At the end of July, Salini-Impregilo launched Grace, the first of its two 7m diameter Herrenknecht Mixshield TBMs, on the 8km twin tunnel route to Bayswater from the future Forrestfield Station site on the Forrestfield-Airport Link in Perth, Western Australia.
A second TBM, Sandy, is being lowered into the 12m-deep launch structure at Forrestfield ready to start the second tunnel in September.
About 54,000 locally fabricated concrete tunnel segments will be installed to form some 9000 rings on the subway throughout the project.
The Public Transport Authority awarded the design, construct and 10-year maintenance contract to the Salini Impregilo – NRW Joint Venture (SI-NRW) in April 2016.
The project is jointly funded by the State – $1.37bn – and Federal Governments – $490M.
The twin rail tunnels are scheduled for completion in two years, and will provide a direct link between the growing foothills and the CBD, with three new train stations at Forrestfield, Airport Central and Belmont.
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