Zhengzhou’s Leap Forward: Groundbreaking Tunnel Boring Tech Unveiled

Revolutionary Tunneling Machine Unveiled in Zhengzhou

In Zhengzhou, a major industrial hub in Henan Province, a new tunnel boring machine, “Zhengxianhao,” has rolled off the production line. This machine is set to be used in the Eastern Lake segment of the “Two Lakes” project in Wuhan – the construction of China’s longest urban lake tunnel and the largest of its kind in the world. The machine features an excavation diameter of 15.09 meters and a total length of 115 meters.

The “Zhengxianhao” employs a bentonite or polymer slurry to stabilize the ground ahead of the cutting face, enabling it to operate in water-saturated layers. Equipped with a new stone processing system, it can continuously tunnel through complex soils, sort, and transport boulders – a significant technological advancement.

Industry Conference Highlights New Milestones

At an industry conference in Zhengzhou, contracts were signed for two other major tunnel boring machines (TBMs): the world’s largest double-shield complex with a diameter of 13.01 meters for a tunnel in Sichuan, and the largest shield TBM in China with a diameter of 16.68 meters for a project in Anhui.

CREG Leading the Way in Technological Innovation

The “Zhengxianhao” was developed by China Railway Engineering Equipment Group (CREG), the country’s largest manufacturer of tunneling equipment. On the same stage, the company showcased a digital industrial model aimed at enhancing production efficiency and integrating AI into the manufacturing cycle. This initiative has been supported by the newly formed High-Tech Manufacturing Innovation Consortium, bringing together enterprises and scientific organizations.