Launch Ceremony of World's Largest Hard Rock TBM at Niagara Falls in OntarioA ceremony was held on 8th August, 2006 to celebrate the official start up of the largest hard rock TBM in existence for the Niagara Falls tunnel project. The TBM launch ceremony was attended by top executives from Ontario Power Generation, Strabag and Robbins. The Premier of Ontario, Dalton McGuinty, gave a speech and started the machine. The ceremony concluded with the turning of the 14.4 m-diameter cutterhead. The Robbins TBM, dubbed 'Big Becky', is now fully assembled in Queenston, Ontario. It weighs 2,000 tonnes, is powered by 15 electric motors that generate 6,375 horsepower and is able to chew through rock at the rate of up to three metres per hour. Click here. Visit www.robbinstbm.com The completion of the machine comes several weeks ahead of an aggressive 12-month schedule. The TBM was assembled on site rather than at the Robbins factory in Solon, Ohio. The swift build was hailed by contractor Strabag as "unprecedented for a TBM of this size". As of mid-August, the Robbins TBM is ready to begin its 10.4 km-long bore connecting Sir Adam Beck generating plant to an intake shaft above Niagara Falls. The project, launched by owner Ontario Power Generation (OPG), will increase the maximum capacity of the Sir Adam Beck generating complex by 150 MW. The increased power generation is much needed since the current system is close to exceeding its capacity during peak summer months. Hatch Mott MacDonald and Hatch Acres are OPG's consultants. Visit www.opg.com/niagaratunnel and www.hatch.caThe back-up installation is supplied by Rowa Tunnelling Logistics of Switzerland, who is responsible for the back-up supplies and muck removal logistics. Behind the open TBM, a 105 m-long back-up train will ensure the safe completion of the excavation, the smooth delivery of the required lining material and the removal of the excavated rock. In the three years of construction of the tunnel, 1.6 million cu metres of rock will be excavated and 400,000 tonnes of concrete will be installed. The first of the four back-up elements consists of a crawler unit with three others following on running gear. What is unique about this particular solution is a duo-rail that is suspended from the roof that guarantees smooth operations. Thanks to its special design, it extends to directly behind the cutterhead. This means that the material needed for tunnelling can be used immediately behind the cutterhead without requiring interim storage. With the live ring and the telescopic boom on the crane, all necessary movements can be easily executed. At the same time, this type of delivery means highly mechanized supply, which is an advantage in the tough battle for performance and cost efficiency. The order from Strabag is the result of innovative, successful and efficient solutions for other tunnels. The consistent optimization of supply and muck removal, the improvement of the interfaces and, in this case, the reduction of transloading sites are the deciding success factors. Click here and ca/13. Visit www.rowa-ag.ch 35/06.