Three TBMs Used on Qingdao Tunnel<\/strong><\/p>\nThe 17.48km project includes approximately 14.37km of tunnel and comprises two main road tunnels with a central service tunnel. The two road tunnels provide six traffic lanes in total and are designed for speeds of up to 80km\/h.<\/p>\n
Construction has combined drill-and-blast excavation with mechanised tunnelling, with drives advancing from both the eastern and western shores of Jiaozhou Bay towards offshore connection points.<\/p>\n
Three TBMs have been deployed on the shield-driven sections. Two machines with diameters of 15.63m are excavating the main road tunnels, while the 8.18m-diameter Guoxin is being used for the central service tunnel.<\/p>\n
China Railway 14th Bureau Group has excavated a 3,255m section of the southern main tunnel using TBM Haitian and a 5,855m section of the central service tunnel using Guoxin.<\/p>\n
TBMs Tackle High-Strength Rock<\/strong><\/p>\nThe project has encountered challenging geological conditions, with approximately two-thirds of the alignment passing through granite and the remainder mainly through tuff.<\/p>\n
More than 80% of the main tunnel shield sections and over 90% of the service tunnel shield section pass through rock formations. Maximum recorded compressive strength has reached 224MPa.<\/p>\n
High-strength rock, fractured fault zones and long excavation drives resulted in significant cutter wear. Cutter inspections and replacements were required at average intervals of approximately 20m.<\/p>\n
The main road tunnel shield sections reach a maximum depth of 95m below sea level, while the service tunnel reaches 105m, creating demanding conditions for TBM sealing and groundwater control.<\/p>\n
TBM Design Modified for Granite Excavation<\/strong><\/p>\nAccording to Wang Junping, chief engineer for China Railway 14th Bureau Group on the project, both TBMs were modified to improve performance in the challenging geological conditions.<\/p>\n
The modifications included reduced cutter spacing, allowing more cutting tools to be installed on the cutterheads, together with improvements to rock-breaking capacity and excavation efficiency.<\/p>\n
A dedicated spoil-handling system comprising a screw conveyor, rock collection chamber and crusher was also introduced to improve muck removal and reduce the risk of blockages.<\/p>\n
Automated Production of Tunnel Segments<\/strong><\/p>\nThe high external water pressures and strict watertightness requirements also led China Railway 14th Bureau Group to develop a fifth-generation intelligent production line for large-diameter precast concrete tunnel segments.<\/p>\n
The facility uses automated finishing, spraying and mould-cleaning robots alongside heavy-duty automated guided vehicles (AGVs). Digital systems are used to manage segment production and handling.<\/p>\n
Shield Excavation Completed<\/strong><\/p>\nThe completion of shield excavation marks a major milestone for the Qingdao Second Jiaozhou Bay Tunnel. Further construction, fit-out and commissioning works remain before the new crossing can enter service.<\/p>\n
Once operational, the tunnel is expected to improve connectivity between central Qingdao and Huangdao while helping reduce congestion on existing routes across Jiaozhou Bay.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The breakthrough took place on October 2, according to information published by the Qingdao Municipal Government, marking the completion of the final shield-driven section of the project. The Second Jiaozhou Bay Tunnel will provide a new road connection between Qingdao\u2019s main urban area and the West Coast New Area in Huangdao, supplementing the existing Jiaozhou Bay Tunnel and cross-sea bridge. Three TBMs Used on Qingdao Tunnel The 17.48km project includes approximately 14.37km of tunnel and comprises two main road tunnels with a central service tunnel. The two road tunnels provide six traffic lanes in total and are designed for speeds […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":20674,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[4349,5682,5680,5637,5679,5681,2318],"class_list":["post-20673","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-china-railway-14th-bureau","tag-china-subsea-road-tunnel","tag-guoxin-tbm","tag-jiaozhou-bay-tunnel","tag-qingdao-jiaozhou-bay-tunnel","tag-qingdao-subsea-tunnel","tag-tbm-breakthrough","post--single"],"yoast_head":"\n
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