A Novel Approach at Niagara: Robbins TBM Stands Up to Challenging Ground with Custom Lining and Ground Support

Roof drills on the TBM installing 20-ft long rock bolts in the ceiling of the Niagara Tunnel

Roof drills on the TBM installing 20-ft long rock bolts in the ceiling of the Niagara Tunnel

This article describes the challenges faced by the World’s largest hard rock TBM (47.2-ft in diameter) as it tunnels through some very difficult geology while constructing a massive tunnel under Niagara Falls for hydroelectric power generation. People familiar with this site might recognize that I’m a fan of Ontario Geofish, a blogger who has posted about the Niagara Tunnel at some length. He has some additional insights into the project, the geology and rock mechanics. But this article is very nicely written and explains some of the problems they encountered with overbreak etc and how they solved them. [Source: Tunnel Business Online. Image: Tunnel Business Magazine]