This is an interesting video of crews changing cutterhead teeth on the Bertha TBM beneath downtown Seattle. [Source: WSDOT YouTube Channel. Image: YouTube]
Video: Changing cutting tools on Bertha TBM
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Lovat TBM breakthrough imminent at Brightwater
Not too many details here since I am not a subscriber to their magazine, but it does appear to be some much needed good news for the King County, WA (Seattle area) Brightwater treatment plant […]
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Rising Costs and Delays in Seattle Area Wastewater Plant and Tunnels
In keeping with our theme of rising costs on tunnel projects, the Brightwater sewage-treatment plant and treated waste pipeline project in King County Washington (Seattle area) is now up to at least $1.84 billion according to the lead consultant on the project. The treated waste pipeline is 13 to 14-miles long and at depths of 40 to 440-ft! It is being constructed nearly entirely by TBM. One source of delay was due to a tunneling subcontractor not being able to get parts (ball bearings?) because they were all being requisitioned by the US War Department for use in military equipment in Iraq and Afghanistan. Click through for information sources and links.
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Bertha Tunneling to Resume 1 Month Later Than Planned
The Seattle Tunnel Partners JV announced last month that tunneling on the Alaska Way Viaduct Replacement project will resume a month later than originally planned. The Bertha TBM will resume mining on December 23 after […]