TBM | International

A Tradition of Innovation: The Next Push for Machine Tunneling

James S. Robbins developed the first modern tunnel boring machine in 1952 for South Dakota, USA’s Oahe Dam Project.

The Poatina Hydro machine, built by The Robbins Company in 1961, featured a number of innovations including a larger diameter main bearing and the first metal-to-metal cutter seals for improved cutter life.

The Robbins machine for Poatina Hydro also included the first floating grippers, which allowed the machine to be continuously steered.

The world’s first pressurized face TBM was built by Robbins in 1964 for the Paris RER Metro, using compressed air to hold the excavation face.

New innovations must continue to be introduced in the industry: Robbins’ Pressure Compensating Disc Cutters, for example, are installed on the large SR 99 Tunnel Boring Machine in Seattle, USA, and allow it to excavate under pressures up to 7 bar.

ITAtech, a manufacturer-centered group, is pushing through new concepts by establishing universal guidelines. The group is introducing a new type of near-zero rebound shotcrete, seen here in use on a Robbins TBM at the Pahang Selangor Water Tunnel in Malaysia.

This paper is an abridged version of the talk written and presented by Dick Robbins, president and CEO of The Robbins Company from 1958 to 1993. The 2013 Sir Alan Muir Wood Lecture was given as the keynote lecture at the ITA-AITES World Tunnel Congress in Geneva, Switzerland in May of this year. This lecture is reprinted with the permission of the International Tunnelling Association (ITA).

Introduction

As a relatively mature industry, the world of machine tunneling is more conservative than it once was. While there is a place for standardized machinery and design elements on many projects, some projects require ingenuity and a progressive approach. Challenging and risky projects will always be a part of our industry and stepping out of the comfort zone of standardized techno-logy on these tunnels is part of achieving success. The effect of industry-wide conservatism is often the outcome of an effort to drive down risk, whether that is through contractual practices, industry...