First TBM delivered for Austrian railway system
12 September 2012The first of two TBMs for Austria's Koralm line project, which will provide a new high-speed train route between Graz and Klagenfurt, was delivered in August 2012. The Aker Wirth machines will be in operation by the end of this year, the company announced last week.
The two telescopic shield machines each have a diameter of 9,93m. They will be used to create the main section, approximately 18km in length, of the 32,5-km long Koralm tunnel.
Access to the underground construction work areas is a challenge, stated Aker Wirth. The only possibility is a 60m deep shaft, through which the main components of the machine will be transported and subsequently assembled.
"With this project, we can draw on more than 40 years of experience in hard-rock tunneling", said Hans Greve, VP mining and construction at Aker Wirth. "With our experienced employees, we are confident that we will successfully meet the challenges regarding logistics and underground assembly."
Robert Goliasch, machine engineer at ARGE Koralmtunnel Koralm tunnel construction lot 2 (KAT 2) added: "With the factory approval for the first TBM, we have reached a significant milestone for our KAT 2 tunnel construction project. Together with our skilled personnel, we were able to be present during the assembly at the factory, to contribute to the installation and consequently to get to know the new TBM. As a result, we hope to gain time for the underground installation and for a speedy commissioning. The first performance tests have done justice to Aker Wirth¹s reputation as a manufacturer of high-quality machines for hard rock."
