Earlier this week, Cross River Rail announced its TBM, named Else, has been moved into position underground in Woolloongabba, ready to commence tunnelling later this month.
This milestone kicks off Cross River Rail’s 2021 tunnelling schedule and was celebrated by a traditional indigenous blessing ceremony to wish TBM Else and the tunnellers a safe passage underground.
TBM Else will not emerge from underground until it reaches the project’s northern portal at Normanby towards the end of the year.
Cross River Rail’s other 1350 t mega machine – TBM Merle – will be launched shortly after to ensure the project’s twin tunnels are completed by the end of 2021.
Cross River Rail said the TBMs have one of the most crucial jobs of the entire project – excavating the bulk of Cross River Rail’s 5.9 km twin tunnels right under the Brisbane River and CBD.
“The TBMs will tunnel through 20 to 30 m of hard rock a day, with a crew of up to 15 people working on them at any one time,” the project said.
“From Woolloongabba, the TBMs will tunnel under the river and break through to Albert Street station at a depth of 31 m in mid-2021 and continue to Roma Street before emerging at the project’s northern portal at Normanby.
“The TBMs will line the tunnel walls as they go with 25,000 massive precast concrete segments, weighing 4.2 t each.”
For more information visit the Cross River Rail website.
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