China rolls out largest domestically developed shield machine

 

(ECNS) -- China's largest domestically developed shield machine rolled off the production line in Zhengzhou, central China’s Henan Province, on Tuesday. 

The ultra-large slurry balance shield machine, named Zhongtie 1662, has a designed excavation diameter of 16.68 meters, measures 125 meters in length and weighs about 4,800 metric tons.

Developed by China Railway Engineering Equipment Group Co., Ltd. (CREG), the machine will be used to construct a tunnel beneath a reservoir in Hefei, east China’s Anhui Province.

The 2.9-kilometer tunnel features a two-bore, two-level design and will pass through areas with steep slopes and sharp curves, as well as urban viaducts, a reservoir dam and a drinking water protection zone, requiring highly precise control.

In recent years, CREG has developed a range of advanced shield machines, including the world’s first green shield machine.

To date, the company has delivered more than 1,700 shield machines, including exports to nearly 40 countries and regions.

(By Helen Mo & intern Liu Shuangjing)