TERRATEC Delivers MTBMs to Bangkok

On Dec. 15, TERRATEC successfully completed the factory acceptance tests of two new microtunneling systems in its facilities in Thailand for the MRTA Green Line (North) project in Bangkok. The MTBMs are made for jacking standard concrete pipes of either 1,500 mm (59 in.) or 1,800 mm (71 in.) ID, with 3,000 mm (118 in.) length. Contractor, Italian-Thai Development Public Company Ltd., will use the two machines to complete the power cable tunnels associated to the Sky Train System.

TERRATEC scope of supply from include the shield, the main jacking station, intermediate jacking stations, the slurry transport system, a digital guidance system and a control room on the surface with the operation panel and power pack.

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The system was designed by TERRATEC at its engineering center in Australia. The production and assembly were done in TERRATEC’s new plant in Thailand, with key components coming mainly from Australia and Japan.

The machines are to bore in the typical Bangkok soil composed of clay, stiff clay and very stiff clay. As the machines may encounter the wooden piles or pieces from previous ancient houses, the design of the cutterhead integrated a cone crusher. Other state-of-the art features include the Enzan-TERRATEC laser guidance system developed jointly for these small tunneling machines, the variable frequency drive for the cutterhead or the data recorder and remote access for the complete tunneling system.

In the last three years, TERRATEC has sold 21 microtunneling systems with diameters ranging from 300 to 2,000 mm (12 to 78 in.).