The Tuen Mun - Chek Lap Kok TBM is the world's largest tunnel boring machine launched in June 2015 by Herrenknecht in Germany. The TBM is used to drill a 5 km tunnel connecting Tuen Mun to the Hong Kong International Airport, part of the Tuen Mun–Chek Lap Kok Link project. The machine has a diameter of 17.6 metres (57.7 ft),[1] 0.1 metres (0.3 ft) more than Bertha, the previous largest tunnel boring machine.[2][3]
Operations edit
The machine will excavate a 5 km-long underwater tunnel, working at pressures as high as 5 bars. The drilling will take place in depths of up to 50 m below sea level.[4]
References edit
- ^ "Herrenknecht, Pioneering Underground Technologies. Visit of Herrenknecht AG by KIVI Engineering Society TTOW. Martin Forster, Technical Manager Sales | Traffic Tunnelling. Schwanau, 22.09.2016" (PDF). COB.nl.
- ^ "bouygues confirms largest tunnel boring machine launch". geeplus.co.uk. 9 June 2015. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
- ^ "Long-Term Relations Between Joint Venture Partners – A Supplier's Perspective" (PDF). eic-federation.eu. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
- ^ Wallis, Shani; Kenyon, Peter (25 September 2014). "Hong Kong mega-machine explanations". TunnelTalk. Retrieved 2015-12-11.