China has commenced operations of Qiming, the world’s largest automated vertical shaft boring machine, marking a significant technological milestone in underground construction engineering. The massive apparatus was deployed Tuesday in Taicang, Jiangsu province, for the critical No. 2 vertical shaft of the Chongming-Taicang Yangtze River tunnel project.
Standing 13 meters tall with an unprecedented cutting diameter of 24 meters, Qiming represents cutting-edge engineering innovation. The machine is designed to operate at depths reaching 75 meters while withstanding extreme water pressure of up to eight bar. Its deployment comes as the Linghang shield tunneling machine has already completed over 10,000 meters of tunneling progress from Chongming’s No. 3 shaft.
The Chongming-Taicang tunnel spans 14.25 kilometers and features three vertical shafts, connecting Shanghai’s Chongming district with Jiangsu’s Taicang city. The No. 2 shaft, positioned merely 200 meters from the Yangtze River’s south embankment, presents exceptional construction challenges due to high groundwater levels and complex geological conditions. With a diameter matching Qiming’s cutting capacity and a depth of 56.08 meters, this shaft serves as a crucial reception and relaunch point for the ongoing tunneling operations.
Fu Bowei, deputy project manager from China Railway Tunnel Group Co, emphasized the time-sensitive nature of the shaft construction, noting that any delays could potentially halt the entire tunneling process as the Linghang machine approaches completion.
Qiming incorporates advanced intelligent systems capable of autonomous sinking, precision directional control, and real-time environmental monitoring. The machine’s supervised unmanned operation capability represents a paradigm shift in vertical shaft construction methodology, transitioning from conventional techniques to a fully intelligent construction model that significantly reduces human presence both above and below ground.
This technological innovation addresses longstanding challenges in deep shaft construction, particularly in areas of visual inspection, physical access, and precise measurement. Upon project completion, the tunnel will enable high-speed trains to maintain optimal speeds while crossing the Yangtze River, providing Chongming Island—China’s third-largest island—with its first high-speed rail connectivity.
The infrastructure project constitutes a vital component in enhancing the Yangtze River Delta region’s integrated transportation network, supporting both the Yangtze River Economic Belt development strategy and broader regional integration initiatives.