The Successful Rollout of the“Huanbei Guangxi No. 8 (Shield Tunneling)” Hard Rock Shield TBM

On August 13th, the “Huanbei Guangxi No. 8 (Shield Tunneling)” hard rock shield TBM rollout ceremony held grandly at Tangxing Technology's trenchless equipment industrial park. A large number of industry leaders and guests were present to witness this significant event.

This shield TBM has a cutting diameter of 3.1 meters and a total length of 204 meters. It is responsible for the tunnel excavation of the D5 section of the Beibu Gulf Water Resource Allocation Project in Guangxi. The excavation length for a single jacking is as long as 3028 meters. The tunnel geology is complex, with about 30% of the area consisting of hard rock and tough rock, and it is rich in quartz. The groundwater level is high, with external water pressure reaching 0.72 MPa, which makes the area prone to water inflow. Such harsh geological conditions severely wear down the shield cutter head, and crossing through the water-rich fault zone increases the risk of water inflow. Moreover, the internal diameter of the tunnel segments is only 2.3 meters, and the width is 1.2 meters, which qualifies it as a micro shield tunneling project. This severely restricts space, making construction extremely challenging.

To tackle these engineering challenges, Tangxing Technology, in collaboration with all project participants, conducted a comprehensive design of the shield TBM. The cutter head was equipped with heavy-duty tools for rock-breaking and a wear detection system. An advanced ahead geological prediction system was designed to anticipate changes in the geological conditions. The main machine incorporates several technologies to comprehensively safeguard construction safety and efficiency. Additionally, an innovative hydraulic three-dimensional space segment lifting and platform rail-mounted auxiliary trailer system was designed to meet construction needs.

The successful rollout of the“Huanbei Guangxi No. 8 (Shield Tunneling)” hard rock shield TBM marks the critical phase of tunnel excavation. Once completed, it will be jointly scheduled with the local water source project to provide a long-term solution to the regional mismatch between water resources and economic development, ensuring a reliable water supply for nearly 14 million people.