Sochi on the Black Sea

Heavy-duty roadheaders are contributing in large measure to preparations for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.

A fifth new T3.20 Paurat roadheader is set to join four others already working on a major highway bypass around the famous resort city cosseted on the shore of the Black Sea by the Caucasus Mountains. At present all traffic along the coast must pass through the city, causing major traffic jams daily. The new bypass, and a new main road passing through and mainly underneath the city's center, involves constructing no less than 15 tunnels and a number of bridges and fly-overs.

The new Wirth roadheader is ordered by local tunneling contractor OOO Tonneldorstroy (TDS) and joins the fleet of three units it is already using on the project. The first machine was supplied in 2002 and the new T3.20 unit will be delivered from Germany in May 2009.

T3.20 Wirth Paurat roadheader

'This order acknowledges the long term planning and strategic thinking of TDS,' said Hans Greve, Executive Vice President of Wirth GmbH. 'By investing in this equipment, future tunnels for the city's infrastructure can be constructed safely and efficiently.

The new highway tunnels are all relatively short, ranging from a few hundred meters to less than 3km. Most are designed as NATM excavations and almost all have been excavated using the Wirth Paurat roadheaders. The T3.20 machines, have an installed 300kW cutting power and weighing about 120 tonne. The machines are ideal for excavating the medium to hard rock of between 120-150MPa compressive strength, and provide a safer working environment than conventional drill+blast. They also avoid unnecessary overbreak and rock disturbance and can provide shorter cycle times for faster progress rates. Roadheaders can be supplied swiftly and take no more than two weeks to mobilise on site.

Gallery

• 
•