By Lynda Myer
The TBM Micaela, manufactured by Herrenknecht company, is one of two machines Webuild is using on Line 2 of the Lima Metro at Buenos Aires Station in the port of Callao.
With 148m length and 10.27m diameter, this TBM is designed for the groundwater soils in the area, whereas its daily performance was digging of almost 1,000m3 of soil and rock and made an average daily advance of 15-20m.
Also in order to excavating in dry ground, the second TBM, Delia, is designed with 120m length.
Following a year of that Delia completed the first section of the Lima Metro project, breaking through at Circunvalación Station, this breakthrough is achieved.
Including the excavation of a 27km tunnel to link the ATE and Callao districts, and the construction of an 8km branch-off to Jorge Chávez International Airport, forming the first phase of Line 4, the project’s value is US$3bn. Additionally, 37 stations, 36 ventilations as well as emergency shafts and two train depots are the contents of this project.
Completion of 14km of tunnel has already being done by Webuild and its partners Dragados, FCC and Cosapi. While benefiting the NATM method construction of the first 9km from Municipalidad de Ate Station to San Juan de Dios Station has been done, Delia has excavated and built 3km of tunnel from San Juan de Dios Station to 28 de Julio Station in the eastern part of Lima, and is due to continue tunneling to Parque Murillo station in the city center. Its last station will be Insurgentes, in Callao.
Excavation and building of the 2km from Insurgentes Station to Buenos Aires Station has been completed by Micaela, whereas it currently has commenced boring towards Puerto del Callao Station. The estimated time by Webuild for arrival of TBM at the station is the end of May, marking the project’s next major milestone.
On completing this route, Micaela will be transferred to Gambetta Station to excavate and build the 8km of the branch line.
Micaela is named after Micaela Bastidas, an important figure in Peru’s independence, while Delia honors the first Peruvian woman to gain a degree in mining engineering at the National University of Engineering.
