Successful Opening of the First Cross-River Large Shield Tunnel for Hangzhou Subway

With the burst of the shield cutterhead through the wall, the large-section shield tunneling section between Xiashajiangbin Station and Binjiangyilu Station, the third phase of Hangzhou Metro Line 1, has been cut through, marking UCD's successful completion of its assumed design of the first large shield-driven subway tunnel across the river.

The large-section shield tunnel section from Xiashajiangbin Station to Binjiangyilu Station, third phase of Hangzhou Metro Line 1, is a large-diameter shield tunnel underneath the Qiantang River. The section is 2,964 meters in length, 11.3m in outer diameter, and 10.3m in inner diameter, and is the first subway line of Zhejiang Province to cross the river with a large shield. The geological conditions of this section are complicated, and the line passes underneath the rivers along the Qiantang River, the No. 15 riverside landscape bridge, the levees on both sides of the bank, the Jiangdi town-Hangzhou oil pipeline, the Shao-Hang oil pipeline, Xiaoshan’s Nanyang oil depot and numerous constructions (structures), which involve a great deal of sources of serious risks, and the minimum distance from the Qiantang River 300m to the scour line is only 6.4 meters. In addition to its structural safety, shield propulsion also needs to consider minimizing the impact on surrounding important pipelines and structures. Under the guidance of UCD's experts, the project design team continuously optimized the design plan and attached great importance to construction cooperation, so as to successfully overcome the sources of risk time and time during the tunneling process. For the first time in this section of the tunnel, the disaster prevention and evacuation technology combining horizontal smoke exhaust and vertical air supply was adopted, and a civil air duct on the top of the rail was set. The intermediate air shaft and the freezing method construction connection channel set in the middle of the original river were eliminated, thus substantially saving the project investment and reducing the risks in project construction. The completion of this section has provided an important guarantee for the scheduled opening of the Hangzhou Metro Line 1 to traffic this year, expanding UCD's industrial influence in Hangzhou.

Unity makes good work! With the support of UCD's strong technical strength, UCD design will produce excellent products! Gratitude hereby goes to UCD’s leaders and technical experts for their strong support to Hangzhou Branch.