On August 17, the excavation of the left and right main tunnels at the entrance end of the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel on the key project G0711 Urumqi-Yuli Expressway achieved a major breakthrough despite extreme difficulties in crossing a major geologically fractured zone. As of now, the left tunnel has completed a cumulative 9,001 meters, accounting for 81.8% of the total project volume; the right tunnel has completed a cumulative 9,048 meters, accounting for 82.2% of the total project volume. The combined excavation length of the left and right tunnels has surpassed the 18-kilometer mark.

Construction of the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel project is being fully advanced

The G0711 Urumqi-Yuli Expressway is an important project for promoting the construction of the transportation hub center in the core area of the "Belt and Road" initiative, crossing the Tianshan Mountains and connecting northern and southern Xinjiang. The "throat" project of the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway—the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel—has a total length of 22.13 kilometers and is the world's longest expressway tunnel. It is also a typical extra-long, extremely cold, and high-altitude expressway tunnel among those under construction in China. The tunnel adopts a new construction technique known as the "three tunnels + four shafts" method.

Main tunnel at the entrance end of the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel

Since the beginning of this year, the excavation of the main tunnel at the entrance end has encountered a geologically altered fractured zone. Under extremely hazardous geological conditions including continuous collapses, debris flows, water inflow, and mud bursts, the construction team of the Urumqi-Yuli No. 5 Bid Section organized a technical research group, relied on an expert team, established specialized work crews, and adopted operation methods such as advanced drilling, advanced support with pipe roofs and conduits, water diversion, grouting consolidation of loose masses, and multiple benches, short advance, and strong support to continuously excavate through the fractured debris mass more than 1,000 meters underground in the depths of the Tianshan Mountains. Although the advance has been extremely slow and half a year has already passed, all members of the construction team have tenaciously held their ground, organized meticulously, responded scientifically, and overcome difficulties.