Aimed at increasing the levels of skills of the DMRC engineers in underground tunnelling, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has tied up with the Tunnel Training Academy, Kuala Lumpur. The DMRC engineers will be trained on the latest techniques and skills needed for tunnelling works using the Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM).
According to the Metro officials, about 53 km of the total length of 143 km of Delhi Metro Phase-III is being constructed underground and 35 TBMs will be used for the purpose. The deepest tunnelling point in Phase-III will be at 29 metres as it will be made under the existing operational Hauz Khas metro station. Each TBM weighs about 450 tonnes and is over between 60 and 80 metres in length. The training will be given on proper lifting and lowering of the TBMs at the work sites.
The first batch of 10 Delhi Metro engineers will be sent for training next month that, the officials said, will help the DMRC increase its internal expertise in underground tunnelling engineering.
“Such intensive tunnelling activity will require specialised engineering skills in different aspects of the operations of the TBMs such as cutting wheel erection, erection simulators for ring building, gap filling/grouting etc, which are an essential part of the operations. In the Malaysian academy, Metro engineers will thus be able to get hands-on training in a classroom which would provide underground tunnel environment using audio-visual 3-dimensional tools to erect tunnelling segments using wireless controls,” a Metro official said.
In addition, the officials said, the engineers will be able to construct Tunnel Arches using concreting in the training laboratories. The trainees will also be exposed to working TBM models and the use of cutting tools such as disk cutter and cutting knives which are used to cut through soil and rocks.
“As part of the module, Metro engineers will also be required to ensure that there is no movement and surface settlement in the building above under which the tunnelling takes place,” an official said.
The Tunnel Training Academy in Kuala Lumpur creates a simulated underground environment. Established in December 2011, the Academy has trained 508 engineers so far. The officials said the DMRC is also planning to set up its own such tunnel training academy in Delhi.
