The robots “Speedy” and “Daring” are ready to take on the task of tunneling for the first underground metro line in Hanoi starting today.
“Speedy and Daring” officially operational from July 30
According to the Urban Railway Management Board – MRB Hanoi, on July 30, 2024, the process of digging the first meters of the tunnel for Metro Line 3, Nhổn – Hanoi Station, will officially commence after years of preparation.
FECON, the contractor responsible for operating the Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs), is prepared to deploy these enormous machines into the ground, despite the complex geology of Hanoi, which consists of various soil types, primarily mixed clay.
Close-up of the tunnel boring robot. (Photo: Urban Railway Management Board, Hanoi).
The two TBMs, nicknamed “Speedy” and “Daring”, will quickly commence the tunneling operation from station S9 (Kim Mã) to station S12 (Hanoi Station) over a distance of 4 km and at a depth of 17.8 m below ground, under the guidance of Vietnamese engineers with support from international experts.
FECON will start the TBM from Kim Mã station, and after completing the first 240m, the machine will accelerate to reach station S10 by January 2025, ultimately arriving at station S12 – Trần Hưng Đạo by October 2025.
In the final days before the tunneling begins, the operational team, consisting of 150 TBM operators and robotic arm operators for lining installation, will conduct thorough checks of the entire system to ensure absolute safety.
TBM named “Daring.” (Photo: Urban Railway Management Board, Hanoi).
The contract CP03, which includes tunneling and construction of underground stations, plays a central role in the Metro Line 3 project segment from Nhổn to Hanoi Station. The main tasks of this contract include building a double tunnel with a single track, with a diameter of 5.7 m and a total length of 2,573 m; underground stations including Kim Mã, Cát Linh, Văn Miếu, and Hanoi Station; ramps leading down to the tunnel; turnaround areas; and an emergency rescue shaft.
How do “Speedy and Daring” operate?
The two tunnel boring robots were manufactured by Herrenknecht (Germany) using TBM technology, measuring over 100 m in length, weighing around 850 tons, and are dubbed “monsters of the earth.”
Upon arriving in Vietnam, the robots were named “Speedy” and “Daring” as envisioned by the project team for this key project. According to MRB Hanoi, each TBM is priced between 10 to 15 million USD on the global market.
“Speedy” and “Daring” are colossal machines with many complex components such as a cutting head, shield, mixing arm, pressurized chamber, thrust cylinders, and a spoil removal system. They use a drill equipped with Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) technology.
Expert controlling the world’s leading modern tunnel boring robot. (Photo: Urban Railway Management Board, Hanoi).
These two robots are considered top-tier in the world because their EPB technology is very stable, employing new techniques and technological innovations to meet specialized needs.
Notably, behind the shield of both robots is a sealed partition that ensures the excavated soil falls into a closed chamber, creating pressure balance between the excavated and unexcavated soil, stabilizing the excavation face and preventing collapse.
The TBM will install the tunnel lining as it progresses. During the tunneling process, sensors installed on the surface will alert when subsidence or cracking occurs in the geological substrate where the tunnel passes, allowing the construction unit to take corrective measures.
Each day, the TBM robot will excavate about 10m of tunnel, installing the lining as it progresses. (Photo: Urban Railway Management Board, Hanoi).
At a depth of 20 m below ground where the two robots are located, a high-capacity drainage pump system is installed to prevent flooding. Even during rainy and stormy conditions, the site remains dry, safe, and ready to tunnel from S9 to S12 over a total length of 4 km.
According to the design, under ideal conditions, each day the machine will excavate approximately 10 m of tunnel. The excavation of this 4 km tunnel is expected to take 2 years.
Despite deadlines, the Nhổn – Hanoi Station metro line is still not operational The government has mandated that the Nhổn – Hanoi Station urban railway elevated section be put into commercial operation before July 28, with no delays allowed. However, on July 28, this railway line remained closed, showing no signs of operation as the deadline approached. Metro Line 3 Nhổn – Hanoi Station was approved for investment by the Hanoi City People’s Committee in 2009, with construction starting in 2010. According to the investment approval decision at the time of commencement, the project was slated for completion in 2016 with a total investment of 18,408 billion VND. The project’s total investment has since been adjusted to 34,826 billion VND. The route of the line includes: starting point Nhổn – along National Route 32 – Cầu Diễn – Mai Dịch – intersection with Ring Road 3 – Cầu Giấy (intersection with Ring Road 2) – Kim Mã – Cát Linh – Quốc Tử Giám – final point Hanoi Station (on Trần Hưng Đạo Street, in front of Hanoi Station). The line passes through 8 elevated stations and 4 underground stations, with a total length of 12.5 km, of which the elevated segment (Nhổn – Cầu Giấy) is 8.5 km and is expected to be operational in July 2024, while the underground segment (Cầu Giấy – Hanoi Station) is 4 km and is expected to be completed in 2027. |
