The TBM, which was specially designed for Vienna, was manufactured in Schwanau, at Herrenknecht’s German site. The employees of the U2 17-21 consortium, consisting of PORR and STRABAG, have spent the past few months working with the manufacturer’s experts to assemble the machine. It is 120 metres long and weighs a remarkable 1,200 tonnes. Dismantled into individual parts, it will be transported from southern Germany to Vienna over the next few months, where it will be reassembled at Matzleinsdorfer Platz. The TBM will start full operation in autumn: Similar to an operational “buttonhole method”, the TBM’s work will take place underground and all the earth excavated by the TBM will be removed via a central shaft at Matzleinsdorfer Platz. This will save 20,000 truck journeys through the city along with 75 tonnes of CO2.
Using drive power of 1.92 megawatts, the TBM will dig its way through Vienna from Matzleinsdorfer Platz station to Augustinplatz in the seventh district, connecting all four new stations (U2xS Matzleinsdorfer Platz, U2 Reinprechtsdorfer Straße, U2xU4 Pilgramgasse, U2xU3 Neubaugasse) and their station shafts for the first time. Once its work is complete, the TBM will leave behind two U2 tunnel tubes with an excavation diameter of 6.84 metres.
