Terratec EPBMs delivered to Taoyuan MRT

31 August 2021


Terratec has announced that – on behalf of group company JIMT – it has delivered two of four 6.24m-diameter EPB tunnel boring machines (EPBMs) that will be used on Taoyuan MRT Green Line in Taoyuan District, Taiwan.

Futsu-Obayashi-CEC JV will deploy the machines on underground works contract GC03 for the Department of Rapid Transit Systems. Obayashi Corp purchased four EPBMs from JIMT for the GC03 contract. These first two machines have completed their factory acceptance tests (FAT) while the remaining two EPB machines of 8.38m-diameter will be delivered next year.

The EPBMs have robust spoke-type and outer-ring cutterheads designed to work effectively in the mainly sandstone and boulder geology expected on this contract. They are designed to smoothly discharge large boulders through the ribbon-type screw conveyor. As they progress, they will install 1,200mm wide by 250mm-thick reinforced concrete lining rings comprising five segments plus key. Muck cars will be used.

Both machines were made in Terratec’s factory and incorporate key Japanese components; their performance and quality have been evaluated as equal to TBMs made by contractor Obayashi Corp in Japan.

With a total length of 27.8km, Taoyuan Metro’s rapid transit Green Line is anticipated to complete in 2025 and will have a total of 21 stations (10 underground, 11 elevated). Contract GC03 includes three underground stations and two drives of 2.3km. The main drive is planned from the launch shaft and both TBMs will excavate from the north end to Daxing West Road Intersection Station (G10) through Taoyuan P. Arts Centre Station (G11) & Nankan Bus Station (G12). Work will start in October 2021.

Earlier in April, a 6.24m-diameter EPBM was delivered to BES-Daiho-Okumura JV for another contract – the GC02 underground works contract, also for Taoyuan MRT Green Line. For this, a total of two 6.24m-diameter EPBMs will be delivered.

Terratec has been a member of JIMT Group since 2018. The Group was created by three Japanese industrial giants merging their TBM divisions: IHI Corp, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and JFE Engineering Corp. The move combined their technology and experience of delivering since 1939 to Japanese and overseas projects more than 4,000 TBMs of every type and size up to 16m diameter.