{"id":150986,"date":"2025-06-18T22:29:34","date_gmt":"2025-06-18T22:29:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/this-is-the-tunneling-machine-aimed-at-transforming-madrids-line-11\/"},"modified":"2025-06-18T22:29:36","modified_gmt":"2025-06-18T22:29:36","slug":"this-is-the-tunneling-machine-aimed-at-transforming-madrids-line-11","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/this-is-the-tunneling-machine-aimed-at-transforming-madrids-line-11\/","title":{"rendered":"This is the tunneling machine aimed at transforming Madrid&#8217;s Line 11."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The recent \u00a0expansion\u00a0 of Line 11 of the Madrid Metro aims for more than just adding stations; it aspires to become a major diagonal axis that connects the city in a transversal way. This ambitious and complex project demands machinery that meets the rigorous expectations of urban tunneling. At the heart of this operation is \u00a0Mayrit\u00a0, the tunnel boring machine (TBM) specifically designed for the geological and geotechnical conditions of the Madrid territory. As it prepares to be integrated into one of the \u00a0most significant public transport developments\u00a0 in the capital, its role cannot be overstated.<\/p>\n<p><!-- BREAK 1 --> <\/p>\n<h2>A Tunnel Boring Machine Tailored for Madrid&#8217;s Subsoil<\/h2>\n<p>Mayrit has been completed and manufactured by \u00a0Herrenknecht AG\u00a0, a globally recognized firm specializing in tunneling machinery. The TBM was developed in their factory located in Schwanau, Germany, over a period of 20 months. \u00a0Mayrit\u00a0 stands out not just for its design but also for its practicality\u2014it&#8217;s an EPB (Earth Pressure Balance) model, crafted specifically to excavate cohesive soils similar to those found in Madrid. This colossal machine measures \u00a098 meters\u00a0 in length, weighs \u00a01,500 tons\u00a0, and can advance up to \u00a015 meters per day\u00a0. Typically, it is capable of completing around \u00a0500 meters a month\u00a0, operated by teams of twelve personnel per shift.<\/p>\n<p><!-- BREAK 2 --><\/p>\n<h2>The Logistics of Transporting Mayrit<\/h2>\n<p>The logistical complexity of transporting such a machine to Madrid is considerable. Mayrit must be completely \u00a0disassembled\u00a0 piece by piece at its origin within three months. Following that, it will undergo a \u00a02,000-kilometer journey\u00a0 involving road transport to Antwerp, maritime shipping to the Port of Santander, and finally, truck transport to the new Comillas station in Carabanchel. Upon arrival, a reverse assembly process will take place, expected to last until \u00a0March 2026\u00a0, when operations are set to commence.<\/p>\n<p><!-- BREAK 3 --> <\/p>\n<div class=\"article-asset-image article-asset-normal article-asset-center\">\n<div class=\"asset-content\">\n<p>   <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Tuneladora Madrid Mayrit\" class=\"centro_sinmarco\" src=\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/This-is-the-tunneling-machine-aimed-at-transforming-Madrids-Line.jpeg\"\/>\n      <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The primary function of Mayrit will be to bore the tunnel for the section between \u00a0Plaza El\u00edptica\u00a0 and \u00a0Conde de Casal\u00a0, one of the most challenging phases of the expansion. Work in this section is currently \u00a018.4% complete\u00a0, with the regional government announcing a hefty investment of \u00a0518 million euros\u00a0 for this phase alone. Additionally, manual excavation works are already underway, spanning \u00a0700 meters\u00a0 between Comillas and Plaza El\u00edptica, advancing at a rate of approximately \u00a050 meters per month\u00a0. This groundwork aims to ready the terrain for when Mayrit begins her task.<\/p>\n<p><!-- BREAK 4 --> <\/p>\n<div class=\"article-asset-image article-asset-normal article-asset-center\">\n<div class=\"asset-content\">\n                   <img class=\"centro_sinmarco\" height=\"1080\" width=\"1920\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  fetchpriority=\"high\"  src=\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1750285774_278_This-is-the-tunneling-machine-aimed-at-transforming-Madrids-Line.jpeg\" alt=\"tuneladora\"\/><br \/>\n   <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"tuneladora\" class=\"centro_sinmarco\" src=\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1750285774_278_This-is-the-tunneling-machine-aimed-at-transforming-Madrids-Line.jpeg\"\/>\n      <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>But beyond the rhetoric, the technology driving Mayrit is highly sophisticated. Inside the machine, a \u00a0screw conveyor\u00a0 transports the excavated material to a conveyor belt, while pressure sensors provide the ability to \u00a0monitor the balance of forces in real time\u00a0 within the excavation chamber. This technology is crucial for maintaining front stability and preventing subsidence, even in environments with heterogeneous materials like gravel, water, or sand.<\/p>\n<p><!-- BREAK 5 --> <\/p>\n<div class=\"article-asset article-asset-normal article-asset-center\">\n<div class=\"desvio-container\">\n<div class=\"desvio\">\n<div class=\"desvio-figure js-desvio-figure\">\n     <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Otto quiere romper moldes\" width=\"375\" height=\"142\" src=\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1749760058_632_The-US-Navy-wants-to-upgrade-its-FA-18s-with-sensors.jpeg\"\/>\n   <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Moreover, the system can \u00a0adapt on the fly\u00a0 to different geological scenarios. Herrenknecht has integrated several solutions that convert the output of the spoon into a washing circuit, allowing it to handle \u00a0slurry conditions\u00a0 when necessary. Other modules enable the adjustment of soil consistency through injections of bentonite, water, or foam. The arrival of Mayrit in Madrid is expected in December, setting the stage for a new era in urban underground transport.<\/p>\n<p><!-- BREAK 6 --> <\/p>\n<p>Images sourced from <a rel=\"noopener, noreferrer nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/metrodemadrid\/posts\/pfbid02EwBxYcttNL7DcV3ngmj6JoJNYVpovJNZdQJgxsF34dx82GGkXoUMyccZjnDY4Mgfl\" target=\"_blank\">Metro de Madrid<\/a> and <a rel=\"noopener, noreferrer nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.herrenknecht.com\/de\/\" target=\"_blank\">Herrenknecht<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/category\/general\/\" rel=\"dofollow\">General News &#8211; 2<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The recent \u00a0expansion\u00a0 of Line 11 of the Madrid Metro aims for more than just adding stations; it aspires to become a major diagonal axis that connects the city in a transversal way. This ambitious and complex project demands machinery that meets the rigorous expectations of urban tunneling. At the heart of this operation is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":150987,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36399],"tags":[6500,592,6653,10546,25525,37244],"class_list":["post-150986","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-aimed","tag-line","tag-machine","tag-madrids","tag-transforming","tag-tunneling"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150986","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=150986"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150986\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/150987"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=150986"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=150986"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=150986"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}