| NEWS
TBMs pass FAT for Belgrade metro project
Acciona finishes Mexico road tunnel MEXICO – Acciona has completed the construction of the El Soler Tunnel and the Matadero Viaduct in Tijuana, Mexico. The Sequential Excavation Method (SEM) was used to build the 1km-long tunnel. The project’s main challenges were the
mixed geology and the need to maintain traffic flow and urban activity in the surrounding area during construction. The project is for the Ministry of Natural
Defense to improve urban mobility in Baja California by reducing travel times and increasing road network capacity.
Above: CRCHI TBMs pass FAT in readiness for Belgrade Metro. PHOTO CREDIT: CRCHI
SERBIA – Two TBMs to be used in the first phase of the first line of the Belgrade Metro have passed their Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) at China Railway Construction Heavy Industry’s (CRCHI) facility in Changsha. The Belgrade Metro will be integrated into an intermodal network of urban and intercity transportation, including bicycles, buses, trams, and trains. Phase 1 of Belgrade Metro’s mostly underground new line will connect to existing BG:voz commuter lines at Pančevački Bridge and is to have connections to two future BG:voz lines. A park- and-ride facility will be located near Železnik station. Additionally, the planned development and reorganisation of tram and bus lines is to create two bus terminals along the new metro line. There will be seven existing tram stations and three additional planned tram stations along the route.
The approximately 15km- long line will have 15 stations. Its construction is to be mostly underground with 11.2km of bored tunnels, from Bela Voda to Pančevački Bridge, and a 1.9km Cut and Cover (C&C) section, from the Makiš depot to Bela Voda. The line will also include a 2.1km-long portion running along the ground surface.
Speaking at the FAT ceremony, Belgrade Metro and Train director Andreja Mladenović said construction of the metro had been proposed for more than half a century, and that long-standing vision was now becoming a reality. He said: “The construction of the Belgrade Metro has begun and will be successfully completed. For such a significant undertaking, not only political will is sufficient, but also a strong and stable economy, responsibly managed public finances and institutional capacities that enable the implementation of large infrastructure projects.”
Mladenović added that the TBMs would be key to the construction of the underground tunnels, one of the most complex phases of the project. He also acknowledged the importance of co-operation with Chinese partners and their contribution to the implementation of the project.
“Today’s event has multiple significance. It is not only a technical step in the implementation of a complex infrastructure undertaking, but also a new confirmation of the strategic co-operation, mutual trust and steel friendship between the Republic of Serbia and the People's Republic of China established by Presidents Aleksandar Vučić and Xi Jinping,” he said.
Terratec TBM for Palermo ITALY - A Terratec EPBM is to drive the final section of the metro project in Palermo, Sicily, on the Politeama– Notarbartolo Lotto II contract. Launch of the 8.18m-diameter TBM is scheduled for Q2 2027. Ground conditions along the 817m-
long alignment are highly variable, with a mixed sequence of clay, silt, sand and sandy gravels. The tunnel has a 180m-radius curve,
for which the TBM will have an optimised articulation system, compact shield geometry and a cutterhead of high- torque and also 1,320kW power (12 electric motors). Its steering system provides precise
control of thrust distribution across the shield and articulation joints, without overstressing the segmental lining or inducing excessive ground disturbance. The TBM will also have a reinforced main bearing and a robust shield skin design. The back-up and segment erection systems will also be configured to construct lining in the geometry of the tight curve.
Gotthard road tunnel milestone VIETNAM – Final breakthrough on the Hanoi Pilot Light Metro Line 3 project’s twin-tube tunnels was recently achieved with the 6.6m-diameter Herrenknecht TBM ‘Tao Bao’ finishing its drive at Station S12. Hyundai Engineering & Construction
and Ghella deployed the EPB shield to excavate a 4km-long drive on the Nhon– Hanoi station line, which is Hanoi’s first partly underground metro line - and has four subsurface stations - Kim Ma, Cat Linh, Van Mieu and Hanoi. Two shields bored the tubes since
August 2024 and the first TBM, ‘Than Toc’, finished at the end of 2025.
August 2026 | 9
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45
