By Lynda Myer
While the five elements of the cutting disc and head have already been delivered to the jobsite at Babica, assembly of the TBM for Poland’s S19 Highway is due to commence soon and transport of the remaining parts is scheduled.
The assembly process of this TBM with 4,000-ton weight, 112m length and a 15.2m diameter, will take around three months. This refurbished TBM, which was previously used on the M30 tunnels in Madrid, is designed to operate at a maximum depth of 100m.
In order to advancing the 10.3km section of the S19 highway in south-east Poland, that includes a 2.2km dual tunnel, between the Rzeszów Poludnie junction and Babica, the design and build contract with €500m value previous year was granted by Acciona and its Polish subsidiary Mostostal Warszawa. The connection between these two bores is going to be provided through 12 emergency passages.
As one of Poland’s most technologically advanced infrastructure undertakings, this project is in the alignment of hilly terrain and complex geology.
