Utility Tunnelling. From 0.10 up to 4.20 meters.
Worldwide, more than 600 Herrenknecht Utility Tunnelling Machines (Ø < 4.20m) excavate modern supply and disposal tunnels and renovate existing systems. Whether our project engineers can help our customers to implement a project successfully largely depends how well the machinery is adapted to the prevalent geological conditions (permeability and grain distribution). It is a good job that Herrenknecht is able to offer the entire range of Utility Machinery and collaborates with site teams to implement successful projects.
Automatic tunnelling machines with slurry material removal (AVN machines) are remote controlled from a control container. The full face excavation machines work on the entire face with rotating movements. The open mode wheels with hardfacing are equipped with hard metal picks, ripper chisels or scraper tools, depending on the soil type. For Pipe Jacking in rock, the machine is equipped with a cutterhead with cutter disks.
AVND-machines are an expansion of AVN-technology for added safety in difficult geological conditions and larger diameters. The support pressure is controlled via an adjustable compressed air cushion.
This machine type can be entered via the free center drive through a door leading to the tunnel face, which allows for obstacles such as sheet piles, steel girders, boulders, etc. to be removed. With this new possibility of replacing worn cutter disks, tunnelling in rock can be extended to retention lengths of over 500m.
Herrenknecht Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) Shields are in their element in soft ground. Cohesive and incohesive soils with high clay or silt content and low water permeability provide the ideal conditions for EPB tunnelling.
Single Shield TBMs are the right choice for brittle or soft rock. In shield tunnelling, the tunnel is lined with concrete segments. To tunnel forward, the hydraulic thrust cylinders of the Single Shield TBM push against the last installed lining ring.
Herrenknecht shields with partial face excavation can achieve remarkable advances in the most diverse geological conditions and for a wide range of different tunnel profiles. The same basic equipment can be fitted with both excavators and roadheaders.
The trenchless Horizontal Directional Drilling technology makes the laying of supply lines and pipelines underneath rivers, countryside and towns rapid, economical and environmentally friendly. Herrenknecht Maxi and Mega Rigs are versatile specialists for underground pipelines and cable ducts.
Growing environmental consciousness and the search for more and more economical solutions has lent excavation methods for trenchless laying of collectors and house connections increasing importance. These methods have many decisive advantages over pipelaying in open trenches.
The compact construction of these systems makes them ideally suited for use in heavily built up areas.
