Landmark onsite assembly of Robbins double shield completed
Mar 31, 2008
Onsite assembly of a massive 10.0 m (32.8 ft) Double Shield TBM has been completed in Andhra Pradesh, India. A ceremony was held on March 18, 2008 to mark the official launch of the Robbins machine - the first of two TBMs to bore a 43.5 km (27.0 mi) long water tunnel for the Alimineti Madhava Reddy (AMR) Project.
Comprehensive planning by both Robbins and Jaiprakash resulted in the successful completion of the TBM, back-up system, and continuous conveyor assemblies. The AMR machine was built in a large launch pit using gantry cranes to hoist components into place. Machine parts including the cutterhead, gripper system, forward shield, and telescopic shield were assembled in a concrete "cradle". The assembled TBM and back-up then crawled forward by reacting against invert segment pieces installed progressively up to the tunnel entrance.
The second Robbins machine will be assembled onsite later in 2008 and launched from the opposite end, at the inlet portal. After excavation of the entire tunnel is completed, a drill and blasted disassembly chamber will be used for removal of each TBM and back-up. The chamber will include poured concrete inverts and installed 170-metric-ton (187 U.S. ton) gantry cranes.
Geological conditions during the tunnel bore consist of quartzite zones up to 450 MPa (65,000 psi) UCS, layered and separated by shale for approximately 50% of the length, with granite (160 to 190 MPa/ 23,000 to 28,000 psi UCS) for the remaining 50%. Both machines feature back-loading 20-inch diameter cutters for longer cutter life. Other design modifications include specially designed drive motors to run each machine at a higher than normal rpm for optimal penetration rates in the hard rock.
Once finished, the AMR Project will transfer surplus water from the Srisailam Reservoir to the plains of the Nalgonda District for the Andhra Pradesh Government. The entire project is expected to take about 60 months to complete, and should be operational by December 2012.
Contact:
The Robbins Company
Brianna Home, Marketing Director
29100 Hall Street
Solon, OH 44139
USA
Tel: +1 253.872.4484
Email: homeb@robbinstbm.com
Web: www.robbinstbm.com
More News and Articles
Apr 24, 2024
News
Sustainable drainage solutions: German Start-up transforms urban water management.
Germany boasts a well-established infrastructure for managing rainwater and wastewater, yet many developing countries lack such systems. Addressing this gap, …
Apr 22, 2024
News
HDD tooling that gets the job done
Horizontal directional drilling is a dynamic process that constantly changes and adapts to suit a range of applications across utilities and infrastructure. Operators looking to get the most from their equipment …
Apr 19, 2024
News
WATCH: Overnight with SAERTEX-LINER H20 in São Paulo
Available through Pipe Core, high-quality liner SAERTEX-LINER H20 performed under pressure in São Paulo, Brazil.
Maintaining aging potable water pipe infrastructure is a constant challenge …
Apr 17, 2024
News
Immersive media provides wastewater experience in Denmark
An immersive media experience (IMX) may not be what most people want when they think about industrial wastewater, but that is exactly what visitors can expect when they visit a new installation …
Apr 15, 2024
News
Spotlight on gender diversity at Pipe Core
Since founding in 2008, Pipe Core’s team has grown across all areas of the business and is now in a position where there are more females than males across the organisation. Research published in Harvard …
Apr 12, 2024
News
New Wave of Startups Scale Innovation to Solve Global Water Challenges
Innovators from Around the World Join Xylem’s 2024 Accelerator Program to Deploy Breakthrough Innovations for Utilities and Industrial Users of Water
A new group of startups …
Apr 08, 2024
News
Integrated sustainable electricity and clean drinking water systems
Altitude Water and New Use Energy Solutions have partnered to create integrated, mobile solar-plus-water generation systems that produce sustainable electricity and clean drinking …
Apr 05, 2024
News
How to Evaluate Hydraulic Fracture Risk in HDD Design
The design of horizontal directional drill (HDD) installations often requires an evaluation of the potential for hydraulic fracture of the soil layers through which an HDD passes. Evaluating …
Apr 02, 2024
News
Historic Project Linking Rome and Vatican City Uses Advanced Technology and Local Knowledge to Keep Water Flowing
Relocation of Major Sewer Infrastructure Enables Construction of Pedestrian Link for 35 Million Visitors to the 2025 Jubilee
Water …
Mar 27, 2024
News
USU Study Looks at Water Main Break Rates in the U.S. and Canada
Report Highlights Correlation Between Material and Diameter
Utah State University (USU) has published new research on water main breaks in the United States and Canada, examining …
Mar 26, 2024
News
Update BE-21: New Material in Course and Modules on Trenchless Pipe Installation
Online training on the topic of pipeline installation in civil engineering: Trenchless technology for underground drainage construction can be a resource-efficient, …
Mar 25, 2024
Article
Bacteria as a new weapon in wastewater treatment
In early November, San Diego based startup Aquacycl officially opened its first European office and test center at the Water Campus in Leeuwarden. The Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) …
Contact
The Robbins Company
44139 Solon, OH. USA
Phone:
+1 440 248 3303
Fax:
+1 440 248 1702