Riyadh Metro Red Line Extension To Add 8.4km As TBM Completes Factory Testing

Dubai (PlantAndEquipment.com) - Construction of the Riyadh Metro Red Line Extension has hit a significant milestone with the successful completion of production and factory acceptance testing of its specialized tunnel boring machine (TBM), ahead of the commencement of underground excavation operations.

The expansion will add over 8.4 kilometers to Riyadh's metro network, including 7.1 kilometers of subterranean tunnels and 1.3 kilometers of elevated track. The project also includes five additional stations, two servicing King Saud University (containing the Medical City and major campus) and three in Diriyah. One of the Diriyah stations will serve as a future interchange with Line 7, enhancing connection across the capital's increasing public transportation network.

According to the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, the TBM will shortly be relocated to Riyadh, where it will begin digging the subterranean segment connecting King Saud University and the Diriyah Gate Development Project.

The machine, constructed specifically for the project, has an Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) tunneling mechanism, an 11.16-metre-diameter cutterhead, and a total length of 105 meters. The EPB technique is intended to maintain stability at the tunnel face while working in shifting ground conditions, allowing for safe, precise, and fast excavation underneath the city.