After completing the entire tunnel excavation of the underground section of the Nhon - Hanoi station urban railway line (Nhon - Hanoi railway), two TBM tunnel excavators (Tunnel Boring Machine) are being dismantled by units and brought to the ground at station S12.
Along with that, many opinions are interested in whether this pair of "super drills" can continue to be used for other metro projects in the future.
Hanoi Urban Railway Management Board (MRB) said that, in principle, TBM tunnel excavators can be completely reused after completing their tasks at a project.
However, this is a high-tech equipment designed based on very specific conditions of each project. Two TBM1 and TBM2 machines are invested separately for the construction of the tunnel section of the Nhon - Hanoi urban railway line project, based on technical requirements, geological conditions and the riêng design of the line.
According to MRB, in order to be able to continue to be used for a new project, TBM machines must undergo a comprehensive inspection and evaluation process. If necessary, the equipment will be converted to meet the technical, quality, safety and reliability requirements of the next project.
In fact, reusability depends on many factors. These include the level of wear and lifespan of equipment after construction (especially the cutting head and main electromechanical systems); the compatibility between geological and hydrological conditions of the projects;
Technical requirements, subsidence and deformation control standards of each route, as well as overall economic efficiency between the renovation, transportation, and re-installation plans compared to new equipment investment", MRB informed.
MRB added that, according to the practice of implementing urban railway projects, TBM is equipment under the management of the contractor. Based on specific technical and economic efficiency assessments, the contractor will propose a plan to continue using or investing in new equipment.
The investor only considers and approves the proposed plan when it fully meets the technical requirements of the project as well as the related contract conditions.
Previously, two TBM machines named "Speed" and "Drifty" had completed the excavation of more than 4km of underground tunnel of the Nhon - Hanoi station metro line.
MRB also informed that currently, the construction volume of the underground section of the Nhon - Hanoi Metro line has reached about 79.3%.
In the coming time, MRB will continue to coordinate with relevant units to urge contractors to ensure progress, project quality, labor safety and environmental sanitation, while minimizing the impact on people's lives in the project area.
