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Driving ahead with tunnelling developments

New technologies are coming to market with regard to driving and supporting tunnels, with drilling and blasting and accompanying shotcreating technologies being widely used worldwide. Drilling and blasting can be a cost-effective method in the right conditions and in this segment Atlas Copco and Sandvik hold major market shares worldwide, although other firms such as Furukawa and Montabert also compete. Shotcreting equipment is widely used following after drilling and blasting, with CIFA broadening its rang
June 13, 2012 Read time: 4 mins
Atlas Copco’s new drilling rig offers versatility and productivity
New technologies are coming to market with regard to driving and supporting tunnels, with drilling and blasting and accompanying shotcreating technologies being widely used worldwide. Drilling and blasting can be a cost-effective method in the right conditions and in this segment 161 Atlas Copco and 325 Sandvik hold major market shares worldwide, although other firms such as 5905 Furukawa and 2396 Montabert also compete. Shotcreting equipment is widely used following after drilling and blasting, with 2203 CIFA broadening its range at present.

From Atlas Copco comes a new multi-purpose drilling rig for tunnelling work, the Boomer E1 C-DH drill. This a single-boom, diesel-hydraulic multipurpose unit that is specifically designed for use in construction sites lacking water and electrical infrastructure. The Boomer E1 C-DH comes with dual onboard 450litre water tanks and is powered by a six-cylinder 201 Deutz diesel rated at 173kW. The firm claims that the machine is one of the largest diesel-hydraulic face-drilling rigs on the market, with a coverage area of up to 95m2, a 38% increase over the firm’s earlier Boomer L1 C–DH.

The new rig is able to handle small construction jobs more efficiently than larger machines and offers versatility and manoeuvrability onsite. Capabilities are increased with the optional basket attachment, which allows the rig to be used for bolting and as a utility machine for drilling holes and installing ventilation ducting.

The machine comes as standard with Atlas Copco’s Rig Control System (RCS) with the option to upgrade to a higher degree of automation. The firm offers the rig with a choice of COP 1638, COP 1838, or COP 2238 rock drills with dual-damping technology to boost service life. The BUT 45 heavy-duty boom is equipped with a double-rotation unit for plus/minus 190° roll-over and plus/minus 135° feed rotation, providing the operator with fast and accurate positioning between holes. It comes with a 2.5m boom extension and 1.8m feed extension. The new Boomer rig also has a BMH 6000 series hydraulic feed.

This model was developed in partnership with contractor 1209 Veidekke based on its request for a diesel hydraulic driven rig with large coverage area combined with a service basket. The first rig has been used in various projects since delivery, in after bolting and doing cross cuts in existing tunnels with success.

The other firms in the drilling and blasting segment of the tunnelling sector are also highly active and the latest rock drill from Montabert is the new HC25 model. This is said to operate at a high frequency while efficient operation is said to maximise rock breaking and minimise tool wear. The HC25 delivers 7.5kW and can drill 33-76mm diameter holes. It operates at 4,000blows/minute while requiring an oil flow of 65litres/minute and delivers 110Joules impact energy/blow. The HC25 can deliver a torque of up to 320Nm and the firm claims that this rock drill can be fitted to all available booms.

For shotcreting duties CIFA is now offering the compact CST 8.20, which is designed for use in tunnels up to 10m in height. This broadens CIFA’s existing range, which includes the CSS-3 Step 3, CSS-3 Crawler and PCS 209. The new CTS 8.20 is equipped with a Stage IIIB/Tier 4 Interim compliant diesel for tramming and a 45kW electric motor for pumping. The CST 8.20 features a pumping unit with a variable capacity from 2-20m3/hour.

The boom is made up of two sections, one of which is telescopic, and comes with a standard remote control. The pump is mounted on a specially designed frame for use in small tunnels, and is equipped with four drive wheels with hydrostatic drive. The machine also has front outriggers and a rear axle locking system designed to ensure stability. The CST 8.20 has a Mattei compressor that delivers 8,900litres/minute. The automatic additives batching system is the electronically operated Uniflux H1.0, designed for batching any type of cement-setting additive or accelerator.

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