Infrastructure and Construction

[kmaherali]

China completes 11 km underwater tunnel beneath Yangtze river, bullet trains to run at 350 kmph speed

China completes an underwater tunnel beneath the Yangtze river, enabling bullet trains to run at speeds of up to 350 kmph. Check key project details.


China's Yangtze underwater tunnel enables bullet trains to run at 350 kmph speed (Image generated using AI)

Bullet train in China: China has completed an 11.18-km-long high-speed underwater tunnel beneath the Yangtze River. The structure forms part of the underwater section of the Chongming-Taicang Yangtze River tunnel. The tunnelling work was carried out using the shield tunnelling machine “Linghang.”

According to Xinhua News Agency, the tunnel connects Chongming District in Shanghai with Taicang in east China’s Jiangsu, and spans a total length of 14.25 km. Out of this, 11.18 km tunnel runs beneath the river. Once operational, it will enable bullet trains to run at speeds of up to 350 kmph.

CR450 train speed

Unveiled in 2024, CR450 bullet train is being hailed as the world’s fastest bullet train. According to CGTN, the CR450 has established new world records during trials, including a top speed of 453 kmph and a relative passing speed of 896 kmph. The CR450 prototype has been developed by CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles and CRRC Sifang Co. Ltd.

The key factors of the train are its aerodynamic design and structural enhancements. The nose cone, for instance, has been extended from 12.5 meters on existing 350 km/h trains to a more streamlined 15 meters. The CR450 can accelerate from a standstill to 350 kmph in just 4 minutes and 40 seconds. The report also highlights that the train’s overall resistance has been reduced by 22 per cent.

“These include fully enclosing the bogies and lowering the skirt panels beneath the carriages, minimizing the exposure of the wheels to the air, a design philosophy akin to high-performance race cars. The train’s height has also been reduced by 20 centimeters, and its weight has been trimmed by 50 tonnes,” the CGTN report said.

https://indianexpress.com/article/world ... -10644972/

[kmaherali]

Norway is drilling 27 kilometers of rock 392 meters below the bottom of a fjord to build the world’s largest and deepest underwater road tunnel — when completed, a 21-hour journey will be reduced to 10.



With 27 kilometers in length and a deepest point of 392 meters below sea level, Rogfast will replace seven ferry crossings on the west coast of Norway and cut a 21-hour journey in half
On the west coast of Norway, the E39 highway winds between deep fjords for 1,090 kilometers.

To travel this stretch from Trondheim to Kristiansand, drivers need 21 hours — and rely on seven ferry crossings that stop in bad weather.

The Rogfast project aims to change that by drilling through the rock beneath the fjords.

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When completed in 2033, the tunnel will have 27 kilometers in length and reach 392 meters below sea level — the deepest in the world for vehicles.

The crossing that currently depends on ferries will take only 35 minutes by car inside the tunnel.

The estimated cost is US$ 2.4 billion (about 20 billion Norwegian kroner).

Deep Norwegian fjord with cliffs and dark blue water

The fjords of Norway are spectacular but force drivers to rely on ferries that stop in bad weather.

392 meters of rock and water above: how it works

The Rogfast tunnel will pass under the bed of the Boknafjorden fjord, in the Rogaland region.

There will be four lanes — two in each direction.

At the deepest point, the road will be 392 meters below sea level.

In the middle of the tunnel, there is an unprecedented feature: an exit to the island of Kvitsøy, with an underground roundabout at 250 meters depth.

It will be the deepest road roundabout on the planet.

Construction began in 2018, with the first main contract in the fall of 2021.

The project faced a pause in 2019 due to rising costs but has resumed.

Why Norway needs this tunnel

The Norwegian west coast is cut by fjords that act as natural barriers.

Each fjord forces cars and trucks to stop, board ferries, and wait — sometimes for hours on stormy days.

The E39 has seven ferry crossings, making transportation unpredictable and slow.

Rogfast eliminates one of these barriers, connecting Stavanger, Haugesund, and Bergen by continuous land.

The total time for the E39, from 21 hours, will drop to about 10 hours when all projects are completed.

Interior of a road tunnel under construction with drilling equipment

Excavating Rogfast needs to drill 27 km of rock nearly 400 meters deep under the fjord.

Norway is the country of tunnels: Rogfast will be the king

Norway already has the longest road tunnels in the world.

The Laerdal Tunnel, at 24.5 kilometers, is the current world record holder.

The Ryfast, at 14.4 kilometers, holds the record for road depth at 292 meters.

Rogfast will surpass both: it will be 2.5 km longer than the Laerdal and 100 meters deeper than the Ryfast.

The country has more than 1,100 road tunnels — drilling through mountains is part of the Norwegian DNA.

The economic impact: tourism, trade, and jobs

The continuous road connection will accelerate trade and tourism on the west coast.

Businesses that depended on ferry schedules will have logistical predictability.

Tourists will be able to travel the coast without maritime interruptions.

Funding combines tolls and support from the Norwegian government.

For a country that already relies on oil from the North Sea, investing US$ 2.4 billion in transportation infrastructure is a bet on economic diversification.

Ferry crossing Norwegian fjord with mountains in the background

The ferries crossing the Norwegian fjords are picturesque, but make transportation unpredictable and slow.

The challenges of drilling rock 392 meters under water

The engineering of Rogfast faces extreme hydrostatic pressure.

The rock at this depth may have fractures and water seepage from the fjord.

Ventilation for a 27 km road tunnel is complex — vehicle gases need to be continuously extracted.

The underground roundabout for Kvitsøy adds an unprecedented layer of complexity.

The Norwegians have experience: Laerdal, Ryfast, and dozens of other tunnels have proven that the local geology is viable.

But 392 meters is a new record, and every additional meter of depth increases the risks.

What could go wrong

The project has already faced cost increases that caused a pause in 2019.

The budget rose from the estimated €1.9 billion to US$ 2.4 billion.

The completion, initially expected for earlier dates, now points to 2033.

Unpredictable geology under the fjord could cause further delays.

However, Norway has a strong track record of delivering tunnels — even if delayed.

When Rogfast opens, driving along the Norwegian coast will be like traveling on a European highway — only 392 meters under a fjord.

https://en.clickpetroleoegas.com.br/nor ... nn-davila/

[kmaherali]

To solve a drought that threatened 185 million people, China built a 2,700 km artificial river with 13 pumping stations, which today supplies 70% of all the water that comes out of Beijing’s taps.



The world’s largest artificial river cost US$ 79 billion, extends for 2,700 kilometers of canals, tunnels, and aqueducts, and has already transferred 76.7 billion cubic meters of water from the humid south to the arid north of China, transforming the water map of an entire country
While northern China faced one of the planet’s worst water crises, with the Yellow River drying up in entire sections and tributaries of the Hai River disappearing for most of the year, Chinese engineers designed something no other country had even attempted: an artificial river in China capable of moving water on a continental scale.

The South-to-North Water Diversion Project, known as SNWD, officially began construction in 2002. Since then, it connects four river basins through more than 2,700 kilometers of canals, tunnels, and aqueducts.

According to Brazil’s Ministry of Regional Development, which visited the project on a technical mission, it is the largest water security undertaking in the world.

The system benefits about 185 million people in densely populated and industrialized regions of northern China. In addition, it has already transferred 76.7 billion cubic meters of water by April 2026.

The three routes of China’s artificial river that cross the country from end to end

The project operates through three main routes: East, Central, and West. Together, they will have the capacity to transfer 44.8 billion cubic meters of water per year when fully completed.

The East route extends for 1,112 kilometers of canals and tunnels. It utilizes the ancient Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, the world’s oldest artificial waterway. It has been operating since 2013 with an annual capacity of 14.8 billion cubic meters.

On this route alone, engineers installed 13 pumping stations with more than 100 sets of motor pumps. The total power in some sections exceeds 454 megawatts.


Pumping station of China's artificial river with industrial motor pumps

Giuseppe Vieira, Brazil’s National Secretary for Water Security, described what he saw during a technical visit: “We had the opportunity to visit some pumping stations, which have more than 13 stations installed only on the eastern branch. These 13 total more than 100 sets of motor pumps installed and operating.”

The Central route, on the other hand, runs between 1,264 and 1,400 kilometers from the Danjiangkou reservoir to Beijing. The flow occurs mostly by gravity, without the need for pumping.

This route crosses the Yellow River through two large underground tunnels. Furthermore, it supplies 70% of all water coming out of Beijing’s taps — a fact that reveals the Chinese capital’s dependence on this system.


Beijing skyline with water canal of China's artificial river in the foreground

The West route is still in the planning phase. When completed, it will have the capacity to transfer 17 billion cubic meters per year, but it faces significant technical and environmental challenges.

Impressive numbers: US$ 79 billion and 330,000 people relocated

The total cost of the project has already exceeded US$ 79 billion. This value makes China’s artificial river the most expensive water infrastructure project in human history.

To enable construction, the Chinese government had to relocate 330,000 people who lived along the canal route. The resettlement involved entire communities that lost their land to make way for the project.

When all routes are completed in 2050, the system will have a full capacity of 44.8 billion cubic meters of water per year. This volume is equivalent to supplying entire countries the size of Portugal or Switzerland.


Giant underground tunnel of China's artificial river transporting water under the Yellow River

Other Chinese megaprojects like the 164-kilometer Danyang-Kunshan bridge also impress with their scale. However, none of them move a resource as essential as drinking water.

Comparison with the São Francisco: China’s artificial river is 50 times larger

To gauge the scale, one only needs to compare it with Brazil’s São Francisco River Integration Project. The Brazilian transposition cost US$ 3 billion and extends for 477 kilometers.

The Chinese system is more than 50 times larger in length, 50 times greater in annual volume, and 26 times more expensive. While the PISF benefits 12 million Brazilians in the Northeast, the Chinese diversion serves 185 million.

According to the Ministry of Regional Development, the visit to the project serves as a reference to expand technical cooperation between Brazil and China in the area of water security.

Giuseppe Vieira stated that the MIDR team “had the opportunity to learn about the world’s largest water security undertaking, which transports water from the Yangtze River from more favored regions to less favored regions of China.”

Environmental challenges and the risks that persist after 24 years of work

Despite the impressive numbers, the project carries considerable challenges. Water pollution remains a permanent risk, especially on routes that cross industrial regions.

The impacts on local ecosystems are still being evaluated. The preservation of springs and banks receives continuous investment, with public leisure areas created along the canals.

Furthermore, the West route faces technical and environmental obstacles that delay its completion. More ambitious proposals from Chinese academics diverge from the government’s more modest versions.

Other extreme engineering works in China, such as the 4,000-ton drilling machine, show that the country continues to invest in continental-scale infrastructure.

As reported by Revista Oeste, the total length of the system can reach 2,700 km when all routes are operational.

It is worth noting that data on the project varies among sources. Some indicate a length of 1,200 km for specific sections, while others cite 2,700 km for the complete system. Furthermore, the mark of 76.7 billion cubic meters transferred represents an accumulation since the start of operations, not the annual volume.

The total completion of the project is expected only by 2050, with the West route still in its initial phase. Until then, China’s artificial river will continue to be the largest water project in history — a system that literally redrew the map of a country to ensure the survival of nearly 200 million people.

https://en.clickpetroleoegas.com.br/to- ... -7-davila/