China’s largest slurry TBM gets to work

16 August 2021


China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) has announced that one of its home-produced slurry TBMs – the largest of its type to have been developed in China – has started boring the East Sixth Ring Road Reconstruction Project in Beijing.

With a diameter of 16.07m, weighing 4,500t, and a total length of 145m, TBM ‘Yunhe’ will tunnel 7.4km out of the 16km-long road project. The machine is said to be able to mine continuously for 4.8km without requiring cutter changes as it passes beneath urban areas and rivers in challenging geologies.

The tunnel is reported to have three decks: the upper reserved for smoke evacuation, the middle for road traffic, and the lower to serve for escape and rescue. Work is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.

The Beijing East Sixth Ring Road Reconstruction Project is a core component of Beijing’s masterplan, serving to relieve traffic pressure on the East Sixth Ring Road and promote the development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, said CCCC.