Edmonton’s procurement of a Lovat TBM with financing through the manufacturer’s new owner, Caterpillar, has paved the way for similar acquisition support for other potential customers, the company has said.
Caterpillar Financial Services has provided financing to the City of Edmonton to buy a 4.03m diameter shield to drive a 1,750m sewer tunnel. The TBM is to be delivered in the middle of next year, the latest of a number supplied over recent years for the sewer construction programme.
Financial details of the purchase and new funding arrangements were not available, but Lovat said: ‘This facility is now available to all Lovat customers.’
The drive will be through weak clay shale and sandstone with cover varying between 30m-37m, and be below groundwater level. The four-spoke cutterhead will be fitted with rippers, scrapers and has a maximum torque of 3,000kNm at 1.9rpm.
The shield can be fitted with a screw conveyor for EPB mode excavation in future.
