Tunneling is our passion

by  Lars Langmaack

MC speciality chemicals

Modern tunneling - and especially TBM tunneling - is unthinkable without using chemistry. Similar to our daily life, many things used quite naturally are based on modern chemistry: Visible Success - invisible contribution.

Soil Conditioners allow reducing cutterhead torque values and wear as well as securing a complete filling of the working chamber independent of the present geological conditions, allowing the application of the correct EPB pressure for achieving minimum settlement rates.

Tail Sealants seal the gap at the shield tail together with the brushes against water, soil or annulus grout inflow. 

Main Bearing Sealants & Greases protect and lubricate the main bearing.

Furthermore, speciality chemicals are used to adapt the use of annulus grouts, pre-injection can be used for soil stabilisation, start and reception shafts, safe havens, cross passages and many more applications. New developments like sprayable waterproofing membranes or structural support liners (SSL) could only be developed with modern chemistry. These developments increase significantly the safety as well as decrease costs in difficult geometries.

If TBM additives are not correctly used - what can go wrong?

EPB TBM

Soil Conditioners  MC-Montan DRIVE
Foaming agents (polymerized): FL 02, 02RU, 02WR, FL 03, FL 12

Foaming anti-clogging agents: FL 04, 04FR, 04RU, FL16

Anti-clogging polymers: CA02, CA04

Structuring polymers: LB02, LB11
SolidFoam (TM)

Defoamers  MC-Montan DRIVE

DF

Tail Sealants  MC-Montan SEAL

Bentonite based: ST 01

Plant oil based: ST 11

First fill: ST F1

(c) Herrenknecht

Annulus grout additives  MC-Montan GROUT

2k accelerator: 01

2k superplasticiser: 08

Retarder: 04

Viscosity Modifier: 05

Anti-gypsum swelling: AA03, DA04

Foaming annulus grout: FM

Main bearing greases  MC-Montan SUPPORT
Main bearing sealing / excluder grease: MB S1

Main bearing lubrication / EP2 grease: MB L1, L11

Slurry TBM

Polymers  MC-Montan DRIVE

Anti-clogging polymers: BA04, BA07, BA08

Bentonite polymers: LB02, LB11

Flocculants  MC-Montan SUPPORT

FA anionic / cationic

Annulus grout additives  MC-Montan GROUT

2k accelerator: 01

2k superplasticiser: 08

Retarder: 04

Viscosity Modifier: 05

Anti-gypsum swelling: AA03, DA04

Foaming annulus grout: FM

Tail Sealants  MC-Montan SEAL

Bentonite based: ST 01

Plant oil based: ST 11

First fill: ST F1

Main bearing greases  MC-Montan SUPPORT

Main bering sealing / excluder grease: MB S1

Main bearing lubrication / EP2 grease: MB L1, L11

HR TBM

HR TBM

Protection  MC-Montan SUPPORT

Anti-dust: DB02, DB12

Anti-wear: WR12

Defoamers  MC-Montan DRIVE

DF

Annulus grout additives  MC-Montan GROUT
Retarder: 04

Viscosity Modifier: 05
Anti-gypsum swelling: AA03, DA04

Drainage  grout (k>10-4 m/s): DrainGrout

Geopolymer grout: BG02

Tail Sealants  MC-Montan SEAL

Bentonite based: ST 01

Plant oil based: ST 11

First fill: ST F1

Main bearing greases  MC-Montan SUPPORT

Main bering sealing / excluder grease: MB S1

Main bearing lubrication / EP2 grease: MB L1, L11

Gripper TBM

Protection  MC-Montan SUPPORT

Anti-dust: DB02, DB12

Anti-wear: WR12

Sprayed concrete  MC-Montan SHOTCRETE
Alkali free accelerator: HA01

Defoamers  MC-Montan DRIVE

DF

Stabilisation & cavity filling  MC-Montan INJEKT

Duromer resin (sealing & consolidation): FR, FN, FS

Organo-mineral resin (consolidation & waterproofing): CB

Elastomer resin (sealing & consolidation): DR, DS 

Duromer foam (void filling): LE

Main bearing greases  MC-Montan SUPPORT

Main bering sealing / excluder grease: MB S1

Main bearing lubrication / EP2 grease: MB L1, L11

EPB TBM drive visualization (c) Herrenknecht

TBM history

Lars Langmaack    +49 173 979 88 55     lars.langmaack@mc-bauchemie.de