TBM Tunnelling
Our experience in TBM Tunnelling is extensive, with a commitment to the highest standards of safety and quality, and our commitment to collective collaboration with our clients to ensure the successful completion of projects.
Rorcon has been a major force in the tunnelling industry for over two decades.
What is TBM Tunnelling
A tunnel boring machine (TBM), AKA a "mole," is a machine that excavates circular tunnels through a variety of soil and rock strata.
They are also suitable for microtunneling. They are capable of boring through hard rock, wet or dry soil, or sand. To date, tunnel diameters have ranged from one metre (3.3 ft) (micro-TBMs) to 17.6 metres (58 ft). Tunnels with a diameter of less than a metre are typically built using trenchless construction methods or horizontal directional drilling rather than TBMs. Non-circular tunnels, such as u-shaped, horseshoe, square, or rectangular
TBMS
TBMS are often used as an alternative to drilling and blasting methods in rock and hand mining in soil and softer ground. There are varying types of TBM, each with their own advantages in their most suited ground conditions.
In soft ground, the three main types of TBMs are: Earth Pressure Balance Machines (EPB), Slurry Shield (SS) and Open face.
TBMs can be either shielded or open type in hard rock. Discs installed in the cutter head of hard rock TBMs are used to cut rock. Rock chips from the tunnel face are cracked by the compressive stress fractures caused by the disc cutters. Through openings in the cutter head, the excavated rock (muck) is delivered to a conveyor belt, which transports it through the device to a network of conveyors or muck cars.
We have provided labour and expertise to some of the most prestigious tunnelling projects in the UK, including Crossrail, the Channel Tunnel Rail Link and Thames Tideway Tunnel and most recently HS2.
Pipe Jacking
AKA Micro tunnelling. This form or tunnelling is usually deployed where there is a need for smaller diameter tunnels, to be installed. Typically, between 0.5m- 4m in diameter. It is a technique used to install underground pipes, ducts and culverts, for sewer systems, cable tunnels, drainage systems and much more. The process of pipejacking involves the use of a hydraulic jacking system to push pre-cast concrete pipes through the soil, into a desired position. This is done by pushing jacks, which are connected to the pipe, through the soil. The jacks are then retracted, pulling the pipe along with them and pushing it through the soil.
Once the pipes have been installed, the jacks are re-positioned and the process is repeated until the tunnel is complete. As the pipes are installed, they are filled with concrete to provide structural support.
The process of pipejacking is much faster than conventional open-cut methods and is a more cost-effective option. It is also a safer option as it minimizes the risk of ground settlement and subsidence.
Rorcon has vast experience in multiple pipe jack schemes spanning various terrains, diameters and conditions. We have a team of specialists who understand and have a wealth of knowledge experience with the process of pipejacking and can help ensure the successful completion of any project.
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