In August 2011, Tunnelcorp took delivery of a Herrenknecht AVN1500 microtunneller and PSD separation plant capable of completing bores to 600 m in length. The machine is equipped with soft-ground, mixed-ground and hard-rock cutter heads.

    Tunnelcorp's comprehensive range of equipment comprises:

  • Laser-guided microtunnellers, both Herrenknecht slurry machines and Australian manufactured vacuum-extraction microtunnellers. This combination allows Tunnelcorp to operate above and below the watertable in ground conditions that vary from soft formations and sands to high-strength rock. The microtunnellers are used for long-distance, high-accuracy bores for underground infrastructure.
  • Vacuum-extraction microtunnellers, which have the capacity to retract through an encasing pipe should an obstruction be encountered or a cutter change required. The encasing pipe can remain in situ, allowing a minimisation of risk of the ground collapsing while the microtunneller is being retracted.
  • Two new American auger boring machines, a 36-600 and a 42-600, for large-diameter auger bores for pipeline crossings.

In August 2010, Tunnelcorp completed the largest canopy-tube structure undertaken in Australia, and one of the largest in the world, on the Airport Link project in Brisbane. The canopy consisted of 48 bores clutched together, 750 mm in diameter and 53 m long. This project encountered multiple major obstructions, including three bridges built on top of each other, 40 bridge piles, concrete walls up to 6 m thick, a swamp, steel and sections of an old derailed train. Despite these obstructions, the canopy structure was completed, and in August 2011 the largest box culvert jacking operation in the world was carried out by Tunnelcorp’s client while the canopy structure supported six major rail lines and the Airtrain to Brisbane Airport.

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Following the success of the Airport Link Canopy structure, Tunnelcorp has been awarded another canopy project by the Transcity joint venture on the Legacy Way Tunnel in Brisbane.

Tunnelcorp has the equipment, and highly-skilled human resources to undertake just the trenchless component of a project or, alternatively, to provide a total turnkey solution encompassing shaft construction, drilling, pipe insertion, grouting, manhole construction and restoration.