Double breakthrough for Sydney Metro

Two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) have broken through a rock wall to arrive at Five Dock Metro Station as part of the Sydney Metro West project in Sydney, Australia.

(Photo: Sydney Metro)

The TBMs have achieved the first two breakthroughs for Sydney Metro West as work goes ahead to build twin 24km metro tunnels between Westmead and the Sydney CBD.

According to the New South Wales Government, this claims the title of the ‘first TBMs in the southern hemisphere to complete a double breakthrough’. 

TBM Daphne broke through first, followed closely by TBM Beatrice, after building the 4.3km section of the metro tunnel for around seven months.

To date, the machines have excavated 437,463 tonnes of material and installed 30,732 concrete segments to line the new tunnel walls.

In preparation for the arrival of the Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs), the Five Dock station cavern was excavated. About 286,047 tonnes of material were removed to create the underground box-like structure, which is 22 metres wide and 30 metres deep.

The TBMs are now heading towards the Burwood North Metro Station site, which is approximately two kilometres away. They are expected to arrive there in early 2024.