The second Herrenknecht EPBM deployed on Caracas’s twin-bore Metro Line 4 project broke through its first section on 6 September – the 610m stretch between Plaza Venezuela and Los Caobos.
After inspection, the machine will follow the second Herrenknecht in a 1,130m drive on to Parque Central.
The first machine is already 300m into the drive, moving steadily through a challenging geology of unforeseen river sands. The ground is being stabilised by the operators with a combination of foam and polymers, supplied by Master Builders Technologies.
The US$600M project was awarded to the Brazilian contractor Constructora Norberto Odebrecht (CNO), which began construction in November 2000. Line 4 is designed to relieve the pressure on Caracas’s existing Line 1 between Campuchinos and Plaza Venezuela, and will add 8km and six stations to the existing 40 stations on the 45km network.
The extension will also provide a much-needed boost to the area south east of the centre, which is currently connected by road only.
