On December 22, 2023, the "CREC 1294" earth pressure balance shield machine independently developed by China Railway Engineering Equipment Group, a subsidiary of China Railway Hi-Tech Industry, passed the acceptance test and was successfully rolled off the production line and will be used in the construction of the tunnel of Istanbul Sar?yer-Kilyos Expressway in Turkey. The excavation diameter of the equipment is 13.65 meters, the largest diameter earth pressure balance shield machine exported overseas by China.
The Sar?yer-Kilyos Expressway Tunnel is about 7km long and has a double-tunnel single-track design. The tunnel will be excavated using traditional drilling and blasting methods and shield tunneling methods. The "CREC 1294" heading section is 8.7km long, with a maximum buried depth of 172 meters and a minimum horizontal curve radius of 190 meters.
Given the complex construction conditions of the project, such as deep burial, high water pressure, small turning, installation in the tunnel, and the unique needs of customers, the China Railway Engineering Equipment Group Design Team has developed a super-large diameter earth pressure balance shield machine "CREC 1294" with a total weight of about 2850 tons and has carried many advanced technologies such as continuous tunneling for the equipment. It further improves the equipment's safety, comfort, and environmental protection.
It is reported that after the completion of the Sar?yer-Kilyos highway, residents in northern Istanbul will go to Sar?yer The traffic time of year will be reduced from 35 minutes to 5 minutes, which can reach Levent, Maslak, and other busy business districts and financial centers faster, bringing great convenience to local residents transportation and consumption.
