secondarily at minimizing the effects of an event. Both aspects are taken into account as decisive design objectives in the planning and realization of the operating and safety installations.

• Integral tests and fire tests allow the effectiveness of the installations to be verified.
• Regular training of operating and emergency personnel, audits and event simulations ensure a high level of personal and building protection.

For example, we carried out the electromecanical equipment of several important tunnels in Switzerland and are currently heavily involved with the equipment of the entire Gotthard Road tunnel system. In India, we are currently in charge of the equipment design of a new urban tunnel in Mumbai, as well as of various rail tunnels in the north of the country.

Ventilation systems are used on the one hand to ensure sufficient air quality under normal operating conditions and on the other hand to discharge smoke from the structure without endangering people in the event of fire. Ventilation is also a key element in the construction phase to ensure safe and efficient site management.

We carried out and imlemented the ventilation systems e.g. for the Pfändertunnel (Austria), the Mont Terri and Mont Russelin tunnels, the Vedeggio-Cassarate, the Melide-Grancia, the Mappo-Morettina and currently the entire Gotthard road tunnel system (all in Switzerland). In France, we are in charge of the ventilation renovation of the tunnels of the Boulevard Periferique du Nord de Lyon (BPNL), and in India the ventilation system of a new urban road tunnel in Mumbai has been designed by us.

We plan and implement electromechanical equipment for tunnels worldwide. We completely cover all departments from power supply to lighting, ventilation, control technology and building equipment, and offer complete, end-to-end design services from a single source.

We support tunnel operators in their day-to-day operations with in-depth expertise (databases for operation and maintenance, safety documentations, safety officers as defined by the EU Directive on Tunnel Safety 2004/54/EG).

With our core competencies of civil and electromechanical engineering, we offer project planning, design, and construction supervision services for technical buildings. The buildings can range from stations for operation and ventilation, for excavation and concrete structural works, to complete equipment installations. Whether underground (niches, shafts or buildings) or in the portal area, we cover the entire range of buildings.

Many infrastructure projects are almost at the lanned service life or no longer meet the new requirements for operation. Renovations, profile widening and repairs are an important part of our current work activity. We are happy to meet the challenges of construction on existing structures and under operation and develop customized solutions for our clients according to the required usage requirements (Nutzungsanforderungen).

We have many years of experience in the pre-treatment of weak rock or soft soil and the creation of sealing bodies in the protection of which tunnelling (conventional or TBM) can be carried out. Freezing, jet-grouting, systematic drainage and injections are examples of measures that we have planned and closely supervised during their realization and are therefore part of our core expertise.

We are specialized in all aspects of hydropower engineering. Our expertise covers of generation schemes, from high head to run-of-river, as well as pumped storage facilities. We cover the entire project lifecycle, from conception and design to commissioning, operation, and maintenance. This includes social and environmental impact assessments, civil and electromechanical design, as well as project appraisals and due diligence. We are currently engaged in significant pumped storage projects worldwide, supporting the transition to renewable energy sources.

Leveraging our core competences in both civil and electromechanical engineering, we offer comprehensive solutions for project planning, design and construction supervision services for both surface and underground powerhouses. Our extensive experience also covers expansion and rehabilitation solutions for existing powerhouses.

Hydraulic and underground structures have been at the core of our business since the foundation of Lombardi. Thanks to our experience on many projects in Switzerland and around the world, we gained a deep understanding of the unique challenges related to the design, construction, operation and maintenance of hydraulic tunnels and shafts in a wide range of conditions. Our experience cover design of high pressure and low pressure system, including mechanized (TBM) and drill and blast tunnelling.

We have extensive experience in designing steel penstocks and linings for both generation and pumped storage hydropower plants. We also have experience with FRP penstock, offering a flexible alternative for lower pressure applications. We also offer comprehensive assessment of existing penstock, including evaluation and retrofitting of existing structures.

Our hydromechanical team of engineers is involved since the early design stage of hydropower plants, ensuring a complete and multi-disciplinary approach. We can help our clients select the optimal solutions for their project and accompany them during the entire procurement process up to commissioning. We are also experienced in the assessment of existing generating and pumping units, gates and valves, providing comprehensive solutions for refurbishments and upgrades.

With our Electromechanical equipment team we can offer complete design services for the Water to Wire equipment of a powerhouse including the evaluation of the entire range of hydraulic turbines such as Francis, Pelton, Kaplan, etc. we also can provide specific assistance on the definition of pump-turbine based on his long experience on pumped storage schemes.

We have dedicated teams assisting in providing the required design and specifications definition for the electrical and mechanical balance of plant of a hydropower schemes. In addition we are specialized in HVAC systems for underground structures (caverns and tunnels).

From the monumental Contra arch dam completed in 1965, one of the world's tallest and most slender, to the innovative RCC gravity arch dam of Arenal finished in 2021, dam engineering has always been at the core of our expertise.

Our comprehensive services cover the entire spectrum of dam engineering, including design from inception to completion, safety evaluations, rehabilitation strategies, and full-scale surveillance and monitoring solutions. In our team includes several federal dam safety experts appointed by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy.

Our competences include water transfer systems and pumping stations, crucial components in effective water resource management. With our involvement in major water supply projects, such as the ongoing Upper Wawa pumping station project, delivering potable water to the citizens of Manila in the Philippines, we understand the critical role these systems play in ensuring access to clean and reliable water. We offer end-to-end solutions, from design to construction and commissioning supervision.

During that past years we were able to consolidate our expertise in different types of renewable project other than hydropower. In Switzerland we were able to contribute to important flagship solar projects such as the largest solar park at Muttsee dam and the on-going Lac des Toules solar floating project.

We offer comprehensive river engineering services, including flood management measures, as well as re-naturing projects aimed at restoring natural river functions and habitats. We have extensive experience in 1D and 2D numerical modeling, ensuring accurate assessments and effective solutions for river systems.

We provide comprehensive services for designing and optimizing irrigation schemes, ensuring efficient water distribution and sustainable agricultural practices.

Specializing in hydrological studies and numerical watershed modeling, we provide comprehensive assessments of water resources and conduct safety evaluations for dam spillway capacities.

We manage geo-related risks in civil works, to add value to the Client's Projects in terms of safety, quality, cost, lifespan, and sustainability. The Engineering Geological Model (EGM) and the Geo-risk Register (GR) are the two main concepts underpinning the risk management process, both based on the following core-activities: investigation and surveying, geological and hydrogeological modelling, geotechnical characterization of rock masses and soils, monitoring, ground behavior modelling of both human intervention and natural environments.

If engineering is reality modelling, monitoring is engineering model proof. With the use of in-house softwares we manage integrated monitoring systems in terms of design, data interpretation and action plan set-up, in support of a variety of contexts: environmental studies, electromechanical facilities, controlling during construction, geo-risk management, dam safety, building and infrastructure operation and maintenance, traffic management.

In the Artificial Intelligence era, we keep the machines under control and provide advanced numerical modelling services, combining strong technical background with a long series of case histories, and common sense with intuition. Whatever geological, hydrogeological, geotechnical, hydraulic, fluid dynamic computational, structural, thermal, seismic modelling it is, it is designed and set-up on solid technical-scientific basis.

The goal of dam safety is mainly achieved in the design phase, but the monitoring and the behavior interpretation is crucial to minimize the residual risk. Over decades, we can offer international expertise to set up the proper surveillance concept, detect anomalies, and support decision makers in defining strategies to keep dam behaviors under control.

We mean expertise, reliability, and common sense. The deep knowledge of civil engineering disciplines and a large number of complex case-histories enables us to provide strong expertise during both design and construction, legal proceedings, client deputation within international panels of experts.

The Technical Steering Committee provides support and supervision in the following core expertise: geo-engineering, hydraulic, hydropower, dams, underground, metro, numerical analysis, electromechanics, environment, operation and maintenance.

Sustainability & Life Cycle Management (LCM) means innovation through sharing. From Conceptual Studies up to civil work obsolescence, we integrate peoples, data and processes to bring innovation and sustainability and create valuable intellectual capital, throughout the whole life cycle.

The operation and maintenance of infrastructure, particularly in transportation, are part of the project lifecycle. Considering these two aspects during the design phase of an infrastructure project gives a deeper understanding of the needs associated with operation and maintenance, all within the framework of a holistic vision for the infrastructure. This approach, with the operator and maintainer are involved from an early stage, enables the project owner to have a more accurate view of the overall cost, as early as the feasibility study.

Engineering does not mean obsessive quantification of all things. The most widely used quantitative methods to assess the risks are valid, but they have its own (and dangerous) limits when they are used as mere checklists. Before any quantification, our main effort is driven to the comprehensive framing and detection of all the reasonable hazards affecting our Projects, in a safety, efficiency and sustainability perspective.

Engineering means taking care of the Environment in which we operate. Based on our track-records of projects, we propose to our clients’ site-specific approaches to ensure, across impact analysis, assessment and permitting practice, that clients’ goals are achieved.

We operate with the adoption of higher environmental standards and in compliance with international environmental certification processes.

Net-zero engineering is an holistic approach which strives at the complete neutralization of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by adopting a variety of methods and tools in the planning, constructing and operational process. In order to be able to use those, the primary need is to think out of the box, see connections and interlinkages and identify the tools and methods needed to identify the relevant aspects and quantify the emissions related to them. The next step comprises the definition of measures to reduce the emissions.

Our offer is to support your projects in the ambition to become net zero, providing consultation on a variety of methods and procedures.

Bridges aren't just structures. They're the embodiment of people connection, architecture and engineering artistry, innovation. We provide expertise and passion in bridge crafting, without adjusting to homologation processes but considering that each bridge is in some sense a prototype, which will coexist with future generations.

Retaining structures, special foundations, ground consolidation, treatment and drainage. From planning to design, from construction to operation, we create new spaces in more and more dense urban contexts, keeping under control the always challenging interaction between soil, water, and civil works.

Railway construction includes the planning and execution of facilities that serve to operate the railway system. These facilities are often realized under railway operation. The complex interdependencies of the various disciplines (civil engineering, railway track, cables, catenary, technical equipment, safety) can only be coordinated under close supervision and project management. A detailed construction phase planning plays an essential role in the success of the project and minimization of risks.

Used to deal with complex and peculiar engineering problems, we develop in-house software to best respond our Project specific needs. Thanks to a long-standing experience in programming and computing, together with a consolidated engineering knowledge, we are ready to play as problem setters in the coming soon Artificial Intelligence era.

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