EW1 Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Breakthrough

EW1 Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Breakthrough

The construction of EW 1 Transmission Cable Tunnel Project is making good progress. We have excavated the soil and used controlled blasting to reach the required depth of 49m and will now completed the 1.39km tunneling works using the Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) tunnel boring machine (TBM). On April 2014, the launching of TBM “Joule”, the first of two TBMs was held at EW 1 Ayer Rajah Shaft and it has arrived at North Buona Vista Shaft on 9th July 2015.After completing the maintenance and conversion, the TBM will continue its journey to Holland Road.

The TBM machine has been named after “Joule”, the unit of energy and work, which equal to the energy expended in applying force of one newton through a distance of one meter. “Joule” could be equated as symbolizing the energy and efforts that the Client, Consultant and EW 1 have put in thus far to provide the continuous but necessary momentum for the tunneling work. This breakthrough event was well attended by SPPA management staff and team including, SPPA Managing Director (Special Projects) Mr Michael Chin, Senior Project Manager, Mr Ryan Wong, Project Manager, Mr Koh Keng Boon, Obayashi Corporation’s Management Representatives, Mr Jun Narasaka (Deputy General Manager), Obayashi Singapore Pte Ltd Managing Director Mr Lee Aik Seng and EW 1 Project Manager Mr Toshiyuki Yagai, Consultant, EW 1 Site Staff and Stakeholders.