60 meters under the Lion City! The Project of the Third Tunnel of the Singapore Deep Tunnel Sewerage System Project was Successfully Penetrated!

2022-08-06

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The ultra-deep tunnel 60 meters under the Lion City was successfully penetrated!

On August 1, at the 2nd stage of the T11 project of the deep tunnel sewerage treatment system construction site in Singapore which was constructed by the Urban Construction International branch of STEC, a shield machine named “Spooner” was successfully put into the receiving well, it completed the third tunnel section penetrated of the project.

The “Spooner” shield machine in the tunnel firstly went into service shield machine of our project department. It completed about 3.8 kilometers of tunnel excavation within 33 months, it completed the penetration of the third tunnel of our project department.

A “Highway” of Sewerage Treatment 60 Meters Underground

The Deep Tunnel Sewerage System (DTSS) is the proudest water conservancy project in Singapore, and it is the most advanced sewage treatment system in Asia. STEC was responsible for the design and construction of its 2nd stage, the T11 project. It needs to dig a “highway” for underground sewerage treatment at a depth of 60 meters, nearly 20 floors below the ground, to transport sewerage to Tuas Water Reclamation Plant (TWRP) by gravity. After purification, it will become new water that can be used as industrial water to achieve water resource reusing.

Working at a depth of 60 meters underground was a great challenge for our project team. The administrators of the project team of Urban Construction International always uphold the principle of “Guiding from Standard, Technology First”. Since the shield machine started excavation, it has successfully penetrated the two major fault zones in Singapore. Some emergencies caused by rock collapses in weak strata and water infiltration were encountered because of geology. Our project team has completed the reinforcement in advance and pointed out the working areas precisely through judgment in advance, well organization and coordination. We have formed a complete set of technical, safety, and quality management system to achieve accurate prediction, intelligent simulation, early warning, real-time correction, monitoring and guidance for the construction work of the shield machine, and to ensure the safety of the construction. It also showed the profession and level of STEC.

Complete the Extreme Challenge in the Epidemic

Be the Strongest Project Executor

At the end of 2019, the “Spooner” shield machine successfully completed the installation and started the excavation. In the first half of 2020, the epidemic started in Singapore. Policies such as long-term epidemic prevention and quarantine of batches of people have made the construction industry in Singapore come to a downturn. To solve the shortage of workers, the tunnel engineer team and administrators of the T11 project stuck to the front line of working while finishing the epidemic prevention task. Our young engineers carried out all the work in good order and efficiently by themselves from human resource management, engineering planning, improvement of the construction plan, construction cost settlement, etc. to shrinking from foundation pit, forklift driving, unloading, etc.

With the more and more workload from the longer and longer excavation of the tunnel, the shield machine almost reached its limited workload, it needed more and more maintenance and repair. Our project teams are faced with dual challenges in physic and spirit because of the long time working in the launching shaft and tunnel vertically or horizontally. Our senior tunnel manager, Chen Yingkang, and our tunnel assistant manager, Chen Hao, led our team to work on the front line of the project, and our team overcame many technical problems such as the abrasion of the shield cutter head caused by long-distance excavation, long-distance transportation for the slurry in the pipe, and construction of 150 meters of the sharp curve, finally completed the penetration of the tunnel.

Highlight Review

On Feb. 24, 2020, the “Sentosa” shield machine went into service.

On Apr. 5, 2021, the “Sentosa” shield machine went into receiving shaft successfully, the 1st section of the tunnel was penetrated.

On Feb. 24, 2021, the “Warwick” shield machine went into service.

On Jun. 3, 2021, the “Warwick” shield machine went into receiving shaft successfully, the 2nd section of the tunnel was penetrated.

On Nov. 2, 2019, the “Spooner” shield machine went into service.

On Aug. 1, 2022, the “Spooner” shield machine went into receiving shaft successfully, the 3rd section of the tunnel was penetrated.

This is a long march underground

Every process and every meter is the sweat and effort of tunnel people

Have stars in our eyes and have firm steps

We brave the winds and waves, and blaze our way

Win clapping with the profession

Win reputation with the quality

With original aspiration and mission

Service the city development all the world