China to Build High-Speed Rail Under the Yangtze River! World's Largest Diameter High-Speed Rail Shield Tunneling Machine "Linghanghao" Successfully "Comes Ashore" After 23 Months of Safe Tunneling

According to People's Daily, on March 29, "Linghanghao," the world's largest diameter high-speed rail shield tunneling machine independently developed by China, successfully completed the construction task of the 11.18-kilometer underwater section of the Yangtze River. Since its departure from Chongming Island, Shanghai, on April 29, 2024, "Linghanghao" has undergone 23 months of safe tunneling, crossing the south bank of the Yangtze River and successfully arriving in Taicang, Jiangsu, to "come ashore," bringing it one step closer to precisely reaching the "maintenance station" of Shaft No. 2.

The "Linghanghao" shield tunneling machine, applied to the excavation and construction of the Chongtai Yangtze River Tunnel, has set a world record for a 15-meter-class large-diameter shield tunneling machine to achieve a single, continuous tunneling distance of 11,182 meters, completing an unprecedented "ultra-long run" under the river.

According to CCTV News, the Chongtai Yangtze River Tunnel, as a key control and throat project of the Riverside High-Speed Railway channel in China's "eight vertical and eight horizontal" high-speed railway network, connecting Chongming District, Shanghai, and Taicang City, Jiangsu Province, has a total length of 14.25 kilometers. The shield tunneling section is 13.201 kilometers long, making it China's highest standard, longest tunneling distance, and largest-scale high-speed rail cross-river tunnel project currently under construction.

Currently, the landmark project of the "15th Five-Year Plan" major project – the Riverside High-Speed Railway – is being accelerated. It will extend all the way from Shanghai to Chengdu, connecting three major urban clusters, spanning approximately 2,000 kilometers.

Every inch the high-speed railway extends, development opportunities broaden. Tunneling and bridge construction have driven the R&D and customization of over 200 sets of large equipment such as shield tunneling machines and bridge erectors; track laying has brought sales orders for 570,000 tons of high-strength special steel; even the precast concrete components for tunnel assembly have spawned a smart manufacturing factory. The Riverside High-Speed Railway has a total investment of over 500 billion yuan, and it is estimated that it will drive a nearly 1.5 trillion yuan increase in added value for upstream and downstream industries.

A new economic corridor is also rapidly taking shape. Overlaying the route of the Riverside High-Speed Railway with the distribution map of national-level advanced manufacturing clusters reveals that it will connect over a quarter of the nation's national-level advanced manufacturing clusters. Moreover, it will connect nearly 40% of the nation's key laboratories, allowing innovation resources to flow rapidly along the tracks. Looking at a broader scale, new high-speed rail stations are emerging, and over 20 small cities along the line will be integrated into the 350 km/h era for the first time, significantly compressing space-time distances and bringing development opportunities directly to their doorsteps.

Building "National-Level" Heavy Equipment: China's Shield Tunneling Machines Overcome Challenges and Achieve Smart Manufacturing Upgrades

Shield tunneling machine, full name: full-face tunnel boring machine

Known as the "King of Construction Machinery"

Also called "Iron Pangolin"

One shield tunneling machine consists of over 20,000 components

It is an important indicator of a country's manufacturing level

It cuts through the soil and rock of the tunnel face through the rotation of the cutter head

Excavating and assembling tunnel support walls simultaneously

Forming a completed tunnel underground

1997

China imported two German shield tunneling machines for the first time

Costing nearly 700 million yuan

Before 2006

China imported over 130 shield tunneling machines from abroad

Spent tens of billions of yuan but was controlled by others everywhere

Facing increasingly urgent construction needs

In 2002, including shield tunneling machines,

A batch of construction machinery and equipment R&D projects

Was included in the national R&D plan

In 2004, China's domestically produced subway shield tunneling machine capable of soft ground operation

"Xianxinghao" was successfully rolled off the production line in Shanghai

In April 2008

China's first "CHINA RAILWAY No. 1" capable of operating in complex geological conditions was successfully rolled off the production line in Henan

Over the past 20 years

China's independently innovative shield tunneling machines

Have progressed from hesitant beginnings to steady advancement

Originally only able to move horizontally

Now they can climb slopes, turn corners, and even operate vertically

Through breakthroughs in innovation

Driving the continuous upgrading of the industrial chain

China's shield tunneling machines are moving towards

Intelligentization and "unmanned tunneling"

Currently, China's share of the global shield tunneling machine market

Has reached 70%

Products are exported to over 40 countries and regions across five continents

During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period

China's shield tunneling machines of 14 meters and above in diameter have achieved leapfrog development

During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, China's shield tunneling machines will continue to focus on

Larger diameters, faster speeds, deeper strata,

And more application scenarios

To support the implementation of more super engineering projects

Risk Disclosure and Disclaimer

Market risk exists, and investment requires caution. This article does not constitute personal investment advice, nor does it take into account the specific investment objectives, financial situation, or needs of individual users. Users should consider whether any opinion, view, or conclusion in this article is suitable for their specific circumstances. Investment based on this is at your own risk.