July 23, 2024
Three new TBMs launched on the Naples-Bari and Catania-Messina Railway Lines
Three TBMs in the construction sites of the South of Italy launched concomitantly to excavate railway tunnels
On July 23, 2024, Webuild concomitantly launched three Tunnel Boring Machines to excavate new tunnels of the high-speed Naples-Bari and high-capacity Catania-Messina railway lines.
Two TBMs to excavate the Southern Apennines on the Naples-Bari high-speed railway line; the third TBM in Sicily to excavate the Taormina tunnel along the Catania-Messina railway line.
Futura, Lucia and Marina: the names of Webuild's 3 TBMs launched concomitantly
TBM "Futura": the tunnel on the Naples-Bari railway line
Along the Naples-Bari railway line, the TBM named Futura, with its cutting head measuring over 12 metres in diameter, began excavating at Apice (BN) in the , the Rocchetta Tunnel, approximately 6.4 km long.
The TBM "Futura", whose name was chosen by the schoolchildren of the Apice Elementary School, foresees the possibility to install a BEAM-Scan system, a geo-physical forecast technology that allows live monitoring the terrain's conditions and the presence of water in front, concomitantly to the excavation.
TBM "Marina": the railway tunnel of the Orsara Tunnel
"Marina" is the TBM that is excavating the even-barrel of the Orsara Tunnel, measuring an overall approximate 10 kilometres, on the of the high-speed Naples-Bari railway line. The TBM named Marina has a cutting-head of almost 10 metres and will start excavating from the entrance on the Bari side.
The TBM "Marina", whose name was chosen by the elementary schools of Bovino, it has improvement systems and innovative cutting-edge technologies that will allow, in the crossing section of the training where Monte Sidone is formed, to eliminate the need stop the machine according to maintenance programmes. Thanks to the "continuous mining" technology that features it, the precast concrete segments for the final tunnel lining will be laid as the TBM excavates the tunnel, speeding up works.
TBM "Lucia”: the excavations on the Catania-Messina railway line
In Sicily, the TBM named Lucia began excavating the odd track of the , measuring approximately 6.1 km, at Trappitello (ME). This TBM has a cutting edge that measures over 9 metres in diameter and has highly efficient components and a "continuous mining" system. It also has the possibility to install a BEAM-Scan system.
The TBM "Lucia" takes its name in honour of Saint Lucia, the protector of eyesight.
Webuild's TBMs: railway excavation technology
The Webuild Group, a global leader in underground excavations, has 58 TBMs (the number includes those being assembled, ordered and to order for planned projects), of which 15 are already at work in the Groups global construction sites, for excavation of railway lines and other tunnels.
In Italy, an overall 40 TBMs are foreseen to be used, of which 31 of these in the South, an area in Italy where Webuild is carrying out 19 projects.
Webuild infrastructure for the South of Italy
Webuild TBMs around the world for ongoing projects
