CRCHI¡¯s EPB TBMs with a wide application range ensure a safe and fast tunnelling in soft soils, gravel and cobble stratum, weathered rock, hard rock and other kinds of complicated geologies. They are used in the construction of utility tunnels, rail tunnels, highway tunnels, metropolitan metro systems, and other projects.

Working Principles of EPB TBMs

The main feature of EPB TBMs is that they use the excavated material as support medium to avoid ground settlements. This method is a preferred option for soft soils and cohesive soils with low water permeability. During a drive, a cutterhead with cutting tools rotates to cut soils of the tunnel face. The excavated material gets into the excavation chamber through openings, where it is mixed with additives and stirred by mixing arms on the back of the cutterhead to make it have required texture. Whenever the pressure of the muck in the excavation chamber is the same with that of the surrounding environment, the required earth balance is realized. This prevents the soil from entering the back-up systems and ensures a fast and safe tunnelling. In the meantime, a screw conveyor is used to transport the excavated muck from the excavation chamber onto a belt conveyor which delivers it to a muck car and then out of the tunnel.

Basic structure of EPB TBM

Features of CRCHI¡¯s EPB TBMs

-Can manufacture small-diameter EPB (from 3m to 5m), normal-diameter EPB (from 5m to 8m) and large-diameter EPB(larger than 8m).

-Perfect soil conditioning makes CRCHI¡¯s EPBs suitable for clay, sandy soil, composite heterogeneous ground, and other unstable geological conditions.

-Equipped with advanced and reliable cutterhead designs and soil conditioning technologies.

-Use reliable main bearing, main drive seals and main drive gearbox which have long lifespan and high safety.

-Use a safe and efficient PLC system to realize real-time online monitoring and data collection. 

Partial references of CRCHI¡¯s EPB TBMs

Project Pictures

CRCHI EPB TBM with a diameter of 6550mm for the construction of Izmir metro tunnel

CRCHI EPB TBM for Izmir metro tunnel ready for launching

CRCHI EPB TBM with a diameter of 10840mm, named Victory by Moscow deputy mayor, for the construction of Moscow metro tunnel

CRCHI EPB TBM "Victory" ready for launching

Moscow metro tunnel breakthrough by a CRCHI EPB TBM with a diameter of 6250mm 

CRCHI EPB TBM with a diameter of 3730mm for the construction of Sri Lanka sewage tunnel

Sri Lanka sewage tunnel excavated by CRCHI EPB 

China Railway Construction Heavy Industry Corporation Limited (CRCHI)

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