Controlling groundwater at an altitude of 4,000 meters? This "water-drawing dragon" on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has started construction!

Author: Li Chuanfu Shi Xiangqi

In the heart of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, a major water conservancy project, the Lhasa Pangduo Water Diversion Project, is being constructed using the country's first double-shield TBM tunnel boring machine used at altitudes above 4,000 meters, the "Lhasa Pangduo Water Diversion Project". This initiative not only demonstrates China's strength in construction technology in high-altitude areas, but also provides valuable experience and technical reference for the development of similar projects in the future.

TBM, full name of full-face tunnel boring machine, is a large-scale tunnel excavation equipment integrating mechanical, electronic, hydraulic and other technologies. Compared with the traditional drilling and blasting method, TBM has the advantages of fast excavation speed, good construction quality, high safety and small impact on the environment. The "Lhasa Pangduo Water Diversion" TBM used in the Pangduo Water Diversion Project in Lhasa has a total length of 328 meters, a digging length of 13,730 meters, a main machine length of 12.5 meters, and an excavation diameter of 4.83 meters. It can perform excavation operations in Class II to V surrounding rocks.

The design of this roadheader fully considers the characteristics of the plateau environment and is equipped with plateau-type electrical equipment and oxygen supply facilities to ensure that the equipment can operate safely and stably in high-altitude areas. Its excavation speed is much higher than the traditional drilling and blasting method, which can increase the monthly excavation distance from 100 meters to 300 to 500 meters, greatly shortening the construction period of the project.

During the construction process, the "Lhasa Pangduo Water Diversion" TBM is able to assemble prefabricated segments, which is accomplished through its advanced segment installation system. In addition, it is also capable of advanced geological drilling and forecasting, which is essential for safe excavation under complex geological conditions. In order to meet the needs of TBM excavation, the project team also built a standardized plateau intelligent segment factory with a daily designed segment output of up to 24 rings. All production processes use green and intelligent equipment to improve construction quality and production efficiency.

The successful implementation of the Lhasa Pangduo Water Diversion Project will not only improve Lhasa's urban water supply security and water supply safety level, but also provide a solid foundation for the city's economic and social development and ecological environment protection. The construction of this project reflects China's technical strength and innovation ability in long and large tunnel excavation construction in high-altitude areas, and has important demonstration significance and promotion value.