Onsite Assembly Fits Up with Robbins EPB
Mar 01, 2010
Build of Mexico's Largest TBM Completed in Eight Weeks
The giant machine for the ICA Consortium (ICA, CARSO, and Alstom) was assembled at the jobsite in a 17 m deep launch shaft. Crews assembled the machine in a concrete cradle at the shaft bottom, using gantry cranes to lower in components including the forward and rear shields, cutterhead, and screw conveyor. Testing of all sub-assemblies is currently underway.
The machine is the first-ever EPB TBM to be assembled at the jobsite using Onsite First Time Assembly (OFTA). The Robbins-developed process allows TBMs to be built initially on location, rather than in a manufacturing facility - a process that eliminates in-shop assembly and disassembly time as well as costs for shipping larger, partially assembled components. "With proper project management and fit up of components, OFTA can save about 70 - 80% of the time required for a similar assembly at a shop," said Ismail Benamar, Tunnel Manager for ICA.
The small launch shaft, approximately 34 m long by 14 m wide, is located in one of the most densely urban areas of the city. Machine launch in the tight space will require the TBM to excavate the first 70 m of tunnel using umbilical cables connected to back-up gantries on the surface. Gantries will be lowered into the shaft successively as the machine bores forward.
Ground conditions in Mexico City are unique, requiring extensive vibration monitoring. Layers of clay, sand, and boulders up to 800 mm (30 inches) in diameter are expected, as the area is part of a drained lake bed. The machine is uniquely designed to fit the conditions, utilizing a two-stage, 1,200 mm (4 ft) diameter ribbon-type screw conveyor to handle the large boulders. The machine will also feature active articulation, used to prevent deformation of the segment rings on curves as small as 250 m (820 ft).
In 2007, the Mexican Federal District announced plans to build Line 12 of the Mexico City Metro. Due to go online in 2011, the 24 km (15 mi) long route will pass through 22 new stations between Tlahuac and Mixcoac neighborhoods. The Mexico City metro is one of the world's largest, with over 200 km (125 mi) of rail and nearly 4 million daily passengers.
Contact:
The Robbins Company
Brianna Home
Marketing Director
E-Mail: homeb@robbinstbm.com
Phone: 253.872.4484
Desiree Willis
Technical Writer
E-Mail: willisd@robbinstbm.com
Phone: 253.872.4490
29100 Hall Street
Solon, OH 44139, USA
Internet: 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