Waldbronn
The existing sewage system in Waldbronn (Baden, Germany) was planned to be relieved during heavy rains in order to protect the pipes against damage. For this, an Earth Pressure Balance Shield was used for the construction of a combined sewer system in Waldbronn.
Due to unexpected hard-rock formations, a partial-face excavator could not be used as planned for economic reasons. The Community of Waldbronn opted for a full-face machine, an EPB2000TB. The micromachine with a diameter of 2.38 meters bored its way through 340 meters of hard sandstone until the end of January 2008.
