The shift to factory-produced precast segments offers significant advantages over older methods:
Durability and Watertightness: The segments are designed for high strength and often feature integrated gaskets to ensure the tunnel structure is robust and waterproof for a service life often specified for 100 years or more.
Speed and Efficiency: Segments are mass-produced off-site under controlled conditions, drastically reducing on-site installation time and accelerating the entire construction timeline.
Quality and Precision: Factory conditions allow for superior quality control and millimetre-level precision, ensuring a perfect fit between segments.
Safety: The continuous ring installation by the TBM provides immediate ground support, significantly enhancing worker safety and ground stability.
