CREG’s variable diameter shaft reaming machine at FAT. The CREG 1430 is to construct vertical shafts for the Yongjia Pumped Storage project, in Zhejiang province, China PHOTO CREDIT: CREG

INDIA: AGRA METRO

Terratec’s 6.61m-diameter EPBM (ref S115) achieved final breakthrough on a 2.2km up-line tunnel section of Agra metro, in India, in late 2024. The breakthrough was attended by representatives from Afcons Infrastructure Ltd., Sam India Consortium and Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC).

Celebrating final breakthrough of Terratec EPBM working on Agra metro, India PHOTO CREDIT: TERRATEC

Before work on Agra, S115 was configured as a 7.51m-diameter EPBM to work on the country’s first Regional Rapid Transit System Project, connect Delhi, Ghaziabad, and Meerut. Following refurbishment and conversion into a smaller diameter, the machine has worked on Agra metro’s Phase 1 project, between RBS College Ramp to Agra College Interchange Station, excavating through geology consisting of clayey silt, sandy silt, and silty sand.

Herrenknecht TBMs being readied in Melbourne for road tunnel boring PHOTO CREDIT: HERRENKNECHT

In addition to the TBM, Terratec supplied Universal segmental lining (275mm thick x 1400mm long), rolling stock for spoil removal, and three 45-tonne battery locos. The 1942m drive was achieved in under a year.

The Agra Metro Phase 1 project encompasses a 14.25 km-long Line-1 route from Sikandra to Taj East Gate.

TBM S115 is to be later redeployed on Jaipur metro project.

AUSTRALIA: MELBOURNE ROAD TUNNEL

Major tunnelling works have been in preparation for the North East Link in Melbourne, one of the longest road tunnels in Victoria, Australia.

FAT for CREG 7.22m-diameter slurry TBM bound for Singapore’s Cross Island Line, on CR116 contract of a consortium of Soletanche Bachy International, Bachy Soletanche Singapore, Bessac and Gammon PHOTO CREDIT: CREG

The tunnels will be bored by two 15.6m-diameter Herrenknecht TBMs, driving from Watsonia south towards Bulleen. Last year a sight for locals was the cutterheads being lowered into place at the launch for the TBMs are among the biggest used in the southern hemisphere.

Fully assembled, the machines are 90m long and weigh more than 4,000 tonnes. They will install 44,000 segments along the 6.5km-long twin tube tunnels, driving up to 45m below ground. The TBMs are designed to advance at approximately 10m per day

Tunnelling is scheduled to be completed in 2026 for the road link to be open to traffic in 2028. The twin tube, three-lane tunnels will connect the M80 Ring Road to the Eastern Freeway.

Spark consortium has the contract to build, operate and maintain the road tunnels and key interchanges. The consortium comprises Webuild, GS Engineering and Construction, CPB Contractors, China Construction Oceania, Ventia, Capella Capital, John Laing Investments, DIF, and Pacific Partnerships.

ROMANIA: CLUJ-NAPOCA METRO

CRCHI’s 6.35m-diameter TBM for the Cluj-Napoca metro project in Romania recently passed its Factory Acceptance Test (FAT).

CRCHI TBM set for work in Romania PHOTO CREDIT: CRCHI

The TBM was manufactured and passed the FAT at CRCHI’s second industrial park, in Changsha, in China.

Two Chinese-made machines have been procured for the metro project and are to work on the 5.6km-long section between St Mary’s and United Europe stations. The Cluj-Napoca metro project is building a 21km-long tunnel with 20 stations (19 underground stations, one surface station)..

Geology along the metro section is complex, consisting of complex conditions with sand, gravel, salt mines, and five fault zones.

CRCHI says that the tunnelling challenges through the geology also include continuous excavation, risk of clay clogging of the cutterhead, and tight radius turns (175m).

CRCHI’s design includes a four-arm large-opening composite cutterhead, multiple soil conditioning systems, probe drilling and grouting for ground investigation and pre-treatment, and having an active articulation system.