
Construction of the world's largest underwater tunnel has been completed - this is a record
The Chinese city of Jinan, capital of Shandong Province in eastern China with a population of 9,4 million, has made headlines around the world. For good reason: work crews there have completed the monumental task of building the largest underwater tunnel in the world. And this is just part of a grand project to create a vital route through one of China’s largest rivers, the Yellow River.
It is reported that in laying the new tunnel, specialists from the country's largest construction company, China Railway Group, are using the largest tunnel boring machine in existence today. It is still continuing to excavate the main section of the tunnel, which will eventually be 5755 m long. Meanwhile, the underwater section, 3290 m long, has already been completed.
Shanhe TBM with a shield diameter of 17,6 m during testing. Photo: herrenknecht.com
It has a colossal diameter of approximately 17 m and consists of five hundred underwater protection tube rings, making it the largest structure of its kind in history.
By comparison, the railway tunnels linking the United Kingdom and France are 50,5km long and only about 7,6m in diameter.
The new underground section of the Jinan-Huanggang road will have two levels of traffic – six lanes in each direction. The speed limit is 60 km/h.
The rear of the world's largest Herrenknecht drilling machine. Photo: herrenknecht.com
In addition to the fact that the new infrastructure facility has set a world record due to its size, this large-scale project is also being built at a record pace. Workers began laying the tunnel on September 1, 2024, and, as we know, the underwater part of the shielding has already been completed. And this was done in just 110 days.
The daily speed of the combined shield machine Herrenknecht Shanhe, designed for tunneling with a working diameter equal to a five-story building, was within 16-18 meters, which is also a record for shields of this class.
The Shanhe milling head drive power reaches 7510 hp, and the torque is about 35 kN*m. It is capable of withstanding a maximum pressure of 017 bar. The chamber installed at the working end of the "giant" is also resistant to pressure within 7,5 bar. It received a specialized automatic air cushion, which allows for uniform distribution of the load, maintaining stability and preventing collapses or flooding.
The cutting disc is equipped with an effective flushing system to protect against clogging. It also has a telescopic camera system to monitor the cutting cutters and the tunnel face. This reduces the need for workers to intervene in the equipment for maintenance, which is time-consuming and dangerous.
The Herrenknecht tunnel boring machine, 17,6 m in diameter, costs approximately $80 million. Photo: herrenknecht.com
As for the cost of the Herrenknecht Shanhe, this unique machine is unlikely to cost less than $80 million. The assumption is based on the fact that a buyer from the USA paid $16,46 for a Herrenknecht tunnel boring machine with a shield diameter of 76 meters.
The construction of the tunnel across the Yellow River on the Jinan-Huanggang road is planned to be completed by the end of 2025.
It is reported that in laying the new tunnel, specialists from the country's largest construction company, China Railway Group, are using the largest tunnel boring machine in existence today. It is still continuing to excavate the main section of the tunnel, which will eventually be 5755 m long. Meanwhile, the underwater section, 3290 m long, has already been completed.

It has a colossal diameter of approximately 17 m and consists of five hundred underwater protection tube rings, making it the largest structure of its kind in history.
By comparison, the railway tunnels linking the United Kingdom and France are 50,5km long and only about 7,6m in diameter.
The new underground section of the Jinan-Huanggang road will have two levels of traffic – six lanes in each direction. The speed limit is 60 km/h.

In addition to the fact that the new infrastructure facility has set a world record due to its size, this large-scale project is also being built at a record pace. Workers began laying the tunnel on September 1, 2024, and, as we know, the underwater part of the shielding has already been completed. And this was done in just 110 days.
The daily speed of the combined shield machine Herrenknecht Shanhe, designed for tunneling with a working diameter equal to a five-story building, was within 16-18 meters, which is also a record for shields of this class.
The Shanhe milling head drive power reaches 7510 hp, and the torque is about 35 kN*m. It is capable of withstanding a maximum pressure of 017 bar. The chamber installed at the working end of the "giant" is also resistant to pressure within 7,5 bar. It received a specialized automatic air cushion, which allows for uniform distribution of the load, maintaining stability and preventing collapses or flooding.
The cutting disc is equipped with an effective flushing system to protect against clogging. It also has a telescopic camera system to monitor the cutting cutters and the tunnel face. This reduces the need for workers to intervene in the equipment for maintenance, which is time-consuming and dangerous.

As for the cost of the Herrenknecht Shanhe, this unique machine is unlikely to cost less than $80 million. The assumption is based on the fact that a buyer from the USA paid $16,46 for a Herrenknecht tunnel boring machine with a shield diameter of 76 meters.
The construction of the tunnel across the Yellow River on the Jinan-Huanggang road is planned to be completed by the end of 2025.
- Lilu
- herrenknecht.com, stdaily.com
We recommend for you

They want to expand the production of Il-76
And the Il-114, which should solve the problem of the shortage of regional aircraft in our country, has good prospects in terms of export. Details in...

The third bridge across the Volga will be built – the project has been approved and financed
The President contributed to the speedy start of construction. Together with it, a new highway will be built, which will solve the transport problems of Yaroslavl, but not all residents...

New Nuuva V300 cargo plane makes maiden flight
In essence, it is an unmanned aerial container, which has an atypical design for such devices and an impressive power reserve. Read more about the project in...

Vladimirets tractors to be produced in Russia
Only under a new brand, and it looks like these will be renamed "Chinese". Read more about the project in our article....

GAZ showed several family minivans – they will go into production
They are made on the chassis of standard models. And what, was that possible?...

The production model of the PD-8 aircraft engine was shown to the general public for the first time
The power plant is intended for the SJ-100. Other long-awaited units for our aviation were also present at the exhibition....

S7 Group has shown the final version of "Tango" - serial production has begun
Along with the light aircraft, the Russian company showed a completely domestic engine, the APD-520. A worthy replacement was found for the Belgian engine....

SJ-100 production to be accelerated – new PD-8 engine production to open in Russia
This will be a major logistics center in Khabarovsk Krai. It will also have a section for assembling aircraft engines....

The third stage of construction of the Lena Bridge has been approved
Construction began at the end of 2024. The project was personally approved by the President of the Russian Federation....

Shacman "has arrived" - Chinese dump trucks will no longer be sold in Russia
The Prosecutor General's Office and the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade have questions about the quality of Chinese products. All the details of the inspection can be found in our...

Serial production of BAZ trucks to begin in St. Petersburg
The new vehicles will be able to carry up to 20 tons. A considerable part of the components is produced in Russia....

Another 158 ships to be built in Nizhny Novgorod
These include dry cargo ships and cruise liners. The contract amount exceeds 162 billion rubles....

Alexey Garagashyan's New Product: What Will Replace the Sherpa
Inventor, engineer, race car driver, designer. Alexey made if not a revolution, then certainly a furor in the world of off-road equipment. At the same time, modest and...

Another Russian pickup truck has gone on sale – it has five seats and a large cargo compartment
This is a new product from the Russian brand Sollers. The car, known as ST8, is offered with different types of engines....

The new MAZ apron bus can do what others can't
The Minsk Automobile Plant has shown a bus that could change the idea of airport transport. At first glance, nothing out of the ordinary. It seemed...

To Mars in a Month – Russian Scientists Test Unique Plasma Engine
The unit is not "on paper", engineers are already testing the power plant on a special stand. The operating principle is described and the date of the first flight...