By lyndamyer
Advancement of the 6.61m diameter EPBM, which is working on Package TU-01 for Phase II – Corridor 3 of the Chennai Metro Rail project in India, was celebrated by Chennai Metro Rail Ltd and contractor Tata Projects Ltd.
Running from Venugopal Nagar Station to Kelly’s Station, construction of almost 9km of twin tunnels (18km in total) for Corridor-3, will be up to Terratec TBM S97, named Podhigai, along with six other TBMs. Terratec is responsible for supplying five of the seven TBMs required for the package, and started dispatch in 2022.
Additionally, this year was the time of progress of three other TBMs. While TBM S96 was commissioned in October last year and achieved its breakthrough in August at Madhavaran High Road, TBM S98 made its breakthrough in June, moving from the same shaft at Madhavaran Colony towards Venugopal Nagar Station (of Line 5) to Kelly’s Station. The breakthrough of TBM S99 at Venugopal Nagar Station was celebrated in September.
Construction of diaphragm walls and entry and exit structures for Madhavaram Milk Colony Station, Murari Hospital Station, Ayanavaram Station, and Purasaiwakkam High Road Station, as well as launching and retrieving shafts, are the contents of Package TU-01. One of the project’s major challenges is tunneling beneath historical structures in densely populated areas.
In order to handling a range of geology, such as sand, silt, clay, and weathered rock, Terratec’s TBMs are equipped with mixed-ground dome-style cutterheads and the TBMs advance with the installation of 1,400mm-wide and 275mm-thick universal reinforced concrete lining rings, comprising five segments and a key.
