CRCHI’s first gripper TBM exported to South Korea has completed its drive on the Pyeongtaek–Osong high-speed railway project.
During excavation, the TBM encountered abrasive granite and gneiss, with a maximum uniaxial compressive strength of 207.3MPa and a quartz content of 26.6–42%.
The alignment also passed through multiple fault fracture zones, where the rock was fragmented and unstable, increasing the risk of collapse and groundwater ingress.
To meet these conditions and accommodate underground assembly, CRCHI undertook several design reviews to develop the customised TBM.
The machine features a high-power cutterhead drive, heavy-duty wear-resistant disc cutters, a high-capacity thrust system and an efficient muck removal system.
Its modular structural design enabled underground assembly and enhanced its performance and operational reliability in hard rock formations.
A CRCHI on-site service team operated around the clock on a two-shift basis to support the project.
The Pyeongtaek–Osong twin-track tunnel is designed to increase capacity on South Korea’s high-speed rail network.
