The first of two FAST Consortium tunnel-boring machines (TBM) to be used on the Riyadh Metro Green Line has been launched.
The TBM, named Dhafrah, is the first of seven that will eventually be put into service for constructing the entire Riyadh Metro system. A total of seven TMBs have been manufactured for the project, and will create tunnels of 35km in length at a depth of 30m.
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Dhafrah started boring on the 12.9km tunnel between Riyadh Airbase and King Abdul Aziz Historical Centre. It is expected to drill at an average rate of 75 to 100m a week, installing precast concrete segments as rings which form the tunnel lining as it moves forward.
The Green Line features 11 stations and two endpoint transfer stations with the Blue and Red lines.
FAST Project director Jaime Freyre de Andrade Calonge said: "On 19 March of this year, FAST Consortium also placed the first 475t concrete girder into its permanent elevated position – another first for Riyadh Metro.
"These are important early steps in our journey toward delivering a world-class metro to the people of Riyadh."
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By GlobalDataThe FAST Consortium, which is comprised eight partner companies, is also responsible for carryout the work on the Yellow and Purple lines.
Following completion in 2018, the entire metro system will contain 176km of tracks and 85 stations. This project is expected to create more than 15,000 jobs in Saudi Arabia.
The Arriyadh Development Authority (ADA) will own and operate the metro project, which will have an execution period of five years and an optional maintenance service period for the next ten years.
The design and construction contract of the Riyadh metro was awarded by ADA in August 2013 to three consortiums BACS, ANM and FAST.
Image: Riyadh metro map. Photo: courtesy of Salfan via Wikipedia.
