Shkotovo – Smolyaninovo: crossed the equator

Metro builders from MMC International continue to successfully carry out work on the construction of two tunnels at one of the largest construction projects of JSC Russian Railways - the Shkotovo - Smolyaninovo section of the Far Eastern Railway (FER), said General Director of JSC Mosmetrostroy Sergei Zhukov, who visited the Primorsky Territory on an inspection in October.

– Here, in Primorye, our specialists are simultaneously laying two parallel single-track tunnels with a length of 1450 and 1420 linear meters as part of the program for modernizing the infrastructure of the Baikal-Amur and Trans-Siberian railways. We plan to complete construction by the end of 2024,” said Sergei Zhukov.

Also, as part of the agreement, two approaches to the tunnels are being built - from the side of the Eastern portal with a length of 1141 meters and from the side of the Western portal (450 meters).

Currently, work is actively underway to excavate tunnels from the Western and Eastern portals. Due to difficult engineering and geological conditions, excavation is carried out in three ledges with a device for advanced fastening of the roof and the “forehead” of the face. To date, 69% of the climb has been completed on the upper ledge (calotte), 43% on the middle ledge and 40% on the lower ledge. In some areas, special construction methods are used (jet technologies for the necessary soil stability). At the same time, the construction of permanent tunnel lining is underway. Over 1 thousand linear meters of the finished reverse vault and 650 linear meters of permanent lining of the vault and walls were made.

On the approach to the Eastern Portal, two single-track bridges are being built; reinforced concrete spans are being installed. In addition, the construction of two supply canals to collect water flows and concentrate them at the bridge crossings is being completed.

The project also includes buildings and structures of engineering and technical security equipment (ITSO). They are necessary for transport safety and tunnel management during operation. A two-story building with a guardhouse, a garage and a dog food kitchen is being erected on the Western Portal. Construction of a guardhouse on the Eastern Portal is underway.

In general, about a thousand people from different regions of Russia and local workers are involved in the Shkotovsky Pass area. More than one hundred pieces of equipment are used to construct tunnels, including specialized underground machines and mechanisms.

– To replace European analogues that have left the Russian market, the issue of purchasing specialized Chinese-made equipment, for example, a shotcrete installation, is being considered. A drilling rig from a Chinese manufacturer has already been purchased and put into operation,” noted Denis Chumachenko, General Director of MMC International.

The commissioning of the bypass will make it possible to eliminate the “barrier” place on the way to the ports of Nakhodka. Nowadays, on difficult terrain with ups and downs, pushing locomotives are used for freight trains. Thanks to the new tunnels, capacity will increase to 72 pairs of trains per day without additional traction.