On 9th June, 2017, China’s first U-shape TBM for municipal tunnel completes FAT at CREG Tunnel Equipment Manufacture Co., Ltd. at Xinxiang, Henan Province. This new type of U-shape TBM will be used for the construction of underground utility tunnels of Haikou, Hainan Province.

Jointly designed by China Railway Engineering Equipment Group Co., Ltd. and China Tiesiju Civil Engineering Group Co., Ltd., this new type of U-shape TBM stands for a new construction method of urban underground utility tunnels. Depending on its world-leading R&D capacity, and in accordance with open-cut method specification of utility tunnel, CREG efficiently combines the advantages of open-cut method and TBM method, adopting mechanical equipment as movable supporting structure for the excavating face. The main structure of the common trenches or utility tunnels can be installed within the equipment. With this new method, the maximum of dimension of prefabricated ring can reach 8300mm×3100mm, which can be widely applied on shallow imbedded trenches’ and pipe galleries’construction. 

With higher mechanization level, U-shape TBM method is much safer, faster and more economical, as opposed to the traditional open-cut method: it needs about 50% less manpower and will shorten the duration by 20 - 40%. In the meantime, U-shape TBM method consumes a smaller construction site without sloping and produces less mucking materials and lower noises. U-shape TBM is undoubtedly an environmentally friendly innovation.