The assembly of a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) is advancing at the construction site of the High-Speed Rail tunnel in Łódź following the delivery of six of the seven required components for the main cutting head portion of the machine.
In spring 2027, the machine will begin excavating the 4.6km underground route, which starts from the launch shaft near Retkinia and will stretch to the receiving shaft near the Łódź House of Culture.
With six of the seven components of the cutter head now supplied, further TBM components are soon set to arrive at the site of the K7 launch shaft, with each of the already delivered components weighing around 40 tonnes.
The cutting head is responsible for excavation of the ground that makes up the tunnel system, and rotates at the front of the machine. Using its cutting tools, it breaks up the soil and then directs the excavated material into the excavation chamber whilst the TBM itself is propelled by a combination of a shield and hydraulic system, with thrust cylinders generating the force required to advance the machine itself.
Currently, further sections of the TBM shield are being assembled at the construction site, each weighing between 50 and 65 tonnes. These components contain the aforementioned thrust cylinders responsible for generating the force needed to push the machine forward whilst the shield forms a protective steel structure around the front section of the machine, ensuring safe and efficient operation underground.
Once assembly is complete, the TBM will begin excavating one of the key sections of the rail infrastructure being developed as part of the Port Polska programme.
