The Caucasia tunnel boring machine (TBM), a full cross-section hard rock TBM with the world's largest diameter, has dug more than 5,000 meters at the Kvesheti-Kobi highway tunnel project in Georgia.
A view of the cutter of the Caucasia tunnel boring machine [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
Jointly developed by China Railway Tunnel Group Co., Ltd. and China Railway Hi-Tech Industry Co., Ltd., both subsidiaries of China Railway Group Limited, the machine is 182 meters long, weighs 3,900 tons and has a diameter of 15.08 meters. Its maximum power is 9,900 kilowatts.
The Caucasia TBM started operation at the project in September 2021.
The Kvesheti-Kobi highway has 9,068 meters of tunnel. Once operational, people will be able to travel normally in the mountains during winter, which is expected to effectively guarantee local production and domestic supplies.
A bird's-eye view of the entrance of the tunnel project of the Kvesheti-Kobi highway [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
(Executive editor: Wang Ruoting)
