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Regional HSR Completes Longest, Most Complex Tunnel After 22-Month Effort in SW China

By ZHAN CHEN|Oct 21,2024

Chongqing – The Chengdu-Dazhou-Wanzhou High-Speed Railway (Chengdawan HSR) in Southwest China reached a major milestone recently with the completion of the Huangjiashan Tunnel after its final blast.

This milestone marks a crucial phase in the railway's progress, with tunnel operations now entering the final stages.

Huangjiashan Tunnel of the Chengdu-Dazhou-Wanzhou High-Speed Railway was completed recently. (Photo/China Railway 12th Bureau Group Co., Ltd.)

The Chengdawan HSR is integral to China's "eight vertical and eight horizontal" high-speed rail network. Spanning 477 kilometers, the railway links Chengdu in Sichuan Province to Wanzhou in Chongqing, passing through Ziyang, Suining, Nanchong, and Dazhou. It will connect with the existing Zhengzhou-Chongqing High-Speed Railway at Wanzhou North Station and is designed for a maximum speed of 350 km/h.

Located in Nanchong, Sichuan Province, the Huangjiashan Tunnel is a single-bore, double-track tunnel that extends 3,106 meters and has a maximum depth of 125 meters.

Yang Hua, Chief Engineer of the Chengdawan HSR Project Department at China Railway 12th Bureau Group Co., Ltd., explained that the construction faced numerous challenges due to complex geological conditions, including karst formations, coal seam gas, and hazardous gases.

"In response to these challenges, we primarily used two methods—mechanical excavation and controlled blasting—to ensure that the tunneling did not compromise existing structures," said Yang.

The construction of the Huangjiashan Tunnel, which took approximately 22 months, represented the longest and most complex segment between Chengdu East and Yingshan West.

The construction site of the Huangjiashan Tunnel of Chengdu-Dazhou-Wanzhou High-Speed Railway. (Photo/China Railway 12th Bureau Group Co., Ltd.)

Yang also highlighted the use of advanced machinery and automation to enhance construction quality, efficiency, and safety while reducing labor intensity. 

For example, the project employed nine mechanized production lines, including multifunctional operation trolleys, arch installation trolleys, anchor trolleys, concrete wet-spraying manipulators, and fully automated hydraulic trestles.

Moreover, safety was a top priority for the team, especially in the tunnel's hazardous environment. The project implemented a state-of-the-art gas monitoring and alarm system, which provided real-time data and ensured a secure worksite.

The tunnel's completion signifies steady progress in the railway's construction. Of the 133 tunnels along the line, 79 have now been completed, accelerating the project’s overall development.

The entire railway is expected to be completed before 2027. Once operational, travel time between Chengdu and Wanzhou will be reduced from nearly three hours to just one and a half hours.

In addition to cutting travel times, the Chengdawan HSR is anticipated to stimulate economic growth, particularly by bolstering the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle and supporting the Yangtze River Economic Belt, which are vital components of China's national development strategy.

(Ma Manlin, as an intern, also contributed to this report.)


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