WorldWide Drilling Resource

23 FEBRUARY 2022 WorldWide Drilling Resource® World’s Fastest Tunnel Boring Machine ~ Robbins Crossover XRE Adapted from Information by Robbins Company The recent breakthrough of a Robbins Crossover XRE tunnel boring machine (TBM) was cause for much celebration. A team of personnel from Kolin Construction, Turkish State Railways (TCDD), and Robbins field service gathered to watch the breakthrough of the world’s fastest TBM over 43 feet in diameter. Launched in March 2021, the machine bored approximately two miles on the Esme-Salihli Railway Tunnel as part of the Ankara-İzmir High Speed Railway Project for TCDD. The XRE TBM set world records three times over, beating its own records over the summer, including a best day of 106 feet, a best week of 584.6 feet, and a best month of 2368 feet. “When the strength, force, and torque generated by our Crossover TBM are taken into account, we consider it to be a beast. It has performed extremely well in this tunnel,” said Onur Kansu, TBM Manager for project contractor Kolin Construction. He added “We are proud we have accomplished such high performance.” The machine began its bore in altered gneiss, then passed through a geological matrix of gneiss, sandstone, claystone, mudstone, quartz, and silt. By the end of the bore, the machine was excavating in mainly mudstone. Core drillings were taken about every 650 feet prior to boring so the crew felt confident with the geology. This was one of several factors which contributed to record rates. “A proper geological analysis, choosing the right TBM, a professional crew, and a contractor who believes that they can break records are all key,” said Kansu. “Scheduled maintenance periods, an expert team, availability of sufficient spare parts, and good logistics also made it possible for us to reach our targeted advance rates.” The project was particularly important for the Turkish tunnelling industry, showing what is possible at larger TBM diameters. “We have disproved the idea that it is difficult to reach high advance rates while boring in EPB [Earth Pressure Balance] mode with large-diameter TBMs. Crossover TBMs enable us to find quick solutions in changing ground, so we believe they will be the preference for future projects,” added Kansu. With tunnel excavation finished, work will continue on the 316-mile line to connect Polatlı in Ankara Province to İzmir, the third most populous city in Turkey. Once complete, the Ankara-İzmir High Speed Railway will be the longest rail line in the country, conveying passengers at top speeds of 160 miles per hour on a railway journey of about 3½ hours. Editor’s Note: In between our print issues, the WWDR Team prepares an electronic newsletter called E-News Flash by WorldWide Drilling Resource®. This newsletter is filled with articles not included in our print issue. Based on readership, this was the most popular article of the month. Get in on the action and subscribe today at: www.worldwidedrillingresource.com Personnel from Kolin Construction and Robbins celebrated the breakthrough of a Crossover XRE TBM after it completed Turkey’s Esme-Salihli Railway Tunnel. C&G

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