Final TBM Assembly

Assembly works for the final TBM for the Thomson Line (C1-C4) are in progress at the Dalvey Launch Shaft for the 300m Woodlands bound tunnel towards Stevens Station. The said TBM is a refurbished STEC Earth Pressure Balance machine previously used on the line which had been additionally procured by the project team in an effort to achieve the crucial basic structural completion for TEL3 by the end of the year. The 5th machine supersedes the intended second drive of the NFM TBM 3, which is currently still excavating the Woodlands Bound tunnel towards Napier.

The choice of using an EPBM as opposed to the existing Slurry TBMs is likely due to the constraints for the Slurry Treatment Plant, which was designed to only accommodate concurrent tunnelling works for TBM 3 and 4. Favorable geological data obtained from the previous excavation of the parallel Changi bound tunnel likely bolstered the decision of using an EPB shield.

The TBM was lowered down in the second week of May and is scheduled to commence mining next month.

Internal assembly of TBM 5 being executed at Dalvey LS

TEL3 Tunnel Progress, June 2018

Progress of TBM 1 and TBM 2 (MPL-STV)

Both TBMs are 70-75% completed and are envisaged to dock at the station in October

CP26 excavation works

CP27

CP27 ring beam installed and probing works ahead of excavation

Trailing end of TBM 1 backup gantry

TBM 1 trust cylinders in preparation for R783 build