THE first of two tunnel boring machines (TBM) for the Italian section of the 57.5km Mont Cenis Base Tunnel, the centrepiece of the future Lyon - Turin high-speed line, has been unveiled at the factory of manufacturer Herrenknecht in Germany.
The TBM is destined for the Chiomonte construction site in the Susa Valley and has been ordered by the UXT consortium of Itinera, Ghella and Spie Batignolles. The 235m-long TBM is equipped with a 10.16m-diameter cutter head and an external shield. It will excavate the second access shaft before continuing with the excavation of the southern bore of the base tunnel. Work on the French side is already underway.
A total of seven TBMs will eventually be deployed to excavate 75% of the base tunnel both in France and Italy. The tunnel will run from the French village of Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Susa in Italy. It is intended to supersede the 13.7km Fréjus Tunnel.
Excavation of the running tunnels on the Italian section commenced in September, with a total of 164km of new tunnel to be built for the project.
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