Tunnel construction China is building a highway— under glacier ice

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Asia Waypoint

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For the first time, China is drilling a tunnel through a glacier. The 15.7-kilometer-long highway tunnel runs under the glacier's ice layer, which is up to 2.4 kilometers thick. The domestically produced tunnel boring machine "Wensu" has been on the move since the beginning of July.

Henrik Bork, long-time China correspondent for the German 'Süddeutsche Zeitung' and the 'Frankfurter Rundschau', is Managing Director at Asia Waypoint, a Beijing-based consultancy specializing in China. 

The glacier tunnel is part of the new G219 highway on the far west of China. It is expected to facilitate traffic between the towns of Zhaosu and Wensu in the northern and southern parts of Xinjiang province from 2027 onwards, as it will "shorten this route from the current 1,710 kilometers (1,062 miles) to 500 (311 miles) kilometers," according to the Chinese news agency Xinhua.

The new traffic artery through the western Tianshan Mountain, which averages 4,000 meters above sea level, will, once all sections are completed, connect China with Central Asia. Beyond the Tianshan Mountains lie Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. And from there, trucks or travelers will then be able to continue to India or Russia.

Tunnel boring machine made in China

The local geological conditions pose unique challenges to the safety and environmental compatibility of tunnel drilling.

Not without pride, the Chinese reports point out that the tunnel boring machine TBM "Wensu", weighing 1,800 tons and 235 meters long, was developed and built in China itself by the state-run "China Communications Construction Company". It has a diameter of 8.83 meters and is packed with modern technology.

"The local geological conditions pose unique challenges to the safety and environmental compatibility of tunnel drilling," Xinhua writes—and then provides details that make this statement sound like British understatement.

• Not only is the glacier region covered with snow and ice all year round, with average winter temperatures of minus 20 degrees Celsius (-4°F).

• Under the ice layer, in the rock consisting among other things of heavily weathered quartz schist, rhyolite porphyry, and marble, it does not look much more inviting for engineers: water intrusions, mountain strikes, and other construction risks such as "large deformations of soft rock in the fracture zones" made this project a particular technical challenge, writes the Chinese Construction Machinery Association in its report on the launch of the TBM on July 3.

• Rock layers threatened by dangerous rock falls are said to be found on more than 82 percent of the drilling route. In addition to the equipment of traditional TBMs, "Wensu" is therefore equipped with an "advanced geological early warning system, an advanced electrical CFC early detection system", furthermore with a special drill head, cooling system and a "SHP mountain strike detection system", according to the professional association.

China accelerates science and technology

In other parts of the world, the question might arise as to why one would undertake such a drilling project at all—why a detour might not make more sense in this particular case. Not so in China, where the belief that science and technology are an important force for the development of the country and for a better future for the population is deeply rooted in society and also in the politics of the Communist Party of China.

Mammoth projects for demonstration purposes

With such mammoth projects, Beijing not only solves logistical challenges but also creates showcase projects for potential customers of its TBM, which is now also in demand for export.

Such a demonstration effect for potential buyers from other countries can be expected with the glacier tunnel, just as with other mega projects of this kind, such as the more than 1,500 kilometer (932 miles) long high-speed rail line from Sichuan to Tibet, where the workers had to struggle with lack of oxygen and altitude sickness (our sister magazine MM Maschinenmarkt reported).

Beijing also has the economic development of its still relatively backward west in mind with the glacier tunnel. The new highway will provide a much better connection between the two provinces of Tibet and Xinjiang, which are partially inhabited by ethnic minorities. It is "of great significance for promoting the economic development of northern and southern Xinjiang and for maintaining social stability, long-term peace and order in Xinjiang", writes Xinhua.