china continues to advance technologically with a drill unique in the world, capable of excavating under one of the most impressive rivers on the planet, the Yangtze. A tunnel boring machine that It measures 148 meters and weighs 4,000 tons, Known as Linghang, it is comparable to a five-story building, and has unprecedented performance.
It operates 89 meters below the Yangtze River, building a key 14 kilometer stretch for a high-speed train line. For now, has managed to drill more than 11 kilometers continuously, setting a world record in underwater excavation.
The success of Linghang is not based solely on its mechanical power, since the machine integrates advanced intelligent systems, like a digital twin that imitates the excavation process in real time. This allows engineers to see problems better and adjust parameters without stopping operation. In addition, it has a high-pressure sealing system that ensures that each excavated section is protected against possible leaks.
AI
What is the objective of this colossal excavation?
The idea is that, once the tunnel is finished, Trains can cross the river at 350 km/h without reducing speed, shortening times and improving connectivity in one of the most populated regions of China, with about 200 million inhabitants.
“This is the first time in the world that a shield tunnel boring machine with a diameter of more than 15 meters has managed to drill tunnels continuously for more than 10,000 meters in a single operation,” explained Li Bin, chief engineer of the project to Science and Technology Daily.
“The machine incorporates an advanced tunneling system that allows autonomous operation through intelligent analysis and decision-making. Thanks to hundreds of historical data sets and machine learning models, the system’s capabilities enable efficient supervision by personnel as well as unmanned operation,” said Wang Yi, deputy team leader of the project.
