Afcons uses Robbins EPB TBM to Complete Third Bore for Chennai Metro Project

Contractor Afcons Infrastructure Ltd used a 6.65 m (21.8 ft) diameter Robbins EPB TBM to bore through in Chennai Metro, making it the contractor's third tunnel to be bored by the machine for the project. The three separate bores for the EPB are part of an increasing trend as many Robbins EPBs have been used on multiple tunnel drives with good performance.

Robbins EPBs are built one third heavier than any other EPB in the market and are designed for 10,000 hours of usable life, making them ideal for use over many kilometers. “Robbins is known for designing resilient machines,” says Mr. Gopal Dey, Afcons Senior Manager. “For this project, we needed a machine that was specifically tailored to project conditions from soft clay to mixed ground with rock. Robbins EPB TBMs have unique design features that optimize the machine for the geology.”