China, June 2026 – China Railway Construction Heavy Industry Corporation (CRCHI) has completed the assembly of "Jiaoping No. 1," a 14.57-metre-diameter earth pressure balance tunnel boring machine (EPBM) that will excavate the Mangshan Tunnel on the Jiaozuo–Pingdingshan High-Speed Railway. According to CRCHI, the machine is the largest Chinese-built EPBM and is believed to be the largest earth pressure balance machine currently deployed on a high-speed rail tunnelling project worldwide.
Designed specifically for the geological conditions along the alignment, the machine incorporates an optimised cutterhead, an integrated cutter wear monitoring system and a variable-opening cutterhead to improve excavation through sections containing large cobbles. It also features a multi-level grouting system, an air-assisted excavation system for precise pressure control and synchronised propulsion and segment erection technologies to enhance construction efficiency and ground settlement management.
The EPBM is equipped with intelligent operating technologies, including CRCHI's AI-powered control platform and automated propulsion functions, supporting safer and more efficient long-distance tunnelling. The Mangshan Tunnel is regarded as the key control project on the Jiaozuo–Pingdingshan Railway, which forms part of China's national "Eight Vertical and Eight Horizontal" high-speed rail network and is expected to strengthen connectivity across Henan Province.
The deployment of "Jiaoping No. 1" reflects the growing role of advanced mechanised tunnelling in delivering large-scale railway infrastructure. As high-speed rail projects increasingly encounter challenging geological conditions, innovations in tunnel boring technology and intelligent construction systems are expected to play a vital role in improving project delivery, safety and operational performance.
Source: Tunnelling Journal
Record-Breaking Tunnel Boring Machine Supports China High-Speed Rail Project
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Advanced tunnelling technology is enabling the construction of increasingly complex high-speed rail infrastructure while improving excavation efficiency and ground control. China has deployed its largest domestically manufactured earth pressure balance tunnel boring machine (EPBM) for a key section of the Jiaozuo–Pingdingshan High-Speed Railway in Henan Province.
