CREG Slurry TBM with Double-Shell Shield Ready for Singapore CR116 Metro Project

In early July 2024, the 7.22-m diameter slurry TBM “CREC 1238,” developed and manufactured by China Railway Engineering Equipment Group Co. Ltd. (CREG), successfully passed its FAT (Factory Acceptance Test). This slurry TBM is approximately 60 m in length and 866 tons in weight. This is CREG’s first double-shell shield exported to Singapore for the CR116 Metro Project.

Part of Singapore’s Cross Island Line, CR116 includes the construction of Ang Mo Kio Interchange Station and twin bored tunnels connecting the future Teck Ghee and Ang Mo Kio Interchange Stations. In order to launch the TBM to construct the tunnels, an intermediate launching shaft will be built in the middle of the tunnel alignment between the two stations. With a minimum curve radius of 300 m, the twin 600-m long mainline tunnels will pass through geology mainly composed of Bukit Timah Granite interspersed with fracture zones. Furthermore, there are also sections of Kallang strata (clay) and Old Alluvium (OA) strata in the alignment with water pressure up to 4 bars.

To deal with multiple launching and re-launching (up to four times), the TBM is customized with a double-shell shield to facilitate disassembly in the tunnel. Special auxiliary structures are also designed to allow for the quick assembly and disassembly of main drive, segment erector and back-up systems, which can reduce the turnaround time for the next tunnel drive. To simplify the assembly and disassembly of slurry pipelines in the shield, an integrated pipeline bracket system has been designed to facilitate this. In addition, to overcome the challenges of launching the TBM in a narrow launching shaft, the pipeline extension gantry has been designed to be deployed in the launch shaft instead.

The TBM also incorporates other ancillary features such as staircases to access segment erector’s working platform, symmetrically distributed slurry pipelines on the back-up system, mirror function and towing force detection function of pipeline extension device.

It is expected that upon the completion of this section of the Cross Island Line, it will simplify travel as well as connections between the various rail lines reaching some 100,000 households, and improve access to industrial areas, leisure parks and business hubs in the city.

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