Henan-made tunnel boring machine makes new breakthroughs

Henan-made tunnel boring machine makes new breakthroughs

应用于世界规模最大城市湖底隧道盾构机在郑下线

“河南造”国之重器又创新纪录

Henan-made TBM has recently set new records, adding fresh momentum to the province's efforts to become a powerhouse in manufacturing.

“河南造”国之重器又创新纪录，为河南建设制造强省增添新动力。

On November 26, a super-large-diameter slurry TBM rolled off the production line at China Railway Engineering Equipment Group Co., Ltd. (CREG) in Zhengzhou. It will be deployed in the construction of the underwater tunnel linking the Donghu Lake and the Nanhu Lake in Wuhan city of Hubei province. Once completed, it will be the longest urban underwater tunnel in China and the largest of its kind in the world.

11月26日，应用于国内最长、世界规模最大城市湖底隧道——武汉两湖隧道建设的超大直径泥水盾构机，在位于中铁装备的国家TBM产业化中心下线。

"The more challenging the project, the more advanced technology and robust equipment it demands," said Dai Xiaosong, deputy chief engineer at China Construction Third Engineering Bureau Group Co., Ltd., the contractor of the project. He added that the custom-built TBM will be used to construct a 2,824.8-meter tunnel for the project's Donghu section.

“难度大的工程还得靠高技术、硬设备。”武汉两湖隧道承建单位、中建三局的副总工程师戴小松说，中铁装备为武汉两湖隧道东湖段施工定制的超大直径泥水平衡盾构机将负责全长2824.8米的隧道区间施工。

This Henan-made TBM will be crucial for the project, as the tunnel runs beneath the Donghu Lake. The section faces significant challenges, with a maximum slope of 40‰, and a minimum turning radius of just 700 meters. It also passes through areas with multiple karst caves and two fracture zones. The project involves technical difficulties such as tunneling through a large cross-section on sharp curves and over long distances through intricate strata. To address these extreme conditions, CREG developed a specialized screw-discharge, dual-channel slurry TBM.

该区间位于东湖湖底，施工难度高，河南造盾构机要派上大用场。该区间的最大坡度达40‰，最小转弯半径仅700米，且存在多处溶洞发育、穿越2处断层破碎带等复杂地质条件，面临大断面小曲线、长距离复杂地层施工等多重技术难题。针对极端复杂施工条件和环境，中铁装备自主研发了螺机直排双通道泥水盾构机。

"This TBM is both intelligent and highly capable," said Zhang Penghao, deputy director of the Main Engine Department at CREG TBM Institute. Measuring 115 meters and weighing 4,300 tons, it boasts an excavation diameter of 15.09 meters. Featuring a screw-discharge, dual-channel system, it effectively minimizes chamber clogging and reduces the likelihood of mud cakes forming on the cutterhead. Additionally, the TBM is equipped with a suite of innovative technologies, including an atmospheric-pressure cutterhead replacement system, an advanced geological prediction system, and an automated mud-cake removal system. Its ergonomically designed features improve human-machine interaction, ensuring safe and efficient tunneling through complex composite strata.

“这一盾构机有着大智慧和强本领。”中铁装备掘进机研究院主机分院副院长张鹏豪介绍，该盾构机整机长115米、重4300吨，开挖直径达15.09米，具备螺机直排双通道模式，可有效降低仓内滞排，减少刀盘结泥饼的概率；与此同时，搭载了常压换刀刀盘、超前地质系统、泥饼自动化清除系统等一系列创新技术，优化人体工学设计，增进人机交互，确保盾构机在复合地层中安全高效掘进。（中文来源/河南日报 记者/王延辉 编译/杨佳欣 审校/丁岚 赵汉青）