What machine is used to dig the subway: Revealing the "steel behemoth" of modern tunnel engineering
With the rapid development of urban rail transit, subway construction has become a hot topic around the world. In the past 10 days, discussions about subway construction technology have continued to rise, especially the selection and application of tunnel excavation machines. This article will combine the hotspot data of the entire network to analyze the core equipment in the subway tunnel project, and attach a structured data comparison.
1. Top 5 hot topics in subway construction across the network in the past 10 days
| Ranking | Topic keywords | Search volume (10,000 times) | Main discussion platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Principle of subway shield machine | 48.6 | Zhihu/Douyin |
| 2 | China independently develops shield machine | 35.2 | Weibo/Bilibili |
| 3 | Tunnel digging robot | 28.9 | YouTube/Toutiao |
| 4 | Subway construction noise control | 22.4 | Xiaohongshu/Tieba |
| 5 | The world's largest shield machine | 18.7 | Douyin/Kuaishou |
2. Comparison of mainstream subway tunnel excavation equipment
| Device type | Working principle | Applicable geology | Construction speed (m/day) | Representative manufacturer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| shield machine | Rotating cutterhead + prefabricated segment support | Soft soil/complex formation | 8-15 | China Railway Group, Herrenknecht |
| TBM hard rock boring machine | Hob crushing + belt discharging | hard rock formation | 10-20 | Robbins, Komatsu |
| Pipe jacking machine | Hydraulic jacking + prefabricated pipe section | short distance soft soil | 5-10 | China Railway Construction |
| Cantilever boring machine | Cutting head crushing + bucket shipping | Small and medium section rocks | 3-8 | Sany Heavy Industry |
3. Three hot spots in the development of shield machine technology
1.Intelligent upgrade: The latest data shows that 90% of newly delivered shield machines in 2024 will be equipped with AI geological forecasting systems, which can adjust excavation parameters in real time.
2.Breakthrough in localization: Chinese brands have occupied 65% of the global market share, and the 15-meter-diameter ultra-large shield machine has completely independent intellectual property rights.
3.green construction: The new electric-driven shield machine reduces noise by 40% and energy consumption by 25%, making it the focus of recent discussions on environmental protection.
4. Equipment application cases for typical global subway projects
| Project name | Country | Use equipment | Tunnel diameter (meters) | Construction difficulties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beijing Subway Line 12 | China | China Railway No. 768 shield machine | 6.8 | Crossing under the existing subway line |
| New York Second Avenue Subway | USA | Herrenknecht S-1033 | 6.2 | high water table sand layer |
| London Crossrail | United Kingdom | Robbins Mixshield | 7.1 | Complex London Clay |
5. Forecast of future tunnel engineering equipment trends
According to the latest report of the International Tunneling Association (ITA), from 2025 to 2030:
•Modular shield machine: Detachable and reorganized design to adapt to different cross-section needs
•digital twin system: Three-dimensional simulation of the entire construction process, with errors controlled at the millimeter level
•Unmanned construction: The penetration rate of remote control + automatic correction technology will reach 80%
It can be seen from recent hot discussions on the Internet that subway construction technology is rapidly developing in the direction of intelligence and greening. Understanding the working principles and technological breakthroughs of these "steel behemoths" will not only satisfy the public's curiosity, but also help to understand the scientific and technological content of modern infrastructure.
check the details
check the details
en
