Korea Expressway Corporation advances TBM excavation toward Gimpo for first road tunnel beneath the Han River

[Financial News] Excavation toward Gimpo is underway on the Han River Tunnel, part of the Capital Region 2nd Ring Expressway and the first road tunnel to pass beneath the Han River. The project uses a tunnel boring machine (TBM) 14 meters in diameter, the largest in South Korea. Excavation toward Paju was completed in April, breaking through beneath the Han River.
Korea Expressway Corporation said it held a ceremony on the 6th to mark the start of TBM excavation toward Gimpo for the Han River Tunnel on the Gimpo–Paju section of the Capital Region 2nd Ring Expressway. Around 100 people, including Korea Expressway Corporation President Yoo Jeong-hun, local lawmakers, heads of local governments and construction personnel, attended the event and wished for safe construction.
Construction on the Gimpo–Paju section began in February 2019 and is ongoing. The Han River Tunnel being built on this section will be the first road tunnel to pass beneath the Han River.
The project uses the TBM method, which rotates a cutterhead fitted with disc cutters to crush bedrock under pressure. Compared with the conventional NATM method, which uses explosives to blast bedrock, it produces less noise and vibration.
President Yoo said, “The Han River Tunnel, as the first road tunnel to pass beneath the Han River, will become a facility symbolizing South Korea’s construction technology,” adding, “We will make safety our top priority throughout every stage of construction and build a tunnel that the public can use with peace of mind.”
[email protected] Choi Ga-young Reporter