Sunward EPB Shield Machine Launches for Jiashan-Xitang Railway Construction
A New Tunneling Stage for the Jiashan-Xitang Railway SG2 Section
The shield tunneling works for the Jiashan to Xitang railway SG2 section have entered a new stage as Sunward Machine’s No.68 EPB shield machine successfully launched. At the same time, Sunward No.69 shield machine has completed factory acceptance and is preparing to enter the project site, creating a dual-machine construction model to improve tunneling efficiency.
The project is part of regional rail transit construction in the Yangtze River Delta. The tunnel alignment runs through complex urban conditions, including residential areas, schools, commercial buildings, bridges, and the corridor near the Shanghai-Kunming Railway. This creates high requirements for ground settlement control, alignment accuracy, and continuous construction safety.
Shield launch ceremony for the Jiashan-Xitang railway SG2 section.
Project overview showing the tunneling section and dense surrounding urban conditions.
Soft Soil Tunneling Challenges and EPB Shield Configuration
The Jiashan-Xitang railway tunnel section has a total double-line length of more than 3,000 meters, with tunnel crown burial depth ranging from approximately 8.6 meters to 26 meters. The alignment passes through high-viscosity soft soil and water-rich strata, where tunneling can face cutterhead clogging, ground settlement, segment floating, and muck discharge challenges.
- Excavation diameter: Sunward No.68 EPB shield machine has an excavation diameter of 8.83 meters.
- Machine weight: The complete machine weighs more than 1,100 tons.
- Maximum thrust: The system provides a maximum thrust of more than 80,000 kN for stable advance in complex soft soil.
- Ground adaptation: The machine is equipped with a high-opening-ratio soft-soil cutterhead, soil conditioning, synchronous grouting, chamber visualization, and harmful gas monitoring systems.
These configurations are designed to support stable excavation, settlement control, muck flow improvement, and safe tunneling in urban soft-soil railway construction.
Sunward No.68 EPB shield machine configured for soft-soil tunneling.
Sunward No.69 shield machine completed factory acceptance and is ready for deployment.
Dual-Machine Tunneling for Efficient Regional Rail Construction
The successful launch of Sunward No.68 and the readiness of Sunward No.69 demonstrate the company’s integrated capability in equipment R&D, manufacturing, factory acceptance, and on-site application. The dual-machine construction model is expected to help accelerate project progress while providing a practical reference for tunneling in the Yangtze River Delta’s soft-soil and densely built areas.
As a China shield machine manufacturer, Sunward Machine continues to develop project-specific tunneling equipment for rail transit, municipal infrastructure, water conservancy, mining, and urban underground space projects. The Jiashan-Xitang railway project further strengthens Sunward’s construction experience in East China and supports the development of an integrated regional rail network.
Customized EPB Shield Machines for Urban Rail Projects
Sunward provides tailored EPB shield machines, slurry shield machines, pipe jacking machines, and technical service for complex underground engineering conditions.
