TBM breaks through on major project
Publicerad: 13 augusti, 2020
A Herrenknecht tunnel boring machine (TBM) has broken through on the construction of the world’s longest underground rail link.
The Brenner Base Tunnel (BBT) under construction through the base of the Eastern Alps beneath the Brenner Pass will run from near Innsbruck, Austria, to Fortezza, Italy, replacing part of the current Brenner railway.
Once complete, it will be the longest underground rail link in the world and will consist of twin 64 km tunnels.
Last month, with the completion of the 16.7 km long exploratory tunnel, proud workers at the BBT celebrated the first decisive breakthrough of a Herrenknecht TBM.
From October 2015, the tunnel boring specialists steadfastly drove hard rock machine ‘Günther’ (Ø 7,910 mm) from north to south under up to 1.3 km of alpine rock toward their target.
The TBM’s name is borrowed from Tyrolean governor Günther Platter.
The machine is one of six total TBMs that project operators have ordered from Herrenknecht AG in Schwanau, South Baden, for the new world record project.
For more information visit the Herrenknecht website.