On October 28, 2023, the 2,190-metre-long road tunnel for the "Heping Avenue South Extension" project in Wuhan was ceremoniously put into operation. It was bored over a distance of 1,390 meters using an almost 16-meter-wide XXL Mixshield from Herrenknecht. In just one tube, it is now possible to drive along the route between Zhongshan Road and Zhangzhidong Road in two times three lanes, one above the other. The giant tunnel is of enormous importance for relieving traffic congestion in the megacity of Wuhan.

The diameter and design of the tunnel as a two-storey road tunnel in a geologically challenging environment prompted the experienced customer to opt for a 15.92-metre-wide, 139-metre-long and 4,700-tonne Mixshield. In addition to the extendable main drive, it was equipped with 19-inch disc cutters, which the Mixshield used to handle quartz sandstone with a compressive strength of up to 197 MPa along the way. Injection boreholes also filled cavities in the graywacke.

It also passed under the Yellow Crane Pagoda - a cultural monument and symbol of the city - and proved its reliability in the very close vicinity of several subway and railroad lines. This safety and precision were made possible by the Herrenknecht SSP (Sonic Softground Probing) advance exploration system and a TUnIS navigation system from VMT.