The Alpine Group
Tel: +1 814 238 1114
Fax: +1 814 466 3193
Email: alpineamerica@aol.com
Founded in 1968, The Alpine Group of State college, Pennsylvania, is the only North American manufacturer of roadheaders, hammer-tunnellers, shaft sinkers and cutter head attachments. Alpine machines are used for excavation of tunnels and shafts for mining, civil engineering and military projects all over the world.
The Alpine Equipment & Cutting technologies (AEC Technologies) group develops and designs mining and tunnelling machines custom-engineered for special applications.
The Portal Miner was developed for excavation and rehabilitation of large cross section tunnels. The machine’s large opening in its centre, permits vehicles or trains to pass through it. The fully articulated boom can be equipped with a cutterhead, a hammer, a drill-bolter, a support erector and a shotcrete manipulator (MTM Multi Tool Miner).
AEC also provide a range of Shaft Cutting Machines (SCM) for excavation of shafts of all shapes and sizes. The smallest diameter the Alpine SCM can excavate is 5m. The SCMs have successfully excavated shafts up to 20m diameter, foundation pits, open-cut tunnels and military structures in rock and frozen ground. For rapid excavation the SCM can be easily equipped with a backhoe attachment for concurrent cutting and mucking. Optional remote control is also available. Mechanised shaft excavation is claimed to be twice as fast and one third the cost of using conventional drill and blast techniques.
Atlas Copco Construction Tools Tel.: +46 8 743 96 00
Fax: +46 8 743 96 50
Email: andrew.cowan@ atlascopco.com
Web: www.atlascopco.com/cto
Atlas Copco Construction Tools (CTO) specialise in hydraulic breakers designed for scaling.
The Company has developed scaling versions of the SBC 650 and 850 breakers, with the stroke frequency and impact energy optimised for scaling. So that the attachment can work better on roofs and upper walls, the accumulator is cast into the breaker’s main body, and a channel is included for spray water for dust suppression and to protect the bushings. A shield and dust protector has been added to prevent dust and chippings from entering the breaker.
The 650 scaler has an 80mm shank operating at an impact rate of 900-960 blows/min with impact energy of 375 Joule. The 850 has impact energy of 578 Joule, and impact rates of 900-1010 blows/min and a shank diameter of 95mm.
The CTO range also includes the former Krupp hydraulic breakers made in Germany. All models have ‘Vibrosilenced’ carrier systems and some are available with the ‘Vibrosilenced Plus’ development which reduced noise emissions by a further 8dB(A); hence a perceived noise reduction of a half. Heavier models are available with the ‘Marathon line’ features for added wear protection and efficiency in tough applications. The latest model introduction was the HM 3000 with a service weight of 5800kg.
Atlas Copco Rock Drills
Tel.: +46 19 670 7000
Fax: +46 19 670 7070
Email: rde@atlascopco.se
Web: www.atlascopco.com/rde
Rock Drilling Equipment is part of the Construction and Mining Technique Division of Atlas Copco and offers a wide range of tunnelling products. These include the most sophisticated computer-controlled hydraulic multi-boom drilling jumbos to pusher-leg pneumatic drills for small-scale work, and from large-diameter raise-borers to drill-strings of the most advanced metallurgy and construction.
One, two and three boom jumbos are available to cater for tunnel sections from 6m2 to 169m2. The boom system offers outstanding flexibility and precision for straight holes and maximum tunnelling economy. Various levels of Advanced Boom Control (ABC) rig control are available from the ‘ABC Regular’ with operator-controlled boom and feed movement to ‘ABC Total’ for a pre-programmed sequence with full recording of all parameters, and prevention of collision between booms. The more advanced controls can be retrofitted for upgrading. Top of the range is the XL3. This rig can drill within a floor-to-roof height of 12.8m and a tunnel width of 15.6m.
An extensive range of hydraulic rock drills is available of 5.5-22-kW impact power ratings suitable for hole diameters of 25-64 mm.
Atlas Copco Robbins raise-borers are available for hole diameters up to 6m reamed, and can be applied to down-reaming, horizontal reaming and boxhole boring as well as conventional raise-boring. The latest technology is the variable-speed VF electric drive combining the reliability and simple maintenance of an AC-drive and the variable speed of the more sophisticated DC drive.
Atlas Copco Secoroc Tel.: +46 22 346 380
Fax: +46 22 346 101
Email: lennart.soderstrom@
se.atlascopco.com
Web: www.atlascopco.com/secoroc
Secoroc drilling tools include the widest range of rods and bits for rock drilling, plus reamers and cutters for raise boring and similar applications.
The current trend to longer blast rounds in underground excavation, as well as the need to control overbreak, demands more precise holes, a need targeted by Secoroc’s new range of Magnum SR drifting tools. The SR35, SR28 and now the SR32 replace the conventional R-series equivalents for drifting and rock bolting. The Magnum SR32 is for hole diameters of 38-41 mm and has found particular application in built-up areas since the precision drilling now possible results in few vibrations. With the conical threaded section of the bit, more material is applied where it is needed, resulting in a stronger drill string for longer rounds and more powerful drill-rigs and rock drills. The new thread system makes uncoupling easier and results in few damaging shockwaves along the rod. A sharp increase in drilling productivity is claimed.
Secoroc tapered drill steels are available in different angles to suit the type of rock being drilled. These match an extensive range of button bits for optimum performance. High integral drill steels are available in lengths from 0.4m to 11.2m. Secoroc also has around 400 shank adapters available to suit most types of rock drills.
In addition to rock drilling, Secoroc also offers pilot bits, reamers, cutters and ‘stingers’ for raise boring. Custom-designed and standard reamers are available up to 6m in diameter. Modular construction facilitates transport through restricted passages. The flat cutting profiles of all reduces the number of cutters required and hence torque demands.
A comprehensive range of pilot bits, with three basic types, is now available for optimum penetration and lowest cost per metre in various rock conditions from soft (70MPa) to very hard (480MPa).
Boart Longyear
Tel: +44 1246 435601
Fax: +44 1246 435903
Email: infor@boartlongyear.co.uk
A cost effective alternative to conventional hydraulic breakers, the rotary drum cutter is easy to install on any excavator fitted with breaker or shearer hydraulics. The excavator hydraulics drive a rugged, high performance drive unit that rotates two drums fitted with round attack picks.
The drum cutter offers the benefits of low noise and vibration and the cutting action produces an end product with a very small grain size to avoid additional crushing. The cutting action also provides the operator with greater control over material removal, resulting in more accurate cutting than with alternative methods.
The drum cutter is available in 5 different sizes to suit ground conditions and operating requirements. The smallest unit, the BF 300-Ncan be mounted on 7 to 15t class excavators and is suitable for materials with compressive strengths up to 150 kg/cm2, while the largest model, the BF 4000-N, can be fitted on 40 to 60t excavators and will cut materials up to 700 kg/cm2 compressive strength.
Typical applications for the drum cutter are tunnelling, quarrying, trenching, demolition, and the cleaning of concrete surfaces.
Caterpillar
Tel: + 41 22 849 4074
Fax: + 41 22 849 4998
Email: stauffer_peter@cat.com
Caterpillar has recently launched the 325 CCR (Compact Radius) a new compact hydraulic excavator designed for tunnelling application in the 35 Tons size class.
The exclusive feature in this size class is its compact design with an exceptionally short swing radius of only 1.9m designed for tunnelling, where space limitation is a daily challenge. The machine is fitted with a Cat engine model 3116 with 164kw power output.
The oversized undercarriage provides extra durability and stability. A full size heavy duty dozer blade allows good work area clearing and further enhances stability for overhead working.
The machine is available with a front shovel or backhoe type arrangement satisfying the individual customer requirements.
The integrated Tool Control System features allow the operator to quickly select the required flow or pressure settings without leaving the cab, eliminating the need to manually re-adjust the auxiliary hydraulic circuits each time a tool is changed.
A fully protected operator station and side impact guards are further characteristics of the tunnelling vehicle. The engine exhaust gases are cleaned with a high efficiency catalytic diesel particulate filter that removes over 98% of the carbon particulates (black smoke) and significantly reduces the output of HC and CO.
Construction & Tunneling Services
Tel: +1 253 859 9724
Fax: +1 253 859 9728
Email: ctstbm@aol.com
Web: www.ctstbm.com
CTS continues its history of equipment, parts, and services supply to the underground construction industry that began in 1991. Equipment has included new hard rock TBMs as well as modified and refurbished units, along with ancillary equipment such as pipe carriers, shaft car passers, and material handling devices. Parts and consumable supply is offered for all types of cutters, hydraulic and electric replacement parts, and custom fabrications. Services include design and manufacturing engineering for contractor managed work and experienced field start-up personnel for site installations. In addition, the company is the North American representative for Terratec Asia Pacific equipment.
Current work through the year 2003 has been involvement with the following projects: the design and manufacture of a 6.8m diameter cutterhead and related diameter modifications for the NCC International AS MK-27 TBM going to the Parabati hydroelectric project in India; New design and startup of a CTS 4.8m diameter double shield for the Hailey-Rast JV Valley Creek project in Alabama; design of shaft car passers for TSFK JV NEIS project in Los Angeles; parts and support for operating machinery for 6.2m diameter beam TBM’s belonging to J.F.Shea in Massachusetts and the Shea- Kenny JV in Wisconsin; the CTS 7.2m diameter shielded TBM of Traylor-JayDee JV in Detroit; and the 3.5m diameter beam TBM of Schiavone-Frontier-Shea JV in New York City.
Deilmann-Haniel
Tel: +49 231 2891 289
Fax: +49 231 2891 314
Email: tech@deilmann-haniel.de
Web: www.dh-ms.com
The company provides engineering for construction and shaft hoisting systems along with manufacturing machines and equipment. The range comprises shaft sinking and shaft hoisting head frames, winders, hoists and winches, grabs, working platforms, and shaft shutters, shaft furniture and special structures, steel guides for hoisting, and skips and cages.
One of its recent contracts of particular interest was the confection of a service and heavy load drum winder (2 x 380 kW rated power) for the second Sedrun shaft on the Gotthard Base Tunnel project. After its installation inside the Sedrun access tunnel and commissioning late last year the winder will first serve the client, Thyssen Schachtbau, for the boring of the 800 m deep shaft Sedrun No. 2. After completion of the shaft sinking, the drum winder will be adapted to function as a heavy load hoist machine. During the second project phase it will lower tunnelling equipment weighing up to 27t down to the level of the base tunnel. In a final third project phase the winder will stand-by for servicing and emergencies, even after the base tunnel has been opened to traffic.
Dosco Overseas Engineering
Tel: +44 1777 870621
Fax: +44 1777 871580
Email: info@dosco.co.uk
Web: www.dosco.co.uk
UK manufacturer Dosco Overseas Engineering has been designing and producing complete tunnelling systems since 1970. The ISO 9001 registered company has built an enviable reputation for the supply of boom in shield machines and roadheaders. Dosco has also extended its capabilities to the design and manufacture and refurbishment of complete TBMs and tunnelling systems of all types including back-ups, conveyors and materials handling systems.
Recently introduced is the Dosco Cross Passage machine, a compact 20t tracked machine incorporating a quick hitch facility to convert to rotary backhoe, bucket, cutting head or hydraulic impact hammer. A central heavy duty chain conveyor with high throat clearance and apron wing plates ensure that loading is maximised.
The extensive range of products and services offered by the Dosco Civil Tunnelling division includes; Shields with hydraulic or electrical cutting booms to cope with soft to medium rock conditions; shields fitted with manual digging stations and/or back hoe combinations for use in soft ground conditions; full face EPB machines for unstable natural ground; full face TBM’s for hard and soft ground; pipe jacking machines with a variety of cutter options; Multidrill – percussive for straight line percussive drilling of small bore pipelines; special purpose tracked machines; shaft sinking machines; roadheaders with a variety of boom options; and machine reconditioning and refurbishment Recent projects include the CTRL 103, where a 6.8m diameter rotary backhoe in shield machine complete with full back up system has been supplied. Projects in manufacture include machines for the rail network development for Heathrow Airport Terminal 5. Boom in shield machines are to be supplied in late 2003 for the Piccadilly Line Extension (4.8m o.d.) and the Heathrow Express extension (6.1m o.d.).
Eickhoff
Tel: +49 234 975 2010
Fax: +49 234 975 2060
Email: vt@eickhoff-bochum.de
Web: www.eickhoff-bochum.de
Since 1994 Eickhoff hydraulic milling cutters of the ETH series, which can be mounted to an excavator, have been used for a wide variety of applications and achieved widely recognised successes around the globe. The ETH series consists of three types: ETH 30, ETH 50, and ETH 200; power: 100/150/270 kW; weight: 1730/2780/7650 kg.
Fields of application include profiling and excavating work in tunnelling. The combination of the Eickhoff milling cutter type ETH 30 and the Liebherr tunnel excavator R 932 Litronic have proved to be extraordinarily successful for tunnel excavations and, more specifically, for cutting the precise tunnel profile after shotcreting. The ETH 50 is mounted to even heavier excavators.
To date, the high performance potential of Eickhoff milling cutters has been proved in more than 50 tunnel projects worldwide. For the 7.9km Rennsteigtunnel of the Thuringian Forest in Germany a face of 120,000m2, 50mm to 300mm deep with a tolerance of 10mm to 20mm, was shaped at the outer mould of shotcrete after drill and blast.
Geodata
Tel: +43 3842 26 5550
Fax: +43 3842 26 5550
Email: office@geodata.at
Web: www.geodata.at
For the heading control of tunnel and underground excavations Geodata provides systems for NATM excavations as well as for machine excavation either with TBM or road headers. The motor laser system TALOS with a servo-motor-driven theodolite equipped with a diode laser is a tool for economic and exact tunnel heading by blasting or with an excavator. This system enables an optional number of predefined points to be signalled. By using the system the time for erecting the support arches or the signalling of drilling start points can be shortened and a high-precision production of the planned excavation profile is possible.
The EUPALINOS system is available for TBM’s and roadheaders. This system makes it possible to control a selective cut heading machine with a profile accuracy of 20mm-30mm. The position of the cutter head is updated every second. The machines are calibrated from the control console after every change of its position. The geometry of the cutting head and of the machines can be configured as it is needed. Therefore it constitutes a universal control system, which is independent of the machine’s producer and allows a constant documentation of the tunnel to be recorded.
Herrenknecht
Tel. +49 7824 3020
Fax +49 7824 4355
Email: pjl@herrenknecht.de
Web site: www.herrenknecht.com
Herrenknecht is the only company worldwide, that develops, manufactures and sells the entire range of tunnelling machines. Provided in drilling diameters ranging from 100mm up to 14.2m, the product range covers microtunnelling and HDD-Equipment, hard rock TBMs, EPBs and Mixshields.
With the order for a total of six large Gripper Machines for the New Alpine Railroad Transversals (NEAT), in Switzerland, Herrenknecht has successfully established itself in the hard rock sector. The first Herrenknecht Gripper-TBM for the Lötschberg Base Tunnel reached its target, after 8,925m rock excavation, in September 2002 with daily record advance rates of up to 43m. The second Herrenknecht TBM is due to breakthrough in autumn 2003.
Mixshield Technology is one of Herrenknecht’s product domains. It is the first choice in heterogeneous geologies with complex ground water conditions and is particularly safe in the case of settlement and heave. For this reason, Mixshields are often used for producing large diameter tunnels in built-up inner-city areas.
The largest EPB-Shield, with a diameter of 12.06m, is currently being assembled in Barcelona for an 8.5km two-storey tunnel for the Metro Line 9. Asia, especially China, remains an important market for EPB technology. More than two dozen Herrenknecht EPB-Shields are currently, or will shortly, be in use for metro tunnels in Guangzhou, Nanjing, Beijing, Shenzhen and Tianjin.
ITC Schaeff
Tel: +41 277 222 191
Fax: +41 277 222 185
Email: info@itcsa.com
The new Schaeff ITC 120 Tunnel Heading Machine has been developed from the well-proven ITC112 Machine. It contains many features resulting from the worldwide tunnelling experience of the Schaeff ITC engineers.
The efficient and rugged ITC120 is both an excavating and loading machine with built in heavy-duty hydraulic hammer. The machine features include a high excavation rate through high pressure load sensing hydraulic systems, accurate excavation, long life/low maintenance, heavy duty components and quality control, operator friendly ergonomically designed easy controls, a safe design, emission free operation, dual drive, electric operations and diesel travel, and is easily adapted for different systems, e.g. compressed air, hydraulic, electric.
The tunnelling boom equipment with its patented combination of tool holder with integrated rock breaker and excavation bucket allows a change from hammer to bucket excavation within seconds and gives an unimpeded view onto the excavation area. The bucket allows quick loading of the loose material through the onboard conveying system. This special system enables an independence between excavation and loading, as some of the excavated material can be stored on the conveyor and loading apron while awaiting the dump truck.
‘Taylor made solutions’ and individual adaptation of excavation and loading techniques to suit customer requirements and resolve problems is a Schaeff philosophy.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Tel : +81 3 3435 2200
Fax: +81 3 3436 3039
Email: saito_kiyohiro@khi.co.jp
Web: www.khi.co.jp
Kawasaki has delivered approx. 1300 units since 1957. The largest diameter of slurry TBM is 14.14m and the largest EPB type TBM is 10.8m.
Kawasaki has delivered 70 TBMs to Asia and 22 TBMs to Europe.
As for hard rock, the largest hard rock TBM with full shield is an 8.78m TBM for the Channel Tunnel Project. The largest new open type hard rock TBM with full shield is 12.84m TBM.
Kawasaki recently delivered two 8.11m diameter Dual Mode TBMs (open and closed mode), to the Nishimatsu/Cementation Skanska JV for C220 on the UK’s CTRL project.
The first was delivered on 6th September 2002 and started for the excavation of 7.5km tunnel length from Stratford to St. Pancras station. At present the No.1 TBM was at the 4.9km point on 30th June 2003. The TBM has recorded monthly progress of 750m. Actual record for any continuous 30 days progress is 920m.
The second was delivered on 9th November 2002 and is now at 4km point.
The latest hard rock TBM is an open type TBM of 6.82m diameter delivered to East Japan Railway. The TBM will start the 4.2km tunnel drive in September.
Tel: +1 416 675 3293
Fax: +1 416 675 6702
Email: tbm@lovat.com
Web: www.lovat.com
Lovat is a world leader in the custom design and manufacture of TBMs, microtunnelling systems, and related tunnelling equipment. ISO 9001 registered, the company, specialises in shielded rock, mixed-face, soft ground, EPBMs, and slurry machines, ranging from 1.8m to 14m in diameter.
Lovat, supplies complete lines of tunnelling systems and services. Including turnkey projects, remote controlled systems, fully integrated back-up systems, pipe jacking equipment, rolling stock equipment, grouting equipment spare parts, consumables, project support, technical service field specialists and TBM operator training.
Lovat remains the only tunnelling equipment manufacturer who fully designs, manufactures, assembles, and tests the entire TBM under one roof. Ninety percent of all TBM components are built at the plant in Toronto, Canada. The company presently employs over 300 specialised engineering, production, sales, field-service-specialists, and marketing personnel. Spanning 14,930m2, the manufacturing facilities and head office are situated on 30,800m2 of property.
Lovat is located 2km from Toronto’s International Airport, and is in close proximity of rail and main road access, easily facilitating TBM deliveries, spare parts shipments, and the dispatch of service specialists. The company maintains offices for customer support in England, France, along with a network of Lovat sales representatives worldwide.
Neuson
Tel: +43 732 90590 227
Email: bernd.badurek@neuson.com
Neuson has combined the advantages of conventional excavators, whose technology has proven its worth over the years, with the advantages of zerotail excavators, giving birth to the Neuson VARIO.
The most important features of this piece of engineering, are manoeuvrability, low space requirements, enormous lift power and superior stability, and – last but not least – optimum comfort and generous space in the cab.
The Neuson VARIO is fitted with excenter technology which allows the upper carriage to be shifted to four different positions, thereby combining the zerotails’ main feature (work in confined space) with the advantages of conventional excavators. Up to now, larger zerotail excavators were needed to achieve the lift forces and the stability of conventional excavators.
However, the Neuson VARIO achieves up to 51% higher lift forces compared to a standard-model excavator. It can also offer even higher stability than before by shifting the upper carriage. Furthermore, the Neuson VARIO is equipped with the same cab as on conventional construction machines, providing unique ergonomic cab comfort.
NFM Technologies
Tel: +33 426 848 700
Fax : +33 426 848 710
E-mail: contact@nfm-technologies.com
The French manufacturer NFM Technologies, has become a self-standing company within the Wirth Group, based in Germany since the 1st November 2001. Together both companies are in a unique position to offer proven state-of the art technology for a complete range of TBMs closely adapted to any kind of geology, up to 15m diameter.
The company’s capabilities range from concept and design through to on-site support services, together with the manufacturing, assembly, in-shop testing and site commissioning of machines. The world’s biggest slurry shield TBM (14.87m dia), for the high speed rail link between Amsterdam and Rotterdam, is currently excavating more than 35m per day. The 11.95m (EPB/Open mode) Barcelona metro TBM constitutes a new challenge for NFM Technologies, which will beat another diameter record in the range of dual mode TBMs.
Pacific Tunnelling
Tel: +61 2 9437 5211
Fax: +61 2 9437 5244
Email: blackdiamond@pactun.com.au
Web: www.pactun.com.au
Black Diamond Cutters are a range of hard-rock and EPB disc cutters designed and manufactured in Australia for the international tunnelling and mining industry. Black Diamond Cutters are available in a wide range of sizes ranging from 305mm up to 483mm.
The range of cutters incorporate the latest bearing and sealing technology and are manufactured using state-of-the-art metallurgy and treatment processes. Pacific Tunnelling’s unique design, which incorporates a single multi-rowed tapered bearing, coupled with a dual sealing system, offers significant benefits over current cutter designs available on the market today.
The patented ‘state-of-the-art’ bearing assembly offers increased life and improved performance over current disc cutters, which results in substantial cost reductions in consumables per m3.
The patented assembly procedure negates problems with pre-loading of bearings and calibration of bearing spacers, which in turn dramatically reduces the man-hours required during the cutter disassembly/ assembly, further increasing cost reductions to the end-user.
Pacific Tunnelling appreciates the importance of reliable sealing to maintain integrity of the bearing, therefore all Black Diamond Cutters offer a dual sealing system. The dual system includes a mechanical face seal – designed for working under pressure and in hostile situations – coupled with a compressible seal that offers protection to the internal sealing.
Pacific Tunnelling offers a full range of cutter types, complete with differing ring types and profiles to maximise efficiency and reduce costs. The company also offers customised cutters to suit various housing and/or cutterhead configurations to meet the project’s requirements.
PPS
Tel: +49 995 690 4211
Fax: +49 995 690 4212
Web: www.pps-muc.de
Worldwide more than 100 tunnelling machine PPS guidance systems have been successfully installed by it’s engineers on different machines such as Atlas-Copco-Jarva, CTS, Herrenknecht, Iseki, Lovat, NFM, Robbins and Wirth as well as on roadheaders manufactured by Eickhoff, Mitsui and Voest-Alpine The PPS-TBM is a fully automated precision guidance system for Hardrock-TBM’s and Softground-Shield-Machines undertaking complex or straight alignments, with or without ring calculation. It is PLC connected and can also be used for pipejacking and microtunnelling in straight alignments, has a graphics-oriented screen for ‘at-a-glance’ TBM position/orientation assessment and is fully transportable among various machines for use on future projects.
The PPS-RH Road Header guidance system features automatic profile management; automatically and continuously tracking the roadheader and cutter arm; penetrating the dust to present the real-time profile screen to the operator for extended profile cutting. The information is graphically shown to provide fast operator learning.
The PPS-P guidance system is available for Pipejacking in 3-D curves and enables drives longer than 500m.
Lastly is the QC/QM quality assurance measurements for shield machines, liner-segments, tubbing-moulds and precast elements.
Robbins
Tel: +1 440 248-3303
Fax: +1 440 248-1702
Email: salesdept@robbinstbm.com
Web: www.robbinstbm.com
The Robbins Company is a leading manufacturer of hard-rock TBMs and associated equipment. Robbins claims its machines have bored more kms of tunnel worldwide than any other brand of TBM. That trend continues with major projects starting this year in the US, Australia, Europe and the Far East.
Refurbished Robbins TBMs continue to do most of the work, giving irrefutable evidence of Robbins hard-rock design superiority and manufacturing quality. However, approximately 25% of the Robbins machines operating this year are new machines. In particular, contractors purchased new tunnel boring machines where the geology rock is very hard, very difficult to support, the tunnels are very long or there are other site-specific technical demands requiring new designs.
Robbins has provided new open hard-rock TBMs all over the world. These machines have been fitted with cutterheads designed specifically for the project geology, as well as roof bolting and ring beam erecting equipment, which can be used concurrently with TBM boring. The machines have probe drilling arrangements, which will allow probing ahead of the TBM for ground investigation or consolidation grouting, up to 360º around the tunnel. Variable frequency drives, water cooling, special shotcrete robots, custom mesh installation, and invert concreting systems are just a few of the custom-designed special features fitted on these machines.
In Chicago contractor, Affholder, using an all Robbins tunnelling system (TBM, backup, horizontal conveyor and vertical conveyor) bored 2163m in one month. The contractor for the Parramatta Rail Link in Sydney, Australia, Thiess-Hochtief JV, selected Robbins to provide two new rock TBMs, unique backup systems and all conveyors for the project. THJV designed the tunnel to be excavated using trackless, rubber tired vehicles and continuous conveyor mucking systems. The backup system and conveyor systems supplied by Robbins have some very unique features to meet the design demands of the JV. In Iceland, Impregilo selected Robbins to provide two new and one refurbished Robbins hard rock machine and back-ups for the Karahnjukar project.
Robbins created the double-shield TBM concept more than 30 years ago and today fully 22% of the currently operating Robbins machines are double shield TBMs and range in diameter from 2.2m to 7.2m. The small diameter, double-shield machines have been employed primarily in excavating sewerage tunnels associated with environmental improvements in urban areas. These small machines have proved to be very adaptable, boring tunnel in geology ranging from very weak conglomerates to very hard rock.
