Henan-made TBM has recently set new records, adding fresh momentum to the province's efforts to become a powerhouse in manufacturing.
On November 26, a super-large-diameter slurry TBM rolled off the production line at China Railway Engineering Equipment Group Co., Ltd. (CREG) in Zhengzhou. It will be deployed in the construction of the underwater tunnel linking the Donghu Lake and the Nanhu Lake in Wuhan city of Hubei province. Once completed, it will be the longest urban underwater tunnel in China and the largest of its kind in the world.
"The more challenging the project, the more advanced technology and robust equipment it demands," said Dai Xiaosong, deputy chief engineer at China Construction Third Engineering Bureau Group Co., Ltd., the contractor of the project. He added that the custom-built TBM will be used to construct a 2,824.8-meter tunnel for the project's Donghu section.
This Henan-made TBM will be crucial for the project, as the tunnel runs beneath the Donghu Lake. The section faces significant challenges, with a maximum slope of 40%, and a minimum turning radius of just 700 meters. It also passes through areas with multiple karst caves and two fracture zones. The project involves technical difficulties such as tunneling through a large cross-section on sharp curves and over long distances through intricate strata. To address these extreme conditions, CREG developed a specialized screw-discharge, dual-channel slurry TBM.
"This TBM is both intelligent and highly capable," said Zhang Penghao, deputy director of the Main Engine Department at CREG TBM Institute. Measuring 115 meters and weighing 4,300 tons, it boasts an excavation diameter of 15.09 meters. Featuring a screw-discharge, dual-channel system, it effectively minimizes chamber clogging and reduces the likelihood of mud cakes forming on the cutterhead. Additionally, the TBM is equipped with a suite of innovative technologies, including an atmospheric-pressure cutterhead replacement system, an advanced geological prediction system, and an automated mud-cake removal system. Its ergonomically designed features improve human-machine interaction, ensuring safe and efficient tunneling through complex composite strata. (Chinese source: Henan Daily Reporter: Wang Yanhui Translator: Yang Jiaxin Proofreader: Ding Lan and Zhao Hanqing)
