The “Qihang” dual-shield TBM has achieved a monthly advance of 701.8 meters on the Kaisaka Water Diversion Tunnel Project in the Philippines, setting a new record for tunneling progress!
Release time:
2025-07-01
Abstract
Recently, we received news from the front lines of the Kaisaka Water Diversion Tunnel project in the Philippines! The “Qihang” dual-shield hard-rock TBM—developed by our company and featuring an excavation diameter of 3.86 meters—achieved an impressive breakthrough of 701.8 meters in June, setting a new record for tunneling performance among small-diameter dual-shield TBMs of the same type. To date, the Kaisaka Water Diversion Tunnel has accumulated a total of 3,620 meters of tunneling completed. As the core equipment for excavating the Kaisaka Water Diversion Tunnel, the “Qihang” TBM faces numerous construction risks during operation, including fault fracture zones, sudden water bursts, significant deformation in soft rock, rockbursts, and long-distance tunneling. Among these challenges, rock masses classified as Grade IV and V account for as much as 80%, making the tunneling process extremely difficult. To address these complex construction challenges, our company has carried out extensive targeted design modifications on the “Qihang” TBM. These include an expandable cutterhead, a dual-liquid grouting system, a high-torque, high-power cutterhead drive system, a long-life cutterhead system optimized for efficient tunneling, high-performance cutterheads designed specifically for hard rock, pre-processing and advanced grouting reinforcement devices, and an advanced detection system—all of which ensure safe and efficient tunneling operations.
Since the “Qihang” vessel was officially put into service, the company’s project technical service team has overcome numerous challenges—facing complex geological conditions and unexpected difficulties—by drawing on their extensive construction experience and superb technical expertise. Working closely with the construction contractor, they have jointly composed a “march” of overseas water conveyance tunnel construction, demonstrating through concrete actions their commitment to and responsibility for the Belt and Road Initiative.
The Kaisaka Water Diversion Tunnel Project is located in Antipolo City, east of Manila, the capital of the Philippines. The tunnel has a total length of approximately 6.1 kilometers. Upon completion, it will effectively alleviate water shortages in and around the Philippine capital, benefiting 14.7 million people. This project represents another key livelihood initiative supported by China Communications Construction Company Tianhe TBM Services.
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