NFM Technologies TBMs for Tabriz Metro in IranTwo NFM Technologies EPB shield boring machines will be used to drive a 7 km twin-tube tunnel for the Tabriz metro in Iran. The excavated diameter of the line is 6.8 m and the inner diameter is 6 m. The geology consists of clayey soil with areas with boulders exceeding 100 mm. The machines feature a maximum torque of 8,960 kN/m, a power of the cutting head of 900 kW, a rotation speed of 4 rpm and a maximum thrust of 46,000 kN. They are equipped with 22 hydraulic cylinders and nine trailers. The total length of the TBMs spans 102 m while the shield alone is 10 m long. The total weight is 650 tonnes. The TBMs are currently under assembly at NFM plant in Le Creusot, France.The tunnel will be lined with prefabricated concrete rings, each ring consisting of five 1.4 m-wide segments and a key segment.The Tabriz metro line also includes one station every 800 metres. Each station is 80 m in length. The contractor is Alamoot. The owner is Tabriz Urban Railway Organization (TURO). Visit www.nfm-technologies.com and www.alamoot-co.com 03/06.