Yindaruqin Irrigation Project

Employer Water Resources Bureau of Gansu Province.

The Yindaruqin Irrigation Project is part of a most comprehensive project which entails taking irrigation water from the Datong river and coveying it through canals and tunnels over approximately 70 km to the north of Gansu Province.

The Contract awarded t Cmc provided for the construction of two tunnels, with a finished diameter of 4,8m and an overall length of about 16,7km (more precisely 11,65km for tunnel named 30 A and 5,04km for tunnel named 38).

To implement the construction of the two tunnels, Cmc has adopted a double shield TBM Robbins for a full-section tunnel excavation.

The use of this technology has led to the achievement of outstanding production rates.

Tunnel 30 A was excavated and lined in approximately 13 months with an average advance rate of 36m per day, Tunnel 38 was completed in approximately 4 months with an average advance rate of 47m per day.

The achievement of these records allowed the works to be completed 10 months ahead of schedule.