On February 1, the sixth shield machine for the Wuhan Dadonghu Deep Tunnel Project, "Lütou No. 7," was successfully launched at Shaft No. 8 of the main tunnel.

　　The "Lütou No. 7" shield machine will be used for the shield-driven section between Shafts No. 8 and No. 9 of the main tunnel. The machine is a composite earth pressure balance shield, with a total length of about 128 meters, a shield body length of 10.2 meters, and 18 trailer cars. Due to space constraints at Shaft No. 8, the shield machine will still use split-launch technology.

　　It is understood that the shield-driven section to be excavated by this machine has a total length of 1,936 meters; the finished tunnel will have an inner diameter of 3.4 meters, and the tunnel section has a burial depth of more than 40 meters. It mainly passes through moderately weathered calcareous argillaceous siltstone, strongly weathered calcareous argillaceous siltstone, gravel and pebble mixed with medium-fine sand, and silty fine sand strata.

　　At present, all four shafts on the key route of the main tunnel have been completed. The total tunneling distance of the five previously launched shield machines has exceeded 2,400 meters, and construction of the surface improvement system and branch tunnel works is also in full swing. It is expected that in March this year, the project's last shield machine will also begin tunneling.

　　The Dadonghu Core Area Sewage Transmission System Project is a PPP project with a total investment of 3.029 billion yuan. The project aims to build a main drainage collection and transmission artery for about 3 million residents within 130 square kilometers of the Wuchang area. Upon completion, it will integrate the three existing sewage treatment plants in the Wuchang area and the under-construction Beihu Sewage Treatment Plant into a "four-plants-in-one" system.