What machinery is used in tunnels: Analysis of equipment and technology in modern tunnel engineering
With the rapid development of infrastructure technology, tunnel engineering has become an important part of urban transportation, water conservancy construction and other fields. In the past 10 days, the discussion around tunnel construction machinery has continued to rise across the Internet, especially the application of intelligent equipment and environmental protection technology has become the focus. This article will systematically sort out the mechanical equipment commonly used in tunnel engineering and its technical characteristics based on current hot topics.
1. Overview of core machinery and equipment for tunnel construction

| Device type | Main functions | Representative model | Technical Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) | Full-section rock excavation | China Railway Equipment CTR300 | Intelligent guidance system, energy-saving design |
| shield machine | Soft soil tunnel construction | Herrenknecht S-1032 | Modular design and waste reuse |
| Anchor drilling rig | rock support | Atlas Copco Boomer L2 | Automated positioning, multi-angle operations |
| concrete spraying machine | Initial construction | Putzmeister SPM 500 | Intelligent flow control, low rebound technology |
2. Recent industry hot technology trends
1.Intelligent construction: According to the Baidu Index, the search volume for "intelligent TBM" increased by 47% from the previous month. The newly released digital twin system of China Railway Equipment can realize real-time simulation and risk warning of the construction process.
2.New energy equipment: CCTV Finance reported that the electric excavator launched by Sany Heavy Industry reduced emissions by 60% in plateau tunnel projects, attracting widespread attention in the industry.
3.micromechanization: For construction scenarios in small spaces such as urban underground pipe corridors, the micro excavation equipment launched by companies such as Sunward Intelligent has become a hot topic in Douyin engineering topics.
3. Comparison of key indicators for equipment selection
| Evaluation dimension | TBM | shield machine | Drill and blast equipment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applicable geology | hard rock formation | Soft soil/complex formation | Various geology |
| Construction efficiency | 20-40 meters/day | 10-30 meters/day | 5-15 meters/day |
| Environmental protection index | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
| initial investment | 100-500 million yuan | 0.3-200 million yuan | 0.1-0.5 billion yuan |
4. Typical case analysis
1.Central Yunnan Water Diversion Project: Using a domestic TBM with a diameter of 9.83 meters, it set a record of 1,208 meters of tunneling in a single month. The rock identification system equipped with the equipment effectively warned of three major geological risks.
2.Shenzhen Metro Line 14: Using an improved earth pressure balance shield machine to cross water-rich sand layers, the settlement control accuracy reaches within 2 mm. The number of downloads of relevant technical papers on CNKI increased by 2,000+ per week.
5. Forecast of future development direction
According to popular discussions in the Zhihu Engineering section, tunnel machinery will present three major trends:(1) Popularization of 5G remote control systems;(2) Commercialization of hydrogen power equipment;(3) In-depth application of digital twin technology. Data from the China Construction Machinery Industry Association shows that the market size of intelligent tunnel equipment has exceeded 8 billion yuan in 2023, with the annual growth rate remaining above 18%.
Conclusion: The selection of tunnel construction machinery requires comprehensive factors such as geological conditions, project budget, and environmental protection requirements. With the advancement of the "double carbon" goal, green smart devices are reshaping the industry landscape, and related technological breakthroughs will continue to become a hot topic in the infrastructure field.
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