Key Technical Specifications

• Geology: Rock and semi-consolidated formations
• Operating Range: Soft or brittle rock up to the hardest rock (> 250 MPa)

• Diameter Range:

  • Segmental lining: 2.8 m – 14 m
  • Pipe jacking: ≥ 1.54 m
• Support Type: Segmental lining or pipe jacking
• Drive Mode: Hydraulic thrust system with shielded housing

Main Advantages

• High advance rates in all types of consolidated rock
• Superior tunnelling safety even in brittle or fractured zones
• Compatible with partially water-bearing geology through soil conditioning
• Efficient tool replacement without entering unprotected areas
• Precise machine steering for curved alignments and complex tunnel geometries
• Integrated vibration control through hydraulic stabilizers

How It Works

The Single Shield TBM operates by pressing a disc-cutter-equipped rotating cutterhead against the tunnel face. Under immense contact force, the disc cutters chip away the rock mass, breaking it into manageable fragments.

• Rock Cutting: Disc cutters fracture the rock face under pressure exceeding 250 MPa.
• Material Removal: Buckets and chutes guide cuttings to the central muck ring, where gravity feeds them onto a conveyor system.
• Dust Control & Cooling: High-pressure water jets suppress dust and cool cutting tools.
• Material Transport: Muck is transferred via belts or haulage vehicles out of the tunnel for disposal.

This continuous cycle enables steady advance rates and efficient muck removal with minimal downtime.

Safety and Maintenance Features

• Rear-access cutter change: Disc cutters can be replaced safely from behind the cutterhead structure — no exposure to the unsupported tunnel face.
• Vibration reduction: Hydraulic stabilizers maintain smooth operation and protect components.
• Overcut design: The boring diameter exceeds the shield diameter to prevent jamming and enable flexible steering.

Precision Steering and Control

The machine incorporates fixed or displaceable drives equipped with steering cylinders, torque box systems, or longitudinal displacement cylinders, allowing operators to achieve tight curve radii and precise alignment adjustments.
The upward offset cutterhead axis further enhances guidance and prevents shield binding in uneven rock.
Overcut rollers and optional overcut housings can expand the boring diameter for custom lining requirements, while bi-directional cutterhead rotation in pipe-jacking configurations helps counteract torsional rolling.

Digital Connectivity

With HERRENKNECHT.CONNECTED, operators can access:

• Real-time performance data
• Predictive maintenance insights
• System diagnostics and operational analytics

This digital integration ensures maximum uptime, data-driven decision-making, and remote monitoring for tunnelling projects worldwide.

Applications

• Hard-rock metro and railway tunnels
• Water transfer and utility tunnels
• Road and highway tunnel construction
• Mining and hydroelectric infrastructure
• Pipe-jacking drives in solid geology

Summary

The Herrenknecht Single Shield TBM combines power, precision, and protection — achieving fast tunnelling rates and stable operation in some of the toughest geological conditions. Its ability to handle variable rock strengths, maintain consistent progress, and protect personnel makes it a trusted choice for modern underground construction projects around the globe.

Key Specifications

• Payload Capacity: 120 – 400 tons
• Applicable Shaft Diameters: 1.0 – 5.0 meters
• Inclination Range: Vertical and up to 25°
• Operation Mode: Remote-controlled, mechanized, and modular

Main Advantages

• Fully mechanized and controlled lining process for maximum accuracy and safety
• Remote-controlled operation minimizes personnel exposure and risk
• Compact hydraulic design optimizes space and energy use
• Adaptable to various pipe diameters and shaft geometries
• High automation and flexible setup for different geology types
• Can be combined with BBR (Boxhole Boring Rig) systems for simultaneous shaft drilling and lining

Product Variants
?? LLS – Jacking Frame Type
Based on Herrenknecht’s proven pipe jacking technology, this configuration uses a hydraulic jacking frame to lower, lift, or press the lining rings during shaft construction.

• Application: Vertical or inclined shafts in fractured or stable geology
• Mechanism: Retractable grab pins hold and move lining rings precisely
• Compatibility: Suitable for both new and retrofitted lining rings with integrated grab pockets
• Benefits: Allows controlled pressing of lining rings under challenging geological conditions

Typical Applications:

• Shaft lining after raise boring or boxhole boring
• Shaft maintenance or lining replacement
• Lining installation in complex geological settings

?? LLS – Strand Jack Type
This configuration employs strand jack technology, similar to Herrenknecht’s Vertical Shaft Sinking Machine (VSM) systems.
It uses multiple strand jack units symmetrically arranged around a circular base frame to handle heavy loads with exceptional precision.

• Load Capacity: Up to 200 tons per strand jack unit
• Setup Flexibility: Adjustable from 0°–90° around the shaft edge
• Configuration: 2–3 strand jack units depending on shaft depth and available space
• Modular Design: Enables fast adaptation to site-specific conditions

Typical Applications:

• Lining installation in vertical shafts with stable geology
• Integration with boxhole backreaming or raise boring systems
• Efficient post-sinking lining installation

Performance & Safety

• Automation Integration: Remote and digital monitoring ensures precision during lifting and lowering operations
• Safety Enhancement: Reduces on-site human exposure and manual intervention
• Versatility: Customizable for varying lining materials, geological profiles, and shaft depths

System Integration
The LLS can be combined with Herrenknecht BBR systems to enable simultaneous drilling and lining, optimizing project timelines and minimizing ground disturbance.

Applications

• Construction of access and ventilation shafts
• Sewer, utility, and metro infrastructure projects
• Mine and tunnel shaft lining operations
• Rehabilitation or replacement of existing shaft linings

Summary
The Herrenknecht Lining Lowering System (LLS) redefines shaft lining efficiency and safety through mechanization, precision control, and adaptability. Whether configured as a Jacking Frame System or Strand Jack System, it ensures fast, controlled, and safe lining installation in vertical and inclined shafts across all geology types.

With diameters ranging from 1.7 to 16 meters, EPB Shields are suitable for both urban infrastructure and large-scale tunnelling projects worldwide.

Key Technical Capabilities

• Geology: Soft, cohesive, and low-permeability soils (clay, silt, loam)
  
• Diameter Range: 1.7 m – 16 m
  
• Support Type: Earth pressure balance (no external medium required)
  
• Applications: Metro tunnels, sewage tunnels, utility lines, and urban crossings

Main Advantages

• Maintains continuous face stability in soft ground through earth pressure balance
  
• High advance rates achievable even in cohesive soils with high clay/silt content
  
• No need for slurry or compressed air support
  
• Adaptable to mixed or variable soil conditions via soil conditioning
  
• Compatible with automation and digital control systems via Herrenknecht.CONNECTED

How It Works

The EPB Shield utilizes the excavated soil itself as a supporting medium. The rotating cutterhead loosens and conditions the ground, while a screw conveyor regulates the pressure balance and removes the muck.

• Excavation: The cutting wheel removes material from the tunnel face.
  
• Face Support: Conditioned soil stabilizes the tunnel face, preventing collapse or surface settlement.
  
• Material Transport: The screw conveyor moves excavated material to a belt conveyor for removal.
  
• Control System: Pressure sensors and automation ensure equilibrium between face and ground pressure at all times.

This integrated system allows tunnelling to proceed safely and efficiently, even under challenging geological or hydrostatic conditions.

Advanced Features

?? Adaptive Tailskin Sealing System

Herrenknecht’s adaptive tailskin sealing monitors and adjusts sealing compound usage automatically.

• Real-time monitoring of consumption and pressure
  
• Up to 30% reduction in sealant use
  
• Increased tailskin lifespan and safety
  
• Optional manual override for project-specific adjustments
  

?? Soil Conditioning Flexibility

By injecting agents like foam, bentonite, or water, the consistency and permeability of the soil are improved. This enables efficient tunnelling through mixed ground containing gravel or sand and supports steady advance rates.

?? Automation and Monitoring

Through Herrenknecht.CONNECTED, operators have access to:

• Real-time performance data
  
• Predictive maintenance tools
  
• Adaptive control for variable geologies

Operational Modes

• Closed EPB Mode: For soft, cohesive, or water-bearing soils
  
• Open Mode: For stable ground where face pressure support is not required
  

Optional slurryfier boxes and slurry pumps can be integrated for handling permeable or water-rich soils.

Global Applications

Herrenknecht EPB Shields have successfully completed over 500 tunnelling projects worldwide, including:

• Crossrail (London, UK)
  
• Doha Metro (Qatar)
  
• Grand Paris Express (France)
  

Each project demonstrates the machine’s adaptability, precision, and long-term reliability under diverse geological conditions.

Summary

The EPB Shield Tunnel Boring Machine offers a perfect blend of mechanical performance, safety, and adaptability. Whether used for metros, pipelines, or underground infrastructure, it ensures stable excavation and smooth operation — setting new standards in urban tunnelling efficiency.

Suggested Category Classification

• Main Category: Heavy Construction Equipment
  
• Sub-Category: Earthmoving Equipment
  

Key Technical Capabilities

• Applicable Geology: Soft, mixed, and rocky ground
  
• Tunnel Diameter Range: Up to 4.8m (OD), from DN250 in pipe jacking to DN3200 in segmental lining
  
• Drive Length: Over 1,000 meters possible with intermediate jacking stations
  

Why Choose the AVN Machine

• Operates effectively in nearly any ground condition
  
• Handles high water pressure environments with ease
  
• Hydraulic face support ensures superior tunnelling safety
  
• Precision control in both horizontal and vertical alignments
  
• Perfect for non-accessible tunnelling areas
  
• Flexible excavation diameters achievable with modular extension kits
  

Innovative Technology

AVN (Automated Tunnelling Machine Wet) models utilize a slurry pressure balance system, ensuring stable excavation faces even under challenging conditions. The integrated cone crusher and customizable cutting wheel designs enable efficient material handling and optimized excavation rates.

Tailored Cutterheads for Every Terrain

• Soft Soils & Mixed Ground: Equipped with standard or mixed cutterheads for balanced cutting performance
  
• Hard Rock: Outfitted with disc cutters for powerful rock penetration
  
• Dynamic Sprinkler Systems: Prevent clogging in cohesive soils through high- and medium-pressure cleaning jets
  

Performance Enhancements

• Digital Connectivity: Herrenknecht.CONNECTED provides real-time data monitoring and remote diagnostics
  
• Camera-Assisted Monitoring: Optional built-in cameras enhance visibility and wear tracking (available from AVN 1200 models)
  
• Optimized Lubrication System: Automated bentonite injection minimizes pipe friction and boosts jacking distance
  

Applications

Ideal for:

• Urban microtunnelling
  
• Pipeline installation beneath infrastructure
  
• Long-distance pipe jacking
  
• Non-accessible segmental lining projects
  

The Herrenknecht AVN Tunnelling Machine combines proven reliability with smart digital integration, redefining how engineers approach underground construction in complex geologies.