Million-dollar robots are being used in the construction of the Nhổn metro tunnel.

Video of the "Superfast" TBM 1 robot digging the Nhon - Hanoi Station tunnel. Source: Hanoi Urban Railway Management Board.

According to the Hanoi Urban Railway Management Board (MRB), each tunnel boring machine (TBM) costs between 10 and 15 million USD on the world market.

According to information from the Hanoi Urban Railway Project Management Board as of August 28th, the TBM 1 tunnel boring machine of the Nhon - Hanoi Station metro project has excavated approximately 125 meters. It maintains a stable progress of 10-12 meters per day and night. The tunnel boring machine is moving from station S9 (Kim Ma) straight towards the underground station S10 (Cat Linh). The machine's accurate direction is ensured by a total station system placed along the route, combined with sensors at the drill bit.

Currently, there are 150 engineers and workers on the construction site from Vietnam, Italy, India, Ecuador, Colombia, and China.

At the drill tip, excavated soil is transported out via a conveyor belt.

Then, the containers of excavated soil are lifted to the surface by a crane and dumped into a holding tank located next to the subway station.

Conversely, cranes lower concrete tunnel lining panels down to the underground station.

These tunnel lining panels are then lowered inside, via rails.

Every 1.5 meters of excavation, the drill would pause to install the tunnel lining.

Six concrete slabs for the tunnel lining will be fitted together to form a circle.

Engineer Vu Trung Hieu, who supervised the excavation of the Nhon - Hanoi Station tunnel, shared: "The tunnel drilling process hasn't encountered any isolated rock formations yet, but we've encountered hard clay soil, which has taken a lot of time. Because during the drilling process, we often have to stop to clean up."

The soil is predominantly clay. Excavators must constantly spray water to soften the soil so it can be moved out.

After TBM 1 has excavated 240m, TBM 2, named "Bold," will begin operation. Both machines will operate in parallel and it will take approximately 16 months to complete the entire 4km tunnel from station S9 (Kim Ma) to station S12 (Hanoi Station).

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/robot-trieu-do-thi-cong-ham-metro-nhon-ga-ha-noi-da-dao-duoc-bao-nhieu-met-10288935.html