Third TBM Starts Boring on Line 9 in BarcelonaTunnelling on the future Line 9 of Barcelona's metro, an infrastructure that will cross Barcelona connecting Badalona and Santa Coloma de Gramenet in the east with Zona Franca and El Prat airport in the west, has made a significant step forward. The third TBM has commenced on 26th May, 2006 to bore the tunnel between the future Fira and Parc Logistic stations (section 2n), in Zona Franca. The 1.3 km path (first phase), bored at a depth comprised between 10 and 15 metres, will be completed in October. While the eastern ends of the line driven from Santa Coloma de Gramenet and Badalona consist of a 12 m-diameter single bored tunnel designed for two decks (one track per level) and platforms inside the tunnel, the trainsets will travel in parallel inside the tunnel that has just started. While tunnelling the 9.8 km complete path through the Llobregat delta, crews will meet clayish soils (clay, sands and loam) and water. The machine is prepared to handle such conditions.The giant EPB shield is made by Herrenknecht and features a 9.4 m outer diameter (internal diameter of 8.43 m), a length of 95 metres and a weight of more than 1,100 tonnes. It is capable of driving ten metres of tunnel daily. The total power equals 6,000 kVA and the cutterhead has a power capacity of 3,600 kW. As the machine advances, it also places concrete lining rings. The concrete lining it installs while tunnelling is 32 centimetres in thickness. A muck train (Schoema loco and Muehlhaeuser wagons) carries both the necessary materials and takes away the spoil excavated by the machine. The TBM also carries its tracks so that the trains can progress inside the tunnel. Up to now, 50 rings of 1.5 m of width have been placed, which represents 75 metres of finished tunnel. View pictures here. Visit www.herrenknecht.com, www.schoema-locos.de and www.tunnelling-equipment.com Once the TBM arrives at Parc Logistic, it will be dismantled to clear the place free for the expansion of Barcelona's trade show area and will be transferred to the future Mas Blau station, alongside El Prat airport. From there, it will be re-launched northwards to Barcelona to build a 8.5 km section to Parc Logistic (second phase). The tunnel is built by the Túnel Aeroport JV (FCC, Ferrovial Agroman, OHL, Scrinser and Copisa) while the stations will be built from the surface by the Llobregat-Fira JV (Dragados and Acciona). On-site management and engineering supervision is ensured by Riazu, Tec-4, GPO Ingenieria and Payma Cotas. In a subsequent phase, the tunnel will be completed up to the airport. From terminal stations to terminal stations, Line 9 will connect Badalona and Santa Coloma de Gramenet with L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Prat de Llobregat and the airport. View alignment map here. With a total length of 46.6 km and serving 51 stations, it will be Europe's longest metro line built at a cost of EUR3.4 billion. Twenty-one of the stations are already under construction or about to commence.Construction of Line 9 is making headway in the several sections currently in construction. On section Santa Coloma-Badalona-Sagrera, 7.4 km of tunnel has been bored, whereof 4.3 km by a Wirth-NFM TBM from Santa Coloma to the Besos river and 3.1 km by an Herrenknecht TBM from Badalona to Sant Andreu. Construction of nine stations is under way on that section. Read E-News Weekly 27/2006, 38/2005, 19/2005, 24/2004 & 14/2003.On section Zona Franca-Zona Universitaria, building of the cut-and-cover segment has already begun as well as the viaduct along Street A in Zona Franca and three stations as well (Zona Franca ZAL, Zona Franca Port and Zona Franca Litoral). Also, the Foc Cisell, Foneria, Ildefons Cerda and Provençana stations are being built.On section Fira-Airport where the third TBM has recently kicked off, the Fira and Amadeu Torner stations are being executed together with the cut-and-cover stretch connecting them. Teams are also at work on section Amadeu Torner-Gornal, where the tunnel is being constructed using traditional mining methods.On section Sagrera-Zona Universitaria, planners have grasped the opportunity of the redevelopment of Plaza de Lesseps to commence the construction of the future station. In addition, the Sanllehy, Guinardo and Maragall stations are also under construction. Click here, here and es/48. 28/06.