“Tongzhou” tunnel boring machine (TBM) rolled off the production line in Foshan, Guangdong Province, on May 25. Developed by China Railway Engineering Equipment Group Co., Ltd. (CREG) under China Railway Hi-Tech Industry Co., Ltd, the TBM was reviewed and accepted by its Philippine owner and China International Water & Electric Corp. online. It will be exported to the Philippines and put into use in the construction site of the No. 5 tunnel for the Angat Water Transmission Improvement Project.

　　“Tongzhou” double-shield hard-rock TBM features a boring diameter of 5.06 meters and will soon be used to construct the No. 5 tunnel measuring 6.406 kilometers in length. The research and development team adjusted and optimized the layout, enhanced the intensity of the cutter, and improved the level of protection for key parts based on the project characteristics. A tailor-made drainage system and high-pressure relief mode were designed for the TBM. These ensured that the machine will function in a safe and highly-efficient manner in water-rich areas for long-distance tunneling.

　　The Angat Water Transmission Improvement Project was named after its water source of the Angat reservoir some 30 kilometers away from Manila. When completed, it will solve the problem of water supply shortage for the metro Manila, Rizal province and Cavite province, benefiting 15 million local people.