TECHNICAL | TBM TUNNELING


TWO TALES OF TECHNOLOGY


Recent technology successes for Robbins include an award-winning conversion of a TBM diameter while underground, and continuing to see the difference the robust McNally support system delivers for excavations in difficult ground


Two brief stories of technological success, from Texas and Shaanxi, respectively. Both constructing hydraulic tunnels – one for


a drainage tunnel, the other to build a long water diversion tunnel. In the US southwest, the Mill Creek drainage


project saw the execution of a pre-planned in-tunnel diameter conversion of the hard rock TBM tunneling system – without benefit of a shaft, chamber, cavern or pre-excavated portal – draw more plaudits. This time acknowledgement of the technological milestone success came from the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association (ITA) in its annual awards. In central China, on the 17.5km-long ( 10.9 miles)


Yin Han Ji Wei water diversion tunnel in Shaanxi province, the McNally slat support system once more proved its effectiveness for difficult ground when the TBM excavation was prepared for high overburden, rock stresses and numerous rock bursts.


Above: The Robbins Main Beam TBM, ‘Big Tex’, broke through at Mill Creek Drainage Relief Tunnel in July 2022 in Dallas, Texas, US ALL IMAGES COURTESY ROBBINS 30 | Spring 2023


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  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53