China Develops Next Generation Technology for Underground Tunnelling

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Tunnel boring machines, or TBMs, are essential to modern underground construction, particularly in large scale tunneling projects. After decades of technological development, China has developed a new generation Digital Smart TBM 2.0 system that uses intelligent technologies to improve the safety, precision and efficiency of urban tunnel construction.

1.Shots of the construction site for the western extension of Shanghai Metro Line 13

2.Shots of the tunnel boring machine

3.Shots of the digital control center

4.SOUNDBITE (Mandarin)Han Yahai, Project Manager of Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co., Ltd. for Lot 103 of the West Extension of Shanghai Metro Line 13

"Ground settlement has been kept within two millimeters. Traditionally, deviations in the tunnel boring machine's alignment could reach around 50 millimeters. With the new Digital Smart TBM system, that can be reduced to 25 millimeters, doubling construction accuracy. The project timeline has also been shortened by an estimated one to two months compared with conventional methods."

5.SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Bian Guoqiang, Chief Engineer, First Branch, Shanghai Shentong Metro Construction Group

"The system helps us improve tunnel quality and reduce alignment deviations. That gives us greater precision when tunnelling beneath major buildings, structures and critical underground utility networks."

6.Shots of the tunnel boring machine

7.FILE:Shots of Dapu Road Tunnel construction

8.Shots of the tunnel boring machine interface

9.Shots of engineers monitoring shield machine data

10.SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Huang Kai, Deputy Chief Engineer, Digital TBM Innovation Center, Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co., Ltd.

"The system was developed not only for Shanghai's soft soil conditions, but has also been applied in mixed ground conditions across the Yangtze River Delta, South China and parts of Zhengzhou in Central China. Compared with conventional tunnelling methods, it can improve construction efficiency by around 30 percent."

11.Shots of the tunnel boring machine interface

12.Shots of construction of the tunnel boring machine