On November 18, the world’s first in-situ diameter-adjustable tunnel boring machine (TBM), developed by China Railway Engineering Equipment Group Co., Ltd. under China Railway Engineering Co., Ltd. (CREC), was successfully launched from the launching shaft of the Guangzhou Railway Station to Baiyun Station section of the Fangcun Village–Baiyun Airport Intercity Railway.
The world’s first in-situ diameter-adjustable tunnel boring machine was successfully launched from the launching shaft of the Guangzhou Railway Station to Baiyun Station section of the Fangcun Village–Baiyun Airport Intercity Railway. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
The TBM is 145 meters long, 8.83 meters wide and weighs 1,950 tons. It will excavate 2,056 meters southward toward Guangzhou Railway Station.
Featuring groundbreaking innovations, the machine can efficiently adjust its diameter from 8.83 to 12.45 meters. It first advances with a smaller diameter to construct the running tunnel, then expands in place to excavate the station platform level before contracting to continue tunneling—without dismantling or adding extra shafts.
The Fangcun Village–Baiyun Airport Intercity Railway is a key link in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area rail network. Upon completion, it will connect major transportation hubs such as Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and Guangzhou Railway Station, integrating intercity, metro, and high-speed rail services to support a “one-hour travel circle” in the Bay Area. Travel time from Baiyun Airport to Guangzhou North Railway Station will be shortened to just 10 minutes, and to downtown Foshan to 30 minutes.
(Executive editor: Yuan Ting)
