Double Shield Hard CRCHI TBM Deployed at Akson Drainage Project Switzerland
On September 29th 2024, at the Ingenbohl construction site which is 70 kilometers away from Zurich, Switzerland, a new type of double shield hard TBM, which was designed and manufactured by China Railway Construction Heavy Industry Corporation Limited (CRCHI), began normal excavation after completing the guided tunnel stepping works and the cutter head reached the tunnel heading face. This is the first time that Switzerland has used Chinese-made TBM equipment.

Located in Ingenbohl, Switzerland, the new Akson drainage project has a water conveyance tunnel of which the length is approximately 1.2 kilometers and is expected to be completed in 2025. The tunnel will connect Ingenbohl city with Brunnen Lake after the project and the drainage capacity is 2800 cubic meters per hour.
The total length of the TBM is about 110 meters and the total installed power is 1700 kilowatts. The TBM is equipped with anchor drilling rigs, concrete spraying equipment, advanced drilling and detecting devices, supporting devices. It is also equipped with emergency shelters and other safety facilities according to Swiss requirements to meet the demands of the project engineering construction.