As the year concludes and the Spring Festival travel rush begins, a massive 15.4-meter diameter tunnel boring machine named "Pilot" is operating continuously day and night beneath the Yangtze River, connecting Shanghai's Chongming Island to Taicang in Jiangsu province. A dedicated team of engineers and construction workers remains steadfast at their posts at the Chongtai Yangtze River Tunnel construction site.
This tunnel is a critical component of the Shanghai-Nanjing section of the Shanghai-Chongqing-Chengdu high-speed railway, a key part of China's "Eight Vertical and Eight Horizontal" high-speed rail network. It is also a landmark project for integrated transportation in the Yangtze River Delta under the national 14th Five-Year Plan. Li Bin, the chief engineer of the project from China Railway Tunnel Group Co., Ltd., stated that construction began in November 2022 and is expected to be completed by November 2029. "This tunnel will link Shanghai's Chongming with Jiangsu's Taicang, ending the history of Chongming Island having no high-speed rail connection. It will also achieve a breakthrough by allowing high-speed trains to cross the river at 350 km/h without deceleration," Li said.
In Li Bin's view, tunnel engineering is an "invisible project." Over his ten-year career, while managing projects like the Wangjing Tunnel and the natural gas pipeline crossing under the Yangtze, Li and his team have solved numerous challenges through exploration, advanced forecasting, and experience-driven solutions. The Chongtai Yangtze River Tunnel project has presented him with many new difficulties. The most significant challenge is ensuring the tunnel boring machine advances with millimeter-level precision while simultaneously guaranteeing the accuracy of the segment assembly behind it, all to control deviations in the finished tunnel. This precision is crucial for the machine's successful exit upon breakthrough and to ensure the tunnel remains watertight after it opens to traffic. "After all, the tunnel is under the Yangtze River. Any water leakage, starting as seepage, could lead to drips, then flows, and ultimately cause irreversible and immeasurable losses," Li explained. Therefore, a "double insurance" system involving high-precision measurement device calibration and multi-level manual verification is used during construction to guarantee accuracy.
Between July and August 2025, during the critical phase of tunneling under the Yangtze River, Li and his team tackled two major problems: replacing the tail seal brushes and freeing a stuck cutterhead. "At that time, we held meetings with group experts to discuss solutions. The entire team was united, completing the critical task in the shortest possible time. Particularly, the young key staff on the project fought on the front lines throughout, meticulously setting every parameter. After more than ten days of intense effort, we finally resolved the issues. This deeply impressed upon me that tunnel engineering allows no carelessness; we must maintain a cautious mindset to complete the work," Li recalled.
The Chongtai Yangtze River Tunnel spans 14.25 kilometers in total, with the tunnel boring machine section measuring 13.2 kilometers, of which 10.5 kilometers involves this precise "threading the needle" operation deep under the riverbed. In the week before the Lunar New Year's Eve, the project is set to complete the excavation of the section under the Yangtze waterway. During the Spring Festival holiday, work at some sites will pause. However, due to the characteristic of tunnel boring operations where "the machine never stops," one shift crew will remain on-site to maintain equipment operation and handle any potential emergencies. Special attention will be paid to monitoring surface settlement above the tunnel boring machine and conducting daily inspections to prevent hazards.
Since the project's commencement in 2022, Li Bin has been in a state of "extended standby," with very little rest. He compares his role to that of a director, responsible for creating the "script" before the project begins and then delivering it to every worker on site. During construction, he must efficiently coordinate work同步ously across multiple construction points. "My work knows no weekdays or weekends, no distinction between day and night; my phone is on 24/7. At its peak, the project involved over 900 workers. There are work groups for every site, plus technical team groups, project management groups... I have so many pinned work groups on my phone it takes several scrolls to see them all," Li said.
Since joining the company in 2016, Li Bin has "migrated" with each project he is responsible for, often needing to stay at his post during Spring Festival instead of returning to his hometown in Hebei province. In 2018, he met his girlfriend at work; the couple is now married with two children, and the family of four lives in the project's staff dormitory. "As workers in project construction, we are always working away from home, not returning for the entire year. Outsiders might not understand our work situation. But my parents and wife strongly support my work; my parents often take the high-speed train from our hometown to visit us," Li shared.
Li Bin's life rhythm is synchronized with the project's progress, marking one key milestone after another. Every time construction advances smoothly, the project team holds a celebration. They take group photos with banners and slogans, which they then "show off" on social media to receive blessings from friends and family. Before the New Year's Eve, employees also organize parties and watch performances to celebrate the festival together.
For the upcoming Lunar New Year, Li Bin has two wishes: "I hope our project proceeds smoothly and that everyone's hard work leads to a successful outcome. I also wish for the health and safety of all my family members, old and young."
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