Obayashi Corp. announced on November 18 that it started operation of one of the world’s largest tunnel boring machines at expressway construction site in Auckland, New Zealand. The machine with more than 14 meters diameter weighing 2500 tons will be excavating twin 2.4 kilometer tunnels, which is scheduled for completion in 23 months.

“Waterview Connection Tunnel and Great North Road Interchange Construction Project”, a part of the nation’s largest motorway project, has been undertaken by a consortium of local construction contractors and Obayashi Corp at the cost of 74.4 billion yen sponsored by the New Zealand Transport Agency. This is Obayashi’s first contract won in New Zealand.

The mud pressure balance machine was custom built by German company Herrenknecht in China, which is equipped with Obayashi’s liquidity measuring device for mud in the chamber. Its diameter of 14.46 meters is the 10th biggest ever built in the world. (2013/11/19)