Two tunnelling projects in each of Peru and Brazil give a sample of the major construction works currently underway in Latin America.
Of the four project briefly under the spotlight, three are for metro tunnels and one is for hydro. Two of the metro lines are in the same city – Sao Paulo.
All involve major international participation.
PERU Lima metro breakthrough – Line 2
The TBM boring Line 2 of Lima’s expanding metro recently broke through at Buenos Aires station in the port of Callao.
The Herrenknecht TBM, named ‘Micaela’, is one of two machines that the construction consortium of Webuild, Dragados, FCC and Cosapi is using on the project. The 148m-long (161.8yd) machine has a 10.27m-diameter (33.7ft) and is designed for the groundwater soils in the area. It has excavated around 1000m3 (1308yd3) per day and achieved an average daily advance of 15m-20m (49.2ft – 65.6ft).
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By GlobalDataTBM ‘Micaela’ bored 2km (1.24 miles) of tunnel from Insurgentes Station to Buenos Aires station, and is underway towards Puerto del Callao, where it is expected to arrive before mid-2023.
On completing this route, it is to be transferred to Gambetta station to excavate and build the 8km-long (5 miles) branch line.
The construction consortium’s second TBM on the project is named ‘Delia’ and is designed to excavate in dry ground conditions. More than a year ago, the TBM completed the first section of the project, breaking through at Circunvalación station.
The TBM has bored 3km (1.86 miles) of tunnel from San Juan de Dios station to 28 de Julio station, in the eastern part of Lima, and will continue excavating to Parque Murillo station in the city center. It is to end its work at Insurgentes, in Callao.
The US$3bn Line 2 metro project involves the excavation of a 27km-long (16.78 miles) tunnel to connect the ATE and Callao districts, and the construction of the 8km-long (5 miles) branch to Jorge Chávez International Airport, forming the first phase of Line 4. The new line also includes construction of 37 stations, 36 ventilation and emergency shafts, and two train depots.
So far the construction consortium has completed 14km (8.7 miles) of tunnel – only some by TBM. The first 9km (5.6 miles) from Municipalidad de Ate station to San Juan de Dios station were built using NATM.
CRCHI rapid success on hydro
In late 2022, China Railway Construction Heavy Industry Corporation‘s (CRCHI) first hard rock TBM in South America added to its milestone achievements by achieving an advance of more than 1000m (1093yd) in a month, boring on the San Gawang hydropower project, in Peru.
The high progress rate for the month came from increasingly higher single shift advance rates achieved for the 5.83m-diameter (19.12ft) TBM through November, resulting in the milestone 1000m monthly rate to be exceeded – reaching 1007.9m (1102.2yd) – by 6 December.
Geology is medium to high strength rock with good stability, says CRCHI, which supported the TBM assembly and commissioning with its onsite service team.
Progress rates on shifts doubled from 10m to 20m (32.8ft to 65.6ft) and then higher during November, the company reports. CRCHI adds that the maximum progress rates achieved on a single shift was more than 26m (85.3ft). The maximum advance in a day was 46m (150.9ft)
The 209MW hydro project has Chinese investment as part of its Belt and Road Initiative, in South America.
CRCHI says the San Gawang hydropower project is expected to greatly promote the optimal allocation of regional water resources in support of sustainable economic and social development in the region.
The project is the first power sector investment in Peru by Chinese enterprises, says CRCHI.
BRAZIL – SAO PAULO CREG machine set for Line 2
China Railway Engineering Equipment Group (CREG)’s large earth pressure balance machine (EPBM) for Sao Paulo metro’s Line 2 extension has passed its factory acceptance test (FAT) at Pinghu General Assembly Base, in Zhejiang Province, China.
With a diameter of 11.7m (38.4ft), the machine – ‘CREC 1207’ – is CREG’s first export of a shield machine to South America.
The extension to Sao Paulo Metro Line 2, which will connect Vila Predente station and Penha station, comprises total tunnel excavation of 6.5km (4 miles).
The geology is mainly sand, silt and clay, and large gravel and rocks are also present.
To address the project’s tunneling challenges, the EPBM features double articulation and a large transition cabin, says CREG.
The machine carries an automatic zero assembly system to ensure the safety and stability of longdistance tunneling.
Acciona takes on Line 6 concession
Acciona, which has also worked on Line 2, in late 2020 signed a contract to join and run the concession team for Line 6 of Sao Paulo metro – one of the biggest Public-Private Infrastructure (PPP) transport infrastructure projects in South America.
Work had been at a standstill on the ‘Orange Line’ concession – Line 6 – since 2016. The line will include 15 metro stations over a 15km-long (9.3 miles) route.
Acciona signed the agreement to transfer the concession, along with Brazilian consortium MOVE, which was previously in charge of the project. The new Acciona-led consortium, Concessionaria Linha Universidade, got the construction work going again. Concession activities will also include operation and maintenance.
At takeover, the anticipated construction period was approximately five years and that would be followed by 19 years of O&M under the concession deal.
The concessionaire currently has two TBMs boring on the project to excavate a total of 12.4km (7.7 miles). The machines are due to complete their drives at the end of 2024.
