The “Yongzhou” ultra-large-diameter tunnel boring machine (TBM) rolled off the production line on Feb 26, 2024, and will be used in construction of the Jintang undersea tunnel in East China’s Zhejiang Province.
The “Yongzhou” ultra-large-diameter tunnel boring machine (TBM) rolls off the production line on Feb 26, 2024, and is ready for construction of the Jintang undersea tunnel in East China’s Zhejiang Province. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
It was jointly developed by China Railway 14th Bureau Group Corporation Limited and China Railway Construction Heavy Industry Corporation Limited, both subsidiaries of China Railway Construction Corporation Limited.
With a diameter of 14.57 meters, the TBM is 135 meters long and weighs 4,350 metric tons.
It adopts the world’s first smart hob wear monitoring system and has outstanding performance in abrasive resistance and rock breaking.
The machine is also equipped with the world’s most advanced and accurate guidance system, and special devices for advanced geological prediction and grouting reinforcement, which guarantees accurate and safe undersea docking.
A key section of the Ningbo-Zhoushan railway, the tunnel is 16.18 kilometers long with 11.21 kilometers undersea. It is expected to be the world’s longest undersea high-speed railway tunnel.
Two TBMs will be simultaneously used to excavate from the two ends of the tunnel.
As the tunnel will be dug under 42 risk points such as oil pipelines and buildings, and through long-distance hard rock strata, the cutters of the TBM will be changed under high pressure under the sea.
The Ningbo-Zhoushan railway is about 77 kilometers long. Once operational, it will be the first railway connecting Zhoushan with other regions. It will be of great significance in improving the railway network in Zhejiang and boosting tourism development in affected areas.
(Executive editor: Zhu Zeya)
