CREG 9.53m TBM Breaks Through on Tight Radius Curve Tunnel

By TBM Staff November 11, 2022

The CREG hard rock TBM on Funing pumped storage power station tunnel project has celebrated a successful breakthrough on Oct. 24, 2022. The 9.53-m diameter CREG machine completed a challenging portion of the project that included a tight 90-m radius curved drive.

To overcome construction difficulties, including high compressive strength of rock, high quartz content and small radius curve, CREG customized the large-diameter hard rock TBM for extremely tight radius curve for the Funing pumped storage power station project in Hebei province, China. This TBM is designed with a minimum curve radius of 90 m and a maximum gradient of 9.02%. Moreover, with small radius tunnel belt conveyor and mature support system, this TBM is able to achieve efficient excavation, stable mucking and rapid support.

Since its launch on Oct. 25, 2021, the TBM excavated a total of 2225.8 m, during which six extremely tight curves with a radius of 100 m and one with a radius of 90 m were completed, achieving a maximum monthly advance of 303 m and a maximum daily advance of 21.7 m.

The total installed capacity of Funing pumped storage power station is 1200 MW. After its completion, it will effectively alleviate the increasingly serious peak-regulation contradiction of power grid in northern area of Hebei Province, save the standard coal consumption of thermal power station in the region, and improve the quality of atmospheric environment.