China astonishes again; Opens world’s longest expressway tunnel with 1.1 km depth, passes through 16 geological fault zones, and more

New Delhi: China has presented a new example of engineering prowess as it has opened the world’s longest expressway tunnel in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The Tianshan Shengli Tunnel is 22.13 km long. Chinese officials have described it as the “world’s longest highway tunnel.” This tunnel has been built across the formidable Tianshan mountain range, which is why it is being called an engineering marvel.

22-kilometer Journey In Just 20 Minutes

This tunnel has reduced the journey across this dangerous mountain to just 20 minutes. That is, a 22-kilometer journey in just 20 minutes. According to Chinese state media reports, this project is considered extremely important not only from an engineering perspective but also strategically and economically.

According to Chinese media reports, the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel is part of the G0711 Urumqi–Yuli Expressway, which connects northern and southern Xinjiang. The total length of this expressway is 324.7 km, and its construction took about five years. According to the Global Times, the Chinese government invested approximately 46.7 billion yuan, or about 6.5 billion US dollars, in this project.

Tianshan Shengli Tunnel Is Now Functional

According to China’s state news agency Xinhua, its construction was an extremely difficult task due to the challenging geographical conditions. Because of this, the proportion of bridges and tunnels on this route is more than 90 percent. The tunnel reaches a maximum depth of 1,112 meters and passes through 16 geological fault zones. This is why its construction is being called one of the most difficult engineering projects in the world.

According to Xinhua News, Song Hailiang, chairman of China Communications Construction Company, said that this tunnel is not only a record-breaker in terms of length, but it also features the deepest vertical shaft ever constructed for a highway tunnel. For this project, China used an indigenously developed hard-rock tunnel boring machine (TBM), specifically designed to operate in extreme cold, high altitudes, and hard rock conditions. The Chinese agency stated that advanced technology reduced the construction time by a quarter.

Top Features Of The Tianshan Shengli Tunnel

The Tianshan Shengli Tunnel is 22.13 and it is being called the world’s longest expressway tunnel.

The opening of the tunnel has reduced a dangerous journey of several hours through mountainous terrain to just 20 minutes.

It is a crucial part of the G0711 Urumqi-Yuli Expressway, connecting the northern and southern parts of Xinjiang.

The maximum depth of the tunnel is 1,112 meters, which is considered the deepest for any highway tunnel.

It was designed keeping in mind extreme cold, high altitude, and seismic risks.

Its operation has reduced freight transport time from 3-4 days to 1-2 days.

China may also use this tunnel for military purposes, which is why it is also being called a strategic tunnel.