Baku, Azerbaidjan

Late August saw construction of Azerbaijan’s third metro line get into gear with the launch, by contractor Azerkorpu, of a 6.3m diameter Robbins EPB equipped with a PPS TBM Guidance System. The TBM is one of two EPBMs excavating parallel 3.5km tunnels approximately 15m apart. As the TBM mines, it is placing 5+1 universal concrete segments. The new metro Line 3, for owner Metrostroy Azerbaijan, will connect to the existing Line 1 as well as a new bus station. The EPBs are excavating two sections connecting Cavadxan Station and Avtovaǧzal station sites. Upon completion of the first leg, the machines will continue on to excavate between the Memar Ajami-2 station and an as-yet-unnamed station located near the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry’s hospital. The stations are expected to open in 2013.