Agua Sur project receives first EPBM 08 Nov 2018

The first of two 4.66m diameter Terratec EPBMs is on its way Argentina to work on the Buenos Aires potable water supply system. The EPBM will be deployed by Italian contractor CMC di Ravenna on the 13.5km long tunnel carrying drinking water from the newly expanded General Belgrano water treatment plant in the city of Bernal to the city of Lomas de Zamora.

4.66m diameter Terratec EPBM

“From the initial concept to this point in the process it has been refreshing working with Terratec. They have listened to our requests and, as a result, we have just accepted a machine that we are all sure will do a good job,” said Ezio Collinelli of CMC di Ravenna. “The TBM will arrive on site on time thanks to efficient production by Terratec and our project team is looking forward to working with the Terratec field service support team.”

The tunnel is a key component of the multi-billion-dollar Agua Sur system that is currently being built by Argentinian national water and sanitation company AySA. Financed by the government and the Development Bank of Latin America, it is the largest water infrastructure project in Argentina in 40 years and will provide access to fresh water for four million inhabitants in the southern metropolitan area of Buenos Aires.

EPBM will be deployed by Italian contractor CMC di Ravenna

The Terratec EPBM has been specially designed to deal with the variable soft ground geology along the project alignment, which ranges from silts to sandy silts with some cobbles expected. The TBM high-torque soft ground cutterhead features a spoke-style design with a 49% opening ratio and cutting tools consisting of fixed and back-loading knife bits to ensure rapid advancement and minimum interventions.

The tunnel will be excavated at an average depth of 25m, beginning with an approximately 400m radius curve and continuing along an essentially straight alignment, reaching a maximum slope of +/- 2.0%. As the machine progresses, it will install a precast concrete segmental lining ring consisting of six (four parallelograms and two keys) 250mm thick, 1400mm wide, segments.

In recent years, Terratec has supplied machines globally, chosen by contractors due to their performance and client satisfaction. Last year Terratec opened a new large-diameter TBM facility that has delivered more than 12 new machines in the second half of 2017 and beginning of 2018. Terratec recently sold 50% of its business to partner JIM Technology of Japan.