Second TBM to Start in March on South Bypass of M-30 Orbital Motorway in Madrid The mayor of Madrid, Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon, celebrated the start-up of 'Tizona', a MHI-Duro Felguera TBM at a christening ceremony held on 20th February, 2006. The machine will be tested prior to starting excavation in March of the south tunnel on the south bypass of the M-30 in Madrid. With its impressive 15.2 metres of diameter, 148 m of length and more than 4.200 tonnes of weight, this machine is the world's biggest and most powerful along with 'Dulcinea', the Herrenknecht TBM which is at work since 24th November on the north tunnel. 'Tizona' is basically similar to 'Dulcinea', although equipped with electric instead of hydraulic motors. It will be capable of supplying a thrust of 31.700 tonnes and is expected to build daily 24 metres of tunnel. Click here and here. Visit www.gdfsa.com and www.herrenknecht.comThe Mitsubishi-Duro Felguera TBM will work from the start shaft situated nearby Palacio de Cristal in Arganzuela district. The 30 m-deep shaft will serve as exit shaft for 'Dulcinea', when it breaks through the north tunnel driven in opposite direction. It is estimated that the tunnel built by 'Dulcinea' will break through in October. The machine has already built 730 metres of tunnel, digging 240,000 cubic metres and erecting 365 rings, with output of 20 metres a day. The tunnel to be built by 'Tizona' is scheduled to be finished in November. Click here. In total, the two tunnels (north and south) on the south bypass will span 3.6 kilometres each and will be connected by pedestrian cross passages every 200 metres and vehicular cross passages every 600 metres. They will be equipped with CCTV, automatic fire detection and fire protection systems. In addition, the ventilation systems that will be installed in the south bypass to guarantee the air quality will be capable of retaining 80% of the nitrogen dioxide particles emitted by vehicles. The south tunnel is built by FCC and Dragados while Necso and Ferrovial Agroman are building the north tunnel. Visit www.fcc.es, www.grupoacs.com, www.necso.es and www.ferrovial.es The City Hall, through the Centre for Security and Control of Municipal Infrastructure Works (SECOIM), has inspected 227 buildings in the area and installed 1.911 instruments of control to verify permanently the condition of the surrounding buildings, the subsoil which is excavated and the constructional process.The south bypass is one of the key improvement projects of the M-30, offering a subterranean alternative to the loop that connects Santa Maria de la Cabeza and Avenida del Mediterraneo. Thanks to the tunnels, motorists will save 120,000 kilometres per day and the surface route will be used for short trips within local areas. Also, the south bypass will reduce surface traffic removing more than 80,000 vehicles a day. The new infrastructure will resolve the problems of traffic, pollution and accident rate of a section with current traffic of 260,000 vehicles. Click es/104. Visit www.munimadrid.es/Principal/EnlacesHome/Calle30/PDF/PROYECTOS_M-30.pdf 09/06.