On June 25, the first tunnel boring machine (TBM) on the entire Guangzhou Metro Line 8 North Extension, "Dunjialong No. 1," constructed by Sinohydro Bureau 14 Co., Ltd., was launched from Shuilu Station, marking the project's official entry into the shield tunneling construction phase.

"Dunjialong No. 1" is an air-cushion direct-discharge dual-channel slurry shield machine, responsible for excavating the left-line tunnel of the section from Jiangfu Station to Shuilu Station. The Jiangfu–Shuilu section has a high groundwater level, widespread water-rich sand layers, and a karst cave encounter rate of 45.1%, making the shield machine prone to sinking and "nose-diving" during excavation. In addition, the tunneling passes beneath municipal roads, pedestrian bridges, and river-crossing tunnels and other structures, placing extremely high demands on stratum stability control.

Based on the geological conditions of the section, the project team, together with all participating units, carried out technical research, formulated a dedicated construction plan, and adopted a dual approach combining "geophysical exploration + drilling technology" with "dual-grout edge sealing + grouting filling" to pave an "artificially reinforced passage" for the shield machine in advance. Detailed investigation and assessment were conducted before construction in dense building clusters, and an advanced geological prediction system was used to comprehensively analyze and cross-verify various data, achieving geological透视 30 meters ahead of the cutterhead and minimizing safety risks to the greatest extent.

The construction of this project enhances the radiating and aggregating functions of Guangzhou's central urban area, can drive the development of new-type towns such as Jianggao Town and Huadu Lake area along the line, and is of great significance for connecting the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and elevating the city's development level.