Author: Sarah Crawford

RETC 2019

Event Name: Rapid Excavation & Tunneling Conference
Dates: June 16-19, 2019
Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Venue: Hyatt Regency Chicago

Join us at the 2019 Rapid Excavation & Tunneling Conference (RETC) June 16 through 19 in Chicago, Illinois. Attend a presentation by a Robbins Tunneling professional or come talk to us at booth 306 to learn more about current techniques being used on tunneling projects throughout the world.

Presentations

Monday, June 17, 2019

8:55 am
Tunneling in Mixed Face Conditions: An Enduring Challenge for EPB TBM Excavation
Jim Clark, The Robbins Company, and Paul Verrall, Afcons Infrastructure Ltd.
Presented by Tyler Sandell, The Robbins Company

3:00 pm
Rebuilding TBMs: Are Used TBMs as Good as New?
Doug Harding, The Robbins Company

Tuesday, June 18, 2019

8:35 am
Breaking Through Tough Ground in the Himalayas: Nepal’s First TBM
Missy Isaman, The Robbins Company

Wednesday, June 19, 2019

8:35 am
7.93 m Open TBM Shotcrete System Improvement and Innovation at China’s Jilin Project
Desiree Willis, The Robbins Company and Ya Jun Guo, Robbins China
Presented by Brad Grothen, The Robbins Company


WTC 2019

Event Name: World Tunnel Congress
Dates: May 3-9, 2019
Location: Naples, Italy
Venue: Mostra d’Oltremare

The Robbins Company looks forward to attending the World Tunnel Congress (WTC) and ITA-AITES General Assembly in Naples, Italy. Visit stand 68 during exhibition hours May 3 through 9 to learn more about past project successes and exciting current tunneling endeavors.

Technical Presentation

Challenging Mixed Face Tunneling at India’s Sleemanabad Carrier Canal
by Jim Clark, Robbins
Time & Date: May 8, 12:20-12:40
Session: Long and Deep Tunnels
Location: Palacongressi, Europa Room

Posters

Location: Teatro Mediterraneo

Extreme Ingress: Managing High Water Inflows in Hard Rock TBM Tunneling
by Brad Grothen, Robbins & Danny Kough, Kiewit

Overcoming extreme tunneling conditions on Vietnam’s longest tunnel
by Sindre Log, Biyue Li & P.N. Madhan, Robbins

Rescuing and rebuilding TBMs in adverse ground conditions
by Detlef Jordan, Robbins & Barrie Willis, iPS


BAUMA 2019

Event Name: BAUMA
Dates: April 8-14, 2019
Location: Munich, Germany
Venue: Messe München

Meet us in Munich, where The Robbins Company will be exhibiting at BAUMA, the largest construction machinery trade show in the world. Join us at Hall C2, stand 403 between April 8 through 14 for presentations on current projects and cocktail hours, all being held within our booth.

Tuesday, April 9
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm CET
“Avoid Disasters in TBM Tunneling: Proven Strategies” presented by Robbins President Lok Home

Thursday, April 11
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm CET
“A Powerful Solution for Renewable Energy: Hydro Tunneling” presented by Cutters Product Manager Sindre Log

If you would like to join one or both of our events, email Sarah Brooks at brookss@robbinstbm.com to RSVP.


NASTT 2019

Event Name: NASTT No-Dig
Dates: March 17-21, 2019
Location: Rosemont, Illinois, USA
Venue: Donald E. Stephens Convention Center

The Robbins Company will be attending NASTT’s No-Dig Show March 17 through 21. Be sure to visit booth 921 to learn more about Robbins Small Boring Units (SBUs)—the most cost effective and time efficient way to bore through hard rock.


TAC/NASTT-NW Tunnelling & Trenchless Conference

Event Name: TAC/NASTT-NW Tunnelling & Trenchless Conference
Dates: November 8-9
Location: Edmonton, AB, Canada
Venue: Fantasyland Hotel at the West Edmonton Mall

Robbins Utility Tunneling Manager, Tom Fuerst, will be presenting “Lessons Learned at Montreal’s Rue Jarry Project: Overcoming Flooding and Rebuilding a TBM to Finish on Schedule,” at this year’s TAC/NASTT-NW Tunneling & Trenchless Conference. The show will be held on November 8 and 9 in Edmonton, Alberta.


ATC 2018

Event Name: Australian Tunneling Conference
Dates: October 15-16, 2018
Location: Sydney, Australia
Venue: SMC Conference & Function Centre

Meet us down under in Sydney, Australia as we attend the Australian Tunneling Conference from October 15 through 16. Stop by stand 11 to discuss current techniques being used on Robbins projects throughout the world.


Ho Chi Minh City MRT Lines Infrastructure Projects Conference 2018

Event Name: Ho Chi Minh City MRT Lines Infrastructure Projects Conference 2018
Dates: July 24-26, 2018
Location: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Venue: Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers

The Robbins Company looks forward to attending the Ho Chi Minh City MRT Lines Infrastructure Projects Conference in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam. Meet us at our table between July 24 through 26 to discuss projects operating nearby, such as the Thuong Kon Tum project, or others world-wide.


Recent Cutter Technology Advances to Efficiently Bore Through Extremely Challenging Conditions in Hard Rock

For TBMs in hard rock, two of the most important parameters to consider are the cutter performance and the penetration rate. These two considerations are highly dependent on each other, as the cutters are typically the critical components that limit the thrust of the machine—a critical variable that dictates the net penetration rate. In such conditions optimal cutter performance is extremely important, not only to optimize the net penetration rate, but also to minimize the time needed to change cutters and maximize the time available for boring. Over the last five years, massive investments have been made in cutter development to make cutters that can withstand even the most challenging conditions. This paper presents the developments and challenges that have driven the last years’ advances in cutter technology, as well as the results of those developments on recent projects.


Excavating Turkey’s Hardest Rock at the Bahce-Nurdag Railway Tunnel

Southeastern Turkey’s Gaziantep province is characterized by complex fractured rock within the Eastern Anatolian Fault, and it is now the location of an important railway tunnel project. With a population of nearly 1.7 million, the province is overhauling its public transportation with a rail line between the towns of Bahçe and Nurdağı. The Bahce-Nurdag Railway Tunnel consists of two parallel 9.75 km tunnels being excavated by both NATM (850 m) and TBM (8.9 km).

Contractor Intekar Yapi Turizm Elektrik Insaat San. ve Tic. Ltd. A Robbins Single Shield TBM, 8 m in diameter, was chosen to excavate two sections of tunnel. Mixed ground conditions prevail on the project, and range from abrasive, interbedded sandstone and mudstone with quartzite veins to highly weathered shale and dolomitic limestone. The TBM has thus far encountered some of the hardest rock ever tunneled in Turkey, measuring between 136 and 327 MPa UCS.

This paper will analyze TBM performance, as well as the performance and wear of disc cutters in the difficult ground conditions. It will discuss TBM design and project logistics including onsite TBM assembly in a remote area of Turkey. Finally, it will give recommendations as to proper TBM design and cutter usage in hard, abrasive rock based on the project results.


BAUMA India 2018

Event Name: BAUMA India
Dates: December 11-14, 2018
Location: Delhi, India
Venue: HUDA Ground, Sector 29

Join the Robbins Company at BAUMA India from December 11 through 14 in Delhi. We look forward to seeing you there.