Beishan No.1, the first large slope spiral tunnel boring machine in China, was put into use and participated in the construction of underground laboratories.

CTOnews.com, November 20, according to the China Railway Construction News, recently, Beishan No.1, China's first large-slope spiral tunnel boring machine jointly built by the 18th Bureau of China Railway and Railway Construction heavy Industry, has been officially put into use in the underground laboratory project of Mazongshan, Subei County, Gansu Province, which will undertake the task of excavating the ramp of the main project of the underground laboratory.

▲ picture from the CCTV "News 30 minutes" column "Beishan 1" on September 4 in the China Railway Construction heavy Industry Group Changsha second Industrial Park off the line, the equipment is about 100m long, 7.03m in diameter, can achieve horizontal 200m turning radius, while vertical 380m curve radius spiral tunneling.

"Beishan No. 1" uses a conical cutter head design, which increases the rock breaking efficiency by three times compared with the traditional plane cutterhead. The comprehensive slope of the Beishan underground laboratory involved in the construction is 10%, and the slope is about 7.2 km long. it is the first ramp project in the world to be constructed by full-section hard rock roadheader.

CTOnews.com learned that in May 2019, with the approval of the State Council, the Beishan Underground Laboratory Project was approved by the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense. Construction of the project began on June 17, 2021. It is not only one of the 100 major projects of the country's 13th five-year Plan, but also a major environmental protection research project of the country's 14th five-year Plan, and an important part of China's nuclear fuel closed cycle scientific and technological innovation system. When completed, the project will become the largest scientific research facility for nuclear environmental protection in the world.