On December 6, local time, at the construction site of the Sariyer-Kilyos Highway Tunnel Project in Istanbul, Turkey, the cutterhead of the “CREC No. 1294” earth pressure balance tunnel boring machine (TBM), developed by China Railway Hi-Tech Industry under CRCC, began to rotate, marking the commencement of the largest exported TBM by China.
The Sariyer-Kilyos Highway Tunnel spans approximately 7 kilometers and is designed as a twin-tube single-lane structure. Construction involves traditional drilling and blasting methods as well as tunneling with TBMs. The“CREC No. 1294”TBM will handle a digging section of 8.7 kilometers, with a maximum depth of 172 meters and a minimum horizontal curve radius of 190 meters.
To address challenges such as deep burial, high water pressure, and machinery installation within the tunnel, the CRCC team developed the“CREC No. 1294”This TBM has a cutterhead diameter of 13.65 meters, a total length of approximately 95 meters, and a total weight of about 2,850 tons. Equipped with advanced technologies such as continuous tunneling, the machine ensures efficiency, safety, and environmental protection during construction.
The Sariyer-Kilyos Highway is one of Istanbul’s key ongoing highway projects. Upon completion, it will provide a faster route connecting northern Istanbul communities to the city center.
