CREG Explosion-proof EPB TBM Ready for Palermo-Catania Railway Line Lot 4A in Sicily March 22, 2024, saw the 9.48m diameter CREG ‘explosion-proof’ EPBM “CREC 1403” successfully rolled off the production line in Tianjin, China. The machine will be used during construction of the Palermo-Catania railway line Lot 4A in Sicily, Italy.
With a length of 13.39km in single track, Lot 4A consists of the Montestretto, Salso and Trinacria tunnels, with maximum rock strengths of 13MPa and a depth of 150m. The geology is mainly mucky clay, argillaceous clay, diatomite, diatomaceous marl, chalk, and chalky clay.
The “CREC 1403” is some 251m in length and weighs in the region of 2300t. It’s ‘explosion-proof’ design will satisfy a host of standards, such as ATEX, CE and local regulations in Italy, says CREG, and features many advanced technologies to allow for green and energy-saving advances, an cast-in-place invert design and intelligent maintenance system. The TBM has been designed as a double-shell shield to assist in dealing with the challenging disassembly of the TBM within the tunnel.
The Palermo-Catania line tunnel project is an important part of the railway between the Catania and Palermo in Sicily, Italy, and is also a part of the Scandinavian-Mediterranean high speed rail corridor. Upon completion of the project, the travelling time between the Catania and Palermo will be shortened to 2 hours, shaving almost 60 minutes from the original time.
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